mnfireman

Gardy needs to separate M & M in the line-up. Morneau looks terrible right now, he missed at least 3 driveable pitches yesterday, and teams are pitching carefully to Mauer because of it. Carroll is a prototypical #2 hitter, except for the missed bunt attempt yesterday. Casilla should also be looking over his shoulder as he is not playing well right now.

The bases loaded hitting with less than two out has to be a concern. Morneau has not been getting it done. He's not alone but I think that he's failed the most. I think Gardy should give him a day off or at least drop him a spot or two. I also think Gardy is out thinking himself, making moves for no reason, not making moves, leaving pitchers in, taking pitchers out, etc... Pulling Carroll yesterday stands out. Maybe a couple of times Doumit or Willingham could have been pulled for defense when they weren't due to bat. I don't know... just a couple of observations.

Ryan overhauled the roster, but was limited by budget. Gardy continuosly runs the same guys out there with no accountability. Glad too see Valencia get benched after yesterday, sit him for a couple games. Revere is (pick your Gardy favorite from the past) but because he hits .300 its ok. No its not and the argument that a single or BB is the same as a double or triple is not valid because doubles and triples drive in runs and you can't steal a base if its occupied by someone else. Trade some of these OF prospects for pitching help and look to the future, this season could be painful.

I'm sure Jerry White has been working hard with Doumit to improve his play, and I imagine he has a cannon as he also catches. Willingham has shown league average numbers as a LF, if he catches the ones he should and doesn't turn every flyball into an adventure, he'll be fine.

The Twins have 15 scheduled days off, 10 of which are following a day game after a night game. 31 day games after night games, using 1:00 start time as the justifier. Mauer should catch 120-130 games and another 20 games at 1B/DH.

The bullpen will be at least a half season revolving door, todays favorites are tomorrow scapegoats. The rotation will be as or more interesting as the bullpen, right now Pavano is living on two years ago, but pitching for a new contract should be a good thing. Liriano and Blackburn as Jekyl & Hyde will play out all season, hopefully they are good at the same time but bad at different times. Baker is a known quantity - 18 to 23 starts, most of them quality ones and Marquis will be hoping for speed on the field behind him to catch everything being launched around Target Field. As far as batting orders, playing time, late inning subs, Gardy is going to have to earn his paycheck this year. How he handles Morneau/Parmalee/Plouffe/Doumit @ 1B/RF/DH and properly getting Revere to cover Willingham for late inning defense without compromising the offense will be interesting. Carroll & Casilla @ SS & 2B could very well flip flop or Dozier could move Casilla out of the starting line-up by May 1. Expect some growing pains early that may pay big later!

Granted he tore it up there, but another big bodied 1B type only played A ball for the Twins - Kent Hrbek. If Parmalee successfully jumps from AA to the bigs and puts up 10 years of Hrbie type numbers, I don't think anyone will care that he missed AAA.

The Twins don't need a 5th starter until April 15, carry an extra position player. That way both Dinkelman and Burroughs make the team and have 10 days to earn/lose their spot.

Baker not looking good. Bad location and no movement.

I think this team will be fairly solid, not great, but solid. If Carroll is to remain the starting SS then Casilla should be the utility guy. If they put Casilla at SS, then Carroll should be the utility guy. Hughes gets 2B until he plays himself out of it. Doumit, Morneau & Parmalee can share DH & 1B, with Doumit, Parmalee & Plouffe sharing RF. Mauer has caught too well this spring to not be back there 4 or 5 times a week, though with the day/night rotation of the early schedule Gardy will want to give him days off. Revere is the best 4th OF option right now, though technically the team is carrying Willingham, Span, Plouffe, Parmalee, Doumit & Revere to cover the OF with Benson, Tosoni & Mastroianni at AAA. I guess we'll see if all this versatility is a good or a bad thing. Bad baseball might have this team looking like this in September - C Mauer, 1B Parmalee, 2B Carroll, 3B Valencia, SS Dozier, LF Willingham, CF Span, RF Benson & DH Morneau/Doumit.

Those are Manship's career starter/reliever splits. Obviously the columns shifted to the right, but you see he is the same pitcher in either role.

[TABLE=class: sortable stats_table] [TH=class: tooltip sort_default_asc, align: left]Split[/TH] [TH=class: tooltip]W[/TH] [TH=class: tooltip]L[/TH] [TH=class: tooltip hide_non_quals]W-L%[/TH] [TH=class: tooltip sort_default_asc hide_non_quals]ERA[/TH] [TH=class: tooltip]G[/TH] [TH=class: tooltip]GS[/TH] [TH=class: tooltip]GF[/TH] [TH=class: tooltip]CG[/TH] [TH=class: tooltip]SHO[/TH] [TH=class: tooltip]SV[/TH] [TH=class: tooltip]IP[/TH] [TH=class: tooltip]H[/TH] [TH=class: tooltip]R[/TH] [TH=class: tooltip]ER[/TH] [TH=class: tooltip]HR[/TH] [TH=class: tooltip]BB[/TH] [TH=class: tooltip]IBB[/TH] [TH=class: tooltip]SO[/TH] [TH=class: tooltip]HBP[/TH] [TH=class: tooltip]BK[/TH] [TH=class: tooltip]WP[/TH] [TH=class: tooltip]BF[/TH] [TH=class: tooltip sort_default_asc hide_non_quals]WHIP[/TH] [TH=class: tooltip hide_non_quals]SO/9[/TH] [TH=class: tooltip hide_non_quals]SO/BB[/TH] [TD=align: left][/TD] [TD=class: tooltip, align: left]as Starter[/TD] [TD=align: right]1[/TD] [TD=align: right]1[/TD] [TD=align: right].500[/TD] [TD=align: right]5.67[/TD] [TD=align: right]6[/TD] [TD=align: right]6[/TD] [TD=align: right]0[/TD] [TD=align: right]0[/TD] [TD=align: right]0[/TD] [TD=align: right]0[/TD] [TD=align: right]27.0[/TD] [TD=align: right]32[/TD] [TD=align: right]18[/TD] [TD=align: right]17[/TD] [TD=align: right]5[/TD] [TD=align: right]10[/TD] [TD=align: right]0[/TD] [TD=align: right]19[/TD] [TD=align: right]1[/TD] [TD=align: right]0[/TD] [TD=align: right]0[/TD] [TD=align: right]120[/TD] [TD=align: right]1.556[/TD] [TD=align: right]6.3[/TD] [TD=align: right]1.90[/TD] [TD=align: left][/TD] [TD=class: tooltip, align: left]as Reliever[/TD] [TD=align: right]2[/TD] [TD=align: right]1[/TD] [TD=align: right].667[/TD] [TD=align: right]5.59[/TD] [TD=align: right]23[/TD] [TD=align: right]0[/TD] [TD=align: right]3[/TD] [TD=align: right]0[/TD] [TD=align: right]0[/TD] [TD=align: right]0[/TD] [TD=align: right]37.0[/TD] [TD=align: right]46[/TD] [TD=align: right]26[/TD] [TD=align: right]23[/TD] [TD=align: right]2[/TD] [TD=align: right]15[/TD] [TD=align: right]1[/TD] [TD=align: right]25[/TD] [TD=align: right]0[/TD] [TD=align: right]0[/TD] [TD=align: right]2[/TD] [TD=align: right]169[/TD] [TD=align: right]1.649[/TD] [TD=align: right]6.1[/TD] [TD=align: right]1.67[/TD] [/TABLE]

Carroll at 2B & Dozier at SS... mark it down.

#3 will be answered next offseason. #4 will take at least 2 or 3 years to tell for sure. #5 depends on the quality of the product and, too a slightly lesser extent, the economy. #1 & #2, while unpredictable at this point will, I think, take care of themselves. Maybe 1 of the 4 will miss significant time this year and I feel the team is more prepared to deal with it if it should happen.

He was going to get injured eventually. Better sooner than later. I would like to see Burnett, Oliveros and Doyle break with the team. Leaves us a little right hand heavy but the only real lefty option this year would be Dumatrait, lets see how he does at Rochester first. I don't believe in pitch to contact, I want power arms, those teams still pitch in October.

Player options be damned! This team needs to head north with the 25 best players, PERIOD. I like the pieces they have assembled, but options cloud the one spot that needs to be the best players. Bullpen. If guys who are out of options outperform the guys with options, bring 'em north. If the cast-offs, re-hab projects and/or young kids outperform the no option guys, bring them and risk exposing the rest. If they are that bad nobody will claim them. And if a team does, they become their headache.

Justin Morneau is signed for 2012 & 2013. HIS health and production will determine if they try to re-sign him or move Mauer to 1B/RF/DH.

Bartlett's play has fallen off and Gardy misused Punto, he should have been a defensive replacement, pinch runner (hold your comments, please!), and twice a week starter at most. I think year 3 of Hardy at SS and year 1 of Carroll at 2B would look like a pretty good IF until Dozier, Michael, etc. are ready to contribute.

I think because Mauer is a big guy most plays at the plate have been sweep tag type plays, i.e. where the runner tries to slap the plate as he slides by. Also, from what I recall, it has been awhile, but Mauer sets up out front and moves to the throw, not waiting for the ball to get to him, thus keeping collisions and the chance for injury to a minimum.

Curt Schilling. I don't think he should get in, but if he doesn't then Smoltz may not get in either, despite the 154 saves.