Spring Training - Game 9 - vs PIT -

[Seth Stohs]

After Oswaldo Arcia homered, Chris Parmelee knocked a couple of doubles and Scott Baker really struggled, the Twins and Pirates will play the A game starting at 12:05 CST. Here is the lineup:

 

Denard Span CF

Jamey Carroll SS

Josh Willingham RF

Justin Morneau DH

Danny Valencia 3B

Trevor Plouffe LF

Steve Pearce 1B

Rene Rivera C

Alexi Casilla 2B

 

Terry Doyle Pitching.

[Thrylos]

Little side note about Baker's pitching this morning:

He was pitching with only 3 days rest. At Spring Training after a season with arm issues.

I think that this is really asinine...

[mikeee]

MLB Gameday has Ben Revere listed as catcher... Must be a typo!!

[Thrylos]

MLB Gameday has Ben Revere listed as catcher... Must be a typo!!

Revere, Rivera, little difference to Gameday.

[Thrylos]

Doyle loaded the bases with no outs. Sac Fly to Span brings in a run. Pirates up 1-0 bottom of 2nd

[Thrylos]

Doyle gets the next 2 batters out. Top 3rd 1-0 Pirates

[Topperanton]

Pitched his way out of trouble, it could have been worse. Got a lucky break that Bedard couldn't lay down a sac bunt

[Topperanton]

Alexi got some wood on that ball

[Jim Crikket]

Casilla's one of the few Twins making decent contact this spring

[Neinstein]

Those Pittsburgh pitchers are getting the job done. Hope Twins bats can find a hole somewhere in their Pen.

[Topperanton]

Jamey Carroll in Nick Punto's #8 gets confusing for me

[Topperanton]

Nice! Danny's seeing the ball well today

[Thrylos]

Valencia with a 3-run shot gets the Twins up 4-2

[Jim Crikket]

Nice to see someone at least hitting the baseball with some authority

[mikeee]

Morneau is staying in the game after his hit/3rd at bat. I guess he wants a little more work!

[Jim Crikket]

Maloney has to have a shot at making this team if he keeps it up. He's been as consistent as any of the RPs so far.

[Jim Crikket]

Pearce with a heck of a diving stop on a ground ball to his right over at 3B. then up and a solid throw to first.

[Fanatic Jack]

I'm really surprised how everyone just assumes Terry Doyle will make the roster out of spring training because he was a Rule 5 draft pick. He is Scott Diamond Jr and Kenny Williams is not going to let a good pitcher go to the Twins. Williams knows that Doyle is terrible and that's why he did not protect him. Meanwhile people are talking like Doyle is the answer to a bullpen that has more question marks than the Riddler.

[Jim Crikket]

Who is this "everyone" that you think is "assuming" Doyle breaks camp with the Twins? I haven't read any such thing. Things have been written about him, but they are primarily the sorts of historical background stories that you would expect about a players new to the organization. The Twins are giving him a hard look and, until today's game, he had pitched adequately. Whether he breaks camp with the Twins or not, they have to see enough of him to make a decision concerning whether they want to keep him on the 25-man roster, try to make a deal with Chicago to keep him like they did with the Braves to keep Diamond last year, or simply send him back to the White Sox.

 

I'd be really surprised... and extremely disappointed... if the Twins made a knee-jerk decision based on watching him pitch a couple of innings today. They are working with him every day, watching him perform when he does pitch in games (he's had one decent outing and one poor one... plus a decent performance in a "B" game... so far).

 

There are still more than three weeks worth of Spring Training games to play. None of the new pitchers competing for spots have anything locked up based on an inning or two of pitching in a couple of games and I don't think anyone is assuming otherwise.

[Fanatic Jack]

Jim,

 

I totally expect Terry Doyle to make the roster out of spring training with the Twins. Every blogger who has talked about the bullpen situation predicts Doyle will make the roster. The guy is 26 and has never pitched about .AA in the minor leagues. That should tell you all you need to know. Why do the Twins always pick up other team's rejections. The answer is obvious because they are cheap. If they were good players out there you would see New York, Boston, and Phily go after them. At some point you have to spend some money to build a winner.

[Seth Stohs]

Jim,

 

I totally expect Terry Doyle to make the roster out of spring training with the Twins. Every blogger who has talked about the bullpen situation predicts Doyle will make the roster. The guy is 26 and has never pitched about .AA in the minor leagues. That should tell you all you need to know. Why do the Twins always pick up other team's rejections. The answer is obvious because they are cheap. If they were good players out there you would see New York, Boston, and Phily go after them. At some point you have to spend some money to build a winner.

Picking up Doyle isn't "cheap." He was a Rule 5 pick. Most of the teams make a Rule 5 pick. Has nothing to do with cheap, just an opportunity to add a possibility. I'd guess over 90% of Rule 5 picks go back to their original team. "Bloggers" as you so eloquently call us have him on our projected rosters because he either makes it or he's gone. With so many question marks on the roster, I think it increases his odds of making it, but no one is saying it is a sure thing. And, it would be silly to release him now... why not wait a couple of weeks? Like JC said, he got hit today, but he's been solid in other appearances.

[Jim Crikket]

Since ANY player you pick up in the Rule 5 draft is, by definition, another team's rejection, I presume that means you would have the Twins not draft anyone in the Rule 5 draft, I gather. I respectfully disagree.

 

I also disagree that "every" blogger who's talked about the bullpen predicts he will make the roster. That said, you stated in your prior post that you're surprised everyone assumes Doyle will make the roster out of ST, and now you say that you fully expect that to be the case. Since it sounds like you are one of those who assume that will be the case, you probably shouldn't be surprised that others do, too.

 

For the record, I'm not one of them. I expect them to try to work a deal with Chicago to keep him in the organization, but I also maintain it's far too early to assume anything with regard to him.