MLB FanHouse

The Twins Plan on Standing Pat

Tom Fornelli — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 13:14:00 EST

Filed under: Minnesota, Twins, AL Central, MLB Rumors

The Twins did something they haven't been doing a lot of lately on Monday night, actually losing a game for once, to drop their record to a paltry 16-3 in their last 19 games. Now, you would think that a 1-0 loss to the Red Sox would send the organization into a panic.

After all, they fell from a game behind the Chicago White Sox to a full game and a half. That's a lot of ground to make up, and doing so won't be easy. Still, that doesn't mean the Twins are going to be buyers come deadline time.

"You're always looking to make your team better, and we'll continue to do that," Twins General Manager Bill Smith said before Monday's game against the Red Sox. "At the same time, you don't want to tinker too much with something that's not broken.

"There's a fine line there. We have gotten tremendous starting pitching over the last month. We've gotten quality bullpen work. Our offense is clicking, and Gardy's got enough flexibility right now that we're able to match up against good pitchers. And we're on a good run."

Smith's logic seems sound here, as the team has performed well in all aspects of the game, but it's not like they're perfect. They're third in the AL in both hitting and runs scored, but are dead last in home runs with only 60, and their team ERA is middle of the road.

Frankly, I think that if the Twins are going to hang around all season and win their division, they could probably use another starting pitcher. Just whom they could get, and who they would have to give up to get him I'm not sure, but for Smith to rule out the idea completely doesn't seem smart to me. Just because it isn't broken doesn't mean it couldn't use a tune up.

The Twins Plan on Standing Pat originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 08 Jul 2008 13:14:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cliff Lee Doesn't Like to Move, Hates Carlos Gomez' Bunting Prowess

Tom Fornelli — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 14:24:00 EST

Filed under: Cleveland, Minnesota, Indians, Twins, AL Central, MLB Gossip

The 2008 season has been a great one for Cliff Lee, despite the fact that just about everything else has gone wrong when it comes to the Indians team he plays for. Lee has rebounded from a horrible 2007 campaign to go 11-2 with a 2.43 ERA this season, and was just named the AL starter in the All Star Game. So you would think that he'd probably be in a pretty good mood, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

Apparently the success and newfound fame has gone to Cliff's head, because he doesn't think he should have to move around or field the ball anymore. That can be the only reason why he got mad at the Twins' Carlos Gomez on Sunday after Gomez laid down a bunt in the first inning.

Gomez attempted to bunt on an 0-2 pitch in the first inning but pushed the ball too close to the mound. Lee fielded the ball, threw him out, then said something to Gomez after the play.

Lee and Gomez then jawed at each other after Gomez reached on an infield single in the third.

"I was just trying to do my job and he ... jumped on me,'' Gomez said after the Twins won 4-3. "He say, 'Stop bunting.' But not like that. With bad language.

"And I say, 'You do your job and I do my job.' My coaches tell me what we have to do."

"I know he won't be mad when he throws me four sliders in a row,'' Gomez said. "It's your job to do whatever, throw me 10 sliders in a row. If I strike out, OK. I get you next time. But don't be mad when I bunt.''

Yeah, I'm not sure why Lee would get upset with Gomez here. Isn't a batter helping you out when he tries to bunt on an 0-2 count? After all, if he fouls it off, he's out. That's what a pitchers goal is, isn't it? To get the hitter out? Does Cliff just not want to have to leave the mound or be forced to make extra throws?

Maybe he just hasn't paid any attention to Carlos this season, because if he had, he'd know that the rook attempts to lay down about two bunts a game. You see, speed is his greatest asset, and by bunting he can utilize that speed to get on base. Just like how Cliff has completely abandoned throwing breaking pitches this season and become a fastball/changeup pitcher after seeing hitters take those breaking balls and smack them 450 feet on a routine basis.

So come on, Cliff, let the kid do his job and you do yours. That way everybody wins. Well, except you, because you play for Cleveland.

Cliff Lee Doesn't Like to Move, Hates Carlos Gomez' Bunting Prowess originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 07 Jul 2008 14:24:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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On Deck: Subway Santana

Mullet — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Minnesota, New York, Oakland, Yankees, Twins, Athletics, Mets, Brewers, Giants, San Francisco, Milwaukee

On Deck is FanHouse's look at the day's most intriguing baseball matchups.

New York Yankees (43-37) at New York Mets (39-40) - 3:55 PM ET

Now that the dual stadium doubleheader is done, the Yankees and Mets can go back to the normal over-hype that the Subway Series entails, and not have to worry about the added pressure of police escorts between stadiums and such. But here's some worry: Johan Santana, who matches up with Andy Pettitte today, is 7-6 with a batting average against of .249, and a WHIP of 1.22. Not bad. But consider that Santana has never had a half a season, whether it be before the all-star break or after it, where his BAA and WHIP have been nearly that high. So even by Santana's first half standards, it's been an off half-year for Johan. Stuck near .500 after 79 games, the Mets could use the second half Santana to make an appearance at Shea today.

Milwaukee Brewers (43-36) at Minnesota Twins (44-36) - 7:10 PM ET

Santana's old team, the Twinkies, are on one of their famous rolls where nobody really knows how they're doing it, but they're doing it. Minny's tenth straight victory last night against Milwaukee put the White Sox squarely in the cross hairs, as the Twins are now only a half game behind Chicago for the division lead. The first nine wins of the streak came against two last place teams (Washington and San Diego) and a slumping first place team (the .500 Diamondbacks), but hey, ten in a row is ten in a row.

San Francisco Giants (34-46) at Oakland Athletics (44-35) - 9:05 PM ET

The Athletics have been dominant in this geographical interleague rivalry. Last night was the seventh straight win for Oakland in this matchup. They've also won ten of the last 11, and 15 of 19. If the Giants are going to break the hex, tonight's the night with Tim Lincecum (8-1, 2.54) on the mound. But going against Justin Duchscherer (8-4, 1.99) isn't going to be a picnic for the Giants either. Duchscherer not only has given up only five runs in his last 29 and 1/3 innings, he's also been getting a ton of run support in those four starts. A mere bushel full of runs is usually enough for any pitcher.

Everyone else:

Braves at Blue Jays 1:07 ET
Cubs at White Sox 3:55 ET
Reds at Indians 7:05 ET
Rays at Pirates 7:05 ET
Red Sox at Astros 7:05 ET
Rockies at Tigers 7:05 ET
Diamondbacks at Marlins 7:10 ET
Cardinals at Royals 7:10 ET
Orioles at Nationals 7:10 ET
Phillies at Rangers 8:05 ET
Mariners at Padres 10:05 ET
Angels at Dodgers 10:10 ET

On Deck: Subway Santana originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sat, 28 Jun 2008 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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On Deck: The End of Interleague Is Nigh

Josh Alper — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 09:30:00 EST

Filed under: Chicago, Cleveland, Minnesota, White Sox, Indians, Twins, Cubs, Reds, Brewers, Cincinnati, Milwaukee

On Deck is FanHouse's look at the day's most intriguing matchups

Chicago Cubs (49-30) vs. Chicago White Sox (43-35) - 4:05 PM ET

The final weekend of interleague play for the season kicks off in the Bronx at 2 but the most meaningful game is in Chicago. The two Chicago clubs are in first, just as they were last week, but the White Sox can't afford another sweep at the hands of their crosstown rivals. The Twins are hard on their tail, a half-game back as play begins today, and there's that whole bragging rights thing to worry about too.

They'll need to do a better job against Ryan Dempster (9-2, 2.63) this time around. He held the Sox to one run in eight innings to win Sunday's finale at Wrigley Field. Dempster's won his last four decisions in what's turned out to be a very successful conversion from bullpen to rotation. They'll also need a better outing from their own starter. Jose Contreras (6-6, 3.96) got thrashed for 10 hits and nine runs in three and a third innings.

He'd do well to avoid Aramis Ramirez at all costs. Ramirez hit a three-run homer last Saturday and is 7-for-14 with four homers and 10 RBI in his career against the White Sox starter. That's good news for the short-handed Cubs who have more of a cushion than the White Sox but a similarly smoking second-place team behind them in Milwaukee.

Milwaukee Brewers (43-35) vs. Minnesota Twins (43-36) - 8:10 PM ET

Speaking of those second place teams, they'll be doing battle this weekend in the underrated battle for bragging rights across the upper Midwest. It helps that they are the two hottest teams in baseball. The Twins have reeled off nine straight wins, gaining six games in the standings, while the Brewers have taken eight of their last 10 to continue their surprising climb back into the NL Central race.

The Twins have been more than good of late, they've been dominant. Their starters are 8-0 with a 2.17 ERA and their offense has outscored the opposition 56-17 in the past nine. Nick Blackburn (6-4, 3.68) will try to keep things rolling on the mound and try to push the Twins closer to their franchise record of 11 straight wins. He'll be facing Seth McClung (5-3, 3.79) who, on June 15th, was the last pitcher to beat the Twins. He allowed four hits and two runs over six innings in that contest.

Cincinnati Reds (36-44) vs. Cleveland Indians (36-43) - 7:05 PM ET

This series may be the point of no return for the Tribe. Whatever slim hopes they have of getting back into the race could be extinguished with a poor performance in the Battle for Ohio. It's fitting, then, that C.C. Sabathia (5-8, 4.06) gets the ball in the opener. Word is that they are making one last try to sign the pending free agent but if that doesn't work, there could be another move in store.

If the Indians do decide to throw in the towel, the bidding for Sabathia will be fast, furious and, potentially, quite fruitful to Cleveland's future. Sabathia's struck out 10 in each of his last two starts and is showing no signs of his April struggles. Daryl Thompson will be starting for the Reds. He made his big league debut with five shutout innings after getting lost on his way to Yankee Stadium so he shouldn't be fazed by big bad C.C.

Everybody Else
Mets vs. Yankees - 2:05 PM ET
Yankees vs. Mets - Second Game
Rockies vs. Tigers - 7:05 PM ET
Rays vs. Pirates - 7:05 PM ET
Braves vs. Blue Jays - 7:07 PM ET
Diamondbacks vs. Marlins - 7:10 PM ET
Orioles vs. Nationals - 7:35 PM ET
Red Sox vs. Astros - 8:05 PM ET
Phillies vs. Rangers - 8:05 PM ET
Cardinals vs. Royals - 8:10 PM ET
Mariners vs. Padres - 10:05 PM ET
Giants vs. A's - 10:05 PM ET
Angels vs. Dodgers - 10:40 PM ET

On Deck: The End of Interleague Is Nigh originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Fri, 27 Jun 2008 09:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Twins Are More Baffling Than Ever

Tom Fornelli — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 13:34:00 EST

Filed under: Minnesota, Twins, AL Central

It seems that no matter how many times we see it, baseball fans just never learn. Every spring baseball fans and experts alike say that this is the year that the Minnesota Twins are going to finish below .500 and at the bottom of the AL Central. Then summer comes along a few months later, and there they are. Sitting on top, or near the top of the division while the rest of us scratch their heads.

Though it happens every season, it still catches us all by surprise, but this season has been the most baffling of all. There is just no way that the Twins should be sitting at 40-36, only a game and a half behind the first place White Sox. The obvious reasons for this are that the team said goodbye to both Johan Santana and Torii Hunter during the offseason, and that Francisco Liriano has spent his time on the disabled list.

Still, it's not exactly a new phenomenon that teams carry on and continue playing well after saying goodbye to their stars. The Athletics have been doing it for years along with the Twins, so we know it can be done. The difference between these Twins, though, and the Twins and Athletics teams of the past is how they're doing it.

The guys who were supposed to replace what was lost have been horrible so far, yet they're still winning.

Think about it, what exactly have any of the Twins new additions this season done for the team? Carlos Gomez came in the Santana trade to replace Hunter in center, and though he's been entertaining as all hell, he's also been frustratingly inconsistent at times as well. He's only hitting .269/.302/.379, which isn't ideal for a lead-off hitter, yet he's getting the job done.

Livan Hernandez was brought in to be the team's ace in the absence of Johan, and though he's 8-4 on the season, he also has an ERA of 5.23 and a WHIP of 1.61. That has to catch up to him sooner or later, no?

Hernandez and Gomez are just two of the replacements, though, as the team brought in quite a few others to fill holes (most of whom seem to come from Houston and Tampa). Look at the other additions the Twins made to the club this season and how they're doing.

Adam Everett - .189/.235/.324, lost shortstop job to Brendan Harris
Brendan Harris - .250/.312/.338, took Everett's job but is now in danger of losing it to Nick Punto
Mike Lamb - .224/.263/.302, a huge bust over at third
Craig Monroe - .211/.271/.415, not the kind of production the team wanted
Delmon Young - .275/.326/.366, the average is fine but the one home run in 276 at bats is not

A lot of general managers would lose their jobs for making those kinds of moves, yet Bill Smith is in no danger because somehow, some way, this team keeps on winning.

The Twins are still fourth in the AL in batting average (.272), and runs scored (365), but they're ninth in OBP (.327). The pitching staff is tenth in the league in ERA at 4.35 and opponents are hitting .288 against them, the highest average against in the Majors, let alone the AL.

Oh, and did I mention that usually sound Twins defense has committed the sixth most errors in baseball (53) and are ranked 24th in fielding percentage at .982?

How the hell is this team winning?

The Twins Are More Baffling Than Ever originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 24 Jun 2008 13:34:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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On Deck: Party Like It's 1976

Mullet — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Los Angeles, Minnesota, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Yankees, Twins, Angels, Phillies, Reds, Diamondbacks, Cincinnati

On Deck is FanHouse's look at the day's most intriguing baseball matchups.

Cincinnati Reds (35-41) at New York Yankees (40-35) - 1:05 PM ET

A friend of mine ... a Yankee fan no less ... said to me on Friday afternoon that he fully expected the Reds to win two out of three in this series in the Bronx against his Yankees. A pretty amazing statement from a fan of a team who had just won seven in a row. That's how impressed he was of the young pitching the Reds had. Although I think he expected the two wins to be against Edinson Vólquez on Friday, and Johnny Cueto today, and not against minor league call-up Daryl Thompson on Saturday. Instead, the Reds have a chance to sweep the Yankees in the Bronx (just like the Series in '76), ensuring that the Yankees last win over the Reds at Yankee Stadium will forever be Game 1 of the 1961 World Series, before The House That Ruth Built (and The House That Griffey Hates) comes down for good.

Arizona Diamondbacks (39-36) at Minnesota Twins (39-36) - 2:10 PM ET

Sometime in the last couple of days, Brandon Webb decided to put talks for a contract extension on hold. Although his contract doesn't come up until after 2010, he admitted that the situation "wore on him a little bit". Perhaps it had something to do with his last two starts being not so good, including a stinker of an outing against Oakland on Tuesday (seven runs and five walks in three and 1/3 innings in a 15-1 loss). Certainly not the numbers you would expect a recent Cy Young winner to put up. And now that he is of clear mind, the Twins might be in a pickle today.

L.A. Angels of Anaheim (40-35) at Philadelphia Phillies (42-34) - 1:35 PM ET

Speaking of clear mind, Chase Utley hopes to have a clear mind today after being given his first day off of the season by Charlie Manuel. Utley probably needed it after hitting .158 in his past 15 games and going 0 for his last 23. As Chase has gone, the Phillies have gone ... as they're 1-6 in their last seven games, and have only scored seven runs in their last four games. This from the team who made a regular occurrence of scoring at least seven in one game. They try to get well against Jered Weaver (6-7, 4.73) and avoid an Angels sweep as they send Cole Hamels (7-4, 3.23) to the hill.

Everyone else:

Mariners at Braves 1:35 ET
Rangers at Nationals 1:35 ET
Cardinals at Red Sox 1:35 ET
Blue Jays at Pirates 1:35 ET
Astros at Rays 1:40 ET
Orioles at Brewers 2:05 ET
Giants at Royals 2:05 ET
Mets at Rockies 3:05 ET
Marlins at Athletics 4:05 ET
Tigers at Padres 4:05 ET
Indians at Dodgers 4:10 ET
White Sox at Cubs 8:05 ET

On Deck: Party Like It's 1976 originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 22 Jun 2008 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Forget the Ghostbusters, Call Livan Hernandez

Matt Watson — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 18:15:00 EST

Filed under: Minnesota, Twins, AL Central, MLB Gossip, Milwaukee

The Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee has long been rumored to be haunted. Adrian Beltre has talked about his alleged brushes with the supernatural while staying there, and several members of the Minnesota Twins are just as spooked. From Phil Miller of the Pioneer Press:

Livan Hernandez swears this actually happened. He was sitting in bed, watching TV, when the remote control suddenly hung in midair next to him, and turned off the set. "What you have to do," he explained matter-of-factly, "is get (the remote) back and put it back in the same place and turn on the TV. Then it will go away."

[...] "If you wake up in the middle of the night, sometimes you can feel something in bed with you," Hernandez said. "You can touch it. But if you open your eyes, there's nothing there."

It's not clear whether Hernandez is telling the truth or simply doing his best to scare coach Jerry White, who was so spooked he couldn't fall asleep all night, or the impressionable rookie Carlos Gomez, who claims to have experienced some of Pfister's spookiness first-hand on Friday. Gomez said his iPod repeatedly turned itself on and started vibrating on a table in his room, which scared him so much that he bolted from his room and arrived at Miller Park hours earlier than he needed to simply to avoid being alone. (Yeah, I know, it sounds like someone was simply calling his iPhone, but I'm guessing he ruled that out.)

Forget the Ghostbusters, Call Livan Hernandez originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 16 Jun 2008 18:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nick Blackburn Won't Miss a Start

Tom Fornelli — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 12:07:00 EST

Filed under: Minnesota, Twins, AL Central, MLB Injuries

A couple of days after taking a Bobby Abreu line-drive to the face, Minnesota Twins pitcher Nick Blackburn had to be feeling pretty lucky. Oh sure, there was still an imprint from the seam of the ball still visible on his swollen upper lip, and there was that nasty headache, but Blackburn was feeling fine and looking forward to getting back to work..

As scary as it was to see Blackburn take the shot to his face, he escaped any broken bones (unlike the Padres Chris Young) and is on schedule to make his next start against the White Sox.

"It feels way better than I thought it possibly could," Blackburn said.

The Twins said Blackburn will throw his regularly scheduled bullpen session on Tuesday and is still slotted to make his next start on Friday against the Chicago White Sox.

It's important for the Twins that Blackburn does make his next start, because manager Ron Gardenhire fully intended to remove Boof Bonser from the starting rotation when Scott Baker comes back from the disabled list on Thursday. Had Blackburn been forced to miss any time, the move wouldn't have been possible.

Nick Blackburn Won't Miss a Start originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 03 Jun 2008 12:07:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Twins Fans Join Oil Companies As Those Happy With Escalating Gas Prices

Josh Alper — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 17:40:00 EST

Filed under: Minnesota, Twins, AL Central

Never let it be said that President Bush isn't able to find ways to use his love for baseball to help flag his dismal approval ratings. While this has gone unreported elsewhere in the press, perhaps because I'm drawing on my own imagination, I believe he has a hand in a new promotion coming your way via the Minnesota Twins.

The Twins, ostensibly trying to make up for a shortfall in attendance, are offering a discounted ticket price pegged to the average price of a gallon of gasoline around the country.

For example, if the average price for a gallon of gas is $3.93 it will result in the reduction of the price of any single game ticket in the specified seating areas by $3.93. As the cost of a gallon of gas rises so does the savings on a Twins ticket.

So, among Twins fans the steward of our nation's energy policy gets a hearty thank you for assuring high gas prices and his approval ratings soar. By the time his party gets there for the convention on September 1, who knows how many voters will have been converted thanks to cut-rate tickets to watch the Twins.

The only flaw in the plan could be if the Twins fall out of contention between now and then. If not, though, expect a hearty "You're doing a heckuva job, Gardy!" from the White House.

(H/T SportsbyBrooks)

Twins Fans Join Oil Companies As Those Happy With Escalating Gas Prices originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 02 Jun 2008 17:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nick Blackburn Learns an Important Lesson About Catching Line Drives With Your Face

Tom Fornelli — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 12:50:00 EST

Filed under: Minnesota, Twins, AL Central, MLB Injuries, MLB Video

And that lesson is: Don't do it. Nick Blackburn is more aware of this now than ever before.

Seriously, it never works. If your face was meant to catch things, there would be a hand on it, and that would probably hurt your chances because it would no doubt get in your line of sight. So while you would finally be able to catch a ball with your face, you wouldn't be able to see it coming, so you'd just drop it and look stupid.

The good news is that Nick is fine. He didn't even suffer a broken nose, and though his face is a little swollen and he's going to be sore for a few days, that's really the extent of the damage.

Nick Blackburn Learns an Important Lesson About Catching Line Drives With Your Face originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 02 Jun 2008 12:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Minor League Spotlight: St. Paul Saints Pay Tribute to Sen. Larry Craig

Josh Alper — Fri, 23 May 2008 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Minnesota, MLB Fans

Minor League Spotlight is the MLB FanHouse's look into baseball's minor leagues. But you probably figured that out already.

A welcome return to simpler times when they first came back on the scene, I think we can all agree that the bobblehead doll has lost some of it's novelty. Every team's got them and the selectivity of getting one seems to be hanging around the roster long enough for someone to realize there hasn't been a Jacque Jones Bobblehead Night yet.

Leave it to the son of Bill Veeck to find a way to make it fun again. Mike Veeck owns the St. Paul Saints and on Sunday the team will host the first-ever bobblefoot night. The doll mocks Larry Craig, the Idaho Senator whose trip to a bathroom in Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport introduced many Americans to a whole new way of interacting with your neighbor in the next stall. The Saints don't mention Craig by name but it doesn't take much to read between the lines.

While many people tap their foot because they are impatient, others may do it because they are nervous. It doesn't matter if your tapping style is done with a "wide stance" or is used as some sort of code, the Saints are asking all fans to tap to their heart's content on May 25.

I tap my feet in celebration of the Saints' ingenuity. Job very well done.

Minor League Spotlight: St. Paul Saints Pay Tribute to Sen. Larry Craig originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Fri, 23 May 2008 16:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Delmon Young's Road to Cooperstown Hasn't Really Materialized

Josh Alper — Sun, 18 May 2008 19:10:00 EST

Filed under: Minnesota, Twins, AL Central

There are 35 American League outfielders who have enough plate appearances to qualify for the batting title. Of that group, none have fewer extra-base hits than Delmon Young. He's slugging an anemic .348 on the year and that's with the help of four extra-base hits during this weekend's series at Coors Field.

Not only was that worse than any AL outfielder, it was behind Twins shortstop Adam Everett who will never be confused for someone who has a major league job because of his bat. Needless to say, that wasn't what the Twins were expecting when they traded for the first overall pick of the 2003 draft. Jim Souhan of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune is alarmed at what he's seeing.

He has taken the concept of the "inside-out" swing to a ridiculous degree, dragging the bathead through the hitting zone so belatedly that his hits can only be ground balls up the middle and bloops to right field.

As Rays Index points out, that's what Young's swing looked like last season. They wonder if his uncoachable personality is at play but I wonder if it's not the opposite. The Twins are last in the AL in walks and next to last in on-base percentage. Young's biggest problem before coming north was his overaggressiveness at the plate.

Young's worst habits are being exacerbated and he's not growing into the player we imagined. He's just 22, but the match of organizational philosophy and player tendencies may mean he never will.

(H/T Baseball Musings)

Delmon Young's Road to Cooperstown Hasn't Really Materialized originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 18 May 2008 19:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Carlos Gomez Is Fun to Watch, Unless He's On the Disabled List

Mullet — Sun, 18 May 2008 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Minnesota, Twins, AL Central, MLB Injuries

Carlos Gomez is full of energy. He was fun to watch as a New York Met, and has impressed people with his tools in Minnesota (even though his splits are less than impressive at .268/.296/.399). But the man who's the one who's "under the gun" in Minnesota might miss some time on the disabled list with a bum wrist ... the same wrist that kept him out of action this weekend against Colorado.

"I'll find out today what he feels like throwing the ball," Gardenhire said. "He says he feels better today. But I'll get another center fielder if it's going to be two or three more days, probably." (...)

With Gomez still sidelined, Craig Monroe got the start in center once again. But Gardenhire hinted that the team likely will call up outfielder Denard Span from Triple-A Rochester should it look like Gomez's wrist injury might linger.

Span, 24, impressed the Twins' coaching staff during his first stint in the Majors in April, and he's been on a recent hot streak offensively for the Red Wings. Heading into Rochester's game on Sunday, Span was batting .457 over his last 10 games. He's hitting .378 with a .486 on-base percentage in 24 games with the Red Wings.

But in 31 AB's in the majors this season, Span's splits are such: .258/.324/.258, so despite Span's minor league numbers, I doubt highly that Carlos Gomez will become the next Wally Pipp.

Carlos Gomez Is Fun to Watch, Unless He's On the Disabled List originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 18 May 2008 19:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Twins Look Enthusiastic in this Video

Will Brinson — Fri, 16 May 2008 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Minnesota, Twins, AL Central, MLB Video

Jimmy Traina is on fi-ya with the awkward music videos from Major League Baseball teams this week, and today's group of ballers on the mic are the Minnesota Twins. While this video doesn't touch yesterday's Oriole Magic! number, it is worth noting that anytime you get to see Boof Bonser sing "I paint cor-ners of the dish", you've already done a good day's work.

I wonder how many times it took to actually take this vid. Because too many cymbal smashings can't be considered good for your elbow.

The Twins Look Enthusiastic in this Video originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Fri, 16 May 2008 11:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Livan Hernandez Isn't Going Anywhere

Tom Fornelli — Wed, 14 May 2008 12:46:00 EST

Filed under: Minnesota, Twins, AL Central, MLB Gossip

It seems like Livan Hernandez has been around forever, as that 1997 World Series MVP award of his seems like an ancient memory. It's just hard to believe that Livan is only 33 years old (at least we're told he is, E:60 is still working on finding out the truth). He's also been a pleasant surprise for the Twins this season, because even though Minnesota knew he would eat up innings, I don't think they were expecting him to get off to a 6-1 start.

I'm not sure Livan was expecting to adapt to the American League so well, either, and he's feeling so good about himself right now that he wants to pitch around eight more years.

"I'm going to try for eight more years," he said.

"And if I get a chance to continue after that, I would like to, if I can still get people out," he said. "My family (in Miami) would kill me, though. Everybody there misses me."

I wouldn't doubt that Livan will have the durability to do exactly that. The last time he made less than 30 starts in a season was that 1997 season, when he didn't join the Marlins rotation until halfway through the year. Of course, I think the Twins would be happy if he just continues to throw the way he has this season for another five months, and they can worry about the future after that.

Livan Hernandez Isn't Going Anywhere originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 14 May 2008 12:46:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pat Neshek Is Out For the Season

Tom Fornelli — Sun, 11 May 2008 13:43:00 EST

Filed under: Minnesota, Twins, AL Central, MLB Injuries

I was watching the Twins and White Sox last Thursday when Pat Neshek hurt his elbow. It came the way you never want to see a pitcher get hurt (save for maybe a line drive off their head): Just throwing a pitch. Neshek has always had one of the oddest deliveries I've ever seen from a pitcher, and it has the kind of spastic motions where I felt it was only a matter of time before something went wrong.

Well, when Neshek threw a slider during the 8th inning of the game on Thursday, something went wrong. Neshek immediately clutched at his elbow, and was walking off the field shortly after. The injury is as bad as it looked, as Neshek won't be pitching again this season.

Neshek will not be allowed to throw for a minimum of three months, which means the injury has effectively ended his season. But he said he won't need surgery.

The ulnar collateral ligament is the same ligament that pitchers have repaired when they undergo Tommy John replacement surgery.

"Obviously it's really bad, but it's good I can come back and rehab this and not have to go through surgery and sit out for a good year," Neshek said after Friday's game, his arm fully wrapped.

Neshek's loss is a big on for the Twins bullpen, as they'll now need to find somebody else to get the ball to Joe Nathan. Jesse Crain and Matt Guerrier will probably take over Pat's spot in eighth inning.

There was no word on how the injury will affect Pat's blogging.

Pat Neshek Is Out For the Season originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 11 May 2008 13:43:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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On Deck: The Willie Watch Starts in ... Now!

Mullet — Sat, 10 May 2008 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Boston, Minnesota, New York, Red Sox, Rays, Twins, Angels, Mets, Reds, Anaheim, Cincinnati, Tampa Bay

On Deck is FanHouse's look at the day's most intriguing baseball matchups.

Cincinnati Reds (14-21) at New York Mets (17-15) - 1:10 PM ET and 7:30 PM ET

Yesterday, we brought you the news that the Mets might be re-evaluating Willie Randolph's job status very closely over the next month. Well let the re-evaluating start today, with a doubleheader against the Cincinnati Reds. The Mets just came from a road trip against N.L. West powerhouses Arizona and Los Angeles and broke even on the six game trip. That's impressive. But the Mets under Randolph have historically been the type of team that could break even or better against the good teams on the road, then turn around to a seemingly easier homestand and do no better than break even there too. The Mets now have seven at home against the Reds and Nationals starting today, and anything less than five wins will more than likely turn the heat up on Randolph ... especially going into the series against the Yankees immediately following, where everything is magnified to the hilt anyway. So let the Willie Watch begin.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (22-15) at Tampa Bay Rays (19-16) - 7:10 PM ET

Of course, Randolph's job would have been a lot easier had Scott Kazmir not been traded in one of the most lopsided trades in baseball history. (That's a segueway, kids). Instead, Kazmir starts for the Rays tonight against the Angels. He goes against the 6-0 Joe Saunders ... the same Joe Saunders that I demanded you give love to in one of my previous On Decks. And how did he respond? By winning, of course! Although he did give up four runs and 12 (!) hits in five innings. So I'll spin the wheel once again and implore upon you: please love Joe Saunders. But at the same time, love Evan Longoria ... who broke out of a slump with a walk-off home run on Friday night, one night after Joe Maddon benched him from the starting lineup to clear his head.

Boston Red Sox (23-15) at Minnesota Twins (18-16) - 7:10 PM ET

Speaking of walk-off hits (there he goes with the segueways again), the Twins walked off on Friday against the one and only Jonathan Papelbon. For Papelbon, that's two blown saves in three nights. Don't get me wrong, Papelbon is still an elite closer and these things happen. But I'm not used to Papelbon with an ERA over 2.00, and I'm not used to Papelbon looking distraught on the bench flipping his cap up in the air in disgust. I'm used to the screaming, fist-pumping, jig-dancing Jonathan Papelbon. It's become a warm security blanket. Anything else turns my world upside down. So please, come back to us, Pap. And show me that the world I've grown accustomed to isn't a lie.

Everyone else:

Diamondbacks at Cubs 3:40 ET
Yankees at Tigers 3:40 ET
Cardinals at Brewers 3:40 ET
Phillies at Giants 4:05 ET
Braves at Pirates 7:05 ET
Blue Jays at Indians 7:05 ET
Marlins at Nationals 7:10 ET
Orioles at Royals 7:10 ET
Athletics at Rangers 8:05 ET
Rockies at Padres 10:05 ET
Astros at Dodgers 10:10 ET
White Sox at Mariners 10:10 ET

On Deck: The Willie Watch Starts in ... Now! originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sat, 10 May 2008 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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I Told You Carlos Gomez Was Fun To Watch

Tom Fornelli — Thu, 08 May 2008 13:29:00 EST

Filed under: Minnesota, Twins, AL Central

As I mentioned in a post here at FanHouse last week, Carlos Gomez is quickly becoming one of my favorite players in all of baseball to watch. Even when he's tearing my favorite team up, as he did last night against the White Sox, I still enjoy just watching him play baseball.

On Wednesday night, Carlos became the first Minnesota Twin to hit for the cycle since Kirby Puckett did it in 1986, which is fitting since Carlos may be the most exciting Twin since Kirby. Not to mention, he's also incredibly considerate.

After leading off the game with a home run off of Mark Buehrle, Gomez's home run trot around the bases was faster than half the players in the league can sprint full speed. Why'd he do it? Well, after a nearly two-hour rain delay before the game started he didn't want to waste any more time. "The game today started too late. I say, 'Let me run the bases quick so the game goes fast.' "

Gomez completed his cycle in reverse order, following that first inning homer by tripling in the fifth, doubling in the sixth, and finishing it all off with an infield-single in the ninth. He also managed to score two runs and drive in three others.

He's doing all of this, and his coaches will tell you that at 22-years old, he's still learning the game. Imagine what he's going to be capable of once he actually knows what he's doing.

I Told You Carlos Gomez Was Fun To Watch originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 08 May 2008 13:29:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Floyd's Near No-No Wasn't All That Hot

Matt Watson — Wed, 07 May 2008 05:35:00 EST

Filed under: Chicago, Minnesota, White Sox, Twins, AL Central

When you hear about a guy going 8 1/3 innings without giving up a single hit, it's usually safe to assume he had a pretty good night, right? Maybe most of the time, but not always. Here's Twins beat reporter La Velle E Neal III in his blog for the Star Tribune on what he saw:

If Gavin Floyd had pulled off a no-no against the Twins on Tuesday it would have been the sloppiest, most unjust no-hitter that I can remember.

Floyd was far from overpowering. In fact, I sent Joe C. a text message around the fourth inning remarking how Floyd couldn't get ANY breaking pitches or his change up, over for strikes. I was convinced that the Twins would sit on the fastball and start pounding him. [...] The Twins should have hit this guy. I know its easy for me to write that from my position but geez....

(Joe C., for those non-Twins fans reading this, is Joe Christensen, a fellow reporter for the Star Tribune.) Looking at the box score, Floyd walked only three guys while throwing 62 strikes in 105 pitches, so either he was getting more of the plate than Neal is giving him credit for or the Twins will swing at anything (which is more or less an organizational philosophy).

In any case, even if Floyd doesn't have complete command of his pitches, it's hard to deny that he's at least been (very) effectively wild. This is the second time that he's thrown at least 7 1/3 innings without a hit, and on the year he has a paltry 2.50 ERA while allowing batters to hit just .149.

Floyd's Near No-No Wasn't All That Hot originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 07 May 2008 05:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How Do The Twins Do It?

Tom Fornelli — Mon, 05 May 2008 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Minnesota, Twins, AL Central

It's pretty much become a fact of life when it comes to baseball. Every spring as the country prepares for the new baseball season to start, there's word that this will finally be the year that the Minnesota Twins crash back to earth, and finish towards the bottom of the AL Central. I know I've been guilty of it a few times, as I think I've predicted the Twins downfall the last three or four seasons.

Then they usually end up finishing on top of the AL Central, or near it, and are generally always in contention for a playoff spot come September. After finishing last season with a 79-83 record, their first sub-.500 mark in eight years, they lost their ace pitcher and their gold glove centerfielder. Surely 2008 would see the Twins plummet even further below .500, and have them competing with the Royals for fourth place, right?

Nope. After finishing a sweep of the Tigers on Sunday, the Twins completed a five-game homestand against division rivals Detroit and the White Sox with a 5-0 record. As a result, they now find themselves alone on top of the Central, 1.5 games ahead of the White Sox, and are currently the only team in the division who have won more games than they've lost. All this despite the fact they've allowed more runs than they've scored.

How in the hell do they keep doing this? They're the second lowest scoring team in the American League with 124 runs, ahead of only the anemic Royals offense. They're dead last in the league in OBP at .310, and they're 10th in slugging percentage at .374.

Somehow, after losing Johan Santana to the Mets, Carlos Silva to the Mariners, and Francisco Liriano to the defective elbow (not to mention trading Matt Garza to Tampa), it's the Twins pitching that's been carrying them. While Livan Hernandez was supposed to be the ace (of the four main starters in the Twins rotation, Livan actually has the highest ERA, and the highest WHIP, yet leads the team with 4 wins), it's been a couple of young guys you never heard of who have been carrying this club. Nick Blackburn and Scott Baker have been very pleasant surprises for the Twins, and though the bullpen got off to a slow start, they seem to have settled back into their old unhittable ways.

Of course, things could change soon now that Baker may have to go on the disabled list with a problem in his groin (not the kind Viagra or Cialis can fix). There's that old Twins-doubter in me that doesn't think the Twins are going to be able to maintain their position atop the division all season, but that doubter has been wrong a million times before. Plus those doubts came when the rest of the AL Central was actually good. Looking at the way the Tigers, Indians, and White Sox are all struggling to hit as well, the Twins may be better suited to win the AL Central than anybody else.

How Do The Twins Do It? originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 05 May 2008 13:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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