Don’t know if this helps, but…
Posted on August 27th, 2008 – 1:09 PMBy La Velle
Are you down because of your squad? Worried that the postseason is slipping away? Have you decided to flee for the the cabin through Labor Day and won’t watch another game until then?
True, the Twins haven’t played their best ball in recent games. True, Seattle seems to be embracing the role of the spoiler. And, true, the Orioles look like a bunch of enablers right now. But there’s still a lot of baseball left and the division race can change over the course of a series.
A couple things to note:
The White Sox are 30-34 on the road - better than the Twins’ 28-35 road mark. But after wrapping up the series with Baltimore tonight they head to Boston for three games at Fenway Park, where they are 3-7 since 2004, then three obviously winnable games at Cleveland.
They’ll have one more road trip remaining. Four games against the desperate Yankees, three at Kansas City, where they have dropped two of three to the Royals in each of their last two trips there and had a bench-clearing incident the last time in town, then three at the Dome.
The White Sox bullpen is not a sure thing. They don’t know when key reliever Scott Linebrink will return from his shoulder problems. His comments about how he feels - plus the fact he can’t throw breaking balls - must concern the White Sox.
And Octavio Dotel has a 6.75 ERA this month and has given up five homers.
It’s not much, but I just don’t think this is separation week in the AL Central. A person who writes another blog mentioned that it might be a good time to take a break. I strongly disagree. Beat writers learn a few years into the gig that you don’t know what’s going to happen when you get to the park each day. If I were you, I wouldn’t touch the clicker.
And, for more entertainment, read here how those crazy Cubs fans are all over Barack Obama.
And one more thing: Ran into former Twin Al Newman yesterday and visited with him for awhile. Many of you have asked me about Newmie, so here’s an update:
Newmie has one foot in the, `private sector,’ working for Aflac. But he also hosts a weekly baseball show on 1280AM (The Patrioit). He’s on at 6 p.m. each Sunday, and Tim Laudner will be his guest this week.
51 Responses to "Don’t know if this helps, but…"
LEN3,
With the way Cleveland is playing right now, I’d question the 3 winnable games part.
Granted the 9 games are against KC, TEX & DET (1 against LAA), anytime you can put that kind of stretch together is impressive.
Well said! there are too many Games left to be worried.. La velle. have u heard anything about whether Lamb is gonna be released or optioned?!
There is no where to flee, this week. Until the NFL uses real players, next week. Then we have options…
With the White Sox scoring runs in bunches, it doesn’t matter if their bullpen struggles
Yeah, the Sox now are doing what the Twins were doing earlier. Making up for pen struggles by hitting the snot outta the ball.
Now the Pen’s back, but the offense has apparently gone into hiding.
Whities vs Reddies
even if the Whities do well, the Twins stay in the mix on the WC
Also, both sox have a good amount more games against teams with +.500 records.
Speaking of other people’s blogs, has anybody read Curtis Granderson’s blog on espn? That is absolute terribleness. All he does is use it to congratulate himself on how great he is, his team is, his ‘foundation’ is. Wow. We have a Joe Morgan in training here. He compared himself to Grady Sizemore today.
It doesn’t matter who wins between the reddies and whities of the twins don’t win their games
As mentioned earlier, Cleveland is playing well. Plus, I believe Cliff Lee will pitch the game 1 of the series against the the White Sox. After playing in Boston, then facing Lee in Cleveland, the Whities could end up in their own funk.
Granted, the Twins need to start hitting against these mediocre starters for any of this to matter.
Len3, Your grim prediction of a 7 and 7 road trip is appearing less attainable by the day. Maybe Guardado will slice up someones shorts in the clubhouse and turn this thing around
how great…his team is…
Wait, when did Granderson get traded from the Tigers?
I am just glad the last game against the M’s is finally here. The team seems to be fine until faced with Seattle on the road for whatever reason.
Well it is a blessing that the White Sox are playing the Red Sox. Good time to catch up on either the Wild Card or division!!
The main thing that seperates the Twins and White Sox is the long ball. When the Twins are slumping, and get 6 hits off a horrible pitcher, they have no shot. When the Sox get six hits, two of them could be homers. on the flip side, however, the Twins do find a way to score some wacky runs, which the White sox don’t normally get. I may have contradicted myself, but you get what I mean.
Both have suspect bullpens and over-achieving starting pitchers.
Hindsight is 20-20. Seattle wanted Span or one of our starters. No deal and i concurred. But,how about this?
Beltre, Washburn and cash for Blackburn, and Swarzek? Presumes we would have gotten Eddie.
Beltre helps us next year. I believe Washburn does too (change of scenery, no expectation that he be anything more than a #5 starter).
Just an idle thought to keep me from my real responsibilities.
[…] Originally published by Twins Insider […]
Blackburn and Swarzek is a lot to give up for an overpaid, crummy pitcher and an expensive solid hitter.
Who do we cheer for?
Boston or White Sox?
Boston
This division is still right there for the Twins to win. With so many young players it is not surprising to see them hitting the wall a little right now. They will have to play through it however.
Boston, it is easier for the twins to win the division then it is to win the wild card. I think Boston plays something like 20 out of the final games at home.
20 out of the 29 final games that is…
It is early and lots can happen. But it sure seems like the M’s have our number. I just cringe in later innings when the score is close.
The twins are done for the year. They absolutely cannot compete on the road. Too many double plays, clutch hitting is missing, too high a pitch count ALL THE TIME with the starters, no pop in the bats, and too many automatic outs in the lineup (Young, Gomez, Kubel, whoever bats eighth.) Maybe next year with this year a learning curve, but definitely need more pop.
Where are all those people who thought the Twins would be 10-4 or 9-5 on this road trip? I know, they’re busy breaking down the Vikings schedule and seeing nothing worse than 14-2.
I still think they can be .500.
And I disagree with Tim. Yeah, you might be right, but with this team, and the White Sox, who knows? They tend to surprise me.
The Twins relief core should be called the “Unreliables” due to the fact that they have cost the team numerous games in the standings with their feebleness.
The Red Sox are gonna try to make a September push seeing as how they traded for Kotsay!
The Wild Card as well as the division
are going to be tough! If only the Twins could’ve picked up Adrian Beltre or a 3rd baseman that can hit!
Oh ya, I remember when we had a chance for Lowell! That would’ve been awesome!
Alas, we’re bulding for the future and not for the present!
For Beltre Didn’t the M’s want Blackburn? How’s that (non)deal working out ?
There is the Eddie we love. Thank god we had a 2 run lead. Man, our bullpen stinks.
DENARD SPAN
Kid is shtraight MONEY.
I’d never sport jersey, it’s just not my look. But if I did, it’d say SPAN.
You’re the kind that makes Minnesota fans look bad. The National perception is that MN fans are bandwagoners I grew up there so I don’t buy that, but “fans” like you just feed that perception. Why would you not pick them to win 9 on this roadie? Seattle and Oakland, sure hindsight is 20/20 so morons like this guy can express how right they were, good job ole TK wanna be
Right on Paul B., Denard Span is going to be very good for a long time and to think he wasn’t even a prospect anymore coming into this season
I thought Newman was in the AZ Diamondbacks scouting department
When the Twins left town, they were 1 game back. Halfway through the longest trip in nearly 40 years, they are… 1 game back. I think that is a pretty nice silver lining. You could easily say that the Sox missed their opportunity to put the Twins away this week.
I’m fine with holding serve until this trip is over. Once this trip is done, the schedule evens out again (12 home games and 10 road games).
It’s almost Sept. folks. I think we should all sit back and enjoy this! They weren’t supposed to be here they have a good young corp of players to go along with Mauer and Morneau! Cuddyer hasn’t hardly got a sniff this year; we lost Hunter and Santana; but yet here they are! If you have given up on them then you haven’t been watching them this year. They will be fine! Get behind them support them! We are seeing history folks! Span is looking like a cross between Kirby and Torri; Young does look like his bat WILL be one to be reckoned with soon if not already; casilla and Gomez were would we be without them? Kubel’s coming into his own; Buscher is looking good at 3rd; we still got Tolbert to look forward to; the starting pitching has been stellar; Mauer,Morneau, Nathan etc,etc,etc Come on people! Doesn’t this feel like the making of ‘87 or ‘91 all over again?
Winning games in Sept for the Twins is all about catching the ball–case in point the game today vs the prior 4. Today they did not give away the game. If they field the ball, they will win the division. Big question is IF. I am more hopeful now that Casilla is back, but we’ll see.
The people who predicted the Twins 10-4 and 9-5 are still here. While the loses against LA and especially Seattle were disappointing, a winning road trip is still very doable. Have you seen the pitching match ups against Oakland? I like the Twins chances over the next four days.
Who do we root for, White Sox or Red Sox? That’s an easy one, you root for the Twins. If they win their games against Oakland, chances are they pick up at least a game against each and two against whomever loses the series.
Before this road trip started I said 10-4. Well we already lost 4 games but I stand by my prediction.Im pulling for the Red Sox to beat the White sox for three games. And if the Twins can find some offense my prediction is still possible. Im looking for a sweep against Oakland. I am not worried about who is in 1st now both teams will be in and out right up to the time they meet in the sox in sept. I love BB in Sept cause every team that has a shot to make it will play there best in the final month of this season…..
When in a tough race like the Twins are with the Whities, it is the “stars” that need to really step up. That’s why they are paid the big $. Joe needs to get more hits, MVP needs more HR’s (a lot more) and Joe needs to really slam the door when he is in (and he needs to be in in the 8th inning more often). If the two hitters step up a notch, everybody else will go with them.
JustinCB,
Re: Granderson: aren’t all blogs meant to say how great their authors are? Maybe it just seems that way to me.
Strib bloggers being the exception, of course.
Didn’t NEWMIE just accept a job at Minnesota Tech school as an assistant baseball coach???
Read here: http://www.dctc.mnscu.edu/visitors-community/news/releases/08072008.cfm
Obama was half right. The long-time, diehard Cubs fans are some of the best in the game. But a large percentage of any Wrigley Field crowd is just there to take in the atmosphere.
LOOK OUT BELOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The Twins are coming!! At least they stayed in contention until football season. Can’t beat Seattle, can’t beat the A’s, can’t score against left-handed pitching. Stick a fork in ‘em!! We’re DONE!!!
It is begining to look like this year’s Twins are pretenders. If the Twins can’t go on the road and take care of business against two crappy teams like Seattle and Oakland they have no reason to be in the playoffs. The lost another game tonight.
Wrong choice of pitcher in the 9th bites us again. Breslow should not have been called upon to begin with, and I think you have to bring in Nathan with that runner on 2nd. I don’t care about keeping him to protect a lead if they can’t even hold a tie. I am about ready to throw in the towel. Terrible offense didn’t help anyone either.
Ryan, Newmie didn’t mention that. Thanks for the link!!!
