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
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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

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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

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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.

TGI-Linkage!

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Powered by some of the finest facial hair this side of Gen. Burnside, it’s on to the links.

• Even the power of the ‘burns wasn’t enough on Thursday; the Twins dropped 1/2 game behind Chicago after losing to Toronto, 5-0. The Twins couldn’t muster a rally off of Jays starter Ted Lilly, who pitched 6 shutout innings. The White Sox held on to beat the Yankees, 5-4.


• Seth runs down the minor league system here. Alexi Casilla, acquired in the JC Romero trade, continues to play extremely well.


• Of course, Seth’s pitcher of the month might be familiar. Uber-prospect Matt Garza makes his major league debut against Toronto tonight. The Twins need a lift after the loss of Liriano; hopefully, Garza will be able to provide it.


• Speaking of Liriano, ESPN has the latest here. I’m no doctor (I just play one on TV), but the injury, as described, doesn’t sound cataclysmic. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the F-Bomb being dropped out of the bullpen over the last few weeks, if the Twins are still seriously in the hunt. As for starting… I’m not holding my breath.


• The home nine clocks in at #4 in ESPN’s power rankings. So we’ve got that going for us. Which is nice.


• The action-packed game of baseball at its finest.


• And finally, for next Friday’s links, I hope to bring you an interview with Farney.

GameDay 1st Annual PreGame Party

Hey gang,

Sorry about the lack of a post from Vegas yesterday. Cory Caouette (the return of Wolves Geek!) and Jesse from Twinkietown were kind enough to write the Dugout Splinters this week. You can find the Twins side over at Twinkietown, and the first half of the Blue Jays below. As for the second half...

Well, how about you check them out before the game on Saturday when we meet up at the Town Hall Brewery? The GameDay crew will be there at 4:30, along with free GameDays and appetizers for snacking. We'll talk a lot of baseball and get the inside story on Vegas. Good times.

I hope to see you then,
John

To Shea: Touché

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To the national media and to most Twins fans, the Blue Jays’ July 19 demotion and eventual July 22 trade of Shea Hillenbrand was viewed as addition by subtraction, similar to the local ballclub’s maneuvers with the likes of Tony Batista and Bret Boone. After all, Hillenbrand had posted a notice on the clubhouse wall comparing the team to a certain ill-fated cruise vessel, not to mention (according to reports) left the team for four days without providing proper notice to manager John Gibbons. However, as all things become clear with time, perhaps the move of the hitter who boasted an .848 OPS coming into July shed some light on some serious problems north of the border – problems that winning just three of the first thirteen games of the post-Hillenbrand era, effectively knocking them out of the playoff hunt, have now brought fully into focus.

There was no mistaking the offseason splash that Gibbons and GM J.P. Ricciardi made with such big-name signings as A.J. Burnett (5 yrs./$55 million), B.J. Ryan (5 yrs/$47 million), and Bengie Molina (1 yr/$4.5 million), as well as a trade that added former World Series MVP Troy Glaus to a hot corner already crowded with an impressive group: Lyle Overbay, Corey Koskie, Eric Hinske and Hillenbrand. The mistake, it seems, was in unmet promises made to some new and old Jays during their respective courtships. First, season long frustration revealed by 2003 Cy Young winner Roy Halladay on local television – both with pitch count limitations he claims to have never been privy to and Gibbons’ misuse of a bullpen that has blown four Halladay leads. Then Ryan, whose signing with the Jays made him the highest paid reliever in history and certified him as a bonafide closer, reportedly isn’t happy with Gibbons’ trigger-happy and unpredictable approach to his role, as evidenced by the 15 outings in which he has pitched more than the hallowed one-inning closer maximum.

All seemed fine on July 18, though, as the Jays were just four games out in the AL East, despite horrible fortune on the pitching side, losing starters Gustavo Chacin, Ted Lilly, and Burnett for significant stretches due to injury. That’s when Ricciardi’s apparent penchant of promising the world without either telling or asking the manager, Gibbons’ notorious hot head, and the ability of anyone to keep clubhouse matters within the clubhouse finally appear to have come home to roost. As Hillenbrand complained publicly about being promised a defensive role and only being allowed to DH, and Gibbons fumed over Hillenbrand’s having left the club to deal with something as “trivial” as the adoption of a child (despite Ricciardi’s admitted knowledge and approval of the leave), the whole matter blew its top. Gibbons then challenged Hillenbrand to a fistfight in the locker room, the confrontation once again entered the public record (limiting Ricciardi’s trade options), and less than a month later the Jays are eight games out of the wild card and nine games behind the surging Yankees in the division.

Oh, and did I mention that Molina is now complaining that he was promised an everyday role and is on pace to catch 98 games this season? I didn’t have to, it’s up front and center on the team’s official website. Makes you wonder if the Jays even bother with doors in the clubhouse to go behind.

On the Hill

Blue Jays: A.J. Burnett (3-5, 4.81 ERA)

• 2005(FLA): 209 IP, 12-12, 3.44 ERA, 198K


• 2006: 63.2 IP, 75H, 58K, 13BB, 9HR


• Remember the A.J. Burnett that had executives buzzing during last year’s hot stove? This is him in name only. Burnett followed a 5.97 ERA in July with a 6.30 start to August. He did get a decent start last week against the White Sox and continues to find a way to strike hitters out, but when he leaves the ball over the plate, watch out – the league is slugging .454 against him.

Twins: Matt Garza (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

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


• Garza’s call to the Twins is as much out of necessity as it is out of performance. Look to the right to see more on his impressive 2006.


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


• Being called to The Show within two seasons of being drafted doesn’t happen very often. Not even Joe Mauer did it.

A Geek in Vegas (II)

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Betting on sports. Drinking all day. Watching a half dozen baseball games at once. You’re probably wondering exactly how you can get to Vegas right about now, especially if you’re married with kids.

I hear you. For a half dozen years I preached to The Voice of Reason about the wonder that is Vegas, and received nothing more encouraging than an eye roll. Now, TVOR will be the first to sign up for a trip.

Las Vegas is Disney World for adults, and I mean that in the most reckless and wonderful way possible. Remember when you were a kid, and wanted to do all those things you couldn’t because you weren’t old enough? And now you laugh at your kids when they tell you they wish they were grown-up, because you know all the responsibility that accompanies it? Well, welcome to Vegas: adult fun without responsibility.

Which brings us to rule #1 about Vegas: DON’T BRING THE KIDS. Bringing kids to Vegas is like visiting a strip club blindfolded. Why, exactly, would you want to be there? You don’t have the irresponsibility. You don’t have the grown-up fun. You’re running interference half the time for events you’d prefer the kids don’t see. I know EXACTLY how tough it is to line up a sitter for several nights for the kids. I understand not being able to do it. But there is no compromise position. If you can’t dump the kids, then put Vegas out of your mind and take ‘em to the Dells. At least then half of your family will have fun.

But let’s say that you think you can dump the kids. Or even better, that you were really smart, and never had them. How can you talk your spouse into that trip to Sin City? Here are a couple of suggestions….

1. Bring friends

I’m not totally sure that Vegas is made for spouses. Mostly, it’s for friends. Guys want to do guy things, like spend hours upon hours in front of a wall of cathode rays. Ladies like to ladies things, like drink frozen margaritas by the pool. It’s nice to have another couple so you don’t end up doing these things alone.

Also, Vegas nights often end weird. We’ll get to the gambling rules tomorrow, but the bottom line is that when you gamble late at night, you will want the night to end at different times. Winners want to keep winning, and losers run out of money and fun. Being with a group gives you more flexibility for quitting at different times.

2. Vegas is for relaxation

Don’t chince on where you stay in Vegas. I’ve found that the hotel needs to have at least three things:

A pool for her.
A sports book for me.
A food court for when we want/need to eat fast.

She needs to understand that she’s going to be able to spend a good part of the day sitting by the pool and having someone bring her frozen drinks. And another good part of the day sleeping in. And another part of the day eating romantic dinners. Did I mention the dinners yet?

3. Romantic Dinners

Vegas is filled with great places to eat, and only half of them are buffets. Plan a couple of late-night nice dinners, something that she can look forward to all day. Anything after 8:30 likely won’t get in the way of your sports gambling, because Vegas is two hours behind Minnesota. When you’re spending your fourth solid hour gazing open-mouthed at the Brewers/Pirates game, that reservation will buy you a world of good will. Plus, frankly, she deserves it for putting up with you. (Make sure you have reservations before you arrive in Vegas.)

OK, on to the baseball stuff…

The Twins
I expect when Brad Radke retires, he’ll mostly be remembered for his control and consistency. But I’m also going to remember performances like yesterday’s, times when he rose to a challenge in a big game and executed flawlessly. I’ll admit it. I didn’t think he had that in him anymore. Gawd, I hope this team makes it to the playoffs for him.

The Outfield
Lost in Crain’s outing on Monday night was that the big inning was made possible on Michael Cuddyer getting a late break on a short fly to right field. Last night, the outfield came up just a bit short two more times. First Hunter (granted, at a full gallop) had a ball go off the heal of his glove. Then he also got a late break on a short fly ball. Maybe there’s something going on with the fielding eye in that stadium, but the outfield defense has not been an asset for the Twins this series.

Tyner’s arm
Except for Jason Tyner, who has been exceptional. His throw yesterday to gun down Ordonez at the plate was Hunterrific, and far beyond what I expected. I didn’t think he had a shot at that play. Tyner has answered every question this year about whether he can be a starting major league center fielder. He won’t be an all-star at the position, but he won’t hurt a team either.

The Bets
Let’s get this over with. I lost $100 bucks last night on two extra-innings games. In the first, Mariano Rivera blew a save. In the second, the tying run was made possible by a strikeout/passed ball AND an error on the catcher ON THE SAME PLAY. Nice work Navarro, you punk.

For today’s games, I got nothing. Mostly because I’m still bitter. I should know better than to bet on the Yankees, even if they are facing the White Sox. When I go online to publish this, I’ll try and find something.

Other Stuff

• Ryan Freel gets Catch of the Year. Honestly, it looked like a commercial for an energy drink. It was that good.


• Another wonderful moment in yesterday’s Padres/Mets game when Shea rose as a single unit to applaud Mike Piazza. Sports is the best kind of drama.


• Five words you don’t hear every day: Dmitri Young with a triple.


• I suspect that if put to a general election, a law allowing people to pummel cigar smokers with 2x4s would gain approximately 108% of the vote.


• Hey, tough young studs. Here’s something to keep in mind when you’re putting that tattoo around your bicep. In approximately 12 years, you’re going to be pushing a baby stroller around some public place, and your two-year-old daughter is going to be throwing toys and bottles out of the stroller, strictly because she likes watching you stop to pick them up. And it will be ten times more amusing to everyone around you because of your ring of thorns.


• Batting third for the Yankees yesterday was Bobby Abreu. So let me get this straight. The best lineup in the major leagues was able to trade for – strike that – was able to purchase a #3 hitter at the trade deadline for little more than money. Three words: HARD SALARY CAP.


• Some of the best casino stories seem to come out of mens restrooms…
  
  “Oh what a night. Late September back in ’63….”
  
  That’s what I hear sung by a tipsy gentleman over at the sinks. He leaves, and two minutes later, when I’m at the sinks, I hear:
  
  “Oh what a NI-I-I-GHT! Doo-da-doo-da-doo. Doo-da-doo-da-doo.” coming from a different pleasantly buzzed guy standing at the urinals.
  
  Apropos of nothing, it’s exactly 5:55 PM.
  
  You gotta love Vegas.

A Geek in Vegas (I)

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You’re going to have to excuse the uneven and consistently late updates you’ll see this week. A few months ago, The In-laws of Reason offered to take the kids for a week, and The Voice of Reason and I froze in the headlights of an oncoming vacation.

A week without the kids? What do we do? Get stuff done around the house? A romantic week at the North Shore? A ballpark tour? The decision was made after a simple question was asked – What is the polar opposite of a week with our children?

A: Vegas.

That’s not quite true, of course. For instance, overseeing The Boy usually involves accepting some kind of (usually losing) gamble. And life with The Chatty Chatty Princess resembles a variety show. And certainly, your average week with them drives us to drink. But it doesn’t allow us unfettered irresponsibility very often, and that seemed awfully appealing.

So, the bottom line is that I’m in Vegas, a couple of time zones away, and my ability to access the site is limited. So is my desire to spend a lot of time writing. On the other hand, I have a ton of time to watch Twins games (God Bless Sports Books) and plenty of stories to tell, so it might be an interesting week to stop by.

(Of course, if you really want to hear all the stories, you should take advantage of GameDay’s 1st Annual Pre Game get-together this Saturday at 4:30 at Town Hall Brewery. Features include some free appetizers, free GameDays, and a still-irresponsible Twins Geek. Hope to see you there.)

“He’s not the same.”
Tigers announcer Rob Allen summed up yesterday’s game in four words, and might have unintentionally written the Twins’ playoff chances eulogy. For 2.2 innings yesterday, Francisco Liriano was hit hard but escaped without damage. That with a hit by Magglio Ordonez, and after one more trip through the Tigers order, there wasn’t any question that he wasn’t the same. It was certainly apparent to the Twins coaching staff, who pulled Lirano after four innings.

That same conclusion was apparent for several outings now, but Twins fans had been hoping it was just a case of “tired arm” or some other malady that could be overcome. I suppose by noe, in the Twin Cities, we’ve already heard a report about what’s going on with Liriano’s arm. But whatever te situation, the biggest answer remains “He’s not the same.” The Twins, for about the tenth time this season, are going to have to find a Plan B in the short term, and hope this resolves itself prior to the playoffs. If that even matters.

Bet, bet, bet on the home team
One of the cruelest ironies of sports betting is that the closer you are to a team, the more you know about them, the less you can bet on them. For instance, yesterday the Twins were –145 against the Tigers, meaning that you had to bet $145 dollars to win $100. Talking with the taxi driver on the way to the hotel, he said he was thinking about taking that bet, and I warned him against it. I brought up Liriano’s arm problems, the4 fact the the Twins had hadn’t beaten the Tigers in Detroit, and that they had played in 120 heat the day before.

Meanwhile, I want to win some sports bets, but I absolutely can’t take the other side. Can’t. Instead, I take the “under”, which was set at 8, meaning if the total runs scored are less than eight, I win. It seemed like a nice compromise.

It wasn’t. By the time the Tigers scored four runs (which was the fourth inning), I’m left to either root for the Twins to win, or for me to win my bet, because both can’t happen. The moral (which, dammit, I knew) is that you can only bet on your team when you think they’re going to win. If there’s doubt, or you have to walk away. And, unfortunately, looking at the matchups for the rest of the Detroit series, I’ll be doing a lot of walking.

Crain
I suspect that Jesse Crain is receiving more than a little criticism online today, and I don’t want to pile on. And, furthermore, I understand that my reaction to his outing yesterday is biased by the fact that he blew my over/under bet. And I understand that there weren’t a lot of other options.

But why the hell was Crain in that game in the seventh inning? (start Rant) And can we replace that lump of fluff between his ears with any material capable of maintaining some electrostatic current? Crain’s peripheral numbers haven’t been terrible this year, but it seems he manages to at least get the team into trouble about 75% of his outings. It isn’t that he’s not throwing well. It’s that he’s not pitching.

There was no doubt in my mind that the Tigers would at least add a run against him in the seventh, and that’s been the case for about four months now. And Gardenhire KNOWS this. He’s known it longer than I have, and longer than the media has commented on it. There’s a reason they called up Neshek, and dammit, there’s a reason that Reyes is working so many late game situations. And it’s that Crain can’t be trusted with the seventh any more.

Crain should only be trusted with the bottom of the order in any relief situation. Maybe that’s what happened yesterday, but if Reyes is available, even against right-handers, he has to be used. Crain has had four months to turn things around, and he hasn’t, and how he should only get the innings that are otherwise unavailable for others, like Willie Eyre is. (end Rant)

More on betting
I won money on the Angels/White Sox game yesterday, betting Buehrle really does suck, and that his last outing versus the Royals wasn’t the sign of a turn-around. I was only partly right. Buehrle’s line is going to be deceptive today, because he gave up a lot of runs late in the game, but he pitched well for most of the game. More bad news for the Twins.

The reason I won the bet is because Angels pitcher Kelvim Escobar was very good. He’s been very good for several starts in a row now, and is providing the kind of performance the Angels need now that Colon is questionable. He’s officially a very safe bet, both in sports books and in fantasy baseball right now.

Today’s Bets
I like some Asian pitchers today…

I like the White Sox to lose again, since they’re playing the Yankees, and Wang is on the mound. Tell’ em Wang. We just bought land around the Great Wall of China. On the GOOD side.

I also am throwing some money down on the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. (Did you know that Tampa has a major league baseball team? It’s true.) They’re heavy underdogs against the Mariners, and I think Jae Seo is being underestimated a bit.

Quote of the Game
TG: Lookit Bartlett. Doesn’t he look like Johnny Depp? He looks exactly like Depp. Nobody agrees with me on this. It’s like I’m taking crazy pills.
TVOR: Yeah- actually, he’s a lot cuter.
TG: Um, OK.

Links of the Day

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As seems to happen, different people in different parts of the web are taking a look at the same thing at the same time. Personally, I think that’s great, since it makes it a lot easier for me to organize my links post, but it does seem rather odd when random topics are written about at the same time (as opposed to something obvious, like the Twins hitters performing like Albert Pujols playing for an American Legion team).

Today’s example is the RBI (or RsBI if you’re more of a Baseball Prospectus kind of person). Carter Hayes takes one angle on the topic, looking at the last times that the Twins had a 100 RBI man at each position and how that compares to the rest of the AL. John Walsh of the Hardball Times takes a different approach, trying to find a way to add more meaning to the stat and also envisions a situation that hopefully occurs should the Twins win the Wild Card and face their nemesis from 2003 and 2004, the Yankees, in the playoffs.

And now it’s time for some non RBI related links:

• This is one more example of the type of announcers that other teams employ and that poor, innocent MLB.tv users like myself are subjected to when we watch a Twins game against a team from a larger market.


• Chris Constancio thinks the Twins turned Kyle Lohse into the 2009 version of the 2005 version of …Kyle Lohse.


• So long as Rick Anderson was right about the severity (or lack thereof) of the Cisco Kid’s injury, I think he’ll wind up on this list at the end of the year.


• I wonder if Radke and Johan name their wins, or if the lack of run support the past few years has made them give up on the idea?

Links of the Day for 8/7/06

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With the KC sweep in the books, the Twins now sit just one half-game off the wild card lead, in a tie with Boston. The Blue Jays and Angels are tanking, and it looks increasingly as if the AL Wild Card will be a down-to-the-wire race between Minnesota, Chicago, and Boston. (We might as well throw the Yankees in there, too, since they still have 11 games to play against the Red Sox, and the East lead could swing wildly between them before the season ends.) So who has the edge, schedule-wise, among those four teams? It’s actually an awfully close call. Here’s a look at how many games each of the contenders has left to play against sub-.500 teams, .500-plus teams, and head-to-head matchups against the other contenders:

TWINS

Against Teams Under .500: 23 games remaining (9 Home, 14 Road)
Against Teams Over .500: 29 games remaining (17 H, 12 R)
Head-to-Head: 15 games remaining (6 H, 9 R); 9 against Chicago

The Twins are the only team in the wild card race to still have a series left to play in the home parks of all three other contenders. However, they’re also the only contender without a truly scary stretch of games left in their schedule. For every three-game set against Chicago or Detroit, there’s a nice cushy landing on the likes of Baltimore and Kansas City right around the corner.

CHICAGO

Against Teams Under .500: 21 games remaining (15 H, 6 R)
Against Teams Over .500: 32 games remaining (13 H, 19 R)
Head-to-Head: 15 games remaining (6 H, 9 R); 9 against Twins

From Aug. 18 to 26, the Sox play 10 straight against the Twins and Tigers without an off day. Seven of those games are on the road. In fact, you could make an excellent case that Chicago has the toughest row to hoe to make the playoffs. Still, if they manage to hang near the top, they may just control their own destiny: their last three games of the season are at the MetroDome.

BOSTON

Against Teams Under .500: 20 games remaining (11 H, 9 R)
Against Teams Over .500: 32 games remaining (18 H, 14 R)
Head-to-Head: 15 games remaining (11 H, 4 R); 11 against New York, including two(!) doubleheaders and one five-game series at Fenway.

NEW YORK

Against Teams Under .500: 23 games remaining (9 H, 14 R)
Against Teams Over .500: 31 games remaining (17 H, 14 R)
Head-to-Head: 15 games remaining (7 H, 8 R)

With any luck, either the Sawx or the Yanks will dominate their remaining head-to-head matchups, thereby taking the East out of the wild card equation entirely. But history suggests that won’t happen, so it will be vitally important for the Twins to play well at both Fenway and the Stadium in September.

• It was over 100 degrees in Kansas City on Sunday afternoon, and to Royals’ fans, it must truly feel like they’re living in hell. It’s hardly any fun to watch this kind of a sweep, just because the Royals have really never done anything to us, and any Twins fan worth his salt can remember when it was our ballpark that sat sad and nearly empty, when our fans were the ones trying desperately to remember the last time they’d actually enjoyed a major league baseball game. Sunday’s dismal finale sold a measly 14,064 tickets, and the camera shots of the stands showed that there must have been thousands of no-shows.


(By comparison, the Kansas City T-Bones of the Northern League drew 7,809 to their game on Saturday night, which doesn’t sound like a lot until you consider that the T-Bones park officially seats 4,365. This is awfully reminiscent of the years in the late 1990s when the St. Paul Saints occasionally outdrew the Twins, and it all puts Intern Sam in mind of the catchy jingle he heard at a T-Bones game a few years back, sung to the tune of The Flintstones theme song: “T-Bones! Meet the T-Bones! They’re a baseball team here in KC… They’re just like the Royals, ‘cept they win their games, and parking’s free!”)


• How bad is it in Kansas City for a fan right now? This is as close as the bloggers can get to optimism about the future: “The Royals have a plan, and insomuch as continuing to live represents a dogged determination to not die, well, the plan's working.” Oh, well. At least they have Dougie Baseball to chat with…



• The Matt Garza countdown is officially on, and the PiPress says he could join the team midweek. Mike Smith will almost certainly become the third Twins pitcher to go up-and-back to Rochester inside of a week after giving up four runs and three walks in three innings, and Terry Ryan is about out of options for the fifth starter’s spot. Furthermore, the organization was apparently impressed by Garza’s last start, in which he followed orders to start throwing something other than fastballs, and got excellent results.



• Yeah, yeah, we know there’s no such thing as a pitching prospect until he at least makes it to Double-A, but apparently, the kid Terry Ryan picked up in the Kyle Lohse trade may have a promising future as a major league reliever…



• …and speaking of everyone’s favorite melodramatic malcontent, he’s off to a pretty good start in Cincinnati. Gordon Wittenmeyer still thinks the trade was a mistake, and that the Twins would be in better position to contend with Lohse in the starting rotation. Jason Williams, as usual, feels differently.



• Did everyone but Intern Sam already know that Justin Morneau has a maple leaf tattooed on his right bicep? That’s just… really hot.



• When a highly touted prospect starts to fade, it gets some attention. But by the time that prospect has fallen far enough to drop completely off the radar screen, most fans have already forgotten he ever existed. Unless the prospect is Matt Harrington, who was drafted five times and never saw a minor league field. Harrington’s fall from grace was unique, certainly, but it could also serve as an important cautionary tale for inexperienced young athletes coming into contact with serious money (and the various slimeballs that such largesse attracts) for the first time.

GameDay's 1st Annual Pre Game Party

Hey gang, we have a chance to talk baseball in person.....

This Saturday (the 12th) we'll have GameDays' 1st Annual Pre Game Party. It'll be 4:30 at Town Hall Brewery (within walking distance of the Dome). We want to say a big Thank You to all our readers, so we're buying some appetizers for snacking and bringing free copies of GameDay. We'll all get plenty of chances to talk baseball face to face (gasp) and brainstorm stuff we can do to make the program and web site better. Then we'll all walk over to the 6:00 game.

I hope you can all make it so I can meet you (or meet some of you again).
John Bonnes

Johan Santana's Perfect Game (3 stars)

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How far would you go to see the simple purity of a perfect game? And how much further would you go to hide the joy of that simplicity? Those are the questions that are thrust upon Ben (Jonathan Wemette) when he and his roommate Paul (Kevin Albertson) struggle through the final three innings of that game that everyone knew Santana would someday have.

Ben and Paul are the two different camps that follow baseball today. Paul is more traditional, reveling in the Fox Sports Net theme, and anxious to date Marny Gellner so he can meet Dick and Bert. Ben is that geeky side, citing statistics and labeling Francisco Liriano “Johan Santana 2.0” because “he’s a strikeout pitcher like Santana, but he’s ALSO a groundball pitcher”. They’re both baseball junkies and superstitious to a fault, especially Ben.

However, analytical Ben isn’t comfortable with the simple joy he feels of being a “sports guy”, and that’s especially true because he’s now dating the sophisticated Claire (Heather Hannigan). He hasn’t told her anything about his love for baseball, let alone his superstitious streak, and tonight they’re going to see her friend’s performance art show at the Walker. Ben attempts to hide the truth from Claire, while still trying to maintain their relationship AND providing the mojo Santana needs, form the core of the conflict for this comedy.

It’s a solid idea and reasonably well written. I felt like the first half stumbled a bit on the “guy” angle, lacking some subtlety, and carrying unreasonable premises too far for their slapstick possibilities. Ben’s character (and his relationship with Claire) wasn’t developed well enough early enough to make sense of why he was so desperate to hide the truth, which made the theatrics less effective, and a little puzzling.

For instance, the guys discover that holding hands is brining good luck. But why must the guys hold hands when the Twins are batting, and wouldn’t that have made for better theater? For half the inning, Ben could be perfectly normal, but for the other half of the inning, he would’ve acted crazy. That twist would have provided just as many (if not more) laughs, and it would have been more clear why Claire kept sticking around through Ben’s psychotic episode.

It recovers well in the second half. The sight gags get funnier, Paul appears less cartoonish, Claire more understandable, and we see more of the relationship between all three characters. The show moves from slapstick to more layered comedy, resulting in a distinct improvement.

Like the rest of the case, writer Jonathan Wemette (also Ben) is very young,, so it shouldn’t be too surprising that he seems to have a better sense about relationships between people than relationships between guys (and yes, there’s a difference). However, his script really shines in its ability to provide detail about the culture clash central to the show. Wemette knows his baseball, both from an analytical and traditional fan perspective, and the script is peppered with little insights. He’s equally adept exploring Claire’s theatrical world, and several of the most clever lines are when Claire in on her cell phone with her manic performance artist friend. (“No, most performance venues don’t come with a chainsaw as standard equipment.”)

The acting was solid, though not all challenges are met. Wemette has the heaviest load, and isn’t totally up to the task, though I don’t think the script helped him out much. Albertson is pretty good at the slapstick aspect and added depth and detail to what could have been a very flat character. Hannigan did a fantastic job playing the role of unknowing wet blanket while still remaining likable, which was essential in this story.

I felt it was worth the hour and $12 required to see it, and my friend thought it was even better than that. If you’re a baseball fan, the sprinkled Twins references throughout the script shine like gems (or should it be diamonds?) It successfully bats around the subject of sports and our culture and relationships, while still remaining entertaining. And finally, there’s a certain excitement about following a possible perfect game, whether or not it’s fictional. Johan Santana’s Perfect Game isn’t perfect, but it provides a simple pleasure, like baseball. And I'm not ashamed to say that.


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Johan Santana's Perfect Game is showing for one more week at the Fringe festival, with shows Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. For more information and tickets, click here.

Links of the Day for 8/3/06

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• Kelly Thesier, the official twins beat writer, wrote an article pointing to the Twin's depth problems after Liriano's sore forearm. Itwas hard to imagine the starting rotation as a weakness heading into theseason. As if to illustrate this point- Scott Baker was moved into therotation, got shelled, and was sent back down within 24 hours. In a dejavu moment, Boof Bonsor gave a repeat performance and was called up and sent down before sunset.



• Nick M. over at Nick and Nick's commented today that Baker appears to have the stuff of a major leaguepitcher, but not the mental toughness. You have to wonder how his 24-hour stint in the majors has helped his coping skills. The extra roster spot previously filled by Boof Baker is now filled by the MIB, apparently.



• Aaron Gleeman took a well deserved day-off today in recognition of his four year blogging anniversary. Please take amoment to congratulate him in his comments section today. It's hard to imagine keeping up with such fresh insight for so long. I think two weeks is my personal record for journal keeping, and my writing was farfrom insightful. I hope we are lucky enough to get another four years!