Twins:

Revere CF

Mastroianni RF

Mauer C

Willingham LF

Morneau 1B

Doumit DH

Dozier SS

Casilla 2B

Carroll 3B

(Blackburn P)

 

Red Sox:

Ellsbury CF

Crawford LF

Pedroia 2B

Gonzalez 1B

Ross DH

Saltalamacchia C

Middlebrooks 3B

Kalish RF

Aviles SS

(Morales P)

Casilla over Valencia and a day off for Span.

I have zero faith in blacky anymore. With that said I hope he pitches another 8 innings of 2 run ball.

I have zero faith in blacky anymore. With that said I hope he pitches another 8 innings of 2 run ball.

I think we'll know what kind of day it'll be for Blackburn by the end of the first. Fenway and the Red Sox lineup isn't exactly forgiving of sinkerballers whose sinkers aren't sinking.

It took roughly a week for Valencia to play himself out of the lineup again.

Has there been a day with all three of the Twins catchers in the lineup at once yet? Had to be, right?

Has there been a day with all three of the Twins catchers in the lineup at once yet? Had to be, right?

Yup, July 23.

 

http://twinsdaily.com/showthread.php?2393-Article-Twins-vs-White-Sox-07-23-2012-7-10pm

Has there been a day with all three of the Twins catchers in the lineup at once yet? Had to be, right?

May 8th and 9th, at home vs LAA, Butera C, Mauer 1B, Doumit DH. (hat tip to BBR)

 

I stopped looking after finding that, there might be more.

 

EDIT: 5/13 and 5/14, same thing.

Edited August 5, 201214 yr by USAFChief

Radio just announced that Valencia was traded to the Red Sox and optioned to AAA.

It's really apparent that teams don't respect Mauer behind the plate anymore.

Radio just announced that Valencia was traded to the Red Sox and optioned to AAA.

MLBTradeRumors has Jeremias Pineda coming back, 21 yr old Dominican playing in the GCL. Currently hitting over .400!

 

 

http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker&id=pineda000jer

 

Anyone still question whether the Twins were fed up with Valencia?

Ugh...Mastro gets picked off first with runners on 1st and 2nd. Twins Baseball!

 

And Mauer takes 2 fastballs thigh high for strikes before tapping a breaking ball weakly to the pitcher.

Twins have a decent scoring threat, only to run themselves out of it again with bad baserunning.

Nick Blackburn kinda sucks...

How terrible does this guy have to be before he is recognized as done sunk cost?

Somehow Blackburn got out of that with only 2 runs. How, I don't know. He just doesn't have major league stuff.

Somehow Blackburn got out of that with only 2 runs. How, I don't know. He just doesn't have major league stuff.

I am just glad that the sweep in Boston is still on the table. Now we need RUNS.

How terrible does this guy have to be before he is recognized as done sunk cost?

 

Good thing he's a Twins guy so we can keep him around.

Somehow Blackburn got out of that with only 2 runs. How, I don't know. He just doesn't have major league stuff.

dont tell Dick/Bert/Smalley that......they feel he's 'filty' with that unhittable sinker

Good thing he's a Twins guy so we can keep him around.

At the moment there don't seem to be very many alternatives. It will be nice if P.J. Walters can come back.

I do agree with Dick and Bert about one thing....some of those pickoff attempts by Morales are obvious balks.

Blackburn hasn't looked half bad again. Hopefully he can get his 3rd QS in his 4 starts since coming back.

Anybody surprised by that one?

 

I doubt it.

Blackburn hasn't looked half bad again. Hopefully he can get his 3rd QS in his 4 starts since coming back.

You were saying, Dave?

 

Blackburn looks like doo, as usual. He was extremely lucky to get into the 5th having given up only 2 runs.

4 runs thru 5 innings gives ya a 7.20 ERA. Thats Nick Blackburn in a nutshell.

But he's pitching outstanding......per Bert/Smelly

Blackburn hasn't looked half bad again.

You're right, he's looked closer to full bad.

You were saying, Dave?

 

Blackburn looks like doo, as usual. He was extremely lucky to get into the 5th having given up only 2 runs.

He hasn't made that many bad pitches and at least since coming backs looks like he could contribute as a 5th/6th pitcher next season. (instead of dumping the 5.5 million)

He hasn't made that many bad pitches and at least since coming backs looks like he could contribute as a 5th/6th pitcher next season. (instead of dumping the 5.5 million)

Yeah...I really want no part of a 2013 Twins rotation that includes Nick Blackburn.

Contribute what exactly?

Contribute what exactly?

Depth, the potential to fill in as a #5 guy instead of taking guys like Duensing out of the pen to fill in. Hell you can even live with his 4.49 ERA from 2011 as a #5.

 

Ideally the Twins have 5 superior pitchers at the start of 2013, just hope that when the time comes Blackburn can at least contribute a 4.50 ERA or so.