Notebook: Dobnak and Donaldson Thrive Against Old Friend

[David Youngs]

Despite a tough track of spring training offense, the Twins brought their bats to JetBlue Park on Thursday evening in Florida against former Twins pitcher Martin Perez. Let’s dig in.Twins 7, Red Sox 4

Box Score

 

JetBlue Park may not be Fenway Park. That didn’t stop Twins slugger Josh Donaldson from mashing a second-inning two-run HR over the left-field wall to propel the Twins to a 7-4 win over Boston.

 

The ‘Bringer of Rain’ wasn’t the only offensive threat for the Twins on Thursday. Byron Buxton kicked off the game by knocking a bases-loaded double to left field to put the Twins up 3-0 in the first. The sequence wouldn’t have been possible without a Donaldson double to kick off the base-filling tirade.

 

The Twins tormented Perez in his four-inning outing, knocking five hits and five runs off of their former teammate.

 

Fear the Fu Manchu

While the Twins offense showed up early, the real treat of the night was the smorgasbord of a night that Minnesota pitcher Randy Dobnak displayed. The Fu Manchu machine pitched five innings, striking out five and giving up one run.

Randy Dobnak is no stranger to Twins fans at this point. Yet his electric spring training has proven that Dobnak is more than just a “feel-good story.” He’s here to stay.

 

 

While Maeda, Berrios, and Pineda lock up the top three spots in the Twins rotation, Dobnak has a strong argument to be a consistent force in the 4-5 spot. As the Red Sox play-by-play analyst said, “There are not too many guys out there like Dobnak. He doesn’t just have a slider, but he’s got a funky one.”

Dobnak’s success in spring training has earned him a spot on the Opening Day roster. What is his potential? We’ll just have to watch and see this year.

 

 

Twins News

The Twins made several moves today in addition to their win against the Red Sox.

• Lewis Thorpe was optioned to the alternate training site on Thursday. In addition, LHP Andrew Albers, and RHPs Luke Farrell, Ian Hamilton, Juan Minaya, and Glenn Sparkman were all optioned to minor league camp. Catcher David Bañuelos was also optioned to minor league camp.
• Twins utility man Andrew Romine took the out in his contract following Thursday evening’s game. He has been released from the organization.

Tickets!

The Twins put single-game tickets on sale Thursday morning at 10 am CST. They went quickly. Within a number of hours the home opener series against Seattle was sold out.

 

Tickets for games throughout the season can be found at https://www.mlb.com/twins/tickets. A reminder that a maximum of 10,000 fans is allowed at each game and tickets must be purchased in pods of two or four.

 

 

Fans in the stands are back and Twins fans are excited!

 

Around the League

• Perhaps the biggest news in the MLB on Thursday took place in the White Sox organization. The Sox announced that star outfielder Eloy Jimenez will miss 5-6 months from a ruptured pectoral tendon that he injured on a home run-robbing effort against the A’s on Wednesday. Jimenez was expected to be a key contributor to a stellar White Sox offense in 2021. We wish him nothing but the best and a safe recovery.
• Hear the names Lucas Giolito, Max Fried, and Jack Flaherty, and the words “Opening Day Starter” come to mind. But what if I told you that they all went to the same high school? That’s right, all three aces are alumni of Harvard-Westlake high school and are slated to kick off the 2021 season on the bump for their respective teams. Pretty cool.

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[Dman]

Man I just don't see how you can keep Dobnak out of the starting 5.  One mistake pitch away from a near perfect Spring.  If I would have known he was going to be this good I would've wished the Twins didn't add one more pitcher at the end.  Like the Twins I had my concerns but seeing him this spring it seems like a waste to not have him start.  Once again I doubted you Randy and once again you proved me wrong.

 

We asked for hits and the team produced 13 of them tonight.  Lot's of good battles at the plate and good results tonight.

 

Robles left a straight inside fastball that got crushed for a home run and gave up hard contact to the next batter but he managed his way through the inning.  I still don't trust him or his stuff but I hope he is better than I think he is.

 

When Rogers decides to live on the edge and not throw strikes something bad usually happens and it did tonight as he too, left a nice fat straight pitch that got blasted for 2 run HR.  Man he struggled against the righties tonight.  I thought he was back to dominant but he brought back my doubting side.

 

I think this bullpen is going to have us squirming this season.  Maybe things will straighten out yet who knows.  Alcala looks to be the most dominant of the bunch right now.  It was the replacements but he was throwing it by guys tonight.

 

Fun game to watch for the most part can't wait for the season to start.

[mikelink45]

Dobnak has to be winning everyone over. He just takes the ball and does what he needs to. It's just a wonderful story and excellent talent. I really want him in the starting rotation.

[jimbo92107]

I'll admit there were times in 2019 (only fifty years ago, sigh) when I thought it would be nice if Randy Dobnak added just one more squirrelly pitch to befuddle hitters. 

 

Now he has added that pitch, and his ERA is sub-1. What else need this man do? Do they want an upper 90's fastball? Ain't gonna happen. Like Maeda, Dobs exists with cleverness and guile, not pure power. Like Maeda, Dobs has found a formula to get guys out. Will it last? Insufficient data. However, physically he looks like a big, human diesel engine that will chug along for years with little more than a new pair of shoes now and then.

 

After a slight delay, I think Dobnak will be a starting pitcher for the Twins for a long, long time.

[High heat]

Nice to see Dobnak continue his great pitching and the offense role a bit. Haven’t seen or heard an update on Garver hopefully just a stinger and no serious damage to his shoulder.

[stringer bell]

Dobnak's rise is a good story backed by excellent performance in the spring. Much like the struggles of some of the hitters, let's remember this is Spring Training. I've seen far too many stories of players ready to break out who never have.

 

That said, it appears that Dobnak is the first "starter in waiting" and if previous years are any guide, he'll be in the rotation before we've settled in for the regular season. I'm confident Randy will get his chances and probably will hold on to a starting role for quite a while.

[arby58]

Dobnak is a nice problem to have - very few teams have his caliber of starting pitcher in waiting. If Thorpe also does well at AAA, and with some of their young guns pushing forward, the rotation could start looking like Cleveland's in a year or two.

[rdehring]

Dobnak was one of the Twins best pitchers last year, prior to that disaster in St. Louis after which he couldn't throw strikes. No reason to be surprised that he is having a good spring, with a new pitch making it a great spring.

 

Will be a bloody shame if he isn't among the Twins starting 5 come opening week considering he is one of their three best starters. The Twins are a better team and will win more games if he takes the ball every fifth day. Maybe the answer is to stack him with Happ and give the rest of the bullpen the day off. That would mean they would be rested when overworked the other four days.

[Doctor Gast]

Dobnak has performed as well as any pitcher this spring, too bad they don't count. His ground ball ability together with acquisition of Simmons spells success. Now with his new found slider will cut down on his pitches and transformed him into a SO pitcher. In my book he's a starter, too bad ST games don't make a difference.

Too bad Thorpe was sent down, still think he would be greatly used as a long reliever and spot starter starting this spring.

[AceWrigley]

 

Dobnak has to be winning everyone over. He just takes the ball and does what he needs to. It's just a wonderful story and excellent talent. I really want him in the starting rotation.

This is the power of The Dobnak.

[James Rivah Twins Fan]

Love the video--keepin' the clubhouse fun. Vamonos! Juega!

[Trov]

I do not see how Twins can justify not starting Dobnak over Shoemaker.  What in Shoemaker history says he just gets the 5th spot?  If Dobnak does not get shot in rotation out the gate it means he never had a chance for one and the rotation was set before spring started.  Dobnak will be first starter up when someone misses a start for injury if he is not in rotation.  

 

I also cannot get over the story Dobnak had.  How many pitchers in his drafts signed, and failed in baseball?  It just shows that not every guy can be found right away.  Even if he is just an average pen pitcher the rest of his career I still see him spending many years in majors.  To go from undrafted and seen on a youtube video to making majors just a couple years later, to even start post-season game.  I will be rooting for him no matter where he ends up the rest of his career.  

[mikelink45]

 

I do not see how Twins can justify not starting Dobnak over Shoemaker.  What in Shoemaker history says he just gets the 5th spot?  If Dobnak does not get shot in rotation out the gate it means he never had a chance for one and the rotation was set before spring started.  Dobnak will be first starter up when someone misses a start for injury if he is not in rotation.  

 

I also cannot get over the story Dobnak had.  How many pitchers in his drafts signed, and failed in baseball?  It just shows that not every guy can be found right away.  Even if he is just an average pen pitcher the rest of his career I still see him spending many years in majors.  To go from undrafted and seen on a youtube video to making majors just a couple years later, to even start post-season game.  I will be rooting for him no matter where he ends up the rest of his career.  

I would rather use a pitcher who has a future with us than one that is a one year fill in.

[prouster]

 

physically he looks like a big, human diesel engine that will chug along for years with little more than a new pair of shoes now and then.

 

Maybe a new pair of glasses on occasion, too.

[jimbo92107]

 

Maybe a new pair of glasses on occasion, too.

I thought about that, too. But his glasses are so classic, I say polish 'em up and keep sending them out there.

[saviking]

Long live Dobnak!!!

 

Shoe-marker-Shoe

[Trov]

 

I would rather use a pitcher who has a future with us than one that is a one year fill in.

Fully agree.  Dobnak is still young and room to grow.  Dobnak had great stretch last year then fell off.  I would love to see if his new slider can carry over into regular season and pile up some good numbers again.  Without Dobnak first half last season we would not have won the central most likely.  I am not saying you owe him anything for it, but if it was a true battle for 5th spot Dobnak won that battle. 

[raindog]

Shoemaker is a veteran who was promised a starting spot in the rotation to sign here. You can’t send him to the minors. He’s good when healthy. When he or anyone else in the rotation gets hurt, Dobnak will be there. Relax. Unless he himself gets hurt, he’ll end up starting more games than someone that is currently in the rotation. 
 

They could have not signed Shoemaker but then they have less SP depth. I don’t understand how people are confused or upset about this.