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Twins call up Heintz as Mauer goes on DL

packerboy wrote:Maybe. But guys like Pudge are still playing and always have played at catcher.

I like Mauer at his natural position even if he misses a few games every year.

Add Jorge Posada, Victor Martinez, Benjie Molina, Johnny Estrada, and Paul Lo Duca as Catchers who are very good hitters and with the exception of Martinez also exceptional at defense. Mauer's a catcher leave him there, a guy who can keep runners at first is a great asset.

As for an embarrassment of riches, I hope that was sarcasm, any AL team who keeps seding Terry Tyner and his 0 HR's in over 1100 at bats out as their DH doesn't have an embarrassment of riches.

I believe I said last year to move Joe to 3rd. Where else can you take advantage of his size, quick reactions, soft hands and laser arm? Besides catcher that is. I'd like to see him as a catcher, but if not there then 3rd no doubt.

I highly doubt the Twinks make moves anytime soon. They think that Rondell & Cirillo coming back will pipe that offense up a few notches. I'd love to see that or a few moves, but I doubt either will happen... get used to seeing guys get a few hits, but then left stranded as the pitchers gnaw off their arms in the dugouts because they are giving up 2-3 runs and losing the game.

As for an embarrassment of riches, I hope that was sarcasm, any AL team who keeps seding Terry Tyner and his 0 HR's in over 1100 at bats out as their DH doesn't have an embarrassment of riches.

It wasn't sarcasm! When was the last time you had a team have a batting champ, MVP and Cy Young with a team salary under a $100 million. The Twins are fortunate to have the best GM in the game. First off his name is Jason Tyner, and since when does the DH have to hit HR's. Tyner's job in the DH spot is to get on base or advance Castillo. Who wouldn't love to have a guy like Travis Hafner or David Ortiz but those guys are few and far between. If we can keep this team together (which I think will happen) and we get Liriano back next year we will be very competitive. That would represent an embarassment of riches that no other team in baseball can duplicate!

Panzy - one who isn't necessarily a bad hitter, but one who is incapable of changing a game with one swing or driving the ball with authority.

My All-Time Panzy hitting Twins lineup.

1. Johnny Moses LF
2. Mike Ryan RF
3. Luis Castillo 2B
4. Jason Tyner DH
5. Sal Butera C
6. Scott Gomez 1B
7. Houston Jimenez SS
8. Len Faedo 3B
9. Jarvis Brown CF

Wild4hockey wrote:

As for an embarrassment of riches, I hope that was sarcasm, any AL team who keeps seding Terry Tyner and his 0 HR's in over 1100 at bats out as their DH doesn't have an embarrassment of riches.

It wasn't sarcasm! When was the last time you had a team have a batting champ, MVP and Cy Young with a team salary under a $100 million. The Twins are fortunate to have the best GM in the game. First off his name is Jason Tyner, and since when does the DH have to hit HR's. Tyner's job in the DH spot is to get on base or advance Castillo. Who wouldn't love to have a guy like Travis Hafner or David Ortiz but those guys are few and far between. If we can keep this team together (which I think will happen) and we get Liriano back next year we will be very competitive. That would represent an embarassment of riches that no other team in baseball can duplicate!

Bobble-headed optimism at best.

NEXT YEAR? What the Boof?

If it wasn't sarcasm it should have been. Name another team that has a DH hitting 8th. Name another team that has a DH that can't hit a home run. I'm tired of needing 3 hits for 1 run. Liriano? Pitching we have, with 3 guys in the minors waiting their turn.

Nothing is more boring than small ball.

Irishmans Shanty wrote:Panzy - one who isn't necessarily a bad hitter, but one who is incapable of changing a game with one swing or driving the ball with authority.

My All-Time Panzy hitting Twins lineup.

1. Johnny Moses LF
2. Mike Ryan RF
3. Luis Castillo 2B
4. Jason Tyner DH
5. Sal Butera C
6. Scott Gomez 1B
7. Houston Jimenez SS
8. Len Faedo 3B
9. Jarvis Brown CF

Not a bad lineup, but I'd almost say you'd have to throw Alvaro Espinoza in at SS. I know Jimenez never had an HR, but I don't think he played much more than 100 games or so for the Twins... I think Espinoza played quite a few more games and only had a handful of dingers.

I think you'd also have to throw in Al Newman as a utility player.

Neutron 14 wrote:

Wild4hockey wrote:

As for an embarrassment of riches, I hope that was sarcasm, any AL team who keeps seding Terry Tyner and his 0 HR's in over 1100 at bats out as their DH doesn't have an embarrassment of riches.

It wasn't sarcasm! When was the last time you had a team have a batting champ, MVP and Cy Young with a team salary under a $100 million. The Twins are fortunate to have the best GM in the game. First off his name is Jason Tyner, and since when does the DH have to hit HR's. Tyner's job in the DH spot is to get on base or advance Castillo. Who wouldn't love to have a guy like Travis Hafner or David Ortiz but those guys are few and far between. If we can keep this team together (which I think will happen) and we get Liriano back next year we will be very competitive. That would represent an embarassment of riches that no other team in baseball can duplicate!

Bobble-headed optimism at best.

NEXT YEAR? What the Boof?

If it wasn't sarcasm it should have been. Name another team that has a DH hitting 8th. Name another team that has a DH that can't hit a home run. I'm tired of needing 3 hits for 1 run. Liriano? Pitching we have, with 3 guys in the minors waiting their turn.

Nothing is more boring than small ball.

2002 Central Champs
2003 Central Champs
2004 Central Champs
2006 Central Champs

Nice list, but one series victory in the bunch. All these teams died for the same reason and it is the road the '07 version will follow if they can even get to the post season.

In the 1987 ALCS the Twins had 21 extra basehits in five games, of which 8 were HR's. The Twins are competitive but not built to win in Oct.

I saw a graphic this weekend where at one point, 29 of the Twins' last 30 hits were singles.

From a pitching standpoint, Wild4 is right.

But from a hitting stand point, the only embarrassment is the lineup.

They have no depth offensively in the organization. But they have more pitching depth than anybody esle.

So, when faced with this situation , what do you do?

Its obvious......sign another pitcher.

If you throw strikes and play defense, you only have to get hot offensively in Sept-Oct. No guarantees, but at least you are competitive most years. Gettin hot at the end- now that is the hard part.

Some eye popping stats on the total lack of power the Twins have:

These 7 Twins regulars; Castillo, Punto, Bartlett, Kubel, Tyner, Mauer, and Redmond have so far this year a combined 639 AB's with a grand total of 1 HR, which is also 1 HR over 34 games. The range of AB is 70-102, meaning they're all seeing significant playing time.

Over the past 3 years this same group minus Mauer has hit 28 HR's over 3851 AB or 1 HR every 138 AB, with Mauer it's 51 HR's over 4963 AB or 1 HR every 92 AB. Cirillo has hit only 7 HR's the past 3 years and White isn't healthy enough to be counted on.

Hunter, Morneau, and Cuddyer have 153 HR's in 3344 AB or 1 every 22 AB.

Assuming the Twins don't resign Hunter where are they going to make up that run production? On the open market Hunter may not be worth 14-16 million, but he is to the Twins.

Ron Gardenhire is blown away when informed by
Brad Radke yesterday that he will be coming out
of retirement and rejoining the Twins in mid June.

AP MINNEAPOLIS - When inteviewed early this morning, Twins GM, Terry Ryan indicated that his move to bring back Radke was prompted by the demands of several minnhock.com posters to sign another pitcher. "They blow a lot of hot air in that forum but when you sift through the sarcasm and emoticons, they are right on. Truth be told, we've been stealing their ideas for years." Ryan added. For weeks now numerous posters have concluded that hitting really isn't the root of the Twins current woes. Asking pitchers to shutout opposing hitters for seven, eight, or even nine innings day in and day out isn't asking a lot.

Way to go Shanty, we haven't heard from packerboy today because you gave him a heart attack with that post!

Whoops... sorry T.R. Just ignore this post.

ChrisK wrote:Way to go Shanty, we haven't heard from packerboy today because you gave him a heart attack with that post!

AP ST PAUL - An unidentified man was rushed to Ramsey Medical Center early this morning after witnesses believed he was suffering from an apparent heart attack. Little about the man's idenity was known. "When I found him he was ashy gray and slumping over a laptop." said one witness. Bystanders added that he was mumbling something that sounded like "rat key". The man was reported to be wearing an orange T-shirt that read "Up For Grabs". Anyone who may help in identifying this man is urged to call Ramsey County Authorities.

Irishmans Shanty wrote:

ChrisK wrote:Way to go Shanty, we haven't heard from packerboy today because you gave him a heart attack with that post!

AP ST PAUL - An unidentified man was rushed to Ramsey Medical Center early this morning...

Yeah, but did he chase his own amulance?

Well done IS!

Bravo Neutron!



Details of the incident are coming in slow, but there were a number vehicles that appeared to be following the ambulance.

Just when I thought it couldn't get any better...

With Sid hardly the kid gone, who do we bring up as a pitcher? I'm guessing Baker will get the first shot or at least until Perkins gets some more stamina. We shall see though.

What was in those pink bats?

This just in:

The individual who was rushed to the hospital suffering from an apparent heart attack when he mistakenly thought that Brad Radke was coming back to pitch for the Twins has been positivley identfied as Minnhock poster packerboy.

He was recovering nicely and was ready to be discharged Sunday night when a nurse turned on the TV in his hospital room and the Twins score was shown on the screen. The shock of the Twins scoring 6 runs in the first 3 innings caused packerboy to lapse into a coma the cause of which Drs descibe as mysterious. Before he lapsed into the coma, packerboy was heard shouting something about "finally something, something the Boofin ball. "

Twins GM Terry Ryan was quoted as saying " We sure hope he recovers soon because we get most of our ideas on how to run the club from his posts."

Its interesting.

Morneau is on a pace to hit 40 HRs and knock in 100+;
Hunter is on pace to hit 36 HRs and knock in 130: Cuddyer is on pace to hit 15 HRs and knock in 100+; Mauer was batting .353 when he went on the DL with an OBP of close to .500.

Redmond is now at .300; Castillo .320; Bartlett .260.......

Ther have been a lot of quality starts from the staf and the bullpen has been fine, even though not perfect...the team ERA is 3.88 , in the top 5 in the league.

So, why are they 18-19?

Timing.

While the hitting outburst put me into a coma yesterday, the fact remains that they dont hit when they need to game in and game out. 16 runs is great but not if they get 1 the next 3 games.

But I think the team has some upside to it. This road trip will be important to their chances.

Clutch hitting is still a problem. Anybody can swing freely with a 4 run lead. But when your two runs down and the bases are loaded, its tough to swing a bat with both hands around your neck.

They need some of packerboys "timing" to shake that monkey.

Don't look now but the Twins lead the AL in hitting at .278. Stats can be used to prove anything, as I do it often. But in this case, I'll dismiss the quantitative data and say their hitting still stinks.

You guys are right, maybe the hitting is fine and their timing is bad, but when I look at that lineup day in and day out there are anywhere from 5-7 hitters that don't instill much confidence in me or strike fear in an opposing pitcher. 18-19 tells me a lot more than .278.

But hey, it looks like they need to sign another pitcher now!