Wednesday lineups: Punto headed back to Minnesota
Posted on June 24th, 2009 – 5:10 PMBy Joe Christensen
MILWAUKEE — Denard Span returned from Class AAA Rochester and will take batting practice with the Twins today, hoping to be activated from the disabled list Thursday.
Span has a swollen left thumb after getting hit with a pitch Tuesday in his final plate appearance for Rochester, but Manager Ron Gardenhire said, “I think he’ll be fine.”
Nick Punto still has sore ribs, so he’s out of the lineup again tonight after leaving Tuesday’s game in the seventh inning. He’s day-to-day.
Jason Kubel is past his flu symptoms and headaches, or at least enough to be back in the lineup. It’s going to be tough for him, and all of these guys to handle the severe heat expected here and in St. Louis over the weekend.
Kubel is in left field, so he won’t get the usual breaks he gets as the designated hitter.
Update: Be sure to check out La Velle’s midweek look around the Twins farm system.
Update: Punto will return to Minnesota on Thursday for a precautionary MRI exam of his rib cage. Gardenhire described the injury as cramping before the game, but the team is clearly searching for answers. Punto injured his ribs with a head-first slide into first base on Saturday against Houston.
TWINS (36-36)
1. Carlos Gomez, CF
2. Brendan Harris, SS
3. Joe Mauer, C
4. Justin Morneau, 1B
5. Jason Kubel, LF
6. Michael Cuddyer, RF
7. Joe Crede, 3B
8. Matt Tolbert, 2B (Corrected)
9. Nick Blackburn, P
BREWERS (37-33)
1. Craig Counsell, 2B
2. Mat Gamel, 3B
3. Ryan Braun, LF
4. Prince Fielder, 1B
5. Corey Hart, RF
6. Mike Cameron, CF
7. J.J. Hardy, SS
8. Jason Kendall, C
9. Braden Looper, P
Miller Park. First pitch: 7:05 p.m.
108 Responses to "Wednesday lineups: Punto headed back to Minnesota"
Tolbert catching? that’s a new one Joe!
Is this the “Nick Blackburn induces more ground balls than any other Twin pitcher plus we are playing in an NL park with NL rules” lineup?
2 catchers? liriano isn’t pitching tonight :X
Tolbert really is the new Punto…he can do everything
That’s about as solid a lineup as can be put out right now. Gomez deserves a second night in the #1 spot to see if he can continue building off last night.
The Milwaukee blogsters must be amped up about Hardy (Punto), Hall (Buscher), Kendall (Redmond), Cameron (Young), and even, perhaps irrationally, Hart (Cuddyer).
Guarentee Gomez tries to do too much tonight and really struggles. I think Tolbert has to start producing or else he will get demoted. Tolleson and Casilla are doing solid in AAA (albeit Casilla is hurt right now)
I’m kind of surprised to see Mauer in the lineup. First, there’s a day game tomorrow with no DH, so I thought he’d rest. Second, he really got beaten up behind the plate yesterday by Liriano and Dickey.
But Gardenhire is pretty clever to add a second catcher to help Mauer out tonight. I don’t know how good Tolbert’s pitch handling skills are, but maybe he’ll let Mauer get some rest!
Flu bug/headaches? And then play in heat and humidity?
Don’t think it’ll work for Kubel.
No McGehee? Thank goodness!
Tolbert isn’t going anywhere. Gardy loves him.
“It’s going to be tough for him, and all of these guys to handle the severe heat expected here and in St. Louis over the weekend.”
Miller Park is basically a climate controlled building…don’t they keep the roof on until a couple hours before game time?
Jason i was at the game last night and im heading there again. It was hot as HELL there last night.
Can they just keep the roof on today?
I think Mauer is suffering from the SI jinx going 3 for 21 in his last five games. Either that or he’s really getting beat up behind the plate - he looked a little lethargic last night! At least Blackburn is pitching and he keeps it around the plate!
Tolbert is the new Punto…he can’t hit either.
This team BADLY needs a second baseman who can hit even a little.
T O L B E R T ? ? ? ? but who else, huh?
Rob, what was the Twins fans contingency like? I figured it would be significantly less than previous years due to the fact that MLB stupidly made this a mid-week series.
Any feeling who Span will replace on the roster?
“Any feeling who Span will replace on the roster?”
Pridie, almost certainly.
Sane, in Joe’s first line up it said “Matt Tolbert, C”.
That might mean “C” for “cut”.
But I doubt it.
This lineup is really best of who is left. You could argue Delmon for Cuddyer, but I’m sure the world would probably end if Cuddyer wasn’t somewhere in the lineup.
Twins Territory,
Might as well replace Morales. Two pinch hit ABs in a week on the big club. Maybe more, that’s all I can recall.
GOMEZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Send Gomez to AAA
AJPesch would be proud.
Keep Morales ’til his average passes Mauer.
Then send him down.
SI should stick to swimsuit covers.
Wide strike zone?
NL really needs to get rid of the pitcher hitting rule.
Nora,
that would add about $5-10 mil to each team’s payroll so it is not happening any time soon
An RBI hit to the PITCHER?! For SHAME Blackburn.
“NL really needs to get rid of the pitcher hitting rule.”
and what would that accomplish?
It’s funny when they call the NL the senior circuit when you frequently see career NLers cross over to the AL to play a few more years as a DH.
T, the AL is the senior citizen circuit (but the NL was a major league before the AL and thus the name)
What would it accomplish? Not having pitchers hit is what it would accomplish. LOL
What are the odds that Punto has learned his lesson about sliding into 1st? 1% that he won’t do it again? Maybe 2%?
I remember talk of the Twins trying to get JJ Hardy last winter. don’t know how serious any of that was. so would you rather have Harris or Hardy now?
“What would it accomplish? Not having pitchers hit is what it would accomplish. LOL”
so if you can’t get the other team’s pitcher out, change the rules after the fact?
I hope Punto’s not heading to the DL again.
I’m no fan of Punto, but I think right now he’s the best option at 2nd.
Unfortunately.
first Denard didn’t go to a follow up because he was “feeling better” and took 2 steps back and punto didn’t get that MRI the other day because he was “feeling better”…. why not get these guys to just keep with the appointments even if they are feeling fine to make sure all is well?
2 hits from the team in the 87 pitches tossed by Looper. 
Gomez looks great at the plate again tonight. He has clearly changed his approach and has bought into the change 2 straight days. Even in his strike out it was a much improved AB with a tough called strike.
Man I hope this is the beginning of his emergence at the plate. I am serious, plot him in the 2nd spot in the order and lets have SPan and Gomez drive pitchers crazy with our big guys up.
Kubes!!
Cuddy!
Giving up a hit on 0-2 should be an automatic fine for Blackburn.
I hate that.
Wow, even I feel for Delmon on that call. Unless there is some injury I don’t know about.
alright, let’s get a brewski error, a bloop and a drive.
romer says:
June 24th, 2009 at 5:40 pm
Flu bug/headaches? And then play in heat and humidity?
Don’t think it’ll work for Kubel.
how do those words taste romer???
84 pitches through seven innings for blackburn.
one run leads make me nervous
Put ‘em down Burnsie!
Okay. The run scores. But WTF is with the throw Blackburn?
crap
That play at the end is a player trying to do WAY too much.
arrrgh
What a difference that pitch, which should have been called strike three, is called a ball.
Well, the Twins beat Hoffman last year…let’s hope for a repeat.
That last run is on Mauer for not catching the ball, or at least blocking it.
as soon as the tying run reached base, Nathen should have been brought in.
Five games out of first. This ship is sinking.
How is it on Mauer? I didn’t see him sling a ball into right field when the runner was already sliding into the bag.
There is a fake among us
Needed a better throw from left, a better throw from short, a better block at the plate, and a better idea from Blackie.
this must be delmon’s fault.
M&M need to man up here.
Come on geez groove one down the plate.
I knew that was going to happen…hey left him in too fu***ng long!!
I wish the trib would have registration on this blog, I really do
gatty, remember 2006? 11 games out of 1st. But yes, Twins will have to play alot better to catch up.
This kind of crap happens way too often on the road.
Waaaay too often.
Really a bad time to implode. Twin have one chance and it’s against Hoffman. Ugh
Yeah, considering I didn’t even post that, thanks for reminding me
Wow, how quickly a lead turns into a loss. Frustrating
Sorry, it says your name. I know these boards are messed up at time though.
2006 was 2006. That type of season was special. Morneau came of age that season. Him and Mauer are already playing as good as they ever will be. This years team is no better than .500.
Twins will be alright. I think they are improving on the road and that is a good sign.
good one, real gatty!
I agree, they are not playing anything like they did in 2006. But the season is not over, hoping they get it together.
Games like tonight are not only frustrating, but often lead to losing the series.
Boy that was stupid.
All the wierdo Brewer fans always pick me as the veneer with which they expose their small minded spammy ways.
Even though ‘burns made a bone-headed play, I still consider him to be the best starter the Twins have right now.
You’d better believe that Mariano Rivera and several other closers around the league come in to face Kendall in that situation. Nathan has had plenty of rest lately.
I think you can place a big chunk of the blame on Bill Smith for this one.
If the Twins had a bullpen that Gardy trusts, I think he pinch hits for Blackburn in the top of the 8th.
But given his options, I can’t really blame him for trying to get through the 8th with Blackburn.
You can say Nathan should’ve been in the game to face Kendall, but was he even warmed up? That all developed pretty quickly.
This one is on Blackburn.
Yeah good point about it developing quickly and the sad state of the ‘pen. And it’s easy to second-guess, but I mean that had bad vibes written all over it. A veteran guy like Kenall had 3 at-bats against Blackburn and knows how to make adjustments. And did. And then all hell broke loose.
How many games have we lost already like this, already this half season? You win half of these type of games instead of imploding like we did in New York, Oakland and Seattle and we are at least tied for 1st with Detroit. But again, only 3 runs. And tomorrow is a day game. You know we don’t play well in the day games. And then on to St.Louis against a very good team. Our hope of a run via interleague play is fast falling by the wayside. Bad luck for Blackburn on the Hardy ducksnort, but Nathan should of been in to face their .230 hitting catcher, Kendall.
TELLY. BEEEE GOOOONNEEEE
Why in the world would Telly want to see their closer tomorrow night????
To blame Blackburn for this is idiotic. And to blame Gardy for leaving him in there is even dumber. He just pitched a complete game, which you all went gaga over, and he had the stuff to do it again tonight. Kendall just happened to get the sweet spot on the ball and drove it. Mauer should have stopped the play, and Blackburn should not have thrown it to third. But to discredit the job Blackburn did tonight is stupid.
Dragon, I’m not discrediting how Blackburn pitched. He pitched well. But that error was inexcusable. There was no one at 3rd to catch that throw.
Truth of the matter is that if Gomez, Young, Tolbert, Punto, or Cuddyer made that bonehead play, even after having a good game at the plate, they’d be bludgeoned.
Could you imagine if Crede made that play? The Dragon would be all over him, calling him the biggest bust ever.
And why not question Gardenhire for leaving Blackburn in there? He pitched that CG last week with a better lead and against the Pirates at home. Tonight was a completely different story. So maybe your logic is “idiotic” and “dumber.”
yes, and that play was all Harris’ fault… fabulous… thanks gardy
But did you hear LaPanta, LMS? He said it was because we had our second best shortstop and second best left fielder playing.
No one at 3rd to catch the throw? Crede was there, but the throw was high, so you have no point there. And, why would I bang on Crede if it had been him? I did not mention him and his .225 average, play 4 times a week, and run absolutely nothing out. Get your facts straight beetle Jiz.
It’s frustrating, and we’re all cranky after a loss like that.
But let’s keep some perspective. This team has clearly, undeniably needed bullpen help for over a year, but the only answers are retreads, has-beens, never-weres, and other flotsom thrown against the wall in hopes something sticks for a month or so.
I’m pretty sure if there was a reliable, shut down set up man in the Twins pen, Blackburn doesn’t hit in the 8th, and isn’t even in the game in the bottom of the inning.
The M&M boys went 1 for 8. Think anyone might say something negative about them???
I will. Mauer should have blocked that throw a little better and Morny should have tried to get a walk so Kubes could homer again.
Shaun–
Yeah I heard it, but it was because our “best” SS is not the brightest and had to hurt himself and can’t consistantly hit over the mendoza line.
Initially on the Brewers radio side they had said it was on Mauer for not catching it. I haven’t seen the play yet but still I know that Blackburn was the one that fired it all the way to LF that allowed Kendall to score…. but of course, it is Harris’ fault… par for the course. It is probably his fault the fact that Punto is out with sore ribs too
Harris and Blackburn. What can you say.
Harris now in doghouse. And Punto, what’s up with that? Sore ribs. You kidding me…..DON’T slide!
USAFChief,
While I agree with your general take on the bullpen issues wouldn’t be fair to say that it shouldn’t have been an issue tonight? Guerrier has been good and could have gone, Mijares has been decent and was rested and then of course they always could have gone to Nathan and the start or when the tying run got on in the 8th.
Seemed like they had decent options including sticking with Blackie if that was Gardy perogitive (right or wrong a reasonable case could be made for that option as well)
Just wondering…
Having said that, Blackie did give up 11 hits in 8 innings so it’s not like he was as dominant or had the cushion to work with in his last outing.
2006 was 2006. That type of season was special. Morneau came of age that season.
Yeah, until 2008 when the Twins did almost the exact same thing, the only difference being they couldn’t get it done in the final weekend of the regular season against KC.
As far as the play goes…the run doesn’t score if Harris makes a good throw to home.
And the go ahead run stays planted firmly at 3rd if Blackburn accepts the screwup and holds onto the ball.
He was trying to do way too much on that play once it broke up.
Goofy loss… nothing more.
T–
If Harris took the time that Gardenhire said he should have he would not have gotten Hardy so the game would have been tied, and if Tolbert had been backing up the play like it seemed like he was supposed to (if you look at the replay he looks like he is running to correct his positioning) the ball doesn’t go as far into left field because it doesn’t go off the tip of his glove.
My main problem with it is that Blackburn was the one who threw it to left field and Harris was the one who gets thrown under the bus. Was the throw off line? yes, but that was not the reason that Kendall scored but according to Gardy it was all on Harris and there was no need to single out one player in that mess of a play.
My main problem with it is that Blackburn was the one who threw it to left field and Harris was the one who gets thrown under the bus.
It *was* all on Harris. Set and throw, the inning is over and Blackburn’s throw never happens.
From the game story:
Harris took Kubel’s throw with enough time to get Hardy at home plate, but his throw was several feet up the first-base line.
“It’s kind of disappointing,” Harris said. “I should have made a better throw than that, but I got a little excited and pulled it a little bit.”
Harris didn’t get thrown under the bus. He stepped in front of the bus.
