Game 29 - Twins vs Angels - 5/8/12

[Alex]

I know a lot of people have been down on Plouffe due to his low average, but I've liked his approach at the plate this season and think he will do better, especially if he gets more opportunities.

I feel pretty much the opposite about Valencia. He had an excellent 2010, but even his other minor league numbers lack promise and his PA look terrible most of the time.

[ShaeTwins]

Speaking of Valencia, I've had about enough of him. Can we send him down to AAA and just have Carroll play 3B every day to keep Casilla's bat in the lineup?

[brianpope]

I know a lot of people have been down on Plouffe due to his low average, but I've liked his approach at the plate this season and think he will do better, especially if he gets more opportunities.

I feel pretty much the opposite about Valencia. He had an excellent 2010, but even his other minor league numbers lack promise and his PA look terrible most of the time.

I agree with the analysis of Valencia. His minor league numbers were never anything special. I was never as "excited" as some fans with his arrival to the big club, especially being 26 when he made his debut. Knowing this organization they will keep him their until their hand is forced. On a side note, is it just me or is Dozier making everything look easy at short?

[Boom Boom]

The rap on Dozier has been that his defense might not stick at short. Through two games he looks pretty good there.

Scott Diamond = Twins MVP.

[stringer bell]

Valencia isn't an All-Star and the .300 average in 2010 was a fluke. He has double digit HR power and enough defensive tools to be average or better at third base. He's in a terrible funk right now, but he should be able to hit .250-.280 and drive in a fair amount of runs. I don't think there's any reason to bench him but if he can't get it going the Twins will have to fill a hole at third base.

Dozier is doing just fine at short defensively and has a few knocks already. So far, so good.

[USAFChief]

Winning feels much better than losing. They should do it more often.

[stringer bell]

Any opinions about Diamond? I thought he threw a little harder than I remembered from last year, and his breaking ball was a little sharper than I remembered. He had really good command, which he'll need to thrive in the big leagues.

[glunn]

Any opinions about Diamond? I thought he threw a little harder than I remembered from last year, and his breaking ball was a little sharper than I remembered. He had really good command, which he'll need to thrive in the big leagues.

He looked good to me. But some of the Angels' broadcast crew are carping that the Angels did not do well because they were seeing him for the first time.

[Montecore]

Thank you, Scott Diamond.

[Alex]

Valencia isn't an All-Star and the .300 average in 2010 was a fluke. He has double digit HR power and enough defensive tools to be average or better at third base. He's in a terrible funk right now, but he should be able to hit .250-.280 and drive in a fair amount of runs. I don't think there's any reason to bench him but if he can't get it going the Twins will have to fill a hole at third base.

I understand the point about another hole to fill, but as for his expected performance, I don't see the evidence. In the high minors he hit .280 in general and .290 in 2010. He hit low double digits in HR in almost every level of the minors. However, his combined AAA OPS was .743, and in general, his plate discipline has not been all that good at any level. In essence, I think that what we saw from Valencia last year is probably what could be expected in terms of career, a high .600s OPS hitter.

I'd like to see Plouffe get some chances at 3B or would have liked to Burroughs get more opportunities there, at least until he "proved" he couldn't hit either. To be clear, I'm not saying that we have great options to replace him, but at this point, anything is worth trying.

[Bark's Lounge]

A Proud evening for Canadiens/Canadians. A tear drops Red Green's eye. Celine Dion sings at the top of her lungs in praise. Terrance and Phillip Fart.

[twinsnorth49]

Beauty pitching eh?

[Bark's Lounge]

Beauty pitching eh?

Eh! (Sorry, 3 characters is short of the wordage requirement)

[TwinsGuy55422]

I was impressed with Dozier tonight. He reached base 3 times and made several nice plays at shortstop. He seems to have reasonably good range and made accurate throws to first.

[stringer bell]

Who is "we?" I don't know that, and I'd even make a pretty good-sized wager that he doesn't if that were legal.

Yes, Butera is catching again tonight. Virtual dollars or euros are fine as payment.

[CDog]

Yes, Butera is catching again tonight. Virtual dollars or euros are fine as payment.

I've been waiting for the Game 30 thread to go up so I could ask where to pay my if-that-were-legal wager!