Tolbert to DL. Heeeere’s Howie!
Posted on May 16th, 2008 – 6:04 PMBy La Velle
It’s a day Ron Gardenhire should have filled out the lineup card in pencil.
Infielder Matt Tolbert is likely headed to the DL after injuring a thumb when he dove into first base on the last play of Thursday’s game. The Twins are trying to figure out whom to call up from the minors to replace him on the roster.
[9:17 update]: It’s official, Tolbert has torn a ligament in his thumb and has been placed on the 15-day DL. The Twins have purchased the contract of veteran minor leaguer Howie Clark. Young baseball players, please don’t dive into first base.
Back to regular programming….
Luke Hughes, the hot-hitting infielder at Class AA New Britain, would have been an option but just came off the DL with a hamstring strain but still isn’t 100 percent.
And there’s word that Joe Mauer may have strained his neck during early BP here at Coors Field. It’s unclear if he’ll be scratched from the lineup or not. Stay tuned.
[6:34 Update]: Yes, Mauer strained his neck during early B.P. There was initial concern that he would be scratched from the lineup, but Mauer indicated that he can play.
[6:36 Update] Matt Holliday has been scratched because of a lower back issue. That stinks. I wanted to see him play. He’s listed as day-to-day.
(Pause to wipe brow)
Whew, O.K. Here are the lineups…
Twins (20-20): 1. Carlos Gomez, CF. 2. Brendan Harris, 2B. 3. Joe Mauer, C. 4. Justin Morneau, 1B. 5. Michael Cuddyer, RF. 6. Delmon Young, LF. 7. Mike Lamb, 3B. 8. Adam Everett, SS. 9. Nick Blackburn, P.
Rockies (15-26): 1. Willy Taveras, CF. 2. Clint Barmes, SS. 3. Ryan Spillborghs, LF. 4. Todd Helton, 1B. 5. Garrett Atkins, 3B. 6. Brad Hawpe, RF. 7. Jeff Baker, 2B. 8. Yorvit Torrealba, C. 9. Ubaldo Jimenez, P.
193 Responses to "Tolbert to DL. Heeeere’s Howie!"
first
God i hope Mauer is OK, Call up Howie Clark or Buscher or Even Macri, Or Hell throw Hughes, up, Our Infield is done.
LVIII, did Tolbert tear a ligament or dislocate the thumb? I heard the end of the game on the radio and had a thought that something “why’d he do that, someone’s going to hurt themselves in an unneccesary diving situation”. They didn’t say anything about him looking hurt on the radio, but then again, that’s why I come to your blog. I get more info from Joe and yourself most of the time..
Brian Dinkelman! All the way from high Class A, Ft. Myers. Give him a shot. I posted his numbers in Joe’s blog.
i would guess it has to be Buscher he is nothing special but he can play infield and has major league experience and is hitting the best of anyone in Rochester.
Macri is injured. Basak, Clark, Buscher and Morales are all playing today with Rochester… that leaves, well, no one. Watkins has struggled this year, but is a body and when these DL players come back the risk of losing Watkins upon returning him back to AAA is non-existent.
Twins don’t have to bring up a MI with Casilla already in back up role.
My prediction is that Graves gets the call up. My hope would be either Clark or Basak.
It’ll be Buscher. But, I’d like to see Matt Macri get a tryout, and show us what he’s got.
I didnt know Macri was injured
thae guys who i think could get called up
Matt Macri
Brian Buscher i would like to see span but he cant play the infeild i think Buscher will get called up
You’ve got Everett and Casilla. And they’ve got around two weeks to prove they’re worth anything.
Because as its been said, they’ll likely call up Buscher rather than a middle IF, so when Tolbert gets back it’ll be one of them (Casilla down or Everett out)
But has anybody noticed the Twins always have injury plauges strike one portion.
It’ll be the bullpen, or the OF (remember the year we had the Polka Patrol?) now it’s the IF.
Or the end of last year when we had Morales up because Redmond and Mauer were hurting and then he went down…
Gardy will probably want another middle INF. That pretty much precludes Matt Hughes, anyway. Tolleson is capable at AA. Basak at AAA could also get the call. Basak’s bat is highly suspect.
Since Gardy has been manager, almost never, has he been without 2 additional guys could play middle INF, besides the 2 starters. I doubt if he changes at this point in his career.
Buscher does seem a logical fit, but the “New Craig” is certainly on target about Gardy having two reserve M-I’s. I’d be surprised if they started Tolleson’s options years (assuming he wouldn’t stay on the 25-man all season) and I doubt they are too concerned with losing Basak to the waiver wire once injuries are healed. Basak wouldn’t be getting any at bats anyway, but his capabilities off the bench are minimal.
I like Buscher as a better pinch hitter, especially since we’re playing in the NL
Any chance we see Monroe or Kubel in left this series? I hope we do!
Buscher just hit a two run HR for Rochester.
Sad… Tolbert was cool! He could generate runs. Hopefully it’s just a broken bone!
Where has Matt Hughes been playing? All over the place, but not much middle INF. Only 1 game in the last month.
April:
16 - 3B
17 - 3B
18 - 3B
19 - 2B
20 - 3B
21 - 3B
22 - LF-CF
23 - 3B
24 - LF
25 - LF
26 - 3B
27 - CF
29 - CF
30 - CF
May:
1 - DH
2 - 3B
3 - RF
4 - LF
5 - 3B
6 - 3B
7 - CF
15 - DH
Hughes was injured May 7th and returned May 15th.
I think Buscher, especially in light of the fact that LNP will be eligible to come off on in less than a week. Besides that Buscher worked out at second, did he not?
I don’t like the idea of starting both Young and Cuddyer all three games of this series. The other two outfielders (Monroe and Kubel) have hit better and for more power. The team will be without a DH, so Kubel or Monroe should be out there at least one game each.
Yes, I agree that both Delmon and Cuddy need to sit the pine for a day… and finally end Delmon’s current GP streak.
“New Craig”, not to be picky, but it is “Luke” Hughes.
3 things:
a. I think that it is Randy time for the Twins
b. As much as I like Holliday, I wish him the best and hope that he is ready to start the game Monday and hit 3 grand slams (after the Twins are out of Town)
c. This team is supposedly stressing ‘fundamentals’. It has had 2 people injured by sliding head first this season (Tolbert and Cuddyer). Why isn’t anyone up Gardy’s rear end about that?
Hopefully it’s just a broken bone!
hmmm
nope… that’s not what you want, esp. on a switch hitter. Best case scenario is a dislocation (Grab-flip-pop and a couple day’s out max)
“Besides that Buscher worked out at second, did he not?”
Only for comedic purposes…..just kidding.
Actually, yes. flatblade is correct. Busher worked out at 2B in spring training.
I don’t know if he’s played at 2B at all at Rochester. I could look it up, but I don’t care. Hah.
melshmeister,
Thanks for pointing that out. Yes, it’s Luke Hughes. Old Craig is obviously slipping and about ready to be put out to pasture. I need you young guys to look out for me now, so I don’t hurt myself too much. My glory days as a blogger are over. Thanks for catching that, melsh.
Souhan was talking about the DY-to-the-bench topic on KFAN tonight. It is his belief that Gardy is waiting as long as possible to sit DY. The belief is that DY will react poorly to his playing streak ending and the long-term impact to the team could be bad. Therefore, Gardy would be hoping that DY can get straightened out without a trip to the bench Souhan was thinking maybe a couple weeks yet, depending on how things go. Pretty “heavy thinking” for both Souhan and Gardy, IMO.
I think it could/should be sooner. I think a lot depends on this series. Just seems like Gardy has gone soft on DY. Kubel, among others, didn’t get to plead that they wanted to play everyday. Lessons need to be given. These young guys need to learn in order to grow.
Oh well… it’s Gardy’s call. I guess we’ll see how it plays out.
God I hope Tolbert is ok.
I think for every head first slide into 1st base the player should lose a day’s pay.
It’s F’ing stupid, it’s a Nick Punterrible type thing to do. We are taught from 1st grade on up not to do that, and if someone is that stupid they shouldn’t get paid to be that stupid! Even for someone I like (Tolbert) they need a better life lesson, and nothing tells someone they did wrong like taking away their money.
Gardy intimidated by Delmon? Hilarious, if true.
Gene Mauch and Billy Martin would be laughing their a$$e$ off, if they could hear that.
Please save us from the torture that is FSN North tonight. Ann Carroll AND Telly? Ahhhhhhhhh!
If Billy Martin heard a manager that was intimidated by a player, he’d buy that manager a dress.
BC Beneke,
I hear ya and raise you one: this should be true for every base other than home and if that causes someone to be of the DL they should give the money they were getting while in DL to a local charity (so Cuddy should have paid the 15-games worth he lost due to a stupid slide to a local charity; that’s ($5,916,666/162)*15 = $547.800 and that could mean something… but who would have the cajones to do that it this organization?)
There goes Telly screwing up big on the pregame show and then realizing it big time. Ha ha.
Mauch would send out his daughter to hand out lineup card, and then have the first batter drilled in the back.
Billy Martin went after future Hall of Famer, Reggie Jackson, in the Yankee dugout, for questioning Martin’s authority.
I can’t believe Gardy would be intimidated by a nobody, like Delmon Young. He should sit Delmon down, just to piss him off. Kubel got teed off for getting pulled from the lineup. It seemed to help him.
thrylos98, I don’t understand your thinking. Head first into 2nd and 3rd are good plays (dependent on the base runner’s personal ‘feel’). It’s faster and no more injury prone. How many players have gone down with serious leg injuries due to a feet first slide… lots.
I played going head first all through little league, high school and carried on through softball and never injured… and rarely experienced pain even.
Thrylos… the only person in the franchise that has that kind of fortitude is their 1st baseman. He doesn’t have that kind of clout however, and the players union would crucify the team upside down, poor gasoline on them and roast marshmallows to make an example out of them if they tried. (just exagerated to make a point… not to offend)
Does anybody know if Jacques Jones signed with anybody? Not that I want him back, I was just wondering
melshmeister
All bases except 1st. There is no freaking need unless it’s to avoid a tag on a goofy play to even think of diving… you don’t get there faster.
ND,
I haven’t heard. I did see that Edmonds signed with the Cubs.
Yeah, I saw that with Edmonds too, I’ve been kind of looking to see about Jones, I figured someone would pick him up…his career isn’t over is it?
I heard Marlins are interested in Jones.
Call up Span! Find room for him, his confidence has to be through the roof with the way he is hitting with Rochester!
It’s faster and no more injury prone
no. it isn’t. Really. Check it out, research it, there are a lot of thing written about it. The only place someone should slide head first is home and only because if he would have the option to avoid a tag by the catcher if he (the catcher) is not blocking the home plate. That’s it. Google it, read about it, ask about it, check it out… it’s true…
And it wouldn’t take long for it to plummet when he started to face major league pitchers again
Gawd what is UP with Telly Hughes?
Horace Main Elementary school? Three times. Please make the sound go away.
He makes Coomer sound like Vin Scully.
BC… I never suggested that one should slide into 1st base. Please read a post more carefully if you intend to comment.
maybe Gardy needs the same talk with Young that he had with Morneau a couple of years back
We can’t be the only ones who notice how bad Telly Hughes is are we? His bosses have to see this too don’t they? It is actually painful to watch.
Denard Span at Rochester:
AB-84, R-21, 2B-5, 3B-0, HR-3, RBI-9, BB-16, SO-17, SB-13, CS-3, OBP-.470, SLG-.536, AVG-.369, OPS-1.006
If I was Gardy, I would fine any player who dives head first at first base unless he’s trying to avoid a tag. It is such a stupid play and leads to many unnecessary injuries.
ND Twins Fan,
you probably know what the drill is with Telly Hughes by now… duh…
BC… I am unable to find a scientific study addressing the subject of feet/head first slides into 2nd/3rd/anywhere. If you have this information, please share.
One point (pending the independent analysis) I have to make is that a players style must be taken into account. Rickey Henderson, the absolute greatest base-stealer of all-time would never have been what he was if some coach told him HOW he must steal his bases.
But seriously, please share the data I am unable to find.
Gardy should just explain to Delmon he is going to be benched for a game……….but not when Delmon has a bat in his hands.
Ouch Craig….funny…but OUCH!
Matt Holiday day-to-day eh?
I wonder if that’ll slow the tradewinds blowing around him and the Rockies lately.
George Frazier, who has a ring with the ‘87 Twins is announcing today for the Rockies… Ultra cool
We are always hearing about the “new” DY, less attitude, nicer guy, etc. Maybe that’s the problem, he’s too nice, now he can’t hit. Maybe he has to go back to being a jerk, then he can hit again.
I wouldn’t mind seeing Toby Gardenhire get the call. He’s really swinging the bat well. plus it would be great to see the father son combo. I think it would bring out the best in the Twins
Edog, you have got to be kidding
How about the stirrup socks on jimenez! Very old school
7 pitch inning
Edog,
lol
Theres a reason Toby Gardenhire is a 25 yr old AA baller…
Toby Toby Toby
I forgot the Exclamation Points!!!!
Toby!!! Toby!!! Toby!!!
that ain’t a bad idea
ND: Are you suggesting he pull a Koskie on a dugout chair?
So, uh, yeah. Casilla had better get good…because I dunno how many of those throws I can watch.
Nicely executed double play!
Or maybe a Kyle Lohse bat to Gardys door would get Del going?
Nice to see Harris turn the DP.
Nah Scissor, that’ll just get him traded to the Reds.
…nice reference with the name BTW.
“…that’s the problem, he’s too nice, now he can’t hit. Maybe he has to go back to being a jerk, then he can hit again.”
We will send Delmon to the BC Beneke, School of Personality Development. He will develop an edge to his personality so sharp, he will be able to split a hair on a frog with it. The ultimate superstar, jerk, ballplayer. No more, Mr. Nice Guy…. Hall of Fame, here he comes!
T,
Wasnt sure if anyone would recognize it, glad to see someone did hahaha
DickBert is pushing the HR
Nasty
i have a call easy call Gomez steals a bases this inning
lets go joe get your firts homerun this season
Sure sounds like a healthy amount of twins fans out there in Denver!
that strike 3 to Morneau was half a foot outside…
Any physicists on here?
Cuddy says the line drives at him have “no top spin”. My guess is that the ball has the normal amount of spin based on the bat and angle of collision with the ball. But, my guess is that perhaps the spin of the ball is not able to bite into the thinner air, and thus, appears to not have normal top spin. Make sense to anyone else?
If that is true, I wonder if pitchers’ breaking balls also suffer a little bit?
Blackburn good job on geting your first hit
how about Blackburn’s 1st major league hit?
Carlos G,
this pitcher is severely favoring the 4 seamer… not much spin there to begin with… Its a pitcher thing than a park thing
is dick just stupid Jimenez is more of a power pitcher then Hernandez really i didn’t know that a just kidding i did
thrylos98, yea, not so much about tonight’s pitchers as it was a question in general. Just wondering if the thin air has an effect on breaking pitches. I would think it would.
Enough with the maple bat bashing. All maple bats do NOT break in two and go flying.
Remember a couple of weeks ago when Cuddyer broke a bat and the barrel went flying into the stands? Cuddyer uses Ash, and ONLY uses Ash.
It’s not so much a question of wood species, but it a matter of the bat shape and the weight (moisture content).
dick just said that Howie Clark will get called up
You’re right Carlos G. The thinner air doesn’t allow the breaking balls to bite as much as in lower altitudes. I guess this would apply to line drives also
quick….somebody with stats on Clark
It’s all about air moving over the seams of the ball to create break.
“Cuddy says the line drives at him have ‘no top spin’. My guess is that the ball has the normal amount of spin based on the bat and angle of collision with the ball. But, my guess is that perhaps the spin of the ball is not able to bite into the thinner air, and thus, appears to not have normal top spin. Make sense to anyone else?”
Sure. Because the ball actually has faster top spin because of the thin air, and spins itself out, by the time it gets to the OF, whereas heavier air would produce a slower, longer lasting spin. That is why the ball appears, to Cuddyer, to have no top spin.
Maybe.
piss poor stats on clark, i don’t even need to look
twinkie players with twinkie power get twinkie injuries and have a twinkie owner with a twinkie budget and will get a twinkie outcome and the fans are twinkies for falling for it all
actually i enjoy the twins but this funny sarcasticplay on the twins came out of me after the latest injuries
ok… how about this statement:
For as much money as he is making, Cuddyer is the most disappointing Twin this year.
Bang for the buck
any objections?
why call anyone up?
trade for Hanley and lets go to the ship.
Wow! The Twins called up Howie Clark and then sent him in a trade, along with a minor league player to be named later, to Houston, for Lance Berkman.
Or did I get that wrong……my hearing is starting to go.
Just updated the blog. Tolbert tore a ligament in his thumb. Not good.
Clark’s the guy A-Rod yelled Boo at last year
but seriously, do we need to call anyone up?
we got nick “the stick” and alexi on the bench..
maybe call up ruiz and give morneau a day or two at DH …
La Velle,
how about the twins draft some amazing talent this draft and unload it all in a year or two to florida for hanley..
just like detroit did..
Cuddyer has no way to accurately measure spin rpm of the ball.
He is evaluating spin by the effect of spin - curvature of the flight path.
That curvature is dependent on aerodynamic forces (lift and drag) which directly depend on air density.
Lower air density at altitude causes decrease in aero forces causes less curvature in the flight path.
I used to be an Aerodynamicist.
In 37 games, for Rochester, Howie is batting:
.284, 12 runs, 33 hits
7 doubles, 3 triples, 1 HR, 21 RBI
9 BB, 10 K
.331 OBP, .422 SLG, .753 OPS
Ruiz is not good. Clark isn’t good. Hughes should play every day. Not really any good options, but since Clark is so old, no worries about him sitting on the bench at least.
DY proving the age old adage that you just need any kind of hit to get you going with that first inning dribbler base hit and now 2 doubles. Good for you DY.
I hate to hear that La Velle. That is really sad. Poor kid.
I hope this finally ends the stupid head first slide into 1B. If Gardy would make it a rule that if you slide into 1B, you automatically sit the next day, maybe it would end.
What about Young?
Several times during the season, some announcer, somewhere, comments that it is faster to run through first base than to dive. The last few years, they have been on Punto to quit it. At the beginning of the year, I saw Gomez do it. Why isn’t this getting through the players heads? ? ?
Thanks Manny, Craig, and Sane. Sane, that’s some good stuff. You must know how those big, heavy planes get off the ground. In fact, maybe you designed some of them?
SANE:
That proves it. Baseball IS rocket science!
Dang it Young
“Ruiz is not good. Clark isn’t good. Hughes should play every day. Not really any good options, but since Clark is so old, no worries about him sitting on the bench at least.”
Correct. Clark is allegedly a middle infielder. Both are bad players, but Ruiz is much worse. The infield depth is getting thin.
I think it’s going to be hard to get Hanley with that new 6 yr? 70 mil conttact he just signed
Carlos G.
I was an aerodynamicist on the Space Shuttle but not a designer.
More like Flight Data Analysis.
Very cool, Sane. thanks for sharing.
I was a brain surgeon.
(i didn’t think you believe THAT)
Carlos G,
When I played baseball, my teammates would give me crap because I knew why a curve ball would break, but I still couldn’t hit it.
(Not totally true. I could hit curve balls, but not GOOD curve balls.)
medon’t knows ’bout space shuttle designs or brains surgery, but think that Blackburn should get a major pat in the back tonight…
blackburn has done quite well tonight. Game is moving along nicely too.
sure hope Harris’ glove play tonight is an indication that he is starting to have some real improvement. We pretty much need to run him out there every day now.
The way I hit curves was to spot em and lay off
btw, Cleveland lost tonight
Blackburn is doing great, as he has most of the year.
You gotta give Baseball America props for picking him the #1 Twins prospect before the season, when most other evaluators gave him NO love.
Blackburn has made Baseball America look really good so far, that’s for sure!
SANE:
If you would have spent more time hitting a curve ball with power and consistency maybe you would have got 6yr/70 million.
Or maybe you do?
Re. the headfirst slide into first — you can’t make a hard-and-fast rule banning it because there are times when it’s called for. For instance, when you’re trying to beat out a bunt and the throw pulls the first baseman off the bag toward you — getting down on your belly might be the only way to avoid the tag.
You could argue that Gardy could fine or bench any player who gets hurt on such a slide, but that would literally add insult to injury and might run afoul of the CBA.
In the end, you just have to hope your players will be responsible. As they say in the A section, you can’t legislate against stupidity.
I don’t think I COULD have spent MORE time TRYING to hit, but I didn’t have the ability to pull off that trick.
And 6yr, $70 million was WAY out of MY reach.
6yr, $70 million, out of LOTS of peoples reach. Not being judgemental or anything, but it’s seems funny you need to stop at the One Stop Food and Liquor for Kingsford at midnight when the stamps arrive.
This picture just looks funny is all:
Here’s where Gardy gets set up to be 2nd guessed… pull blackburn with a low pitch count and cruising or leave him in?
I’ll not 2nd guess him. I say leave him in.
How ’bout Everett and those “fundamentals” tonight?
just hope that Rincon is not coming in to pitch…
I’ll agree with Gardy…in the NL game you have to pull the pitcher there to try and get more runs.
PD:
My impression is getting tagged hurts the team less than getting injured, therefore, don’t dive.
Probably the right choice. But it always depends on what others do.
Gardy needs to see what these guys can do in their new roles now that neshek is gone. Can’t be afraid to go to them, gotta show the confidence. Maybe Rincon can get it back and get the job done
There, after a walk, with Rincon pitching Gardy jumps on the top step of the dugout like a bat out of hell, then things about it, puts his hands in his crotch and stays there at the top step of the dugout… Stolen base and walk… Gardy is still there…
Sheffield, Jeter, Rowand and many others have suffered torn ligaments in their thumbs. Sheffield played with the tear, so did Jeter. Jeter’s apparently healed without surgery. The injury is to Tolberts left hand. The prognosis for Tolbert certainly depends on the severity of the injury. Few details at this point.
Mudcat,
i work in the food industry. Ya think people are running out of food early now? just wait, its going to get quite a bit worse
Reyes bails out Rincon. Amazing how much run the Twins have gotten out of that guy.
Rincon had quite a concept before he got pulled. Walk every other batter,throw more balls than strikes and try to win a game.
SHAWN:
I’m sure you’re right. And to think some make $10 million a year to play ball………..
ah, Go Twins?
yeah, they can afford the food.
get another run in Justin
or Cuddy
Nathan coming in. These guys are 15 and 26 and we’re fighting for first place. Gotta shut ‘em down.
Reyes can do one thing and he does it well. Must be nice to be a lefty
Nathan’s just saving Everett’s arm by making sure there’s a force at second…
Nice job! Now let’s sweep these guys and show somebody ELSE how it feels.
Get up, Carlos……………
How can you not love Carlos Gomez
Hell of a catch by Gomez to end the game.
Complete games are a distant memory. If you get a chance, there is a great book on Sandy Koufax you should check out. What abuse those guys took and for not a lot of money. His elbow would swell up after games to the size of his knee. His last 2 years, he averaged 41 starts, 330 innings, 27 complete games, 7 shutouts, 350 K’s, ERA under 2.00, WHIP well under 1. they even had him save two games.
Nice catch Gomez
Was that as close to going over as the mlb gameday graphic shows?
Razz, it was in the park, would have been off the fence.
I’m a huge Hunter fan but can I just say…Torii WHO? GoGoGomez!!!!
Lately, I’m afraid of injuries giving high fives after a win.
Hope he’s OK. He hit his chest, shoulder AND his jaw, can’t believe he’s gonna be only a “little” dinged up.
Thanks Carlos G!
Nice win with another real solid start for Blackburn! Important to not tax this bullben too much with the stretch of games coming up.
RAZZ:
Nathan saved Everett’s arm, but he almost killed Gomez! LOL!
Well,
Delmon, Blackburn, and Everett are the hero’s of tonight’s game… who would have thunk it? Great job by Gomez on the field, too…
Delmon doesn’t like Vavra either
Don’t worry guys, I’ll be back soon so you’ll have someone to rag on now that Delmon’s gonna heat up.
Jim Souhan gets the credit. He ripped Delmon pretty good in today’s column.
Delmon only listens to Daddy, Dmitri, and Jim Souhan?
Despite the result of this game, let’s land back to earth:
Howie Clark?
Why?
Couldn’t Casilla be the backup infielder?
Didn’t McDonald and Ruiz deserve to get called up before Clark? I just don’t get it…
I see some of my moves have been rubbing of on Tolbert. I think of myself as a mentor to him
Every pitch had Souhans punk face on it. I couldn’t miss that guy
Good one, Delmon! But be nicer to that hot blonde interviewer!
Gardy just said Tolbert’s out, but Gomez is OK, just bit his lip, in case some of you can’t watch the post-game.
We should worry about Cuddy more than Young. He is awful right now.
What happened Michael Cuddyer?
Oh wait, I actually saw this one coming….here’s the equation:
‘07 regression + big contract = ‘08 let down
Yesterday the blog was blowing up Bill Smith for bringing in Adam Everett.
Now today, with Punto and Tolbert gone, without Everett it would be Alexi Casilla and no backup at SS.
Please don’t suggest Plouffe until you look at his batting stats in the minors at AA and below.
Everett’s average is below .180 after tonight….not sure anyone is relieved we still have him even with the injuries.
melshmeister
I got lumped in. I am dead set against head first slides into first base. That’s it. I respect head first slides into 2nd, and 3rd, and as long as they touch the plate and are safe I am ok with any slide into home, or barreling the catcher over.
Sorry for the confussion.
My point was simply that the only way to get these players to not do something that is dangerous and stupid is to fine them their daily salary. Veterans wouldn’t want to give up huge chunks of change, and rookies wouldn’t want to give up a dime.
Sorry for the confussion on that one. No data required.
Sane, Plouffe can hit an extra base hit. Everett has to take steroids to hit a pop fly. Luke Hughes cannot be called up right away, but can be called up. Howie Clark is a bit silly, but we need a body.
With Tolbert’s tear how long will he be out?
How long is Gardenhire going to put up with:
1. Zero production from the #2 hole
2. Mauer’s lack of RBI production
Before he moves Mauer up? I understand that there is no real #3 hitter on the roster, but what is the point of having Mauer hit .330 behind BOTH a leadoff guy with a low OBP and a guy hitting .240? Also, I can’t stand it any more to watch Mauer up with runners on base and know there is no hope of the ball ever getting more than 5 feet off the ground.
Move Mauer, Morneau, and Cuddyer up in succession. Cuddyer will come back to form. If not, we are doomed anyway so what’s the difference. So what if Morneau hits in the 3 hole, Ortiz does it in BOS. Is that, like, breaking some law or something?
After doing my homework, I take back what I said about Howie Clark. He is actually, a decent player. Howie has played mostly at 2B in his career. He has also played a lot at 1B and in the OF. He has played both corner spots. He has played some at 3B, but seems to have had more difficulty there. He has played SS, but on a very limited basis.
He is able to draw a walk and hits for average. He rarely strikes out, which is certainly a plus for this team. He isn’t a speed guy, but he appears competent, and could be a versatile bench guy. I like him.
Hunter might have been able to catch that, but I doubt he would’ve been fast enough to get there.
I’d never thought I’d say this but with Clark, who was in the George Mitchell Report, in the majors I can’t wait for Punto to come off the DL.
Why didn’t we call up new acquired Serigo Santos?
Many said it at the start of the season: Mauer should bat leadoff. His OBP is .404 vs. .296 for Gomez. Gomez has struck out 42 times, Mauer only 11 times. Looking at the roster, there’s no “natural” 2 or 3 hitter except Mauer — and my guess is that cloning, while not banned by Selig, is not an option.
BC,
One double per week is not good for an alcoholic and is worse for a AA (wanabee MLB) hitter.
Everett has one double per 15 AB in MLB.
Plouffe has one double per 20 AB in AA.
Everett 60AB, 4 doubles.
Plouffe 140 AB, 7 doubles
“So what if Morneau hits in the 3 hole, Ortiz does it in BOS. Is that, like, breaking some law or something?”
David Ortiz has Manny Rameriez batting behind him.
Dan,
“Why didn’t we call up new acquired Serigo Santos?”
It might have something to do with the fact that Sergio Santos is hitting .170 at AAA. (between Syracuse and Rochester)
He has a career minor league
average of .249, mostly at AA and below.
Everett’s average is below .180 after tonight….not sure anyone is relieved we still have him even with the injuries.
Twins are in a tight spot at the moment. They’ve got Harris (who isn’t terrible), Everett (who can’t hit…and looks to be losing his glove with each passing day), Casilla (who the jury’s still out on), and Punto (who’s Punto).
Everett needs to go. Punto is Everett with a better glove, and has shown some ability to hit (albeit limited) in spot ABs.
As much as it may pain the masses…the best option for SS at the moment is Casilla. Depending on if Clark is anything more than a warm body.
Here is my question this morning, when are the Twins going say enough is enough with Cuddyer? I know we just overpaid him when we re-signed him, but he is looking HORRIBLE. I though our outfield would be set for years to come, but it looks like RF is a weakspot know along with 3B, SS. Cuddyer has has his chances
JJ,
“Mauer should bat leadoff. His OBP is .404 vs. .296 for Gomez. Gomez has struck out 42 times, Mauer only 11 times”
But after Mauer leads off with a single, it takes 2 hits to score him.
After Gomez leads off with a single and steals 2B (not in Mauer’s job description), it takes ONE HIT to score him.
“when are the Twins going say enough is enough with Cuddyer?”
How much time do the Twins give?:
1) Cuddyer
2) Delmon
3) Monroe
4) Kubel
5) Lamb
6) Everett
7) Punto
Harris
9) Redmond
You can’t cut everyone that is temporarily (we hope) struggling. They have to then be replaced with AAA players who are AAA players for a reason. You give up on MLB players when it looks like there is little hope they will get out of their temporary(?) slumps.(which everyone experiences)
No patience? No chance!
T - “the best option for SS at the moment is Casilla”
I respectfully disagree with your idea that Casilla is our best option at SS. I think if/when he gets to play there, this season has been declared a disaster. My options at SS continue to be Everett (he looks like he may be regressing; hope it isn’t his shoulder). But a bad Everett is better than Casilla at SS. After Everett is Punto. After Punto is Harris (with Clark at 2b). Casilla should be on a slow boat back to where he came from. He is not a major league player.
I think when Punto comes off DL, Casilla is sent packing. I mean, did you see him in his one start? The missed grounder, the double pumps in his throws, the pathetic display at hitting, and just that attitude that exudes from him — I can’t believe Gardy will keep him.
“Why didn’t we call up new acquired Serigo Santos?”
Probably because he can’t hit or field.
Sergio Santos is an interesting player, though. A few years back, he was a 1st round draft pick by Arizona (27th overall). Talk about blowing your draft pick on nothing.
Santos has played all his minor league games at SS. He really doesn’t have the glove to play there, but no one has moved him, because it would be hard to justify his bat anywhere else.
Now that I look at Sergio closely. WHY are wasting a 40 man roster spot on him?
Carlos, I don’t like Everett. He can “hit” and he can “field”…but I still see those throws of his bouncing somewhat…pitifully.
I don’t like that it’s Casilla at the moment, but that’s just how I feel about the whole situation.
To sane: With Matt Holiday hurt, and likely on his way out of the Rox, do you think Cuddyer could be a worthwhile piece to bring in a guy like Atkins? I’ve seen his name on the trade block both at ESPN and FOXSports.
With Young a lock to be with the team through this season and beyond (he’s struggling now, but it’s stupid to give up on him already), and Gomez the CF as far forward as I can see….maybe Monroe or Kubel *ducks flying rocks* could take LF and let Young move back to RF.
OR
Having gone with Gomez in CF, and with Monroe and Kubel providing a lot of OF options, could Span or Pridie (Pridie primarily) be worth anything?
Perhaps as part of a package with some of the Twins extra pitching? If they move one of their many starters
Blackburn, Baker, Boof, Hernandez, Slowey, Baker, Liriano, Perkins…they have a lot of starters.
I coudl see a few of those being trade candidates. Or if not the starters…somebody in the pen who could then be replaced by one of the starters. (People suggest Boof could do middle inning work)
In my opinion Tolbert was the only DECENT option we had at SS. Now we’ll just have to do with the automatic out with an arm like a 10 year old girl…..ADAM EVERETT.
The sad part is Punto is better than AE.
Anyone else notice that Everett looks like the geeky kid from ROADTRIP?
I always thought he looked more like a Hobbit.
T,
Cuddyer trade for Atkins would help fill a hole, by giving up a corner OF where we are deep. Young, Monroe, Kubel,Span, McDonald, and Pridie at AAA and above, with several other prospects at New Britain, Fort Myers and Beloit.
The only drawback sane…you’d have some of the doomsayers around here crying that a Cuddyer trade indicates further cheapness. 
And then if Atkins struggled, everybody would act like they knew it would all along. (see: Young, Delmon)
T,
If the ONLY drawback is potential criticism from critics whom you (or the Twins) don’t respect, there is NO drawback.
Casilla has cost the Twins 2 games in the standings since he was brought up. Gardenhire didn’t seem to learn from earlier misktakes: especially last season when Casilla made many costly fielding and base running errors. Casilla is not going to help the team win games and Gardenhire knows it. Why he puts him in the lineup when there are better players in the minor leagues and the major league roster is seriously questionable.
