Bleacher Report - Articles by Alex

On Pace: Minnesota Twins Pitchers

Alex — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 07:50:28 -0400

Several Minnesota hitters find themselves on pace for career highs, and the culmination of some good offense early on has the team on pace to hit the most homeruns as a club in quite some time.

The projections carry over to the pitchers side where some starters are having career years and where the suddenly sharp bullpen is putting up some solid numbers.

** Francisco Liriano is on pace for a record of just 8-16. He has recently begun to turn things around, so the obvious hope is that the loss total doesn't reach that point. Liriano is projected to strike out 160 hitters in a total of 178 innings pitched.

** Scott Baker missed some time due to injury, and got off to a slow start which has altered his projections. He hopes to continue his recent string of strong outings, but is currently on pace for a 12-12 record with a total of 148 strikeouts in a career high 184 innings pitched.

** Nick Blackburn is on pace for a solid 3.10 ERA, but due to low run support midway through the season is projected for only a 12-8 record. The second-year pro is however on pace to pitch four complete games in an astounding 214 innings.

** Glen Perkins missed nearly a month, but with the exception of a few starts has been solid. The lefty is on pace to go 8-8 with a 4.38 ERA in only 148 innings of work.

** Kevin Slowey is on pace for an amazing 20-6 record in 180 innings of work. Due to two consecutive poor outings, Slowey is on pace for a 4.86 ERA. A few other numbers that stick out are his projections for strikeouts and walks. Slowey is on pace to sit down 150 hitters and walk just 30.

** Anthony Swarzak has only pitched in a few games, but has been recalled and is on pace to go 4-4 with a 3.90 ERA in a total of 54 innings. Time in the bullpen however could alter his projections.

** Joe Nathan is on pace for 42 saves and a solid 1.39 ERA. Considered on of the league's best, Nathan is also on pace to strike out 82 hitters in only 64 innings of work.

** Matt Guerrier is on pace to rebound from a poor '08 season with a 2.65 ERA. Guerrier is also projected to to appear in nearly half of the team's games with 80 appearances. In one of the major stats for relievers, holds, Guerrier is on pace to finish near the top with 32.

** Jose Mijares, a year after posting a sub-1.00 ERA, is on pace for a very solid 2.16 ERA in 58 appearances. The lefty is also on pace to pitch a total of 50 innings and collect 22 holds.

** R.A. Dickey is on pace to post a 2.96 ERA in a total of 50 appearances and 96 innings. The long reliever is also projected to strike out 66 hitters.

No longer with the organization, Luis Ayala was excluded from the list. Phillip Humber, Jesse Crain, and Sean Henn were not included due to their demotions. Meanwhile major leaguers Brian Duensing and Bobby Keppel did not have sufficient stats for accurate projections.

Minnesota Twins On Pace: Hitters

Alex — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 14:22:49 -0400

With a five-hour, 16-inning game, the Minnesota Twins have played 81 games in the 2009 season, signifying the completion of half of the season. Through the midway point, the Twins find themselves one game above .500 with a record of 41-40 (compared to 44-37 last season).

The Twins have some work to do in the second half if they hope to make the playoffs. Some players will need to step up, while others will need to continue their first half production. After three months, many players are on pace for career numbers.

Denard Span is on pace to hit for a .292 average. He hit nine home runs, and drove in 58 runners. More impressive is his projection to walk 74 times, collect 171 hits, and score 97 runs from the leadoff spot.

Joe Mauer is on pace to knock out a career high 34 home runs and collect 110 runs batted in. In addition to those eye-popping numbers, Mauer is projected to collect 201 hits, despite missing the first month of the season. Some other key projections include a .390 average and 78 walks compared to only 69 strikeouts.

Justin Morneau is on pace to reach a career high in the home run department with 38 and in the RBI category and 131 runs batted in. Some other key projections include 191 hits and 42 doubles, all while hitting .311.

Jason Kubel is on pace to hit a career high 28 home runs and drive in a career high 90 runners. The career high projections also carry over into the hits and average categories, where Kubel is on pace to collect 163 hits and hit for a .304 average.

Michael Cuddyer is on pace to hit .280 with 25 home runs and 92 runs batted in. The thus far healthy right fielder is also projected to collect 38 doubles and an astonishing 10 triples.

Joe Crede is on pace to provide some of the best production from third base in quite some time. The powerful right-hander is projected to hit 28 home runs, drive in 83 runners, and possibly most impressively, be the best defensive third basemen in all of baseball.

Delmon Young has had a down year, but is starting to heat up, which could alter his projections. The youngster is on pace to hit eight home runs, drive in 62 runners, and collect 124 hits in only 132 games.

Brendan Harris is on pace for a solid year with projections of nine home runs and 48 runs batted in (compared to projections of nine HR and 47 RBI midway last season) over the course of a projected 149 games. Harris is also on pace to tie a career high 149 hits and a .280 batting average.

Nick Punto is on pace for 37 runs batted in, Matt Tolbert is on pace for 32 runs batted in, Brian Buscher for six home runs and 26 runs batted in, Carlos Gomez for two home runs and 26 runs batted in, Jose Morales is one pace to hit .356, and Mike Redmond is on pace for 16 runs batted in.

Due to lack of games, both Alexi Casilla and Jason Pridie were excluded from the list.

The second half of the "On Pace" series, the pitchers, is due next.

Home Opener 2010: April 12

Alex — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 19:10:51 -0400

The 2010 schedule won't be officially announced until sometime in September, but the Associated Press has obtained at least a portion of the schedule, including the date of the first outdoor game in Minneapolis in twenty eight seasons.

Target Field is set to open on April 12, 2010 when the Minnesota Twins take on the Boston Red Sox. This was released:

Target Field has a target date.

Outdoor baseball is tentatively set to return to Minneapolis on April 12th, when the Minnesota Twins play their 2010 home opener against the Boston Red Sox.

The date was contained in a draft schedule for next season that recently was sent to teams and revealed Friday to The Associated Press. It was provided by a baseball official on condition of anonymity because Major League Baseball's central office asked that the schedule not be made public before it is finalized later this year.

Minnesota is tentatively set to open the season on April 5th, in California against the Los Angeles Angels.

It looks as if the Twins will play in Los Angeles, travel to one other city, and then head to Minnesota to kick off the first season in Target Field.

Homestand Highlights: Tigers, Yankees, and Sox

Alex — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:40:52 -0400

After surviving a tumultuous June schedule that consisted of two long road trips and 19 of a total 27 games on the road, the Twins have finally returned to their comfort zone in Minneapolis. For the next 10 days, the Twins will remain indoors and continue the countdown of games until outdoor baseball in Minnesota.

Two games above .500 for the first time this season, the Twins will kick off a series with the Detroit Tigers in the first game of a three game series, nine game homestand.

Following the Tigers, the Twins will host the New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox before taking a four day break, while the league's best head to St. Louis for the All-Star Break.

The homestand may be one of the biggest for the Twins this season as they face their toughest rivals for the division title, Detroit and Chicago. As the Tigers sit atop the American League Central by three games, the Twins have an opportunity to gain ground and momentum to kick off the final stretch before the break.

With a sweep, the Twins could draw even with Detroit and with two victories they could gain one game in the hunt for October. One lone victory will cost the Twins a game in the race, and a sweep would be devastating; doubling the team's deficit and pushing them six games back.

The Tigers enter as a decent road team (20-24) having played two fewer games than Minnesota this season. They have put up the same record (6-4) as the Twins in the past 10 games, and are coming off a loss in Oakland.

The Twins will see no Justin Verlander, but following a Major League debut by rookie Lucas French, they'll face the suddenly great Edwin Jackson (6-4, 2.49) and Rick Porcello (8-5, 3.90).

For the Twins, Kevin Slowey (10-3, 4.41) will look to take over the league lead in victories. Slowey also has one last shot to prove his worthiness of being an All-Star selection.

Coming off a strong start in St. Louis that saved his spot in the rotation, Francisco Liriano (4-8, 5.62) will counter Jackson on Saturday. In the series finale on Sunday afternoon, the Twins will send out their surprisingly best starter, Nick Blackburn (6-4, 3.10).

A game one victory will be key for the Twins, and it'll heighten their chances of gaining ground before weekend's end.

After the Twins host the Tigers, they'll take on a team they've often struggled to solve, the Yankees. This season the Yankees have had many ups and downs, but entering the weekend, the Bronx Bombers are 45-33 and second in a strong American League East. The Twins will send Scott Baker and Glen Perkins to the hill, and while the third starter remains unknown, the likely candidate is Kevin Slowey.

The only certainty for the Yankees presence on the mound is the former Twin nemesis, C.C. Sabathia.

With three games before the break, the Twins will host the suddenly sharp White Sox. In the last 10 games, the White Sox have gone an impressive 8-2. Combined with timely losses by the Tigers, the White Sox have moved into second place and sit 2.5 games back in the Central.

The rotation remains largely uncertain for the final series before the break, but assuming the Twins remain on schedule with one off-day during the homestand, they'll send out Liriano, Blackburn, and Baker.

Loses to Detroit could push the Twins back further in the division, and a tough series with Chicago could do much of the same. It's far to early to call any series a must win, but the Twins cannot afford to lose ground or momentum before they take a break for the midsummer classic.

Twins Talking Trades with Pirates for Second Baseman, Setup Man

Alex — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 10:57:30 -0400

In their final season under the Teflon roof, the Minnesota Twins find themselves right near the top of the American League Central Division with the opportunity to make a run at the playoffs.

After three months, the Twins have seen above-average pitching from starters Nick Blackburn and Kevin Slowey; Glen Perkins has begun to rebound after his injury; and both Scott Baker and Francisco Liriano seem to see light at the end of the tunnel.

The bullpen started off poorly but in the month of June posted numbers not seen in Minnesota in quite some time.

Matt Guerrier and Jose Mijares have both been keys to holding leads in recent weeks, and even veteran R.A. Dickey has a sub-2.50 ERA to help stabilize a previously inconsistent bullpen.

With the recent performance, however, the search still goes on for one more late-inning guy to help set up the thus far incredible Joe Nathan.

The offense has been surprisingly powerful but lacks at least one bat. Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau have put up All-Star numbers, Denard Span has been solid in the leadoff spot, and Michael Cuddyer, Joe Crede, and Jason Kubel have provided power and run-producing hits.

Brendan Harris has recently made the shortstop position viable in the lineup, but second base has remained a downfall. Alexi Casilla, labeled the second basemen of the future, has been demoted to the minors, while Nick Punto has hit just over .200, and Matt Tolbert still hasn't found that mark.

With the team's two major needs being one more setup man and a second baseman to hit behind Span and in front of Mauer, it comes as no surprise that the Twins have engaged in talks with the Pittsburgh Pirates regarding second baseman and former National League batting champion Freddy Sanchez, as well as relievers Matt Capps and John Grabow.

The Twins, according to Fox Sports, have been wrapped up in talks with Pittsburgh, and while it remains to be seen how far things have come, the Twins seem to have real interest in upgrading a position in the lineup that has lacked production.

Both Grabow, a lefty reliever with an ERA of 3.45, and Capps, a closer for the Pirates with 18 saves, could provide a possible upgrade. Neither is a sure thing, but the Twins have already tried many combinations from the minors through the first three months, and either pitcher could provide some relief help.

The big fish in trade discussions, however, would be Sanchez, a second baseman who has thus far hit .316 with six home runs and 33 RBI. With a contract at $8 million for the 2010 season if Sanchez exercises his option, the deal could be problematic if the Twins aren't willing to up the payroll (especially with a possible extension looming for Mauer).

Time will tell how serious talks are, but there is no doubt that Sanchez and a possible reliever could potentially put the Twins over the top in the Central.

Minnesota Twins: Stuck Around .500

Alex — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:39:47 -0400

Michael Cuddyer said it best when he described the baseball season recently.

"The first forty games you look to keep close, the next eighty or so you look to pull ahead, and the final forty you look to hold that lead."

The first phase of the season was successful for Minnesota. They stuck right in the race through the first forty games, staying within within four games or so of first place in the American League Central.

Now halfway through the second phase, the Twins are still playing like they're in the first phase—simply sticking in the race. In 2006 when the Twins won the division, they pulled away, and they did the same when they barely missed out on October baseball last season.

As the Twins entered July and the final game of their nine-game road trip, they were looking to move two games above the .500 mark for the first time this season. Seven times the Twins had been a game above .500, and seven times they lost the next game to fall even in the standings.

The biggest struggle for the Twins as they near the midway point in the season has been getting over the .500 hump. They've had no trouble sticking around the mark through the first three months, but staying above it has been another story.

In their eighth attempt to move more than one game above .500, the Twins succeeded. A victory over the Royals not only gives the Twins a 6-3 record on the road trip, it also gets them over one of the initial humps needed to make a playoff run.

How long the Twins maintain it will be the next key. With first-place Detroit visiting the Metrodome this weekend, and the gap potentially only three games, Minnesota has a chance to draw even with a sweep, gain ground with two wins, or fall back with one or fewer victories.

Minnesota Twins: Interleague Roundup

Alex — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 18:51:59 -0400

Interleague play first began in 1997, and since that time, the schedule has seen more and more National League teams added.

The Twins' style of play, often referred to as "small ball," has been compared regularly to that of the National League "style." So it's no wonder that the Minnesota Twins have succeeded in interleague play since the tradition began.

In recent years, the Twins have dominated interleague play, posting some of the best records in all of baseball. Since 2006, the Twins have gone an incredible 53-19 to give them a .736 winning percentage over that span of games.

All-time, since the tradition began 12 years ago, the Twins have the second best interleague record. Only the Yankees (133-95) have more wins than the Twins (132-96) against the National League. The Twins' all-time winning percentage in interleague play is .579.

Aside from winning games against the National League during a span of six series in interleague play, the Twins have also fared well with attendance in their three hosted series. This season, hosting the likes of Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, and Houston, the Twins drew a total of 302,468 fans for an average of 33,607 visitors per game.

The Twins won't be making the move to the other league any time soon, but it's clear that recently at least, they benefit from playing National League opponents; both for reasons shown in the standings and ticket sales.

Denard Span's Vertigo and Jesse Crain's Demotion

Alex — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 23:36:02 -0400

Finally a Cure

For the past week, Denard Span has felt dizziness when in the field and has lost sight of the ball when at the plate. The illness finally took it's toll when the second-year pro struck out last week in Oakland on a pitch he never saw coming.

Yesterday, Span was diagnosed with "vestibular neuritis." Also referred to as a vertigo, in medical terms it means "dizziness and nausea resulting from an inner ear disorder." The sickness can stem from many things, and in Span's case they all make sense.

From a basic cold to influenza to bacterial infections and even long flights, a vertigo can occur in a variety of ways. Luckily for both Span and the Twins, the illness isn't long-term and also can be cured rather quickly with medication and simply rest.

Span last played one week ago before exiting after his second at-bat. While doctors felt Span might be able to return in the back end of the two-series home stand, the team opted instead to allow him extra healing time and placed the leadoff hitter on the disabled list. Span is eligible to return next Thursday, but the team's first game in St. Louis next Friday seems like a more likely scenario.

Re-working the Crain

Jesse Crain was once a top prospect in the Twins' bullpen. After being promoted in August of 2004, Crain showed nasty stuff including a top-notch fastball clocked in the mid-to-high 90s. In his fifth Major League season, Crain has now experienced something he never likely considered—a return to AAA Rochester.

With an ERA of 8.15 in just over 17 innings of work, the move is a good one for both the Twins and Crain. The team could have ousted Crain, but with options remaining, the better plan is to have Crain re-work his mechanics, regain his confidence, and return to the Majors in the same fashion he did back in the summer of '04.

The Twins bullpen has improved in recent weeks, and the inclusion of a newly found Jesse Crain in the second half would be a huge help as the team makes a run at the playoffs.

MLB Draft: Minnesota Twins Pick RHP Kyle Gibson in First Round

Alex — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 23:25:09 -0400

The baseball draft isn't quite like the one you see each spring in football or the one you see each summer in basketball.

The players selected don't often make an impact until some years later, and while nearly every draftee in the other drafts sign, those selected in the MLB draft often have the choice of signing, going to college, or even an independent league.

Nonetheless, a roster is composed of several draft picks, and while it takes many years for most players to develop into major leaguers, everybody starts somewhere. Joe Mauer started as the first overall pick, Justin Morneau started off as a third-rounder, Joe Nathan started as a sixth-rounder, and so on.

With their first-round selection and the 22nd overall pick in the 2009 MLB Draft, the Minnesota Twins drafted Kyle Gibson. Whether he'll ever make it to the majors is hard to tell, but just like Mauer, Morneau, and everybody else, he'll start somewhere and could someday be a regular in the rotation.

Gibson was ranked as the fourth prospect on Baseball America's draft list before he was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his forearm. He probably won't pitch until late July, but could still get some innings in before the minor-league seasons come to an end.

The young righty from Missouri hits 93 mph with his fastball, 84 mph with his slider, and 82 mph with his changeup.

He projects as a top-of-the-rotation starter, and the Twins hope they'll see him there within a few years.

On the Road Again...

Alex — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 20:13:24 -0400

While the Minnesota Twins have excelled at home with a record of 21-12 through their recent series with the Cleveland Indians, they've been far from good away from the Metrodome. Away from the confines of the Teflon roof this season, the Twins have went a horrendous 6-16.

At home this season, the Twins have hit .281 with 39 home runs and 173 RBI. On the road, the offense has hit .263 with 23 home runs and 88 RBI. The average is lower, but it isn't terrible, and the inflation in the home run and RBI numbers is due in part to the team playing 11 more games at home.

What has really hurt the Twins is their clutch hitting. When the Twins were swept by the New York Yankees two weeks ago, they lost the four games by a total of five runs. In the series, the Twins went 4-for-38 with runners in scoring position. Just a hit in each game, and instead of being swept, the Twins could have have walked away with a sweep of their own.

Last weekend in Tampa Bay, the Twins won only one of the three games. The two losses came by a combined five runs as they lost by two and three runs. In the series, the Twins went 3-for-28 with runners in scoring position. Again, a hit or two with runners on, and the Twins could have won the series.

If the Twins can win more than 50 games at home as they've done nearly every time they've made the playoffs, and be near .500 on the road, as they've also often done when they've contended, they could be right around 90 wins when all is said and done—almost certainly enough to contend in the American League Central.

The Twins don't need to blow teams away on the road, but they must do better than their league-worst six wins if they want to be in the race come July. With 19 of the their next 25 games on the road, the Twins' test has just started.

Source: Twins Like Brett Jackson

Alex — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 22:47:10 -0400

Picture From DailyCal

The MLB Draft will take place next week, and teams are gearing up to make decisions on who exactly they'll take with their picks. A source has informed Twins-Territory.com that the Minnesota Twins have their eye set on University of California outfielder, Brett Jackson.

The Twins have the 22nd pick in the first round of the draft, and a recent mock draft done by MLB.com has Jackson headed later in the first round to the New York Yankees. Some reports say that the San Francisco Giants have interest in Jackson with the 6th pick, and the team has even had him at their ballpark for batting practice in front of team personnel.

The source reports that the Twins today had Jackson visit an optometrist, and he tested for a 20/10 vision. The source believes that if Jackson is on the board when the Twins pick, which he very well might not be with the interest of other teams, that the Twins will most likely make the selection.

In the past two drafts, the Twins have selected outfielders with Ben Revere and most recently Aaron Hicks. Some reports have the Twins looking to add pitching with the first pick, but the team has long been known for taking the top player available on their board.

Random Thoughts on the Minnesota Twins

Alex — Wed, 27 May 2009 20:54:53 -0400

** What Joe Mauer is doing currently is hard to fathom. After hitting nine home runs last season in over 500 at-bats, he has hit nine in under 80 at-bats, and in less than a full month of play.

Mauer is on pace to hit over 60 home runs. While that surely won't happen, it's amazing how fast he's turned into a league-leading slugger.

** While Mauer has amazed the entire baseball world, Justin Morneau's numbers have been overlooked. Morneau is hitting near .350, he's second in the American League with 14 home runs.

He leads the league in OPS, and he's in the top five in slugging percentage and RBIs. The former MVP is on pace to break all of his career highs, which is pretty good considering he drove in 129 runners last season.

** Seeing Joe Crede and Michael Cuddyer finally heat up is a welcome sign for the team's lineup. Crede won't hit for a high average, but if he can continue with his power and stays healthy, a 20-plus home run season could be in store.

Cuddyer, meanwhile, is reminding everybody why the team signed him to a big extension prior to last season. He's been on fire and is on pace to hit 28 home runs and drive in 109 runners.

** Francisco Liriano and Scott Baker to say the least have been frustrating to watch. Both have shown signs of being the ace that the team is looking for, but right when it seems like they've finally figured it out, along comes the big inning.

Baker's biggest problem has been the one big number in the middle of innings, but Liriano's problems seem to be his composure. A leadoff hit or walk seems to take away Liriano's control, and he never seems the same after.

** While the team's two "top" pitchers have been hard-to-watch, two of their youngsters, Slowey and Blackburn, have pitched very well.

Blackburn has the best ERA in the rotation, and Slowey has started to become the pitcher everybody envisioned him becoming last season.

If Swarzak does anything remotely close to what he did in his debut, he could be the pitching addition the team needs.

** On a final note, the bullpen. It's been hard to watch the team blow leads, but things have seemed a little better at least recently.

It could have a lot to due with the long outings from the starters, but maybe the bullpen is slightly improving. The team does still need to make some sort of addition to help stabilize the eighth inning.

So Long, Craig Breslow

Alex — Wed, 20 May 2009 18:14:03 -0400

Craig Breslow might have been the best move for the Minnesota Twins last season; Bill Smith gave up nothing for the lefty when he claimed him off waivers, and the Twins received 42 outings and a 1.92 ERA to help stabilize a tremendously inconsistent bullpen.

With the strong numbers, the Twins were comfortable enough to move forward without lefty Dennys Reyes, and the Twins allowed him to move on this past off-season. Breslow had put up solid numbers, and if everything would have gone according to plan, he would have been the lefty specialist in '09 and possibly beyond.

Struggles with control haunted Breslow through April and May, and the Minnesota Twins have decided to move in a different direction. Breslow through his most recent outing in the series opener with the White Sox, posted an ERA of 6.28 and walked 11 batters in only 14.1 innings of work.

Much more than a baseball player, Breslow was a community guy. Drafted out of Yale University, Breslow was one of the smartest players on the roster, and he put his knowledge to good use with his Strike Three Foundation; an organization to help find a cure for pediatric cancer.

Breslow will move on to Oakland and hopefully settle in the way he did with the Twins in '08. Meanwhile, Anthony Swarzak, a highly touted pitching prospect, has been called up from Triple-A Rochester where he posted a 2.25 ERA in seven starts. the righty is expected to fill in for Glen Perkins with a start on Saturday.

Johan Santana: "The Trade" Retrospect [Part One]

Alex — Wed, 13 May 2009 22:31:13 -0400

It’s still far too early to judge a not even two-year-old trade, but it’s always intriguing to look back at what could have been compared to what is.

Back before last season, the talks were hot on the Johan Santana front, as the Minnesota Twins looked to move their All-Star lefty before he entered the final year of his contract.

The Winter Meetings brought rumors, some far-fetched and some that seemed feasible. There were demands by other teams with set timetables, and there were offers made, pulled, and remade.

Eventually, after more than a handful of teams made bids, the race narrowed to a three-team sprint between the Red Sox, Yankees, and Mets.

With the two American League East rivals finally deciding to stay put after talks broke down, the New York Mets took the prize while the Twins received four highly touted prospects.

Since the trade, two of the players received have played at the major league level—Phillip Humber and Carlos Gomez. Deolis Guerra was touted as a right-handed Johan Santana, but is still only 20-years old. Kevin Mulvey meanwhile projects as a No. 3 or 4 starter and currently sits at Triple-A Rochester.

That’s what is.

What could have been, however, is a different story. While rumors ran rampant and it’s hard to tell what was real and what was fake, from reports, it seems that the final offer from the Red Sox consisted of Jacoby Ellsbury, Jed Lowrie, and Justin Masterson as the base of a deal with one other throw-in prospect.

In the first of a three-part series, here is what might have been had Santana become a member of the Red Sox.

Jacoby Ellsbury

The left-handed hitting center fielder would have been the base of the deal much like Carlos Gomez was in the actual trade. The one difference is that Ellsbury has performed how the Twins had hoped Gomez would to this point—hitting for a good average with some steals.

Last season, in what would have been his first season with the club, Ellsbury hit .280 with nine home runs and 47 RBI. Ellsbury also stole 50 bases in a total of 145 games.

Thus far in ’09, Ellsbury has posted a .296 average with one home run, 10 RBI and 15 steals in 28 games.

Jed Lowrie

Lowrie wasn’t viewed as a very big part of the offer, but last season he established himself as a potential shortstop of the future.

Lowrie filled in for the Red Sox down the stretch and hit .258 with 46 RBI in 81 games; a pretty good haul for a young shortstop.

This season Lowrie has been plagued with the injury bug, and he is currently missing a bulk of time with a wrist injury. The youngster is hitting only .058 in just five games.

Justin Masterson

The pitcher that many wanted was Jon Lester, but he and Ellsbury were not available in the same deal, so the pitcher instead was Justin Masterson. The then 23 year old was highly touted, but many questions remained.

Last season in 36 games, nine of which were starts, Masterson went 6-5 with a solid 3.16 ERA. The righty struck out 68 hitters in a total of 88.1 innings.

The great season has thus far not been matched in ’09 as Masterson currently sports a 5.28 ERA in eights games and four starts.

Conclusion

The deal that could have been with the Red Sox currently seems like it would have benefited the Twins more than their haul of Gomez and company.

Lowrie and Masterson were both very good last season, and Jacoby Ellsbury would have put, in a way, two Denards in the outfield.

An Average Hitter: Delmon Young's Stats

Alex — Sat, 09 May 2009 08:20:23 -0400

When the Minnesota Twins traded for Delmon Young prior to last season, everybody thought the team was bringing in a hitter with big power potential. The assumption was rightfully so; Young had hit .288 with 13 homeruns and 93 RBI with the Rays and was just barely 21-years old.

In his first season with the Twins, Young hit .290 with 10 homeruns and 69 RBI. The numbers weren't bad; Young upped his average from the year before and also struck out 22 fewer times. Yet the expectations that the homerun totals would rise with age caused most to be critical of Young and the trade.

Young received 77 few at-bats last season than he did the previous year with the Rays. Those at-bats might not have caused him to collect 24 fewer RBI, but the lack of extra-base hits might have. In his first full season in Tampa Bay, Young had a total of 51 extra-base hits; last season, Young had 42.

In a small amount of games in 2006, Young excelled and was over the major league average for slugging percentage, a number based off extra-base hits. The true judgement numbers however come from '07 and '08 when Young played in 162 and 152 games respectively.

Young has seen his slugging percentage fall each season, and thus far in 2009, Young has only two extra-base hits out of his total 23.

Being judged solely off RBI numbers and slugging percentage (or extra-base hits) isn't fair. In each season since arriving in the majors, Young has been an above-average hitter in terms of batting average. He has hit near or at .290 in each of his full seasons, and this season he is hitting .303 as mid-May draws near.

Young might not be living up to the big power hitter that everybody expected when he arrived last spring, but there is no doubting his hitting ability. Delmon Young can hit, and at 23-years old, there is still plenty of time to turn some of the singles into extra-base, run producing hits.

Less Carlos Gomez, More Anybody Else

Alex — Sat, 02 May 2009 22:55:24 -0400

When the season started, a rotation of four outfielders in three available spots seemed feasible. It still is; there is no reason that, over the course of a 162 game season, four players cannot share at-bats.

On month into the season however, the idea isn't working. Denard Span is the only one out of the group of four outfielders who has hit consistently. Michael Cuddyer and Delmon Young have shown glimpses of their ability and earned playing time too.

Then there is Carlos Gomez. The young, emotional, and energetic outfielder hasn't hit, hasn't bunted, and for that matter, hasn't done anything.

Gomez is confused, he's far to emotional, and he isn't getting better. There is a slump and then there is a player who shouldn't see the field with the exception of pinch running, pinch hitting and maybe a rare start; that is Carlos Gomez.

The Twins may feel some pressure to play the speedster because they traded their star pitcher for the guy, but when it comes to winning, playing Gomez hurts the team's chances.

Whether they send Gomez to triple-A or let him work it out on the bench, the Twins need to at least establish a new outfielder routine that revolves around Jason Kubel, Delmon Young, Denard Span, and Michael Cuddyer.

Minnesota Twins: New Month, New Face

Alex — Sat, 02 May 2009 16:55:26 -0400

The Minnesota Twins held their own and kept themselves near the top of the American League Central with an 11-11 record in the first month of the season.

To say the least, they did a good job; they had no Joe Mauer, and in recent history, April has not been a month of strength for the team.

Last season, the Twins never once reached the .500 mark in April. In 2006, the year in which the magical run took place, the Twins faltered in April and struggled mightily until the month was over.

So a .500 record, especially without arguably the team's best hitter, might actually be a good sign.

In the first 22 games of the season, Mauer's two replacements, Mike Redmond and Jose Morales, went 22 for 73 to give them a .301 batting average. The duo also drew seven walks and drove in five runners. While the combination didn't do what the two-time All-Star might have been capable of, they held their own and made everything seem better than it could have been.

Meanwhile, the number three spot in the lineup also performed well. Michael Cuddyer took a shot at that the spot in the lineup, and Brian Buscher saw a few pinch hit chances too. For the most part however, Mauer's counterpart, Justin Morneau, filled in.

The hitters that were slotted into the third spot in the lineup went a combined 29 for 90 to give the slot an overall .322 average in the month of April.

While the catching position and even the three hole might have been fine without Mauer, his return to the team was still a welcome one. Ignore the numbers and simply think about the presence of such a player. Mauer's return makes the team feel complete, and it allows everybody to focus on the remainder of the season and the playoffs.

The lineup meanwhile now has the chance to fully produce, even if they played decently in Mauer's absence. With every player from Morneau down being able to move down a spot in the batting order, the lineup only becomes stronger. In addition to that, Morneau now has protection in front of him with a guy that gets on base and forces pitchers to throw strikes.

The Twins held their own for the first month of the season, but the return of Joe Mauer only makes the team better.

Jose Morales Could Remain

Alex — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 20:05:52 -0400

When Jose Morales made the club out of spring training as Joe Mauer's replacement, the assumption was that Morales would fill in until Mauer was ready to return. It was a fair assumption because, after all, with a tight bench to begin with, making room for three catchers would be a difficult task.

Much in the same manner as the Twins did with their 11-man pitching staff idea, the team has rethought the plan to ship Morales to triple-A when their All-Star catcher returns to the lineup Friday, in the Metrodome against the Kansas City Royals.

Playing in 14 games entering the final week of April, Morales is hitting .375 with 12 hits in a total of 32 at-bats. In addition to those numbers, Morales has an on-base percentage of .412 and has gotten better behind the plate with each trip to the field.

The impact that Morales has made on the coaching staff has likely earned him a chance to remain with the club. But to allow the youngster to remain will require some difficult decisions.

The Twins could place reliever Juan Morillo on waivers and attempt to send him to the minors. Morillo hasn't pitched in many games since his arrival, and early on, it doesn't appear as if his arm will provide much of an impact. However, Jesse Crain could be activated on Sunday, and that would be the likely move to reinstate him from the disabled list.

The bench includes Brian Buscher, but sending him down would take away a good left-handed hitting option and a solid third-base backup off the bench. Brendan Harris has hit well and provided stability at second.

There are two options, but both would be tough decisions to make, and both seem unlikely with four days remaining to make the difficult choices.

Carlos Gomez has struggled, and his confidence doesn't seem to be improving. A trip to triple-A is probably not going to happen, but it would allow Morales to remain for a period of time. And it would let Gomez have time to clear his head and get back on track.

Another move might be to place Mike Redmond on the disabled list. Redmond's playing time has been limited. While it has been due in large part to the success of Morales, his poor performance early on presumably has something to do with his sore groin.

Whatever the team might do, they have a hard choice to make if they truly plan on keeping Morales with the major league club upon Mauer's return.

Phillip Humber Passes Through

Alex — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 19:12:24 -0400

When the Minnesota Twins out-righted Phillip Humber to triple-A last week to make room for the hard throwing Juan Morillo, they took a gamble on losing the former fourth round draft selection. Out of options, Humber needed to clear waivers to remain with the organization.

Luckily for the Twins, Humber did finally clear waivers on Tuesday, and will now not only be able to start and get consistent work in, but he'll also be able to do it for the Red Wings, the affiliate of the Twins. Humber could also have the chance to return to the major leagues this season if successful in triple-A.

While Humber is in triple-A, the team's search for a mainstay in the bullpen continues.

Jesse Crain, after taking a few days off with discomfort in his shoulder, has been added to the disabled list. Meanwhile, Jose Mijares has been recalled from triple-A to take Crain's spot after having a successful first two weeks in the minors.

While the Twins will look for Mijares to fill Crain's spot, and possibly stick around longer, many other questions still remain. Matt Guerrier still hasn't performed consistently, and new addition Morillo allowed four runs while only retiring one hitter in the series opener with the Boston Red Sox.

A fastball thrown consistently at 95 MPH is nice to have in the bullpen, but velocity alone will not get Morillo outs, and he has only a short period of time to prove himself before Crain returns.

There is still plenty of time for the Twins to figure out their bullpen situation. For now however, the search continues.

Beyond the Lineup: A Look at the Minnesota Twins' Bench

Alex — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 23:13:55 -0400

The Justin Morneau's and Joe Mauer's will no doubt be major keys to any success that the Minnesota Twins see in 2009. Yet the one thing that may eventually decide where the Twins finish is the bench and the depth of the organization.

With the likes of Brendan Harris and Brian Buscher on the bench; along with an excess outfielder such as Carlos Gomez or Delmon Young, the Twins without a doubt have one of the better benches in the league.

This past week, with both Alexi Casilla and Joe Crede struggling, manager Ron Gardenhire gave each a break and entered both Harris and Buscher, respectively.

The result was a jump in production at the plate. Brian Buscher collected two of the team's few hits in the series finale against the Blue Jays, and with the performance earned another start in the next game, the series opener with the Los Angeles Angels.

Meanwhile, Harris was given a shot in the series opener to step in for Casilla at second, and drove in two while hitting a homerun. With Harris in the lineup, the offense finally was productive, and the veteran was given another start only one night later. The result? Three more hits, and another breakout night for what had been an anemic offense.

With Mauer's return likely coming upon the Twins within a week or so, the bench could just get better. The return of the two-time Batting Champ will move one of the better backup catchers, Mike Redmond, to the bench.

Not only do the Twins have productive hitters on the bench, they also have players who've started and can handle stressful situations. There will be many factors that will decide whether the Twins will be in the race this season, but the bench could be one of the biggest.

Humber Gone, Morillo In

Alex — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 18:03:30 -0400

One of the four players that the Minnesota Twins received for their former star, Johan Santana, may soon be gone.

The Twins today announced that they have designated long reliever Phillip Humber for assignment.

The move comes a night after the bullpen allowed the Toronto Blue Jays to post a seven spot in the seventh inning to end the pitcher's duel and effectively hand the team their fifth loss in the past six games.

Humber came over to the team last season along with center fielder Carlos Gomez and minor league pitchers Kevin Mulvey and Deolis Guerra.

Humber is expected to be claimed and one of the pieces from the blockbuster trade will likely be pitching elsewhere in the majors at the end of the season rather than with the team's triple-A affiliate, the Rochester Red Wings (Rochester, N.Y.).

Last season Humber was a September call up, and with no options remaining this spring, the Twins handed him a roster spot. With R.A. Dickey aboard, and back in the bullpen after making one spot start, the Twins no longer need two long relievers—thus allowing the move.

To take Humber's place on the roster, the Twins made a claim of their own. Juan Morillo has been claimed from the Colorado Rockies and will wear No. 31.

The righty throws hard and has often touched 95 MPH on the gun; yet control is an issue, and to become a stopgap in the bullpen, it's one he'll need to fix.

Game Five: Minnesota Twins Blowout Chicago White Sox, 12-5

Alex — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 10:47:41 -0400

With so many stories surrounding the team's arrival to US Cellular field, including the look back on game 163 from last season and the return of Joe Crede to his former stomping grounds, the Minnesota Twins and Chicago White Sox took the field.

R.A. Dickey made the start with Scott Baker down in Fort Myers, and he did quite well. In five innings of work, Dickey struggled with his control at times and walked four batters overall.

Nonetheless, Dickey managed to hold the White Sox to three runs on four hits to help the Twins to the victory. The start was likely the last for Dickey with Baker almost certainly returning next week; but he'll now be a valuable pitcher out of the bullpen.

Denard Span has been a key to the offense thus far, and that continued into the team's first road trip. With Morneau moved up to the three hole, Kubel moved up to the cleanup spot and Cuddyer down to the five spot, the Twins' offense finally broke out.

Span and Casilla each collected three hits at the top of the order, and Morneau following them and collected four RBI on two hits, including a homeruns.

The best part of the game may have been the return of Joe Crede. As he stepped to the plate for his first at-bat, the crowd gave Crede a standing ovation and the team played "All Out of Love" as a joke. Two balls later and Crede turned the cheers to boos with a homerun into the bullpen in left.

The bullpen for the Twins picked up the final four innings after Dickey's exit. Brian Duensing made his major league debut, and in three innings allowed two runs. The Twins showed plenty of confidence in Duensing as they put him into the game with only a 4-3 lead. Phillip Humber took the mound for the final inning and allowed a hit.

For the first time on the young season, the Twins will be found on national television; they'll take the field against the White Sox at 3:00 CT on FOX Saturday Baseball.

Mijares Watch: Two Scoreless Innings

Alex — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 22:40:37 -0400

When Jose Mijares arrived in Fort Myers this spring, many thought he'd be one the the players that would take a bullpen spot. The assumption came deservingly as Mijares just last September helped stabilize the bullpen and keep the Twins in several games down the stretch.

Overall, Mijares posted a solid 0.87 ERA for the Twins in a total of 10.1 innings pitched. Mijares was all-around good as he did well with his control (no walks) and struck out five batters.

Showing up to camp overweight with poor mechanics, after an offseason in which he showed he wasn't yet mature, Mijares missed out on a great opportunity to make the Opening Day roster.

Now Mijares is at triple-A Rochester, and there is a good chance he'll be up in the majors anywhere from late April to June if he does well.

In his first outing of the season, Mijares threw two innings, and allowed just a lone hit while striking out two hitters. It's a good start for the lefty, and if he can string together a few good outings, he should find himself as a contributor in no time.

Joe Mauer and Scott Baker: Minnesota Twins Injury Updates

Alex — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 22:15:42 -0400

There are two players that the Minnesota Twins and their fans can't wait to see play in meaningful games. Those players are Joe Mauer and Scott Baker, players that are considered the team's ace and best hitter, respectively.

In recent days, the news on both players has gotten better. Scott Baker on Friday night started for the Fort Myers Miracle, and assuming he feels okay in the next day or so, is expected to return to the rotation when the team returns to Minnesota next week.

In his outing, Baker lasted seven innings, allowing five hits and one earned run. There is no official pitch count, but it is believed that he lasted somewhere close to 90 pitches.

The return of Baker will be welcomed, even though his replacement, R.A. Dickey was somewhat effective in his place. His return will give the Twins a top-of-the-rotation pitcher, and allow Dickey and his knuckle ball to be used out of the 'pen.

As for Joe Mauer, he is slowly making progress...though he is still likely a week or so away from returning to the majors. Mauer took batting practice with the Miracle days ago and is soon expected to start running—a step that is believed to be the final hurdle.

Upon a return to running, Mauer will take part in several minor league games before heading back to the three-spot in the Twins' lineup.

The Twins are currently managing without two of their top players, but there is no doubt they'll be very happy to add them to the rotation and lineup.

Game Three: Twins 6, Mariners 5

Alex — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 22:45:59 -0400

A night after collecting their first victory, the Twins' third game of the season was another night of firsts.

The team hit their first homerun of the season, collected their first save of the season and they now have their first winning streak of the season as well.

Kevin Slowey took the hill for the Twins, and struggled through the first four.

Slowey, normally a control pitcher, failed time and time again to get first pitch strikes across, and left ball after ball up in the zone. He allowed nine hits and five runs through the first four innings before settling down and retiring the final seven hitters he faced.

Slowey finished after six innings, nine hits, five runs and five strikeouts.

The offense took an early lead, and scored in two's, finishing with six runs on nine hits.

The Twins finally put the ball over the fence with homeruns by Justin Morneau and Denard Span.

The Twins struck out less, but for the third straight night a player in the lineup struck out three times; this time around it was Joe Crede.

The bullpen pitched three scoreless innings to hold the team's 6-5 lead, and give the Twins their second straight victory.

Craig Breslow pitched the seventh, and allowed a leadoff single before settling in and throwing a scoreless inning. Jesse Crain set up the ninth for Nathan with a quick eighth.

Nathan collected his 200th save as a Twin with a one-two-three inning in his first trip to the mound on the young season.

With the victory, the Twins have assured themselves of a series split, and they have a chance to take the series outright with a victory by Glen Perkins tomorrow afternoon.

Minnesota Twins-Seattle Mariners: A Walkoff Win

Alex — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 22:27:33 -0400

With the hectic time that is Opening Day now over, the Twins took the field in front of nearly half the number of fans with the buzz of the return of baseball also cooled down.

While the offense was again very slow early on, the youngsters made a late run in the ninth inning with three runs for their first walkoff victory of the season.

Nick Blackburn took the mound for the Twins; and to say the least, wasn't all that good. In just five innings of work, Blackburn threw 85 pitches, allowed eight hits, walked three, and surrendered four runs.

It's just one game for the youngster, but he made it clear that he is much more of a bottom-of-the-rotation pitcher.

Offensively, while the team did come up clutch a few more times one night later, their at-bats at times were just as bad. Mariners starter Erik Bedard, at one point, sat down ten straight Twins' hitters and struck out eight overall.

When the team headed out to the plate in the ninth inning, they appeared to be a completely different offense. They drew three straight walks and, with two outs, scored three runs thanks to an infield single by Denard Span (his third hit of the night) and a two-run single by Alexi Casilla.

The Twins still have concerns with their strikeout numbers and leaving runners on base, but the late inning offense offered glimpses of last season's late season victories.

The bullpen finished nicely after Blackburn with the exception of Ayala, who allowed the Mariners to put up a valuable insurance run in the top of the ninth. Humber went an inning and allowed just a hit, but the best news came with Guerrier's performance.

After falling apart last season, Guerrier hit 94 on the gun and pitched two solid innings allowing no base runners. The newest member of the pitching staff, Luis Ayala, allowed his first run of the season with two outs in the ninth, but still collected the victory.

With the victory, the Twins completely changed the outlook of the final two games of the series. From a possible 0-2 start to a 1-1 start, the Twins now have a much better chance of at least tying the series if not taking it outright. They'll face their former teammate Carlos Silva tomorrow night when they send Kevin Slowey to the mound.

Mariners-Twins: Seattle Takes Season Opener

Alex — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 17:57:10 -0400

By now if you're reading this, it's likely that you know how the Twins lost, what went wrong, what could have went better, and everything in between. It was game one, and there are still 161 remaining.

With the heavily anticipated day now over, it's time to just focus on baseball and they'll start that tonight with Nick Blackburn against Erik Bedard.

The atmosphere at the Metrodome was great. A sellout crowd that didn't have much to cheer about was still alive, probably because there is no other feeling like Opening Day. After a long winter of waiting for moves, the 25 players took the field in a game that actually mattered.

Two thoughts:

Michael Cuddyer needs to swing. Three strikeouts is bad enough, but when two of them come looking, there's something wrong. Cuddyer wasted a great opportunity in the first inning, and then later in the game as well. Looking at pitches doesn't do much to protect Morneau.

Liriano was good, just not as good as King Felix. Allowing four hits and four runs in seven innings isn't awesome, but considering that he had no walks and that one of the home runs barely cleared the fence, Liriano was pretty sharp in his first trip to the mound.

The games ahead will be talked about in much more depth, but being at the game and all it was difficult to do much for this first game of the season.

All Set, Twins Finalize Roster

Alex — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 21:23:47 -0400

After more than a month of competitions and some unfortunate injuries, the Minnesota Twins have a final answer, to all of their roster questions.

By optioning infielder Matt Tolbert to triple-A Rochester on Friday night, the Twins have set their roster, one day shy of the conclusion of spring training.

When the Twins take the field on Monday, here is who'll be in attendance wearing the white pinstripes (hoping Morneau will be fine):

Pitchers:
Francisco Liriano, Nick Blackburn, Kevin Slowey, Glen Perkins, R.A. Dickey, Joe Nathan, Jesse Crain, Matt Guerrier, Luis Ayala, Craig Breslow, Phillip Humber and Brian Duensing

Catchers:
Mike Redmond and Jose Morales

Outfielders:
Delmon Young, Carlos Gomez, Denard Span, Michael Cuddyer and Jason Kubel

Infielders:
Justin Morneau, Alexi Casilla, Nick Punto, Joe Crede, Brian Buscher and Brendan Harris

Disabled List:
Joe Mauer, Scott Baker, Boof Bonser (season) and Pat Neshek (season)

Minnesota Twins Already Falling Apart

Alex — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 17:30:26 -0400

I know it's a long season, and I know that a few weeks without Joe Mauer, a start without Scott Baker, and a short period of time without whoever else it may be, doesn't spell the end of the world or season; doesn't it seem like everything is falling apart before the season even starts?

Joe Mauer should be back before the end of the first of six months of the season and Scott Baker should be back by the end of the first week of the season. Now it sounds like there is a chance that Justin Morneau could find himself on the disabled list, which would hurt the roster even more.

Two weeks, and more so about fourteen games, without Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau, again doesn't mean there will be no playoffs—but it does make things more difficult with each day the team plays without two of the best players in the league.

To say it won't matter in the end, or that it won't be a big deal not having one or possibly both Mauer and Morneau come Monday, is crazy.

For those that don't remember, one game can mean the difference. It was the difference last season, and with the two best players out of the lineup for games early on, who says it might not be the difference again in 2009.

The Twins need Morneau to avoid a trip to the disabled list, they need him to be on the field on April 6th. They've already lost one of their best hitters, losing the other won't bode well as things move along.

Decision Time for the Minnesota Twins

Alex — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 19:46:23 -0400

One thing about the Minnesota Twins' roster is known.

On Monday, the team decided on who will serve as the backup catcher.

The Twins chose to go with the more experienced, better hitting, switch-hitter, Jose Morales, over the defensive savvy and younger, Drew Butera.

While the move came as somewhat of a surprise after indications pointed to Butera and his defense, it makes sense.

Not only has Morales played at the major league level to a small extent, he's also played at Triple-A, something Butera has not yet accomplished.

Going with Morales ensures the team of a player who has experience, and a player who should be able to handle the pressure that comes with playing in the bigs.

Aside from the experience, there is one thing that makes Morales and Butera two different players: Morales is a hitter and Butera is a defensive catcher.

It seemed like the Twins favored defense for their backup catcher role just last week, but, ultimately they went with the offense to help make up for Mauer's absence from the lineup.

The fact that the team went with an offensive player could mean they expect their backup catcher to get a fair amount of playing time before Mauer has the chance to return.

With Redmond's age, there is a chance that Morales could play as much as three times per week.

While the backup catcher mystery has been solved, two more questions remain: The final bench spot and two bullpen spots for three players.

After it seemed as though the Twins would go with 11 itchers when Crede was signed to allow for both Tolbert and Buscher to make the team, that no longer seems likely.

Now the team favors 12 pitchers, a decision will send one of the infielders to Triple-A.

The race will come down to the wire on Saturday, the Twins have two other decisions that should be taken care of before then.

Three pitchers, R.A. Dickey, Phillip Humber and Brian Duensing, are vying for two open bullpen spots.

If the Twins decide to add an extra lefty, Duensing will make the trip north.

If Duensing does make the team, the final spot will come down to a race between Dickey and Humber for the long relief role.

Humber seems to have the upper hand if such an instance were to occur mainly because he's out of options, and if he isn't in Minnesota, he'll be with one of the other 29 teams in the league.

It's tough to tell what will happen, but time is winding down, and the Twins will be forced to make some tough decisions in the coming days.