stringer bell

With the day game after a night game, I thought we might see Pinto today, but Suzuki (at this point) is the better alternative. Pinto looks like he is out of his offensive funk, but with improved options at DH, he isn't going to get many ABs there. Should he be sent down? If he doesn't hit in his next few starts, I would agree.

2. Wasn't one of the Royals pitchers also a Tiger (Mizzou)?

I'll go there. I am thinking that Tonkin would be attractive to a couple clubs, but don't most teams have several guys under 30 that can throw around 95? To my knowledge, the Twins have .......Tonkin.

Distressing. I thought perhaps it was because he had faced so many left handed pitchers, but he's actually fanned more often versus right handers. Not promising.

If you value him so much, could you spell his last name correctly? Sorry, couldn't resist. I wrote about this in the "Roster Sausage" thread. If everybody gets healthy, I think a pitcher (Guerrier?) and Nuñez get demoted, but if Santana shows he's not ready, then he is optioned back and Nuñez stays. Also, at least temporarily, Arcia can stay in Triple A. He missed a game earlier with "soreness" and he isn't tearing the cover off the ball. Today and for the next week, I'd rather have Parmelee on the roster than Oswaldo. Arcia is younger, has more power and upside than Parmelee and youth and potential should be served.

A month or two from now, we will know a lot more about Kubel/Colabello. Overall, they've exceeded expectations, but I hold no illusions about long-term success. I know that Colabello made a bad error and didn't make a play or two that he could have made, but I think he's passable as a 1B. We've already seen way too much of him in right field (dreadful, horrible, awful are words that come to me). Kubel's been good in left, but he has no foot speed. I'd like to see Vargas up at some time this season. He seems to have made major gains both hitting and fielding and he is a switch hitter with power, wouldn't that be nice on the Twins team?

With the likely activation of Fuld and Arcia, there would be a relative glut of corner OF/DH/1B types. The Twins would also have to clear two spots on the 25-man roster. One would almost have to be a relief pitcher. Perhaps Guerrier? The Rangers had a roster deadline with Scott Baker, promoted him and promptly DFAed him after one appearance. Could the Twins do the same to Matty G? Burton? He has been much better in his last appearances dating back about two weeks. Lost velo is a red flag, but effective pitching is effective pitching. Of the position players, Parmelee would be a candidate, but he has no options, so he would have to be DFAed to get sent to Rochester. As I understand it, he would then have the option to become a free agent since it would be his second DFA. Santana or Nuñez would be the other choices. Santana needs to play every day, but so far has performed well for the Twins. Nuñez offers a much better bat than the guy/guys he replaced, has speed and versatility, but he is one of two utility infielders for the Twins. Or the Twins could option Arcia. While his numbers look OK at Rochester, just two days ago he sat out a game for soreness (I presume in the wrist) and he isn't dominating Triple A pitching (no homers, .744 OPS), so perhaps he needs more time in Rochester. What should the Twins do? What will they do? Unfortunately, those queries most likely have two different answers,

I'm going to comment on this thread in response to the latest roster moves. Aaron Hicks comes off the concussion DL and Chris Parmelee is brought in from Rochester. They essentially replace the struggling Herrmann and Florimon. On the 25-man roster, Hicks becomes the only viable center fielder. The corners are fortified, with Parmelee and Kubel being capable (although range limited) and Nuñez having some experience in right and left. I suppose Colabello also should be added, although I have cringed every time I've seen him in right. On to first base--Parmelee and Colabello are both capable major league first basemen. We don't know if Mauer is going to hit the DL, but if he does, the options at first are satisfactory. The Twins continue with 13 pitchers, swapping out Darnell for Matt Guerrier. You just can't have too many 30+ (y.o.) RH middle relievers! That leaves five RH starters, one closer, two lefty middle guys and five RH middle guys with one of them (Swarzak?) being the long guy. For right now, the addition of Nuñez and Parm makes the club more versatile and certainly the hitting of Parmelee and Nuñez should exceed that of the departed Herrmann and P-Flo. Having only two catchers will mean less DH time for Pinto, but probably a bit more time behind the dish. IMHO, there is no one position player at Rochester who has a case for being promoted any time soon. However, there are three disabled players due back this month unless something has changed. Fuld has five days to go on the concussion list. He should be ready to go when his time is up. Arcia has rehabbed for a couple weeks, looked to be close to ready, but missed a day due to soreness. He played last night, so he should/could be ready any day. Willingham seems poised to go on a rehab assignment in the next week for sure. I just saw that Mauer might DH as soon as today, so perhaps he won't hit the DL.

Dozier can't get a break on close plays at second. Three challenges, three lost.

I defended Florimon coming into the season. I was wrong. He just can't hit. Last year's performance gave me some hope that he would get enough extra base hits to make up for a low OBP and high strikeouts. Florimon has soft hands, a great arm, very good range, and can reach the fence (LH), but he can't hit. Really, sending him to Rochester is fine as long as he isn't taking reps from Santana, but I can't see him ever coming back to be the regular SS. While Herrmann had a nice spring, he's never shown he could hit enough to be a big leaguer. Versatility goes only so far. He'll get more days in the big leagues, I think. However I don't know if it will be with the Twins.

The report I saw yesterday was that Willingham swung pain-free yesterday. A 60-day DL stint would keep Hammer out until June 5th or something like that. In response to another point made here, just using a reliever doesn't disable him for a day or two if they don't throw too many pitches. The best example is the closer. Perkins is usually available at least three days in a row for an inning only. Under that criteria, perhaps all of the relievers used today would be available tomorrow. If 20 pitches is the cutoff, Guerrier wouldn't be available, but everyone else would.

The Bartlett decision is still having repercussions. Keep Bartlett, lose Presley, lose Bartlett, sign Fuld, but lose Mastro. Now both Hicks and Fuld are on the concussion DL and who knows who will be playing CF in Comerica Park if Hicks isn't good to go (and Hicks being good to go isn't a particularly good thing). I have defended Gardy's reluctance to DH his only backup catcher, but if the third catcher is Chris Herrmann, it weakens the bench too much. Chris Herrmann should be DFAed. I doubt anyone would claim him, and if he were claimed they have a right handed version of him at Rochester. Dan Rohlfing has Herrmann's skills and can legitimately play first base. The 13-pitcher issue needs to be dealt with. If the Twins go with Santana at short, they will have two versatile players in reserve in Escobar and Nunez. Add Hicks/Fuld and the alternate catcher and it's not a bad bench, but of course that would require a) a bullpen arm shedded. both Fuld and Hicks spend the minimum time on the concussion DL.

He could drive over to Fort Wayne. The Midwest League is closer to his speed.

Today, the Twins should have swapped Nunez for Florimon. Today the Twins should have DFAed someone and recalled Parmelee for Herrmann or a pitcher. Mauer needs to go to the DL

The Triple A club is two hours away by car. The club currently has three shortstops, three catchers, five starting pitchers and eight relief pitchers. That leaves six players for seven positions. One catcher is hitting .114 one shortstop is hitting .108. How are these problems dealt with? By recalling a 35-year-old relief pitcher reclamation project. Guerrier will be driving to Cleveland. Couldn't he have shared his rental car with one or two more position player who could be more useful than Pedro Florimon and Chris Herrmann?

And the kicker is that someone was removed from the 40-man roster to add Guerrier. Obviously, there are a lot of possibilities and they probably can get somebody through right now and keep him in the organization, but given this outfit's record of late, they'll probably DFA somebody with upside who'll promptly be claimed by Baltimore or Toronto.

Gee, I thought the 25-man was out of whack, but they'd fix it. So, they keep a 13-man staff after receiving five QSs in six games (and the other game required only two pitchers). The team didn't address the short bench (and you know Mauer won't play at least tomorrow), they didn't deal with the three shortstops, with the starter hitting less than a buck and a quarter. They didn't bother to bring up or activate a legitimate outfielder or send down an unneeded third catcher (also hitting less than a buck and a quarter). I know, patience, patience, but this is truly maddening. All rebuilds are enhanced by promoting 35-year-old who haven't pitched effectively in the current decade.

OK, time for a lefty.

Have Gun, Will Travel Reads the Card of a Man. A Soldier of Fortune in a Savage Land. His Fast Gun for Hire, He's the Calling Wind. A Soldier of Fortune is a Man Called...Palladin. Paladin, Paladin, Where do You Roam? Paladin, Paladin, Far Far from Home.

OK, Burton probably gives up a big fly before I finish this post, but I'll say it anyway. Last year, the Twins would have almost certainly lost a tie game going into the bottom of the seventh in Cleveland. This year, I like their chances. Cleveland doesn't have much offense and the Twins have a few guys that can produce runs, even though a number of them are scuffling. Tough break for Plouffe on his last AB BTW.

About right. We may be small, but we are petty.

And here comes Pedro!

Hitters 3-5 are really struggling, as are hitter #7 and #9.

Nolasco has the K-ball going. Ricky don't lose that number.

"Watching" on Gamecast. Will the Twins win their challenge?