Jordan4life_2007 Posted April 19, 2011 Share Posted April 19, 2011 QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Apr 18, 2011 -> 11:21 PM) But that won't last. He's good but not great. He's obviously not this good. But I've liked him for a while. He was hurt last year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rowand44 Posted April 19, 2011 Share Posted April 19, 2011 QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Apr 18, 2011 -> 10:21 PM) But that won't last. He's good but not great. And you would think Hafner will start to regress a good amount as well. This division is still ours to lose as far as I'm concerned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted April 19, 2011 Share Posted April 19, 2011 QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Apr 18, 2011 -> 11:44 PM) And you would think Hafner will start to regress a good amount as well. This division is still ours to lose as far as I'm concerned. Unless he found the Fountain of HGH. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleHurt05 Posted April 19, 2011 Share Posted April 19, 2011 QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Apr 19, 2011 -> 08:54 AM) Unless he found the Fountain of HGH. Along with Asdrubal. I think the kid has talent, but he already has 4 homers, while his career high is 6. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rowand44 Posted April 19, 2011 Share Posted April 19, 2011 QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Apr 19, 2011 -> 07:54 AM) Unless he found the Fountain of HGH. Ha exactly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ginger Kid Posted April 19, 2011 Share Posted April 19, 2011 Looks like VMart is heading to the DL with a groin strain. Not sorry we'll miss that Sox killer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High Mileage Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 Twins down 0-4 to Baltimore after 4.5... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordan4life_2007 Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 QUOTE (High Mileage @ Apr 19, 2011 -> 07:33 PM) Twins down 0-4 to Baltimore after 4.5... How does it feel that Alex Gordon appears to have finally figured it out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigruss Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Apr 19, 2011 -> 08:07 PM) How does it feel that Alex Gordon appears to have finally figured it out? It was only a matter of time, imo. Dude had to much talent, to me it was just all the pressure to save that franchise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted April 20, 2011 Author Share Posted April 20, 2011 After losing 11-0 last night to an Orioles team that had dropped eight straight, the Twins sit at 6-11 on the season. They have been outscored 83-50 in 17 games, averaging less than three runs per contest. They rank last in the major leagues in runs, walks, home runs and OPS. Things are as grim as can be. They will get better. Even with the injuries and the presence of offensive black holes like Alexi Casilla and Drew Butera, the Twins are not going to remain the worst-hitting team in baseball for long. They're too talented. But the inevitability of improvement for their mind-numbingly bad offensive start does nothing to erase the more legitimate long-term concerns that have manifested in the early going. In analyzing the 2011 squad as the season approached, the one thing that most deeply concerned me was the precariousness of the club's principal investments. Yes, the Twins pumped payroll up to an all-time high $112 million, but much of that money was tied up in significant question marks. It wasn't the cheap role players like Casilla and Butera who would determine this team's fate. It was the hobbled veterans whose bulky salaries forced the team to part with quality players like Orlando Hudson and J.J. Hardy, not to mention the entire bullpen. So far, those pricy question marks have not fared well. Joe Mauer, earning $23 million, struggled to a .554 OPS with one-extra base hit in nine games before landing on the disabled list with a bizarre assortment of ailments. There's no firm timetable in place for his return. Justin Morneau, earning $14 million, has admirably returned to the field after a long battle with post-concussion syndrome, but has not been at all effective. He managed 11 hits -- no homers -- and three walks in 56 plate appearances before missing the last three games with the flu. Joe Nathan, earning $11.5 million, also earns respect points for his recovery from serious injury, but it is evident that he does not belong on the major-league roster at this point. He is only hurting the club by occupying a spot in a bullpen that is already lacking trustworthy options. The underrated Michael Cuddyer, earning $10.5 million, owns a .608 OPS with no homers, and still hasn't driven in one run in 16 games. Those four players account for nearly half the payroll, and none have yielded any meaningful production up to this point. Throw in the struggles of moderately expensive players like Carl Pavano, Francisco Liriano, Delmon Young and Matt Capps, and it shouldn't be difficult to see why the team is struggling so mightily. The front office invested a lot of money into this 2011 roster and so far they've been ripped off by the hideous product on the field. Hopefully these players can get over their illnesses, rust, slumps and mental blocks in a hurry, because these dismal performances are getting harder to watch for fans and harder to justify for a $112M team that should be amidst a window of contention. Link Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High Mileage Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Apr 19, 2011 -> 08:07 PM) How does it feel that Alex Gordon appears to have finally figured it out? QUOTE (bigruss22 @ Apr 20, 2011 -> 06:36 AM) It was only a matter of time, imo. Dude had to much talent, to me it was just all the pressure to save that franchise. I'm not ready to say he's arrived yet, but it is nice to remember what skillset everybody in baseball swore was "can't miss"... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Apr 20, 2011 -> 11:48 AM) Link Obviously they need to fire Greg Walker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iwritecode Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Apr 20, 2011 -> 12:22 PM) Obviously they need to fire Greg Walker. Change a couple of names around in that article and you could be talking about the White Sox. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ginger Kid Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 Jose Valverde's routine gets a little old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High Mileage Posted April 22, 2011 Share Posted April 22, 2011 Some good series this weekend... Sox: 3 @ Tigers Indians: 3 @ Twins Royals: 3 @ Rangers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ginger Kid Posted April 22, 2011 Share Posted April 22, 2011 QUOTE (High Mileage @ Apr 22, 2011 -> 01:37 PM) Some good series this weekend... Sox: 3 @ Tigers Indians: 3 @ Twins Royals: 3 @ Rangers 2 out of 3 ain't bad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witesoxfan Posted April 22, 2011 Share Posted April 22, 2011 QUOTE (The Ginger Kid @ Apr 22, 2011 -> 03:55 PM) 2 out of 3 ain't bad That's a great song Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High Mileage Posted April 22, 2011 Share Posted April 22, 2011 I'd be ecstatic to take two of three from Texas, but I've been a Royals fan too long (all my life) to get any further ahead than the next game... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamshack Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 QUOTE (High Mileage @ Apr 22, 2011 -> 06:34 PM) I'd be ecstatic to take two of three from Texas, but I've been a Royals fan too long (all my life) to get any further ahead than the next game... So what are your thoughts on Alex Gordon, HM? You think he has finally broken through? He hasn't been hitting many home runs, but he's doing just about everything else right now. Honestly I am happy for him. Seems like a nice kid and a very hard worker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witesoxfan Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 Who decides when postponed games are to be made up? The Twins and Indians got rained out tonight and they didn't schedule a double header for this weekend. Not only does that seem like something that should be made up ASAP as opposed to scheduling something in the future (not real reason I'm upset), but the Twins will almost certainly be healthier and playing better and the Indians more banged up and s***tier when the teams finally do meet. THAT'S BULLCRAP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamshack Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Apr 23, 2011 -> 03:55 AM) Who decides when postponed games are to be made up? The Twins and Indians got rained out tonight and they didn't schedule a double header for this weekend. Not only does that seem like something that should be made up ASAP as opposed to scheduling something in the future (not real reason I'm upset), but the Twins will almost certainly be healthier and playing better and the Indians more banged up and s***tier when the teams finally do meet. THAT'S BULLCRAP I believe it is the home team. And they probably would rather play it later in the season when the weather is better and they can draw more at the gate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caulfield12 Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 (edited) QUOTE (iamshack @ Apr 23, 2011 -> 03:06 AM) I believe it is the home team. And they probably would rather play it later in the season when the weather is better and they can draw more at the gate. And Morneau, Mauer and Nathan are healthy and Cuddyer's not hitting for about the same OPS as Gordon Beckham. With their luck, another Liriano, Pavano or Duensing will have already popped up from the minors (Kyle Gibson?) and they'll sweep right through the Indians in a second-half make-up game. http://www.startribune.com/sports/twins/120519229.html Game won't be made up until July or September. Morneau and Young expected back for today, would have both been out last night. Edited April 23, 2011 by caulfield12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benchwarmerjim Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 I think they didnt want to schedule one for today because it is a noon start and there is a chance of rain for that and its about 40 degrees (about 20 degrees cooler than normal temps). play the double header when its warmer, if it ever gets warm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Chappas Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Apr 23, 2011 -> 03:55 AM) Who decides when postponed games are to be made up? The Twins and Indians got rained out tonight and they didn't schedule a double header for this weekend. Not only does that seem like something that should be made up ASAP as opposed to scheduling something in the future (not real reason I'm upset), but the Twins will almost certainly be healthier and playing better and the Indians more banged up and s***tier when the teams finally do meet. THAT'S BULLCRAP Depends on how often the visiting team comes back to town. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High Mileage Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 (edited) QUOTE (iamshack @ Apr 23, 2011 -> 03:12 AM) So what are your thoughts on Alex Gordon, HM? You think he has finally broken through? He hasn't been hitting many home runs, but he's doing just about everything else right now. Honestly I am happy for him. Seems like a nice kid and a very hard worker. I do think he's finally got it figured out. I don't expect him to hit .361/.404/.542 all year of course. I agree the home runs aren't there, but he's been hitting tons of line drives, not a lot of fly balls, at least from what I've seen. If he continues to play well (and be healthy) through the All-Star Break, then I'd be in favor of extending him. He and Kevin Seitzer worked together a lot in the off-season, working out flaws in his stride and swing, although his stance and overall swing appear the same. He's laying off the low and outside stuff he used to drive me absolutely f***ing crazy with, and he's staying on top of pitches, instead of rolling over on them and hitting weak infield grounders. I think the power will come with the warm weather, 15-25 homers from him sure would be nice... Edited April 23, 2011 by High Mileage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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