[TABLE=class: tr-caption-container] http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yamyJ_LSBtg/T4bUbOz-62I/AAAAAAAAARI/IePkdnSf9Bo/s320/lineup.bmp [TD=class: tr-caption]How lineups are posted in New Britain -- on a large posterboard when you walk in the stadium. Gotta love it! [/TD] [/TABLE] [Originally published at Twins Fan From Afar] Yesterday morning, the Rock Cats played at 10:35 a.m., eastern time. That's right, as many of you in Minnesota were settling into your workday routine, so were the Rock Cats
[Originally published at Twins Fan From Afar] The New Britain Rock Cats defeated the Portland Sea Dogs tonight 10-5. Despite the lopsided score, this game actually took 11 innings to produce a winner. The sides were knotted at 5 runs until the Rock Cats exploded for 5 runs in the 11th inning, and then shut down the Sea Dogs in the home half to secure the victory. For all the runs tonight, New Britain only accumulated 9 hits (they also walked 5 times). Big producers tonight included shortstop P
[TABLE=class: tr-caption-container] http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vRS8ooS9pUw/T9CiAHhc3pI/AAAAAAAAAYw/TxobZRM71YA/s320/RC.bmp [TD=class: tr-caption] Thanks, Google Image search! [/TD] [/TABLE] [Originally published at Twins Fan From Afar] Every Wednesday evening, I write a recap of all the Twins minor league action, which you can find at TwinsDaily. Take a look if you haven't already. Here's what I wrote about last night's Rock Cats game: NEW BRITAIN 4, AKRON 6 Starter Brett Jacobson a
[Originally published at Twins Fan From Afar] The New Britain Rock Cats lost a close game this afternoon, 2-1, to the Portland Sea Dogs. This was a pitcher's duel, to be sure. Starter Steve Hirschfeld pitched 7 strong innings for the Rock Cats, striking out 7 and walking none, to lower his ERA to 1.06. He surrendered just three hits. Blake Martin struck out 2 in a scoreless 8th. Luis Perdomo blew the save after allowing two walks and a double in the 9th, and then lost the game when, after inte
[TABLE=class: tr-caption-container] http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2VP0rHEdKqw/T83661ORGDI/AAAAAAAAAYY/0qZSkBTfdnI/s320/Jose.bmp [TD=class: tr-caption]Jose Mijares doesn't look much thinner in 2012, but he has been much more effective. [/TD] [/TABLE] [Originally published at Twins Fan From Afar] I was somewhat surprised last winter when the Twins declined to offer portly lefty reliever Jose Mijares a contract for 2012. Joe Christensen of the Star Tribune guessed that the Twins would have e
[TABLE=class: tr-caption-container] http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-njEaGw6EBSc/T4wRlmQ4KMI/AAAAAAAAARw/QHMTMEvuiWk/s320/6212306479_978e55b761_o.jpg [TD=class: tr-caption]This beautiful photo, taken by former Twin Michael Cuddyer, illustrates the main concern for the Twins organization: empty seats [/TD] [/TABLE] [Originally published at Twins Fan From Afar] The White Sox officially announced that they were rebuilding last December, when they traded pitcher Sergio Santos to the Toronto Blue Ja
[Originally published at Twins Fan From Afar] To say that it's a big year for Francisco Liriano is an understatement. He's coming off an awful 2011 (except for that no-hitter), he's trying to prove that he can stay healthy for an entire season, and he's pitching for a contract, whether it's from the Twins, or any of the other teams in baseball that might be interested in a lefty with a nasty slider. Earlier this winter, I made my case for trying to extend Liriano before Spring Training even st
[Originally posted at Twins Fan From Afar] Whether the 2012 Twins can even be a .500 team largely rests on the ample shoulders of Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau. Let yourself think -- just for a second -- about how fun things could be if our 3-4 hitters were healthy and productive all season long. Thus far -- yes, I know players just showed up a week or so ago -- the early reports are positive. Justin Morneau took Francisco Liriano deep in batting practice, and hasn't had to sit out of any pract
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-056cy5Z-OeM/UuGpH01MrdI/AAAAAAAAAto/__6b6ORgXW4/s1600/BlogTalkRadio.jpg [Originally published at Twins Fan From Afar] I've only done a few podcasts in the couple years that I've had this blog, but it's a lot of fun to do. Last night, Travis Aune, keeper of Texas Twins Fan, was nice enough to invite me on his weekly podcast. We talked for almost an hour. You definitely have to listen to it, but topics ranged from the Yankees' signing of Japanese pitcher Masahiro Tanak
[Originally published at Twins Fan From Afar] As I scanned down the list of position players on the Twins' 25 man roster, and saw names like Josh Willingham, Justin Morneau, Joe Mauer and Denard Span as starters, and guys like Luke Hughes and Sean Burroughs off the bench, something came to mind: there shouldn't be an awful hitter on this team in 2012. If you've followed the Twins for the past several seasons, there is always at least one hitter that can barely hit his weight, yet makes his w
[TABLE=class: tr-caption-container] http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VpyaVwgwQR4/T9nYAsHhVWI/AAAAAAAAAaQ/dhKcCUah9V0/s320/Hammer.bmp [TD=class: tr-caption]Josh Willingham: Trade Bait? [/TD] [/TABLE] [Originally published at Twins Fan From Afar] Over the past few weeks, I have enjoyed reading various posts from other bloggers concerning the Twins' potential trade chips. Names like Denard Span, Matt Capps and Francisco Liriano keep coming up. If nothing else, the speculation is interesting,
The way it seems right now, even with the optimism that accompanies Spring Training, it's tough to imagine the Twins hoisting the 2012 World Series trophy. In fact, I can't reasonably imagine the Twins having the AL Cy Young award winner on their pitching staff, or the AL MVP in their batting order. But there is one award that this team was built for: The Comeback Player of the Year. According to the criteria, the award is given to a player judged to have "re-emerged on the baseball field du
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ftOjgTqApzM/Uce1csJQRRI/AAAAAAAAAms/E4fKmCfKhk0/s320/Giftbasket.jpg You wake up hazy -- perhaps a little hung-over and still tasting those apple-tinis from the previous night. Across from you in the king size bed, an aging baseball superstar stirs, gently clutching a bear-skin blanket. His eyes open. He kisses you gently on the nose and says "that was nice." He informs you that he's called a Town Car to take you home. Derek Jeter then rises, stretches, and waves a nude
[Originally published at Twins Fan From Afar] I think 4 games in a row constitutes a winning streak. If that's not the case, well too bad! The final score today was 3-0 New Britain, and the Rock Cats, in the midst of their first road trip, are now 8-3. The Sunday Rock Cats-Fisher Cats matinee at New Hampshire was essentially a pitcher's duel for much of the game. New Britain starter Lucas French tossed 7 scoreless innings (92 pitches) for the Rock Cats, allowing only 2 hits, and walking 3 and
[TABLE=class: tr-caption-container] http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AdKSjCGY274/UEiZQtQIynI/AAAAAAAAAd0/AxQ_RTFFrVw/s320/Arcia.jpg [TD=class: tr-caption]Emerging prospect Oswaldo Arcia batting late in the 2012 season [/TD] [/TABLE] [Originally published at Twins Fan From Afar] For the second consecutive season, the Rock Cats made it to the final game with a chance to make the playoffs. For the second consecutive season, they fell just short. They ended the season with a respectable record o
[Originally published with pictures at Twins Fan From Afar] http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BQnbI0K-uYA/T30KG1tXEAI/AAAAAAAAAOA/ejWVyL4Ga0w/s320/Dinner+1.jpg As much as I love going to Twins games, there's something special about minor league baseball. It's intimate and personal. It's real and unadulterated -- both the good and the bad. Every year, the New Britain Rock Cats host a "welcome home" dinner for the team, the front office and the fans. This year, it was held at the New Britain Elks Lodg
[Originally published at Twins Fan From Afar] To say that Justin Morneau has been locked in the past few games is an understatement. How does 7-for-14 with 3 home runs and a double sound? If this was the regular season, we'd be beginning a campaign for Morneau to win the AL Player of the Week Award. Although these were only Spring Training games, his offensive performance was meaningful in the larger scheme of things. By "larger scheme," of course, I'm referring to Morneau's health. We learn
[Originally published at Twins Fan From Afar] [TABLE=class: tr-caption-container] http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1aH-zI-1tUI/T56Gq8dICjI/AAAAAAAAATo/R6RiPfJY1u0/s1600/Hermsen.bmp [TD=class: tr-caption]Newly promoted B.J. Hermsen will take the mound tonight in his AA debut [/TD] [/TABLE] The landscape for the New Britain Rock Cats is already starting to change only 23 games into the season. A couple days ago, reliever Deolis Guerra was promoted to AAA Rochester. Congratulations to him! He's
[TABLE=class: tr-caption-container] http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nQM4h8sazyM/T7EE54Ig61I/AAAAAAAAAVc/0dAydXE054E/s1600/Wilkin.bmp [TD=class: tr-caption]Wilkin Ramirez is not long for AA if he keeps up his 1.228 OPS [/TD] [/TABLE] [Originally published at Twins Fan From Afar] Like their parent club, the Rock Cats split a 4-game series over the weekend against the Reading Phillies. I attended Thursday night's game, a 10-3 loss. You can find my game recap here. Apparently, I picked the one bad
[TABLE=class: tr-caption-container] http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cWcmRxG78IM/T419D60ZDDI/AAAAAAAAAR4/w4wxuQuuC1s/s1600/Liriano.bmp [TD=class: tr-caption]Is tonight the night where Liriano puts it together?? [/TD] [/TABLE] [Originally published at Twins Fan From Afar] CC Sabathia is down. In two starts this season, he has 0 decisions. In 12 innings pitched, he's given up 16 hits, 9 earned runs, 2 home runs and 5 walks, while striking out 15. His ERA in this brief stretch is 6.75. Clearly, h
Last night I had a brief, and sort of strange, Twitter exchange with Tom Powers of the Pioneer Press. He tweeted "I'm still waiting for the Twins organization to hand Miguel Sano a first baseman's mitt." We exchanged a few respectful replies - this definitely wasn't a Twitter argument or war -- but it was still very confusing to me, and I still firmly believe I'm correct. (Here's the link to the first of the Tweets.) First, let's agree on one thing: Powers is correct that Sano's defense had
I really hold back what I would like to say about then payroll arguments here. The fact that people don't accept the amount taken in dictates the amount going out requires one of two things. Extreme financial ignorance or fanatical bias that prevents the acceptance of something some basic. I did not change the argument. It's the same idiocy over and over. Do you really want to be on the side that suggests revenues does not determine spending capacity?
At this point in the pre-season, I’m just so happy to be seeing games again, I don’t care about the Twins record in 2023. I think they’ll win it all, unrealistically speaking 🙂
I really hold back what I would like to say about then payroll arguments here. The fact that people don't accept the amount taken in dictates the amount going out requires one of two things. Extreme financial ignorance or fanatical bias that prevents the acceptance of something some basic. I did not change the argument. It's the same idiocy over and over. Do you really want to be on the side that suggests revenues does not determine spending capacity?· 0 replies
