Category Archives: Minnesota Twins

2012 Twins Game Recaps, Minnesota Twins, MLB

Game 53: Twins 6, Indians 3

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The Twins win (with bunting).

"I think we can have three or four guys bunt in a row," Gardenhire said. "That makes it entertaining for the manager, who can just sit and watch them run around for a while." Scott Diamond improves to 4-1 by pitching 7 innings giving up 7 hits. The Indians managed 3 unearned runs. Joe Mauer sprained his right thumb during the 7th. "I fouled a pitch back and felt it," said Mauer. "It was barking pretty good, so I got some ice on it."

Dozier, Willingham and Plouffe! all hit doubles and Laddie had 2 sacrifice flies. Dozier and Plouffe! also had E's on the day which led to runs.

I don't know if there's any way this team competes for the playoffs, but I'd rather watch them win than lose.

 

2012 Twins Game Recaps, Minnesota Twins, MLB

Game 48 Recap: Oakland Athletics 4, Minnesota Twins 5

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sorry, you guys. totally forgot about the recap. i must have thought it was a dream or something with capps (barely) shutting the door (here's proof if you don't believe me). the twins rallied from behind, tying the game on a ball that the mountie knocked the crap out of, and donut gave them the lead with a ball that was about 50 feet from being a home run. twins baseball!

i’m sticking with the “When will teh suck end” tag as i’m unconvinced, but this is an important first step.

2012 Twins Game Recaps, Minnesota Twins, MLB

Game 47: Tigers 4, Twins 3

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The Tigers complete the three-game sweep in Minnesota. It's easy enough to pin this one on Capps. After all, he did snatch a win out of P.J.'s (and the Twins') hands by giving up the go-ahead runs in the top of the 9th. However, it was his first blown save in 10 chances and the boys missed plenty of opportunities with men in scoring position (3-10) today.  They had their chance again in the 9th. DSpan led off the home-half with a single but then Revere popped out on his bunt attempt and Mauer lined out to left for the 2nd out. Willingham managed a walk after Span had stole 2nd. 1st and 2nd, two outs and Mountie strode to the plate 0-for-the-day. He promptly flied out to right to end the game. Again, if Capps takes care of business, none of that matters. But bagging on him is just too easy. I don't think it's too much to ask of the top of the order to push one run across, especially when the first man up reaches base. If you disagree, that's fine (I'm know the probability of scoring a run improves with the lead-off man aboard, but I don't know what the chances of scoring a run in any given inning is - and I'm just too tired to go find out). Either way, this game weekend season sucked.

P.S. Kundos to Padre & NBB for holding down the game log!

2012 Twins Game Recaps, Minnesota Twins, MLB

Game 41: Twins 4, Brewers 16

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After a very nice start to the roadtrip, I kind of expected the Twins to lay an egg here. I just didn't expect it to be an ostrich egg. Marquis hasn't exactly been a model of success and his mound opponent, Zack Greinke, hadn't lost a home start in Milwaukee (14-0). He wouldn't lose today either. The Twins managed to plate a run in the top of the 1st after a Revere double and Willingham RBI single, but it was all Brewers after that. Hart and Lucroy smashed solo shots in the home half of the 1st and Milwaukee added 6 more in the 2nd. To be honest, I mentally checked out after that, only tuning back in when I heard that Butters would be pitching in the 8th. I enjoyed this years installment of "The High Point of..." even more than last years. He also picked up an RBI today, taking a bases loaded walk in the 9th to push across the Twins' 4th run. Oh, yeah - the singles hitting pussy only managed to go 4-5 today, pushing his average back up to .293.

Minnesota Twins, MLB

Looking Ahead

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With the Twins' season on life support, the best hope for this team lies in the future. Unfortunately, their best prospect is at least a couple years away, even in the best-case scenario. As most avid fans know, that top prospect is Miguel Sano, who is dominating in the minors at a young age in a way not seen since a certain young catcher was drafted No. 1 by his hometown team, but even that catcher did not show the power Sano has. Of course, Sano hasn't shown the defensive skills and baseball instincts that Mauer had.

Still, Sano has me thinking what could be in a couple years. Sano is dominating at Beloit, so he should be promoted to Ft. Myers before too long. He could conceivably start 2013 in New Britain and the Twins have shown they are willing to skip AAA for the right prospect (such as Mauer), so Sano could be up in 2014. Mauer will still be under contract and if he is still catching, that could be a dynamic duo to build around. I thought I would look at the team the Twins could put around him.

Those under contract in 2014: Mauer, Willingham, Span and Perkins. So, that is a nice start. The Twins have an option on Blackburn, but I can't imagine them picking that up.

Arb eligible: Duensing, Valencia, Burnett, Swarzak, Gray, Maloney and Butera. One solid reliever but not much else. Valencia might be worth keeping in his first year of arbitration.

Serfs/Prospects: Sano, Dozier, Plouffe, Revere, Diamond, Hendriks, Walters, Parmelee, Benson, Arcia, Guerra, Waldrop, Manship, DeVries, Levi Michael, Wilkin Ramirez, Gibson, Wimmers, Rosario, Florimon, Carlos Gutierrez, Slama, Chris Herrmann.

So, here's what I'm looking at:

C: Mauer, Herrmann

1B: Parmelee (Arcia? Sano? Valencia? Plouffe?)

2B: Rosario (Michael? Dozier? Florimon?)

3B: Sano (Valencia?)

SS: Dozier (Michael? Florimon?)

OF: Willingham, Span, Benson, Arcia, Revere, Hicks, Plouffe

DH: Willingham? Plouffe? Arcia?

SP: Gibson, Hendriks, Wimmers, Diamond, Swarzak/Walters/Manship/DeVries/No. 1 pick

RP: Perkins, Duensing, Gutierrez, Slama, Guerra, Waldrop, Burnett

I think that would be a fun team to watch. At least more fun that what we saw the first six weeks of this season or all but a couple of weeks of last season. The starting pitching looks to continue to be a concern along with the second catcher and first base. Rosario at second is a stretch and Michael has struggled in Ft. Myers, but both have higher potential than most of the prospects. Of course, the injuries to Gibson and Wimmers are real concerns. I'd like to think a top college pitcher could make it to the majors quickly, but 2014 would be pushing it. Even if the Twins get him signed quickly, I doubt they'll have him pitch more than a handful of innings after a full collegiate season, so he'll probably still start 2013 in Ft. Myers. The Twins have  had a few college pitchers go from Ft. Myers to Rochester in one season, but that's asking a lot. The good news, is that this roster would be well under the current $100M payroll. The Twins only have about $41M committed to 2014 and Duensing and Butera would be the only players in their second year of arbitration (none in their third), and I doubt either will command much money. It wouldn't surprise me at all if Doumit was re-signed or given an extension. This is a perfect situation for him. A lineup could look like this:

Span
Dozier
Mauer
Willingham
Doumit
Sano
Arcia
Benson
Rosario

That could be fun to watch.

Minnesota Twins

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

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first and foremost: i am extremely far down on the list of analysts of our hometown squadron. faaaaaar down. that said, i'd like to query the nation: is it time for regime change? and if so, how far up the ladder?

it's been noted that there are questions about the medical staff. the training staff. the front office. the management. up and down the farm system. what changes are needed?

all of those are valid questions, and a debate in themselves. in what we can more immediately see, how about gardy? he was given the dreaded vote of confidence by the ownership, but is it time for a change to be made? how much of gardy's success has been a fertile farm system that continually supplied him with major league talent?

please don't misunderstand me, i'm not saying that it's time to FIRE GARDY AND VARVA!, but i think we're reaching a point where it's becoming a valid conversation. to be fair, he's had to deal with an antietam of injuries (again, medical staff? training staff?), and bare cupboards in the farm system (front office? farm management?). however, that is nothing new for a lot of baseball teams.

personally i feel that, yes, gardy doesn't have a lot to work with. even so, or maybe even more importantly, he doesn't seem able to manage what he has. gleeman's been banging the platoon drum for years. the rigid lineup by position has been in effect for just as long. why does he (if it is him) have an insistence on redundant pitchers, extra catchers, non-boat rockers, and scrappy middle infielders to the detriment of the rest of the roster? is it time for a manager with a more savvy, problem-solving approach to take the reins? new blood instead of old guard? as an honest question that i'm not quite sure how to answer, what strengths does gardenhire bring to the table in dealing with the situation he has in front of him?

again, i'm not advocating a position, just a conversation...

2012 Twins Game Recaps, Minnesota Twins, MLB

Game 34: Toronto 3, Minnesota 4

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Twins winning hand includes the Ace of Diamonds

The Twins find a Diamond in the rough.

Diamonds are forever.

Diamond pitched a real gem.

Diamonds are [a] Gardy's best friend.

Blue Jays cut down by a Diamond.

Forget it. I'll just go with "A very nice outing by Scott Diamond." 0 runs on 5 hits over 7 innings while walking none, striking out 4 and calmly taking a screaming liner off the back of his throwing shoulder.* He gets the W and is now 2-0. The Toronto Ace Opening Day Starter, Ricky Romero, picked up his first loss of the season.

Offense couldn't help but score some runs off of 8 walks (Pussy with 3!) and 10 hits. Unfortunately, they only plated 4, leaving 11 men on base and hitting into 3 double plays (Plouffe! with 2 of them). In the end, 4 was enough to get the win.

Continue reading Game 34: Toronto 3, Minnesota 4 →

History, Minnesota Twins

May 9, 1972: Random Day in Twins History

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I used a random number generator to pick a season from the past with the idea that I would quickly highlight the Twins history that occurred today in that year.  The generator sent me to the year 1972.

Twins 4, Yankees 2 - BR Boxscore

The Twins improved to 13-4 on the young season (only seventeen games played at this point because it was the first year ever with games missed due to a work stoppage).  Jim Kaat kept the Yankees at bay for more than eight innings relying primarily on his fastball (he did not have the feel for a screwball he had developed during the offseason) while Phil Roof scored and drove in a run during a spot start (and was replaced by a pinch-runner who scored an additional run).  Those two, combined with some Yankee frustration, pushed the Twins to victory.
Besides Roof, Bobby Darwin was the other offensive star for the Twins with both a double and a triple hit to the opposite field.  Darwin had entered the game in a 1-for-15 slump after hitting 432/500/864 through the team's first twelve games.  Darwin told Sid Hartman, "In the past I've hit a lot of balls to right field but this spring I only hit one before tonight.  I came out early, took some extra batting practice, and I got myself straightened out."  It is unclear whether sixteen year-old Dick Bremer, sitting somewhere in Central Minnesota, took note of Darwin's approach and determined that it was the solution to every hitting slump a Twin would ever face.
Thurman Munson had a rough day for the Yankees.  In the second inning, he was picked off by Kaat while Felipe Alou was at bat.  After Munson's blunder, Alou homered.  The bottom of the seventh proved to be even more frustrating for the future Yankee captain.  With a runner on third, Munson was crossed-up on a pitch out as the Yankees thought Cesar ovar might be asked to squeeze.  Munson was able to block the pitch.  Tovar ultimately drew a walk.  On ball four, the pitch eluded Munson allowing Nettles to score and Tovar ran all the way to third base.  After the game, manager Ralph Houk attempted to cover for Munson by explaining that the catcher simply had lost track of the count and did not realize the pitch was ball four.
Veteran Yankee Horace Clarke provided a scouting report on Kaat: "His fastball velocity probably hasn't the velocity it had [in 1966], but he moves it so well that makes up for it."  Kaat, rather than crediting his fastball or screwball for the win, said, "My best pitch was the at-'em ball."  Kaat ended up pitching very effectively for the 1972 Twins with a 10-2 record and 2.06 ERA, but he broke his hand sliding into second base on July 2 and missed the remainder of the season.
On example of his at-'em ball working well occurred during the top of the eighth inning when Rusty Torres hit a ball sharply up the middle until it ricocheted off Kaat's leg to first baseman Rich Reese for the out.  The following inning, Kaat walked Munson with one out promptly manager Bill Rigney to call on Wayne Granger.  After the game, Houk was second-guessed for not pinch-hitting for Alou with Ron Blomberg, but he defended himself by explaining, "If I sent in Blomberg, Rigney would have brought in [left-handed reliever Dave] LaRoche."  Of course, Rigney could not have removed Granger until after he pitched to at least one batter, so Houk's explanation made no sense.  Granger ended up retiring both batters he faced for his fourth save (LaRoche already had five saves as Rigney mixed and matched the end of games).
Something I never knew: Granger got off to a ridiculously strong start that season.  Through June 25, Granger pitched 36.2 innings with a 0.49 ERA and a opposing slash line of 168/216/184.

Other Twins notes: Just 6,446 fans - the smallest ever to see the Yankees play in Minnesota - attended the game.  Bill Hengen of the Minneapolis Star lamented that there simply was no longer a thrill having the Yankees in town because the team was no longer "menacing or arrogant" like in the 1960s.

Kaat and Roof roomed together on the road (along with Bert Blyleven).  Kaat and Roof were such good bridge players that teammates Eric Soderholm and LaRoche never allowed the two to be partners.

Other history notes: Without venturing too much into the forbidden zone, the news on this day forty years ago was full of interesting stories for a history nerd.  For example, seventeen people were arrested during a protest in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood against both Vietnam and "urban renewal."  Also, the Duluth Board of Education announced it was dropping its plans to desegregate the school district that fall because of public pressure.  Five different schools in Duluth failed to comply with state guidelines for integration, and the abandoned plan would have required busing 900 more children than the status quo.  Sometimes it is hard to believe that school desegregation was an issue a) in Minnesota, and b) eighteen years after Brown v. Board of Education.

Along the same lines, reigning NFL MVP Alan Page was frustrated that he had not received a single endorsement offer during the offseason.  Quarterback Fran Tarkenton, on the other hand, received an offer "just seven minutes after the season" (whatever that means).  The Minneapolis Star worried that Page was being harmed because of his race.