Cup of Coffee

April 7, 2012: Underway

79 Comments

Did you see that Diamondbacks game last night? Awesome! I'm glad I have an adopted team, because the one I was born with...well, I don't know whether to trust them yet.

79 thoughts on “April 7, 2012: Underway”

    3. Bleck. I have always found it sound advice to not focus on hitting home runs; just focus on hitting the ball hard up the middle, and home runs will follow. Hitting to the opposite field seems only prudent when it's an 0-2 count when you're choking up on the bat and protecting the plate. Oh wait, nobody chokes up on the bat anymore.

    4. Hey, would you rather have a .260 hitter that knocks out 30 home runs, or a .290 guy that hits 10?

      Yeah, that's what I thought.

    5. Yeah, this organization can never develop power hitters. Well, except for Morneau. And I guess Cuddyer could hit for power. And I guess Kubel could hit a few. It seems to me that Sano is doing just fine with power. He and Rosario were among the leaders in homers in their league last season. I wouldn't worry about it.

      1. 2011: 14th (last) in AL Homers
        2010: 9th (with Thome getting 25)
        2009: 9th
        2008: 14th
        2007: 13th
        2006: 13th
        2005: 12th
        2004: 6th
        2003: 9th
        2002: 8th
        2001: 9th
        2000: 14th
        1999: 14th
        1998: 13th
        1997: 14th
        1996: 14th
        1995: 13th
        1994: 12th
        1993: 12th
        1992: 10th

        In the last 20 seasons, the Twins have had one (1) season where they have hit more home runs than the league median. One! You are right, they freaking develop power hitters like crazy.

    6. I can understand trying to teach a young player not to get pull happy. But why would they say "focus on hitting the ball to the opposite field" instead of say "focus on making solid contact" which seems like much more sound advice.

    7. Did you actually read the story? The writer and Sano attributed Sano's increase in HRs to the approach the coaching staff had him take.

      (He) attributed the power surge to a new approach at the plate.

      "I've always been aware that I'm a strong guy," Sano said, "but the home runs haven't always been there. My coaches made me focus on hitting the ball up the middle and to the opposite field, and they said the home runs will follow."

      They were right. The 18-year-old batted .292 with a league-leading 45 extra-base hits, 59 RBIs and a .637 slugging percentage to earn a spot on the postseason All-Star team.

  2. From Surly:

    Our beer cart has arrived at Target Field and we spent some time "testing" it out this afternoon. It's located down the third base line, in section 124, and beers will be $7.75 for a 20 oz pour and $8.75 for a 24 oz pour. Surly will also be available in the 573 Bar, which is in the Legends Club. Let's play beer!

    You know $8.75 for 24 oz of Surly at TF isn't that bad of a deal, relatively speaking, especially when you think 12 oz of Michelob Golden Draft goes for $7.25 a 12 oz. bottle.

      1. Here it is. I was half-convinced it had just been sitting there for a long time and I got a Stale Ale, but apparently it's just a crummy beer. At least the Milkmaid offered her the end of her perfectly acceptable Sam Adams Summer. I don't know if it was good, or just a necessary palate-cleanser.

      2. Stay away from anything that will tell you the final score and watch it when you can.

  4. Baker with a flexor strain. Sez Gardy:

    He's kind of been on cruise control not trying to hurt himself. Now he's got to throw the ball, let it fly, then we'll see what they say.

    Can a flexor strain turn into a torn ACL/MCL, or is the flexor a completely different part of the elbow? It seems not, but I could be reading this wrong:

    In high-level athletes an MRI is often ordered to ensure that the pain is not coming from an underlying injury to the ulnar collateral ligament, also known as the Tommy John injury. Most of the time, a flexor-pronator strain is treated with rest from pitching for several weeks to give the tendons time to heal. Ice and physical therapy can also be helpful to decrease the athlete’s symptoms. As the pain improves, the pitcher will be started on a long toss program prior to returning to full pitching.

      1. yeah, that pansy should rub some dirt and pine tar on it and go back out there!!!!

        2. I thought so, but I don't get the call out. Does he have a problem with Welles or Citizen Kane?

          1. The topic has never come up here, as far as I can remember. 😛

            Note to anyone who hasn't been around here for the last seven years or so: if brianS appears to be needling someone, you can probably bet that he's giving me the business, as is the case right here. I suppose I should add that he has a few other targets (ubeldude) as well.

            1. Maybe we should have some sort of quick start guide to the in-jokes around here. For people who haven't been here long, it's got to feel sometimes like we're talking in code or something.

              1. Actually, I kind of like the idea of having to earn it; picking things up through participation and learning from "mistakes" in translation help "newbies" become a member of the community. If you don't understand a reference, you either man-up and ask or pretend like you get it and make a minor fool of yourself. For instance, I once commented that I had not gone to the SBG School of Law, informing the inquisitive party that I'd attended law school at the institution not named for it's most famous alumnus, the 15th CJotUS.

                1. Corn, the hat tip was just to recognize where I'd gotten the link. Poking a stick at Stick, well, that's ... what I do.

  6. From what I've read and heard today, a lot of the media apparently expected the Yankees to go undefeated this year.

        1. For all I know, they may still expect it. After all, can a game really count if the Yankees don't win?

  7. Ubaldo will drop appeal after Saturday start

    "That's probably the plan," Acta said of dropping the appeal. "We're probably going to have to take advantage of the day off coming up and then, that way, we'll just push [Jimenez] up a day and he won't have to miss time."

    It's absurd that you can appeal to delay the suspension and then drop it when it's convenient.

      1. Two walks in this inning now. I fear an implosion.

        I'm also torn on this. Cheer for one of my favorite pitchers to get one, or lament the inevitable "No-hitters aren't impressive anymore because there are too many teams" nonsense from the MSM?

          1. The coolest. If I miss everything else, I just want to see one in person someday. I've never seen one go even as far as the fourth or fifth, I don't think.

            1. the coolest feat I ever witnessed at a ballgame was the Twins hitting into a triple play in the 6th inning. That game was also memorable because the Twins scored a billion runs off Mark Buehrle in the first inning and lost the game.

  11. Indians color guy: "Francisco Cordero now in for the Jays. It's no longer a Save situation [with the Jays up four], but regardless, Cordero is still a formidable foe..."

    These guys really believe that closers pitch better in Save situations, and that makes me sad.

    1. It doesn't say how he died. I assume he saw the Miami Marlins' HR celebration thingy and suffered a heart attack.

        1. Good thing its just a machine and doesn't need its heart.
          I don't know who's in charge of the visuals of the new park, but I've just gotta say "Bravo!"
          I gotta feeling I'm gonna ride these jokes for years.

  13. Eric Byrnes is the color guy for SF-ARI. He's got the worst voice for calling a game I've heard in a long time. Imagine Wilbon at his most riled and never turning it off. That's how annoyed he sounds. It also sounds like he's blowing out his voice because he doesn't know how to pace himself.

    I rather like Wilbon, but three hours of Wilbon calling baseball? I wouldn't want that.

    If any of you others are in the area for this game - and I can't imagine many are, given the huge-market options available - I highly suggest listening for a spell. It's so out of place.

        1. Okay, I thought of who Byrnes reminds me of - former pro wrestling announcer Joey Styles. He'd have a great voice for pro wrestling, but so, so invasive for baseball.

      1. I don't know bad a case it is, obviously, but I wouldn't expect him to be out too long. I've had food poisoning a couple of times, and while it wiped me out pretty quickly, I also bounced back from it pretty quickly.

        1. Its not so much the severity as it is the existence. Technically, I suppose, it really started with Baker. And technically, I suppose, I'm just being really cynical.

      1. Spamsteak...its probably what Hendricks ate that caused him to miss this start.

  15. man, we need some rain down here in Southern Minnesota. Just finished tilling my parents garden and I didnt hit any semblance wet dirt.

    1. I have to sidebar that, seriously, but I think I'll save it as a reward for when I finally go through and remove the outdated banners.

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