Back At The Ranch….
Posted on March 18th, 2008 – 9:19 AMBy La Velle
Joe C. is, once again, on Alligator Alley and headed to today’s Twins-Orioles matchup in Fort Lauderdale. Mrs. Joe C. is with him, so, for the first time all spring, I’ll have the Strib compound to myself.
I’m not saying that I’m sloppy, but there’s a little bit of a Felix Unger-Oscar Madison dynamic to our living approaches. But that’s O.K. Joe has made it easy for me to keep things tidy. For example, he’s placed post-it notes on the wall above two garbage cans. One reads, `trash,’ and the other, `recycling.’ Joe, I don’t know what my life would be like without you….
Swept through the clubhouse early this morning and did not see Scott Baker (that doesn’t mean he’s not around) so I’m not sure if he’s well enough to throw in the bullpen today.
[UPDATE] Indications are that Baker was unable to make it to the park today, so he might not be able to pitch in a game until the weekend.
This rotation thing is in a mess. Livan Hernandez, the Opening Day starter, is re-enacting Carlos Silva’s spring training from a year ago. Baker may not have his arm strength built up enough to open the season in the rotation (although he would just a week or ten days of extra work, which is far from a catastrophe). And, while the vibe I get is that Franchise will be in the rotation to start the season, he will be a lengthy (as in several weeks)project. That doesn’t strike me as an issue because I’m not sure if this rotation can keep the Twins in contention anyway, and I’d rather see Rick Anderson keep tabs on Liriano for awhile.
So there’s not much going right now. The only thing that’s happened this morning is that I ran into David Ortiz (of all people) at I-Hop (of all places). Boof throws in a minor league game at noon Twin Cities time. Juan Rincon is throwing over there too.
Here’s the lineup that’s headed to Fort Lauderdale.
1. Spanman, CF. 2. Go-Go, LF. 3. Mauer, C. 4. Cuddy, RF. 5. Kubel, DH. 6. Ruiz, 1B. 7. Buschman, 3B. 8. Harris, 2B. 9. Tolbert, SS. Pitching: Humber
235 Responses to "Back At The Ranch…."
Is Livan locked in as the opening day starter? Is there any chance that anyone else has a chance to start? I would lean toward Boof before Livan. I really don’t want to have to witness Livan giving up dongs to Vlad and Hunter on opening day.
Found this on Gomez from metspropectus.com:
In 2006 The Mets pushed Gomez to AA skipping A+ completely, and at first it didn’t look good early on. Carlos Gomez had a horrible first half which included an April where he hit .205, a May where he hit .219 and a June in which he hit .250. But towards the end of June Gomez hit a hot streak as he did a 360 in July hitting .406 and an August where he hit .294. Gomez ended the year hitting a .281 with 41 SB but more impressively his numbers in the clutch.
As Hit .421 (40-95) with men in scoring position, hit .341 (15-44) with runners in scoring position and two outs and was 56-171 (.327) with runners on base.
Gomez during the year Had 34 multiple-hit games on the year.
I’m looking forward to hearing how Humber does with his first start. I think he will start at least 20 games for the Twins this season.
I too am looking foward to Humber’s outing. However, I was listening to the game on Sunday and TK was in the booth discussing various topics. He did sound very keen on Humber. He mentioned numerous times how violent Humber does everything, and actually sounded really disgusted. Everything from his approach to the game, windup, delivery, and follow through are violent. He made it clear he was not impressed with it.
I personally don’t see the problem, everyone has a different approach, and maybe how that is his way of staying focused. I also have never seen him pitch, so I have not real insight.
Anyone else ever seen Humber pitch?
sorry for the typos. TK did not sound impressed with Humber was the gist of what I was trying to say
TK always sounds disgusted about EVERYTHING. And he dislikes young players. He understands baseball better than any of us, but he also puts emphasis on odd things, like trying to get David Ortiz to go the other way rather than exploit his power. It’s hard to knock a guy with two World Series wins, but that doesn’t mean his attitude about everything is devoid of prejudice misplaced emphasis.
Oops. Last sentence should say “devoid of prejudice OR misplaced emphasis”.
kloob,
TK was also disgusted with David Ortiz’s approach to the game and his violent hacks. But he took care of that problem for the Twins.
Gardy, has described Humber as throwing “all out” as well. I think they have a hard time with a starter who throws like that. TK, was maybe just down on him as a starter. I would say Nathan is pretty violent too.
I can kind of see TK’s disgust since Humber is still a reclamation project since coming off of Tommy John. After all violence probably caused the Tommy John. Although the super-durable rubber band in his arm now should be able to handle it.
Dennis, that line was deep….almost novelist deep…
“devoid of prejudice OR misplaced emphasis”.
This will be a boxscore update day, unless someone braves that crummy pressbox LEN noted the other day.
I agree with kloob it may have to due with him coming of TJ surgery and that throwing that violently may result in another injury but how can you fault the guy for trying his hardest to make the team.
How is Gomez looking now to make the team and not start the year in AAA
isn’t liriano a little violent and he’s the savior!
tk also talked about how livan had this great veteran presence and of course he couldn’t hold baseruneners on and “he’s going to have to work on that” as a veteran why doesn’t he already have that down? tk and gardy have occasional contradictions in what they say and do.
Jama
Kubel=Part time DH
i’m thinking Gomez will benefit from Twins coaches a lot more than if he was still in Mets org …he will be
good eventually either way if he starts in AAA i’m sure he be up with the big boys at some point this year
gobble,
IMO,
“he’s going to have to work on that” could be translated to mean:
Livan will have to stop taking shortcuts when the season starts.
He is currently so focused on pitch quality that he is ignoring baserunner control.
That can’t happen in the regular season.
I love watching Gomez play, but he is an absolute wild man. In a perfect world I think he needs some additional seasoning in AAA. Since this is not a perfect world, and our CF spot is in shambles, they almost have to start him in the Bigs. Regardless of speed, his swing and approach are not of a leadoff man. I wish they would throw him in the #7 or 8 slot, and let him take his knocks.
So we have no true leadoff man on this team? I beg to differ. Everybody preaches on how great of a #2 hitter Joe Mauer is (or should be). I personally would love to see him in the #1 slot. He takes a gazillion pitches, and gets on base. What a great way to start the game. Make the opposing pitcher throw about 10 pitches, and get incredibly frustrated by not hitting spots early. Until Baby Jesus develops power, I think the #1 slot would fit him perfectly. Problem solved.
Just how fat is Livan is he like Reyes fat or is he huge like Louis Anderson fat or Chris Farley. Is he possibly a cash out candidate if overworked one day
Gomez will be depressed in 10 months of Snow in the Midwest Minnesota Twins Midwest midwest organazation
Gomez will be depressed when he gets to Minneapolis and finds no disco.
kloob- baby jesus? why the jealousy for Mauer, you and barreiro are both pathetic at least barreiro isn’t the follower of the two of ya
Is Livan as big as Pat William’s and if so am I going to be seeing him at Old Country Buffet
Got a new name the Midwest Minnesota Twins
Exactly kloob please refer to him as emanuel in the future. I do however think Mauer is more suited to be a two hitter and i think Gomez will be our leadoff guy like it or not.
I like Joe Mauer, just think the nickname is funny. No jealousy here. Ease up man.
Or better yet. Mauer = Yahweh
Better than calling him Beelezubub
why is it funny? seems crude and passive-aggressive of barreiro
I don’t know why it’s funny. It just is! who cares what barreiro thinks? Or better yet some random message board poster like us? It was just an observation. Nice split-second reply by the way.
Jimmy
OK
Gomez at the 2 and baby jesus burns at the 1 agreed would be frustrating for a pitcher
Can’t call Joe Beelzebub as we all know little Nicky is the debil he’s da debil i tell ya.
Barreiro wasn’t even the 100th person to call him Baby Jesus. People act like anything he says is the first time it’s been said. Not True
Baby Jesus is funny because people in these parts love them some Joe Mauer. It’s not mean spirited it just the way the hometown boy is looked at in these parts. Why are people so offended by this?
it isn’t his fault if people like him or the twins pamper him yet the nickname is directed at him, that is why it is offensive, i guess i will never get the joke, if it is in fact a joke or just jealousy as i suggest
LaValle, it is great to see Matt Tolbert get a start, also Humber. We have seen Span and Gomez in the same lineup several times the last week or so. With Span always in center, and Gomez in right or left…is Gardy telling us anything?
If a guy was the fart champion of the universe and he was from Minnesota you would here about it over and over again till your ears bled. Minesota minesota minesota
let mauer leadoff and have gomez bat 9th until he gets his swing down.
livan looks a lot like a cc sabathia only right handed.
nathan said he works just as deliberate in st as during the season, and tk noted you need to play the same make the throws in order to get into game shape. so livan not holding runners on is just sloppy and may roll over into the regular season when he’ll have lots of practice holding runners on the way it looks. (no punto bashing today from me)
Livan and Reyes will be coming to an Old Country Buffet near you
Jimmy bee is the fart champion of the universe and he would like some recognition.
yes lookatthosetwins please but I can not be saved for I am not Midwestern I am simply a hug Twins fan
papa
I don’t think Mauer takes any offense to the nickname. If he had a problem with it then I might lean towards not using it but he’s never spoken up about it. It seems like he kind of likes the attention he gets from being a hometown hero. (Look at the Twins commericial with Neshek where everyone asks if Mauer is coming) The Twins wouldn’t do a commercial like that if Joe wasn’t okay with it.
ha, he never speaks up about anything, and if he did what would he say, then he would be accused of having thin skin and whining
Mauer is not whiny unless his knees hurt and then he lets them have it
With all due respect I would have liked the Twins to have used a lake as a back drop for the new Stadium. We have 10,000 lakes and why we didn’t put it on one of them is beside me. It would have been great to see Morneau hit one in the lake
Radio dork shows how small he is by making up childish names for players. Fans show how small they are by repeating the names.
Can someone show me where Barreiro was the first person to call Mauer “Baby Jesus”? Do you guys get upset when Adrian Peterson is refered to as “Purple Jesus”?
regardless of who came up with the name, Barreiro is the de facto source because he has the format to spread it and get you guys to repeat it
jama - where did you first learn it?
Gomez bats leadoff because IF he gets on, he scores.
WHEN Mauer gets on, he either dies at first base or injures himself getting tagged out at 2B, 3B or home.
I think Mauer takes more cause he is from Minnesota and was a #1 pick. He had better stats than most catchers in 2007, even with little power and injuries. But the positive hype machine has driven a negative hype machine.
Sy we shouldnt make fun of Mauer just because if his knee hurts and he is whiny and out for weeks on end with no damage showing on an x ray this is no reason to make fun of baby jesus
sy - exactly why mauer will never be the leadoff guy. Gardy wants the prototypical leadoff guy, high OBP, will steal bases. Mauer has the OBP, but they don’t want him running around unneeded. Gomez has the speed but not the OBP, but he’s electric out there so any time he gets on the basepaths, theres a good chance he’ll swipe a bag or score easily.
Mauer is the prototypical #2 or #3 hitter, high OBP, takes pitches, high avg (moves runner over), sets up for #3 or #4 to drive him and other guys in.
I’m not sure who’s gonna bat #3 for the twins this year, but its gotta be either Young or Cuddyer. I say put Cuddyer there because I’m thinking Young batting behind Morneau will protect him better, because I’m guessing he probably scares pitchers a little more than Cuddyer even though Cuddy’s been around longer.
jimmybee,
Not making fun of Mauer.
He’s a great catcher, hitter and person.
I am dumping on the idea of him as a leadoff hitter, when Gomez would be electric as a drag-bunting, base-stealing leadoff man with Mauer taking pitches in the two-hole.
“Baby Jesus” is a put-down of the fans who think Mauer is a really good player. The expression is used by people like Barreiro and Reusse who put everyone down. It is not a nickname, and if you call Joe Mauer that to his face, you will probably get punched.
Jama is it true that next year our teams salary is being cut in half to afford seats and Sod for our field because Bud Selig says we can’t sit on the ground when the stadium opens and watch dirtball as Pohlad had previously considered
La Velle have you heared any thing about joe nathan today i know his agent is in town
Sy I was trying to be funny
keep,
How the hell did we simultaneously come up with electric as a description for Gomez?
Maybe, because he IS!!!
no worries. you will never see mauer out in person. he is too busy watching the Travel channel and giggling with Morneau.
“Barreiro and Reusse who put everyone down”
I can’t believe these two have any following whatsoever, amazing.
Let’s get this game going even I am sick of this topic.
Mauer would be the most boring Jesus ever.
“What’s it like walking on a water?” Response in monotone voice, “Um, you know, it’s pretty fun.”
sy - great minds think alike…
No celebrity should ever go out in public with all the player-haters, wannabees and celebrity ass-kissers loose on the streets.
i called him ‘lightning in a bottle’ yesterday, had to switch it up…
HOW BOUT THE MIDWEST MIRACLE
Darrin Nelson,
Would a couple of good discos in Minneapolis have kept the ball going through your hands at the goal line in the 1987 NFC championship?
Or how bout chop boy
Papa
The Baby Jesus nickname came from where all good nicknames come from these days, The internet Bloggers!!!
Chop boy not catchy enough for anyone to use
Regarding Gomez OBP as a leadoff hitter:
He batted 8th for the Mets.
You can’t drag bunt for a hit in front of the pitcher so his bunting was quashed.
If he drag bunts once-twice per game (and he DOES want to do it) as a leadoff man for the Twins, his OBP will take off.
While the nickname “Baby Jesus” might be sacrilegious to some it is meant to make fun of the people who thought of Mauer as the “Savior” of the Twins franchise. I like Jo I think he’s one of the best catchers in MLB but he’s not the type of player who can carry a franchise. Even future HOF catcher pudge Rodriquez couldn’t do that.
piazza could
Agreed BC.
I think everyone likes Joe, its just that he maybe wasn’t quite the Savior people billed him to be. Outstanding hitter, but not the guts of a franchise like Kirby was.
Mark Salas also save a franchise. I suppose I had better not use his nickname or I will be accused of being a bigot.
Who in the pro Joe camp called him the “savior”? That is a delusion you guys maintain to justify your contempt for him.
Justify contempt? If I didn’t like him, I would flat out say it. Why would anyone hide contempt on a message board?
papa_jack, i’m guessing you are a big Martina McBride fan?
Liriano has a weight problem. His ERA will decrease with his weight.
yep i can see kubel will be history thnk gosh
kloob - look at your previous posts on this page
I’m in love with you papa_jack
carlos gomez grounds into fielders choice in 1st AB of day. proceeds to steal 2nd and 3rd…
scores on Cuddyer ground out
papa jack you are way off base and about to get thrown out at first. It’s a good thing Livan is pitching cuz i think you have a chance to steal second.
looks like tolbert is getting every opportunity to win that shortstop spot
Any updates on how Humber looked in the first inning?
from what i’ve seen this spring, tolbert works hard, and has a good glove, i think Gardy loves this kid. he’s got a good personality too!!!!
Violent
BC - Humber gave up a single in the 1st but pretty much breezed through it…faced 4 batters
will liriano ever get his velocity up? i am hoping he starts to throw around 95-96 again
Thanks Keep and kloob was that a prediction or are you on board with TK now.
1-2-3 second for the Twins, K’s by Buscher and Harris, and a 1-2-3 second for Humber, 2 groundouts by Huff and Jones, K’d Payton.
3 ground outs/2 flyouts/K for Humber in 2IP..
tolbert gotta make this team, his versatitlity gives him and edge plus his quickness
BC, I like Humber, I think TK could have a point, but I hope he does well. The guy has proved in college that he can pitch in big games. In he can get even back to 3/4 of his old self, he could be a major player in our rotation.
By the way, care to take a stab on when King Felix will eventually need Tommy John surgery? Talk about violent motions.
Oops, I probably shouldn’t have called him King. That might be offensive to someone’s favorite monarchy.
Humber gets a 1-2-3 inning in the 2nd with a K
i agree tolbert has looked good this spring, he’s pretty salty
harris, punto, and everett, def have struggled this spring
tolbert may overtake everett for short sooner than some expected!!!
no comments on Mauer’s homerun?
wonder when the trib boards will upgrade and get me an ignore user button..love reading most of the comments but there are a few people who i’d love to not have cluttering the comments with their posts…
“and I’m posting into the future”
What is the final score going to be? Will Francisco ever regain his form?
Mauer 2 out 2-run HR scores Tolbert, who led the inning off with a single.
3-zip Twins.
and I’m posting into the future I think..
(my comp reads 12:48 upon submission of this post)
Joe Mauer 2 R HR in top of 3rd, gomez struck out swinging
it was a simple question no need to be smartasses.
final score 8-3, humber throws 4 scoreless.
Liriano regains his form on 6-15-08, throwing a no-hitter against the Milwaukee Brewers while striking out 16.
i bet tolbert overtakes everett at short before All-Star break!!!
Manager Gardenhire is going with a flawed philosphy about the batting order. For whatever reason, he wants to bat Mauer second in the order. It give Mauer more at bats, but messes up the rest of the lineup. The Twins have no legitimate #3 hitter besides Mauer.
Here is a better lineup for the Twins :
1. Gomez
2. Harris/Punto
3. Mauer
4. Young
5. Morneau
6. Cuddyer
7. Lamb
8. Monroe/Kubel
9. Everett/Tolbert
Yahoo has 2 runs four hits for Orioles in the third,still batting…
Gomez is going to just be awesome as soon as everything gets going full speed. I actually think that the santana deal will end up being great in time
3 straight hits to load the bases by Hernandez/hernandez/Roberts.
Mora K
Markakis 2-run single
Millar out…
Huff out..
3-2 after 3
I wouldn’t put Punto in the second hole only for the fact that he can’t bunt or move up the runners, he would be at least 8th in my line up if not 9th.
gomez already has 12 SB’s this ST and also at 6′4 he is a horse
Gomez has 8 steals in 8 attempts..
If you believe MLB boxscores 
I don’t understand what makes people think Mauer is a good #3 hitter? High OBP should be in the 1 or 2 slot. #3 needs to drive them in, and not always walk. Mauer doesn’t have the #3 mentality. Not yet anyways.
i missed how gomez reached in the first. i know he stole 2nd & 3rd but dont see how he got on - no hit, no walk, no HBP
damn, humber had to turn me into a liar…
andy b,
Gomez reached on a FC in the 1st Inning.
andy b - fielders choice, span walked and gomez hit a potential double play grounder, but beat the relay to first,
roger, thx gents
my starting 5. may or may not be in a particular order:
Baker
Livan
Boof
Perkins
Blackburn
fourth inning:
Kubel Out
Ruiz hit..Twins 3rd…at .440 this spring
Butcher K’s again…down to .160
Harris out…
Orioles also have 2 errors on the day, by Roberts and Jones, and Hernandez/catcher charged with 2 PBs..
Somewhere in that inning there was an error…can’t tell via this boxscore PBP..Tolbert ended the fourth.
Blackburn up next for MN…
twins strand runners on 2nd and 3rd with only 1 out in 4th
andy b what abot liriano
Yahoo box has one hit in shutout fourth inning for Baltimore..
2 errors in the inning, roberts at 2nd on a grounder, and a throwing error from CF
Why would you put punto in the 2 spot? So you automaticaly have atleast one out before mauer hits in the first inning or what?
i think francis could start the season in the pen or even rochester. hopefully he won’t be there long but i dont see them throwing him out in front of big league hitters 10 days from now.
Blackburn in 4th, 1 K, 1 1B, Mauer throws out base stealer at 3rd. Error by Ruiz at 1st as well…
Great comment JJ, I have no idea why you would put a .210 hitter who can’t bunt in the number 2 spot. With Mauer in the 2 spot (a patient hitter) you would give our leadoff hitter steal posabilities (as long as they get on consistently) and since the threat of the steal is there it will also keep the 2nd baseman or SS closer to the bag opening up the infield more for hits.
I agree with JJ, all your doing is giving Harris and Punto more at bats infront of our best hitters. We have already seen how this goes last year. Mauer is not a #3 hitter (yet, if ever) he gets on base he doesn’t drive in runs.
Another run in for the Twins in the top 5.
MLB is extremely slow…maybe it’s that pressbox dialup they have at the O’s complex 
Looks like Span got a double and Mauer drove him in.
Span now at .300..Gomez 0-3 so far, down to .244
Fourth double for Span, Mauer with 3 RBI’s hitting .458
Span on the day 1 for 1 with a 2B, BB and Sacrifice.
Could Span be gaining some confidence? Interesting.
Span’s OBP staying over .400, with 6 walks this spring.
Mauer’s OBP is well over .500 now and SLB around .700
7 rbi’s in 25 at bats…good spring for him.
my mlb window also says the twins inning ended with only 2 outs….
i would love to see a foot race of livan, dennis reyes and gomez
who is our fastest running pitcher
1 hit shutout inning for Blackburn. 4-2 after 5.
Randy Keisler. He was a sprinting champion in high school. Placed 4th in state his junior year.
1-2-3 for MN, Ruiz/Butcher/Harris in the sixth.
Dayum, Mauer is just tearing it up this spring.
According to what I read in the strib, Liriano is just now starting to throw the ball without holding anything back. This puts him a few weeks behind the other starters. One idea is, have him pitch long relief until he is ready to start. With Livan as one of our starting pitchers, Liriano will sure get plenty of chances to pitch.
Perkins in for the sixth..only 2 innings for Blackburn.
Wow….with the exception of a few users, this place seems like the kids table comparred to JoeC’s.
3 straight hits to load the bases by Hernandez/hernandez/Roberts.
Somebody needs to remind the umps that a guy can only have one spot in the lineup at a time.
Though I’ve always wanted a Jones/Jones/Jones…/Jones…/Jones lineup (Andruw, Chipper, Jacque, Garrett, Todd)
Shut out sixth for Perkins.
3 groundouts by Millar/Huff/Jones vs Perkins
MLB box has Buscher at second now,and Gardy JR at third, Sal Jr behind the plate.
Strange seeing Gardenhire, 3B in the box score. Did Gardy grab a glove to show’em how its done?
Wonderful: Gardy put his son in the game. Just wonderful…
“T” it would be quite strange to use an old fat pitcher ( Todd Jones )to hit in your line up
going to show em how to play the right way! probably a couple innings bfore they send him out to the ml camp or he may be fighting tobert to be the next denny hocking.
Gardy JR played quite a bit of 3B at Fort Myers last year.
Buscher playing a little 2bag…
Twins 7th:
Tolbert single
Span K
Jonesy in for GoGo K…down to .200 again
Drew BU Walk
Knott PH for Cuddyer..Out.
Box score has Daigle infor the 7th.
Perkins one IP..headed for the bullpen?
tolbert two hits, pressure is on everett at short, and buscher for last infield spot!!!
Daigle one walk shutout 7th.
The last week of spring training is great since we see who steps up and who can’t handle the heat. I have a feeling that the CF job as well as the infield jobs will go right down to the last day or two of ST. Right now I think Punto better kick it into gear otherwise he will be left behind (of course we all know he’s Gardy’s boy).
Punto and his 2.4 mill contract is a guaranteed roster spot.
I like Tolbert over Jones and Buscher for the 25th spot on the team.
So is Everett’s $2.8 mil.
Twins 8th:
Kubel Single (7th Twins’ Hit)
Ruiz Out
Butcher hits into double play for an 0-4 day, down to a buck-48.
When ST is over, many of the guys we think won jobs will be sent to AAA.
Many of the guys who struggled will go North with the Twins.
And none of the explanations will make any sense.
Why is Pohlad never shown being at the games
Daigle 2IP H/Hit Batter/BB/K
4-2 after 8 innings..
Matt Tolbert can player 2B, SS, and 3B. As a very good switch hitter, I think he should be on the roster instead of Buscher, who can only play third base, and not a very good third base at that. Tolbert would add alot of flexibility and balance to the lineup as a switch hitting infielder.
If I had to choose between Tolbert and Buscher the Butcher…no contest…Tolbert all the way…
Maybe that’s why they passed Cali through waivers to get him off the 40 man roster??
Funky,
That doesn’t make sense as Tolbert, Buscher, and Jones are all on the 40-man roster already
Tolbert singles top of the 9
We do not need Everett, Punto and Tolbert, who are all good infielders and not so great hitters, on the 25 man roster. We need some pop coming off the bench and even though Buscher has had a crappy ST he is a better option as a back up infielder because he has a better bat.
tolbert is a def upgrade for our infield, his play has been solid this spring. good comp for everett and punto
I’d take Garrett Jones before I’d take Buscher North.
looks like tolbert’s got some pop going. three hits today and a stolen base. the kid is giving the twins every reason to keep him it seems. did not know he was a switch hitter, even better!!! yes we have a shortstop
Remember, the Twins had 2 futility infielders, with LRod on the roster last year…why not have 2 this year too?
Wouldn’t surprise me…
9th:
Tolbert’s third hit/day, 3-4
Pridie in for Span. out
Jonesy out
Drew BU SINGLE…He has an average now!!! .091
Knott out…
The only problem with Jones is his lack of defensive ability which usually doesn’t fly to well with the Twin’s.
tolbert’s got fan support and Gardy likes him, plus he swung it well today and made another start at short in a twins spring training of finding a spot, he may have well found his on this team now
Tolbert had 6 home runs and 7 triples last year in AAA
tolbert’s got fan support and Gardy likes him, plus he swung it well today and made another start at short in a twins spring training of finding a spot, he may have well found his on this team now!
Cali had go through waivers to take him off the 25-man roster, because he was out of options.
Jones is also out of options.
Tolbert and Buscher have options remaining and at least one will be optioned to Rochester.
Keisler ends the trip with a 1-2-3 9th.
k
funky,
Your 9th inning recap must be off as according to the boxscore, Pridie stole 2nd and was caught trying to steal 3rd in the 9th inning. Tolbert was also picked off in the 9th.
twins may have found themselves a shortstop today, tolbert 3 hits, one bag, has been looking good in the field too. error free!
Why is Gardenhire playing his kid in the lineup? Shouldn’t he be getting his regulars in the lineup as much as possible in order to get the team ready for the season and prevent a disasterous start like in 2007 when they fell 20 games behind the division leaders in the first month of the season? Since the end of the 2006 season, Gardenhire has burdened the team by not getting them ready for the season (like several players not even having the visa’s in order). Gardenhire habitually platoons players unnecessarily and thereby limits the team’s winning opportunities. He is more indecisive than an old women. He cannot decide on a starting rotation throughout the entire season. Furthermore, I heard he likes to get thrown out of games so he can go into the clubhouse and drink bear and order pizza. As you can tell by his waisteline, he got thrown out of more games last season than any other manager in baseball. The Twins fans should demand a better quality manager. Why doesn’t the team bring up the twin brothers from Rochester to manager and coach the team? I’m sure they could do alot better than the very uncertain Mr. Gardenhire.
thanks for the AAA stats BEN D.
- twinsfan
Let’s see Everett played 66 games at short last year when he got injured the prior two seasons 150 and 152 games at the majors. Tolbert 8 games at SS last year at Rochester and 18 games at SS the year before in New Britain. I for one think Tolbert is ready 
I mean seriously, c’mon. It won’t happen. If Everett gets hurt they will try to get by with some combo of Tolbert ,Punto,Casilla but none of them is ready for it full time.
Joe,
Gardy Jr took a spot today, like Tolleson did Monday. Kids get that opp right now, because they’re not going with just the starters…a day off today and week and change to wrap up spring training is enough time for all the team’s ‘regulars’ to get action. Especially with only one extra utility infielder on the roster right now..
Gardy didn’t have much to work with last season. Our hitting was horrible, he had to platoon guys just to get some decent production. As far as the rotation went, he had to do what he had to do to get some quality starts. I don’t agree with the signing of Ponson and Ortiz just to eat up innings or the signing of Hernadez this year, but he’s trying to put the best squad out there every day and last year guys just didn’t want to produce for him so he had to look for other options.
Just a question for Joe, If Gardy’s son would be anyone else would you even make an issue out of this? What about him putting Butera in, he is another player we know isn’t going to be with the big club but we are playing him anyway (same thing as Gardy’s son). ST is also an evaluation process as to where they will put these players. It’s also not Gardy’s responsability concerning getting player’s visa’s they are the ones working here so it’s their responsability to get those details done. I guess getting into the playoffs four of the last five years with a low budget isn’t good enough, most major league teams would love to be that successful.
Gardy’s kid (and Butera’s) have no business spending ST with the big club, while Casilla and Morales are spending ST in the minors. Pure and Simple…
Morales is getting work at AAA
Butera gets the opps along with Whiteside.
What’s the big deal?
no, it’s about getting plenty of PT
Sheesh…
What benefit is there for Morales to catch 3 innings, when he can get 6 in and 3 at bats?
Same for Casilla…
The “big deal” is “merit”… If they were not Gardy’s and Butera’s kids would they be there? Why isn’t someone like Lis or Revere there too?
Hey La Velle,
As I stated earlier, I am 100% certain Tolbert will be one of the 25. Nothings changed for me. Are you ready to change your mind? Are you still going with Jones or Buscher?
Toby and Butera are here so the real starters at AAA can be down there getting ready. Morales has to work with the pitchers there so they are on the same page. Casilla will be the starting SS in Rochester. Why have him riding the pine for mop up duty here. He needs the reps at SS. The only reason they have Tolbert here is so they can have a guy who can play all the positions for mop up time. They aren’t going to bring in the regulars to finish out these games, that would be idiotic.
thrylos
Stephen Tolleson came in the game Monday…did he ‘merit’ an opportunity??
Bravo Funkytown, just because they send down certain people first doesn’t mean anything. Like you said they are going to be getting more playing time sent down than they would have had in ST. I for one would rather not have our “Regulars” playing the whole game in ST when they have at least 162 games in the season to play, remember some of our players were wearing out near the end of last season.
Humber and Blackburn could be best suited for Rincon and Guerrier’s spots which they can’t win. Neither fits the “rubber arm” position well. I think Bass and Daigle are in a battle for that spot. I think Gardy wants a guy for that job, not the seven best relievers in the organization. Daigle especially continues to go unnoticed.
Meahnwhile, we want info on Blackburn and Humber’s performance
Funkytown correct me if i’m wrong but the only reason some of these guys are in the lineup is due to the location of our single a club being in Ft.Myers.
BC
that could be…but I believe that once a guy on the 40-man is sent out, I don’t think they can be used in any Major League exhibition game.
Combine that with giving guys a day off,and you have the need for guys from the minor league camp to help.
60yd dash
Pohlad
Livan
Reyes
also who has the strangest breathing while pitching technique
reyes with the blow real hard into the sky or Nathan with the quiver cheeks
jimmy i gotta go with Joe Nat he looks as nervous as a (you know what) in church.
does reyes use the lamaze breathing technique
As for the 60 yd dash if he gets boof to push the wheelchair he wins by a nose.
Hey LaVelle
If Benson starts at FM again…is Revere going to start at Elizabethton? I think that would be unnecessary at this point.
is there any news about Joe Nathon i know his agent is int town
I think Morales was sent down because he needed innings behind the plate to get ready to start the season. Whiteside will be his backup, so he can get ready just as easily in a bench role. Butera will probably end up back at New Britain, and probably in a bench role behind Christy.
Didn’t you know Reyes is just breathing through his eye lids, a la fellow countryman Fernando Valenzuela?
Humber was lights out for the first two innings, then gave up four hits and two runs the second time through. He needs to mix things up better. Blackburn was fine for two innings. Don’t know why they didn’t give him three… Then again, Perkins got all three guys he faced to ground out on like seven pitches. I would think they’d go 3/3/3 and keep the innings up for all the starter candidates.
cmathewson growing up before moving here to the twin cities I used to watch the LA Dodgers and I remember on nights when Fernando pitched they would quit selling beer in the outfield bleechers because people were falling out of them and onto the field drunk
do y’all know that Fernando is still pitching?
It seems that Vavra has had a positive influence on Gomez.We probably won’t make the post season this year,keep Gomez up here and let him learn at the major league level.
Span & Monroe to platoon in CF to start season, IMO. Gomez to get seasoning in AAA (read that as lowering his service time as a nice side benefit) & then called up in July to replace failing Span. Monroe, Livan, Everett, Rincon & Nathan all possible trade bait in July as Twins start to install there future team. Casilla at SS, Gomez in CF & all young starters. This is the historical Twins method of reloading IMO.
oops. “their future team”.
The reason some minor league players fill in ST games is because the minor league camp just is across the street. The Twins sometimes are short of backups for the Grapefruit League games.
I am pretty sure none of the minor league teams have left camp yet.
What about service time to me, coco?!
Why would I wanna watch Span and Monroe if they’re only to fail and get traded for some no-name A-ball types?
I want some customer service from the Twins. Especially after they failed to engage in market competition for Hunter, Silva, Santana, and Castillo.
Bring on the entertainment. That means Gomez.
[…] When the news first broke I started a fund raiser and raised 25,000 for mythemainbang.typepad.comBack At The Ranch??.Back At The Ranch??. Posted on March 18th, 2008 ?? 9:19 AM By La Velle Joe C. is, once again, on […]
Twins Rule V Losses:
Tim Lahey, RHP Cubs
0-1, 5.87, 3K, 5BB,
RA Dickey RHP Mariners
0-0, 1.50 12IP, 6K, 3BB
Garrett Guzman OF Nationals
18AB, 4H, .222BA, 1HR, 2RBI, .744OPS
Twins may get all three returned and make $75,000 in the process.
interesting statistical look at the battle for the CF and leadoff spot:
Denard Span:
.290 avg, .421 OBP, 3 SB, 6 R, 13 total bases.
Carlos Gomez:
.244 avg, .267 OBP, 8 SB, 10 R, 19 total bases.
-the last 2 stats to me give an idea of who’s doing a better overall job of what is asked of a leadoff guy(getting on, stealing bases, SCORING RUNS). Span leads by miles in the OBP category, BUT, Gomez is still producing at a much better clip when he gets on. In this case I think you ignore the OBP #’s and look at the production, which highly favors Gomez…
I’ll take the on base percentage anyday for my leadoff hitter. Total bases are important, but runs scored? That completely depends on how the players after him in the lineup do. I think Span is more polished. Yesterday, he got a walk, a hit, and a sac bunt. Everything you want in a leadoff hitter right there. Gomez twice couldn’t advance the runner from 2nd to 3rd with zero outs. Unacceptable for a top of the order hitter. Gomez will be great. But he’s not ready. Span is the man.
Dan, i’m reposting this from Joe C’s blog for ya just to give ya something to think about. I agree in the sense that OBP would be preferred, BUT, in the case of Span and Gomez, I’m not so sure…
another tidbit for mike. a guy with a high on base % but with zero power (aka Denard Span this spring), will be on 1st most of the time when he gets on(singles, walks). things like getting caught in the middle of a double play ball will happen and he never gets a chance to score. Gomez’s 10 R to Spans 6 with a .180 difference in OBP tells me gomez hardly ever lets those things happen to stop him from getting a chance to score.
Another interesting stat to back our argument:
Gomez: 43 plate appearances, 10 runs, .23% scoring percentage.
reached base 12 times, 10 runs, .83% scoring percentage when he gets on.
Span: 37 plate appearances, 6 runs, .16 scoring percentage. reached base 15 times, 6 runs, .40% scoring percentage when he gets on.
I think those are some pretty telling #’s in Gomez’s favor….
How about gomez hitting into fielder’s choices, getting span out, and then scoring. Is that really helping your team that much. I believe that has happened in both games gomez has hit behind span. I am with Dan, I think gomez will be good, but I think he could use a couple of months in AAA. Can’t steal 1st.
well I think Jones has potential. Remember when a guy named Casey Blake went on waivers. Where would the Twins be with him……….
I say if a guy has options send them down and keep the players without.
I really like the idea if Dickey comes back via rule 5, having that knuckleball pitcher.
Win Twins!
Livan
Boof
Slowey
Bass
Dickey or Humber.
Go with Span for CF and let go go keep developing.
Dan,
“but runs scored? That COMPLETELY depends on how the players after him in the lineup do”
Not COMPLETELY.
If he steals one or two bases;
If he scores from first on a double.
If he goes 1st to 3rd on a single.
If he advances on a dirt ball.
Some of that depends on the baserunning skills of the guy on base.
JJ, ya that happened, the fielders choice. Gomez then proceeded to steal 2nd and 3rd putting him a base ahead of where span would have been….the out was recorded, but in the end the same desired result occured, a run was scored…
If we have to choose between Span and Gomez though, i think you have to go Gomez, I’d say Gomez is further along than Span based on his athletic ability alone and there at the same point in their careers, no one is ahead of the other in terms of experience, I say let gomez learn on the job because he is obviously the future before gomez and there isn’t a difference between there readiness in my opinion.
let gomez learn on the job because he is obviously the future before SPAN…is what I meant to say…
KEEP Bass
span = melky cabrera / coco crisp
gomez= andrew jones with with blazing speed
If the Twins wanted OBP, they should have kept Castillo. You saw how well that worked last year. Gomez can turn a game by himself. That is rare. No one will want to face him when the Twins need a run. If he gets on, you know it’s going to be problems for that pitcher. And with Mauer, Morneau, Young and Cuddyer coming up, he can’t just look to slide step one over and give the catcher a chance. Dynamic
Oh yeah you know I’m back, I guess people want me to come back and my main focus is baseball right now and trying to help this team win and let me get this straight, I don’t want no questions about the trade rumors about the winter this and that. You guys want to talk about baseball or whatever, you know I’m open to talk. We could talk all day.”
Manny Ramirez
“I’m here. I don’t live in the past, I live in the present and that’s it. This (is) a new year, I’m here. People want me to come back. People want me here so we’re just gonna move on. I’m just gonna come, do my job, I get paid to play baseball. That’s (why) I’m here. That’s it. What else can I say?”
What makes you happy to be back?:
“The guys. David, Julian, all those guys that I’ve know them for a long time. They always got my back. They know what kind of person I am. It’s fun having those guys around me and when you come for the first time they give a smile and they know that they [are] happy to see me.”
You said whether you like it or not, you’ll perform:
“Hey that’s me. That’s me, you know. Like I said I get paid to play baseball even if I like it or not I still gotta go and perform.”
Is there something that you’re not so keen on?:
“I’m fine, I’m fine. I’m here. I guess a lot of people want me to be back and that’s [why] I’m here.”
On Boston:
“I ain’t got no problem in Boston, I especially like the attention. I know that I’m one of the top guys in this game and all the attention is on me, I got a lot of people on my shoulder but I’m human. I like to go. I like to have fun. I like to do this and that but I gotta represent Boston and the Red Sox in every way that I do outside this game. … Like I said I get paid to play baseball no [matter] where I go to play I still gotta go and perform even if I like it or not.”
Yeah, what a prick
oops posted the wrong blog
[…] the offseason. Year Age AB BA OBP SLG HR BB K SB 2008 ZiPS 27 598 .283 .355 .527 36mntwinsnation.comBack At The Ranch??.Back At The Ranch??. Posted on March 18th, 2008 ?? 9:19 AM By La Velle Joe C. is, once again, on […]
