Notebook: Shoemaker Leathered by Sox

[Jamie Cameron]

The Minnesota Twins continued their 2021 Spring Training slate with a 9-1 loss at the Red Sox. Notes on that game and more in today’s Twins Daily Notebook.Red Sox 9, Twins 1

Box Score

 

Twins Takeaways

Standout pitcher: Derek Law (1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K)

Standout hitter: Willians Astudillo (1-for-3, 1 R)

 

What does Bobby Dalbec have against the Twins? Dalbec crushed a grand slam off Matt Shoemaker for his third home run of the spring against Minnesota.

 

Shoemaker struggled significantly today after the Twins rotation had been nearly flawless so far in spring. Shoemaker surrendered seven earned runs in three innings pitched, including an additional home run to Rafael Devers.

 

Other pitching performances were mixed. Shaun Anderson continued a poor spring which surely places him at St. Paul to start the season. Taylor Rogers and Alex Colomé were both uneven on their first back to back appearances of March. Jorge Alcala, Tom Hackimer, and Andrew Albers all had scoreless appearances for the Twins.

 

The Twins standout pitcher was Derek Law, currently a frontrunner for the prestigious Sire of Fort Myers crown. For the second straight appearance, Law struck out three hitters in his inning of work:

 

 

The Twins offense offered nothing. JT Riddle and Willians Astudillo offered the only hits until a Caleb Hamilton garbage time single. Channels Bill Belicheck ... "we’re onto Atlanta."

 

Tomorrow: OFF

Friday: Twins at Atlanta, 5:05 CST, Randy Dobnak vs. Ian Anderson

 

Other News

Bally Sports North (I’ll never be O.K. with this) announced it’s full 156 game televised lineup today. 12 Twins games have at last been co-opted for a national broadcast. Additionally, it'll be the first time all 162 Twins games are televised.

 

 

In additional welcome news, Justin Morneau will serve as the lead analyst for BSN alongside Dick Bremer. Twins fans will also experience Roy Smalley and LaTroy Hawkins in what should be a strong and compelling booth for an exciting 2021 Twins season.

 

Michael Pineda continued to lengthen for the start of the regular season Wednesday, throwing 70 pitches over four innings in the Twins ‘B’ game.

 

 

More from Twins Daily

Spring Training Live: Two Weeks to Go

Introducing Randy Dobnak's New and Improved Slider

What a Luis Arraez Contract Extension Would Look Like

 

Click here to view the article

[Dman]

I know it Spring training and if you are going to give up a couple of painful homeruns that is the time to do it but it deflates your confidence in a newly acquired pitcher very quickly.

 

I know guys are working on stuff and mainly trying to stay healthy but again the uneven performances of the pen makes me worry.

 

They need to give Law some reps with better batters at the plate.  He has done very well after the lineup changes but lets see if he can attack the big boys please.  What I got of Derek on MLB TV looked good. He moved the ball around had nice movement and had batters fooled most of the time.  Lets see if it translates to the better hitters.

 

The bats have been pretty quiet except for the replacement players.  I hope guys are going to get serious and be ready pretty soon or this could be tough start to the year.

[VivaBomboRivera!]

"... The Twins offense offered nothing."

 

As posted elsewhere:

3 hits, 2 walks, 1 run, 4 LOB. Scored only 2 against Pirates, 1 against Braves... not right. Offense has been MIA since last October.

[AceWrigley]

I guess the ramp up to offensive juggernaut has a long lead time ... ahem.

[peterb18]

Really disappointed that Morneau is the lead analyst. Too boring and a monotone voice. And is really a good person but announcing is not for him. And never stops talking. I usually put the sound down so low that his voice is mufffled. Really miss Bert. The good point is I can watch a lot of golf on the weekends and the radio on for baseball.

[strumdatjaguar]

Dobber time for 5th starter!!!!

[rdehring]

Not worried about individual performances early in spring. But it is about time that the pitching begins to put up a lot of clean innings and the hitters start scoring some runs. Time to get going, guys!

 

Right now I don't have access to FSN or whatever it is called. But when/if I do get it, count me among those who like Morneau as the color guy. Like him a lot.

[Dave The Dastardly]

Respect the Turtle!

[Ben Noble]

 

Really disappointed that Morneau is the lead analyst. Too boring and a monotone voice. And is really a good person but announcing is not for him. And never stops talking.

I see Morneau as a tv personality a lot like a promising young hitting prospect who's made a few appearances but hasn't exceeded his rookie status yet. He's got all the tools to succeed, but he needs some time and experience to put it all together. Hopefully we'll have the chance to watch him grow into the role and make it his own over the long haul, because I think he could be a good one.

[Linus]

Before the 2019 season I predicted the Twins offense would be feast or famine based on lots of power with low obp. Happily I was wrong. Unhappily I’m afraid my original prediction is coming true.

 

I also think we are overplaying the strategy of bringing marginal pitchers and counting on Wes Johnson to fix them.

[wombat28]

peterb18, I totally agree about Morneau being named lead analyst. I really don't understand what the bosses at FSN see, or worse yet, hear in Morneau? He analyzes every single pitch, talks and talks and talks.... My wife and I seriously miss Bert in the booth with Dick, as they were the best. Bert said just enough to make it interesting, and with humor. And Dick, you're partially to blame as you continually ask Justin questions, and then he talks and talks and talks..... We too turn the volume way down so we can barely hear Morneau, as Dicks voice is more pronounced. Muting the TV and turning the radio broadcast on is our first choice, but we DVR most games so that isn't as option. 

[Dman]

 

I see Morneau as a tv personality a lot like a promising young hitting prospect who's made a few appearances but hasn't exceeded his rookie status yet. He's got all the tools to succeed, but he needs some time and experience to put it all together. Hopefully we'll have the chance to watch him grow into the role and make it his own over the long haul, because I think he could be a good one.

 

Yeah I like Morneau in the booth mainly because I like his analysis.  I like that he gives a good hitters perspective.  I get what others are saying that he can be a little dry but personally I don't mind that.  To me he is there to give me unique insight and I think he does that quite well.  

 

I also enjoyed Bert I know some didn't care for the tangents he went on but there a nice comradery there IMO.  He gave good pitchers perspective and was easy to listen to IMO.  I had no issues with Bert.

 

All the guys they have tried in the booth have there strengths and weaknesses and in general I like all of them.

[mikelink45]

I love that Astudillo keeps playing all over the field and hitting well on a team that is really poor at bat this spring.  The lineup looks like they are still in the playoffs - no hits, no runs - time to wake up.  I know Nick Nelson keeps saying he is not high on the turtle, but the turtle has not been behind the plate, at 3B, in LF and he has been one of our most aggressive and effective batters. .389 .450 1.117  so far.  He might be the second utility man. 

[MMMordabito]

August 21 @ Yankees looks like a definite mute day, especially if they put Verducci in the booth.

[blindeke]

 

Really disappointed that Morneau is the lead analyst. Too boring and a monotone voice. And is really a good person but announcing is not for him. And never stops talking. I usually put the sound down so low that his voice is mufffled. Really miss Bert. The good point is I can watch a lot of golf on the weekends and the radio on for baseball.

 

I will not miss Bert one bit and Morneau is great IMO.

[Shaitan]

 

"... The Twins offense offered nothing."

As posted elsewhere:
3 hits, 2 walks, 1 run, 4 LOB. Scored only 2 against Pirates, 1 against Braves... not right. Offense has been MIA since last October.

Haha. Pitching and defense too.

[KFEY93]

 

"... The Twins offense offered nothing."

As posted elsewhere:
3 hits, 2 walks, 1 run, 4 LOB. Scored only 2 against Pirates, 1 against Braves... not right. Offense has been MIA since last October.

MIA Since September of 2019 to be exact. 

[Channing1964]

i turn the sound down and listen to Corey and Danny anyways.

[James Rivah Twins Fan]

 

Really disappointed that Morneau is the lead analyst. Too boring and a monotone voice. And is really a good person but announcing is not for him. And never stops talking. I usually put the sound down so low that his voice is mufffled. Really miss Bert. The good point is I can watch a lot of golf on the weekends and the radio on for baseball.

 

I have to agree that Justin doesn't bring much "color." Bert is sorely missed already--he was a treat. The radio is my favorite way to go (Sirius XM). Cory is a pro and Dazzle is entertaining.