2009 AL Central Thread

[daa84]

the indians stink

[Brian]

Awful managing by Gaston.

 

/beats fathom to manager rip

[Soxpranos]

Clutch Crede wins it for the Twins , 2 out double in the 11th.

[fathom]

Awful managing by Gaston.

 

/beats fathom to manager rip

 

Didn't see it...what did Gaston do? That Clutch Crede strikes again. What's that, one hit in 6 clutch situations?

Edited April 15, 2009 by fathom

[iWiN4PreP]

crede in the clutch is gold.

 

good win for the twins

[Brian]

Didn't see it...what did Gaston do? That Clutch Crede strikes again. What's that, one hit in 6 clutch situations?

 

Left the lefty in for Cuddyer and Crede to lose it.

[ThunderBolt]

This just in, Carl Pavano is still not a good pitcher.

[santo=dorf]

crede in the clutch is gold.

 

good win for the twins

Like fathom said, that's the first time in 6 attemps Crede has been clutch. Stuck out late in a game two nights ago. Struck out against Jenks with the bases loaded, and also didn't come through in the 8th inning in another game against us.

 

But it's the single moments that get burned into people's brains that make them form a solid opinion about something or someone. Look at Pods' 2005 Game 2 WS home run for example.

[caulfield12]

Kerry Wood gets a big save today for the Indians to stem the bleeding in a game where LHP Aaron Laffey unexpectedly pitched the game of his life, the Tribe bullpen almost gave it back (middle relief) but they hung on to win 5-4.

 

Looks like all the AL Central teams will be bunched up at the top with DET up 1/2 game on the White Sox, Royals and Minnesota (unless the Twins lose tonight at home to the Blue Jays).

[Kalapse]

Like fathom said, that's the first time in 6 attemps Crede has been clutch. Stuck out late in a game two nights ago. Struck out against Jenks with the bases loaded, and also didn't come through in the 8th inning in another game against us.

 

But it's the single moments that get burned into people's brains that make them form a solid opinion about something or someone. Look at Pods' 2005 Game 2 WS home run for example.

You are a horrible human being. I hate you.

 

Coming into today he had 34 PA.

 

0 for 4 w/ RISP

1 for 8 close & late w/ that double from yesterday being his only hit and another 6 Ks to go along with it

1 for 10 in high leverage situations with again that double being his only hit, half of those ABs ended with him striking out

1 for 10 in innings 7-9 w/ 6 Ks

[Felix]

Like fathom said, that's the first time in 6 attemps Crede has been clutch. Stuck out late in a game two nights ago. Struck out against Jenks with the bases loaded, and also didn't come through in the 8th inning in another game against us.

 

But it's the single moments that get burned into people's brains that make them form a solid opinion about something or someone. Look at Pods' 2005 Game 2 WS home run for example.

Joe Crede has been terrible this year. I've watched a fair amount of Twins games (sadly enough), and he's been exactly what he was in Chicago. Solid defense, but a poor offensive player. Yeah, it's been a small sample size, but he's looked downright foolish in a fair number of his at-bats so far.

 

Also: the Twins are being rocked right now thanks to some piss poor bullpen work. It took them four pitchers to get out of the seventh after Liriano went 6 IP, 2 R (1 ER). Breslow walked both batters he saw (and threw 2 WP) before getting pulled for R.A. Dickey, who gave up a grand slam on his first pitch. Dickey and Breslow combined for 0 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, 3 BB with those two WP as the bullpen gave up 7 in the 7th.

Edited April 17, 2009 by Felix

[daa84]

obviously still very early, but the twins have the worst run differential in the league right now (-22) and its gonna get worse once this 9-1 game vs. toronto ends...

[Felix]

obviously still very early, but the twins have the worst run differential in the league right now (-22) and its gonna get worse once this 9-1 game vs. toronto ends...

Their pitching has been terrible, and without Mauer their offense is really nothing special. They are going to be in a lot of trouble until Mauer gets back unless someone else (i.e. not Morneau) steps up for them.

Edited April 17, 2009 by Felix

[Balta1701]

Their pitching has been terrible, and without Mauer their offense is really nothing special. They are going to be in a lot of trouble until Mauer gets back unless someone else (i.e. not Morneau) steps up for them.

I refuse to believe the Twins's pitching is this bad.

[Felix]

I refuse to believe the Twins's pitching is this bad.

They aren't this bad, but they've gotten off to a really bad start. They were missing Baker for the first time through the rotation, and they've had problems as a whole keeping the ball in the park. They've given up 16 HR already this season (1.6 HR/9), it's unlikely that it'll keep up. Once that gets cooled down a bit, they should be much better.

 

I'd also note that I think some of the struggles for their pitching staff so far can be accredited to opposing teams. The Jays are just raking right now, it's hard to put all the blame on the Twins pitchers.

Edited April 17, 2009 by Felix

[greg775]

a.) Interesting how Minnesota is off to a blah start, including dropping a lot of early games in the Dome.

Thanks to the Blue Jays for kicking their ass.

Do they miss Mauer this much? Or is it simply a slow start? The magic doesn't seem to be there out of the gate. Liriano 0-3 is pretty wild in itself.

 

b.) Interesting how Cleveland is off to a pretty blah start. Lee pitched better today.

 

Chicago, Detroit and KC at 5-4 and playing reasonably well.

 

Do you all think Minnie will be rejuvenated once Mauer returns? Do you think Cleveland will suck all year?

Do these first nine games mean anything in terms of who our prime Central adversaries will be this season?

[earthshiner]

It seems the Twins are always built around and depend on a tight core of players. Without Hunter in 05 they tanked. Without Mauer, Baker, and Boof and they have not been too good. Last year the Sox were without Crede, God, and Count and we still pushed into the playoffs. The twins never really seem that ready to absorb a key injury.

[The Ginger Kid]

Alex Gordon to the DL - needs the same hip surgery as A-Rod. Teahan to take over 3B.

[Whitewashed in '05]

Halladay mowed down the Twins. That guy is damn good...

Edited April 17, 2009 by Whitewashed in '05

[greg775]

Sad about Gordon. He certainly is off to a terrible start to his career. Most in KC thought he'd be the next Brett.

[caulfield12]

1) Bonser hasn't really been a major factor for 2 years...he's just their long man and was "trade bait" throughout last season...he has never reached the results he had in 2006-07

 

2) Liriano, unless he can really unwind that slider with maximum effort and velocity, is more like a #3 starter

 

3) They do miss Mauer

 

4) Carlos Gomez is really, really bad so far this year...and their idea of rotating Young, Kubel, Cuddyer and Span and Gomez isn't working

 

5) Baker got rocked his first game back, and at the Dome, which was a bit surprising, as he's their true ace now, not Liriano

 

6) Perkins, Slowey and Blackburn have pitched very well...

 

7) The Twins, like the White Sox....didn't do anything besides the Crede acquisition, and the move to get Luis Ayala for 8th inning set-up wasn't enough....would have been SO much better with Juan Cruz. Guerrier was the one who was really rocked last night, and he was their primary RH set-up guy last year. Crain is Crain, like Dotel, very talented but erratic. Actually, I would say Dotel has been much better than the 08/09 Crain.

 

They caught lightning in a bottle with both Breslow (released twice) and Mijares (overweight) from the LH side, and also made the mistake of letting consistent Sox Slayer Mr. Denys Reyes go...who eventually signed for something like $1 million.

 

That Bartlett/Garza for Young trade is still killing them. Punto isn't an everyday player offensively, and neither is Crede. Young doesn't fit with that team...and Gomez can't get his OBP close to 300. Casilla also hasn't hit as well as projected...I thought the wise thing would have been for them to move him to SS, with Harris/Tolbert/FA (like Orlando Hudson) playing 2B. Or they could have used that money (that they saved on Nick Punto's contract) on a RH reliever like Juan Cruz. Mulvey/Humber, the pitchers from the Mets with Gomez (they got hosed in that Santana trade) have both been major disappointments.

[Kyyle23]

1) Bonser hasn't really been a major factor for 2 years...he's just their long man and was "trade bait" throughout last season...he has never reached the results he had in 2006-07

 

2) Liriano, unless he can really unwind that slider with maximum effort and velocity, is more like a #3 starter

 

3) They do miss Mauer

 

4) Carlos Gomez is really, really bad so far this year...and their idea of rotating Young, Kubel, Cuddyer and Span and Gomez isn't working

 

5) Baker got rocked his first game back, and at the Dome, which was a bit surprising, as he's their true ace now, not Liriano

 

6) Perkins, Slowey and Blackburn have pitched very well...

 

7) The Twins, like the White Sox....didn't do anything besides the Crede acquisition, and the move to get Luis Ayala for 8th inning set-up wasn't enough....would have been SO much better with Juan Cruz. Guerrier was the one who was really rocked last night, and he was their primary RH set-up guy last year. Crain is Crain, like Dotel, very talented but erratic. Actually, I would say Dotel has been much better than the 08/09 Crain.

 

They caught lightning in a bottle with both Breslow (released twice) and Mijares (overweight) from the LH side, and also made the mistake of letting consistent Sox Slayer Mr. Denys Reyes go...who eventually signed for something like $1 million.

 

That Bartlett/Garza for Young trade is still killing them. Punto isn't an everyday player offensively, and neither is Crede. Young doesn't fit with that team...and Gomez can't get his OBP close to 300. Casilla also hasn't hit as well as projected...I thought the wise thing would have been for them to move him to SS, with Harris/Tolbert/FA (like Orlando Hudson) playing 2B. Or they could have used that money (that they saved on Nick Punto's contract) on a RH reliever like Juan Cruz. Mulvey/Humber, the pitchers from the Mets with Gomez (they got hosed in that Santana trade) have both been major disappointments.

 

Not even going to be a factor this year, Bonser had surgery, out for the year with torn labrum and rotator cuff. Not that he was such a big factor anyways

 

 

And I agree with the Bartlett/Garza trade being a killer for them. Young hasnt been nearly the talent that everyone said he was going to be, and trading thier SS of the future in Bartlett has changed Punto from a super-sub(where he excelled) into a fulltime starter and reduced his impact(IMO), plus Garza has some filthy stuff and the Twins could sure use his arm right now.

[caulfield12]

And God help the White Sox if they figured out how good David Ortiz was going to be and he had remained in Minnesota.

 

Then again, if they had any money, they probably would have picked Mark Prior over Mauer and look where they'd be...

[Melissa1334]

Sad about Gordon. He certainly is off to a terrible start to his career. Most in KC thought he'd be the next Brett.

isnt it bcuz they rushed him to the bigs?

 

[caulfield12]

I don't think Gordon was rushed...he was the equivalent of Beckham coming up sometime in August or September of this season.

 

I do think there was too much in the way of pressure and expectations, but he was ready from a physical standpoint, in the same way Jon Garland was ready in 2000...keep in mind, the Mike Sweeney Era in KC was ending and Gordon is from nearby NEB and there was the expectation in the KC papers and media that he would be the next Royals' franchise player.

 

You can also look at Zach Greinke in the same way...physically, he was ready from the day he was drafted, but the mental/psychological side is much more difficult.

 

Beckham, IMO, has a better "make-up" to deal with adversity than Gordon, and I know how good Gordon was, the Golden Spikes winner.

 

 

Yankees come back against the Indians and win 6-5 behind a Mariah Carey homer...Reyes pitched decently and had a 5-3 lead in the middle innings, but the Achilles' heel (unless they start using Wood for multiple innings) is going to be exposed, and it's one area where the White Sox and Royals have an advantage. Perhaps the Royals too, with Juan Cruz, Farnsworth (sometimes) and Mahay.

 

Actually, the Indians really pushed Mo Rivera, they had runners on 1st and 2nd with one out but Sizemore and DeRosa went down against the best closer in MLB history. Cleveland falls to 3-8 now, 3 GB.

Edited April 17, 2009 by caulfield12