“Can’t get a hit to save my life and then I knock the MVP out of the game.”

Nick Punto made the unfortunate decision to wear a wire during Saturday’s humiliation. Coming off the field after Detroit took a 2-0 lead in the first inning, Punto lauded Sidney Ponson for getting a double-play grounder after starting the game with a walk and three single. That was going to be it, Punto vowed. Or words to that effect.

In the bottom of the second, given the power to do something other than talk about the 2-0 deficit, Punto batted with the bases loaded — and grounded into a double play.

In the sixth, after consecutive doubles (no, I’m not making that up) brought the Twins within 8-2, Punto slapped a bouncer off the pitcher’s glove, ending the inning when it was fielded by the second baseman.

Then, in the eighth, Punto made his ill-advised throw from third base after catching Brandon Inge’s line drive. He threw wide of the base and Justin Morneau was screened by returning baserunner Craig Monroe, who does enough damage to the Twins with his bat that he didn’t need to be an inadvertant contributor on the bases. The throw took a hop and bonked Morneau squarely in the nose, breaking it.

The FOX cameras spared us most of the blood, but offered up the above words that Punto uttered to third-base umpire Paul Schreiber, who didn’t make Johan’s life any easier Friday night when he worked home plate.

Fortunately, Punto was denied the chance to do further damage in the bottom of the eighth. With two runners on and one out, Jason Kubel grounded into another double play (No. 3 of the day for the Twins) to keep Punto from having to bat.

In the ninth, Chris Heintz batted for Punto. Fittingly, he struck out.

Today’s other carnage:

*Lew Ford returned to the lineup. He grounded into a double play his first time up.

*Sidney Ponson: four innings, six runs, five earned, six hits, two walks. (Still, you should read this guest post from a Ponson fan.)

*Jason Bartlett made another error in the field on a play that’s typically made in the majors (a/k/a “the major league level). Mike Redmond dropped a throw at the plate that could have muted a fourth-inning rally, even though he wasn’t charged with an error. 

*Thirteen baserunners usually yield more than two runs, but odds are diminished when a team gets as many infield hits as extra-base hits. I don’t care that the Twins lead the world in infield hits.

*The Twins made another pitcher with a hefty ERA look like a Cy Young candidate. Chad (Not JD) Durbin put enough runners on base to give the Twins a chance, but they would have none of it.

*Jack Cust hit another home run today. It’s his fifth in six games for Oakland since being acquired by the A’s for “future considerations” and installed as their DH after Mike Piazza got hurt. Great, huh?

*And now, a Good Word: Mike Redmond is 11 for 21 since Joe Mauer was injured. That’s 21 percent of the Twins’ hits in those six games. Not bad for a guy who’s supposed to be a liability if he plays more than a couple of times per week.

Stay healthy, Mike. Stay away from Nick.

This entry was posted on Saturday, May 12th, 2007 at 5:58 pm and is filed under Thoughts. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.