caulfield12

http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/christ...n-negotiations/ Story about the Twins' attempted acquisition of Washburn...M's wanted to subsidize the contract and get back Blackburn and/or Bonser

Thanks for not using Putz. Putting in Miguel Batista is about as good as giving them the game.

Thornton has been used a lot and supposedly his back is hurting. Statistically, we have one of the best closers in the game. If we don't see Jenks to start the 9th, it will be a the biggest shocker this season, and there have been a few.

The M's better score in the top of the 9th...because Mauer, Morneau and D. Young are batting in the bottom of the 9th. I wonder if Gardenhire will go with Nathan here? He still has Guerrier and Reyes to use...but Guerrier has been REALLY shaky recently.

QUOTE (Cerbaho-WG @ Aug 16, 2008 -> 04:33 PM) Seattle blows it, nothing new. Not only that, but they had to throw through to the plate, allowing the winning run to get to 2nd. Dumb play.

Why aren't Thome or AJ pinch-hitting here for Hall? I think Toby has a couple of hits, BUT...we could use another run for insurance with Dotel and the fact that we're in Oakland. I guess we'll see Thornton with Cust/Barton...2/3 lefties. Please don't overmanage, put in Thornton/Dotel/Ramirez and make it a 20 minute inning.

Please put Anderson in CF and Swisher at 1B. Thank you.

QUOTE (tommy @ Aug 16, 2008 -> 04:17 PM) Paulie is 4 for 8 with 2 HR vs the pitcher. Casilla was throwing 97 MPH with a low 90's slider. There's no reason to take him out against Griffey...there's no way he gets around on that type of heat. Then he could have left Casilla in to get out Konerko. Kind of a weird set of decisions there, but I guess it worked.

Ummmm....talking about no advance scouting. That's just crazy. Maybe with the A's out of playoff contention, they've given up looking at other teams...at least they should video/satellite or something. Good God, that's a horrible decision. Still think it was a bad decision...but it worked out for them. Can either team get a big hit with RISP?

It's interesting how some here and other websites want Danks shut down because of his innings pitched and others are advocating he throw 115-130 pitches because our bullpen is so horrid right now...that's why it's not so fun to be a manager. You have to balance short-term versus long-term benefits. Look at what Dusty Baker did to his pitching staff/s.

QUOTE (tommy @ Aug 16, 2008 -> 03:52 PM) Alexei with a bouncer right down the middle. I think the problem is that the White Sox game is moving along so slowly...and the M's comebacks against the Twins the past two weeks have been so improbable and exciting. C'mon Juan, for once, Alexei had a base stolen!

Third blown lead by the Twins against the M's in two weeks, including a rare (3rd) blown Joe Nathan save, when he had to come in to try to get out of the 8th inning. I think one of those leads (the first loss) was 6-0. Twins' fans must be going crazy, just like we are. Seemingly had the game in hand with Baker cruising. Competition now will come down to who has the worst bullpen in front of two of the best closers in the game.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Aug 16, 2008 -> 03:38 PM) I wonder if Paulie could turn into a doubles hitter this late in his career. He seems to be skinny now with a slower bat. Maybe it's just my eyes failing me. I'm just going to hope it's a lingering effect from the wrist and rib problems. Either one of them can really mess up your swing. Now I think it has become a mental thing where he's thinking too much....ahead on the off-speed stuff and way behind on fastballs, and "average" fastballs. Konerko and Carlos Lee used to be the best fastball hitters on our team. Now it's probably Ramirez and Quentin I guess...and Thome? I don't know, I haven't seen any games this year from here in Thailand, just have to go off Farmer/Stone/McDowell/Ventura, etc. 5-4 Twins. Icihiro up with 2 outs and runners on 2nd and 3rd. Nice comeback M's. The Twins' bullpen has the same exact issues as ours. Crain out. I assume they'll bring in Reyes or Breslow against Ichiro.

QUOTE (Jenks Heat @ Aug 16, 2008 -> 03:31 PM) I gotta go back to an overriding theme that I ahve brought for a couple of years now. the advanced scouting on this team is either nonexistent or the execution is not htere. To continue to belabor a point, if a guy can not hit an offspeed pitch even if he knows it is coming, throw it. The Sox seem to think, "well he thinks a pitch he can not hit is coming, so let's throw a pitch he can hit as he won't expect it." and said player ets a hit. this is just plain sad. Well, whatever we're doing with Emil Brown, we need to stop it.

I guess we should thank Frank Thomas for four outs already this game. Wow...part of me was expecting a Grand Slam the way things were going that inning. Danks seems to be trying to be too fine...and it's hard to blame him, because with our bullpen and his general lack of run support all season long, he is fighting for every single run out there.

QUOTE (tommy @ Aug 16, 2008 -> 03:16 PM) A base hit here, scores two. Are we sure Hall could have scored on a base hit?

Thanks, Swisher. Seems like he doesn't much since the walk-off against Zumaya. He just can't seem to keep it going for an extended period of time this year....hot for a week or two, then cools off again.

However, the problem is that Danks has now thrown 63 pitches...partially thanks to Swisher...and we will have to use our entire bullpen today, as he'll be lucky to make it through five and maybe six innings today. Which means we'll have to use 1-2 relievers that OG would just as soon leave overlooked down in the bullpen.

Shades of Willie Harris out there. Swisher and Uribe errors that were completely unexpected. Emil Brown looks like an MVP candidate so far against us. Does anyone have a scouting report on what NOT to throw him? Three runners out on the bases. We always find new and interesting ways to lose in Oakland.

QUOTE (Brian @ Aug 16, 2008 -> 02:56 PM) I want speed so guys can go to 1st and 3rd. Well, I think we'll sacrifice a little speed for Quentin's homers! The other problem is when we lose Cabrera, Ramirez might be our best potential basestealer, and he's more raw in that area of his game than Willie Harris. Getz has decent speed, but I don't think many project him as much more than 10 sb's at the major league level.

Cabrera and Dye really hit those balls well with nothing to show for it. Wow...didn't realize Juan had more doubles than Konerko. Just more evidence of Konerko's struggles this season...hopefully/finally he's coming out of it, it appears. At least there's some light at the end of the tunnel. Ooops...GIDP. So much for that rally.

QUOTE (elrockinMT @ Aug 16, 2008 -> 02:49 PM) I know he had said something about looking forward to the return to the Coliseum. Maybe he is just trying to hard. I wonder if he will get to play tomorrow against Gio? I imagine so, as I don't think you want Griffey trying to cover that huge CF in Oakland...and Griffey just hasn't been hitting, so pencil Swish in for CF.

Here we go again...just like yesterday. Looks like we're into our high quality bullpen in the 6th inning today. Thankfully, our "brutal" bottom of the order has come through...or Danks would once again have nothing to show for his fine pitching this year. It's almost criminal he has only 9 victories when Adam Russell is somehow 4-0.

5-0 Twins The first two games of the series are losing their drama/intrigue very quickly. I thought the starter had an ERA below 4.00, we at least had a shot at getting one victory from the M's. Maybe the Twins can destroy their bullpen for us...help us out somehow. 52 pitches through the first two innings...similar to the A's starting pitcher Smith.

Where do they get these guys? Randy Ruiz with a single, 2-0 Twins. Of course, they miss Felix Hernandez and we get to face him...although I guess we were lucky to miss Duchscherer. He always seems to dominate us.