2007 Minnesota Twins

Irishmans Shanty · Post by **Irishmans Shanty** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 9:45 am

Remember these Days, because I think they are back.

1. Stewart LF .280
2. Punto 2B . 248
3. Mauer C .298
4. Tiffee 3B .198
5. Jones RF .271
6. Morneau 1B .253
7. Ford CF .249
8. Ryan DH .224
9. Bartlett SS .234

Recap from August 1, 2005: The Twins roughed up A's pitching for 1 run on 2 hits that evening, extinguishing the Twins on only 99 pitches in 2 hours, 20 minutes. Twins pitchers combined to throw 9 innings, allowing 2 runs on 5 hits with 1BB and 10 SO.

packerboy · Post by **packerboy** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 10:09 am

I dont think its that bad IS.

Mauer and Morneau have taken a big step forward from those days and we do actually have a real leadoff hitter now.

Cuddyer is doing OK

Hunter is healthy.

Kubel isnt great tbut he is better than Tiffee

But as far as Punto and Bartlett go, could be.

Who was Ryan?

Irishmans Shanty · Post by **Irishmans Shanty** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 10:20 am

You're right, the current product is much better than the Aug '05 one, but they've sure been hitting like them since last Wednesday.

They need to get to work today and it starts with hanging a few a early zeros and getting the Yankee pitcher in the stretch right away.

packerboy · Post by **packerboy** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 10:34 am

Amen and , as long as Lent is over,..Alleluia!

Zamboni Guy · Post by **Zamboni Guy** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 10:54 am

packerboy wrote:Who was Ryan?

Michael Ryan
Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 5th round of the 1996 amateur draft. Player signed June 7, 1996.
Made Major League debut on September 20, 2002.
Appeared in seven Major League games with the Twins in 2002, 27 in 2003, 36 in 2004, and 57 in 2005.
Was granted Free Agency on October 15, 2005, signed as a Free Agent with the Atlanta Braves on October 27, 2005.
Has not appeared in a Major League game since his 2005 time as a Twin.

Baseball-Reference.com

packerboy · Post by **packerboy** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 11:00 am

Thanks Zguy. How could I have forgotten?

EREmpireStrikesBack · Wed Apr 11, 2007 11:22 am

Maybe a long way off and totally hypothetical, but say we are out of the race at the deadline. Do we trade Castillo and have Casilla playing 2B everyday? Is there anyone else we get rid of to try others out? Am I way ahead of myself on this one?

Irishmans Shanty · Post by **Irishmans Shanty** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 12:07 pm

It's a fair question, not because they haven't played well in a few days but because only one team will win a title and the rest of league will look at what they need to do to get better for the future.

Castillo and Hunter probably would be shopped.

You also have to look at where the Twins are deep, someone in the bullpen could yield not prospects but young established talent. Rincon would be the likely candidate as he is a little older. Crain and Neshek are still pretty spry and could be counted on well down the road. You don't move Nathan UNLESS someone really wants to overpay. If someone will, I'd listen, you're playing with house money with Nathan because you originally gave up AJ to get him. A team in the hunt in desperate need of a closer may throw away the future for one October run.

Govs93 · Post by **Govs93** » Sat Apr 14, 2007 2:37 pm

Matt Guerrier ........ Jesse James

Separated at birth?

EREmpireStrikesBack · Post by **EREmpireStrikesBack** » Sat Apr 14, 2007 6:26 pm

Key stat that I'm going to steal from FSN:

Twins score 3+ runs: 6-0
Twins score <2 runs: 0-4

Hit the ******' (Boofin') Ball!!!

EREmpireStrikesBack · Post by **EREmpireStrikesBack** » Sat Apr 14, 2007 6:51 pm

Another one, this time from ESPN.com:

The Twins are 6-0 when a starter goes at least six innings. (Before last night's Santana start)

NightRider · Post by **NightRider** » Sat Apr 14, 2007 9:50 pm

Boy did the twins hit the boofin ball tonight, beat the crap out of the D-Rays tonigh 12-5

Bash Brother · Post by **Bash Brother** » Sun Apr 15, 2007 10:16 am

I got a lineup for you guys.

Castillo (2B)
Tyner (LF)
Mauer (C)
Cuddyer (RF)
Morneau (1B)
Kubel (DH)
Hunter (CF)
Punto (3B)
Casilla (SS)

EREmpireStrikesBack · Sun Apr 15, 2007 12:43 pm

Switch Hunter & Kubel and maybe you have something. I'd like to see Casilla tried at the #2 spot. He's got speed and can get on base which is exactly what they need there. Just as long as they move Punto out, he can't even get down a bunt and that's killing them.

Blue Breeze · Post by **Blue Breeze** » Sun Apr 15, 2007 2:08 pm

Yea you have to switch Kubel and Hunter there, and I can't see how you have Casilla in over Bartlett. Bartlett is significantly better offensively at this point and I don't think Casilla is quite ready for everyday duty. I might put him in over Punto but Casilla is not a 3rd baseman so that doesn't really work either.

EREmpireStrikesBack · Post by **EREmpireStrikesBack** » Sun Apr 15, 2007 2:13 pm

What about this when we get healthy?

Castillo 2B
Bartlett SS
Mauer C
Cuddyer RF
Morneau 1B
Hunter CF
White LF
Cirillo vs LHP/Tyner or Kubel vs RHP DH
Punto 3B

You keep the Piranha's together, just a little different order.

Do you think Bartlett could handle the #2 spot? The person I look at as the perfect #2 hitter is Jeter. Good contact, power to the gaps, patient and somewhat speedy. Bartlett seems like our closest comparison in that sense. Any thoughts?

Blue Breeze · Post by **Blue Breeze** » Sun Apr 15, 2007 2:26 pm

I like that lineup ERE. Bartlett is obviously no Jeter but I think he's probably the player best suited for the 2-hole. I'd much rather see him there than Punto. Bartlett's got speed and can hit in the .280-.290 range which would make him perfect in front of Mauer-Cuddyer-Morneau.

goldy313 · Post by **goldy313** » Sun Apr 15, 2007 7:22 pm

The Twins needs Castillo's professional at bats in their line-up, he generally gets the ball in play and does the little things right which is a great attitude for a veteren to have on this team. Tampa was conceding a run with a runner on third and one out and Bartlett swings for the fences at least once before striking out. Little things like that kill this team. Bartlett is lost at SS, he's hitting .120 with 4 errors in 9 games, I'd like to see Casilla or Rodriguez get a chance there before ever giving up on Castillo.

Nathan has been bad his last two outing and he looked like a nervous wreck out there Thursday night. Ortiz looks like he can really pitch and we all fretted about Silva but he's been good so far as well. Taking only 2 of 4 from Tampa at home isn't a very good thing though.

Blue Breeze · Post by **Blue Breeze** » Sun Apr 15, 2007 8:30 pm

goldy313 wrote:The Twins needs Castillo's professional at bats in their line-up, he generally gets the ball in play and does the little things right which is a great attitude for a veteren to have on this team. Tampa was conceding a run with a runner on third and one out and Bartlett swings for the fences at least once before striking out. Little things like that kill this team. Bartlett is lost at SS, he's hitting .120 with 4 errors in 9 games, I'd like to see Casilla or Rodriguez get a chance there before ever giving up on Castillo.

Nathan has been bad his last two outing and he looked like a nervous wreck out there Thursday night. Ortiz looks like he can really pitch and we all fretted about Silva but he's been good so far as well. Taking only 2 of 4 from Tampa at home isn't a very good thing though.

What game are you talking about? Bartlett was 3 for 3 today and raised his average to .214. He got off to a rough start but I'm not worried about him. He's hit all the way through the minors and last year, and he has great range and is a solid fielding shortstop. I don't think anyone is considering giving up on Castillo, he is a key to this team.

Nathan always looks nervous out there because of the twitch in his neck and the look on his face. It's just his mannerisms. 2 of 4 against Tampa isn't great but they've got some great young talent and are very talented offensively. There were some very positive signs in this series, namely a good start from Silva and a solid weekend from our big hitters.

EREmpireStrikesBack · Post by **EREmpireStrikesBack** » Sun Apr 15, 2007 9:22 pm

Like was said earlier, I think he thrives in save situations. Non-save and he just doesn't seem to have the same stuff. Why bring in Nathan when you got plenty of depth in the bullpen for the 9th. Save him for the 10th (if it gets that far) or if someone gets in a little jam in the 9th.

goldy313 · Post by **goldy313** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 6:35 am

Friday night Barlett K'd with a runner on 3rd and 1 out, right after Blyleven talked how bad the Devil Rays were fundamentaly and how good the Twins are at doing the little things, I guess he put the jynx on Barlett.

I don't have a problem with a weak hitting SS as long as he can field but I don't think Bartlett isn't a very good fielder. Hopefully he'll get that average up to where it was last season when he hit over .300.

Irishmans Shanty · Post by **Irishmans Shanty** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 6:59 am

There is a reason why Bartlett, who is now 28 years old, has not played an entire season at the big league level.

He's got all the physical skills but something is missing that prevents him from having the consistency you need defensively at the SS position.

packerboy · Post by **packerboy** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 9:11 am

As far as the batting order goes, there has to be e reason why he bats Cuddyer in between Morneau and Mauer other than the back to back lefty thing.

The DRays dont have a left handed reliever and the 2 games I saw, he kept the order the same.

The league MVP should bat 4th in that lineup.

packerboy · Post by **packerboy** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 11:42 am

Irishmans Shanty wrote:There is a reason why Bartlett, who is now 28 years old, has not played an entire season at the big league level.

He's got all the physical skills but something is missing that prevents him from having the consistency you need defensively at the SS position.

Very true and the only reason he has the oportunity that he has is because the Twins dont have much else at that position and havent since Greg Gagne.

But hey, what's to worry? I have heard Lew Ford is healing nicely.

EREmpireStrikesBack · Post by **EREmpireStrikesBack** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 1:32 pm

Twins third baseman Nick Punto was scheduled to have a magnetic resonance imaging exam early this morning on his left ankle. Manager Ron Gardenhire said Punto could end up on the disabled list, and that would leave the Twins in a rush to scrape together an infield corps already thinned by the absence of Jeff Cirillo, recuperating from knee surgery. -- St. Petersburg Times

This is not good, at least not the timing. Machado is the only guy left on the 40 man roster to bring up and Bartlett still isn't fully healed. I assume Rodriguez will be playing 3rd.