The Before-I-Head-To-The-Park Update
Posted on August 9th, 2008 – 1:09 PMBy La Velle
A few leftover things from last night:
Here’s more on Cuddy’s injury. Garrett Jones apparently got a hold of a 95 mile an hour fastball and ripped it to right. Cuddyer tried to jump out of the way but the ball nailed him. The break is in the middle of the foot.
Cuddyer will be seen by Twins physician Dr. John Steubs on Monday. I was told it’s too early to assume that Cuddyer’s season is over.
Kevin Slowey hasn’t allowed a first-inning run in 18 straight starts, which breaks Camilo Pascual’s club record in 1963. I thought Slowey was headed for a strong outing but he got bogged down in the middle innings.
The Twins walked a season-high eight times last night - which means they should have scored more runs than they did. Carlos Gomez’s two bases-loaded strikeouts were huge. Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said he had to have the, “calm down,” talk with Gomez after the second strikeout. And I wasn’t a big fan of Gomez bunting twice with the bases loaded, but Gardy didn’t seem to mind.
Gomez now has 23 stolen bases, matching the team-high that Jason Bartlett had last season.
Joe Nathan had to sweat it out in the ninth a little bit but picked up his 31st save. He has given up a least one hit in each of his past four outings.
31 Responses to "The Before-I-Head-To-The-Park Update"
Too bad for the Twins, and for Cuddy. I think the most shocking thing about this incident that nobody is talking about is, apparently—and I haven’t seen the tape so I don’t know that I believe it—-but apparently Garrett Jones hit a line drive?
La Velle, Al Reyes was DFA’d by the Rays. Do you think Smith will have any interest?
My heartfelt sympathy goes out to young Mr. Cuddyer. What horrible luck.
Has to be a sign from God that Michael is supposed to go into the ministry or something…..
It seems like Gomez has a Cuddybear Vodoo Doll - and it works!!! Gardy, please take that thing away, who knows what he will do to Span if he takes over CF……..
yeah, 2 bases loaded strike outs can be extremely frustrating… His First K I don’t believe he even touched the ball, all swings and misses….. Come on Go-Go let’s get the ball into the outfield.. Twins still have the best BA with runners in scoring position, but you wouldn’t know that looking at the last road trip to Sea, and KC.. Bring the Twins home with sweep of KC Gardy, GO Twins!!
Gomez needs a night off. Play Span in center Kubel in right tonight. Maybe tomorrow also.
Um, Reyes is in his late 30’s and has had arm problems. I’d be buyer beware on that one….
CudDLs needs to get a body protection suit and be ready for next year.
Thanks for that stat about Slowey. Twins had a HUGE problem last year with starters getting knocked around early. Good to see Slowey is able to get through the early innings fairly intact.
No need to weaken the fielding, by taking out Gomez. The Twins could really use a fourth OF who can run and catch the ball.
Ruiz wastes a spot. It’s tough to carry a player who can’t play in the field. Especially when a team needs 12 pitchers.
I agree w/ Craig. Ruiz is a wasted spot. Bring up Darnell McDonald and give him a shot.
Or is McDonald injured? Did not see him in recent RedWing Boxscores.
McDonal is out for the year.
LeVelle, any insight on who is coming up during the September call-ups?
Luke Hughes? Garrett Jones? Humber, Mulvey, Danny Graves?
Sorry La Velle typing too fast and spelled your name wrong.
McDonald??? Even if he wasn’t hurt his OPS in June and July was UGLY.
PRIDIE. Speed, range, good arm, hits for power, great year at the plate excepting the mother of all slumps in May. I wouldn’t send down Ruiz, though. They need a RH bat with pop. Gomez is the liability. Pridie is NOT that far a step down vs. Gomez. His RFg is well above average and he’s run down balls well in the games I’ve watched and listened to this year (to the point where opposing radio announce teams have on multiple occasions gone out of their way to complement his range).
The FREE JASON PRIDIE movement is building on the non-strib blogs. I’m hoping for a Gomez tantrum/send-down combo! (Not that there’s not a very good chance he’ll be an excellent player in 2010.)
“NOT that far a steap down vs. Gomez IN THE FIELD”, I meant.
Graves has an ERA of 5.85 at Rochester, but most of that’s a result of two bad outings. I’d still like to see the Twins give him a shot as a late inning guy. I’d trust a veteran like him more than either Bass or Bonser.
Cuddyer’s injury is a non-issue. I think the team has been doing just fine without him. I’m happy for Ruiz that he’ll get some additional time to make an impression. If Cuddyer had come back, where do you put him? Gardenhire’s already said Span’s staying in the lineup. All Cuddyer would have done was take atbats away from more deserving players.
Cuddyer would have helped down the stretch. I’m skeptical that Ruiz will. He might be overmatched by guys like Danks and Buerhle in September.
I think I heard that Grave’s fastball is clocked at the same speed as Livan’s. And he can’t throw an eephous pitch.
Toby, I agree with you. I like what Pridie brings to the table.
However I think the Gomez project will last at least through next season because he has raw tools. Bill Smith will not look good if his first or second trade doesn’t work. But that goes without saying.
“No need to weaken the fielding, by taking out Gomez.”
Actually there is a need. It’s called hitting! Gomez isn’t very good at it, at least at this point in his career.
“The Twins could really use a fourth OF who can run and catch the ball.”
Sounds like Gomez to me.
Kubel is the 4th outfielder.
Whether he is “a fourth OF who can run and catch the ball” is for everyone to determine for themselves, but Gardy will make that decision.
After that it would be:
Jason Pridie .275 12-53 at AAA
Dustin Martin .290 8-60 at AA.
All the other outfielders above A+ ball are offense-first outfielders.
I agree Bird of Prey, but if you keep throwing Bass, Crain and Matty G every game? Maybe a waiver claim is coming for help.
But if you bring up Graves you most surely would lose Bass or Bonser on waivers. These two still have value. Might as well wait for September callups.
John R, my question above was asking La Velle if they would bring up Graves on sept. 1.
My guess is they care about getting Bass through waivers. He can start some games in Rochester, and they can bring Humber up, and/or one of Korecky/Barrett/Gomez if they haven’t found a better solution via trade and waiver wire. I don’t think they want to give up on Bonser. He was a top ten prospect in all of baseball about two years before we acquired him as a throw-in
Ron J Beans,
My bad.
Someone call 911 Punto is killing us.
I have been a die hard Twins fan for 24 years. And all I just wanna say that that was awesome that The Twins fans all around The Upper Midwest came some 4-6 hours to root on their beloved team in Kansas City and I had actually had Royals fans being friendly to us as well
I guess they had to be better than 10,K Twins fans on sat night and that was just too cool GO TWINS!!!
