stringer bell

I was opposed to moving Mauer going into this season. With the impending free agency of Morneau and his subsequent trade, I then advocated making Joe a part-time first baseman believing that Pinto could be behind the plate for about half the innings, with Joe and Doumit or Herrmann splitting the other 50% of the innings. Now, I am with those saying that Mauer shouldn't be considered a catcher any more. He's one hard foul tip or home plate collision from perhaps being a shadow of himself and the Twins have a lot of money tied up in him. I agree that he could be the emergency third catcher. The time is now to make the move--the Twins don't have an incumbent first baseman and Mauer would have the entire spring to polish his first base skills, providing he has recovered from the concussion symptoms.

I think Gardenhire is a good baseball man and a good manager. I was on board with him returning last year, but three straight seasons of losing and this year's slide at the end of the season have me accepting that people wear out their welcome. I am now on board if the Twins want to try someone new.

Diamond wriggled out of that jam. He even got one of those strikeout thingies.

I was listening to Dan Barreiro on KFAN. He said the LENIII had interviewed Ryan and that Terry had categorized the 3-$21M as a huge contract. While most considered the Willingham deal a middle of the road deal, if Ryan considers it huge dollars, the Twins just will not pursue and offer enough to attract a top tier or second tier free agent. It has been my concern that Ryan is still operating in the 20th Century both on what he considers a rich free agent contract and how much he is able and willing to spend. The Twins don't have to live on leftovers and scraps any more. They have middle market revenues and the prospects of rich revenue streams. If this is truly Ryan's view, Pohlad should retire him.

With the news that Mauer was officially shut down combined with a club-leading 18th homer by Brian Dozier, it seems to me that Dozier has earned the team MVP. The other candidates would be Glen Perkins and Mauer. Perkins has had a fine year, but as a closer on a 90-loss team has only logged 61.2 innings. Mauer had a very good season, but finished playing only 113 games. Dozier will finish with somewhere around 145. At this point Brian leads the team in games, at bats, runs, triples, and homers. He is second on the team in hits, doubles and RBI. Dozier has played splendid defense at a new position. In a disappointing season, Brian Dozier is one guy who has thrived.

Pinto! 998 for Gardy.

Way to move him over, Hammer!

How do you want him scoring the winning run--sliding or trotting across without a throw?

Please don't bunt him over with the bottom of the order coming up!

Walkoff homer by ??????

Settle down ChiTown!

With the exception of Perkins and possibly Thielbar, the bullpen is cooked.

oh-fer how many w/ RISP today?

Ugh, I don't have two hours to spare to watch Pelf "pitch" four innings.

Doesn't look like Texas is playing along with the "A's clinch tonight" plan.

On field note--is it me or are the only two guys putting up consistent big league at-bats Dozier and Pinto?

Piece of pie? I didn't think so.

Here is a ray of hope for you--the Twins have supported Hernandez very well when he has started. Even since his last recall, the Twins have scored more for him than anyone else on the staff. They scored five and won when Pedro made his cameo start (drove to Cleveland from Louisville) and since he was recalled they have scored 9, 6, and 6 in his three starts (the Twins have won all three games). The team scored 7, 6, 15 and 10 runs in consecutive starts for Hernandez before he was optioned.

They are missing their best hitter, that hurts a lot. Add a Buxton and Sano in two of the top four spots and the lineup will look better, but that might not be until midseason 2015. Besides being a lineup of sub-.250 hitters, there isn't much speed around to manufacture runs, so they really do have offensive problems at this point.

It was by all accounts pretty bad. I checked out when the score was 1-0, so I didn't get to witness the carnage first hand. What bothers you the most?

Here is post #100, just a little late.....I wrote a blog entry a couple of weeks ago entitled "Fire 'em all"--today is an exhibit of why it wouldn't be a bad idea.

I suspect the Pravda reference was referring to the strib (aka the Red Star) due to its perceived political leanings.

Plouffe has a sore wrist that has bothered him since he came off the DL in June according to the PP. He finally revealed this after he left the game in the eighth inning last night.

The other part of this, Mike, is that you are asking two players to move to positions they never played before (Mauer made an emergency start in right, but still). Arcia has been an outfielder exclusively in pro ball while Mauer has played about half a season at first in the majors and played quite well there from what I've seen.

I agree and would add that probably he has "overregressed" if there is such a word. Diamond had a lot of things go right, and it seems like he has been paid back double for every mistake he's made this year. I don't think his arm was 100% and with such a small margin for error an inch or two makes a lot of difference. I expect that Diamond will be starting for the Twins next year and will put up numbers closer to 2012 than 2013.