Riverbrian

I'm simply bummed... I gotta Deduno buzz going.

Teams keep trying to give Betencourt a job and Betencourt keeps refusing to grab hold of it. I wouldn't be interested in him either.

If I were Hicks... I'd still consider Mastro a starting CF threat. However, barring a complete collapse at the plate... I think Hicks will keep his job with Defense. That Plouffe month happened and if he can do that... He can hit 34 with health. He may only hit .220 but he can hit 34.

lol... Threads get derailed when someone isolates one point out of 5 and highlights that one point... Especially when that point is about Correia. Just having some fun.

1. Alex Meyer and Samuel Deduno will be effective in the rotation at some point this year and have jobs locked down for 2014 because of their performance. 2. Morneau will have a fantastic back to his old self year and will re-sign with the Twins and return for 2014. Parmelee will flirt with .300 but come in low with the power expectation and Arcia will be called up mid summer as an injury replacement and explode out of the gate before cooling off in September creating a 2014 rotation LF, RF, DH, 1B, C with Parmelee, Willingham, Arcia, Doumit, Morneau and Mauer. 3. Correia will be alright... Just alright... And everyone will still hate him. 4. Hicks will get the job done... Nothing jaw dropping... We will worry about him for a stretch but he will get it together because of his patience at the plate. All in All... Just a decent rookie year as he starts down his MLB path. 5. Plouffe will hit 34 homers

With Health 34 Dingers.

I had the same thought.

Channel 339 in Grand Forks... 639 HD... Between UND Hockey and the Twins... FSN will have my attention tonight. I don't think I will have any time for college basketball. If the wife wants me to go somewhere... I won't be.

I'm not sure how Deduno looking sharp means that Hendriks is no good but whatever. lol When it comes to Deduno last night... 2 of his 3 walks came in the 5th inning in the rain and a sliding foot strike. I'm not sure who here has pitched in similiar conditions but when your lead foot slides... It messes you up. I'm not saying his control is fixed but to those who keep bringing it up... I'd like to point out that if you didn't know he had control issues and watched him pitch last night for the first time... you wouldnt assume control issues. He was sharp. Control is being accentuated because of his past. Let him put the baggage down. We just might have something here.

To me it's not a question of liking one over the other. I have high hopes for Hendriks but Deduno looks good to go right now. No it wasn't an all star lineup but he was causing problems for guys who can hit. 4 batters total got good wood on him... 4 batters that's it... My favorite moment was his last out... Pena walks out to talk with him and you could see Deduno point to his own chest... Saying I got it and he finished with a K. It wasn't a slider that was his only out pitch... Tonight it was that change up that breaks down and in on lefties. Against Team USA it was that back door spinner against the lefties. Out pitch(s)... Make it plural. Its a small sample size but there is no doubt that the Twins brass were watching. This ain't the same guy who was throwing last August. He was spotting some stuff. I'm on board... Get him back to Fort Myers quickly... Cram footwork and mechanics at him and give him the ball when his turn comes up. I think we got something here.

The guy looks fantastic. Strong from the start. Big stage... Ceremonies before the game... WBC Championship and he's under control. The Twins rotation shouldn't be in his way. He should have a job.

I'm really starting to wonder what we have in Deduno. He has been selected to start against USA and now the championship game against PR. Doesn't this make a pretty loud statement about his talent from a comparison standpoint. At least a loud statement about what Tony Pena thinks of Deduno. I realize that certain starters like Cueto and Ubaldo are not on the team but this is a team with Wandy and Volquez on it as starting options to choose from. I know that Pena and the other managers are going to try to keep the rotations and days of rest in order because the MLB Squads will scream if he doesn't... But... I'm sure the manager started planning his rotation on who would start the championship if they got that far when putting together the rotation at the beginning. Doesn't Deduno starting this game tonight make a statement about what kind of talent he has. In consideration of our rotation... Based on this... I can't see a reason why Deduno would not open up the season in the Twins Rotation. Just a matter of getting him on the 40 man and who gets released to make room for him.

If I could take one thing out of Gardy's brain, tie it to an anchor and drop it in the middle of the ocean. It would be his desire for a third catcher. It's a fault of his in my opinion. Years have gone by... It still is what it is... I disagree with Gardy strongly but I welcome a compromise... Escobar taking an emergency catcher role tacked on to his infield duties pleases me because the alternative is Butera taking up a roster spot. Overall... It's a criticism from me and a solution for this should have been in motion many years ago. Gardy has been here a long time... His philosophy is known or it should be... The issue hasn't been addressed and the philosophy remains. The solution for a problem that I dont believe exists has been placing a third catcher on the roster year after year... that is shortsighted and lacks creativity... They should have solved this long ago. BTW... Good job on the script. Well done.

I agree with you... I wouldn't spend a second of time worrying about it. I'd give up the DH spot and finish the game with pinch hitters or pitchers hitting and send for the AAA guy in the morning. There is no argument from me on this issue... We are in complete agreement. but... Since Gardy seems to think differently.

Cdog... From Memory... It seemed like typical Mauer at the plate... 1st inning... Deduno just got the 2nd out of the inning by ringing up Ryan Braun... A runner was on when Joe stepped up and he ripped a single the opposite way to left. Deduno was looking pretty good until Joe singled... The Wheels then started to fall off a little... He walked Stanton fairly quickly and he didn't really look like he could find the zone and the bullpen got up and the Manager came out for a visit. He followed that with 3 bad pitches in a row to Adam Jones and you could see him blowing air out of his cheeks and he came back with 3 straight strikes to ring up Adam Jones. In the Third? I think it was the third... He was working Joe inside and Joe grounded out to 1B. Deduno had settled down by this point and was looking like he belonged out there.

I just like watching him pitch... Pure baseball entertainment. It's like watching Evil Knievel jump over buses. On the edge and every once in awhile he bounces off the last bus. He was one pitch from getting yanked in the 1st inning. The Bullpen was going and he was sitting 3-0 with the bases loaded against Adam Jones before coming back and getting the K on a beautiful spinner. Baseball beauty at it's finest... Watching him struggle against Bloomquist who was just trying to bunt and I'm saying to myself... Just lay it in there... take the out... You can't walk a guy who is trying to bunt and he almost did. Each time he walked off the mound... Arms pumped in the air following the K. Crisis avoided. How can you not love this game? I wish I would see that kind of emotion during the regular season. I really hope that Deduno gets a good look when he gets back to Twins Camp. You are right... That and Hicks hitting 3 dingers is the spring training story thus far.

Technically... Just one has to get hurt while the other is DH. That seems to be the issue that costs us a roster spot. I'm just the messenger with a weird message. In a nutshell... I'm just saying the conversation should have happened at some point. TR: Gardy... You need 3 catchers? RG: Yes I do. If Joe is going to DH to get his bat in the lineup everyday... If the catcher gets hurt... I need a third catcher like Drew or I have to give up the DH spot and a game may be on the line. TR: You feel strongly about this? Isn't batting Drew Butera kinda like giving up the DH spot. RG: I do feel strongly about this... I'm trying to win games here. TR: I wonder if it makes more sense to get a player or two ready going forward for emergency fill in for a game instead of spending a roster spot? Planning for it... if youmfeel strongly about it... The emergency catcher would only have to play in an emergency. A replacement can be brought up the next day. We are talking about a couple of innings in case of injury... Right? RG: I suppose. I know that riverbrian would agree with this. TR: Riverbrian is a good guy... But I don't think riverbrian would agree with the need to plan for this at all. I think he would say that your need for this type of insurance is crazy. RG: yeah but he knows that I feel strongly about this so... To get that roster spot back... Riverbrian would see it as a sensible compromise. TR: I'll get a list together of players with some catcher experience and we can start the process there. Maybe by 2010... Some of those guys will be in the majors and be that kind of option for you. RG: Thanks Terry... Sounds like a plan... BTW... I talked with Bill Smith earlier today... I think he's going to do a great job in your role. He was talking about building for power... Moving into target field and than changing to a speed game. He's got his eye on this Japanese SS.

I know... And by the time he's 36... We are talking 138 adjusted ERA bay-bee. Woo hoo... The trend is your friend.

It's an over simplication on my part... However, I can't speak to luck... I can't predict it and I won't declare it but I know it's a large part of the game and that goes for Verlander as well. Basically from 2010 to 2012... Correia has gotten better each year... ERA and WHIP is trending in the right direction. I'm not saying that trend won't come to a complete stop in 2013. I'm just not going to let him ruin my off-season before he actually does fail for us. And if he does fail... Deduno, Devries, Gibson, Meyer, May, Harden and even an improved Blackburn(who knows) are available to step in. So in the end... My issue with Correia is the 2nd year primarily... And maybe that is what it took to get him even if most don't want him.

I agree with you 100 percent on the first two paragraphs... I will just add... That if Escobar is labeled as the Emergency Catcher... He would only play in an emergency... He would never start. Paragraph three is exactly my reasoning for the organization training emergency catcher options in the minors over the years. Gardy seems concerned about it... I'm not... but Gardy seems to be concerned. This is a Gardy issue alone and since it's been a Gardy issue for quite some time... The Club should have been working toward this all along on the farm. Paragraph 4... Yeah... I agree but I think we are gonna end up with a couple utility IF backups... At least Escobar could kill two birds with one stone and keep the 2013 Twins from rostering two utility IF's and a 3rd catcher and that could open up a spot for Colabello or Thome. BTW... I wish I knew how to break up quotes into sections when replying to them. Most of you guys are so much more skilled than I.

I'm pretty sure there will be American League Regression... It's a pretty typical occurance... However, if the American League regression happens while his uptrend continues we may not notice. The 2nd year is still my primary concern with Kevin... He was never my first choice but I still think he has been pre-attacked. Maybe he will struggle and maybe he will keep us in a decent percentage of games. I think it's safe to assume that he won't be confused with Verlander. Could Corriea be confused with Tim Hudson? For a year? He could... and until he actually fails... I'm going to keep assuming that he will at least be better than Blackburn was in 2012 and that will help us in 2013.

I agree with you about Correia... I think he has been pre-attacked by some. If you look at his performance start by start last year... It's not overwhelming but its decent and an improvement over what we were throwing outside of Diamond last year. The 2nd year is my problem but if that's what it took... It's what it took. On Deduno... I am high on Deduno (that sounds like it came from Cheech and Chong). It's purely from a stuff stand point. If he can harness that movement... He can be a plus pitcher easy... I just don't know if he can cuz he's getting long in the tooth. As dominating as he was tonight (which says a lot)... That breaking pitch was money... his fastball had a hard sink to it... but he created his own jams as well and that says a lot. He kept missing the strike zone when Bloomquist was trying to give up an out with a bunt and that says a lot. I remain hopeful that he will nail his mechanics down... Get more comfortable in his skin... Trust his stuff and go to work. If he does... He will be a big value. I think it can happen.

Same ol Deduno... Damn fine stuff... Spotty control. That back door breaking pitch is working well for him. It's hard not to think this guy could end being a real value for the Twins. I'll say this... He's fun to watch throw.

I cleared my schedule to watch... Extra watchful eye on Deduno.

That could be... I'm pretty sure I've read some quotes from Gardy where he specifically talked about needing the third catcher so Joe and Ryan could do some worry free DH'ing. Gardy specifically talked about the potential injury issue in those quotes... Not that I'm a big believer in any quotes because decisions and situations are always deeper than soundbites can provide. As far as team context and what Gardy and TR want... Who knows... I'm sure there is a reason for everything. The only thing I know is that very rarely does any other team carry 3 catchers. The Twins have been doing it... and the Tigers might do it this year with V-Mart manning the DH spot. The Mariners may be another team to watch with Jesus Montero doing DH work. To me it just makes sense to experiment with Escobar. Hopefully he will never play back there because Mauer and Doumit stay healthy. I'd rather have a better bench bat than a 3rd Catcher.