Sunday sights
Posted on February 24th, 2008 – 8:35 AMBy La Velle
Sunday is weigh-in day at the ol’ ballpark - another opportunity for Boof Bonser to show off his new ‘bod. Bonser strutted toward the scale as strength coach Perry Castellano sat nearby with his chart.
Bonser has lost about 30 pounds since the end of last season - he’s in the 230’s now - and it’s easy to tell that his confidence is sky high.
Several players hit the field at 8:30 for bunting practice before the regular workout began. Jerry White and Rod Carew went over proper bunting techniques and used a pitching machine to fire baseballs at hitters.
Joe Vavra tossed balls to Justin Morneau in the batting cage then helped Alexi Casilla with his swing.
Joe Nathan strutted into the clubhouse wearing a Tennessee t-shirt one day after the Vols knocked off Memphis. Front runner.
By the way, I feel sorry for college basketball when teams like Tennessee and Memphis are ranked so high. Seriously, does Memphis run any offense than having the point guard break someone down and then either shoot or kick out to a teammate for a three-pointer? At least Tennessee tried to run screens and move without the ball.
Twins manager Ron Gardenhire is going to have a few players take grounders at first base so there’s options when Justin Morneau needs a day off (how much rest does a first baseman need?). Brian Buscher shifted to first for some work on Saturday and Mike Lamb eventually will get some work over there too.
Gardenhire usually hangs out with the infielders during workouts, but since he’s going to have a starting center fielder not named Torii Hunter, he said he will watch outfield work closely this spring.
22 Responses to "Sunday sights"
LaVelle,
If the other team can’t stop your point guard from breaking down his defender, why do anything else?
If they do stop it, THEN you must have Plan B ready for implementation.
Could Matt Macri take some plays at 1st base? A right handed alternative to Morneau instead of another lefty like Lamb or Buscher. Macri should be just as likely a choice to make team as Buscher. He could platoon with Lamb at 3rd. If only LNP would retire to become infielder coach or Gardy’s bowling doubles partner. …….. anything but a starter anywhere again. I don’t know if Macri can hit, but we know that LNP can’t.
LaVelle, Memphis actually runs about the most complicated system in the entire country. I know a little bit about it because I’m a Pepperdine grad and our former coach Vance Walberg installed it for Calipari there.
Here’s an article about it that you might want to check out:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/grant_wahl/02/12/memphis0218/index.html
La Velle, your collegue, Mr. Souhan said on his radio show this morning that the front office wants Harris to play 2B because of his bat, but that Gardy doesn’t think he’s got any defensive ability. Souhan thinks that infers he’d prefer Punto instead.
Souhan also said he thinks the Twins would prefer to have Casilla and Slowey in AAA this year. Says that Gomez can’t hit a breaking ball if his life depended on it because he’s always leaning and on his left leg before the pitch gets there. If he gets a fastball he’d hit it 800 ft, but the breaking stuff is going to get him and probably means he should be in AAA as well.
Are you seeing the same thing?
Lets see.
Gomez, Casilla and Slowey in AAA.
Lil’ Nicky, Span, Reyes and Gardy in MLB.
Get me Rochester Red Wing tickets!
I just skimmed through a couple pages of that story while watching Pat Neshek throw and, I admit, am intrigued.
But…
That offense embraces the drive-and-dunk mentality that’s harming USA basketball. It promotes one-on-one-isms. While it will lead to some three-pointers it still reduces the reliance on the beautiful jump shot and consequently lead to further reduction of good jump shooters.
The drive-and-dunk mentality is why we’ve begun losing games on the international level.
And that offense looks in trouble if you can take the point guard out of the game…
I have to see Harris in games first..
Have heard that Gomez moves his feet too much in the box to hit breaking balls. That can be corrected. Again, I want to see him play some games first before I become an alarmist.
Casilla to AAA isn’t a shocker.
I have heard that some Twins people think Humber could be the sleeper in camp…
ML- good obersvation, I made a simular comment on the next post ->
I do not like what I am hearing on the Punto front…
La Velle-
I like to hear that about Humber… I would like to see him make the big club. I am not sure what he is going to pick up in AAA. After being very down on him, I have changed my view a little. I hope he has a nice spring.
Humber is entering his 2nd season season after TJ surgery and he should be ready to bust out. I found it interesting that he was the 3rd or 4th guy picked in the draft a couple years ago but only the #3 starter on his championship Rice squad. I also think he could be a pleasant surprise in camp. I think it also illustrates that next year is the year we should see the REAL Liriano. We will see flashes this year but he’s going to have some ups and downs.
I’m not a big Punto fan, but it sure gets tiring hearing all the whining about his offense. Sure, 2006 may have been a fluke career year. Or 2007 may have been more impacted by his strained oblique than you realize. I’d rather wait until late March before complaining about who makes the team and who goes to the minors. Anyone remember how bad a hitter Torii was his first few years in the majors?
LaVelle-So Gomez moves around in the box too much to hit the breaking ball.It’s such a relief that you say it’s correctable.Some on this board think that if he hasn’t learned to hit it by age22.he doesn’t have a prayer.
Humber could be a pleasant surprise.I wonder if anyone has every done a study that charts the success rate that pitchers have coming off TJ surgery?
GENO,
Current success rate of TJ surgery is 85%.
Google “Tommy John Surgery success”
Thanks for the information.Did it happen to mention if performances were the same,better or worse after the surgery?
GENO,
I didn’t see that type of breakdown, but I would think that the evaluation would be very complex (which stats to use for the evaluation?, etc.)
I know there are some examples better(including Tommy John himself) and worse.
LEN3 mentioned that Carew was teaching bunting techniques using a pitching machine.That was one of the Twins biggest problems last year.Practicing bunting against a machine or batting practice pitcher is alot different than against a live pitcher who knows you are trying to lay one down to advance the runner.
GENO,
When you are just starting learning technique, a pitching machine is ideal because it is consistent.
After you have a grip on the correct technique, the next step is against a pitcher trying to get you out.
The principle of bunting always the same - square and bunt down to first or third, depending on situation and fielders.
If the pitch comes in too high or too tight draw back and let the pitcher walk you..
Squaring and bunting the ball needs to be learned..Technique.. like hitting behind the runner - another lost art .. of bats doing the shimmy
La Velle, the AASAA offense still is a good tool because you’re getting higher quality shots with layups/dunks and three-pointers. A long jumper is “pretty” but it is still the worst shot you can take in basketball. The system does a good job of trying to eliminate that. I totally agree with you that we need more shooters in the U.S. (and I like how Coach K is focusing on that in international competition), but this offense still works.
And for what it’s worth, one of my best friends is a basketball coach and has gone to many of these coaching clinics as well. He actually played against Walberg’s Memphis teams when he was in city college, and says it was the craziest, most complex, but also effective offense he has ever seen.
I really think as you read more you’ll be impressed, La Velle.
I always am intrigued on the emphasis in bunting in spring practice. The entire team had 34 sac bunts last year and 16 of those came from 3 players. Five were from pitchers. Previous years had 2004(46), 2005(42) and 2006(31).
Is it a lost art or a lost offensive option? Many now think using a scarifice is a waste of an out.
What is truly a waste is seeing Morneau, Cuddyer and Mauer square to bunt. I know Mauer had 2 last year but isnt it a little wiser to have him hit away?
On the Memphis offense. The offense only works with superior athletes. It is street ball gone college. It worked well with Houston and UNLV in their glory years as well. Give me a well coached Duke or UNC team anytime over that. I can watch the NBA to watch guys dribble and drive.
It’s more than just dribbling and driving, Brian. It’s actually a very complicated offense. Heck, Duke is even running aspects of basically the same thing right now.
It does take superior athletes, guys that can beat guys off the dribble. But the elite programs have those guys anyway.
