stringer bell

Nothing wrong with being an optimist, but the Twins are facing the defending Cy Young winner, who has put up All-Star numbers this year, as well. Duensing hasn't gotten to the fifth yet and Verlander hasn't failed to get through 6 since 2010 IIRC.

Minnesota and Rochester--all pitchers, not a single position player.

optimist.

Fien's last two outings: 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 K I can only access his last 10 appearances, but it seems usually he's been very good, but when he has been less than good, the numbers are awful. In his last 10, he was scored on in 4 games, 2 runs each game, including one appearance of .2 and another of .1.

In talking about doubling numbers, I was mostly looking at individual stats like J-Will's power numbers and those of Plouffe. Actually, I do think the Twins are a good bet to lose 90 games. They probably will sell at the deadline and losing one or two of Span, Capps, Carroll, Morneau and Liriano will hurt the 2012 season. Also, I think that the law of averages says that one or more of the starting position players will get hurt and this team has little depth at several positions.

I liked Fien in spring training. He's worked a lot at Rochester, and got knocked around a few times, but generally has done very well. He is a BP guy, throws hard enough, doesn't walk many, but he's 28, so I doubt he's considered much of a prospect. He pitched for the Tigers and just about everybody has claimed him and then let him go. Best of luck Casey.

After tonight's game, the Twins will have played exactly half of their games. Projecting numbers for a full season is easy, just double what they have after tonight's game. At the start of the season, I thought this year's Twins would compare favorably with last year's edition. I thought they would 1) score more runs 2) play better defense and be more fundamentally sound 3) and get an improved performance from the bullpen. All of this has panned out, however they are still on track for more than 90 losses. The culpirt is the starting rotation, which has suffered injury and ineffectiveness from all of the projected starters and a couple of the prospective replacements. At the halfway point of the season there are several questions to be answered in no particular order: 1) Who will be traded at the trade deadline (just four weeks away) if the Twins are sellers (they should be)? 2) What will pan out of the middle infield--can Dozier make the grade, is Casilla a viable option going forward, do the noncontending Twins need to keep the powerless but competent Jamey Carroll around? 3) Will the power surges of RH hitters Plouffe and Willingham continue? 4) Can Justin Morneau stay healthy AND find his swing? 5) Is Joe Mauer back to what he was? 6) Is the current cast of characters in the bullpen enough to be a contender? 7) Who, if anyone, will emerge from the carnage of the 2012 Twins' rotation to be counted on in 2013? If the Twins get the right answers, they could contend as soon as 2013. I don't see it this year--just not enough starting pitching--but with a canny trade, a good free agent signing and the emergence of a guy or two, things could get interesting for the Twins in 2013 and beyond.

He needs to play. If Morneau is starting at first 90% of the time, and Mauer most of the other 10%, there really isn't room for Parmelee. With the short starts by Hendriks and Blackburn, short term it may help the team to bring up another pitcher. I think they should recall a starter and banish Blackburn to the bullpen, while sending Parmelee to Rochester. 60 plate appearances at Rochester isn't enough to say that h Parmelee has "done all he can" at that level. This was his first taste of AAA and he can benefit from more time there, perhaps just as Dozier could.

BTW, pretty good work from not the usual suspects--Gray, Waldrop, Robertson--when the bully was down to those three plus Perk for an inning. Gardenhire says that Perkins is out for tomorrow and that Burton is available.

I saw Deduno is ST and thought he looked kind of impressive. I did also start a prospect thread for him. His numbers have been very good since he has come back to the rotation. He's had a cup of coffee with both San Diego and Colorado. After hearing Gardenhire, I think Blackburn is out of the rotation. Deduno or Walters could be put in his place. Rick Anderson said that they thought that Walters needed at least another rehab start so if they go to Rochester it could be Deduno.

As much as I hate carrying 13 pitchers, especially with three catchers, it probably isn't a bad idea. They basically have regulars at every position, with Mastro and Casilla as the bench. They really don't need Parmelee and it isn't helping him to sit on the bench.

Regarding Burton, the Twins didn't want to use him today. They are trying to keep his arm in top shape until the All-Star game. Burton hasn't had a healthy year in quite a while and the Twins want to make sure he stays available. Dozier did go 0-5, but I saw his last two ABs. Both were pretty solid, although he didn't come through in the end. I didn't see his other ABs, but if he is extending ABs as he did on the last two, he will be fine.

Good to see Casilla in the lineup. I don't think Casilla has proven anything either way, but playing Carroll on a noncontending team is pointless.

We are watching a last place team because the starting pitching has been a near-total failure. Everything else about this club is just as good as anyone in the AL Central.

1) Trevor Plouffe. While there are some soft spots in his season (strikeouts, L-R splits, hitting in RBI situations) he has become a monster, punishing lefties and finding the seats with regularity. The combination of Plouffe and Willingham has given the Twins righthanded power for the first time in ages. Plouffe also has played more than acceptably as a third basemen, filling the chasm left by Danny Valencia's failure. 2) Scott Diamond. Eleven starts has not been a full season, but Diamond has been good in most of them, and not bad in the others. Diamond has had enough stuff to get batters out and has excelled at throwing strikes, fielding his position and limiting bad innings. Diamond has easily been the best starter and papered over some of the carnage put on the starting staff. 3) Alex Burnett. As usually the last guy in the 'pen the last two years, Burnett was unimpressive. The peripherals still aren't that good, but he has "pitched to contact" and gotten outs. He is throwing more breaking balls and has been rewarded with success. It was pointed out that Burnett has really been good against LH hitters and that really helps the Twins' bullpen.

1) White Sox (gag) 84-79--game 163 playoff win. 2) Twin 4th with 72 wins 3) New uniforms for Span, Liriano and Capps 4) Texas wins the WS in seven games because Joe Mauer singled in the ninth inning of the All-Star game giving the AL home field. Pittsburgh's cinderella story ends up one game short.

Another strong outing for Deduno. He went 7, allowed two unearned runs, but was charged with the loss in a 2-1 Red Wings defeat.

I wouldn't want to touch Baker with a ten foot pole for 2013. It will be his recovery year from TJ and I doubt he'll be effective during the season. I think the Twins should give Duensing the rest of this season to see how effective he can be as a starter. If yes, hey they filled a hole in a rotation full of holes and if no, he can go back and be an asset in the bullpen. Similarly, Casilla should be given an extended look at second base. He hasn't hit much but he seems to make an outstanding defensive play almost every game. He, like Revere, can make a difference on the bases and the Twins don't have anything besides possibly Florimon to help in the middle infield. Plouffe has certainly exceeded expectations as a third baseman and he has really hit well-again there isn't much in the minors that could move him off third base. My fondest hope is that Plouffe will add proficiency vs. RH pitching and better performance with runners on base for the rest of this year and into the next. It was noted in another thread that all of the position players are under team control through next year. Given the lack of performing talent at AA and AAA, the core of this team will likely stay pretty close to what it is right now. A Span trade wouldn't surprise me and looks like it would be worthwhile with Revere showing his ability to hit, run down balls and steal bases. I also hope that Capps gets back out there soon and is effective so that he can be dealt. If not, I'm not sure the Twins will let him go in the offseason. You can't have too much pitching and his contract is reasonable.

Yes, it is a conundrum. Mauer is a fine hitter for a catcher. He is merely above average if considered a first baseman/DH. It certainly appears for whatever reason that Mauer won't be able to catch 120+ games this year or in the future. It seems to me that Mauer should catch as much as he can, but he seems to suffer too many dings to catch much more than half time.

The Twins deserve only one representative to the All-Star game. They are in last place in the weakest division in the AL and have been there basically since the beginning of the season. There has been conversation about who the Twins rep should be in the All-Star game. The consensus for the past couple of weeks is that Josh Willingham deserves the honor. He has driven in the most runs, he has been close to the team lead in HRs and has had several big hits late in games. Mauer hasn't caught much (34 starts) and hit only his fourth homer today. However, Joe is a three-time batting champ who plays a premium position. Mauer's hitting numbers have slowly moved north to where he now has the top OPS among players considered catchers in the American League. Willingham is fifth in OPS among outfielders but isn't among the leaders in the traditional stats of BA and HRs. I have thought for awhile that there should be no contest that Willingham should be the Twins representative. However, Mauer's line, his position and his standing with the voters may give him the edge. I won't be disappointed if Mauer is selected, but Willingham is also a valid choice. That is probably two more than existed last year.

A first at Target Field? Two wins in the same day?

Diamond should qualify easily. He's got 72 MLB innings and the Twins have played 76 games. He's need only 90 innings in the final 86 games.

Nice victory in Game 1. Not that excited about De Vriez pitching the nightcap.

It seems to me that Dozier has made all the plays and not really struggled in making them. He has also not made all the plays, making errors fielding and throwing on routine and not routine plays. Maybe he isn't as focused as he should be or is rushing more than he needs to, but his defense has been substandard despite having the tools to be a very good defender.

Let's see if I can summarize this. Most bullpens, but particularly the Twins' bullpen need a long man that can pitch multiple innings, might be called on to pitch a lot in a short time and then not pitch for a week. The Twins have Swarzak for that role and he has been pretty good for that. Manship profiles as another long man and he has not shown that he has the ability to pitch a lot in a short period of time, nor has he shown the ability to get big league hitters out in any role. Waldrop will not be a long man, but will join Burnett as a righthanded middle reliever/setup guy who mostly will pitch one inning three or four times a week with varying amounts of leverage.