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Showing posts with label Minnesota Twins. Show all posts

Monday, 22 August 2011

Hey Bryce Harper... put away the catchers gear

The trade deadline flurry is continuing in baseball and one of the most interesting moves took place between the Twins and Nationals tonight.

Minnesota trails the White Sox by a game and a half and looked to make their pitching staff deep. The Twins strengthened their bullpen with Nats All Star closer Matt Capps. Granted he was an All Star simply because Stephen Strasburg wasn't selected... but the Capps deal may affect Strasburg and his fellow #1 pick overall Bryce Harper in the long and short term.

The Twins shipped off Wilson Ramos, one of the best catching prospects in baseball, to Washington and frankly that is much more interesting than the Twins pen getting deep.

The Twins have no room for Ramos with Mauer signed to a long term deal and he was worth more as a trade chip. (They tried to use him to pick up Cliff Lee.)

The Nationals got a major league ready catcher who can move right into the big club and learn from Pudge Rodriguez, one of the best ever, for this season and next.

By the time the 2011 season ends, he'll have a season and a half under Pudge's wing and be only 23 years old.

When 2012 rolls around (assuming the world won't be ending) Ramos will probably be the starting catcher. Stephen Strasburg will be at full strength.

And maybe Bryce Harper will be ready.

Now Harper, who was drafted as a catcher, doesn't need the tools of ignorance. Forget learning to catch and handle a pitching staff... just learn to hit and be as advertised at the plate.

If Harper is as good as promised (or even remotely as good) then the development of Ramos might add 5 years to Harper's career.

It's a ripple effect and Washington could very well be an exciting baseball town in 2012 when Obama is up for reelection.

And all of this because they signed Matt Capps, a non tendered free agent from Pittsburgh, who cost the Nationals no draft pick compensation.

Not a bad off season move.

Now all Strasburg, Ramos and Harper have to do is be awesome and Hall of Fame caliber in their career.

No pressure.

Hey White Sox! How about a little urgency?

On July 20th, the White Sox took a 3 1/2 game lead in the A.L. Central. They had the arms, the bullpen and the lunatic manager to keep them steady.

They also could have used another bat, but that's nit picking.

They had a 5 game winning streak not long after that but it looked like they were going to be locking horns with the Twins all year for the Central (especially with the collapse of the Tigers.)

Well in less than a month, they have dropped 7 1/2 games in the standings as they sit 4 games back of the Twins, including an extra inning loss on a Jim Thome homer... the same Jim Thome who sunk the Twins in a 2008 one game playoff as a member of the White Sox.

Let's get going White Sox!

I made it clear that I am rooting for you and I would like to see more October games in the South Side.

But for general baseball fans, a tight pennant race is good for the game. Two teams going back and forth right until the last day makes the last weekend super cool and frankly it will be only time that baseball attention will turn to the AL Central this year.

Win today and it will be a 3 game deficit.

Lose? And you are looking at 5 games back and a chance for 6 back if the Twins complete the sweep.

And let's face it... the Twins will get WALLOPED by the Rangers, Rays or Yankees in the playoffs. So basically if the Twins run away with it, there will be no reason to pay attention to the AL Central until 2011.

So let's go White Sox.

Floyd vs. Liriano tonight. Put it on the boaaaaaaaaard. YES!

Hey Kansas City... good job tonight.

All around great effort tonight by KC.

The pitching staff let up 8 fewer runs than the night before and the offense scored twice as many runs as their previous game.

Granted, they lost the other night 19-1 and tonight it was merely 11-2.

So they've been outscored 30-3 over the first 2 games.

They are at least getting better each game, and I am a glass half full kind of guy.

Sunday, 21 August 2011

Hey Mariners... how about waiting until Thursday to make a deal?

It appears that Cliff Lee might not be heading to the Yankees after all.
It is a shame because so many columnists and bloggers had their stories already written talking about how this means we NEED a salary cap and it isn't fair and blah blah blah.

I admit, I threw up in my mouth a little when I heard the Yankees were on the verge of getting him, but that had nothing to do with payroll. That had to do with me being unhappy when ANYTHING positive happens with the Yankees.

Is Cliff Lee heading to Minnesota for Wilson Ramos?

Is Cliff Lee heading to Texas for Justin Smoak?

Will Cliff Lee join LeBron, Wade and Bosh with the Heat?

First of all, hold off on the deal until after the All Star Game.

Why?

Well first of all it means that Cliff Lee gets to face the Yankees (and hopefully beat them) tonight.

Secondly, Lee is going to the All Star Game. If he gets traded now, he will be making his first appearance in a Twins/Rangers/Yankees/Mets/Bridgeport Blue Fish uniform at the All Star Game.

That's just strange. Have his regular season farewell to the Mariners be a win against the Yankees and the last time the baseball fans see him as a Mariner in Anaheim this week.

Yeah the season hasn't gone as GM Jack Zduriencik planned... but at least he'll be able to say "I acquired an All Star."

Why am I rooting for the White Sox?

Anyone who reads this blog (and I know I do) you know that I am a Red Sox fan, but I also follow each race and inevitably I root for a team in each race.

The Giants are my second favorite team, so I always root for them.

And there are teams like the Cardinals, the Braves and the Angels that I don’t really like, so I’ll root for someone to beat them.

And of course I always root AGAINST the Yankees.

I have no reason to dislike any team in the A. L. Central, so logic dictates that I would be rooting for the team that has the most compelling narrative for their fans.

With the crushed city of Cleveland getting no relief from the Indians and the Royals clipping coupons, the race is down to the Twins, the Tigers and the White Sox.

You’d think I’d be rooting for the Twins. After all, I rooted for them big time in 1987 and 1991. The Twins winning would contiue to be a gigantic middle finger to the threat of contraction 9 years ago.

The Twins have won 5 Division Titles in the past 8 seasons and missed another Division Title in 2008 when they lost a one game playoff 1-0 to Chicago.

Plus with stars like Mauer and Morneau and the team playing outdoors, it makes the Twins the obvious choice for me to root for. (Not to mention that my current boss, Craig Kilborn, is from Minnesota and is a life long fan.)

Or maybe you'd think I'd be rooting for the Tigers...

The city could use a pick me up, the team was potentially cheatedout of a playoff spot last year. Plus they are a traditional team with great old unis... and play for a city that let's face it has seen better days.

Plus Jim Leyland is a borderline Hall of Famer as of now. Maybe another trip to October would clinch a ticket to Cooperstown.

And as I said before, I would have no problem seeing either of those teams going far in the post season.

Yet strangely when either one of those teams play the White Sox head to head... I find myself rooting for the White Sox.

And when I see the White Sox gain a game in the standings, I give a little fist pump.

Of the three contenders, I want to see the White Sox win the American League Central.

It isn't because I picked them at the beginning of the year.

I picked the Yankees to win the Division as well and you don't see me cheering them on!

And it clearly isn't because of a Post Season drought as they won it all just 5 years ago.

I guess I like how Kenny Williams and Ozzie Guillen do business. I like that come trade deadline, Kenny is not afraid to trade off young players.

Maybe it is because Kenny knows that there is no time like the present to have the White Sox contend and steal as many casual Chicago fans as possible.

Or maybe it is because he himself was a heralded prospect who never turned into a star player and he knows that sometimes a big league definite is more valuable than younger potential.

And I have not been shy in saying what an Ozzie Guillen fan I am.

I like that he is a little crazy, is the face of the team and guess what? If he wins a few more divisions and another pennant, he might be putting together a Cooperstown resume.

Wouldn't that be an amazing day in Upstate New York seeing Ozzie enshrined?
He's not there now (although he HAS matched Hall of Fame managers Earl Weaver, Leo Durocher and Whitey Herzog in World Series titles) but I want to see him pad his resume.

Maybe I am rooting for the White Sox because I have a soft spot in my heart for their fans.

As I wrote in my "Why Doesn't Anyone Love The White Sox?" post a few years ago, the South Siders get such little love that it is kind of startling.

If you meet someone from Chicago, it is almost assumed they are a Cubs fan. It's more pronounced than even the Yankees and Mets disparity in New York.

There is nothing cute and cuddly about the White Sox and if you have rooted for them over the years, you are clearly not a front runner nor doing the fashionable thing.

And I am guessing a lot of them are enjoying the possibility of making the post season AGAIN while the Cubs are imploding.

Or maybe I am rooting for the White Sox because I want SOME kind of Sox in the playoffs!

Whatever the reason is, I am hoping the playoffs go through Chicago in the American League. Baseball is emotional and logic sometimes is thrown out the window.

All I know is the White Sox were playing the A's last night... and I am hoping the A's win the West... yet when I saw it was a Sox win, I gave a little fist pump.

Let's go Sox (Red and White)

Saturday, 20 August 2011

Jimenez is on the mound... and Interleague Play opponents HATE IT

It's a beautiful day game in Minnesota. A decent crowd is on hand and they are getting a real treat. Ubaldo Jimenez is on the mound for the Colorado Rockies.

He's having a Cy Young caliber season and his ERA ROSE to 1.16 in his last win in Denver. He's having a remarkable season, looking to be the first starting pitcher since Roger Clemens in 2005 to finish the season with a sub 2.00 ERA and enough innings pitched for the ERA title.

And remember he's doing that pitching half of his games in DENVER!

So Twins fans will get a chance to see Jimenez pitch against Morneau (sadly Mauer isn't playing) in the beautiful new park. And they are seeing him at his peak... and they probably wouldn't see him again for a few years as the Interleague Matchups rotate.

It's a good fun and unusual day for baseball... and again it shows the opponents of Interleague Play have got NOTHING.

If this were a game in Houston, or Pittsburgh or Arizona there would be nothing unique about it. The Rockies come through a few times a year anyhow.

But here Twins fans have a chance to see their team face someone having a possibly historic season.

Keep games like this in mind the next time you hear some of the same sorry bogus complaints about Interleague Play!

Going into the season who thought a Rockies/Twins game was going to be interesting?
Probably as many people who circled a Nationals/Indians game on their schedule.

It's good for baseball... especially in mid June when the excitement of the season starting has worn off but it is still too early to feel like a pennant race.

Deal with it folks. Interleague Play works and it is cool.
Sorry things that work and are cool upset you.

(By the way, he threw shutout ball into the 8th. The Twins are now rallying. The crowd is into it. Better not have THAT happen on a June day!)

Sunday, 31 July 2011

I hope Carl Pavano's agent has a pair

Carl Pavano pitched a terrific game today against his former team, the Indians. He went 7 strong innings letting up only 2 earned runs. Along the way he won his 14th game (tied for most in the AL), lowered his ERA to a respectable 3.28 and his 1.08 WHIP is third in the league.

He is also in the top 5 in innings pitched and complete games.

And did tonight sporting a porn stache and wearing the uniform of the old Negro League St. Paul Black Gophers.

Carl Pavano will probably get a few points in the Cy Young vote this year.

And guess what? He's a free agent after this year.

Now I am not sure who his agent is right now. (Evidently he's changed representation a few times over the last few years.) But I remember one of his agents called him a 1 or 2 starter good for 200 innings a year as he was wrapping up his Yankee tenure where he made nine starts total over the final three years of the contract.

Well whoever is making calls for him now, I hope he has the stones to call the Yankees for a new contract after Pavano became the poster child for ill conceived gluttony by Steibrenner.

How amazing would that call to Brian Cashman be?

"I got a guy... he's a Cy Young caliber guy. He's a World Series winner. He's one of the top winners in the league and a HORSE. He's a perfect fit for the Yankees."

"Who is it?"

"Carl Pavano... hello?... HELLO?... I think we got cut off."

Getting TWO obscene contracts from the Yankees would have to be the agent's legacy.

How would it be any less likely than the Yankees trading to get BACK Javier Vazquez?

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