Spring Training - Game 29 - 3/29 - vs Pittsburgh

[Seth Stohs]

Twins Lineup:

 

Ben Revere CF

Alexi Casilla 2B

Danny Valencia DH

Chris Parmelee 1B

Luke Hughes 3B

Angel Morales RF

Brian Dinkelman LF

Brian Dozier SS

Drew Butera C

 

SP: Matt Maloney

[Mr. Ed]

Go Maloney! Been surprised by his success out of the pen. Hope it continues with this start.

[Seth Stohs]

Mike Herman just tweeted me and said that, along with Morales, Daniel Santana, Anthony Slama, Luis Perdomo and Esmerling Vasquez are also in Twins uniform today.

[J-Dog Dungan]

Are they getting a look at some more minor leaguers that they haven't gotten around to today?

[Fanatic Jack]

Please somebody quote me on this "Matt Maloney and Jeff Gray will get lit up like a Christmas tree as soon as the regular season starts." The numbers they have put up in spring training mean absolutely NOTHING!!!! Before annointing these guys as the next great things ask yourself this question, Do you really trust either one of them pitching with the game on the line. Here is a scenario for you all. A 1-1 game in the 7th inning at Yankee Stadium with Cano/Texiera/Rodriguez coming to the plate. Does anybody really believe Maloney or Gray could get out of the inning without giving up the long ball. This season has disaster written all over it. Thanks again to the Pohlad family for cutting $15 million from payroll and going with the cheapest possible option.

[Shane Wahl]

A 1-1 game in the 7th inning at Yankee Stadium with Cano/Texiera/Rodriguez coming to the plate. Does anybody really believe Maloney or Gray could get out of the inning without giving up the long ball. This season has disaster written all over it. Thanks again thanks to the Pohlad family for cutting $15 million from payroll and going with the cheapest possible option.

You're right to be skeptical, but who else deserves the shot at this point? Also, in that scenario, I would expect to see Duensing and Burton (or whoever) there.

[Fanatic Jack]

Shanewahl,

 

Who else deserves a shot. How about the following;

 

1. Dan Wheeler

 

2. Todd Coffey

 

3. Michael Wuertz (Why not take a chance on him. Way better than Joel Zumaya and not even close to the injury history).

 

4. Octavio Doltel

 

5. Latroy Hawkins.

 

 

The list is like the energizer bunny and keeps going, and going, and going.....The difference is these guys all cost money that the Pohlads refuse to spend.

[Cap'n Piranha]

Shanewahl,

 

Who else deserves a shot. How about the following;

 

1. Dan Wheeler

 

2. Todd Coffey

 

3. Michael Wuertz (Why not take a chance on him. Way better than Joel Zumaya and not even close to the injury history).

 

4. Octavio Doltel

 

5. Latroy Hawkins.

 

 

The list is like the energizer bunny and keeps going, and going, and going.....The difference is these guys all cost money that the Pohlads refuse to spend.

You're right, it's not like this team has the third-highest payroll in their history, or is upper half in the league in payroll. Obviously, the Pohlads are just cheap, cheap, cheap, what with giving 184 million to Mauer. Pocket change.

[JakeE141414]

Sounds like Casilla is a scratch with tightness in the back of his right knee, Daniel Santana will start in his place. This will be a great opportunity for him. I'm looking forward to seeing how Morales and Santana do today.

[Gernzy]

Jack, how do you know that any one of those people would do better then Gray or Maloney? You don't. You can say whatever you want about our bullpen is terrible, and I can say that it will be fine, but until the season actually starts, we don't know. Have some faith. Geez I swear all the negativity on this forum is getting old. If it doesn't work, it doesn't work. Just give it a chance before you start calling the season a disaster.

[roger]

Thanks again to the Pohlad family for cutting $15 million from payroll and going with the cheapest possible option.

With league revenue sharing gone or mostly gone and this year's budget for signing draft picks up by $6 million or more, where is the money supposed to come from? Last year's budget had to be cut to take these two changes into consideration.

[Cap'n Piranha]

Dan Wheeler--4.38 ERA last year, with a .4 WAR. Is 35, likely on the downside of his career.

 

Todd Coffey--3.62 ERA last year, with a .5 WAR. Gave up more than 3 walks/9 innings.

 

Michael Wuertz--6.68 ERA last year, with a -.5 WAR. Gave up nearly 7 walks/9 innings. The only thing he's better than Zumaya at is avoiding the DL, although with numbers like those, that's not exactly a good thing.

 

Octavio Dotel--4.08 ERA last year, with a .1 WAR. Gave up over 4 walks/9 innings, and is 38.

 

Latroy Hawkins--2.42 ERA last year (good, but a whole run below his xFIP, suggesting an outlier), with a .7 WAR. Given that he's 39, with quicly deteriorating k/9 numbers, not exactly a sure thing.

 

Matt Maloney--9.16 ERA last year (however his xFIP was 4.52), with a -.4 WAR. Is only 28, and was victimized mostly by the long ball. Now that he's in Target Field, and not the Great American Ballpark, that should help.

 

Jeff Gray--4.28 ERA last year, with a -.1 WAR. Did a good job of keeping the ball in the park, giving up less than 1 HR/9.

 

As we can see, Maloney and Gray are really not that far off in terms of WAR when it comes to some of these guys, but have something they don't--youth and upside. Add in the fact that we didn't have to spend as much on them (we're not the Yankees, and never will be--spending to spend is stupid), and I have no problem with these moves.

[James]

Jack, you are forgetting that although the Pohlad family is rich, they are also running the team like a business. They don't just own the team just to say they own a sports team. If you owned the team, would you put all of your own money into every year, or would you do what the Pohlads do to keep the business sustainable? They already stretched the payroll out last year and look what happened there. So they cut the payroll to ONLY $100MM. I'm not saying that I agree with every decision the ownership and FO have made this year, but I am at least willing to understand them before I start ranting.

 

It is spring training. I know the numbers don't mean a whole lot yet. But let's see how they do for a while after the season starts before we start claiming the sky is falling, ok?

[Seth Stohs]

UPDATED LINEUP:

 

Revere CF

Santana 2B

Valencia DH

Parmelee 1B

Hughes 3B

Morales RF

Dinkelman LF

Dozier SS

Butera C

Maloney P

[Fanatic Jack]

Jeff Gray and Matt Maloney are a perfect example of the Twins philosphy. "Expect More, Pay Less."

[rinkratfrits]

Jeff Gray and Matt Maloney are a perfect example of the Twins philosphy. "Expect More, Pay Less."

 

That'a almost as good as "Get to know 'em!"

[Seth Stohs]

Twins take an early lead on an RBI by Danny Valencia. Ben Revere and Danny Santana walked to lead things off. Revere stole 2nd. He also gets credit for stealing third although based on the box score, it appears Santana was picked off of first and that's what caused the play to happen. Kind of funny!

[woolhouse]

If Revere is going to stay on the 25-man roster, it's going to be because of his speed and glove. Stealing second and then third (regardless of how) is only helping his cause. And working a walk to lead-off is not a bad step either.

[Mr. Ed]

Angel Morales walked

 

Dinkleman 2 run HR

[Mr. Ed]

In Joe C's blog, updating before the game, says Parmelee has been the most pleasant surprise.

[woolhouse]

There goes Maloney's perfect spring. Cut 'em! (Sarcasm font needed.)

[Mr. Ed]

Maloney escapes 2 out/2 on with a K in the second. 3-1 Twins.

[Shane Wahl]

Angel Morales walked

 

Dinkleman 2 run HR

Dink did what?

[minn55441]

Do we create a bench spot for the guys? Do we send him down again?

 

He hit .300 last year at the major league level. He has hit over .300 so far this spring. Now he has a home run. Nobody talks about the guy, but he just keeps getting hits.

 

Screw the third catcher spot and bring Dinkleman with on opening day.

[Mr. Ed]

1-2-3 third for Maloney

 

6-3/F7/F8

[Mr. Ed]

Do we create a bench spot for the guys? Do we send him down again?

 

He hit .300 last year at the major league level. He has hit over .300 so far this spring. Now he has a home run. Nobody talks about the guy, but he just keeps getting hits.

 

Screw the third catcher spot and bring Dinkleman with on opening day.

leadoff single in the 4th. Machine.

[Mr. Ed]

Stolen base for Dinkleman

 

2 run HR for Dozier

[Mr. Ed]

Twins load bases in the 4th, Sac fly by Valencia makes it 6-1

[Mr. Ed]

Hughes RBI single

 

7-1

 

How does he not play every day if he's hitting like this?

[Highabove]

Last year, the Pohlads made 16 million dollars profit on the team and the year before they made 27million. Last year the Twins sold more tickets then 26 other teams. That is why some of the fans expect a little more this year.