Last year's unlikely run to the AL Central title made optimists out of everyone, and that's understandable. The Twins have less games to make up than they did at their lowest point last year, and have more time to do it.
So that's a good thing.
But it still looks to be a daunting task - mostly because the Detroit Tigers are quite clearly the best team in baseball. The Twins best hope was that the Tigers would struggle while Kenny Rogers, Joel Zumaya and Fernando Rodney were on the DL and Gary Sheffield struggled.
It didn't hurt them a bit. If anything, the Tigers should be better in the second half than they were in the first.
But I emphasize should.
Plus, there's the wild card, and I'm not as sold on the Indians, Mariners, Yankees or A's as I am the Tigers.
Bottom line, a playoff spot is still a fairly realistic possibility for the 2007 Twins.
As for the first half, in which the Twins posted a non-disastrous but uninspiring 45-43 record, well, there were ups and downs.
Justin Morneau and Torii Hunter are having MVP seasons. Jason Kubel and Jason Bartlett are improving after slow starts. They survived a month-long injury to Joe Mauer. Michael Cuddyer is on pace for 100 RBI (Hunter and Morneau are on pace for about 140).
Johan Santana, when you consider his lifetime pre and post allstar game splits, is having his best season, and if he has the kind of second half he usually does, he'll win another Cy Young award.
The bullpen has seen a major injury to Jesse Crain, a minor injury to Dennys Reyes, and a noticeable decline in Juan Rincon, but is still one of the best in the league thanks to the continued emergence of Pat Neshek and Matt Guerrier. Reyes has also pitched closer to last year's form since coming off the DL. Carlos Silva has been pretty decent despite a 6-10 record.
That's the good stuff. There was, in my opinion, more bad stuff.
Ramon Ortiz and Sidney Ponson didn't work out. What a shocker.
Nick Punto, while gold glove caliber at 3B, is a less productive hitter than your typical NL pitcher.
Rondell White should be ashamed to accept his salary, playing only 3 games and turning the DH spot, or LF spot (whichever one Kubel isn't occupying on a particular night) into a black hole.
Luis Castillo is hitting .305, but with fewer walks and no power, that makes him appear more valuable than he really is.
Jason Tyner has started 14 games at DH - and Terry Ryan should be very embarrassed by that.
In Punto, Bartlett and Castillo the Twins have three of the bottom seven hitters in the AL in slugging percentage. If Tyner had enough at-bats to qualify they'd have four of the bottom eight.
How the hell can the Twins compete with the two highest scoring teams in the AL (Detroit and Cleveland) with four .300 slugging percentages in the lineup?
Answer: They can't.
Luckily, Bartlett looks likely for a much better second half, as does Kubel, who has slugged at a near .500 clip after going his first 108 at-bats without a dinger.
Interesting to note is that Kubel is hitting .300 against lefties, yet Gardy still benches him for Lew Ford vs. lefty pitchers. The same Gardy that kept insisting Jacque Jones was 'doing fine' against lefties and refused to platoon him when he was hitting around .200.
That's just poor, blind managing. They keep these stats for a reason, Ron. Open up a book.
Will the Twins add a bat? Depends. I think Ryan was going to use Rondell White's return as an excuse not to make a move, but it should be obvious by now that White isn't going to contribute significantly, and I question whether or not he even wants to.
So that might force Ryan's stubborn hand.
Dmitri Young, Shea Hillenbrand, Ty Wigginton and Kevin Mench are among the mid-level bats the Twins could probably get.
I think unless the Twins open the second half with a 3-10 run, something will happen. Just because Ryan hasn't acknowledged anything in the paper doesn't mean he's not going to make a trade. He never tips his hand, and usually works in secret, so to speak.
Another wild card is the starting rotation. Matt Garza's strong debut suggests an outside chance he could provide at least the kind of boost Boof Bonser did last year, and maybe the kind Francisco Liriano did.
Bonser himself has been inconsistent, but clearly has the ability to be a No. 2. Scott Baker also had some nice moments mixed in with some horrible ones. If those three can get some consistency, the Twins have a shot.
It's going to be tough. And it doesn't look good. But as someone once said, "That's why they play the games."
He also said, "You're with me, leather."
23 comments:
They have no chance
They do if they stop playing Nick
I can't prove this, but I think Ichiro and Tyner share the same father.
And like Ichiro, Tyner can hit homeruns at will. It's just that their ol' man placed more stock in batting averages as apposed to homeruns.
I bet Tyner would really put up some numbers if he only got a chance. Too bad Gardy hates asians.
I'm making a call on Terry Ryan's next big unsucessful gamble. He's going to sign 48 year old Julio Franco, who was just today designated for assingment by the Mets. He's hitting a Nick Punto like .210, but no doubt, he's Terry Ryan's next Ruben Sierra.
Another call....Baker's going to get his tits lit up tonight, and Gardy's comments will be, "He battled hard out there, but just couldn't get his sinker going."
Quote the Berman, nevermore.
7th innning and Baker was just fine, but I think I saw Rondell selling beer in the left field stands - should be just fine if he doesn't have to skip over anything.
Rondell White was selling beer and has already been released. He was only able to reach 1 out of every 10 thirsty customers. Also, his garbage would fall short of it's desired target 100% of the time.
Rextwin
Last night, the 2007 twins accomplished an amazing feat...a DH other than Morneau, got an extra base hit. Garrett Jones put a double off the baggy. I hope they got him drunk, or at least he got himself drunk.
Anyone remember when FSN used to show Doug Meintkwitzce's (sp)wife in the stands during home games? Or, basically, just zoom in on her incredibly well rounded surgically enhanced hogs....I always thought that was a nice touch by the FSN producers.
Yes, we all remember Jodi quite fondly.
It all started with Dick and Bert interviewing her in the stands. Soon after, they began bringing her up to the booth. I guess Dick wanted to get a closer look. Poor Dick. He took the Dougy Alphabet trade pretty hard.
Poor Dick. Now he only has Marnie Gellner to look at. (yawn)
Word has it Ms. Gelnar prefers postgame locker room interviews with the T-wolves more than she does with the Twins. I guess its mainly due to manhood length differences between the predominantly black NBA players, and the smaller white and latino MLB players.
I decree that more respect will be shown towards Ms. Gellner in the future.
Thank you.
"...Kubel, who has slugged at a near .500 clip after going his first 108 at-bats without a dinger."
You spelled dinner wrong.
Maybe he's just pounding that ball so he can get back to the dugout faster to eat. Like a snickers or something.
Does Marnie even play on Blyleven's team?
I believe you're right, Rex. However, though she prefers the T-Wolves post-game locker room, word has it; Marnie is anxiously awaiting the return of Rondell White. Apparently he has great locker presence.
--Also, Marnie considers herself a member of "Bert's team." However, she has been known to play with women's softball teams from time to time.
Marnie Gelnar is the classic small town farm girl.....Plane Jane looking, no make up, straight hair, and sprinted towards the first black guy she ever saw, much to the dismay of her father. But oh well.
Burt, the crazy coors light drinking dutchman, is basically just the high class Johnnie Holmes. Bramer is jealous about this, because he's too much by the book, and he wears turtle necks to his speaking engagements on the Twins winter caravan.
Would Punto hit .211 in slow pitch beer ball?
Back when Bert got suspended for the F-Bomb use, I had to fill in for him. The first night was tough. We lost, and I made a bunch of mistakes - kept mispronouncing names, stuttering, at one point I even called Luis Rodriguez the Twins' "secret weapon".
It was a tough night. I could tell Dick was pissed at me.
After the game I was sitting alone in the booth, nursing a beer, some nachos, a pizza, two hot dogs and a cake, when Marnie came over and gave me a big hug.
"Don't take it so hard, Ron," she said. "I was once terrible at this job, too."
Then she gave me a hug. It was so nice. Made me feel so good. Our embrace lasted long, and before I knew it, our eyes met, and we kissed.
It was uncomfortable for us both, so we decided to have a couple beers to break the tension.
All that did was heat things up.
Soon we were back at the hotel, and one thing led to another, and, well, a gentleman never tells. I'll just say I had a great game behind the mic the next night, and my career has been rocketing skyward ever since.
Thanks Marnie, you'll always have a place in my cholesterol-plagued, oversized heart.
Hmmmmmm, tough call. Punto wouldn't be striking out as much, but he'd be popping out to center more. I'll give Nick a little credit and say he'd hit .280. He'd be able to fully concentrate on his swing from the left side of the plate as he wouldn't see too much left-handed pitching.
"It was uncomfortable for us both, so we decided to have a couple beers to break the tension.
All that did was heat things up." Coomer, you son of a bitch, you knew what you were doing. How dare you take advantage of such a sweet girl.
Way to go Ron
Ron, I cant believe you have aired our love to the public.
How come you never called?
You said youd call
Because I told him if he defiled my lady again, I'd kill him. Mmmmm, love that ass.
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