Old Name, Old Lesson

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The whole year has been a forced exercise in trusting youth. Will anyone really be surprised if the Twins need to trust another unproven rookie to carry them if Brad Radke’s shoulder doesn’t respond?

Most Twins fans will likely shudder a little if that means trusting Scott Baker again. But though Baker has struggled this season, one need not go back very far to remember exactly how much promise this 24-year-old holds. How about April, when he was the Twins second best pitcher? Or last year, when he posted a 3.35 ERA in his 10 major league starts? If you want to go further back, you might recall that two years ago he was the 2004 version of Matt Garza, racing from A-ball to AAA-ball in his first full year in professional baseball. There were legitimate reasons why this guy ranked above Francisco Liriano in the pecking order this spring.

There’s no indication from his stats in Rochester that he’s taken a step backwards. In Baker’s dozen starts there, he has a 2.67 ERA, and isn’t showing any of the gopher ball tendencies he’s shown in the majors. We’ve heard a lot about how some minor leaguers can coast through AAA on their fastball, but Baker’s never had that kind of “stuff”. His reputation is that of a control pitcher, whose strength has been throwing off-speed pitches.

When we step back and look at Baker’s profile, we see the same lesson that we’ve learned a dozen times already this season – it would be damn foolish to think that this kid can’t succeed. Or that he would somehow be less successful over the next month then a scrap-heap rent-a-pitcher that Terry Ryan might pick up before the final trade deadline on Thursday.

What to Look For

The town is giddy over the performance of the bullpen, and for good reason considering they’ve carried this team for the last two weeks. Also, nobody is reporting any injuries or concerns in the media, so maybe there really is nothing wrong with Juan Rincon. On the other hand…

In two of his last three outings, he’s given up a couple of runs before getting a second out. In the other outing, he was only asked to throw eight pitches. And twice more in the last week Ron Gardenhire has relied on Jesse Crain to pitch an eighth inning that traditionally belonged to Rincon. While everyone worries about overworking the bullpen, Rincon has pitched just 1.1 innings in the last three series.

The usage is surprising. The silence is more surprising. And I’ll be surprised if we don’t hear about some health concerns by the end of the week.

On the Hill

Royals: Mark Redman (7-8, 5.85 ERA)

• 2005: 5-15, 178.1 IP, 101 K, 4.90 ERA


• 2006: 129.1 IP, 158 H, 57 K, 52 BB, 17 HR


• Ladies and Gentlemen, posting a 5.85 ERA and 57 strikeouts, the All-Star representative for the Kansas City Royals! Let’s hear it!


• Redman probably holds the distinction of being the worst trade that Ryan ever made. In 2001, Ryan tried to complete three trades that would have upgraded the team’s pitching (Rick Reed for Mark Redman), its outfield (Shannon Stewart for Matt Lawton) and its bullpen (gaining Todd Jones). Ryan completed two of the three trades, but couldn’t finish the deal for Stewart with Blue Jays GM Gord Ash. That preceded an incredible collapse as the team finished six games behind the Indians.

Twins: Matt Garza (1-2, 6.59 ERA)

• 2005: (between rookie and low-A affiliates): 4-4, 3.59 ERA, 75.2 IP, 89 K, 67 H


• 2006 (minors): 14-4, 135.2 IP, 154 K, 1.99 ERA


• Garza carries a mid-90’s fastball, a change up and a couple of breaking balls.


• One bad start, followed by a mediocre one, had people wondering. But these players have histories beyond our exposure to them. It may take a couple of weeks for him to settle in, but 95+ mph fastballs have a way of buying time for a prospect to adjust. His history suggests he’ll do just that.


• Watch the radar readings. When they’re under 90, is he throwing strikes? If so, he’s fine. If not, the Royals will wait for the cheese.

Links of the Day for 8/28/06

Powered by Intern Thomas

After reading some of the following links, you’ll see why I intern for the Geek rather than have my own Twins’ blog—the quality of the writers who devote time to posting on Twins’ blogs is unparalleled. There’s a reason why many of them spend their non Twins time getting paid to write about other subjects. All talent like that needs is inspiration, and, well, I think we can all agree that the games the Twins and Sox gave us on Friday and Saturday are about as inspirational as they come—We’re talking Jesus’ final gathering with his disciples and French ponds full of water lilies level inspiration Those games were art my friends, they were art. And all of our favorite bloggers delivered:

Batgirl’s choices for Boyfriend of the Day on Friday and Saturday combined her amazing writing skills with the exuberance of her commenters to create posts that are worth visiting again later, especially when the snow is falling in January and February and Spring Training seems so very far away.

Mr. Baseball No 1 might be a newcomer this year, but his writing measures up with the big names amongst the bloggers. Like some great artists, he used a small part of an image to capture the feel of the whole. Though he did forget to mention Morneau’s groin popping stretch. Maybe he needs to be sent down to Rochester to work on his leadership skills.

The beat writers haven’t yet figured out stats like Win Probability Added, but luckily for us, Will Young has, and he broke down Friday's and Saturday’s instant classics this weekend. And, if you want to look back at one of the few games the Twins have played that was as exciting, you can find his WPA for the Rivera game here.

And finally, some quick links:

• Looks like the Twins don’t mind their fans booing A.J. And my guess is his actions this weekend changed some fans stances from love to hate of the trash talking catcher.



• If you were wondering, Pat Neshek did enjoy striking out A.J. on Saturday. I’m guessing he wasn’t the only one.



• It seems like baseball is not the only sport with doping problems. Wonder what’s taking the national media so long to pick up on it?



• The Skip Bayless Era is over at Page 2. Thank God.

A Baseball Town

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This weekend, as Joe Nathan attempted to coax that last strike, the crowd stood up and started clapping. Most were adorned wearing their favorite team’s colors. When the umpire signaled the last out, a cheer erupted, fans flooded the aisles, and congratulatory high fives were shared between strangers.

Nothing unusual about that, right?

Except that this game was played on the road. The colors that fans were wearing were purple, not blue pinstripes. And this happened in a bar in downtown Minneapolis, not the Metrodome. How could it, when the Vikings had just wrapped up a preseason game there? That game had ended an hour earlier, and now the town belonged to a different team, and if there were any concerns about divided loyalties, they weren’t apparent.

They weren’t apparent the next night, either, when the scene repeated itself in a restaurant in Edina. The patrons’ outfits were different – ties replaced gold beads and suit coats substituted for jerseys. There was a wedding reception elsewhere in the restaurant, which was half empty as fifteen to twenty Twins fans congregated in the bar to see if Willie Eyre could close out the eleventh inning. The explosive cheer that confirmed a game ending double-play wasn’t what diners were accustomed to hearing during their meals.

That’s because the Twin Cities really aren’t baseball towns. Both cities have a long history, but the passion in this area if for football and hockey, not baseball. That only changes, if we’re lucky, a couple of times per year, and we are entering that time right now.

There’s nothing in American sports that compares to baseball’s pennant race. In other sports, there’s inevitably some downtime between games, used to review the last game, prepare for the next game, or even to generate hype to help pass the time. But time isn’t a luxury afforded pennant race participants or their fans. There is not time to digest. The slowest and most genteel of the major professional sports demands that fans surf along from wave to wave.

As a result, there is nightly drama that can be seen on multiple stages. So do yourself a favor when the Twins aren’t in town – go out to catch a game. Stop at one of the bars around the stadium, or eat dinner at a sports restaurant, or invite some buddies over for some tailgating in the backyard. Feed your city’s appetite for baseball.

Because if you’re a baseball fan, this is your time. We may not live in a baseball town eleven months out of the year, but we did this weekend.

Links of the Day for 8/24/06

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This might be the last week you see me doing the links. I feel that I’m being under-compensated, and I’m tired of being the #3 intern. If the Geek doesn’t sweeten the deal here in a hurry, we could be looking at an extended holdout. At least, that’s what my buddy Ashley says I should do.

• The day after rookie Matt Garza snared his first major league win (and first major league pie in the face), fellow rookie Boof “Bail” Bonsor pitched the Twins to a 2-1 series win in Baltimore. The Twins pounded out 17 hits, including three by Joe Mauer to get his average up over .360.



• No one needs to be told how big this weekend’s series in Shee-cago is. Just 1/2 game behind the World Champs, the Twins will be throwing out Radke, Santana, and Silva.



• And some good news for the Twins: there will be no Thome envy in The Cell this weekend. The White Sox masher strained his hamstring Wednesday night, and is out for the Twins series. Oh, darn. No one for Reyes to pitch to.



• Man, look at that professional segue. That’s why I deserve the big bucks. The Twins inked their lone lefty to a fresh two-year extension worth two million clams. Jesse breaks it down here. Now, granted, he may not be in the best of shape. But he looks sculpted next to some of these “athletes”.



• Now generally, I like to leave you with something pithy and amusing. But… it’s the White Sox this weekend. Enjoy it.

Thome Envy

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Ok, I’ll ask – what’s with Minnesota’s perennial Jim Thome envy?

When he was a free agent, signing him was the most talked about subject for the Twins early that offseason. That was following a year in which the Twins not only ran away with the AL Central, but also won the first round of the playoffs. It was the most talked about subject despite the fact that nobody in the organization even hinted that there was any interest. Not to mention that Thome’s guaranteed money was likely to be well over what the Twins spend for a year on their whole team. If Thome so much as said he wouldn’t mind playing for the Twins, it was news around here. It was baffling.

Two years later, as the season started slowly, the biggest criticism of Terry Ryan’s offseason wasn’t that he trusted rookie hitters too little; it was that he didn’t trade for Jim Thome. It might be the second most common complaint about Ryan, right behind the whole David Ortiz thing. And like the Ortiz thing, it’s little more than an unsubstantiated cheap shot. What isn’t fully understood is that the Phillies didn’t trade Thome to the White Sox; Thome traded Thome to the White Sox.

New Phillies’ GM Pat Gillick took over a team that had two sluggers for one position. Thome was a 35-year-old with 40 home run power who had been hurt most of the previous year and would make $43 million over the next three years. Ryan Howard was a 26-year-old with 40 home run power who would make approximately $400,000 this year. So it wasn’t a terribly tough decision, especially because it’s not like Gillick had signed Thome.

But there was a hitch; Thome had a no-trade clause. And so a dance began. The Philly press would ask Gillick what he was going to do about next year. And Gillick would say he would explore options. So the Philly press would ask Thome if would invoke his no-trade clause. And Thome would talk about getting healthy and getting a chance to play in Philly some more. Neither, wisely, worked the other into a box.

But apparently, Thome made it clear that the Phils could only trade him to a team close to his home in Peoria, Illinois, and the team had to be a contender. You don’t have to break out a map to see that leaves one team. Fortunately, that team also had a center fielder (Aaron Rowand) they could trade, and the Phillies had needed a center fielder since the days of Lenny Dykstra.

If there’s any doubt that Gillick’s hand was forced, just look at what else he traded to the White Sox: $22 million to help cover Thome’s salary. Which means that Thome is playing for the White Sox for just $7 million per year, or just a bit more than the Twins paid Shannon Stewart.

The Twins had zero chance of wooing Thome as a free agent. Their chances of acquiring him in a trade were less than that. The Ortiz and Thome myths are driven by the players’ successes, not by reality.

Links of the Day...

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• After a good series against Chicago, Tuesday's loss was a bit of a buzz kill. Carlos Silva looked like the old-new Silva (as opposed to the new-old Silva), giving up five homers and not exaclty looking like a ground ball pitcher. Grumbling about Silva's performance is coming from all the Twins' blogosphere (1, 2, 3), but I think the photo posted in the Twins' write-up says it all.


• The good news is that F-bomb or the Cisco Kid or whatever you call him (just not "the franchise") was able to throw 60ft. the other day without pain. Which is furhter than Radke can throw it without pain. Speaking of which, Stick and Ball Guy wrote an excellent article arguing that Radke is the best SP for the Twins ever. Although the some would disagree, because they just don't make 'em like they used to .


• Brian Cashman reported today that the Yankee's are losing money this year. Normally, I would suspect this was just an arm twisting to loosen up public money for a ballpark, but the stadium is allready financed. Cashman blamed the loss on major league baseball's revenue sharing system. This thourughly confuses me, is there a way a team could make enough of a profit that it needs to be shared with other teams while losing moeny?

Where Art Thou, Joe?

A Twins Timeline
Powered byJudd Spicer

The following is the writer’s attempt to get in touch with Twins catcher Joe Mauer in hopes of scheduling a haircut for Mr. Mauer with the writer’s girlfriend. The writer hopes to thereby create a written portrait of Minnesota’s newest local sports celebrity, while also serving the appetites of Mr. Mauer’s vast female fan base- this writer’s gal included. In turn, the ensuing words also act as a documentation of Mr. Mauer’s pursuit of .400.

Sunday, June 26, 1977

Jersey Day at Metropolitan Stadium, and every Twins fan receives a complimentary #29, Rod Carew shirt. The celebrated batsman responds by going 4-for-5, raising his average to .403. Carew would finish the season batting an MLB-best .388, the highest average since the Red Sox’ Ted Williams matched the same mark in 1957, and the closest run at .400 since Williams accomplished the feat (.406) for Boston in 1941. Baseball-gonzo cartographers note that Carew strove for .400 approximately 3,890 miles away from his birthplace of Gatun, Panama, while Williams both neared - and successfully reached - said mark about 3,046 miles from his hometown of San Diego, CA.

Tuesday, April 19, 1983

Joe Mauer is born in St. Paul, MN.

Tuesday, June 5, 2001

The Minnesota Twins select Mauer #1 overall in the MLB Amateur Draft, choosing the Cretin Derham-Hall (St. Paul) catcher over grossly overpriced - albeit richly talented - USC hurler Mark Prior.

Monday, June 26, 2006

Twenty-nine years to the date after Carew Jersey Day, Mauer goes 4-for-5 in an 8-2 victory over the Dodgers at Metrodome, raising his average to an MLB-best .377. The following night, he goes 5-for-5. Mauer then caps off the series on the 28th of June with a 2-for-3 line as the Twins sweep their betters of 1965, winning their seventh contest in a row. His average ascends to .392. Baseball-gonzo cartographers - and any guy with MapQuest - note that Mauer grew up approximately nine miles away from Minneapolis.

Later that same day . . .

Nicotine gum-chewing writer Judd Spicer of St. Paul contacts editors of a popular local baseball publication with a story pitch, proposing a piece in which he (Spicer) will attempt to arrange a meeting with Mauer, employing solely personal contacts and avoiding MLB Red Tape. For the story, Spicer explains, he will strive to schedule a meeting with Mauer and Spicer’s girlfriend, whereupon the latter - a well-respected local stylist - will cut the former’s hair without altering Mr. Mauer’s well-publicized sideburns. Spicer’s aim, he concludes, is to both gauge how close-knit the Capitol City truly is while hounding what may be the first .400 hitter in nearly seventy years, while simultaneously appeasing his vast female readership with descriptive sentences like, “and my gal blushed Cincinnati red as Joe’s hair descended toward the checkered salon floor.”

Wednesday, July 5, 2006

Spicer convinces his younger sibling to pass along an e-mail to members of said sibling’s Fantasy Football league, most of whom attended Cretin, many of whom played baseball at the professional level. The letter contains phrases such as, “To briefly introduce, or re-introduce myself “, “My story - for which I have a deadline in about five weeks” and “a place where a knucklehead like me can get in touch with an All-Star ballplayer.”

A 1-for-3 performance at K.C. has Mauer batting .391.

Later that same day . . .

Spicer receives his first response, an e-mail from one of the aforementioned former pro ballers. Referring to Mauer as “The Man,” the message steers Spicer to Joe’s older brother Jake, a solid ex-Twin farmhand in his own right, and current coach for the club’s Gulf Coast League (Rookie) team. Included is Jake’s mobile number, and the signoff, “Good Luck.”

Thursday, July 6, 2006

Twins travel day between Kansas City and Texas. Spicer receives an early-morning electronic mail from another of his e-mail’s recipients. The correspondence begins “Wish I knew of a way to help,” continues with, “If I think of anything or run across anyone at Cretin who knows how to get in touch,” then politely concludes with, “Hope all is well.”

Friday, July 7, 2006

Spicer receives a third (and what proves to be final) response from the Fantasy Football/Cretin-contacts. The e-mail message explains that Spicer’s message has been passed along to Mauer electronically, then briefly and succinctly ends with a “See you at the Fantasy draft” wave to Spicer’s sibling.

Twenty-two minutes later, the same contact types Spicer an e-mail and explains that he did not end up forwarding Spicer’s initial message, and instead recommends that Spicer present Mauer with a more formal written request, which he will then pass along electronically. Spicer replies with both his appreciation for the help, and fondness of the idea.

That night, Mauer goes 1-for-4 against the Rangers, slightly lowering his average to .388.

Sunday, July 9, 2006

Spicer completes his final draft of the formal letter and sends it along to the contact. The communication (509 words in length), begins with a “Dear Joe,” and then briefly describes Spicer’s writing experience. The letter then quickly reminds the recipient that Spicer and Mauer had met in 2003 at a signing at which Mauer - along with brothers Jake and Billy - appeared for a promising, albeit now-defunct publication entitled Baseball Minnesota. Spicer had written for the magazine. Mauer appeared on the cover. The body of the correspondence then details the ideas and hopes of the writer’s story, the location of the salon, and the deadline for submission. Lastly, the letter congratulates Mauer on his ensuing All-Star appearance in Pittsburgh, PA.

Earlier in the day, Mauer goes 0-for-4 for the second consecutive game. He’s hitting an MLB-leading .378.

Tuesday, July 11, 2006

The 77th MLB All-Star Game. Mauer breaks his Midsummer Classic maiden with an 0-for-2 line, his second at-bat finding him robbed of a solid hit by Trevor Hoffman’s aging backside. His catching of the AL’s dramatic comeback, however, is widely celebrated. Baseball-driven lip readers - and any guy with an AM radio dial - readily ruminate on Mauer’s “It was a pleasure” salutation to Mariano Rivera upon the game’s closure.

Thursday, July 13, 2006

During the social hour preceding a Minneapolis film screening, Spicer encounters a longtime acquaintance who happens to work in the Twins’ finance department. The acquaintance presents his card. Above the bar, overtones of an atypically poor Francisco Liriano start versus the Indians attempt to cloud Spicer’s judgment as to whether the writer should now perhaps seek alternate, Twins-based routes to contact Mauer.

Later that night . . .

Spicer returns home and places the card in a drawer full of cards. Mauer complies a 1-for-3 line in a 6-4 loss to the Tribe, his average now at .377. The film - of the horror genre - causes Spicer uneasy dreams.

Tuesday, July 18, 2006

The Twins announce that Thursday, August 10, will be “Joe Mauer Sideburn Night” at the Dome, with the first 10,000 fans receiving a complimentary set of “synthetic-hair sideburns,” with “doubled-sided tape that will allow fans to share Mauer’s trademark look. . . .” Mauer goes 2-for-4 against Tampa Bay, raising his average to .376.

Monday, July 24, 2006

The Twins are in Chicago for a much-anticipated showdown with the White Sox. No word from Mauer, with the writer’s deadline now filed in the cabinet marked “Looming.” Spicer opts to use the cell number for Joe’s elder brother Jake. Jake answers and proves most amicable, much as Spicer had remembered him from their meeting three years prior at the Baseball Minnesota signing, an encounter which Spicer quickly employs as a tool of anecdote. Jake remembers. Jake also knows Spicer’s baseball-connected younger brother, at least by name. The conversation proceeds swimmingly, and concludes approximately fifteen minutes later with Jake telling Spicer he’ll pass along the message. Spicer readily acknowledges Joe’s in-season schedule, thanks Jake for his time, and hangs up the phone with the notion that any more calls of this nature may push the piece beyond the balance of “good taste.”

Later that night . . .

Mauer records just a single hit against the Sox, although the knock comes in the mighty form of a three-run homer off Chicago lefty Neal Cotts. Mauer’s average is lowered a point to .380, yet the Twins conquer their division rivals with an impressive 7-4 showing.

Wednesday, August 2, 2006

Beside the leviathan heading “American Idol,” Mauer appears on the cover of Sports Illustrated, the monster sports publication reportedly read by over 23 million adults per week. That night, a single in four at-bats against Texas finds him batting .365, still tops in all of baseball.

Thursday, August 10, 2006

Poetic justice as Spicer’s deadline and “Sideburn Night” collide. No word from Mauer who returns home from a weeklong road trip to K.C. and Detroit, his average an MLB-best .369, his hair well kept, trimmed by shears belonging to someone other than the writer’s girlfriend. He hasn’t hit below .352 since May 30th, and his club is readily in the mix for a Wild Card berth. The evening’s contest nears and Spicer turns on his set, considering for a moment the origins of “synthetic hair.” The game against Toronto begins, and the writer - along with the bulk of the Upper Midwest - eagerly awaits the execution of that sweet lefty swing. A close-up of the local hero is soon provided, his young face exhibiting none of the stress, the strain, or the gain, surely found in the pursuit of .400.

Epilogue

Ten days after the writer’s deadline - a small handful of games before this publication goes to print – and Joe Mauer has yet to contact Spicer. Although it went without mention in the body of this piece, the writer “considered” utilizing close personal contacts in the real estate or private investigation industries, respectively, as a means of finding Mauer. Spicer then opted to instead heed the more persuasive advice of close personal contacts in the legal industry who politely informed him that violation of a harassment restraining order offers 90 days in jail and a $1000 fine in our great state. So much for Minnesota Nice.

And perhaps, for our hometown hero, so much for .400. Going into the 20th of August, Mauer’s average dipped to .357, still tops in the majors, but his lowest batting number since June 4th. So it goes, sports fans: perhaps the hair, like the proverbial hare, wasn’t to be caught this time around. And maybe, at least in 2006, neither is the sacred number that is .400.

Judd Spicer is a freelance writer from St. Paul. His short story collection, Seven Days, was nominated for a 2003 Minnesota Book Award.

Links of the Day for 8/19/06

Powered by Intern Thomas

With the Twins only half a game out of the Wild Card lead after another series victory over the White Sox, the Red Sox and their pitching collapsing and with the horrible Orioles ahead of them, everything seems to be going the Twins way. So what is there to be worried about? The Wild Card is the Twins for the taking, isn’t it?

I’d certainly like to think so, but there are still some things to be worried about, especially considering the three headed monster of Silva, Garza and Boof that makes up the back end of the rotation. While looking at the probable starters for this upcoming series against the O’s, I couldn’t help but notice that the Twins will be starting the games out with pitchers sporting ERAs of 6.30, 11.74 and 5.51. That being said, it’s not like the Orioles will be trotting out Jim Palmer, Dave McNally and Mike Cuéllar, though they do have the only scheduled starter with a sub 5 ERA (Kris Benson-4.63). And yes, I’ll admit that I’m suffering from Liriano withdrawal, even after Santana’s gem on Sunday.

And now the Quick Links:

• Torii needs just one hit to reach 1000 for his career. Hopefully, he won’t approach reaching the milestone the same way he would an at bat with the bases loaded (No, I’m not a Torii Hater—I just deal with frustration through sarcasm. I’ll be sporting my Hunter Jersey at Camden this Wednesday and Thursday)



• 
  Kelly Thesier has the official word on Torii, Rondell and Radke’s future, as well as what happened to the Real Deal.



• Why boo A.J.? Mr. Baseball has the answer.



• After watching some of the Little League World Series this weekend, I’m still having trouble believing shil drugs for sexual impotency. (Here’s the translation of the ad: "There are some at-bats where one can't afford to fail, the same is true during the intimate moments. Take Elevex. Take it from me, David Ortiz *wink* 'Big Papi.’)



• Finally, while I may not be traveling Europe with an orchestra, that doesn’t mean I don’t have something to promote. If you’re looking for a place to discuss the Vikings now that the NFL has kicked off, check out “The Ragnarok”. It’s a support group for those of us who still have Purple Pride, despite what the Vikings have done on (and off) the field.

Links of the Day for 8/21/06

Powered by Intern Sam

People. Why are we booing A.J.? Honestly, it’s just childish, and it makes it seem like we’re one of those towns where the majority of the baseball fans have no earthly idea how the game works, and have merely wandered into the ballpark because they heard there was beer inside. (Helloooooo, Philadelphia!)

Intern Sam was all for booing Chuck Knoblauch, and we could even see giving it to Kyle Lohse a bit if and when he ever darkens the Dome’s revolving door again, but Pierzynski? Really? We loved this guy, you know we did, and when he was traded (that’s traded, as in “left the team due to circumstances completely out of his control,”) he was a class act, refusing to badmouth the club that had just sent him to an NL team with an average age of 74.

So what’s to dislike? The fact that he continues to play hard, even when the opposition is his former team? Just zip it, folks. (And while we’re on the subject, could we also stop booing every time the opposing pitcher throws over to first? They’re supposed to do that.)

• You know things are going well in August when Ozzie Guillen goes out of his way to give your team’s role players a cool nickname in between ripping every other contending team in the league.

• Speaking of Guillen, the Chicago press have clearly turned baiting him into an intramural sport, and the Sun-Times appears to be running away with the division title.

• Oh, and when Ozzie’s done running his mouth, the Thought Police would like a word with him…

• As everyone knows, Dennys Reyes has been one of the great bullpen surprises of the ’06 season, going 6-0 with a 0.99 ERA in his role as the team’s designated LOOGY (that’s a Lefty One-Out GuY, for those readers not as dorky as Intern Sam.) Reyes is also a free agent at season’s end, and while the team has approached his agent about an extension, the PiPress says that negotiations have stalled. It’s not the most crucial personnel issue facing the Twins, of course, but given how dominant the bullpen has been, it’s worth keeping an eye on.

• Joe Mauer’s run for the batting title has been a national story for months now. But Murray Chass points out that Mauer’s impressive year may be merely the most obvious sign of the rise of a new generation of catchers who can really hit. Will it last? No one knows. But for this year, the catcher is king.

• It’s official: we’re all Yankee fans now. A few more days of this, and the AL Wild Card becomes a two-team race, and that oughta suit Twins fans just fine.

• In blogger navel-gazing news, the newly slimmed-down Aaron Gleeman has apparently landed an awesome job. (Like, with actual paychecks and everything!) He just won’t tell us what it is yet. Congrats, Aaron!

• According to LaVelle Neal, the Twins’ 2006 draft class is turning a lot of heads down in Fort Meyers and Elizabethton. These guys are all still years away from becoming true prospects, of course, but it’s never bad to hear that things are going well down on the farm.

• As if this weekend hadn't gone well enough already, the Twins' team doctor has cleared Francisco Liriano to begin throwing a baseball again. Mid-September seems like a realistic timetable for his return to the rotation, assuming no further setbacks.

• That’s it for today, y’all, and for Intern Sam, that’s it for the month. [Shameless self-promotion ahead. Proceed with caution…] Believe it or not, someone is actually paying your Monday morning GameDay regular to go tripping around Europe for the next two weeks. Not only that, thousands of people will (hopefully) be applauding him while he does it.
  
  And if your interest in supporting overachieving local teams extends beyond sports, you can even tune in to your local Minnesota Public Radio classical music station (KSJN 99.5fm in the Cities) this Thursday at 1:30pm to hear the results, live from London. Intern Sam promises to be more entertaining than the Jim Rome rant you were planning to listen to at that hour (not that this is setting the bar very high, of course.) Enjoy the baseball and the State Fair, kids, and keep the Monday seat warm for us…

• Oh, one more thing: since we’re blowing town tonight, we won’t be around to defend ourselves when the Phillie fans (led by the TwinsGeek’s very own Voice of Reason) jump all over us in the comments for that crack in the first paragraph. So before the onslaught begins, let Intern Sam just remind everyone that he grew up in Pennsylvania, he’s a lifelong Phillies fan, he worships Harry Kalas and Darren Daulton as gods, and none of that changes the fact that Phillies fans generally suck. (All six of them.)

[editor's note - It's a good thing you're getting out of the country, Sam. TVOR will be waiting
when you get back. Don't forget what happened to poor Mitch Williams' dog....]

[editor's wife's note - Sam, you sounded like a rational person and were making valid points, (though points open to healthy, intelligent debate) until you said you worship Darren Daulton as a god. You are aware, of course, that Darren Daulton now thinks he is a god, so I suppose your worship is appropriate, at least to Dutch. 'Nuff said.]

Reminder for Sunday's Game

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Lots of stuff below, but just a quick reminder that there's a great even on Sunday for the Twins game for Tix for Tots. My family will be there, and it'd be fun to meet you and your family as we jointly fill our faces, watch our kids get bamboozled by majicians, and walk on the dome floor in front of 30,000+ people for the first pitch. It's not too late, and you can get the info at TixsForTots.org. Hope to see you there.

John

On First Looks and Budget Books

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This year in Rochester, Jason Bartlett was hitting. .303. Last year in Rochester, he hit .332. In 2004 in Rochester, he hit also hit .332. And in 2003, in AA-New Britain, he hit .296. So, is it a huge surprise that in his major league career, Jason Bartlett is hitting .293?

Maybe a little. After all, prior to his callup on June 14th, Bartlett had only hit .233. In his first callup, he had just one hit in twelve at-bats. He also looked like a 14-year-old. And he made a couple of errors his first time in the field. Sure, we had hopes for him, but they weren’t high hopes. Such is the power of first impressions.

It’s amazing how much has changed in two months. He’s hitting .363, a high enough average that I receive emails asking whether he could challenge Joe Mauer for the batting title. (FYI – He can’t. He would need about 300 more plate appearances over the last 42 games to qualify.) And his defense is largely credited for improving the fortunes of the pitching staff since June. And now the 14-year-old looks like Johnny Depp.

None of this should be a huge surprise if we had look at more than just the 236 at-bats he received while facing the pressure of unseating well-liked veteran Juan Castro. Players have histories that extend beyond their first cup of coffee. It’s a trap we all fall into as we focus on the impact of that day’s game.

Most amazing is that we were blind to the defense. When there is resistance to a lineup change for the Twins, the first reason given always seems to be “they need to work on their defense”. But beyond his initial case of the yips, any grown person with functioning eyeballs could see that Bartlett’s range far exceeded that of other veterans on the club.

This last week has highlighted just how ludicrous that argument was. A ball deep into the hole; Bartlett dives, grabs, and throws out the runner. A ball right up the middle; Bartlett knocks it down. A slow roller to the left side is cut off by the third baseman, who can afford to play shallower because of the range of Bartlett behind him. How did we question this kids’ defense? After all, when he was traded to the Twins, he was a utility infielder whose path to the majors relied on his defense. Honestly, what were we thinking?

That first impression cost the Twins plenty, both last year and for the first two months this year. However, they also gained something with those delays. In fact, they may have gained several million somethings. To see how, one needs to examine how a player’s compensation works at the beginning of his major league career.

For the first three years of a player’s career, their team can pay them any amount they want, above the major league minimum. Usually they’ll make around $400,000. For the next three years, they’re arbitration-eligible, and make much more money, starting at seven figures for any player who receives regular playing time.

There is one loophole that allows some players to receive that big money a year earlier. Every year, the top 17% of two-year players (in service time), who are called “Super 2” players, get to go to arbitration a year earlier. The cutoff in service time varies every year, but it usually falls between 130 and 140 games played beyond two years. Torii Hunter received his highly paid contract in part because he was a Super 2. Michael Cuddyer’s Super 2 status cost the Twins about $900,000 this year. Next year, Morneau will qualify as a Super 2 player and will cost the Twins a lot more than that.

Coming into the year, Bartlett had played 148 games. If he had been with the Twins from the beginning of the year, and played two full seasons, he would have undoubtedly been a Super 2. Because he spent two months in Rochester, he’ll finish this season with about one year and 85 games. Which means that even after this year, he’ll still be two full years away from arbitration. That could save the Twins a couple of million dollars in 2008. And 2009. And 2010.

There’s no evidence that the Twins took this into consideration. In fact, it was reported that they offered to put Bartlett on the disabled list to begin the season, which would have extended his service time. And even if they did play games with his service time, they wouldn’t be the first team to do so. The Indians just called up the promising Andy Marte shortly after his chance to join the Super 2 players passed. Super prospect BJ Upton was called up to join the Devil Rays when his service time this year could no longer reach 130 games.

But it is interesting that all the misperceptions, whether they were about defense or offense or leadership, cost the Twins two months this year, but likely gained them millions in the future.

Mini-mini rant

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Seriously, I love Torii as much as anyone. And I still think he can provide a lot to this team. But he can't play center field anymore thsi year. He just can't. It's obvious, and has been for a week. I don't know if you DH him, or rest him, or start him in left field or start him in right field, but you DON'T start him in center field any more than you start Jason Kubel in center field. Get over it.

Links of the Day for 8/18/06

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This Friday’s links compiled while chatting it up with Greg Anderson…

• The Twins fell to Cleveland in the series finale on Thursday, 3-2. Paul Byrd went the Distance (but not for speed), peddling his mid-80s slop through nine full innings of two-run ball. Twins starter Matt Garza took a large step forward, going five innings with five strikeouts and allowing three runs. His fourth and fifth innings were especially encouraging, as he retired eight of the last nine hitters he faced, with three strikeouts.



• The first two runs allowed by Garza came after Torii Hunter failed to cut off a Hector Luna drive to left-center, allowing it to roll to the wall for an RBI triple. Inglett followed with a sac fly to score the second Cleveland run. In this article, Hunter tells LEN3 that his left foot is causing him to run flat-footed. Somehow, I have a feeling these things are related.



• The White Sox avoided a sweep yesterday, squeezing out a 5-4 win over suddenly feisty Kansas City. The wild card gap is back to two, although I would propose that after three days of playing Cleveland while the Sox took on KC, making up a game in the standings was a victory for the Twins. Elsewhere in the junior circuit, Baltimore crushed New York, shrinking the Yankee lead over Boston to 1.5 games going into a five game set this weekend.



• Speaking of this weekend, as you may have heard, the Champs are coming to town. Two out of three would be huge. ESPN lists the starters as Bonsor v. Garcia, Radke v. Garland, and El Presidente v. Vasquez. Of course, if any of the three Chicago starters is unable to go, the White Sox surely have a replacement in mind.



• And finally, Kevin Brown to neighbor: stay off my lawn. My favorite part: “Haws said he plans to buy a mulching mower.” Words to live by, my friends.

MVP – Mostly Vacuous Positions

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Justin Morneau’s monster year is earning calls by local sportswriters and sports talk show hosts to recognize him as the Twins’ Most Valuable Player this year. Or is it?

These pleas almost all start by chastising the overwhelming attention paid to Joe Mauer. It becomes apparent that praising Morneau is popular in part because it’s a great angle for a story, made more so because it allows commentators to gently jab our hometown sports idolatry.

That’s a shame, because the question of which player is more valuable can open up a bevy of great baseball debates. The most obvious is the relative merits of getting on base versus power. Debating that might lead us to recognize great angles for additional stories, such as the realization that Morneau is also getting on base (.370 on-base percentage) while Mauer is also hitting for power (.522 slugging percentage).

Or, one could question how valuable RBI statistics really are. Or, one might explore the impact of fielding when comparing the value of a catcher to a first baseman. Or, one might ask why opposing teams have been so much more willing to intentionally walk Mauer (15 IBB) than Morneau (5 IBB).

But maybe most importantly, it could become a launching point for a national campaign to have both players recognized for the incredible years that they’re having. And maybe lead to some American League MVP award chatter.

It’s Easy to Grin

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lt's easy to grin,
when your ship comes in,
and you've got the stock market beat.
But the man worthwhile
is the man who can smile
when his shorts are too tight in the seat.
- Judge Smails

There’s nothing like scoring a single run over three games to make fans wonder about their favorite team. That’s especially true for Twins fans, who have obsessed about their lack of offensive firepower since Tom Brunansky was traded for Tommy Herr. We’re probably especially sensitive right now, since the trading deadline passed, leaving nothing more than rumors about unreasonable demands for big bats.

Also, looking at the lineups this weekend, it’s easy to find room for improvement. On many nights, the Twins string together Jason Tyner, Jason Bartlett, Luis Castillo and Nick Punto, and that foursome would be lucky to hit fifteen home runs in a year, combined. One could also make a pretty good argument that three of those four players are playing way over their head. If it pleases the court, I’d like to submit the following as Evidence A: As Jason Bartlett strode to the plate on Sunday, my wife turned to me and said “Hold it – the scoreboard says he’s hitting .356? Is that right?”

A more obvious deficiency is the “production” the Twins have received from their designated hitter over the last two years. Last year, the designated hitters for the Twins hit just .254. This year, all designated hitters combined have just five home runs. There isn’t another American League team with less than eleven. Heck, there’s a National League team who nearly has that many from their designated hitter (the Phillies, with three home runs).

But there’s a problem with picking apart the individual pieces of the lineup. At the beginning of June, the Twins added Bartlett, Punto and Jason Kubel to the everyday lineup. About that time, Justin Morneau started hitting with power, and Michael Cuddyer staked out the fourth spot in the lineup. So, how has the Twins revamped lineup performed since June 1st?


Runs from 6/1 - 8/10
357 Chicago Sox
339 Minnesota
334 Boston
331 Detroit
328 Texas
327 LA Angels
323 Cleveland
322 Kansas City
310 NY Yankees
310 Toronto
284 Tampa Bay
283 Baltimore
278 Seattle
270 Oakland

The problem with picking apart this lineup, is that for all of its faults, it’s working. One can argue that given their history, this group can’t hit like this forever, but after two-and-a-half months, maybe a little faith is in order. Or at least enough faith to carry fans through an impotent three-game stretch against Toronto.

Waiting for a Sign

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It’s true that a major league team can never have enough pitching. It’s also no fun to repeatedly harp on a weakness, because it not only becomes monotonous, but also often obscures a subtle truth. And finally, Cleveland’s disappointing season can’t be boiled down to a single problem.

(OK, the caveats are done. Time to get to the rant.)

What cosmic sign needs to take place before Cleveland’s management addresses their chronic lack of pitching? This has been an ongoing question for at least a decade, going back to when the Tribe was a dynasty that could slug the AL Central into submission, and inevitably exited the playoffs early. More recently, despite having plenty of money to spend, they’ve failed to land any difference-making arms in the offseason. Their second biggest free agent signing was released prior to the All-Star break, for chrissakes.

And now, with the passing of the trade deadline, we find yet again that pitching just doesn’t seem to be a priority for General Manager Mark Shapiro. Shapiro wisely cut bait on 2006 and traded away five regulars from his team. Let’s count how many pitchers he acquired, shall we?







Am I taking crazy pills, or did Shapiro make five trades and end up acquiring zero pitchers? In fact, he even traded away a pitcher. All those deals and his team nets a loss of an arm?

When one looks at the Indians lineup this offseason, it’s going to be hard not to fall in love with them, just like prognosticators did the last two years. Their youth, talent, and affordability all scream “UPSIDE!” What’s more, it looks like they’ll add two more talented players next year, with the call-up of Andy Marte and the acquisition of Shin-Soo Choo. The field is filled with shiny newish ballplayers who generate excitement in baseball people.

But it looks like Cleveland’s pitching next year is going to be awfully similar to what they’re trotting out this year. That isn’t terrible, but a team that is ninth in the American League in pitching isn’t a team that can be taken seriously as a division champion, let alone as a pennant contender. And that’s not the bad news for their loyal fan base.

The bad news is that Shapiro either doesn’t recognize this, or doesn’t think he can fix it, or just can’t help himself when he sees that promising infielder in another organization. The bad news it that this is a problem that has been ignored for years, was just ignored again last month, and likely won’t fix itself in the offseason.

But hey, Mark, don’t feel like you have to rush things on our account. It can probably wait until 2012 or so.

Links of the Day for 8/15/06

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There’s a lot of praise out there for Brad Radke today, as there should be. Pitching with a bum shoulder, he threw seven shut out innings, preventing the Blue Jays from sweeping the Twins at home. By doing so, he kept Minnesotans focused on baseball (like a lot of Minnesotans, I have the Vikings’ preseason game on in the background—I have to say I kind of like the new uniforms, and the Vikings don’t look half bad either) and prevented some from making rash decisions. All in all, the man was dealing, and thanks to him, the Twins are only 2.5 games back with more than enough time to make it up.

More vexing than the poor pitching by the Twins’ other starters this series, however, was the complete lack of offense. By hitting into double play after double play, the Twins managed to fail to do something that they had done the entirety of the franchise’s entire time in Minnesota—score more than one run in three consecutive home games. Not really something you’d expect from a team with a player that the Killer thinks can join him in the exclusive “Twins’ 40 Home Run Club” and one that still has the best home record in baseball.

Despite the awful hitting this weekend, it is not time for football just yet, thanks to Radke. Instead, it’s still baseball season, Johan is pitching against the Offensive Cartoons at the Dome, Batgirl is back and the Franchise might be soon. So instead of pondering whether or not you like the new design of the Vikings’ jersey, take a peek at a very literary Quick Links and thank your lucky stars that the Twins are still in the thick of a pennant race and we don’t have to leave Twins’ Territory quite yet.

• I have a feeling that Torii’s glove really got it good after it wasn’t able to come up with that ball in the first inning of Matt Garza’s debut.



• You might not be able to see Liriano pitch just yet, but you can read about him and his journey to the big leagues.



• Play fantasy baseball? Know someone who does and wonder what it’s all about? Then make sure you check out Fantasyland by Sam Walker.



• One last recommendation, in honor of Batgirl being back and because I just finished reading the book myself. Trust me when I say that you owe it to yourself to pick up a copy of Shadow Thieves by BG’s close personal friend, Anne Ursu. I promise that you’ll enjoy it (as will anyone you know who enjoys a great book).

One Memorable Sunday

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Saturday’s pre-game get-together at the Town Hall Brewer was nice, with about 20-30 Twins fans showing up, all of whom were treated to appetizers, GameDays and a round of beers by the GD owners. Thanks to all for showing up and talking baseball. I’m looking forward to doing that again….

And, in fact, there’s another event this weekend that you may be interested in, especially if you have kids. It’s not only an opportunity to spend some solid baseball/family time together, but it’s providing a unique opportunity that might impress the heck out of your kids.

Tix for Tots is a non-profit with a mission that sounds simple, but isn’t. The idea is to take tickets that would otherwise go unsold to various events – sports, theater, etc – and distribute them to kids who would otherwise not be able to attend events. That includes asking all kinds of organizations for their unused tickets, getting them ahead of time, and distributing them to various non-profits. You can imagine just how labor intensive this can be, given the short turn-around time on unused tickets. The Voice of Reason and I have been involved with this charity more or less since its inception, and the founding couple are friends of ours.

THIS SUNDAY (the 20th), they’re having a special fund–raising event at the Metrodome, with proceeds going to the charity. Basically, you buy a ticket and get:

• a picnic lunch donated by Bonn Appetit,


• kids entertainment (magician, clown, face painting...)


• a silent auction


• and get to participate in a pregame parade to the Metrodome field for a ceremony and the first pitch.

It’s one thing to run the bases (which I also assume your kids can also do after the game, since it’s Sunday). It’s another thing entirely to be on the field with 35,000 people in the stands waiting for the Twins to wipe out the White Sox. Needless to say, the Voice of Reason and our brood have already bought tickets.

The only caveat I’ll give is that the tix are pricey - $25 for adults and $15 for kids 2-14 years old. And they’re more if you buy them the day of the game, so go to TixforTots.org for details on how you can buy them early. But, as I said, it's a also great cause.

TVOR, the kids, and I hope to see you there.
John

Links of the Day for 8/14/06

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Well, there it is. The home nine dropped three of four to Toronto over the weekend, and to hear some Twins fans tell it, you’d think that the sky had fallen. The reality is that this series will likely have very little to do with whether the team can hang on in what is sure to be an ultra-competitive wild card stretch run. (After all, the Twins currently sit a relatively paltry 2½ games behind the White Sox for the wild card lead, with twelve games left to play against the other contenders. They also continue to have the most favorable overall schedule among the teams gunning for the last playoff spot.)

• In what has become one of Intern Sam’s favorite features in the local media, PiPress beat writers Jason Williams and Gordon Wittenmeyer debate the Liriano-less future, and what it portends for Minnesota…



• Even with a nice 3-1 start to their road trip, the Blue Jays are still under a fair amount of scrutiny, thanks to their (understandable) inability to keep pace with the free-spending Yankees and Red Sox, and their (less understandable) inability to keep their clubhouse problems in the clubhouse.
  
  Ever since Shea Hillenbrand was dispatched to San Francisco with extreme prejudice, speculation has been rampant that Jays manager John Gibbons isn’t handling his team well and could lose his job over it sooner rather than later. But Toronto sportswriter Geoff Baker says that it just doesn’t make any sense to make Gibbons take the fall now.



• Apparently, Matt Garza is operating with something less than 20/20 vision, due to his rather ill-advised decision to lean into a high inside paintball shot back in high school. Garza was actually blind in his right eye for nearly a year after the accident, during which time he continued to pitch high school ball. Lens replacement surgery corrected much of the damage, but Garza’s depth perception in the eye is still nearly non-existant. The Twins, by the way, still plan to start Garza this Thursday against Cleveland, and are even considering going with a 13-man pitching staff for the balance of the season.



• Over at City Pages, G.R. Anderson is about ready to admit that he may have been wrong to suggest that the Twins bench Justin Morneau…



• It’s officially time for all baseball fans to begin paying attention to their team’s minor league system. Rosters expand on September 1, and it’s always nice to know who’s earned a call-up, and whose career prospects have taken a dive. (Here’s a hint: Dave Gassner and Glen Perkins, respectively.) It’s also nice to know that Erubiel Durazo is no longer a threat to bring his extended run of offensive mediocrity to the Dome, where we’ve had quite enough of such things lately. For all the news that matters on the minors, Roger over at TwinkieTown has you covered…



• Kevin Costner returned to Dyersville, Iowa this weekend for the first time since filming wrapped on Field of Dreams. As most Midwest baseball fans know, the site and its famous cornfield-ringed ballfield are a major tourist attraction these days.
  
  Costner’s appearance was sponsored by Netflix, and the actor apparently pitched batting practice to a big group of kids, and played a set with his band (yes, Kevin Costner has a band) before settling in to watch the flick with a cozy crowd of 5,000.
  
  The most surreal part of the Field of Dreams movie site has always been the fact that it is actually owned by not one, but two landowners, and they do not like each other even a little bit. Naturally, this came into play during Costner’s visit. “The Lansing family, which owns the farmhouse, right field and most of the infield, elected not to take part in the event. So officials closed off their property, forcing moviegoers to plant their folding chairs in left and center field.” The Lansings also reportedly threatened to have James Earl Jones killed if anyone in the crowd tried to run the bases.



• Finally, Rick Shefcik has a nice roundup of new baseball books to add to your summer reading list – tops on the list may be an outstanding new biography of Roberto Clemente by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist David Maraniss.

Court Saves MLB from Itself

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It's nice to hear a story involving baseball and the law without the word BALCO printed anywhere in it. Major league baseball has lost its court case against CDM Fantasy Sports. This means that people like me can continue to loose in fantasy baseball in a wide variety of small fantasy leagues.

MLB argued that fantasy leagues that profit using MLB baseball players' names and statistics without a MLB granted license are operating an infringement of copyright. Go to this link for more details on this decision.

I'm certainly no lawyer, but this case again makes the MLB look like Mr. Burns. I don't understand why they would alienate all of the fans who's demand for MLB's product is only increased by fantasy baseball so they can squeeze out a couple million more bucks. People may tune into a game to watch how their fantasy players are doing and they get hooked in the drama that makes this game so great.