stringer bell

Deduno has been good because he's walking less and when opponents hit the ball, they don't hit it hard very often.

I guess I don't see any chance of Herrmann becoming more than a 25th player. His numbers at AA and AAA scream ....mediocre at best. He's done well as a major leaguer, but I doubt he was trying less hard at New Britain and Rochester. I like Pinto a lot more and hope he gets some time this year.

Actually, the Red Sox have had a bit of a down cycle, if you ask me.

I think there are at least three players on their way to be contributors to the Twins who are in AA or above: Rosario, Sano, Pinto and Arcia (if you want to count him as in Rochester--I think he'll be up before the Royals series is over) and perhaps Parmelee. There aren't as many pitchers and only the hope from May and Meyer of being better than average. Add to this package the #1 prospect in baseball is a center fielder and I'm confident that the Twins will have a better offense soon. Pitching? Not so sure.

I certainly hope so. On a related note, now is the time to tie up any free-agent-to-be. I think that the Twins should consider locking up only one guy and that is not a sure thing. That guy is Pelfrey, who has a chance to get better and healthier in the coming seasons.

Terry Ryan said this spring that Wimmers was on the same rehab plan as Gibson. As far as placing him in the minors, I would guess that is different because Wimmers has only one appearance beyond A+. With the Rock Cats out of playoff contention, I don't think it would hurt at all to see if Alex could handle AA this year. As far as protecting Wimmers, if he does well the rest of the season and is okay or better in the AFL, I think he could well be claimed and I don't think it is an overall good for the player. Wimmers won't be ready for the big leagues next year and being stashed would only slow the development of a guy who has already been delayed for 2+ years and was a college arm.

I'm not a big WAR guy, but I do believe that Dozier's "D" has really helped this year. I doubt that right now and probably into next year that the better offense provided by Rosario would cancel out the dropoff in defense. Eddie is new to 2B and has done well, but I still believe he is not a major league average defender at this stage.

No, move guys to make room for guys who are younger, cheaper and have more upside. Doumit, Duensing, Burton, Fien, and Roenicke are guys that aren't going to get better, healthier, or less expensive. I doubt more than one of them will be around when the team truly contends. This club has had a 40-man roster clogged with bottom quartile talent. Just clearing room on the 40-man would be a good move. Beyond that, I would prefer to see Pinto, Albers, perhaps May, and a couple of other high minors guys over the talent that is here.

The Twins are in the midst of their third consecutive losing season. They have a roster with a lot of 30+ y.o. veterans who are not stars. This is not how to build toward contention and then championships. I understand that patience is a virtue and that there is more than 24 hours before the trade deadline, but this roster needs to be shaken, not stirred starting with the trade deadline. Move some bodies, save some salary (to be spent in the offseason), and find out who can play among the guys in the high minors.

I'll put it this way: would replacing Dozier with Rosario make the team better? Would replacing Dozier with Rosario make the team a playoff contender? If Rosario flames out, can the Twins contend with Dozier as the regular second baseman? My answers are no, no, yes. Dozier looks to be replaceable, but he isn't a primary reason why this club is 10 games under .500. I think Dozier's fine defense makes up for his so far substandard offense as a second baseman. His OPS has been hovering around .700 for a while since starting off poorly and righting the ship in late May. He has been the best leadoff guy the Twins have and that is damning him with faint praise, because as a team the Twins leadoff position has to be the worst in baseball. It looks to me that his upside is a slightly above average second baseman and right now he is in the middle third of 2Bs.

I think Dozier is miscast as a leadoff guy, but I think the production he has provided would be more than acceptable from a spot in the bottom of the order. As noted above, his defense has been somewhere between solid and outstanding and combined with a little pop and a little speed, he has thus far shown himself to be a serviceable starter as a second baseman.

Atta guy Cappsie....errrr..Perk! He had the at-em ball working.

I still agree. CC got a BP fastball and finally squared one up.

I'm seeing over and over the folly of "productive outs". The odds are heavily against two guys advancing a runner by making outs and really limits the chance for a big inning. Seattle has failed a couple of times and the Twins have also failed a couple times. But, Smalley and Dick have this logic as gospel and will continue to preach it as such.

My call, unfortunately, is a walk-off bomb from I-BAN-YES.

Dick will now have evidence that the Twins should bunt more since they got that run in the ninth.

Much like the Twins, it isn't about wins and losses. I'm impressed with the Ms overall. Even though their division figures to be pretty tough, they will be a pretty good team pretty soon. It really helps to have the top of the rotation featuring Felix and Iwakuma.

Probably saved his spot for his next start.

The wife said the instructions were under the hood.

The lineup to which David Wells threw a perfect game was a dandy.

Yes, please.

I'm hoping for a trade, but Wilkin Ramirez could either be placed on the 60-day list or activated and DFAed.

I think so. Albers was very good again for the Red Wings. He threw a 3-hit complete game (2 runs) with 8 Ks. Diamond has used up all the rope he was given going into the season. We have seen a succession of guys rally when their place in the rotation was threatened.

Trade deadline is 5 days away. I hope the problem is solved by then. Also, Mauer, Parm, and Colabello should be sharing first base by that time.

Albers CG 3-hitter. If Diamond soils the sheets again, I think we see Albers in six days.