The Twins are most certainly turning things upside down right now. With yesterday's strange 7-5 win, a duel of the grand slams, over the Tampa Bay Deviled Hams (I have decided that I can call them that again) the hometown nine extended their winning streak to four games, almost right on the heels of a five-game losing streak. This is very reminiscent of last year's streaky team, which seemed to either sweep or be swept in almost every series for a large portion of the year. But with just nine days remaining until that magical July 31st deadline, one wonders if recent events will have any impact on whether or not the Twins' brass makes a trade.
Kris Benson
I have said on more than one occasion that I would love for the Twins to acquire the Pirates' Kris Benson, but there have been some interesting developments lately with this case. Benson has been pitching very well of late, While the staff has been pretty solid of late, I think that the rotation would benefit from a veteran like Benson. Terry Mulholland, as much as I love his recent performance, probably can't keep up this Jamie Moyer impression for very much longer. And Kyle Lohse has just been so darn infuriating (i.e. inconsistent) for this entire season that I hate to think what will happen when we need him for a big game against the Sox in September. He simply hasn't been getting the job done.
However, Pirates' GM Dave Littlefield seems to think that he can receive enough talent in return for a guy with a 4.25 career ERA to turn his franchise around. Littlefield has been quoted as saying that he wants a major league ready player and a top prospect (plus more possibly) in return for Benson. For the Twins, that translates roughly to perhaps Michael Cuddyer and J.D. Durbin in exchange for Benson. Every Twins fan (and Terry Ryan I assume) will tell you that a trade like that is utter hogwash. Littlefield will get nothing near what he is demanding for Benson, who will cost almost $3 million for a two month rental. It doesn't matter that Benson is probably the best pitcher available on the market: he simply isn't worth that much in a trade. A more realistic (and fair) trade would include perhaps Michael Restovich and borderline prospect like Adam Johnson. I doubt the Pirates will find anyone stupid enough to give in to their excessive demands, so it is probably just a matter of who offers the best mid-level prospect.
Bret Boone
Now this one is pure speculation (started perhaps at sethspeaks.com the other day) but it is intriguing nonetheless. It is rumored that if the Mariners are unable to find a taker for the struggling Boone they may just release him as they did with Rich Aurilla and John Olerud. But as Seth suggests, why not have the Twins trade them some token players (Rivas, Restovich, or Adam Johnson) instead? If he's released, the M's will have to pay his salary for this year anyway, so you'd think that they'd be happy to get a warm bucket of spit in return. But there are definite issues here--Boone's option, his injury status, whether or not the Yankees want him--but it's still fun to think about. Can you imagine if the Twins all of a sudden had a legitimate power threat at second base instead of the Black Hole (i.e. Luis "The Place Where At-Bats Go To Die" Rivas) that currently resides there? Excuse me now while I drift into a state of contented bliss...
I would be excited if the Twins were able to acquire either of those players, and ecstatic if they acquired both. However, the latter is obviously just a misguided pipe dream. If you're in the mood for more trade speculation, there have been a number of well written articles dealing with the subject. Today, Twins Geek has a very enlightening post about Paul Wilson as a trade candidate and also predicts the upcoming uproar that will occur when the Twins don't match the White Sox next (inevitable) blockbuster trade. Jimmy Souhan over at the Strib helped fan the speculatory flames with his article the other day. And as always, the DTFC Twins' Forum is rocking with all sorts of opinions on the trade situation, including some very interesting ideas from numerous hardcore Twins fans.
That's all I've got for tonight. I appreciate the recent upsurge in support I've received since John left me flying solo last week, as it gives me a lot of confidence and motivation to write something new each day. If you have any thoughts on the topics discussed here, feel free to drop a comment below or email me at twinsfan21@msn.com. I almost always respond in a timely matter to both forms of communication. Good night everyone.
p.s. Also, if you haven't read the paper yet this morning, be sure and read this article by Souhan and I'm sure you'll get a snicker or two from it (I know I sure did!). Dougie is all paranoid that he has been Pipped, and in his desperation he's saying all sorts of crazy stuff! I love it!
Thursday, July 22, 2004
That's the Way (Uh-Huh Uh-Huh) I Like It
Now that's more like it.
The Twins collected a season-high 17 hits in their impressive 12-2 victory over the D-Rays, a victory that seemed oddly out of place in a post-April world. Are these the same guys that had only scored five runs once in the past week and a half? The improbable return of Henry "Babe" Blanco? Lew Ford hitting homers? Stranding just seven base runners? Just what exactly is going on here?
On a more serious note, the Twins sorely needed a game like yesterday's. The mini-sweep of the Tigers was nice, but the Twins' offense still did not look very impressive. Although there have been numerous other offensive "breakout" games this year (a 16-4 victory over the Rays on June 1st springs to mind), perhaps this is the one that finally counts. I'm still very skeptical, but you never know.
Wednesday's laugher aside, it is time to move on to the REAL issue: Doug Mientkiewicz is eligible to come off the 15-DL today (Thursday). Mientkiewicz took batting practice on Wednesday, One thing is known for sure--Justin Morneau is not the one that will be sent down to clear space for Dougie. He went 3-5 today and has looked like one of the team's best hitters since his recall. Since the Twins have 11 pitchers, that means a position player has to go. The only real candidates are Rob Bowen (just called up from AA), Jose Offerman, and Michael Cuddyer. But, as Patrick Reusse (is it just me or has he gotten a lot better lately?) writes in his column today, the Twins would like to keep both Cuddyer and Offerman. And I don't think that Terry Ryan would call up Rob Bowen just to demote him a couple days. However, I think that demoting Bowen is the right move in this situation if indeed the Twins are set on activating Mientkiewicz. The Twins will be able to get by with Blanco and LeCroy catching, which is what they did during Mauer's previous two-month absence. Bowen is nothing more than injury insurance, which is a luxury that the Twins cannot afford right now. If TR doesn't want to demote Bowen, then he is going to have a very tough decision to make.
Logjam on multiple fronts
For the sake of argument, let's assume Morneau, Cuddyer, and Offerman stay with the team when Mientkiewicz is activated. I also heard Gardenhire quoted as saying that Shannon Stewart is recovered enough to begin playing the outfield, a development that further complicates matters. In my mind it should be irrefutably obvious that Ford is a much better outfielder than Stewart, even when SS is completely healthy, but I'm sure Gardy will defy logic and insert the weak-armed Stewart into left the first chance he gets. That leaves the Twins with four outfielders deserving of extensive playing time. Ford could DH, but then where will Morneau play? Who sits if/when Mientkiewicz begins throwing away his four at-bats on a nightly basis? I personally think Mientkiewicz should serve as nothing but a late-inning replacement for Morneau until he starts to hit again, but that probably won't happen.
No matter what Gardy decides to do (sit Dougie, DH Morneau, or DH Lew) Matthew LeCroy is the one who stands to lose the most. With just two catchers (hypothetically, of course) Matty's role would be as a platoon player. He has looked terrible at the plate of late, and his days as a starter on this team are over. As much as I liked his power potential, he simply hasn't produced enough in the DH slot and should probably accept his new role as pinch hitter/backup catcher.
Then there is always the possibility that a trade could help free up the logjam. If the Twins could find a taker for Dougie Baseball and/or Jacque Jones, both problems would be solved. But Terry Ryan has said again and again that the Twins will not make a trade just for the sake of making a trade.
Anyway you slice it, Gardenhire has some serious decisions to make in the near future. Which veteran player will be relegated to the bench or to a platoon role? Can he live with just Henry Blanco and Matthew LeCroy as his only catchers? Whatever choices he does make, this quote makes me think that Gardy finally realizes that "his guys" aren't always the best ones for the job:
"I can't worry about anyone's feelings. At this time of year, all I can worry about is doing what I think will give us the best chance to win ball games."
Whether that means putting his nine best players in the lineup each day remains to be seen.
The Twins collected a season-high 17 hits in their impressive 12-2 victory over the D-Rays, a victory that seemed oddly out of place in a post-April world. Are these the same guys that had only scored five runs once in the past week and a half? The improbable return of Henry "Babe" Blanco? Lew Ford hitting homers? Stranding just seven base runners? Just what exactly is going on here?
On a more serious note, the Twins sorely needed a game like yesterday's. The mini-sweep of the Tigers was nice, but the Twins' offense still did not look very impressive. Although there have been numerous other offensive "breakout" games this year (a 16-4 victory over the Rays on June 1st springs to mind), perhaps this is the one that finally counts. I'm still very skeptical, but you never know.
Wednesday's laugher aside, it is time to move on to the REAL issue: Doug Mientkiewicz is eligible to come off the 15-DL today (Thursday). Mientkiewicz took batting practice on Wednesday, One thing is known for sure--Justin Morneau is not the one that will be sent down to clear space for Dougie. He went 3-5 today and has looked like one of the team's best hitters since his recall. Since the Twins have 11 pitchers, that means a position player has to go. The only real candidates are Rob Bowen (just called up from AA), Jose Offerman, and Michael Cuddyer. But, as Patrick Reusse (is it just me or has he gotten a lot better lately?) writes in his column today, the Twins would like to keep both Cuddyer and Offerman. And I don't think that Terry Ryan would call up Rob Bowen just to demote him a couple days. However, I think that demoting Bowen is the right move in this situation if indeed the Twins are set on activating Mientkiewicz. The Twins will be able to get by with Blanco and LeCroy catching, which is what they did during Mauer's previous two-month absence. Bowen is nothing more than injury insurance, which is a luxury that the Twins cannot afford right now. If TR doesn't want to demote Bowen, then he is going to have a very tough decision to make.
Logjam on multiple fronts
For the sake of argument, let's assume Morneau, Cuddyer, and Offerman stay with the team when Mientkiewicz is activated. I also heard Gardenhire quoted as saying that Shannon Stewart is recovered enough to begin playing the outfield, a development that further complicates matters. In my mind it should be irrefutably obvious that Ford is a much better outfielder than Stewart, even when SS is completely healthy, but I'm sure Gardy will defy logic and insert the weak-armed Stewart into left the first chance he gets. That leaves the Twins with four outfielders deserving of extensive playing time. Ford could DH, but then where will Morneau play? Who sits if/when Mientkiewicz begins throwing away his four at-bats on a nightly basis? I personally think Mientkiewicz should serve as nothing but a late-inning replacement for Morneau until he starts to hit again, but that probably won't happen.
No matter what Gardy decides to do (sit Dougie, DH Morneau, or DH Lew) Matthew LeCroy is the one who stands to lose the most. With just two catchers (hypothetically, of course) Matty's role would be as a platoon player. He has looked terrible at the plate of late, and his days as a starter on this team are over. As much as I liked his power potential, he simply hasn't produced enough in the DH slot and should probably accept his new role as pinch hitter/backup catcher.
Then there is always the possibility that a trade could help free up the logjam. If the Twins could find a taker for Dougie Baseball and/or Jacque Jones, both problems would be solved. But Terry Ryan has said again and again that the Twins will not make a trade just for the sake of making a trade.
Anyway you slice it, Gardenhire has some serious decisions to make in the near future. Which veteran player will be relegated to the bench or to a platoon role? Can he live with just Henry Blanco and Matthew LeCroy as his only catchers? Whatever choices he does make, this quote makes me think that Gardy finally realizes that "his guys" aren't always the best ones for the job:
"I can't worry about anyone's feelings. At this time of year, all I can worry about is doing what I think will give us the best chance to win ball games."
Whether that means putting his nine best players in the lineup each day remains to be seen.
Wednesday, July 21, 2004
Out With the Old, In With the New
I don't have a ton of time to write today, as I have to get up early for work in the morning, but I thought that yesterday's 5-4 10-inning win over the Tigers could not go uncommented-opon by Twins Chatter (however brief those comments may be).
The title to this post sums it up best: Tuesday's victory was truly one for the 2004 version of the Twins, as opposed to the 2002 or 2003 versions. Lew Ford, Justin Morneau, Grant Balfour, and Joe Nathan all played key roles in the win. None of the those players contributed much (if anything) to the Twins' back-to-back division titles. Lew Ford's hustle double was the play of the day in my mind. That hit exemplified everything that is great about the Official Player of Twins Chatter: Lew is an aggressive player who goes all out 100% of the time. If Lew collects a single instead of a double, perhaps the Tigers don't pitch around Morneau as much (he was walked on four pitches), which would have changed the complexity of the inning.
Morneau also delivered the game's big blow, a three-run homer. Even though he did look foolish in an at-bat against Estaban Yan, there is no way that this guy is going down to AAA again. No way.
Perhaps the most encouraging sign to emerge from the win was the performance of Grant Balfour, who had three scoreless innings, after he almost single-handedly lost the series finale against the Royals. This is the reason the Twins kept this guy around when he was struggling early in the year. Balfour has electric stuff and a fastball that just jumps out of his hand. I'm not sure about the reports that say he was throwing 100 mph out there, but I do know that the Tigers did not stand much of a chance against his heat.
Last season, a one-run lead in extra innings against one of the league's best lineups would have hardly seemed safe. Eddie G. would have undoubtedly surrendered at least two baserunners before finally ending the game on a deep fly ball to center field. Nathan, on the other hand, comes into the game throwing 97 mph and blowing it by the Tiger hitters. It was almost a foregone conclusion when "The Nathanest of Joes" entered the game. I don't know about the rest of you, but I think it's nice to have fingernails left after your closer ends the game.
Thats all I have time for today, Twins fans. Sorry about my brevity, but this pesky thing called life keeps getting in the way (which is rather annoying). I promise that I'll have something much more substantial for tomorrow. Good night.
Ford is congratulated in the Twins dugout after yet another big hit
The title to this post sums it up best: Tuesday's victory was truly one for the 2004 version of the Twins, as opposed to the 2002 or 2003 versions. Lew Ford, Justin Morneau, Grant Balfour, and Joe Nathan all played key roles in the win. None of the those players contributed much (if anything) to the Twins' back-to-back division titles. Lew Ford's hustle double was the play of the day in my mind. That hit exemplified everything that is great about the Official Player of Twins Chatter: Lew is an aggressive player who goes all out 100% of the time. If Lew collects a single instead of a double, perhaps the Tigers don't pitch around Morneau as much (he was walked on four pitches), which would have changed the complexity of the inning.
Morneau also delivered the game's big blow, a three-run homer. Even though he did look foolish in an at-bat against Estaban Yan, there is no way that this guy is going down to AAA again. No way.
Perhaps the most encouraging sign to emerge from the win was the performance of Grant Balfour, who had three scoreless innings, after he almost single-handedly lost the series finale against the Royals. This is the reason the Twins kept this guy around when he was struggling early in the year. Balfour has electric stuff and a fastball that just jumps out of his hand. I'm not sure about the reports that say he was throwing 100 mph out there, but I do know that the Tigers did not stand much of a chance against his heat.
Last season, a one-run lead in extra innings against one of the league's best lineups would have hardly seemed safe. Eddie G. would have undoubtedly surrendered at least two baserunners before finally ending the game on a deep fly ball to center field. Nathan, on the other hand, comes into the game throwing 97 mph and blowing it by the Tiger hitters. It was almost a foregone conclusion when "The Nathanest of Joes" entered the game. I don't know about the rest of you, but I think it's nice to have fingernails left after your closer ends the game.
Thats all I have time for today, Twins fans. Sorry about my brevity, but this pesky thing called life keeps getting in the way (which is rather annoying). I promise that I'll have something much more substantial for tomorrow. Good night.
Ford is congratulated in the Twins dugout after yet another big hit
Tuesday, July 20, 2004
Taking the Bad With the Good
Okay. I have some good news, and I have some bad news. Which do you want to hear first? To be kind, let's start with the good: yesterday's 3-1 win over the Detroit Tigers, which was just the team's second victory in their last eight games. Terry Mulholland continues to throw a wrench in the chain of the Twins' trade plans. He had his best start in about a year and a half (since a victory over the Twins in September of 2002) and is 2-0 with a 3.11 ERA as a starter this season. Just how is this guy doing it? Last night, he kept the Tiger hitters off-balance with good command of his breaking pitches, change-up, and 89 mph fastball. I didn't know Mulholland could even throw harder than 85, let alone almost 90! For the second consecutive start he shut down one of the better hitting teams in the AL. I wasn't a huge proponent of the Mulholland signing back in April, but in my mind, he's already earned his $600,000 paycheck. The only downside to his recent performance is that it might cause TR to let up on his search for a viable 5th starter, which reports say he is actively hunting for. As impressed as I've been with the old geezer in his short stint as a starter, I can say with some certainty that he is probably not the answer. But who knows? I've been known to be wrong in the past (on rare occasions), so I might be wrong here too. We'll wait and see.
In other good news, it was none other than Jose Offerman who delivered Monday's game-deciding RBI hit, a two-run single in the seventh. As I said yesterday, this guy has a knack for sticking around, doesn't he? His stats are still atrocious (.228 BA, .731 OPS) but you can't argue with results. Or can you?
Now that I've brightened your day with those two little positive tidbits, I'm about to bring you crashing down to earth. As most of you have probably already heard, Joe Mauer once again went on the 15 day disabled list yesterday with knee soreness. The Twins expected this a little bit, as it was assumed there would be some discomfort when Mauer came off his anti-inflammatory medication, but it seems that the soreness hasn't improved since. The Twins were forced to call up Rob Bowen from AA (how lucky is this guy to have that 40-man roster spot?) to serve as the emergency/3rd catcher. I talked a little about this topic the other day when it was revealed Mauer had the sore knee, but now the situation has become much more dire. What should the Twins do with their prized rookie? Personally, I think the team is being overly optimistic when they give 10 days to two weeks as a probable date for Mauer's return. If he has any more setbacks, I honestly think that the Twins should just shut Mauer down for the rest of the season rather than risk mortgaging their future for the sake of a single playoff birth in 2004. I'm glad that the Twins are being very cautious with their catcher, but Mauer's absence screws up the entire lineup big time. Matthew LeCroy is only able to catch a handful of pitchers on the Twins staff adequately--Radke, Mulholland, and MAYBE Silva--and Henry Blanco can't hit his weight (although LeCroy is approaching that weight plateau as well--not that he has that far to drop). Plus, the market for catchers is extremely thin right now (Reusse suggests Dan Wilson as a possible backup) and it seems the Twins will just have to make due with what they have. It's a slippery slope, and I don't envy Ron Gardenhire. He and Terry Ryan have some tough personnel decisions to make in the coming weeks.
Twins Geek also reported a rumor that the Blue Jays are seriously pursuing Justin Morneau right now, but I don't know how much truth there is to it. I don't think that the Jays would give the Twins market value for one of (if not the) game's best power prospects. I honestly don't know what to make of the rumor, but it is just that: a rumor.
That's all the jottings I have for today. Thanks again for stopping by Twins Chatter. Feel free to drop a comment below or zap me an e-mail at twinsfan21@msn.com. Goodnight everybody.
In other good news, it was none other than Jose Offerman who delivered Monday's game-deciding RBI hit, a two-run single in the seventh. As I said yesterday, this guy has a knack for sticking around, doesn't he? His stats are still atrocious (.228 BA, .731 OPS) but you can't argue with results. Or can you?
Now that I've brightened your day with those two little positive tidbits, I'm about to bring you crashing down to earth. As most of you have probably already heard, Joe Mauer once again went on the 15 day disabled list yesterday with knee soreness. The Twins expected this a little bit, as it was assumed there would be some discomfort when Mauer came off his anti-inflammatory medication, but it seems that the soreness hasn't improved since. The Twins were forced to call up Rob Bowen from AA (how lucky is this guy to have that 40-man roster spot?) to serve as the emergency/3rd catcher. I talked a little about this topic the other day when it was revealed Mauer had the sore knee, but now the situation has become much more dire. What should the Twins do with their prized rookie? Personally, I think the team is being overly optimistic when they give 10 days to two weeks as a probable date for Mauer's return. If he has any more setbacks, I honestly think that the Twins should just shut Mauer down for the rest of the season rather than risk mortgaging their future for the sake of a single playoff birth in 2004. I'm glad that the Twins are being very cautious with their catcher, but Mauer's absence screws up the entire lineup big time. Matthew LeCroy is only able to catch a handful of pitchers on the Twins staff adequately--Radke, Mulholland, and MAYBE Silva--and Henry Blanco can't hit his weight (although LeCroy is approaching that weight plateau as well--not that he has that far to drop). Plus, the market for catchers is extremely thin right now (Reusse suggests Dan Wilson as a possible backup) and it seems the Twins will just have to make due with what they have. It's a slippery slope, and I don't envy Ron Gardenhire. He and Terry Ryan have some tough personnel decisions to make in the coming weeks.
Twins Geek also reported a rumor that the Blue Jays are seriously pursuing Justin Morneau right now, but I don't know how much truth there is to it. I don't think that the Jays would give the Twins market value for one of (if not the) game's best power prospects. I honestly don't know what to make of the rumor, but it is just that: a rumor.
That's all the jottings I have for today. Thanks again for stopping by Twins Chatter. Feel free to drop a comment below or zap me an e-mail at twinsfan21@msn.com. Goodnight everybody.
Monday, July 19, 2004
A Few Good Men (And A Few Not So Good)
Unless you've been living under a rock for the past few days (or in Europe, as a certain co-blogger of mine has been) then you probably already know that the Twins lost three of four to the last-place, firesale-mode Kansas City Royals over the weekend. Now, I will admit to you that the last two games were much more encouraging than the first two, but it doesn't change the fact that the Twins once again lost a series to a team that they should have beaten--something that "good" teams must avoid at all costs. I could ramble on and on about the ramifications of this past weekend's series, but for the sake of my sanity and yours, I won't. Instead, I'd like to highlight (or lowlight) some individual performances from the first series after the All-Star break.
The "We Need Them On That Wall" Category
Johan Santana
Throughout the Twins' recent scuffles, Johan has been one of the lone bright spots, a shining beacon of excellence amid a sea of futility. At this moment, I would have to say that he is the most dominant pitcher in the American League. He hasn't had a less-than-spectacular start since June 3rd; a span of eight starts. He's lowered his season ERA to 3.55 and has even managed to scrounge a remarkable 8 wins with extremely limited run support. He pitched eight innings of 1-hit ball on Saturday, completely shutting down the Royals to give the Twins their only win of the series.
Lew Ford
The Official Player of Twins Chatter seems to be snapping out his mini-slump (.208 average in July) as we speak. He hit his first two homers in over a month the past two days, which unfortunately used up the Twins' run quota for the coming week. Lew had been 1 for his last 23 before Saturday's blast, and hopefully he can keep his average above the .300 mark. However, it is a shame that we have no one else to bat third, since, as good as Lew is, he isn't a #3 hitter.
Carlos Silva
I was very encouraged to see that Silva had a good outing yesterday. Gardy probably should have taken him out after seven (although I understand he only had thrown about 75 pitches), as it would have saved a couple runs and the bullpen was very rested. Either way, he pitched much better than he had in his previous three starts (6.50+ ERA) which was nice to see.
The "They Can't Handle the Truth" Category
Grant Balfour
I am a huge Grant Balfour supporter, but I must admit, he screwed up big time yesterday by walking the bases loaded in the 10th. That is something that no major league pitcher should EVER do. Unlike some people, I can't fault Gardenhire for putting in Balfour in that situation; I probably would have done the same thing. Balfour has been very dominant overall for about the past month or so, and we need to see if he can really become a dependable reliever during the stretch run. While this one outing doesn't offer an definitive answer to that question, it does call into question Balfour's mental toughness when the game is on the line. But if the Twins are going to win this year, they need major contributions from guys like Balfour. I hope this was an aberration and Grant will rebound in his next outing.
Jose Offerman
I'll bet many of you expected to see Offerman's name in the other category based on the fact that he hit a "triple" during the ninth inning on Sunday. Upon further review (remember, the game wasn't on TV) it appears that this "triple" was little more than a fly ball lost in the lights. As I read on the DTFC, Offerman should be on the cover of "National Geographic": he has some amazing survival skills. This guy contributes almost nothing to the team when he starts, yet manages to hang on to a roster spot by getting the occasional high-profile clutch hit. Yesterday's "hit" will probably enable him to stick around for at least another month.
The Twins' Ability (or Lack Thereof) to Get Hits With Runners On Base
Once again, the Twins stranded 14 baserunners on Sunday. The collected 10 hits, yet were only able to score 3 runs (2 of which stemmed from the above-mentioned gift triple). I am honestly at a loss here: what can be done about this problem? Are the Twins' hitter simply choking in the clutch? Were they never that good in the first place? Is this just a phase that will eventually pass? If you know the answer (or even have a viable theory), please share it with the rest of us.
That's all we have from Twins Chatter for the time being. It seems that many of you people enjoy (or at least find tolerable) what I have to offer each weekday, because you keep on coming back for more. Take care, y'all, and don't forget to come back again sometime (preferably tomorrow). :)
The "We Need Them On That Wall" Category
Johan Santana
Throughout the Twins' recent scuffles, Johan has been one of the lone bright spots, a shining beacon of excellence amid a sea of futility. At this moment, I would have to say that he is the most dominant pitcher in the American League. He hasn't had a less-than-spectacular start since June 3rd; a span of eight starts. He's lowered his season ERA to 3.55 and has even managed to scrounge a remarkable 8 wins with extremely limited run support. He pitched eight innings of 1-hit ball on Saturday, completely shutting down the Royals to give the Twins their only win of the series.
Lew Ford
The Official Player of Twins Chatter seems to be snapping out his mini-slump (.208 average in July) as we speak. He hit his first two homers in over a month the past two days, which unfortunately used up the Twins' run quota for the coming week. Lew had been 1 for his last 23 before Saturday's blast, and hopefully he can keep his average above the .300 mark. However, it is a shame that we have no one else to bat third, since, as good as Lew is, he isn't a #3 hitter.
Carlos Silva
I was very encouraged to see that Silva had a good outing yesterday. Gardy probably should have taken him out after seven (although I understand he only had thrown about 75 pitches), as it would have saved a couple runs and the bullpen was very rested. Either way, he pitched much better than he had in his previous three starts (6.50+ ERA) which was nice to see.
The "They Can't Handle the Truth" Category
Grant Balfour
I am a huge Grant Balfour supporter, but I must admit, he screwed up big time yesterday by walking the bases loaded in the 10th. That is something that no major league pitcher should EVER do. Unlike some people, I can't fault Gardenhire for putting in Balfour in that situation; I probably would have done the same thing. Balfour has been very dominant overall for about the past month or so, and we need to see if he can really become a dependable reliever during the stretch run. While this one outing doesn't offer an definitive answer to that question, it does call into question Balfour's mental toughness when the game is on the line. But if the Twins are going to win this year, they need major contributions from guys like Balfour. I hope this was an aberration and Grant will rebound in his next outing.
Jose Offerman
I'll bet many of you expected to see Offerman's name in the other category based on the fact that he hit a "triple" during the ninth inning on Sunday. Upon further review (remember, the game wasn't on TV) it appears that this "triple" was little more than a fly ball lost in the lights. As I read on the DTFC, Offerman should be on the cover of "National Geographic": he has some amazing survival skills. This guy contributes almost nothing to the team when he starts, yet manages to hang on to a roster spot by getting the occasional high-profile clutch hit. Yesterday's "hit" will probably enable him to stick around for at least another month.
The Twins' Ability (or Lack Thereof) to Get Hits With Runners On Base
Once again, the Twins stranded 14 baserunners on Sunday. The collected 10 hits, yet were only able to score 3 runs (2 of which stemmed from the above-mentioned gift triple). I am honestly at a loss here: what can be done about this problem? Are the Twins' hitter simply choking in the clutch? Were they never that good in the first place? Is this just a phase that will eventually pass? If you know the answer (or even have a viable theory), please share it with the rest of us.
That's all we have from Twins Chatter for the time being. It seems that many of you people enjoy (or at least find tolerable) what I have to offer each weekday, because you keep on coming back for more. Take care, y'all, and don't forget to come back again sometime (preferably tomorrow). :)
Friday, July 16, 2004
Extra! Extra! Read All About It!
Whew! The Twins returned to action Thursday night in Kansas City, and already we have a bunch of interesting stories and breaking developments to discuss. In fact, the least noteworthy of these was the Twins’ 3-1 loss to Wunderkid Zack Greinke and the punchless Royals. More on that a little later, but let’s instead focus first on the really big news.
Doug Mientkietkiewicz placed on 15-day DL; Justin Morneau recalled
I only have one thing to say about this move: it’s about frickin’ time. Every baseball insider and their brother has been scratching their heads for the past two months as to why the Twins persisted in keeping Morneau at AAA. Your team can’t score runs? Your starting first basemen is hitting .220 with 2 homers? The game’s best first base prospect is tearing it up on your AAA team for the second consecutive season? Hmmm, now there’s a real stumper.
Seriously, I believe this is the last time that Morneau will ever have to be recalled from AAA for the rest of his baseball career. He is ready to hit big league pitching now, and if he shows absolutely ANYTHING in this, his second big league trial of the year, the Twins will undoubtedly keep him with the big club when Dougie Baseball comes off the DL. Jose Offerman outlived his usefulness long ago and soon he will have outlived his 25-man roster spot as well. It looks like the current plan calls for Morneau and LeCroy to platoon at 1B and DH, with LeCroy also seeing some time behind the plate because…
Joe Mauer undergoes MRI after knee inflammation is discovered; listed as day-to-day
Now, I know many Twins fans will react to this news by blurting out a stream of expletives (I know I almost did), but hold on—this isn’t as bad as it sounds. According to Mauer and his doctors (click on the above link), this is simply Mauer’s body telling him to take things slowly. Gardy had been catching Mauer pretty extensively before the break, up to four games in a row, and it seems he wasn’t quite ready for that. While Mauer’s season-opening injury (and this recent setback) probably doesn’t pose a serious long-term threat to his catching days, it does have some consequences for the remainder of this season. Once he is able to return to action, the team will probably give him a day off once every two or three days, which means we will be seeing a whole lot more of Henry (formerly “Babe”) Blanco and his .191 batting average. In the meantime, Mauer will be able to pinch-hit, as he did on Thursday.
If you still have some questions/concerns about Joe and his meniscus, I highly encourage you to check out this link, courtesy of jan over at the DTFC. From what information I’m able to gather, once the body becomes used to life without the meniscus it can function quite normally, but that reclamation process takes time and healing—two things that are tough to come by in the middle of a pennant race.
Shannon Stewart collects 2 hits fresh of a two-month stint on the DL
This is the one bit of good news to come out of Thursday. Stewart looked good in his debut, collecting two singles, which is highly encouraging. Unfortunately, it didn’t help out the Twins’ morbid offense, which looked pretty helpless against Greinke. I’m willing to throw this game out because I have been really impressed by the poise and stuff of Greinke. He is going to be a very good pitcher in this league for a long time, and he’s also the perfect type of pitcher to face the Twins’ undisciplined hitters. He has good control and is able to get hitters to swing at “pitcher’s pitches”, an approach the Twins are especially susceptible to. Hopefully tomorrow Radke will pitch better than Lohse did today and the Twins can score some runs for him off the Royals’ Darrel May.
That’s the Twins Chatter I’ve got for you today. There is plenty of ammunition for discussion here, and I’ll probably have reason to expand upon these topics and more in the coming days. In the meantime, feel free to drop a comment below or e-mail me at twinsfan21@msn.com. Have a good one.
Doug Mientkietkiewicz placed on 15-day DL; Justin Morneau recalled
I only have one thing to say about this move: it’s about frickin’ time. Every baseball insider and their brother has been scratching their heads for the past two months as to why the Twins persisted in keeping Morneau at AAA. Your team can’t score runs? Your starting first basemen is hitting .220 with 2 homers? The game’s best first base prospect is tearing it up on your AAA team for the second consecutive season? Hmmm, now there’s a real stumper.
Seriously, I believe this is the last time that Morneau will ever have to be recalled from AAA for the rest of his baseball career. He is ready to hit big league pitching now, and if he shows absolutely ANYTHING in this, his second big league trial of the year, the Twins will undoubtedly keep him with the big club when Dougie Baseball comes off the DL. Jose Offerman outlived his usefulness long ago and soon he will have outlived his 25-man roster spot as well. It looks like the current plan calls for Morneau and LeCroy to platoon at 1B and DH, with LeCroy also seeing some time behind the plate because…
Joe Mauer undergoes MRI after knee inflammation is discovered; listed as day-to-day
Now, I know many Twins fans will react to this news by blurting out a stream of expletives (I know I almost did), but hold on—this isn’t as bad as it sounds. According to Mauer and his doctors (click on the above link), this is simply Mauer’s body telling him to take things slowly. Gardy had been catching Mauer pretty extensively before the break, up to four games in a row, and it seems he wasn’t quite ready for that. While Mauer’s season-opening injury (and this recent setback) probably doesn’t pose a serious long-term threat to his catching days, it does have some consequences for the remainder of this season. Once he is able to return to action, the team will probably give him a day off once every two or three days, which means we will be seeing a whole lot more of Henry (formerly “Babe”) Blanco and his .191 batting average. In the meantime, Mauer will be able to pinch-hit, as he did on Thursday.
If you still have some questions/concerns about Joe and his meniscus, I highly encourage you to check out this link, courtesy of jan over at the DTFC. From what information I’m able to gather, once the body becomes used to life without the meniscus it can function quite normally, but that reclamation process takes time and healing—two things that are tough to come by in the middle of a pennant race.
Shannon Stewart collects 2 hits fresh of a two-month stint on the DL
This is the one bit of good news to come out of Thursday. Stewart looked good in his debut, collecting two singles, which is highly encouraging. Unfortunately, it didn’t help out the Twins’ morbid offense, which looked pretty helpless against Greinke. I’m willing to throw this game out because I have been really impressed by the poise and stuff of Greinke. He is going to be a very good pitcher in this league for a long time, and he’s also the perfect type of pitcher to face the Twins’ undisciplined hitters. He has good control and is able to get hitters to swing at “pitcher’s pitches”, an approach the Twins are especially susceptible to. Hopefully tomorrow Radke will pitch better than Lohse did today and the Twins can score some runs for him off the Royals’ Darrel May.
That’s the Twins Chatter I’ve got for you today. There is plenty of ammunition for discussion here, and I’ll probably have reason to expand upon these topics and more in the coming days. In the meantime, feel free to drop a comment below or e-mail me at twinsfan21@msn.com. Have a good one.
Thursday, July 15, 2004
Second Half Preview
I realize the following speculation has been done to death in various places (the DTFC, the Geek’s comment boards, etc.) but for today I’m going to condense all the speculation and postulation into one post. As you are all fully aware, the Twins are currently a half game out of first and seven games over .500 as the second half begins tonight in KC. While that is not overly impressive considering the relative weakness of the division, it’s still a whole helluva lot better than last year (the Twins were 44-49 at the break, 7.5 games out).
The first half is over, and I took a long, hard look back at the events that transpired during the season’s first 87 games the other day. Now, it is time to look forward. Obviously, looking forward is much more difficult than looking backward (the whole not-knowing-the-future thing gets in the way) but that doesn’t mean it still can’t be fun!
As the July 31st trading deadline approaches, everyone wants to know: “Will the Twins make a trade?” Now, I don’t have any special insider knowledge (yet), but in my heart of hearts, I believe the answer to that question is “yes”. Despite the fact that Terry Ryan’s brilliance has recently come under scrutiny, I honestly think he’s more than capable of pulling off another potential impact trade. The Twins have one of the strongest farm systems in the major leagues, and good prospects are the most valuable trade bait in baseball today. Lack of prospects is the reason why the Yankees will be unable to land Randy Johnson, and in a perfect world (one without such financial disparity among teams) the Twins would be the ones with the ammunition to land the flame-throwing lefty. But alas, we don’t live in a perfect world and Randy will never be a Twin. That doesn’t mean, however, that the Twins won’t land a starting pitcher. If Pirates GM Dave Littlefield comes back down to earth and lowers his demands for starter Kris Benson (he currently wants a top-level prospect), I think TR will pull the trigger on that trade. I’ve read from numerous sources that the Twins are the most likely destination for the righthander.
Now I know you’re all saying “The Twins don’t need a pitcher, they need a hitter (or hitters)!” And you would be correct in saying that. Yesterday, Seth tossed out there a couple of potential trades that I believe make some sense, but neither is likely to happen. The Twins won’t take on Carlos Delgado’s unbelievable salary; they probably won’t land Montreal SS Orlando Cabrera. In fact, I haven’t heard much at all about any impact bats being on the trade market. If TR pulls a deal for a hitter, it will probably be someone we would never have expected (like with Rick Reed in 2001). And hopefully it will involve Jacque Jones and Doug Mientkiewicz.
Another hot topic of discussion as the second half gets underway pertains to Shannon Stewart’s recent activation from the disabled list. What will his role be, now and later on? What will happen to Sweet Lew? Can he ignite this offense a second time?
As of right now, I believe the plan calls for Stewart to DH (at least for a while) while Lew stays in left. If I were the Twins, this is what I would do for the rest of the season (or at the very least until Jones is traded). Lew is much better outfielder right now than Shannon ever was, and with his recovering foot Stewart would become the Twins slowest outfielder as well as the one with the weakest arm. Stewart at DH and Lew in left gives the Twins the best chance to win: its as simple as that. Matty LeCroy simply hasn’t shown enough this season to warrant regular at-bats in the designated hitter role. His average is now below .270, and he still has just the six homers in 153 at-bats. That works out to less than 20 in 500 at-bats, which isn’t good enough for a guy that can’t run (at all) and has no real position. I’ve always been a big Matthew LeCroy guy, but let’s face it: he’s a backup catcher and power threat off the bench, not an everyday player. Let Stewart DH.
So if TR doesn’t swing a deal and Stewart isn’t the Twins’ 2004 offensive “miracle cure”, then what else needs to happen in order for the Twins to score some runs in the second half? First of all, Justin Morneau needs to be in the major leagues. Now. He needs to be worked into the regular rotation at first base and DH (spelling Stewart). That is a certainty. Also, Corey Koskie needs to start hitting the ball. Koskie might not be a .300 hitter anymore, but he is not a .240 hitter either. I firmly believe that if he’s healthy his numbers will begin to approach his career averages (.280 average, .380 OBP, 20+ HRs). The same will probably happen with Jacque Jones, whether or not he’s with the team (I wouldn’t be surprised to see a Matt Lawton-type midseason trade involving Jacque). Dougie Baseball, on the other hand, might be a different story. He has looked so incredibly bad for most the season that I’m doubtful he’ll snap out of it in the second half. At least JJ and Koskie have shown flashes; Dougie has shown almost no signs of life. Mark my words: his performance over the next few weeks will go a long way in determining what direction the Twins go as an organization.
There you have it. A few assorted prognostications about the second half of the season as we get started again. As always, feel free to e-mail me at twinsfan21@msn.com or post a comment below. I don’t claim to have all the answers, but I do know one thing: buckle your safety belts, Twins fans, because it’s gonna be a wild ride.
The first half is over, and I took a long, hard look back at the events that transpired during the season’s first 87 games the other day. Now, it is time to look forward. Obviously, looking forward is much more difficult than looking backward (the whole not-knowing-the-future thing gets in the way) but that doesn’t mean it still can’t be fun!
As the July 31st trading deadline approaches, everyone wants to know: “Will the Twins make a trade?” Now, I don’t have any special insider knowledge (yet), but in my heart of hearts, I believe the answer to that question is “yes”. Despite the fact that Terry Ryan’s brilliance has recently come under scrutiny, I honestly think he’s more than capable of pulling off another potential impact trade. The Twins have one of the strongest farm systems in the major leagues, and good prospects are the most valuable trade bait in baseball today. Lack of prospects is the reason why the Yankees will be unable to land Randy Johnson, and in a perfect world (one without such financial disparity among teams) the Twins would be the ones with the ammunition to land the flame-throwing lefty. But alas, we don’t live in a perfect world and Randy will never be a Twin. That doesn’t mean, however, that the Twins won’t land a starting pitcher. If Pirates GM Dave Littlefield comes back down to earth and lowers his demands for starter Kris Benson (he currently wants a top-level prospect), I think TR will pull the trigger on that trade. I’ve read from numerous sources that the Twins are the most likely destination for the righthander.
Now I know you’re all saying “The Twins don’t need a pitcher, they need a hitter (or hitters)!” And you would be correct in saying that. Yesterday, Seth tossed out there a couple of potential trades that I believe make some sense, but neither is likely to happen. The Twins won’t take on Carlos Delgado’s unbelievable salary; they probably won’t land Montreal SS Orlando Cabrera. In fact, I haven’t heard much at all about any impact bats being on the trade market. If TR pulls a deal for a hitter, it will probably be someone we would never have expected (like with Rick Reed in 2001). And hopefully it will involve Jacque Jones and Doug Mientkiewicz.
Another hot topic of discussion as the second half gets underway pertains to Shannon Stewart’s recent activation from the disabled list. What will his role be, now and later on? What will happen to Sweet Lew? Can he ignite this offense a second time?
As of right now, I believe the plan calls for Stewart to DH (at least for a while) while Lew stays in left. If I were the Twins, this is what I would do for the rest of the season (or at the very least until Jones is traded). Lew is much better outfielder right now than Shannon ever was, and with his recovering foot Stewart would become the Twins slowest outfielder as well as the one with the weakest arm. Stewart at DH and Lew in left gives the Twins the best chance to win: its as simple as that. Matty LeCroy simply hasn’t shown enough this season to warrant regular at-bats in the designated hitter role. His average is now below .270, and he still has just the six homers in 153 at-bats. That works out to less than 20 in 500 at-bats, which isn’t good enough for a guy that can’t run (at all) and has no real position. I’ve always been a big Matthew LeCroy guy, but let’s face it: he’s a backup catcher and power threat off the bench, not an everyday player. Let Stewart DH.
So if TR doesn’t swing a deal and Stewart isn’t the Twins’ 2004 offensive “miracle cure”, then what else needs to happen in order for the Twins to score some runs in the second half? First of all, Justin Morneau needs to be in the major leagues. Now. He needs to be worked into the regular rotation at first base and DH (spelling Stewart). That is a certainty. Also, Corey Koskie needs to start hitting the ball. Koskie might not be a .300 hitter anymore, but he is not a .240 hitter either. I firmly believe that if he’s healthy his numbers will begin to approach his career averages (.280 average, .380 OBP, 20+ HRs). The same will probably happen with Jacque Jones, whether or not he’s with the team (I wouldn’t be surprised to see a Matt Lawton-type midseason trade involving Jacque). Dougie Baseball, on the other hand, might be a different story. He has looked so incredibly bad for most the season that I’m doubtful he’ll snap out of it in the second half. At least JJ and Koskie have shown flashes; Dougie has shown almost no signs of life. Mark my words: his performance over the next few weeks will go a long way in determining what direction the Twins go as an organization.
There you have it. A few assorted prognostications about the second half of the season as we get started again. As always, feel free to e-mail me at twinsfan21@msn.com or post a comment below. I don’t claim to have all the answers, but I do know one thing: buckle your safety belts, Twins fans, because it’s gonna be a wild ride.
Tuesday, July 13, 2004
Life at the Half-Way Point
Well, the first half of the 2004 baseball season is officially over, and what a half it has been for your Minnesota Twins. On the surface, it seems simple enough. The Twins have a record of 47-40, which puts them just a half game out of first place. That doesn’t sound so bad when you look at it that way, does it? But here at Twins Chatter we strive to find the deeper, more subtle story that lies beyond mere wins and losses. That being said, I present to you my analysis of the Twins’ first 87 games.
MID-SEASON REPORT CARD
Starting Pitching:
The Twins are currently tied with the Oakland Athletics for second in AL in team ERA at 4.16, and the starting staff deserves a fair amount of credit for that impressive number (4.28 starter ERA). The rotation started the year rather slowly (with the exception of Carlos Silva), but has come on nicely the past two months. Johan Santana (3.78 ERA, league-leading 136 strikeouts) has successfully regained the form that made him the Twins’ ace last season, despite a slow start. Johan has been arguably the best pitcher in baseball since early June, but lack of run support has left him with just a 7-6 win/loss record. Brad Radke, despite some recent scuffles, has actually been earning his 10 million dollar salary thus far. He has a 3.47 ERA and has pitched nearly as well as he did the second half of last season. He’s given the Twins a chance to win in just about every one of his starts, which is exactly what you ask for from a veteran starting pitcher. Kyle Lohse has had a disappointing season thus far, but he has shown signs of life lately (3.18 ERA in June and July). Look for him to have a good second half. Before the season began, no one knew what to expect from Carlos Silva as a starter, but he has put together a pretty solid first half as a starting pitcher. Sure, he’s just 3-7 since starting the season 5-0, but he had a solid month of June and I believe he will continue to be a slightly-above average starting pitcher in the second half. The fifth slot in the rotation still remains a question mark, despite the fact that we are in the middle of July. Seth Greisinger and Matt Guerrier have come and gone, and the “distinguished” (read: old) Terry Mulholland is the latest one to come through the revolving door. Rumor has it that the team is looking to trade for a solid replacement starter, with Kris Benson and Miguel Bautista mentioned as possible candidates.
The Bottom Line:Twins starters have performed above expectations this season overall. Radke and Santana have been excellent, Silva above-average, while Lohse has been inconsistent. I give them a grade of B+.
Bullpen:
The Twins’ bullpen was a much-maligned unit before the season began, one riddled with question marks. Could Joe Nathan become an effective closer? Could the combination of Juan Rincon and J.C. Romero adequately fill the setup role vacated by LaTroy Hawkins? Could the hard-throwing Grant Balfour step up and some depth to the ‘pen? The answer to these questions, for the most part, has been “yes”. Joe Nathan has literally blown away hitters this season and has every Twins fan saying “Eddie Who?”. Juan Rincon has done his best LaTroy impersonation the past four months, posting a 1.84 ERA while averaging over 11 strikeouts per nine innings pitched. After a brief demotion, J.C. seems to have regained his dominant form (5.1 scoreless innings in July). I have championed the Grant Balfour cause for many months, and he is finally repaying my loyalty. Balfour had an outstanding spring but landed on the DL just days before the regular season began. He had a rough stretch after being recalled in May, but has since then entrenched himself as one of Gardy’s go-to guys, allowing just 2 ER in his last 13 appearances. Aaron Fultz and Joe Roa have each struggled recently, but it seems Gardenhire has finally learned how to use the pair effectively. They are not to be trusted in key situations, but both should be adequately effective in their more limited roles during the second half.
The Bottom Line: Despite losing their best two arms from a year ago, the ‘pen has hardly missed a beat this season (3.98 ERA). Rincon, Nathan, Balfour, and Romero form a solid core, and Jesse Crain will probably be called up this month as well. I give them a grade of A-.
Defense:
If you read the two-month report card I wrote a six weeks ago, you’ll notice that I gave the Twins a “D” for defense (funny, I just recognized the irony in that). My, how things have changed. The Twins are no longer one of the worst defensive teams in the league (statistically speaking); they now stand in the middle of the pack in errors, fielding percentage, and zone rating. Those rankings will undoubtedly continue to improve during the second half, as no one can deny the fact that this is a very good defensive team.
The Bottom Line: Fluke errors by pitchers, some crappy Cuddyer play at 3B, and the Evil Turf™ cost the Twins a few games early on in the season, but the return of Koskie, Rivas, and Mauer seems to have revitalized this team defensively. I give them a grade of B.
Offense:
Looking at the grades I’ve given out so far (B+, A-. B), the casual fan may wonder why the Twins are still just seven games over .500. Herein, ladies and gentlemen, lies the source of our anguish. I was among the many that believed the Twins’ offense would be a team strength this year. Every key offensive player from a year ago was returning, and normal baseball wisdom states that players are supposed to improve offensively as they enter their prime. But as usual, the Twins continue to defy normal baseball logic. Three key players have taken GIANT steps backward offensively in the first half. Jacque Jones is hitting just .260 with a .313 OPB. Corey Koskie’s batting average is down to .245, and he has an extremely uncharacteristically low OPB of .331 to go along with just 37 RBIs. Then we have Doug Mientkiewicz. Dougie Baseball was absolutely putrid in the first half, hitting .244 with a miniscule .368 slugging percentage. He also has just 5 HRs and 23 RBIs in 275 at-bats. I don’t care what he does on defense: right now, Mientkiewicz hurting this team with his lack of offense. The Dynamic Duo of Guzman and Rivas have been their usually mediocre selves in the first half, and Torii Hunter hasn’t exactly been a ball of fire himself (.812 OPS). Injuries to Hunter, Koskie, Mientkiewicz, Rivas, Stewart, and Mauer can also be partially blamed for the Twins’ lack of offense, but now that most of those players are back that previously weak excuse is now a moot point.
As most of you have already divined, a pair of rookies (okay, Lew isn’t technically a “rookie”, but he’s close enough) have been the team’s best overall hitters so far. Sweet Lew carried this team in April and was solid in both May and June. Joe (nickname pending) Mauer has been outstanding for the past two weeks, and he continues to embarrass the rest of our “veteran” hitters with his superior plate discipline. I love that Joe has taken so nicely to the #3 spot in the order, but the fact that he’s there speaks volumes about the quality of the Twins’ offense.
The Bottom Line: There have been a few bright spots offensively this season (April, Lew, and Joe) but overall this is the area that has kept the Twins from taking charge in the division. I’m being generous when I give them a grade of D+.
Team Management:
This is a category I usually don’t touch on, but a thread over at the DTFC convinced me to add it. For the past two years, I have been reasonably supportive of Ron Gardenhire’s managing style, and he didn’t disappoint. This year, however, Gardy’s “stick with my guys” approach has cost this team ballgames. Why was J.C. brought in during crucial situations when he obviously wasn’t pitching well? Why does Jacque Jones continue to start against every lefty when there are plenty of viable alternatives on the bench? Why not give someone else a chance to produce at 1B (i.e. Justin Morneau) until Mientkiewicz straightens himself out? And the most befuddling question of them all: WHY DOES JOSE OFFERMAN PLAY SO MUCH?!? I think Gardy is starting to show signs of thinking outside the box (for example, Joe Nathan has been used the 8th inning a number of times this season) but it will take more of the same to pull this team out of the doldrums. I realize that Gardenhire is a loyal person, but it’s getting to the point where enough is enough. We need to move on and explore other options. I’m also loathe to criticize Terry Ryan, one of my idols, but he needs to get his act together in the second half as well if the Twins are to win a third straight division title. Whether that means promoting Morneau and Crain, trading for a hitter and/or starting pitcher, or something else altogether, it’s clear that something has to be done.
The Bottom Line: Gardy has been true to form, which isn’t always bad but has been harmful at times throughout the season. However, any grade for this section should probably wait until after the trading deadline passes. For now, I’m giving the Twins a C in this area. However, that could soon change. Stay tuned, Twins fans.
There you have it, the official Twins Chatter report card for the first half of the season. Overall, the Twins are right about where I thought they would be at this point in the year: battling for the division crown with a slightly-above .500 record. The thing is, this team is capable of being so much better! Perhaps Stewart’s return will eliminate the putridity from our bats, but I highly doubt it. It’s up to Koskie, Jones, and Mientkiewicz to turn their seasons around and get the offense firing on all cylinders again. The pitching has been good, and I see no reason to expect that it will drop off anytime soon.
Meanwhile, the White Sox are not going to roll over and die this year. On paper, they are markedly better than the Twins (especially offensively) and they also have a sense of urgency about them this year. Unless some things change soon for the Twins, the White Sox may run away with the division. Here are a few predictions for the second half (feel free to add your own in the comments section below):
-Joe Mauer continues to play well and emerges as a top ROY candidate
-Shannon Stewart struggles with his nagging foot injury and doesn’t fully recover until September
-Johan Santana solidifies his place as a top-5 AL starter (if he isn’t already)
-TR is unable to catch lightning in bottle twice as his mid-season acquisition (or lack thereof) doesn’t spark the team like Stewart did last year
-Kyle Lohse is the team’s second best starter in the second half
-The Twins stay with the Sox until September but finish in second place
I hate to be a pessimist with that last prediction, but as of right now, I think that is what will happen.
I hope you enjoyed this rather lengthy entry today, as I probably won’t have anything new up tomorrow (unless something earth-shattering happens). Like I stated earlier, feel free to post some thoughts of your own below and I’ll do my best to respond in kind. Thanks for stopping by.
-Ryan Maus
twinsfan21@msn.com
MID-SEASON REPORT CARD
Starting Pitching:
The Twins are currently tied with the Oakland Athletics for second in AL in team ERA at 4.16, and the starting staff deserves a fair amount of credit for that impressive number (4.28 starter ERA). The rotation started the year rather slowly (with the exception of Carlos Silva), but has come on nicely the past two months. Johan Santana (3.78 ERA, league-leading 136 strikeouts) has successfully regained the form that made him the Twins’ ace last season, despite a slow start. Johan has been arguably the best pitcher in baseball since early June, but lack of run support has left him with just a 7-6 win/loss record. Brad Radke, despite some recent scuffles, has actually been earning his 10 million dollar salary thus far. He has a 3.47 ERA and has pitched nearly as well as he did the second half of last season. He’s given the Twins a chance to win in just about every one of his starts, which is exactly what you ask for from a veteran starting pitcher. Kyle Lohse has had a disappointing season thus far, but he has shown signs of life lately (3.18 ERA in June and July). Look for him to have a good second half. Before the season began, no one knew what to expect from Carlos Silva as a starter, but he has put together a pretty solid first half as a starting pitcher. Sure, he’s just 3-7 since starting the season 5-0, but he had a solid month of June and I believe he will continue to be a slightly-above average starting pitcher in the second half. The fifth slot in the rotation still remains a question mark, despite the fact that we are in the middle of July. Seth Greisinger and Matt Guerrier have come and gone, and the “distinguished” (read: old) Terry Mulholland is the latest one to come through the revolving door. Rumor has it that the team is looking to trade for a solid replacement starter, with Kris Benson and Miguel Bautista mentioned as possible candidates.
The Bottom Line:Twins starters have performed above expectations this season overall. Radke and Santana have been excellent, Silva above-average, while Lohse has been inconsistent. I give them a grade of B+.
Bullpen:
The Twins’ bullpen was a much-maligned unit before the season began, one riddled with question marks. Could Joe Nathan become an effective closer? Could the combination of Juan Rincon and J.C. Romero adequately fill the setup role vacated by LaTroy Hawkins? Could the hard-throwing Grant Balfour step up and some depth to the ‘pen? The answer to these questions, for the most part, has been “yes”. Joe Nathan has literally blown away hitters this season and has every Twins fan saying “Eddie Who?”. Juan Rincon has done his best LaTroy impersonation the past four months, posting a 1.84 ERA while averaging over 11 strikeouts per nine innings pitched. After a brief demotion, J.C. seems to have regained his dominant form (5.1 scoreless innings in July). I have championed the Grant Balfour cause for many months, and he is finally repaying my loyalty. Balfour had an outstanding spring but landed on the DL just days before the regular season began. He had a rough stretch after being recalled in May, but has since then entrenched himself as one of Gardy’s go-to guys, allowing just 2 ER in his last 13 appearances. Aaron Fultz and Joe Roa have each struggled recently, but it seems Gardenhire has finally learned how to use the pair effectively. They are not to be trusted in key situations, but both should be adequately effective in their more limited roles during the second half.
The Bottom Line: Despite losing their best two arms from a year ago, the ‘pen has hardly missed a beat this season (3.98 ERA). Rincon, Nathan, Balfour, and Romero form a solid core, and Jesse Crain will probably be called up this month as well. I give them a grade of A-.
Defense:
If you read the two-month report card I wrote a six weeks ago, you’ll notice that I gave the Twins a “D” for defense (funny, I just recognized the irony in that). My, how things have changed. The Twins are no longer one of the worst defensive teams in the league (statistically speaking); they now stand in the middle of the pack in errors, fielding percentage, and zone rating. Those rankings will undoubtedly continue to improve during the second half, as no one can deny the fact that this is a very good defensive team.
The Bottom Line: Fluke errors by pitchers, some crappy Cuddyer play at 3B, and the Evil Turf™ cost the Twins a few games early on in the season, but the return of Koskie, Rivas, and Mauer seems to have revitalized this team defensively. I give them a grade of B.
Offense:
Looking at the grades I’ve given out so far (B+, A-. B), the casual fan may wonder why the Twins are still just seven games over .500. Herein, ladies and gentlemen, lies the source of our anguish. I was among the many that believed the Twins’ offense would be a team strength this year. Every key offensive player from a year ago was returning, and normal baseball wisdom states that players are supposed to improve offensively as they enter their prime. But as usual, the Twins continue to defy normal baseball logic. Three key players have taken GIANT steps backward offensively in the first half. Jacque Jones is hitting just .260 with a .313 OPB. Corey Koskie’s batting average is down to .245, and he has an extremely uncharacteristically low OPB of .331 to go along with just 37 RBIs. Then we have Doug Mientkiewicz. Dougie Baseball was absolutely putrid in the first half, hitting .244 with a miniscule .368 slugging percentage. He also has just 5 HRs and 23 RBIs in 275 at-bats. I don’t care what he does on defense: right now, Mientkiewicz hurting this team with his lack of offense. The Dynamic Duo of Guzman and Rivas have been their usually mediocre selves in the first half, and Torii Hunter hasn’t exactly been a ball of fire himself (.812 OPS). Injuries to Hunter, Koskie, Mientkiewicz, Rivas, Stewart, and Mauer can also be partially blamed for the Twins’ lack of offense, but now that most of those players are back that previously weak excuse is now a moot point.
As most of you have already divined, a pair of rookies (okay, Lew isn’t technically a “rookie”, but he’s close enough) have been the team’s best overall hitters so far. Sweet Lew carried this team in April and was solid in both May and June. Joe (nickname pending) Mauer has been outstanding for the past two weeks, and he continues to embarrass the rest of our “veteran” hitters with his superior plate discipline. I love that Joe has taken so nicely to the #3 spot in the order, but the fact that he’s there speaks volumes about the quality of the Twins’ offense.
The Bottom Line: There have been a few bright spots offensively this season (April, Lew, and Joe) but overall this is the area that has kept the Twins from taking charge in the division. I’m being generous when I give them a grade of D+.
Team Management:
This is a category I usually don’t touch on, but a thread over at the DTFC convinced me to add it. For the past two years, I have been reasonably supportive of Ron Gardenhire’s managing style, and he didn’t disappoint. This year, however, Gardy’s “stick with my guys” approach has cost this team ballgames. Why was J.C. brought in during crucial situations when he obviously wasn’t pitching well? Why does Jacque Jones continue to start against every lefty when there are plenty of viable alternatives on the bench? Why not give someone else a chance to produce at 1B (i.e. Justin Morneau) until Mientkiewicz straightens himself out? And the most befuddling question of them all: WHY DOES JOSE OFFERMAN PLAY SO MUCH?!? I think Gardy is starting to show signs of thinking outside the box (for example, Joe Nathan has been used the 8th inning a number of times this season) but it will take more of the same to pull this team out of the doldrums. I realize that Gardenhire is a loyal person, but it’s getting to the point where enough is enough. We need to move on and explore other options. I’m also loathe to criticize Terry Ryan, one of my idols, but he needs to get his act together in the second half as well if the Twins are to win a third straight division title. Whether that means promoting Morneau and Crain, trading for a hitter and/or starting pitcher, or something else altogether, it’s clear that something has to be done.
The Bottom Line: Gardy has been true to form, which isn’t always bad but has been harmful at times throughout the season. However, any grade for this section should probably wait until after the trading deadline passes. For now, I’m giving the Twins a C in this area. However, that could soon change. Stay tuned, Twins fans.
There you have it, the official Twins Chatter report card for the first half of the season. Overall, the Twins are right about where I thought they would be at this point in the year: battling for the division crown with a slightly-above .500 record. The thing is, this team is capable of being so much better! Perhaps Stewart’s return will eliminate the putridity from our bats, but I highly doubt it. It’s up to Koskie, Jones, and Mientkiewicz to turn their seasons around and get the offense firing on all cylinders again. The pitching has been good, and I see no reason to expect that it will drop off anytime soon.
Meanwhile, the White Sox are not going to roll over and die this year. On paper, they are markedly better than the Twins (especially offensively) and they also have a sense of urgency about them this year. Unless some things change soon for the Twins, the White Sox may run away with the division. Here are a few predictions for the second half (feel free to add your own in the comments section below):
-Joe Mauer continues to play well and emerges as a top ROY candidate
-Shannon Stewart struggles with his nagging foot injury and doesn’t fully recover until September
-Johan Santana solidifies his place as a top-5 AL starter (if he isn’t already)
-TR is unable to catch lightning in bottle twice as his mid-season acquisition (or lack thereof) doesn’t spark the team like Stewart did last year
-Kyle Lohse is the team’s second best starter in the second half
-The Twins stay with the Sox until September but finish in second place
I hate to be a pessimist with that last prediction, but as of right now, I think that is what will happen.
I hope you enjoyed this rather lengthy entry today, as I probably won’t have anything new up tomorrow (unless something earth-shattering happens). Like I stated earlier, feel free to post some thoughts of your own below and I’ll do my best to respond in kind. Thanks for stopping by.
-Ryan Maus
twinsfan21@msn.com
Monday, July 12, 2004
Thud...Again
Well folks, the verdict has finally been determined once and for all: the 2004 version of your Minnesota Twins simply isn’t that good.
Does that mean they aren’t going to make the playoffs this season? It most certainly does not. The AL Central is still weak enough for a highly flawed team such as the Twins to sneak its way into the postseason, if only to get crushed by the Yankees in the first round.
Losing three of four to the Detroit Tigers this weekend pretty much sealed the deal for me. Coming off an impressive sweep of the Royals earlier in the week, the Twins pulled out an impressive 7-1 win last Thursday to run their winning streak to four games. Then, true to form, they proceeded to score a grand total of five (5) runs in three games against the likes of Gary Knotts (5.28 ERA before series), Nate Robertson (4.39), and Jason Johnson (4.60). That, I must say, is very pathetic for a team that has playoff aspirations. I know that the Tigers are a much improved team, but the fact remains that their pitching staff is still very mediocre and their defense is poor (last in the AL). Yet the Twins somehow found a way to lose the series at home.
As much as I love the Twins, they are just so damn inconsistent! In April, it seemed the offense was finally living up to the hype. When the pitching finally came around, it was gonna be “Look out American League, here come the Twins!” In June and July, the pitching staff (the same one who’s quality was deeply questioned before the season began) has been outstanding. The offense has been up and down, but most down. But everyone connected with the Twins has been saying “Just wait until Stew comes back. Then the offense will come around and it will be ‘Look out American League, here come the Twins!’”
Sadly, it seems the only teams that might need to look out for the Twins are the Indians and Tigers as the Twins struggle to keep them at bay in second place. I would like to draw your attention to two other outstanding articles that deal with this very same theme of inconsistency. John Bonnes a.k.a Twins Geek wrote an excellent entry that puts into words many common thoughts shared by Twins fans. Also, the Geek links this article by CityPages’ Brad Zellar (and author of his very own blog called Yard: The Blog). I highly encourage all of you to check out these two pieces, as they provide some excellent food for thought to dwell on over the All-Star break.
That’s all I’ve got for today here at Twins Chatter. I’m still adjusting to blogging without a safety net (John left for France on Saturday) so I hope you’ll forgive my brevity. Tomorrow, I’m going to post my first-half review of the Twins’ season, including a report card, statistics, and some thoughts/suggestions/predictions about the second half of the season. I hope you’ll all stop by and check it out. In the meantime, have a relaxing and enjoyable All-Star break.
Does that mean they aren’t going to make the playoffs this season? It most certainly does not. The AL Central is still weak enough for a highly flawed team such as the Twins to sneak its way into the postseason, if only to get crushed by the Yankees in the first round.
Losing three of four to the Detroit Tigers this weekend pretty much sealed the deal for me. Coming off an impressive sweep of the Royals earlier in the week, the Twins pulled out an impressive 7-1 win last Thursday to run their winning streak to four games. Then, true to form, they proceeded to score a grand total of five (5) runs in three games against the likes of Gary Knotts (5.28 ERA before series), Nate Robertson (4.39), and Jason Johnson (4.60). That, I must say, is very pathetic for a team that has playoff aspirations. I know that the Tigers are a much improved team, but the fact remains that their pitching staff is still very mediocre and their defense is poor (last in the AL). Yet the Twins somehow found a way to lose the series at home.
As much as I love the Twins, they are just so damn inconsistent! In April, it seemed the offense was finally living up to the hype. When the pitching finally came around, it was gonna be “Look out American League, here come the Twins!” In June and July, the pitching staff (the same one who’s quality was deeply questioned before the season began) has been outstanding. The offense has been up and down, but most down. But everyone connected with the Twins has been saying “Just wait until Stew comes back. Then the offense will come around and it will be ‘Look out American League, here come the Twins!’”
Sadly, it seems the only teams that might need to look out for the Twins are the Indians and Tigers as the Twins struggle to keep them at bay in second place. I would like to draw your attention to two other outstanding articles that deal with this very same theme of inconsistency. John Bonnes a.k.a Twins Geek wrote an excellent entry that puts into words many common thoughts shared by Twins fans. Also, the Geek links this article by CityPages’ Brad Zellar (and author of his very own blog called Yard: The Blog). I highly encourage all of you to check out these two pieces, as they provide some excellent food for thought to dwell on over the All-Star break.
That’s all I’ve got for today here at Twins Chatter. I’m still adjusting to blogging without a safety net (John left for France on Saturday) so I hope you’ll forgive my brevity. Tomorrow, I’m going to post my first-half review of the Twins’ season, including a report card, statistics, and some thoughts/suggestions/predictions about the second half of the season. I hope you’ll all stop by and check it out. In the meantime, have a relaxing and enjoyable All-Star break.
Thursday, July 08, 2004
Reeling in the Big One
The Twins have Larry Corrigan, special assistant to GM Terry Ryan, in Toronto scouting starting pitcher Miguel Batista.
While much of the national attention on potential trades centers on Pittsburgh starter Kris Benson, the Twins are higher on Batista and might find his contract reasonable for a potential third or fourth starter.
The Twins could lose Brad Radke to free agency or retirement this winter, and Radke is making $10 million this year.
Batista is in the first year of a three-year, $13.1 million contract. He'll make $4.75 each of the next two years.
Batista is 8-5 with a 3.85 ERA and has pitched two complete games. People in the Twins' organization say he is reputed to be a good teammate. He would give the Twins a deep, strong rotation for the second half and alleviate pressure on top pitching prospect J.D. Durbin to quickly recover from early-season surgery.
The big question is what the Jays would demand in a trade. The Twins wouldn't want to take on salary and give up much in the way of prospects, but they have outfielders to give, especially with the emergence of Lew Ford as an everyday big-league player and Jason Kubel as a top prospect. - Jim Souhan, Star Tribune
First things first. Retirement? Souhan must be kidding. Radke is in his prime at the age of 31. He still has one very big contract ahead of him. Yes, he has already made plenty of money in this league but there is more then money to play for. Radke has never won the big one and he still has that fire when he pitches. He has never even had a major injury to hold him back. Retirement is not in Brad Radke's near future. Will he be a Twin next year? Now that is a question for another night.
Miguel Batista would be a great fit for this organization and not in the "great fit" way that Rick Reed was back in 2001. Batista should cost less in a trade then Reed did while being more productive. Much praise went out to the Blue Jays in the off season for signing him to such a reasonable deal. It's hard to believe that they would now turn around and deal him. Especially, when they consider what they got for Shannon Stewart last season. That said, the Blue Jays are a flawed team that has grossly underachieved at 39 and 46. They also play in a division where the window of opportunity is about the size of a pin. They need parts and the Twins might be able to offer some of the best young position players they are going to see with the opportunity of cutting salary to boot. Frank Catalanatto is not the future there while Mike Restovich might look pretty good in left field next year.
There is more to Batista then just being cheap. The guy is durable, flexible and able to pitch in a big game. He would plug in nicely in the void that is the Twins fifth starter spot while anchoring a spot in the rotation for seasons to come. If the Twins do lose Radke in the off season, Batista would show good planning on the part of the front office and really offset some of the growing pains in the rotation.
This year is what counts now though, and Batista would give the Twins a great chance to take the division. He might turn out to be a better pickup then Freddy Garcia. It took more then two starters for the Diamondbacks to win the World Series in 2001 and Batista came up big for them. In the World Series he pitched 8 innings and didn't allow a run. He started a game and came out of the pen as an invaluable piece. He was also a big reason they got there in the first place. That might make him a little more valuable then Terry Muholland being wheeled down in his wheel chair. Freddy Garcia has never pitched in the World Series. He has an inconsistent career and some might say that he is now overpaid. To get him, the White Sox only had to give up two future cornerstones.
Miguel Batista would be a better long term pickup then Kris Benson and might end up costing about the same. Benson may have a better arm but Batista has more experience. The Twins would probably enjoy getting Benson's contract off the books following the season but then wouldn't have anything left of what they gave up to get him. Batista would make it easier to justify giving up someone like Restovich for a push the Twins need to make. They would then have him for next year’s run. The price is steep but the results would be more then worth it.
Twins Win!
Complicating matters is the way Terry Muholland has pitched in his two starts. Nothing more could be asked of him. He has kept the Twins in ballgames and given them the chance to win. The Twins should not mistake this for a trend. In the end Terry Muholland is still Terry Muholland and this is not 1993. No matter what deals the Twins pull off, their organizational depth is lacking starters at this time and it needs to be addressed. For now though, we can all bask in last night's 7-1 victory against the Tigers. The Twins continued their winning ways and we all wont have to gut out another Muholland start until after the all star break. It is great to see the team fly into the break this year as opposed to the way they limped last year. Hopefully they can carry the momentum through.
On a personal note, this will be my last entry for a couple of weeks. I finally broke into my savings and am spending the next two weeks in France. I will follow that with another two week trip to New Zealand 10 days later. Please be patient with Twins Chatter in the meantime. Ryan will be all by himself and I'm going to sadly be out of touch with what's going on over here. I will try to stay up to date but who knows what kind of internet access I will have over there so any postings will probably be short and random. Ryan is up to the challenge of taking on the whole site in my absence but if he has an off day or two here and there no one can really blame him. My biggest regret is missing the All Star game. I hope Nathan comes in and gets the save in the ninth striking out the side and Bonds goes yard. Hey, maybe Clemens and Piazza will duke it out right there on the field! That's enough rambling for me tonight, take good care of my team while I'm gone.
John
johnbetzler@hotmail.com
While much of the national attention on potential trades centers on Pittsburgh starter Kris Benson, the Twins are higher on Batista and might find his contract reasonable for a potential third or fourth starter.
The Twins could lose Brad Radke to free agency or retirement this winter, and Radke is making $10 million this year.
Batista is in the first year of a three-year, $13.1 million contract. He'll make $4.75 each of the next two years.
Batista is 8-5 with a 3.85 ERA and has pitched two complete games. People in the Twins' organization say he is reputed to be a good teammate. He would give the Twins a deep, strong rotation for the second half and alleviate pressure on top pitching prospect J.D. Durbin to quickly recover from early-season surgery.
The big question is what the Jays would demand in a trade. The Twins wouldn't want to take on salary and give up much in the way of prospects, but they have outfielders to give, especially with the emergence of Lew Ford as an everyday big-league player and Jason Kubel as a top prospect. - Jim Souhan, Star Tribune
First things first. Retirement? Souhan must be kidding. Radke is in his prime at the age of 31. He still has one very big contract ahead of him. Yes, he has already made plenty of money in this league but there is more then money to play for. Radke has never won the big one and he still has that fire when he pitches. He has never even had a major injury to hold him back. Retirement is not in Brad Radke's near future. Will he be a Twin next year? Now that is a question for another night.
Miguel Batista would be a great fit for this organization and not in the "great fit" way that Rick Reed was back in 2001. Batista should cost less in a trade then Reed did while being more productive. Much praise went out to the Blue Jays in the off season for signing him to such a reasonable deal. It's hard to believe that they would now turn around and deal him. Especially, when they consider what they got for Shannon Stewart last season. That said, the Blue Jays are a flawed team that has grossly underachieved at 39 and 46. They also play in a division where the window of opportunity is about the size of a pin. They need parts and the Twins might be able to offer some of the best young position players they are going to see with the opportunity of cutting salary to boot. Frank Catalanatto is not the future there while Mike Restovich might look pretty good in left field next year.
There is more to Batista then just being cheap. The guy is durable, flexible and able to pitch in a big game. He would plug in nicely in the void that is the Twins fifth starter spot while anchoring a spot in the rotation for seasons to come. If the Twins do lose Radke in the off season, Batista would show good planning on the part of the front office and really offset some of the growing pains in the rotation.
This year is what counts now though, and Batista would give the Twins a great chance to take the division. He might turn out to be a better pickup then Freddy Garcia. It took more then two starters for the Diamondbacks to win the World Series in 2001 and Batista came up big for them. In the World Series he pitched 8 innings and didn't allow a run. He started a game and came out of the pen as an invaluable piece. He was also a big reason they got there in the first place. That might make him a little more valuable then Terry Muholland being wheeled down in his wheel chair. Freddy Garcia has never pitched in the World Series. He has an inconsistent career and some might say that he is now overpaid. To get him, the White Sox only had to give up two future cornerstones.
Miguel Batista would be a better long term pickup then Kris Benson and might end up costing about the same. Benson may have a better arm but Batista has more experience. The Twins would probably enjoy getting Benson's contract off the books following the season but then wouldn't have anything left of what they gave up to get him. Batista would make it easier to justify giving up someone like Restovich for a push the Twins need to make. They would then have him for next year’s run. The price is steep but the results would be more then worth it.
Twins Win!
Complicating matters is the way Terry Muholland has pitched in his two starts. Nothing more could be asked of him. He has kept the Twins in ballgames and given them the chance to win. The Twins should not mistake this for a trend. In the end Terry Muholland is still Terry Muholland and this is not 1993. No matter what deals the Twins pull off, their organizational depth is lacking starters at this time and it needs to be addressed. For now though, we can all bask in last night's 7-1 victory against the Tigers. The Twins continued their winning ways and we all wont have to gut out another Muholland start until after the all star break. It is great to see the team fly into the break this year as opposed to the way they limped last year. Hopefully they can carry the momentum through.
On a personal note, this will be my last entry for a couple of weeks. I finally broke into my savings and am spending the next two weeks in France. I will follow that with another two week trip to New Zealand 10 days later. Please be patient with Twins Chatter in the meantime. Ryan will be all by himself and I'm going to sadly be out of touch with what's going on over here. I will try to stay up to date but who knows what kind of internet access I will have over there so any postings will probably be short and random. Ryan is up to the challenge of taking on the whole site in my absence but if he has an off day or two here and there no one can really blame him. My biggest regret is missing the All Star game. I hope Nathan comes in and gets the save in the ninth striking out the side and Bonds goes yard. Hey, maybe Clemens and Piazza will duke it out right there on the field! That's enough rambling for me tonight, take good care of my team while I'm gone.
John
johnbetzler@hotmail.com
What a Difference a Week Makes...
“Amazing!”
That one little word sums up the Twins’ recently-completed three game sweep over the Kansas City Royals perfectly. In fact, the Minnesota Twins have never dominated an opponent as utterly over the course of a series as they did KC over the past three days. The last team to throw three straight complete game shutouts in a single series was the Orioles against the Tigers back in 1995, and it has only been done four times since 1973. The only other time this franchise accomplished such a feat was way back in 1913 when the team was still the Washington Senators. A few head-to-head stats from the series:
RUNS
Twins 25, Royals 0
HITS
Twins 34, Royals 13
HOMERS
Twins 3, Royals 0
EXTRA-BASE HITS
Twins 14, Royals 0
WALKS ALLOWED
Royals 10, Twins 2
STRIKEOUTS (pitching)
Twins 24, Royals 17
ERRORS
Royals 3, Twins 0
I could go on and on, but I won’t. It’s safe to say that the Twins completely and utterly dominated the lowly Royals these past three days, in just about every facet of the game. In fact, I could have sworn that the name on the front of the Royals’ jerseys said “Omaha” instead of “Kansas City”. That’s how poorly they played. While I’m ecstatic that the Twins played so well, I’m also saddened by how far the Royals have fallen over the past few months. Despite the fact that they are divisional “rivals” of the Twins, you can’t help but root for a fellow small-market team, especially one that showed as much character and spunk as the Royals did last year. I personally didn’t think that the Royals were for real before this season began, but no one could have foreseen how far they would drop off. It really is a little sad.
Now, back to our beloved Twins. Seems like a lifetime ago, but it was in fact just one week that we here at Twins Chatter (ok, it was just me) were hitting the panic button after getting swept handily by the White Sox in three games. At the time, it looked like the balance of power in the AL Central had shifted; the Twins were no longed the hunted but had become the hunters. Many people said the ChiSox were on the verge of running away with the division.
Not so fast! Since last Thursday, the White Sox have lost five games in a row, including last night’s 12-0 pounding at the hands of the Angels. The Twins, in the meantime, have won five of six, all of them in rather convincing fashion. The Twins turned a two-game deficit into a two-and-a-half game lead in a span of six days. Six days! Talk about playing the right teams at the right time. Kyle Lohse wasn’t quite as brilliant as either Radke or Santana on Wednesday, but he was more than good enough to beat the hapless (and punchless) Royals lineup. The Royals had a grand total of three bona-fide major league hitters starting against Lohse: Angel Berroa, Ken Harvey, and Matt Stairs. And none of those guys are nearly as good as either Mike Sweeney or Carlos Beltran.
With the All-Star break quickly approaching, the Twins sit with a record of 46-37, which is well ahead of last-year’s pace when the team stood 7.5 games out at the break. Sometime during the All-Star break I’ll have a detailed “Half-Season in Review” post, so be sure and look out for that. The Twins start a four game series with the Tigers starting today (Thursday).
NOTE:To all of my fellow bobblehead fanatics, listen to this! The Twins recently announced a Joe Mauer bobblehead giveaway on October 2nd! Now there’s a collectible that will be worth something!
The "Three Amigos" of Radke, Santana, and Lohse all pitched complete game shutouts against the Kansas City Royals this week
That one little word sums up the Twins’ recently-completed three game sweep over the Kansas City Royals perfectly. In fact, the Minnesota Twins have never dominated an opponent as utterly over the course of a series as they did KC over the past three days. The last team to throw three straight complete game shutouts in a single series was the Orioles against the Tigers back in 1995, and it has only been done four times since 1973. The only other time this franchise accomplished such a feat was way back in 1913 when the team was still the Washington Senators. A few head-to-head stats from the series:
RUNS
Twins 25, Royals 0
HITS
Twins 34, Royals 13
HOMERS
Twins 3, Royals 0
EXTRA-BASE HITS
Twins 14, Royals 0
WALKS ALLOWED
Royals 10, Twins 2
STRIKEOUTS (pitching)
Twins 24, Royals 17
ERRORS
Royals 3, Twins 0
I could go on and on, but I won’t. It’s safe to say that the Twins completely and utterly dominated the lowly Royals these past three days, in just about every facet of the game. In fact, I could have sworn that the name on the front of the Royals’ jerseys said “Omaha” instead of “Kansas City”. That’s how poorly they played. While I’m ecstatic that the Twins played so well, I’m also saddened by how far the Royals have fallen over the past few months. Despite the fact that they are divisional “rivals” of the Twins, you can’t help but root for a fellow small-market team, especially one that showed as much character and spunk as the Royals did last year. I personally didn’t think that the Royals were for real before this season began, but no one could have foreseen how far they would drop off. It really is a little sad.
Now, back to our beloved Twins. Seems like a lifetime ago, but it was in fact just one week that we here at Twins Chatter (ok, it was just me) were hitting the panic button after getting swept handily by the White Sox in three games. At the time, it looked like the balance of power in the AL Central had shifted; the Twins were no longed the hunted but had become the hunters. Many people said the ChiSox were on the verge of running away with the division.
Not so fast! Since last Thursday, the White Sox have lost five games in a row, including last night’s 12-0 pounding at the hands of the Angels. The Twins, in the meantime, have won five of six, all of them in rather convincing fashion. The Twins turned a two-game deficit into a two-and-a-half game lead in a span of six days. Six days! Talk about playing the right teams at the right time. Kyle Lohse wasn’t quite as brilliant as either Radke or Santana on Wednesday, but he was more than good enough to beat the hapless (and punchless) Royals lineup. The Royals had a grand total of three bona-fide major league hitters starting against Lohse: Angel Berroa, Ken Harvey, and Matt Stairs. And none of those guys are nearly as good as either Mike Sweeney or Carlos Beltran.
With the All-Star break quickly approaching, the Twins sit with a record of 46-37, which is well ahead of last-year’s pace when the team stood 7.5 games out at the break. Sometime during the All-Star break I’ll have a detailed “Half-Season in Review” post, so be sure and look out for that. The Twins start a four game series with the Tigers starting today (Thursday).
NOTE:To all of my fellow bobblehead fanatics, listen to this! The Twins recently announced a Joe Mauer bobblehead giveaway on October 2nd! Now there’s a collectible that will be worth something!
The "Three Amigos" of Radke, Santana, and Lohse all pitched complete game shutouts against the Kansas City Royals this week
Tuesday, July 06, 2004
Simply Amazing and Handing out the Hardware
Santana
Wow is all anyone can say about Johan Santana's performance last night. I need to confess, I wasn't always sure he could do it. I was worried that the pressure would get to him and when he was struggling with his changeup early on in the year it was settled. This guy was just another tease who was just a 3 month wonder like so many others.
I should have known better. Johan has great stuff and a great presence on the mound. All three of his pitches are hard to hit and he throws strikes. Actually, he pumps strike after strike into the zone and ends up with 13 K's in one game. Santana is so good that he is leading the AL in strikeouts with 125. So it is hard for hitters to put good wood on the bat. He doesn't walk anybody either so there aren’t many runners on base and without runners there isn't a lot of scoring in his starts.
Johan has been more dominant then any pitcher in the majors in the last month. He gives the club a legitimate Ace and chance in any short series. He is a big reason they are in first place by a game. There is no reason that he wont keep it up. He might tire a little as the season goes on and he gets to a level of innings he hasn't been at before. Then again, last night he just got stronger as he pitched his first career complete game. The same can be said for his career to this point. Every year has built upon the last. Santana should be protected but the gloves are coming off and what is emerging doesn't come along very often.
Midseason Awards
Last night the Twins played their 82nd game of the season and their record stands at 45 wins and 37 losses. Not great but good enough for a weak division. It's now time that we hand out some hardware for performance thus far.
MVP - Lew Ford
Where would the Twins be without the official play of Twinschatter? Probably off somewhere rebuilding, that's where. Instead Ford has been a life saver. First taking over for Torii Hunter in center and later Shannon Stewart in left, arguably two of the most important players in the lineup. The team never missed a beat. Lew hasn't stopped hitting. He has been all over the lineup and he has continued to produce even while everyone else has struggled. He's got on base, scored runs and drove them in. Nothing more could be asked of a player in his first real major league season.
Rookie of the Year - Joe Mauer
Was there ever any question? The team got to see just how big a part he is already when it lost him for much of the first two months. Now that he is back Mauer is winning ballgames for the club. He might be young but he has taken on the added pressure of batting third in the order. The kid can do it all and has definitely lived up to the hype.
Cy Young - Brad Radke
Santana was mentioned above and has been nearly unhittable lately but it was Radke who carried the team through the period where nothing was working for any of the other starters. He doesn't have the wins but he has kept the team in ballgames while eating innings. His ERA of 3.42 is also lower then Santana's of 3.89. Brad is still the leader of the staff and coupled with Santana creates a great 1-2 punch.
Gold Glove - Torii Hunter
He is still the most feared defender on the team. He can transform a game with his glove. It has to be demoralizing for other teams when they see their guy get a hold of one only to have it pulled back at the last second. Torii is money in one of the most important positions on the field.
Best Reliever - Joe Nathan
Hands down the most dominating reliever on the staff. Juan Rincon deserves credit for stabilizing the rest of the bullpen but it is Nathan that has shut the door on victories. Coming into he season it was hard to know what to expect of him and he has exceeded all expectations enroute to an All Star selection. With 23 saves and a 1.19 ERA, he is most deserving of this award.
Hitter to Watch in the Second Half - Shannon Stewart
Shannon barely beats out Corey Koskie. Both players have had quiet first halves largely because of injuries. Look for Koskie to raise his batting average to near his career average. Stewart transforms the lineup. It's hard for me to admit but the team scores more when he's there. He adds patience and it will be like making a big trade. Look for Stewart to largely do what he did last year in pushing the Twins to the division title.
Pitcher to Watch - Jesse Crain
This guy may be the key to whether the team wins its third straight division. He will be in the majors sometime soon and he throws smoke. The question is whether he can harness his ability and be consistent. If he can, Crain will fill the 7th inning void. If Crain doesn't pan out look for Grant Balfour or JC Romero to step up and finally take the role for themselves. This is why the Twins should use their assets to acquire a hitter or 5th starter, the bullpen should be able to work itself out from within.
What do you think? Am I right, or are there other players more deserving? Email me johnbetzler@hotmail.com or drop a comment below.
Wow is all anyone can say about Johan Santana's performance last night. I need to confess, I wasn't always sure he could do it. I was worried that the pressure would get to him and when he was struggling with his changeup early on in the year it was settled. This guy was just another tease who was just a 3 month wonder like so many others.
I should have known better. Johan has great stuff and a great presence on the mound. All three of his pitches are hard to hit and he throws strikes. Actually, he pumps strike after strike into the zone and ends up with 13 K's in one game. Santana is so good that he is leading the AL in strikeouts with 125. So it is hard for hitters to put good wood on the bat. He doesn't walk anybody either so there aren’t many runners on base and without runners there isn't a lot of scoring in his starts.
Johan has been more dominant then any pitcher in the majors in the last month. He gives the club a legitimate Ace and chance in any short series. He is a big reason they are in first place by a game. There is no reason that he wont keep it up. He might tire a little as the season goes on and he gets to a level of innings he hasn't been at before. Then again, last night he just got stronger as he pitched his first career complete game. The same can be said for his career to this point. Every year has built upon the last. Santana should be protected but the gloves are coming off and what is emerging doesn't come along very often.
Midseason Awards
Last night the Twins played their 82nd game of the season and their record stands at 45 wins and 37 losses. Not great but good enough for a weak division. It's now time that we hand out some hardware for performance thus far.
MVP - Lew Ford
Where would the Twins be without the official play of Twinschatter? Probably off somewhere rebuilding, that's where. Instead Ford has been a life saver. First taking over for Torii Hunter in center and later Shannon Stewart in left, arguably two of the most important players in the lineup. The team never missed a beat. Lew hasn't stopped hitting. He has been all over the lineup and he has continued to produce even while everyone else has struggled. He's got on base, scored runs and drove them in. Nothing more could be asked of a player in his first real major league season.
Rookie of the Year - Joe Mauer
Was there ever any question? The team got to see just how big a part he is already when it lost him for much of the first two months. Now that he is back Mauer is winning ballgames for the club. He might be young but he has taken on the added pressure of batting third in the order. The kid can do it all and has definitely lived up to the hype.
Cy Young - Brad Radke
Santana was mentioned above and has been nearly unhittable lately but it was Radke who carried the team through the period where nothing was working for any of the other starters. He doesn't have the wins but he has kept the team in ballgames while eating innings. His ERA of 3.42 is also lower then Santana's of 3.89. Brad is still the leader of the staff and coupled with Santana creates a great 1-2 punch.
Gold Glove - Torii Hunter
He is still the most feared defender on the team. He can transform a game with his glove. It has to be demoralizing for other teams when they see their guy get a hold of one only to have it pulled back at the last second. Torii is money in one of the most important positions on the field.
Best Reliever - Joe Nathan
Hands down the most dominating reliever on the staff. Juan Rincon deserves credit for stabilizing the rest of the bullpen but it is Nathan that has shut the door on victories. Coming into he season it was hard to know what to expect of him and he has exceeded all expectations enroute to an All Star selection. With 23 saves and a 1.19 ERA, he is most deserving of this award.
Hitter to Watch in the Second Half - Shannon Stewart
Shannon barely beats out Corey Koskie. Both players have had quiet first halves largely because of injuries. Look for Koskie to raise his batting average to near his career average. Stewart transforms the lineup. It's hard for me to admit but the team scores more when he's there. He adds patience and it will be like making a big trade. Look for Stewart to largely do what he did last year in pushing the Twins to the division title.
Pitcher to Watch - Jesse Crain
This guy may be the key to whether the team wins its third straight division. He will be in the majors sometime soon and he throws smoke. The question is whether he can harness his ability and be consistent. If he can, Crain will fill the 7th inning void. If Crain doesn't pan out look for Grant Balfour or JC Romero to step up and finally take the role for themselves. This is why the Twins should use their assets to acquire a hitter or 5th starter, the bullpen should be able to work itself out from within.
What do you think? Am I right, or are there other players more deserving? Email me johnbetzler@hotmail.com or drop a comment below.
Technical Difficulties
We apologize for no new post today. Blogger continues to give us problems and we are currently seeking a new forum for our content. Hopefully, if it is alright with blogger, we will have a new entry up this evening.
Monday, July 05, 2004
Much Ado About Very Little
Hello and welcome to Twins Chatter, your source for insightful, thoughtful, and somewhat opinionated Minnesota Twins coverage. I hope you all a happy Independence Day weekend.
I don’t have a whole ton to say today for a variety of reasons, the most notable of which being that Sunday was a holiday and also that today is actually John’s turn to write.
The Twins rebounded somewhat from last week’s five-game losing streak to take two of three from the Diamondbacks this weekend in Phoenix. While this was rather encouraging, it by no means signals an end to the Twins’ struggles. Both Friday and Saturday’s wins were unspectacular. I hate to be a pessimist here, but for example: on Friday, Kyle Lohse blew an early 5-0 lead, the Twins scored 3 unearned runs (that can be viewed as either good or bad, but either way it reflects poorly on the D-Backs), and Guzman committed a key error himself. On the positive side, J.C. looked like the J.C. of old for three strong innings, and Matty LeCroy once again delivered with a clutch pinch hit. Saturday, Grant Balfour and Juan Rincon dominated for 4 innings, striking out 8, but the Twins left a whopping 17 men on base (yet managed to score 8 runs). Yesterday, we were predictably shut down by Randy Johnson, but I’m willing to overlook that as an inevitability. The bottom line is that the Twins aren’t out of the woods yet. The D-Backs are a very flawed team that a contender should beat, and the Twins were able to exploit their myriad weaknesses.
Sunday also saw the announcement of the 2004 All-Star Game selections. As expected, closer Joe Nathan is the Twins’ lone representative. He has been one of the top relievers in the game this year, posting a 1.19 ERA and 1.14 WHIP while converting 23 of 24 save opportunities. Not many criticized the Pierzynski trade this off-season, but I can’t imagine too many people expected it to work out as well as it has for the Twins thus far! There really weren’t any Twins that were snubbed this year either, and Patrick Reusse over at the Strib wrote a great piece describing why the the Twins only deserved one All-Star. I usually dislike Reusse, but this column was a pleasant surprise.
About a month ago, I predicted that Nathan and Radke would make the team this year if Brad started winning some games. Obviously, that has not been the case and no one batted an eye when he wasn’t named. If Radke was 8-3 right now instead of 4-3, I think he would have made it. Lew Ford, the Official Player of Twins Chatter, didn’t make the initial 31-man roster but is one of five candidates in the final online fan vote for the 32nd roster spot, a relatively new feature that began three years ago. Lew has absolutely no chance of winning, as Hideki Matsui and his Japanese supporters will no doubt stuff the “ballot boxes”, but nevertheless it’s nice to see Lew get a little national recognition. For what it’s worth, I encourage you to click here and vote for Lew as many times as you can.
The weekend series also saw a little lineup shake-up. Doug Mientkiewicz was FINALLY moved out of the top of the lineup and sent to the 7/8 hole. He responded with 2 HRs and 5 RBIs, so maybe he’s turned over a new leaf. I’m still a little skeptical, however. Dougie’s demotion signaled the promotion of Joe Mauer to the #3 spot, and the 20 year-old only responded by going 5-8 with a double, triple, homer, and 2 RBIs. He seriously puts all our other “veteran” hitters to shame, as he’s already better than most of them. In 27 games (82 at-bats), Mauer is hitting .317/.394/.682 with 6 HRs (!) and 13 RBIs. I have been very surprised by the amount of power Joe has displayed already, as his current pace says he’ll hit about 25 homers this year given 350 at-bats (a fairly generous number for someone who missed two months). He’s already erased any doubts I held about him being a special player.
Well, that’s enough rambling for one day. Don’t forget to get out and vote for Lew. Also, if you’ve been having trouble accessing this site lately, please drop a comment below or e-mail me at twinsfan21@msn.com. Blogger has been very unreliable as of late, and we may be in the market for a new domain name in the near future. Also feel free to post your comments about any topic I covered today and I’ll be sure and respond when I can.
I don’t have a whole ton to say today for a variety of reasons, the most notable of which being that Sunday was a holiday and also that today is actually John’s turn to write.
The Twins rebounded somewhat from last week’s five-game losing streak to take two of three from the Diamondbacks this weekend in Phoenix. While this was rather encouraging, it by no means signals an end to the Twins’ struggles. Both Friday and Saturday’s wins were unspectacular. I hate to be a pessimist here, but for example: on Friday, Kyle Lohse blew an early 5-0 lead, the Twins scored 3 unearned runs (that can be viewed as either good or bad, but either way it reflects poorly on the D-Backs), and Guzman committed a key error himself. On the positive side, J.C. looked like the J.C. of old for three strong innings, and Matty LeCroy once again delivered with a clutch pinch hit. Saturday, Grant Balfour and Juan Rincon dominated for 4 innings, striking out 8, but the Twins left a whopping 17 men on base (yet managed to score 8 runs). Yesterday, we were predictably shut down by Randy Johnson, but I’m willing to overlook that as an inevitability. The bottom line is that the Twins aren’t out of the woods yet. The D-Backs are a very flawed team that a contender should beat, and the Twins were able to exploit their myriad weaknesses.
Sunday also saw the announcement of the 2004 All-Star Game selections. As expected, closer Joe Nathan is the Twins’ lone representative. He has been one of the top relievers in the game this year, posting a 1.19 ERA and 1.14 WHIP while converting 23 of 24 save opportunities. Not many criticized the Pierzynski trade this off-season, but I can’t imagine too many people expected it to work out as well as it has for the Twins thus far! There really weren’t any Twins that were snubbed this year either, and Patrick Reusse over at the Strib wrote a great piece describing why the the Twins only deserved one All-Star. I usually dislike Reusse, but this column was a pleasant surprise.
About a month ago, I predicted that Nathan and Radke would make the team this year if Brad started winning some games. Obviously, that has not been the case and no one batted an eye when he wasn’t named. If Radke was 8-3 right now instead of 4-3, I think he would have made it. Lew Ford, the Official Player of Twins Chatter, didn’t make the initial 31-man roster but is one of five candidates in the final online fan vote for the 32nd roster spot, a relatively new feature that began three years ago. Lew has absolutely no chance of winning, as Hideki Matsui and his Japanese supporters will no doubt stuff the “ballot boxes”, but nevertheless it’s nice to see Lew get a little national recognition. For what it’s worth, I encourage you to click here and vote for Lew as many times as you can.
The weekend series also saw a little lineup shake-up. Doug Mientkiewicz was FINALLY moved out of the top of the lineup and sent to the 7/8 hole. He responded with 2 HRs and 5 RBIs, so maybe he’s turned over a new leaf. I’m still a little skeptical, however. Dougie’s demotion signaled the promotion of Joe Mauer to the #3 spot, and the 20 year-old only responded by going 5-8 with a double, triple, homer, and 2 RBIs. He seriously puts all our other “veteran” hitters to shame, as he’s already better than most of them. In 27 games (82 at-bats), Mauer is hitting .317/.394/.682 with 6 HRs (!) and 13 RBIs. I have been very surprised by the amount of power Joe has displayed already, as his current pace says he’ll hit about 25 homers this year given 350 at-bats (a fairly generous number for someone who missed two months). He’s already erased any doubts I held about him being a special player.
Well, that’s enough rambling for one day. Don’t forget to get out and vote for Lew. Also, if you’ve been having trouble accessing this site lately, please drop a comment below or e-mail me at twinsfan21@msn.com. Blogger has been very unreliable as of late, and we may be in the market for a new domain name in the near future. Also feel free to post your comments about any topic I covered today and I’ll be sure and respond when I can.
Thursday, July 01, 2004
Living on the Edge
“The quest stands upon the edge of a knife. Stray but a little and it will fail, to the ruin of all.”
-Galadriel in “The Fellowhip of the Ring” (2001)
I know I may be labeled a geek and berated for bringing “The Lord of the Rings” to Twins Chatter, but I honestly think that the above quote sums up the Twins’ current predicament quite appropriately. In case you’ve been living under a rock these past three days, our Minnesota Twins were swept at home by the now first-place Chicago White Sox. Right now, I feel too numb to provide any thorough statistical analysis of the series, or to speculate as to what the Twins could/should have done differently.
Here’s what it all comes down to: the White Sox are simply a better team than the Twins right now. There is no way you can really prove otherwise. The Sox outplayed the hometown nine in almost every facet of the game, and the Twins looked helpless to stop them (Johan being the lone exception). Like every true Twins fan, I predicted that the Twins would win the Central once again this year. I said (with fingers crossed) that the rotation would stabilize; the bullpen would emerge; and that offense would be a strength of this Twins team.
Despite the fact that the team sits with a record of 41-36 and is still just two games out of first place, I have been wrong on all three accounts thus far. The rotation is incomplete and inconsistent, the bullpen is falling apart, and the offense has been bad (if not atrocious). This week’s series only served to accentuate those myriad weaknesses.
The Twins’ season truly stands upon the edge of a knife. The date is still only July 2; it is not too late by any means. But one thing IS for certain: something must be done, and this something (whatever it may be) must be done soon, before it is too late. I’m pretty certain you only get one Shannon Stewart mid-season miracle per lifetime. Terry Ryan needs to take action, as the current 25-man roster will not win a third straight division title and most certainly will not advance in the playoffs. Perhaps TR has already seen enough—perhaps he doesn’t feel like he has the financial flexibility to improve this team through a trade and therefore decides to start trading off veterans (like JJ and Koskie) for prospects. It’s a little premature to be discussing such things on July 2, but the way it looks right now, that isn’t entirely out of the realm of possibility.
Or maybe TR will decide to revamp the roster with players within the organization. That would mean benching Mientkiewicz and handing the first base job to Morneau. That would mean calling up Jesse Crain and give him a baptism by fire. That would mean magically conjuring a suitable 5th starter from the scrap heap that is Rochester’s rotation (or giving Scott Baker a similar baptism). Now this is just a hunch, but I don’t think such an approach has turned around too many seasons. With the Twins’ minor league talent, however, you never know.
The third option, and probably the most conventional (if also the most unlikely given the front office’s history and financial restraints), is to improve the team through the trade market. This year, it won’t be as simple as adding that one key piece to the jigsaw puzzle. It’s going to take more than that. The Twins need at least one more solid bullpen arm and a starting pitcher, if not more. I’m not sure if anything less than that can change the course of events that seem to be unfolding before our eyes right now. I discussed a few trade possibilities the other day, but your guess is as good as mine when it comes to the specifics. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens.
In the meantime, the Twins are heading to the Valley of the Sun to take on the last-place Diamondbacks for three games. If there ever was a cure for the we-just-got-swept-by-out-division-rivals-at-home blues, it should be a series with a team that has a .359 winning percentage. But with these Twins, you never know. The Sox sharpened the blade, and the Twins’ chances for a three-peat may soon come crashing down.
-Galadriel in “The Fellowhip of the Ring” (2001)
I know I may be labeled a geek and berated for bringing “The Lord of the Rings” to Twins Chatter, but I honestly think that the above quote sums up the Twins’ current predicament quite appropriately. In case you’ve been living under a rock these past three days, our Minnesota Twins were swept at home by the now first-place Chicago White Sox. Right now, I feel too numb to provide any thorough statistical analysis of the series, or to speculate as to what the Twins could/should have done differently.
Here’s what it all comes down to: the White Sox are simply a better team than the Twins right now. There is no way you can really prove otherwise. The Sox outplayed the hometown nine in almost every facet of the game, and the Twins looked helpless to stop them (Johan being the lone exception). Like every true Twins fan, I predicted that the Twins would win the Central once again this year. I said (with fingers crossed) that the rotation would stabilize; the bullpen would emerge; and that offense would be a strength of this Twins team.
Despite the fact that the team sits with a record of 41-36 and is still just two games out of first place, I have been wrong on all three accounts thus far. The rotation is incomplete and inconsistent, the bullpen is falling apart, and the offense has been bad (if not atrocious). This week’s series only served to accentuate those myriad weaknesses.
The Twins’ season truly stands upon the edge of a knife. The date is still only July 2; it is not too late by any means. But one thing IS for certain: something must be done, and this something (whatever it may be) must be done soon, before it is too late. I’m pretty certain you only get one Shannon Stewart mid-season miracle per lifetime. Terry Ryan needs to take action, as the current 25-man roster will not win a third straight division title and most certainly will not advance in the playoffs. Perhaps TR has already seen enough—perhaps he doesn’t feel like he has the financial flexibility to improve this team through a trade and therefore decides to start trading off veterans (like JJ and Koskie) for prospects. It’s a little premature to be discussing such things on July 2, but the way it looks right now, that isn’t entirely out of the realm of possibility.
Or maybe TR will decide to revamp the roster with players within the organization. That would mean benching Mientkiewicz and handing the first base job to Morneau. That would mean calling up Jesse Crain and give him a baptism by fire. That would mean magically conjuring a suitable 5th starter from the scrap heap that is Rochester’s rotation (or giving Scott Baker a similar baptism). Now this is just a hunch, but I don’t think such an approach has turned around too many seasons. With the Twins’ minor league talent, however, you never know.
The third option, and probably the most conventional (if also the most unlikely given the front office’s history and financial restraints), is to improve the team through the trade market. This year, it won’t be as simple as adding that one key piece to the jigsaw puzzle. It’s going to take more than that. The Twins need at least one more solid bullpen arm and a starting pitcher, if not more. I’m not sure if anything less than that can change the course of events that seem to be unfolding before our eyes right now. I discussed a few trade possibilities the other day, but your guess is as good as mine when it comes to the specifics. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens.
In the meantime, the Twins are heading to the Valley of the Sun to take on the last-place Diamondbacks for three games. If there ever was a cure for the we-just-got-swept-by-out-division-rivals-at-home blues, it should be a series with a team that has a .359 winning percentage. But with these Twins, you never know. The Sox sharpened the blade, and the Twins’ chances for a three-peat may soon come crashing down.
Wednesday, June 30, 2004
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
Last night the Twins bats came alive against someone who was supposed to end all their playoff hopes, Freddy Garcia. It wasn't enough. The team battled back from an early deficit and continued to battle through the middle innings but in the end it wasn't close. This year it has been exceedingly difficult for the Twins to get the White Sox's number. Ever since the Garcia trade, experts around the country have proclaimed the race all but over and the Twins have done little to dispel this belief. The team has seemed content to lie down and take their beating in the hopes of making a move in the race at a later date and it is becoming increasingly frustrating to watch. Wednesday night's game was filled with the good, the bad and some real ugly for the home team.
The Good -
We'll start with the good because it's simply the easiest pill to swallow. Joe Mauer was what every fan has been told he would be. He had perhaps his best night last night blasting 2 homeruns. The first of which was far from meaningless in getting the team back in the game. Don't expect him to make this a regular thing just yet in his career. What he showed is that he came to play. Right now he is one of the few hitters in the lineup who looks comfortable at the plate. Maybe it's time for the Twins to consider moving him up in the order. I know the team wants to continue to play Mientkiewicz but it would be better for him to continue to struggle lower in the order. There is less pressure down there and I think part of Doug's problem is that he is too be too hard on himself. Let him work his way back up to being one of the team's only patient and thus a valuable hitter. In the meantime a flip flop in the order with Mauer may be a win-win situation for both.
Freddy Garcia pitched like Freddy Garcia. He is not the second coming of Randy Johnson or Josh Beckett. He is never going to put a team on his back and carry them to a pennant. He is a very good pitcher whom the White Sox probably over paid for. He is not an Ace and it is a great sign that the Twins touched him up. Last year the White Sox added Roberto Alomar and Carl Everett about the same time and everyone picked them to beat the Twins. It's amazing how fast people have jumped off the Twins bandwagon in the national media. Maybe it has something to do with them actually getting outscored by their opponents. Nevertheless, it's July 1 and they are only a game out of first. They may or may not be able to make a move in the next month but they will have several important players returning from injuries such as Shannon Stewart. Then you consider that their pitching appears to be coming alive and they are fixing some bullpen issues and you realize this is a very strong team. What the Twins need to avoid is falling 8 games behind the White Sox this year because they will not be able to make up that kind of ground again.
The Bad -
Brad Radke was due for a poor outing. It was a much hyped match up and he allowed his team to fall behind early. What really makes it bad is that he finally got some run support and just kept giving it back. Radke has been a rock for the past month for the club so it's hard to fault him for one game. It's just too bad it came against division rivals whom the Twins entered the game tied for first with. This was a game the Twins needed to win if only to send a message that they weren't going to just give up. The hitters tried to answer the bell with Guzman's three run homerun and Koskie's homer to open the home half of the 6th. It wasn't enough for Radke last night.
The Ugly -
The White Sox came into our house and have taken the first two games as the Twins continue to struggle against them this year. The Twins have now lost 4 straight and given the White Sox the lead in the division. What's worse is that they don't even look capable of beating the Sox. They battled for half the game Wednesday night while only delaying the inevitable. The White Sox are a flawed team, not the powerhouse many are making them out to be. When the Twins needed it most last night their pitchers could not keep the balls in the park. They have let the Sox come in and outplay them. They are playing like a team that wants to repeat the mistakes of last year and fall way back in the standings. This year though, they wont be able to come back. It is disgusting baseball to watch. There is a reason the Twins had the better record coming into the series. They are the better team they just don't seem to know it. Many people write them off because they have been outscored this season and say their success is luck. The problem with that reasoning is that the White Sox had a better differential in each of the last two seasons in which the Twins not only beat them head to head but won the division outright. It's not luck that helps the Twins win games, it's the fact that the Twins play the game right and are able to win more close games. The Sox pound the ball and crush teams but are supposed to run into a buzz saw when push comes to shove because pitching and defense are what really wins. The Twins have failed to back that up so far this year and it makes it ugly to watch.
One More Bullet to Fire:
His name is Johan Santana and he has recently become the Ace the Twins envisioned in the off season. He has been nearly unhittable in his last 4 starts with an ERA under 2 and 39 K's. If ever their was a cure for the Twins woes it would be him. Couple that with the fact that Jon Garland is pitching for the Sox and the team will salvage the final game of the series today.
Fifth Starter Debate:
It is very apparent the Twins don't have an in-house option at to fill this position. Scott Baker would be a mistake although I don't agree with the Adam Johnson comparison. Baker has not yet done enough to warrant such a promotion. I don't like the idea of piecing together starts with Muholland and Roa either. I wouldn't mind seeing Roa actually get a chance in the role as his position in the bullpen has become redundant. I don't think he would succeed but at least he would stabilize it until a better option can be found. I'm afraid the Twins will bring someone in just to do so and he won't be any better then either of the other two who failed. There are always plenty of Rick Helling type pitchers on the market and there is a reason for that. It was not a mistake to let Rick Helling go, the pitcher the team does miss is Munro who has helped the Astros in their fifth starter role.
Bullpen Issues:
The team has a plan to fix it's bullpen but will it work? It isn't enough to expect JC Romero to suddenly be fine and that Jesse Crain is going to come up and be consistently dominant. Neither move will fix the problems that have belied the pen as of late. The 7th inning has been a disaster with starters getting stretched out too long and just about every reliever failing to record key outs. I would like to see Grant Balfour emerge in the role but every time he looks close he has an outing that's not so good. The pen is a mess that isn't going to fix itself anytime soon.
That is it for today here at Twinschatter. We hope you enjoy our content as always. If you have any comments feel free to drop them below or email me at johnbetzler@hotmail.com. We are always looking for ways to improve ourselves so any suggestions are also welcome. Hopefully the team will go out and finally beat the White Sox tonight, salvaging the series and a tie for first.
The Good -
We'll start with the good because it's simply the easiest pill to swallow. Joe Mauer was what every fan has been told he would be. He had perhaps his best night last night blasting 2 homeruns. The first of which was far from meaningless in getting the team back in the game. Don't expect him to make this a regular thing just yet in his career. What he showed is that he came to play. Right now he is one of the few hitters in the lineup who looks comfortable at the plate. Maybe it's time for the Twins to consider moving him up in the order. I know the team wants to continue to play Mientkiewicz but it would be better for him to continue to struggle lower in the order. There is less pressure down there and I think part of Doug's problem is that he is too be too hard on himself. Let him work his way back up to being one of the team's only patient and thus a valuable hitter. In the meantime a flip flop in the order with Mauer may be a win-win situation for both.
Freddy Garcia pitched like Freddy Garcia. He is not the second coming of Randy Johnson or Josh Beckett. He is never going to put a team on his back and carry them to a pennant. He is a very good pitcher whom the White Sox probably over paid for. He is not an Ace and it is a great sign that the Twins touched him up. Last year the White Sox added Roberto Alomar and Carl Everett about the same time and everyone picked them to beat the Twins. It's amazing how fast people have jumped off the Twins bandwagon in the national media. Maybe it has something to do with them actually getting outscored by their opponents. Nevertheless, it's July 1 and they are only a game out of first. They may or may not be able to make a move in the next month but they will have several important players returning from injuries such as Shannon Stewart. Then you consider that their pitching appears to be coming alive and they are fixing some bullpen issues and you realize this is a very strong team. What the Twins need to avoid is falling 8 games behind the White Sox this year because they will not be able to make up that kind of ground again.
The Bad -
Brad Radke was due for a poor outing. It was a much hyped match up and he allowed his team to fall behind early. What really makes it bad is that he finally got some run support and just kept giving it back. Radke has been a rock for the past month for the club so it's hard to fault him for one game. It's just too bad it came against division rivals whom the Twins entered the game tied for first with. This was a game the Twins needed to win if only to send a message that they weren't going to just give up. The hitters tried to answer the bell with Guzman's three run homerun and Koskie's homer to open the home half of the 6th. It wasn't enough for Radke last night.
The Ugly -
The White Sox came into our house and have taken the first two games as the Twins continue to struggle against them this year. The Twins have now lost 4 straight and given the White Sox the lead in the division. What's worse is that they don't even look capable of beating the Sox. They battled for half the game Wednesday night while only delaying the inevitable. The White Sox are a flawed team, not the powerhouse many are making them out to be. When the Twins needed it most last night their pitchers could not keep the balls in the park. They have let the Sox come in and outplay them. They are playing like a team that wants to repeat the mistakes of last year and fall way back in the standings. This year though, they wont be able to come back. It is disgusting baseball to watch. There is a reason the Twins had the better record coming into the series. They are the better team they just don't seem to know it. Many people write them off because they have been outscored this season and say their success is luck. The problem with that reasoning is that the White Sox had a better differential in each of the last two seasons in which the Twins not only beat them head to head but won the division outright. It's not luck that helps the Twins win games, it's the fact that the Twins play the game right and are able to win more close games. The Sox pound the ball and crush teams but are supposed to run into a buzz saw when push comes to shove because pitching and defense are what really wins. The Twins have failed to back that up so far this year and it makes it ugly to watch.
One More Bullet to Fire:
His name is Johan Santana and he has recently become the Ace the Twins envisioned in the off season. He has been nearly unhittable in his last 4 starts with an ERA under 2 and 39 K's. If ever their was a cure for the Twins woes it would be him. Couple that with the fact that Jon Garland is pitching for the Sox and the team will salvage the final game of the series today.
Fifth Starter Debate:
It is very apparent the Twins don't have an in-house option at to fill this position. Scott Baker would be a mistake although I don't agree with the Adam Johnson comparison. Baker has not yet done enough to warrant such a promotion. I don't like the idea of piecing together starts with Muholland and Roa either. I wouldn't mind seeing Roa actually get a chance in the role as his position in the bullpen has become redundant. I don't think he would succeed but at least he would stabilize it until a better option can be found. I'm afraid the Twins will bring someone in just to do so and he won't be any better then either of the other two who failed. There are always plenty of Rick Helling type pitchers on the market and there is a reason for that. It was not a mistake to let Rick Helling go, the pitcher the team does miss is Munro who has helped the Astros in their fifth starter role.
Bullpen Issues:
The team has a plan to fix it's bullpen but will it work? It isn't enough to expect JC Romero to suddenly be fine and that Jesse Crain is going to come up and be consistently dominant. Neither move will fix the problems that have belied the pen as of late. The 7th inning has been a disaster with starters getting stretched out too long and just about every reliever failing to record key outs. I would like to see Grant Balfour emerge in the role but every time he looks close he has an outing that's not so good. The pen is a mess that isn't going to fix itself anytime soon.
That is it for today here at Twinschatter. We hope you enjoy our content as always. If you have any comments feel free to drop them below or email me at johnbetzler@hotmail.com. We are always looking for ways to improve ourselves so any suggestions are also welcome. Hopefully the team will go out and finally beat the White Sox tonight, salvaging the series and a tie for first.
Tuesday, June 29, 2004
4 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 1 HR
That’s the line from Matt Guerrier’s second major league start, a 7-2 loss last Saturday at the hands of the Milwaukee Brewers. Unfortunately for both Matt and the Twins, his first major league start (4 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 HR in a 6-4 win over the lowly Expos) wasn’t much better.
Where have the cries of “Free Matt Guerrier” gone so suddenly? If it hasn’t already become blatantly obvious to everybody by now, I’ll spell it out for you: Matt Guerrier is not the solution to the Twins’ fifth starter conundrum. Yes, I realize that he’s relatively young (26), and has had only two big league starts to prove himself, but let’s not kid ourselves here. Guerrier doesn’t have great stuff in the first place, and thus far in the majors his location has been very poor. When you miss up in the strike zone with mediocre stuff in the major leagues, you’re gonna get pounded. That is exactly what has happened to Guerrier these past two starts. He hasn’t been fooling anybody, that’s for sure.
Now it looks like Guerrier will probably get one more start to prove that he belongs in the majors (Saturday against Arizona), but for the sake of argument, let’s take a look at a couple of other options the Twins have regarding the hole in their rotation.
1.) Trade for a veteran starting pitcher
I know many Twins fans wanted desperately to see Freddy Garcia in a Twins uniform come July, but that simply was not to be. It’s time to move on. One name that I have dying to bring up for weeks now is the Pirates’ Kris Benson. The former first overall pick (1996) doesn’t have the most impressive overall stats (4.78 ERA and 1.49 WHIP) but he has been pitching pretty well of late. On Monday night he limited the Cardinals to just one run and six hits in eight innings of stellar pitching, and his ERA for the month of June is a solid 3.95. He sandwiched a bad month of May (8.10 ERA) between April and June, which is the main reason his numbers aren’t that great overall.
I really think that the Twins and Kris Benson would be a good fit. He’s a solid veteran who doesn’t walk many guys, with a low 90s fastball and pretty good stuff. The biggest hurdle, as always, is salary. Benson will make over $6 million in his walkout year, and the Twins have always been reluctant to rent players for the stretch run. It’s rumored that the Yankees, Mets, and Phillies (among others) are also interested in Benson, but the Twins can outbid any team in baseball when it comes down to what the Pirates really need: prospects. The Yankees’ farm system is almost bone dry, and both the Phils and Mets have only a handful of good prospects. The Twins can dangle Morneau, Kubel, Durbin (heaven forbid), Restovich, Ford (shudder the thought), Liriano, and Tiffee, among many others. I don’t think Benson will cost as much as Garcia did for the ChiSox, but TR would have to give up a prospect or two and probably pay about half of Benson’s salary. The Twins are a few mil under payroll for the year, so the latter is not out of the question.
Benson and Garcia were the biggest two names in an otherwise meager trading market, but another rumored possibility is the Expos’ Tony Armas Jr. Armas had shoulder surgery this off-season and has been a little rusty overall thus far this year (6.18 ERA in 23.1 innings this year), but he pitched well in his last outing and could emerge as a hot commodity come July. Armas is only 26, makes just $2.1 million this season, and isn’t a free agent until after next year. You can’t ask for much more from a mid-season acquisition if you are a small market team like the Twins. A trade is how I hope the Twins fill the void in the rotation, but there is also another option.
2.) Fill from within
This is the more realistic and likely option, but it is also the worst. Simply put, there isn’t a whole ton to choose from when it comes to starting pitching within the Twins organization. J.D. Durbin would have been a candidate had he stayed healthy, but he’s out for a while longer and was only pitching at AA before he went down. Wille Erye has been putting up Matt Guerrier-type numbers at AAA, but it’s pretty apparent that the team doesn’t think that highly of his potential. Pete Munro and Rick Helling would have been possible options, but neither is with the organization any more. Carlos Pulido is proving once and for all that he is indeed the epitome of the phrase “washed up”. And Seth Greisinger has been as bad in Rochester as he was up here in Minnesota.
A name I’ve heard recently is Scott Baker, the 2003’s second round draft choice out of Oklahoma State. He has dominated at both high A and AA ball so far this year, but I think it would be a grave, grave mistake to bring him up in the middle of a pennant race. We all remember what happened last time the Twins brought up a “polished” college pitcher with little minor league experience in the middle of the season (see: Adam Johnson, 2001). Maybe I’m missing someone, but it doesn’t look like the solution to this problem is currently within the Twins organization.
Well, there you have it. I hope this post helps fill the empty place in your soul left by yesterday’s off-day, as it has most assuredly accomplished this for me. If you have any thoughts of your own, don’t hesitate to drop a comment in the comments section below. I’ll try to respond the best I can, and maybe it will help me organize my thoughts a bit better in regards to this subject. Also, feel free to e-mail me at twinsfan21@msn.com. Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!
That’s the line from Matt Guerrier’s second major league start, a 7-2 loss last Saturday at the hands of the Milwaukee Brewers. Unfortunately for both Matt and the Twins, his first major league start (4 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 HR in a 6-4 win over the lowly Expos) wasn’t much better.
Where have the cries of “Free Matt Guerrier” gone so suddenly? If it hasn’t already become blatantly obvious to everybody by now, I’ll spell it out for you: Matt Guerrier is not the solution to the Twins’ fifth starter conundrum. Yes, I realize that he’s relatively young (26), and has had only two big league starts to prove himself, but let’s not kid ourselves here. Guerrier doesn’t have great stuff in the first place, and thus far in the majors his location has been very poor. When you miss up in the strike zone with mediocre stuff in the major leagues, you’re gonna get pounded. That is exactly what has happened to Guerrier these past two starts. He hasn’t been fooling anybody, that’s for sure.
Now it looks like Guerrier will probably get one more start to prove that he belongs in the majors (Saturday against Arizona), but for the sake of argument, let’s take a look at a couple of other options the Twins have regarding the hole in their rotation.
1.) Trade for a veteran starting pitcher
I know many Twins fans wanted desperately to see Freddy Garcia in a Twins uniform come July, but that simply was not to be. It’s time to move on. One name that I have dying to bring up for weeks now is the Pirates’ Kris Benson. The former first overall pick (1996) doesn’t have the most impressive overall stats (4.78 ERA and 1.49 WHIP) but he has been pitching pretty well of late. On Monday night he limited the Cardinals to just one run and six hits in eight innings of stellar pitching, and his ERA for the month of June is a solid 3.95. He sandwiched a bad month of May (8.10 ERA) between April and June, which is the main reason his numbers aren’t that great overall.
I really think that the Twins and Kris Benson would be a good fit. He’s a solid veteran who doesn’t walk many guys, with a low 90s fastball and pretty good stuff. The biggest hurdle, as always, is salary. Benson will make over $6 million in his walkout year, and the Twins have always been reluctant to rent players for the stretch run. It’s rumored that the Yankees, Mets, and Phillies (among others) are also interested in Benson, but the Twins can outbid any team in baseball when it comes down to what the Pirates really need: prospects. The Yankees’ farm system is almost bone dry, and both the Phils and Mets have only a handful of good prospects. The Twins can dangle Morneau, Kubel, Durbin (heaven forbid), Restovich, Ford (shudder the thought), Liriano, and Tiffee, among many others. I don’t think Benson will cost as much as Garcia did for the ChiSox, but TR would have to give up a prospect or two and probably pay about half of Benson’s salary. The Twins are a few mil under payroll for the year, so the latter is not out of the question.
Benson and Garcia were the biggest two names in an otherwise meager trading market, but another rumored possibility is the Expos’ Tony Armas Jr. Armas had shoulder surgery this off-season and has been a little rusty overall thus far this year (6.18 ERA in 23.1 innings this year), but he pitched well in his last outing and could emerge as a hot commodity come July. Armas is only 26, makes just $2.1 million this season, and isn’t a free agent until after next year. You can’t ask for much more from a mid-season acquisition if you are a small market team like the Twins. A trade is how I hope the Twins fill the void in the rotation, but there is also another option.
2.) Fill from within
This is the more realistic and likely option, but it is also the worst. Simply put, there isn’t a whole ton to choose from when it comes to starting pitching within the Twins organization. J.D. Durbin would have been a candidate had he stayed healthy, but he’s out for a while longer and was only pitching at AA before he went down. Wille Erye has been putting up Matt Guerrier-type numbers at AAA, but it’s pretty apparent that the team doesn’t think that highly of his potential. Pete Munro and Rick Helling would have been possible options, but neither is with the organization any more. Carlos Pulido is proving once and for all that he is indeed the epitome of the phrase “washed up”. And Seth Greisinger has been as bad in Rochester as he was up here in Minnesota.
A name I’ve heard recently is Scott Baker, the 2003’s second round draft choice out of Oklahoma State. He has dominated at both high A and AA ball so far this year, but I think it would be a grave, grave mistake to bring him up in the middle of a pennant race. We all remember what happened last time the Twins brought up a “polished” college pitcher with little minor league experience in the middle of the season (see: Adam Johnson, 2001). Maybe I’m missing someone, but it doesn’t look like the solution to this problem is currently within the Twins organization.
Well, there you have it. I hope this post helps fill the empty place in your soul left by yesterday’s off-day, as it has most assuredly accomplished this for me. If you have any thoughts of your own, don’t hesitate to drop a comment in the comments section below. I’ll try to respond the best I can, and maybe it will help me organize my thoughts a bit better in regards to this subject. Also, feel free to e-mail me at twinsfan21@msn.com. Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!
Monday, June 28, 2004
A Blessing in Disguise?
Originally, I had planned a post for today entitled “The Fifth Element”, which was to be about the pickle the Twins currently find themselves in regarding their fifth starter situation. However, something much more pressing occurred on Sunday that requires extrapolation. John and I weigh in on the big trade that went down in the AL Central.
Freddy Garcia and Ben Davis are traded to the Chicago White Sox for Miguel Olivo, Jeremy Reed, and Michael Morse
The gut reaction many Twins fans will have to this trade is “Holy criznap! The White Sox just traded for the best pitcher on the market! We’re screwed!” I choose to rise above this reaction and look a little deeper into the trade. Honestly, I do not think this will make or break the AL Central race. For sure, this is going to be a two-team race (eventually) between the Twins and White Sox. But Freddy Garcia, as good as he used to be, is not the ace that he used to be. For sure, he is still a solid pitcher. He’s 4-7 this year with a 3.20 ERA and 1.20 WHIP. However, in 2002 and 2003 he was pretty average, posting ERAs of 4.39 and 4.51 respectively. Yes, he is still a good pitcher, but not the kind of guy that will win a pennant for you. And not worth what the Sox gave up for him.
That last sentence touches on the most important aspect of this trade: the huge price the White Sox paid to get arguably the best pitcher on the market. First of all, they gave up one of the most promising young catchers in the league. Olivo hit .270 with 7 HRs and 25 RBIs for the Sox this year, and had a respectable .799 OPS (for a catcher). He’s only 25, has good speed for a catcher, and is solid defensively. Not exactly an untradeable commodity, but Olivo is a guy you hate to give up on. His new replacement, Davis, was absolutely putrid this year before being sent down, and although he is a capable major leaguer he will struggle to fill Olivo’s shoes.
The Mariners were also able to finagle the White Sox top prospect, 23 year-old OF Jeremy Reed, out of the deal. Now, I know you’ve all heard lately that Reed is overrated, but it can’t be denied that he should still become a very good major league player. He was lights-out in 66 games at AA last year (1.065 OPS) but has been only human in his first season at AAA this year, batting .279 with 8 HRs and 12 steals in 272 ABs (he does have 36 walks to 33 strikeouts though). There was some speculation that he would make the team out of spring training this year, although that failed to materialize. The third player in the trade was the AA third basemen Morse, who is just 22 years old. He is having his best minor league season at Birmingham, as he already has 11 HRs and 38 RBIs. The bottom line is : White Sox GM Kenny Williams simply gave up too much for a pitcher that makes almost $7 million this year and really isn’t that good anyway. Yes, this trade does help the Sox solidify the 5th spot in their rotation for now, but what about next year? And 2006? Obviously, the White Sox aren’t concerned about such trivialities.
John’s take:
We have to strike back. Then again, maybe not. While it's scary that at this point the biggest flaw on the White Sox we all have been pointing to now appears to be fixed, nothing has changed. The Twins are a team that defies the odds because they play as a team. Heck, they've actually been outscored by their opponents this year and still sit in first place. They have a winning formula and stick to it. They have proven that they can survive slumps and injuries. Their pitching is still better then the White Sox and really coming around. Their hitting has been troubling as of late but they have always been a streaky bunch. Then you couple in that the Twins have yet to make a move of their own and what they stand to gain from returning players and it becomes scary for the White Sox.
Freddy Garcia has been a great pitcher this year, he has been a great pitcher in past years. Unfortunately he had some terrible years wedged right in the middle. Which Freddy Garcia is going to show up? He has never played in a World Series and while he has pitched very well against the Yankees in the playoffs, he really doesn't qualify as a true ace. The White Sox still gave up "ace" quality prospects to get him. Jeremy Reed could be special and should have brought much more in a trade.
Oliva was a vital part of a team that has lacked chemistry in the past. They will miss his talent behind the plate. Ben Davis has never lived up to his own hype. It is true that the White Sox have more firepower than the Twins. They always have. They just can't find the way to put those pieces together. I expect them to surge for awhile following this trade then fall into a slump in which they can't get out of.
In the meantime, the Twins do need to make a trade of their own. They have no in house candidate ready to take the fifth starter spot in the rotation. Geurrier has looked terrible and isn't the answer. It would be unacceptable for the Twins to not take from their glut of outfielders and turn it into something useful. There is also a huge gap in the middle of the bullpen as evidenced by yesterday's game. The Twins should not put it all on the young Jesse Crain to be the savior. There are good veteran relievers out there who will get the job done. Another bat would be nice to see, but I see the team coming out of its hitting slump soon.
The Twins need to be aggressive too. A window of opportunity only lasts so long. They have a bright future and present. Standing pat would be a mistake as long as doing something doesn't mortgage the future.
Freddy Garcia and Ben Davis are traded to the Chicago White Sox for Miguel Olivo, Jeremy Reed, and Michael Morse
The gut reaction many Twins fans will have to this trade is “Holy criznap! The White Sox just traded for the best pitcher on the market! We’re screwed!” I choose to rise above this reaction and look a little deeper into the trade. Honestly, I do not think this will make or break the AL Central race. For sure, this is going to be a two-team race (eventually) between the Twins and White Sox. But Freddy Garcia, as good as he used to be, is not the ace that he used to be. For sure, he is still a solid pitcher. He’s 4-7 this year with a 3.20 ERA and 1.20 WHIP. However, in 2002 and 2003 he was pretty average, posting ERAs of 4.39 and 4.51 respectively. Yes, he is still a good pitcher, but not the kind of guy that will win a pennant for you. And not worth what the Sox gave up for him.
That last sentence touches on the most important aspect of this trade: the huge price the White Sox paid to get arguably the best pitcher on the market. First of all, they gave up one of the most promising young catchers in the league. Olivo hit .270 with 7 HRs and 25 RBIs for the Sox this year, and had a respectable .799 OPS (for a catcher). He’s only 25, has good speed for a catcher, and is solid defensively. Not exactly an untradeable commodity, but Olivo is a guy you hate to give up on. His new replacement, Davis, was absolutely putrid this year before being sent down, and although he is a capable major leaguer he will struggle to fill Olivo’s shoes.
The Mariners were also able to finagle the White Sox top prospect, 23 year-old OF Jeremy Reed, out of the deal. Now, I know you’ve all heard lately that Reed is overrated, but it can’t be denied that he should still become a very good major league player. He was lights-out in 66 games at AA last year (1.065 OPS) but has been only human in his first season at AAA this year, batting .279 with 8 HRs and 12 steals in 272 ABs (he does have 36 walks to 33 strikeouts though). There was some speculation that he would make the team out of spring training this year, although that failed to materialize. The third player in the trade was the AA third basemen Morse, who is just 22 years old. He is having his best minor league season at Birmingham, as he already has 11 HRs and 38 RBIs. The bottom line is : White Sox GM Kenny Williams simply gave up too much for a pitcher that makes almost $7 million this year and really isn’t that good anyway. Yes, this trade does help the Sox solidify the 5th spot in their rotation for now, but what about next year? And 2006? Obviously, the White Sox aren’t concerned about such trivialities.
John’s take:
We have to strike back. Then again, maybe not. While it's scary that at this point the biggest flaw on the White Sox we all have been pointing to now appears to be fixed, nothing has changed. The Twins are a team that defies the odds because they play as a team. Heck, they've actually been outscored by their opponents this year and still sit in first place. They have a winning formula and stick to it. They have proven that they can survive slumps and injuries. Their pitching is still better then the White Sox and really coming around. Their hitting has been troubling as of late but they have always been a streaky bunch. Then you couple in that the Twins have yet to make a move of their own and what they stand to gain from returning players and it becomes scary for the White Sox.
Freddy Garcia has been a great pitcher this year, he has been a great pitcher in past years. Unfortunately he had some terrible years wedged right in the middle. Which Freddy Garcia is going to show up? He has never played in a World Series and while he has pitched very well against the Yankees in the playoffs, he really doesn't qualify as a true ace. The White Sox still gave up "ace" quality prospects to get him. Jeremy Reed could be special and should have brought much more in a trade.
Oliva was a vital part of a team that has lacked chemistry in the past. They will miss his talent behind the plate. Ben Davis has never lived up to his own hype. It is true that the White Sox have more firepower than the Twins. They always have. They just can't find the way to put those pieces together. I expect them to surge for awhile following this trade then fall into a slump in which they can't get out of.
In the meantime, the Twins do need to make a trade of their own. They have no in house candidate ready to take the fifth starter spot in the rotation. Geurrier has looked terrible and isn't the answer. It would be unacceptable for the Twins to not take from their glut of outfielders and turn it into something useful. There is also a huge gap in the middle of the bullpen as evidenced by yesterday's game. The Twins should not put it all on the young Jesse Crain to be the savior. There are good veteran relievers out there who will get the job done. Another bat would be nice to see, but I see the team coming out of its hitting slump soon.
The Twins need to be aggressive too. A window of opportunity only lasts so long. They have a bright future and present. Standing pat would be a mistake as long as doing something doesn't mortgage the future.
Friday, June 25, 2004
Twins Win!
It was a great game yesterday with the Twins winning 4-3 over the Red Sox in 10 innings. Once again Brad Radke failed to get much for run support and the bullpen couldn't hold the his lead when they came in. Grant Balfour finally showed the signs of being the reliever the Twins need right now though and pitched enough scoreless innings for the team to score the winning run in the 10th allowing Joe Nathan to notch the save. I'm not going to post a new column today in order to allow everyone an extra day to read Ryan's piece comparing the 2004 Royals to the 2002 Twins. It's a very interesting comparison. It is a wonder how some teams are able to get over the hump while others regress before they ever get anywhere. There will be a Twinschatter column this weekend for anyone interested so stop back and see what we want to chat about.
Thursday, June 24, 2004
What Went Right and What Went Wrong?
The Twins pulled out a very nice 4-2 win over the BoSox on Wednesday night, but because the power was out at my house for most of the evening, I wasn’t able to catch the game on TV. Instead of a game recap (which I’m sure you’ll be able to find at one or more other blogs), I wanted to discuss a topic that has always intrigued me: the difference between the 2002 Minnesota Twins and the 2004 Kansas City Royals.
As most baseball fans already know, Royals GM Allard Baird has announced that he is willing to trade almost every veteran player on the Royals’ roster before the trading deadline. 2004 has been a complete nightmare for the preseason’s ‘chic’ pick in the AL Central. The Royals, who most believed would challenge the Twins and White Sox for a playoff spot this season, currently sit in last place at 28-40, 10 games behind the first-place Twins. For all intents and purposes, this season is over for the Royals.
Before this season began, many people (including myself) likened the 2003 Royals to the 2001 Twins. Both teams were relatively young; both were perennial losers in the latter part of the 1990s; and both emerged as surprise contenders in the weak AL Central only to come up short in September. In case you don’t remember, the Twins finished with a record of 85-77 in 2001, and the Royals finished 83-79 in 2003. I distinctly remember many “experts” being cautiously optimistic about the Twins’ chances in 2002, but we all know that they far exceeded anyone’s expectations. With that precedent already in place, many of these same experts were quick to anoint the Royals as the favorites in 2004. They had kept nearly every piece from 2003, and even added a few new ones: veteran slugger Juan Gonzalez, ageless catcher Benito Santiago, and steady reliever Scott Sulivan. They also brought back 2003 mid-season acquisitions Brian Anderson, Kevin Appier, and Curtis Leskanic.
So what gives? Logic says that the Royals should have been a better team in 2004 than they were in 2003. Now, I fully realize how “flukey” their good record was in 2003 when you look at such things as the Pythagorean standings (more on them tomorrow). But that argument has been done to death, and quite frankly, I’m sick of it. Instead, I would like to briefly compare, position-by-position, the 2002 Twins and 2004 Royals.
Catcher: A.J. Pierzynski vs. Benito Santiago
When I saw that the Royals had signed Santiago this past off-season, I wasn’t exactly sure what the move would accomplish. I don’t know exactly what the Royals were expecting to get out of the 38 year-old catcher (perhaps just veteran leadership?), but it’s safe to say that he has been just average this year (.763 OPS). He recently broke his hand and is out 8 weeks, so the Royals won’t even be able to trade him! A.J., on the other hand, blossomed into one of the game’s best young catchers in 2002, as he was one of the team’s better hitters. The biggest difference between the two is the sticker price: A.J. made the minimum while Benito will cost the Royals $4.3 million over the next two years.
Advantage: 2002 Twins because of age, potential, and money
First Basemen: Ken Harvey vs. Doug Mientkiewicz
Although the two were originally slated to share the 1B/DHing duties, I have chosen Harvey over Sweeney for this spot because Sweeney’s injuries have forced him to DH more. Harvey has been a pleasant surprise this year, hitting .350 with a .897 OPS. There aren’t many bad things you can say about those numbers. Dougie Baseball, on the other hand, had a mediocre 2002 season as he hit .261 with just 10 HRs and 64 RBIs. Both made (or are making) around the minimum as 2nd or 3rd year players. Mientkiewicz is far superior defensively, as he won a Gold Glove in 2002.
Advantage: 2004 Royals, as Harvey is a young player having a breakout season; although had I done this analysis before April I may have gone the other way.
Second Basemen: Luis Rivas vs. Desi Relaford/Tony Graffanino
Ouch. The competition at this position isn’t all that fierce. Rivas was injured early in 2002 and never really got on track following his stellar 2001 season. Relaford was a key part of the Royals’ 2003 success, but he’s having a terrible 2004 (.197 BA). Graffanino is a role player who has played well in limited duty at 2B, but there isn’t a whole lot of potential there. This is a tough one to pick.
Advantage: Draw. Rivas at least showed signs of potential in 2001 and 2002, but despite Graffanino’s decent 2004 performance, he is what he is And pretty much everyone knew Relaford was a fluke in 2003.
Third Base: Corey Koskie vs. Joe Randa
Joe Randa’s lack of power this year is one of the main reasons why the Royals have been so terrible, as he has just 2 homers in 229 at-bats this year. The Royals were counting on him to produce, and he has flopped miserably. Now Koskie wasn’t a ball of fire back in ’02 (.815 OPS but just 15 HRs and 69 RBIs) following his breakout 2001, but Randa isn’t on pace to even come close to those numbers. And Randa makes a lot more money ($3.25 mil) than Koskie did ($300K).
Advantage: Big-time 2002 Twins. Koskie is simply far better all around than Randa, in almost every facet of his game. And the price was right.
Shortstop: Angel Berroa vs. Christian Guzman
The Royals were really counting on Berroa, 2003’s AL ROY, to step it up in ’04 and anchor the infield. He has struggled with injuries and sickness and has been very underwhelming (.686 OPS in 218 ABs) thus far. However, Guzman also had a disappointing 2002 after his All-Star 2001 season, so this is a tough matchup to call.
Advantage: 2004 Royals. We have the value of 20/20 hindsight on this one. Guzman has yet to live up to his potential, while Berroa, despite his weak performance thus far, has at least shown flashes of brilliance. However, both teams counted on much more from their shortstops. The Twins were able to survive, while the Royals obviously haven’t.
Outfield: Jacque Jones/Torii Hunter/Dusty Kielmohr vs. Matt Stairs/Carlos Beltran/Juan Gonzalez
Each of these two contestants have their strengths and weaknesses. The Twins’ foursome (including the infamous Mohr/Kielty platoon) was young, cheap, hungry, but somewhat unproven entering 2002. The Royals’ ideal OF consisted of three veterans, including the superstar Beltran. Stairs has actually played quite well (.802 OPS and 10 HRs), but Gonzo was a complete (and predictable) failure. Baird knew he was taking a risk when his signed the oft-injured Gonzalez for $4 million this off-season, but like almost everything else, it turned out quite badly for our foes down the interstate. Gonzalez only had 17 RBIs before he was injured, and it appears the Royals are stuck with his contract. Baird also passed up myriad chances to trade Beltran this off-season in anticipation of the 2004 “pennant drive that never was”. While he has been his normal productive self, he almost certainly will be traded within a few weeks. In ’02, Jacque and Torii cost a fraction of what Gonzo and Beltran will make this year, and I guarantee the latter won’t come close to matching the production of the former.
Advantage: 2002 Twins. The Gonzalez signing was a dumb risk, and you don’t win championships with a bunch of “maybes” (a common theme with the 2004 Royals). Beltran is still very good, but even he’s not worth what the Royals will pay him this season.
Starting Pitching: Radke/Reed/Lohse/Milton vs. Anderson/Gobble/May/Affeldt
Here we are at last. This is the category that separates the pretenders from the contenders. The big question surrounding the 2004 Royals was: “Will their starting pitching come through?” The answer, as we all know, has been a resounding “NO!”. Brian Anderson was supposed to be the ace of this “staff”, yet he proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that his solid 2003 was a fluke with a 7.00 ERA so far this season (and we’re in late June!). The Royals gave Darrell May a big contract this winter following a very good 2003, but he has an ERA of almost 6.00 this season. Young Jimmy Gobble has been the Royals’ best starter, but even he has been mediocre (4.54 ERA w/4 wins). Affeldt struggled with injuries and was moved to the bullpen, but he has been surprising bad this year as well (1.65 WHIP), especially for someone so talented.
I fully realize the Twins starting rotation in 2002 wasn’t the world’s greatest by any means, but at least they had a few guys (Reed, Radke, and Milton) who had proved themselves at the big league level for more than one year. Sure, all four were pretty middling in ’02 (except Reed, who had a pretty good regular season), but they were good enough.
Advantage: 2002 Twins. This is the X-Factor. The Royals took an awful risk with their 2004 rotation, and it failed miserably. The Twins played it safe (despite the added costs) and it paid off in the long run.
Bullpen: Guardado/Hawkins/Romero/Jackson/Fiore vs. Sullivan/Grimsley/Leskanic/MacDougall
This is a no-brainer, for obvious reasons. The 2002 bullpen was quite possibly the best in franchise history (especially with wunderkind Johan Santana). Many thought the Royals’ bullpen would be solid this year, and if you look at individuals, it hasn’t been all that terrible (Sullivan and Grimsely have been pretty decent). But the collapses of Leskanic (since released) and MacDougall have been crippling. MacDougall was an All-Star last season, but he has only pitched 3.1 big league innings this year. What was perceived as a potential strength before the season has turned into yet another weakness for the Royals, while exactly the opposite was true for the 2002 Twins.
Advantage: Big-time 2002 Twins. There is little explanation even needed here. The Royals tried to go with proven bullpen arms, but they have simply not lived up to expectations. The Twins went with unprovens, yet it turned out spectacularly. Go figure. Had you compared these two teams before their respective seasons, the verdict might have been a little closer, but I still don’t like cobbling a bullpen together with a bunch of overpriced middle relievers. The Twins went for a blend of young arms and veterans, which seems to be a much better recipe for success.
Well, there you have it. I realize this rudimentary analysis was done with the benefit of 20/20 hindsight, but as you can see, the rest of the country should have realized before the season began that the 2004 Royals would never hold a candle to the 2002 Twins. If you have any thoughts of your own, feel free to drop a note in the comments section below, or e-mail me at twinsfan21@msn.com. Thanks for stopping by Twins Chatter and have a good day.
As most baseball fans already know, Royals GM Allard Baird has announced that he is willing to trade almost every veteran player on the Royals’ roster before the trading deadline. 2004 has been a complete nightmare for the preseason’s ‘chic’ pick in the AL Central. The Royals, who most believed would challenge the Twins and White Sox for a playoff spot this season, currently sit in last place at 28-40, 10 games behind the first-place Twins. For all intents and purposes, this season is over for the Royals.
Before this season began, many people (including myself) likened the 2003 Royals to the 2001 Twins. Both teams were relatively young; both were perennial losers in the latter part of the 1990s; and both emerged as surprise contenders in the weak AL Central only to come up short in September. In case you don’t remember, the Twins finished with a record of 85-77 in 2001, and the Royals finished 83-79 in 2003. I distinctly remember many “experts” being cautiously optimistic about the Twins’ chances in 2002, but we all know that they far exceeded anyone’s expectations. With that precedent already in place, many of these same experts were quick to anoint the Royals as the favorites in 2004. They had kept nearly every piece from 2003, and even added a few new ones: veteran slugger Juan Gonzalez, ageless catcher Benito Santiago, and steady reliever Scott Sulivan. They also brought back 2003 mid-season acquisitions Brian Anderson, Kevin Appier, and Curtis Leskanic.
So what gives? Logic says that the Royals should have been a better team in 2004 than they were in 2003. Now, I fully realize how “flukey” their good record was in 2003 when you look at such things as the Pythagorean standings (more on them tomorrow). But that argument has been done to death, and quite frankly, I’m sick of it. Instead, I would like to briefly compare, position-by-position, the 2002 Twins and 2004 Royals.
Catcher: A.J. Pierzynski vs. Benito Santiago
When I saw that the Royals had signed Santiago this past off-season, I wasn’t exactly sure what the move would accomplish. I don’t know exactly what the Royals were expecting to get out of the 38 year-old catcher (perhaps just veteran leadership?), but it’s safe to say that he has been just average this year (.763 OPS). He recently broke his hand and is out 8 weeks, so the Royals won’t even be able to trade him! A.J., on the other hand, blossomed into one of the game’s best young catchers in 2002, as he was one of the team’s better hitters. The biggest difference between the two is the sticker price: A.J. made the minimum while Benito will cost the Royals $4.3 million over the next two years.
Advantage: 2002 Twins because of age, potential, and money
First Basemen: Ken Harvey vs. Doug Mientkiewicz
Although the two were originally slated to share the 1B/DHing duties, I have chosen Harvey over Sweeney for this spot because Sweeney’s injuries have forced him to DH more. Harvey has been a pleasant surprise this year, hitting .350 with a .897 OPS. There aren’t many bad things you can say about those numbers. Dougie Baseball, on the other hand, had a mediocre 2002 season as he hit .261 with just 10 HRs and 64 RBIs. Both made (or are making) around the minimum as 2nd or 3rd year players. Mientkiewicz is far superior defensively, as he won a Gold Glove in 2002.
Advantage: 2004 Royals, as Harvey is a young player having a breakout season; although had I done this analysis before April I may have gone the other way.
Second Basemen: Luis Rivas vs. Desi Relaford/Tony Graffanino
Ouch. The competition at this position isn’t all that fierce. Rivas was injured early in 2002 and never really got on track following his stellar 2001 season. Relaford was a key part of the Royals’ 2003 success, but he’s having a terrible 2004 (.197 BA). Graffanino is a role player who has played well in limited duty at 2B, but there isn’t a whole lot of potential there. This is a tough one to pick.
Advantage: Draw. Rivas at least showed signs of potential in 2001 and 2002, but despite Graffanino’s decent 2004 performance, he is what he is And pretty much everyone knew Relaford was a fluke in 2003.
Third Base: Corey Koskie vs. Joe Randa
Joe Randa’s lack of power this year is one of the main reasons why the Royals have been so terrible, as he has just 2 homers in 229 at-bats this year. The Royals were counting on him to produce, and he has flopped miserably. Now Koskie wasn’t a ball of fire back in ’02 (.815 OPS but just 15 HRs and 69 RBIs) following his breakout 2001, but Randa isn’t on pace to even come close to those numbers. And Randa makes a lot more money ($3.25 mil) than Koskie did ($300K).
Advantage: Big-time 2002 Twins. Koskie is simply far better all around than Randa, in almost every facet of his game. And the price was right.
Shortstop: Angel Berroa vs. Christian Guzman
The Royals were really counting on Berroa, 2003’s AL ROY, to step it up in ’04 and anchor the infield. He has struggled with injuries and sickness and has been very underwhelming (.686 OPS in 218 ABs) thus far. However, Guzman also had a disappointing 2002 after his All-Star 2001 season, so this is a tough matchup to call.
Advantage: 2004 Royals. We have the value of 20/20 hindsight on this one. Guzman has yet to live up to his potential, while Berroa, despite his weak performance thus far, has at least shown flashes of brilliance. However, both teams counted on much more from their shortstops. The Twins were able to survive, while the Royals obviously haven’t.
Outfield: Jacque Jones/Torii Hunter/Dusty Kielmohr vs. Matt Stairs/Carlos Beltran/Juan Gonzalez
Each of these two contestants have their strengths and weaknesses. The Twins’ foursome (including the infamous Mohr/Kielty platoon) was young, cheap, hungry, but somewhat unproven entering 2002. The Royals’ ideal OF consisted of three veterans, including the superstar Beltran. Stairs has actually played quite well (.802 OPS and 10 HRs), but Gonzo was a complete (and predictable) failure. Baird knew he was taking a risk when his signed the oft-injured Gonzalez for $4 million this off-season, but like almost everything else, it turned out quite badly for our foes down the interstate. Gonzalez only had 17 RBIs before he was injured, and it appears the Royals are stuck with his contract. Baird also passed up myriad chances to trade Beltran this off-season in anticipation of the 2004 “pennant drive that never was”. While he has been his normal productive self, he almost certainly will be traded within a few weeks. In ’02, Jacque and Torii cost a fraction of what Gonzo and Beltran will make this year, and I guarantee the latter won’t come close to matching the production of the former.
Advantage: 2002 Twins. The Gonzalez signing was a dumb risk, and you don’t win championships with a bunch of “maybes” (a common theme with the 2004 Royals). Beltran is still very good, but even he’s not worth what the Royals will pay him this season.
Starting Pitching: Radke/Reed/Lohse/Milton vs. Anderson/Gobble/May/Affeldt
Here we are at last. This is the category that separates the pretenders from the contenders. The big question surrounding the 2004 Royals was: “Will their starting pitching come through?” The answer, as we all know, has been a resounding “NO!”. Brian Anderson was supposed to be the ace of this “staff”, yet he proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that his solid 2003 was a fluke with a 7.00 ERA so far this season (and we’re in late June!). The Royals gave Darrell May a big contract this winter following a very good 2003, but he has an ERA of almost 6.00 this season. Young Jimmy Gobble has been the Royals’ best starter, but even he has been mediocre (4.54 ERA w/4 wins). Affeldt struggled with injuries and was moved to the bullpen, but he has been surprising bad this year as well (1.65 WHIP), especially for someone so talented.
I fully realize the Twins starting rotation in 2002 wasn’t the world’s greatest by any means, but at least they had a few guys (Reed, Radke, and Milton) who had proved themselves at the big league level for more than one year. Sure, all four were pretty middling in ’02 (except Reed, who had a pretty good regular season), but they were good enough.
Advantage: 2002 Twins. This is the X-Factor. The Royals took an awful risk with their 2004 rotation, and it failed miserably. The Twins played it safe (despite the added costs) and it paid off in the long run.
Bullpen: Guardado/Hawkins/Romero/Jackson/Fiore vs. Sullivan/Grimsley/Leskanic/MacDougall
This is a no-brainer, for obvious reasons. The 2002 bullpen was quite possibly the best in franchise history (especially with wunderkind Johan Santana). Many thought the Royals’ bullpen would be solid this year, and if you look at individuals, it hasn’t been all that terrible (Sullivan and Grimsely have been pretty decent). But the collapses of Leskanic (since released) and MacDougall have been crippling. MacDougall was an All-Star last season, but he has only pitched 3.1 big league innings this year. What was perceived as a potential strength before the season has turned into yet another weakness for the Royals, while exactly the opposite was true for the 2002 Twins.
Advantage: Big-time 2002 Twins. There is little explanation even needed here. The Royals tried to go with proven bullpen arms, but they have simply not lived up to expectations. The Twins went with unprovens, yet it turned out spectacularly. Go figure. Had you compared these two teams before their respective seasons, the verdict might have been a little closer, but I still don’t like cobbling a bullpen together with a bunch of overpriced middle relievers. The Twins went for a blend of young arms and veterans, which seems to be a much better recipe for success.
Well, there you have it. I realize this rudimentary analysis was done with the benefit of 20/20 hindsight, but as you can see, the rest of the country should have realized before the season began that the 2004 Royals would never hold a candle to the 2002 Twins. If you have any thoughts of your own, feel free to drop a note in the comments section below, or e-mail me at twinsfan21@msn.com. Thanks for stopping by Twins Chatter and have a good day.
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