Game 40 - Twins @ Brewers - 5/20/12

[Montecore]

Have to wonder if the Ryan (and/or Gardenhire?) signing of Marquis wasn't a deliberate sabotage of the franchise, a burn it all to hell going away present. Nobody wanted the guy, right? Yet, they gave him $3 mill. It's not as if he was coming off an injury and that scared teams away. You knew what you were getting with him, i.e. garbage. It doesn't make sense.

[USAFChief]

If Baker were healthy, Marquis would be in triple-A. Hendricks/Diamond would have taken the Marquis spot. So Terry Ryan is the worst GM in baseball for signing a bad #5 starter? Bill Smith was responsible for the Capps mess. And if Capps keeps pitching well (8 for 8 in Save opportunities), we will trade him to a contender who needs a closer or setup man.

Baker was healthy as far as anyone knew when marquis was signed. Bakers health is unrelated.

[sbknudson]

You know, you look at the box score and see that a catcher (Butera) threw more strikeouts than the starter, and that kinda says it all, doesn't it.

[mikeee]

You know, you look at the box score and see that a catcher (Butera) threw more strikeouts than the starter, and that kinda says it all, doesn't it.

He hit 94mph on a pitch.
That's faster than most of the starters can throw it.

[Shane Wahl]

He hit 94mph on a pitch.
That's faster than most of the starters can throw it.

no longer watching. you can't be serious.

[mikeee]

no longer watching. you can't be serious.

Gameday said one pitch was 94 and another was 93mph.

[Alex]

The Mauer AB in the first inning pisses me off to no end. #3 hitter up with a runner on second. he shud be looking for a pitch to drive. He watches two fastballs down the middle and now he's in defensive mode and makes a weak swing at a 2 strike pitch with predictable results.

Focus less on one AB. You'll be happier knowing that Mauer has been awesome this year with RISP.

[ashburyjohn]

Drew proving how indeed he can save the pitching staff.

Now we understand why Pavano wants him as his personal catcher. He's afraid Drew will replace him in the rotation otherwise.

[adjacent]

Baker was healthy as far as anyone knew when marquis was signed. Bakers health is unrelated.

I beg to differ. Baker was hurt last year, and he never really healed. He did rest during the winter but when he tried to start going, got hurt again. They took a chance, but experienced medical staff should know that they were taking a big chance. But then again, is the Twins medical staff. In summary, regarding to starting pitching, the only thing the Twins did was signing Marquis, hoping and praying.

[Alex]

I beg to differ. Baker was hurt last year, and he never really healed. He did rest during the winter but when he tried to start going, got hurt again. They took a chance, but experienced medical staff should know that they were taking a big chance. But then again, is the Twins medical staff. In summary, regarding to starting pitching, the only thing the Twins did was signing Marquis, hoping and praying.

I posted in more detail in the Marquis thread, but I think the Twins' hands were tied with regard to their rotation, maybe more than anywhere else on their roster. With regard to most of it, I think they were kind of stuck with the hoping and praying part to some extent.

[glunn]

I am thankful for the off day tomorrow.

[CDog]

The Mauer AB in the first inning pisses me off to no end. #3 hitter up with a runner on second. he shud be looking for a pitch to drive. He watches two fastballs down the middle and now he's in defensive mode and makes a weak swing at a 2 strike pitch with predictable results.

Mauer took three pitches that were called strikes against Grienke on the day. One was outside the zone. The other two were low and away, one actually cutting the outer border of the strike zone, and the other barely above the lower border of the zone and not far from the outer edge. None were anywhere close to down the middle. When you have to tell a lie to make your point, it's probably not a very good point.