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stringer bell

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Everything posted by stringer bell

  1. stringer bell
    I don't think there was a Game 163 for the Twins in '06. There was in '08 (lost 1-0 to the Sox) and '09 (crazy extra inning win vs. Detroit). In '06 the Twins ran down the Tigers to win the division, sweeping their last series while Detroit was losing. The fans stayed in the dome and watched the Tigers blow a late lead on the last day.
  2. stringer bell
    I looked through the month of June at the Twins' schedule. If the starters can all go on four days rest, they would need a fifth starter only twice for the rest of the month--the 16th and the 23rd. They could try to slip Manship (or is it Masihp?) in for those two games, especially if he's not needed much in long relief. He has pitched a grand total of 2.1 innings since his recall.
  3. stringer bell
    From what I understood, the consensus was that it would take Pavano quite a bit longer than 15 days to be ready to start again. They don't need a fifth starter for two series, so why not have the extra hitter? On merit, Parmelee has earned the recall. He is hitting by far the best of anyone at AAA or AA for that matter. Fitting him in will remain a problem and the Twins don't play in NL parks until they need a fifth starter.
  4. stringer bell
    De Vries has a victory and a shaving cream pie in the face to show for his time with the Twins. I think eventually we'll see Hendriks, but it wouldn't surprise me if they give Manship a start. With the off day today, the Twins can go Walters, Diamond, Liriano against the Cubs. They wouldn't need a fifth starter until the Brewer series.
  5. stringer bell
    I expected the Twins team we've seen in the past three weeks. The injuries to Blackburn, Pavano and Baker made an already underwhelming rotation into the worst in the major leagues. This team is improved offensively and defensively. The bullpen is light years better than last year and they are playing more fundamentally sound baseball. Competent starting pitching will make them respectable.
  6. stringer bell
    I don't know if I could say that Dozier has made a lot of spectacular plays. He looked like he would be steady and reliable when he arrived, but has had a prolonged hiccup of unacceptable defense at short. I don't think his poor defense will continue and it probably helps his confidence that he hasn't been benched despite his poor defensive play. Over the course of a season, players go through bad stretches. IIRC, Dozier has had less than stellar stretches with the bat before. I think the kid is a keeper and continued playing time will iron out some of the kinks.
  7. stringer bell
    Mijares got the wake up call he needed. He definitely looks trimmer, is throwing harder and throwing more strikes. Sometimes it takes a shot like being non-tendered to give the committment needed to succeed. I always liked Mijares, but I don't blame the Twins for not getting the rperformance out of him or letting him go.
  8. stringer bell
    I'm glad Carroll was at third on the last play.
  9. stringer bell
    One more performance like that and many might get their wish--a DFA for Gray.
  10. stringer bell
    Now, Gray for two innings and they save the back end of the bullpen.
  11. stringer bell
    It probably won't matter, but this choice seems pretty foolish.
  12. stringer bell
    Blackburn, whose injury may have hindered his effectiveness, replaces Pavano, whose injury definitely impacted his effectiveness. Hard to say how he'll do, but he really can't be any worse than Pavano right now.
  13. stringer bell
    I have a pro-lefty bias, and because of it I'm for signing him if it's cheap. I don't trust Blackburn, De Vries or Liriano, Swarzak is a long man/middle reliever as is Manship. I'm not confident that Walters will last until the All-Star break. They might get themselves something like they got out of Pavano (high end) and he couldn't be as bad as Marquis. I say give it a shot.
  14. stringer bell
    I have submitted often that, with merely a suspect rotation, the Twins would be a .500 team, and in the AL Central, that means contender. The offense has been spotty, but has shown signs of improving. The defense is much improved, although there have been quite a few errors in the last 10 days or so. Relief pitching is okay, bordering on solid and fundamentally the Twins are doing much better. On the defense, with Revere and Span in the outfield and decent gloves at catcher and the middle infield there is a real improvement. The Twins have turned a lot of double plays and are not messing up many of late. With the good range of Span and Revere and decent range at short and second, the Twins are getting to more balls in the middle of the diamond. The corners? Not so much, but the best way to play good defense on the corners is to swing the bat well. The Twins need to rebuild their rotation on the fly. It looks like Diamond will stay for awhile. I'm thinking he'll be pitching for the Twins when they are good again. I am not close to sold on Walters or De Vries, but they've been better than any of the original five that started the season. Let's hope that they can produce another starter or two and perhaps get one at the deadline in exchange for one of the relief pitchers or Doumit or Carroll.
  15. stringer bell
    Diamond has been able to get RH hitters out, which is something that Duensing has struggled with. He needs to be pretty fine, because he is not overpowering, but he does have three pretty good pitches and good command and composure. I like all the GB outs he is getting and really like that he has given hardly any free passes. Sure, he is due for some regression, but if he keeps on doing what he's been doing, he'll be fine.
  16. stringer bell
    Further on Plouffe--I think that so far he has been a "mistakes hitter". Most of the hits and homers have come on fat cookies while he has struggled mightily when facing good breaking stuff and well-placed fastballs and change-ups. If he can manage to keep walking and driving mistakes, he should get enough hits to get the average up over .200, but not too high. If he gets 400 PAs, he might hit 20 bombs, and that is intriguing.
  17. stringer bell
    The conventional wisdom is that a lefty with average stuff can be quite successful and I think Diamond's performance bears out the conventional wisdom. The ERA isn't going to last where it is, but six straight effective starts is pretty good. I can see Diamond staying in the Twins rotation for quite awhile.
  18. stringer bell
    This is Plouffe's year to either acheive or not. This weekend has been a positive, but overall he's been a disappointment. I like his power and throwing hasn't been much of an issue, but he still needs to establish himself. Danny V hasn't done enough in Rochester to win promotion back to Minnesota. I guess I am okay with the four guys playing three+ positions and seeing what shakes out.
  19. stringer bell
    The unofficial scorer (Dick Bremer) ruled it a hit. I thought it would be ruled a hit too, although I thought Plouffe could have/should have made the play.
  20. stringer bell
    Diamond has been consistent. He is doing most everything to maximize his effectiveness. I think he throws just hard enough to not be a soft tosser, throws strikes, gets ground balls, mostly holds runners on and seems to throw well when there are runners on. The sub-2 ERA won't last, but he might be in the rotation for several years. Maybe Bill Smith wasn't a total idiot. Keeping Diamond sure looks like the right call.
  21. stringer bell
    Plouffesie can see the Mendoza line! Too bad for him that they are leaving Cleveland.
  22. stringer bell
    The Indians official scorer ruled that a hit, so only two runs are unearned.
  23. stringer bell
    Diamond was set up pretty well, facing a banged up Cleveland team that struggles mightily against lefthanders. I've thought he was sharper a couple other times, but he keeps making his pitches and getting lots of grounders. I'll take it, but I will LOL about the Twins making the playoffs.
  24. stringer bell
    Asdrubel costs himself a knock by diving headfirst into first.
  25. stringer bell
    Dozier's good baserunning negated by the "contact play".
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