On Sunday I wished that my two baseball boyfriends wouldn't ruin my Thanksgiving morning by signing with other clubs on that day. So I guess it was polite of Joe Nathan to sign with the Texas Rangers on Monday.
But, I gotta admit that I still pretty bummed. Ok, really bummed. I know that I can say "no interesting" to whoever it is pitching in the ninth inning and driving me nuts, but it won't be the same. It'll never be the same.
His whole nervous pacing, huffing and puffing, and lip blowing routine is exactly why love watching him pitch. Plus, he always seemed like a great guy.
I know he wasn't his best after coming back from Tommy John surgery, but toward the end of the season, he was really improving. I'm fully convinced that his velocity and his slider will be back to 100% in 2012. So I was really hoping he'd sign with the Twins again.
I kind of knew when he took that dirt off the pitching mound after the final Twins game in 2011 that he didn't think he was coming back. Some of the beat reporters were kind of hinting that he was kind of hinting that he wanted to play for a winning team. I can't blame him for that. I wonder if the Minnesota's saves leader was really more disillusioned by the Twins than he was letting on. Of course, we'll never know; he's too classy to say.
I sincerely hope he has success in Texas. I'll never not like him, so I'm glad he made it easy on me and went to the team that captured my imagination the last two years.
Good luck, Joe. And remember ... no interesting; I'll be watching.
Showing posts with label Nathan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nathan. Show all posts
Monday, November 21, 2011
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Well, That's That
For a season that focused so much time on remembering the past, 2011 was certainly forgettable.
Fans had the chance to fondly look back on the great careers of Harmon Killebrew, Bert Blyleven, and John Gordon and to celebrate the 1991 World Series team.
We also got to celebrate some great personal achievements: Jim Thome's 600th home run, Francisco Liriano's no-hitter, Michael Cuddyer's All Star Game selection, Joe Nathan's 255th save for the Twins record, Ben Revere's 32nd stolen base for the Twins rookie record.
All these things were terrific, and I really enjoyed them. I'm just sad that there weren't many other chances to cheer.
I'm grateful I chose to go to Wednesday's game. I wanted to say goodbye to the season. I'm grateful that the Twins played well for me and avoided that 100 loss thing. Sure, 99 losses is still a hella lot of losses, but it ain't 100.
I love that the 2011 debut of the Pavanostache resulted in such a fine performance. I hope Carl finally realizes that the 'stache is magical and that he's a much better pitcher with it than without it; add "keep the 'stache, Carl" to my 2012 Wish List.
I'm also grateful that I got one last chance to say goodbye to my two baseball boyfriends: Joe Nathan and Michael Cuddyer. I gave Cuddy a standing ovation during his final plate appearance. I'm a bit bummed that I didn't have the same opportunity for Joe Nathan, but I totally understand -- the power of the 'Stache was too strong for that kind of sentimentality. However, when Joe grabbed some mound dirt after the game was over, I lost my composure...I was inconsolably sniffly. I guess he doesn't think he'll be back. Sad.
So, after the playoffs and World Series try to distract us for a little while, we're faced with one of the strangest off-seasons the Twins have had in a while. They simply have to fix this.
It's a fact that some of the guys I saw play on Wednesday will be wearing different uniforms in 2012 -- some back to the minors; some with other organizations. I sincerely wish them all the best.
For the guys who will be back, I sincerely wish them the best, too. They all need to be healthy and ready to go for Spring Training.
And I'm already looking forward to pitchers and catchers reporting!
~~~
I hope that the playoffs provide at least half the excitement that the two wild card races did. Wow, huh?
I don't like to make predictions for post-season play, but I do like to pick rooting interests. So here we go:
Have fun with the small portions of baseball left for the year. The off-season can be kind of fun, but it doesn't keep me warm at night like actual baseball games do.
Fans had the chance to fondly look back on the great careers of Harmon Killebrew, Bert Blyleven, and John Gordon and to celebrate the 1991 World Series team.
We also got to celebrate some great personal achievements: Jim Thome's 600th home run, Francisco Liriano's no-hitter, Michael Cuddyer's All Star Game selection, Joe Nathan's 255th save for the Twins record, Ben Revere's 32nd stolen base for the Twins rookie record.
All these things were terrific, and I really enjoyed them. I'm just sad that there weren't many other chances to cheer.
I'm grateful I chose to go to Wednesday's game. I wanted to say goodbye to the season. I'm grateful that the Twins played well for me and avoided that 100 loss thing. Sure, 99 losses is still a hella lot of losses, but it ain't 100.
I love that the 2011 debut of the Pavanostache resulted in such a fine performance. I hope Carl finally realizes that the 'stache is magical and that he's a much better pitcher with it than without it; add "keep the 'stache, Carl" to my 2012 Wish List.
I'm also grateful that I got one last chance to say goodbye to my two baseball boyfriends: Joe Nathan and Michael Cuddyer. I gave Cuddy a standing ovation during his final plate appearance. I'm a bit bummed that I didn't have the same opportunity for Joe Nathan, but I totally understand -- the power of the 'Stache was too strong for that kind of sentimentality. However, when Joe grabbed some mound dirt after the game was over, I lost my composure...I was inconsolably sniffly. I guess he doesn't think he'll be back. Sad.
So, after the playoffs and World Series try to distract us for a little while, we're faced with one of the strangest off-seasons the Twins have had in a while. They simply have to fix this.
It's a fact that some of the guys I saw play on Wednesday will be wearing different uniforms in 2012 -- some back to the minors; some with other organizations. I sincerely wish them all the best.
For the guys who will be back, I sincerely wish them the best, too. They all need to be healthy and ready to go for Spring Training.
And I'm already looking forward to pitchers and catchers reporting!
~~~
I hope that the playoffs provide at least half the excitement that the two wild card races did. Wow, huh?
I don't like to make predictions for post-season play, but I do like to pick rooting interests. So here we go:
- I like the Cardinals to beat the Phillies (I consider the Cards my NL team),
- I like the Brewers to beat the Diamondbacks (I know more about the Brewers),
- I like the Tigers to beat the Yankees (for obvious reasons), and
- I'm torn between the Rangers and the Rays -- but the Rays have the slight edge (I like their story, and I love Joe Madden).
Have fun with the small portions of baseball left for the year. The off-season can be kind of fun, but it doesn't keep me warm at night like actual baseball games do.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
2012 Wish List, Part VI: Take the Bullpen Seriously
Remember a year ago when one of the biggest gripes certain Twins fans could come up with was calling Jesse Crain "Crainwreck"? Remember a year ago when certain Twins fans were so fed up with Matt Guerrier they couldn't be bothered with pronouncing his name correctly?
Yeah...I wonder what those certain fans think about those guys now?
I miss them too.
I have to admit that the old cliche of you don't know what you've got until it's gone applies to me regarding the Twins bullpen of yesteryear. And as much I would love to have either one or both of those guys back, it's too late to rue the decisions of the past.
Too bad the present isn't much fun.
The current bullpen owns the worst cumulative ERA in all of baseball (4.53). The front office can't expect to win very many games when they can't trust the men at the back end of the game to preserve leads or, at the very least, keep the team close. Unfortunately, however, the front office has shown over the last few years that it doesn't worry too much about the state of the bullpen. Fans have been fed lines that everything will be ok with the guys we have for a while now.
We can't have Crain or Guerrier back (well, I suppose we could, but I doubt it). But that doesn't mean we have to be stuck with what we have.
Here's the plan I wish for:
Bring Nathan back. The Twins have a $12 million option to keep him one more year. That's pretty spendy; I don't see Bill Smith willing to pony up that kind of money. And frankly, that's too much for a relief pitcher. However, I would like the Twins to let him test the free agent market and then actively pursue him for less money. He turns 37 this off-season; his next multi-year contract will likely be his last. I can see him taking the security of more years and still make it affordable for the Twins.
Tender Glen Perkins another contract. I used to kind of hate him as a starter. I really like him as a set up man.
Find a new home for Kevin Slowey. His, um, philosophical differences with the team are simply too chaotic to overcome. He'll probably succeed elsewhere; he just doesn't fit with the Twins.
Put Anthony Swarzak and Brian Duensing back to the bullpen and keep them as middle-inning and long relievers.
Say good-bye to Phil Dumatrait, Jose Mijares, and Matt Capps. They simply don't pitch well enough and have proven that they can't be trusted. Maybe send Alex Burnett on his way as well.
Then, find good, reliable replacements. I like the promise that Lester Oliveros has shown, though I'm not sure he's really ready for the big leagues yet. He's only 23; let him earn a spot in spring training. Otherwise, make some trades and sign some new guys.
And maybe just make a quick phone call to Jesse Crain and Matt Guerrier.
~~~
Since I mentioned Matt Capps, here's his paper doll:
If I remember correctly, he was unavailable for a few games mid-season because he had some forearm soreness. Or was it shoulder? Elbow? I guess I can't remember correctly.
Anyway, he's the last one of the guys who were on the Opening Day roster.
Yeah...I wonder what those certain fans think about those guys now?
I miss them too.
I have to admit that the old cliche of you don't know what you've got until it's gone applies to me regarding the Twins bullpen of yesteryear. And as much I would love to have either one or both of those guys back, it's too late to rue the decisions of the past.
Too bad the present isn't much fun.
The current bullpen owns the worst cumulative ERA in all of baseball (4.53). The front office can't expect to win very many games when they can't trust the men at the back end of the game to preserve leads or, at the very least, keep the team close. Unfortunately, however, the front office has shown over the last few years that it doesn't worry too much about the state of the bullpen. Fans have been fed lines that everything will be ok with the guys we have for a while now.
We can't have Crain or Guerrier back (well, I suppose we could, but I doubt it). But that doesn't mean we have to be stuck with what we have.
Here's the plan I wish for:
Bring Nathan back. The Twins have a $12 million option to keep him one more year. That's pretty spendy; I don't see Bill Smith willing to pony up that kind of money. And frankly, that's too much for a relief pitcher. However, I would like the Twins to let him test the free agent market and then actively pursue him for less money. He turns 37 this off-season; his next multi-year contract will likely be his last. I can see him taking the security of more years and still make it affordable for the Twins.
Tender Glen Perkins another contract. I used to kind of hate him as a starter. I really like him as a set up man.
Find a new home for Kevin Slowey. His, um, philosophical differences with the team are simply too chaotic to overcome. He'll probably succeed elsewhere; he just doesn't fit with the Twins.
Put Anthony Swarzak and Brian Duensing back to the bullpen and keep them as middle-inning and long relievers.
Say good-bye to Phil Dumatrait, Jose Mijares, and Matt Capps. They simply don't pitch well enough and have proven that they can't be trusted. Maybe send Alex Burnett on his way as well.
Then, find good, reliable replacements. I like the promise that Lester Oliveros has shown, though I'm not sure he's really ready for the big leagues yet. He's only 23; let him earn a spot in spring training. Otherwise, make some trades and sign some new guys.
And maybe just make a quick phone call to Jesse Crain and Matt Guerrier.
~~~
Since I mentioned Matt Capps, here's his paper doll:
Anyway, he's the last one of the guys who were on the Opening Day roster.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Joe Nathan: A Case Study on Stupid Stats, Baseball Boyfriends, and Cognitive Dissonance
Cognitive dissonance is defined as that uncomfortable feeling we have because we simultaneously hold two opposing beliefs. Humans tend to eschew this inner conflict, so we do everything we can to get rid of these feelings -- something has to give or else we'll drive ourselves nuts. Usually cognitive dissonance is at its strongest when it applies to firmly held personal values or self-identity. It also applies to baseball.
Here are my dissonant beliefs:
The Save state is generally dumb. Specifically, managing and administrating to the Save stat is dumb. Because of the all-mighty Save, teams anoint one man their "Closer" to use pretty much exclusively in Save situations. Usually, his royal highness is the best reliever on the team who can get out both left- and right-handed batters and who has the mental toughness to handle the pressure that comes at the end of a close game. And, usually, his royal highness makes more money than comparable relievers because everyone loves the Save stat.
But what does having a lot of Saves really mean? Not much. It's one of three random situations that someone decided would be cool to name. A pitcher is granted a shiny Save if he doesn't allow the opponent to tie or go ahead in these instances:
Many times, the philosophy of "starter to reliever to maybe another reliever to Closer" works. The Closer pads his Save count, the manager looks good, the fans are happy, and the Closer's agent sees more dollar signs. Everybody's happy.
However, keeping the best reliever off to the side until the ninth inning is kind of a crappy strategy if you think about it. Sometimes, the highest-pressure situation of the game comes in the seventh or eighth inning, and the manager is reduced to trotting out a parade of lefty or righty specialists to get through. Or, he brings in his set-up man, who may be effective, but get no credit (yeah, he gets a Hold, but those are even dumber than Saves). Oh, and heaven forbid if the team is in a tie game on the road; the Closer will be stuck in purgatory until they go ahead and need him for the Save, regardless of how long the game goes on or how many sticky situations they get in to.
So, teams pay extra money and change their game strategy all based upon the notion of allowing the Closer to earn Saves. Everything about this screams "crazy."
With all that being said, I couldn't love Joe Nathan more. He, along with Michael Cuddyer, is my baseball boyfriend (yes, I have two baseball boyfriends; there are no rules to this and it's not like they care). And even more crazy, I couldn't be more proud and pleased that he recently became the Twins' all-time Saves leader.
Not only do I love it that he's earned so many Saves, I simply enjoy watching him earn each one of them. His nervous habits make the game so much more entertaining. I have great fun staring intently into my TV, radio, or him from afar and urging his success by commanding "no interesting!"
I've met him a couple times at autograph signings and Twinsfest photo-ops and such, and he's always smiled nicely and greeted the fans warmly. And in every interview I've seen with him, he's always said the right things and seemed sincere. I've never seen any hint of anything negative about him at all. In fact, I have read several reports vaunting what a hard worker he is -- especially during his rehab from Tommy John surgery.
He had enough class to remove himself from the Closer role when it was clear that he was hurting the team. Earning those beloved Saves wasn't such a priority if he couldn't do it well. He's an all-around good Twins player and someone Twins fans can be proud of.
Unfortunately, there isn't much I can do to resolve my dissonance. I can't change teams' minds about overvaluing Saves, nor can I persuade the Twins to keep Joe Nathan on the team forever. And I'm not likely to change my mind about either of my positions.
I suppose Bill Smith will soon be suffering his own bout of cognitive dissonance about Joe Nathan as well. On one hand, he'll love everything Joe has done for the team and, understanding that he'll be even better next season, will want him to keep notching those Saves. On the other hand, the team has a $12.5 million option on Joe next season, and that's a lot of money that could be used to add to the team in other key positions; a $2 million buyout to allow him to be a free agent might be a necessary choice.
I don't envy Smith's dissonance resolution at all.
Here are my dissonant beliefs:
- I hate the Save stat
- I love Joe Nathan
The Save state is generally dumb. Specifically, managing and administrating to the Save stat is dumb. Because of the all-mighty Save, teams anoint one man their "Closer" to use pretty much exclusively in Save situations. Usually, his royal highness is the best reliever on the team who can get out both left- and right-handed batters and who has the mental toughness to handle the pressure that comes at the end of a close game. And, usually, his royal highness makes more money than comparable relievers because everyone loves the Save stat.
But what does having a lot of Saves really mean? Not much. It's one of three random situations that someone decided would be cool to name. A pitcher is granted a shiny Save if he doesn't allow the opponent to tie or go ahead in these instances:
- comes in the ninth inning with a 3-run or fewer lead
- comes in the any time in the eighth or ninth inning and pitches the rest of the game with the tying run on base, at the plate, on deck, or in the hole
- pitches the final three full innings regardless of the score (in 2007, Wes Littleton of the Texas Rangers earned a Save in a 30-3 win over the Baltimore Orioles because he happened to pitch the final three innings of the game)
Many times, the philosophy of "starter to reliever to maybe another reliever to Closer" works. The Closer pads his Save count, the manager looks good, the fans are happy, and the Closer's agent sees more dollar signs. Everybody's happy.
However, keeping the best reliever off to the side until the ninth inning is kind of a crappy strategy if you think about it. Sometimes, the highest-pressure situation of the game comes in the seventh or eighth inning, and the manager is reduced to trotting out a parade of lefty or righty specialists to get through. Or, he brings in his set-up man, who may be effective, but get no credit (yeah, he gets a Hold, but those are even dumber than Saves). Oh, and heaven forbid if the team is in a tie game on the road; the Closer will be stuck in purgatory until they go ahead and need him for the Save, regardless of how long the game goes on or how many sticky situations they get in to.
So, teams pay extra money and change their game strategy all based upon the notion of allowing the Closer to earn Saves. Everything about this screams "crazy."
With all that being said, I couldn't love Joe Nathan more. He, along with Michael Cuddyer, is my baseball boyfriend (yes, I have two baseball boyfriends; there are no rules to this and it's not like they care). And even more crazy, I couldn't be more proud and pleased that he recently became the Twins' all-time Saves leader.
Not only do I love it that he's earned so many Saves, I simply enjoy watching him earn each one of them. His nervous habits make the game so much more entertaining. I have great fun staring intently into my TV, radio, or him from afar and urging his success by commanding "no interesting!"
I've met him a couple times at autograph signings and Twinsfest photo-ops and such, and he's always smiled nicely and greeted the fans warmly. And in every interview I've seen with him, he's always said the right things and seemed sincere. I've never seen any hint of anything negative about him at all. In fact, I have read several reports vaunting what a hard worker he is -- especially during his rehab from Tommy John surgery.
He had enough class to remove himself from the Closer role when it was clear that he was hurting the team. Earning those beloved Saves wasn't such a priority if he couldn't do it well. He's an all-around good Twins player and someone Twins fans can be proud of.
Unfortunately, there isn't much I can do to resolve my dissonance. I can't change teams' minds about overvaluing Saves, nor can I persuade the Twins to keep Joe Nathan on the team forever. And I'm not likely to change my mind about either of my positions.
I suppose Bill Smith will soon be suffering his own bout of cognitive dissonance about Joe Nathan as well. On one hand, he'll love everything Joe has done for the team and, understanding that he'll be even better next season, will want him to keep notching those Saves. On the other hand, the team has a $12.5 million option on Joe next season, and that's a lot of money that could be used to add to the team in other key positions; a $2 million buyout to allow him to be a free agent might be a necessary choice.
I don't envy Smith's dissonance resolution at all.
Monday, July 4, 2011
A Few Holiday Weekend Quick Notes
I hope you had a wonderful long Independence Day weekend. I sure did; it couldn't have been more perfect. I went to Friday's game, which was a lot of fun (even the rain delay was interesting). Then I spent the rest of the weekend at the lake where the weather was perfect. Boating, eating, resting, and a little drinking. Very nice. The only wrinkle was when Matt Capps vomited all over the Twins' 3-run lead on Saturday.
A few notes:
A few notes:
- Friday was my first time in the Metropolitan Club at Target Field. I highly recommend the horseradish encrusted walleye. And the Yukon gold mashed potatoes. And the spinach ravioli with asparagus and portobello cream sauce. And...well, everything.
- The rain that came over Target Field on Friday night was pretty cool. The first storm was quite windy, and the poor grounds crew guys were hustling their tails off to get, and keep, the tarp down. They threw everything heavy they owned on it to keep it from blowing away: bags of fertilizer, the things they use to drag the infield dirt, hoses, carts, whatever. When the second storm blew in, it was actually awesome. There was a distinct edge to the storm, and when the edge came across the bank of lights, the optical illusion made it look like a wave crashing over the park. The crowd ooooh'd and aaaaaah'd over it. This picture doesn't do justice to it:
- The grounds crew is amazing. It was actually pretty interesting watching them work. You know how Target Field brags about capturing and recycling rain water? It's true -- at least the capturing part. There is a drain near third base, and the manipulate the tarp so that all the water goes there. Then they squeegie all the water into the drain. It looked like there may have been other drains along the warning track as well. Fifteen minutes after the rain stopped, it looked from the stands like the field was never wet.
- Jim Thome. Home run. 'Nuf said.
- Even though the rain delay made it a late night, the fireworks after the game were pretty cool.
- How tired are we of Matt Capps? I've never been a huge fan of his, mainly because Joe Nathan is my guy and I'm emotional about the whole closer situation. Earlier in the season, Joe Nathan took himself out of the closer role after only two blown saves. Capps has now blown six saves, and he got bent because Gardy pulled him after giving up two hits on Sunday, a day after blowing a three-run lead. Not cool. The trouble with Capps is that he doesn't have an overpowering fastball and he doesn't really strike out a lot of people. He's a contact pitcher, and contact pitchers can get hit around sometimes. Not really the best closer material, if you ask me. I'm not saying he's a bad pitcher, just not a good closer.
- So, was it a sign of progress when Gardy pulled Capps and put in Glen Perkins on Sunday? Is he going to start using the best pitcher for the situation in the ninth instead of managing to the "Save for the Closer" philosophy? I have my doubts. He's always seemed to me to be a big the-closer-and-only-the-closer-pitches-the-ninth type guy. Is it time he re-visit his idea of closer by Capps/Nathan committee plan he had after spring training? I think so, but again, I can't speak objectively about any of it.
- Here's how I forgot about the whole closer mess -- on the pontoon:
- I'm so happy that Michael Cuddyer was named to the All-Star Game. I hope he has fun with it. I think it's funny that he doesn't know which glove to bring, so he'll just bring them all.
- Jim Thome. Home run. Again.
- Gardy looked like a genius on Monday by putting Danny Valencia at DH and Danny responds by hitting a three-run home run.
- Complete shut outs are hawt. That makes Brian Duensing all the hawt. Even though he had to do a little "character building" in the first couple innings.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Attracted to Pitching and Other Thoughts
I've never made it a secret that I love great pitching. Of course, I love it when our boys execute great hitting and running and scoring and all that. But when our pitchers go deep into games and keep the opponents from executing their own hitting and running and scoring, well, I get a little...um, flushed. Mmmmm, I love snuggling up with a great pitching performance.
Carl Pavano's complete game and Nick Blackburn's eight shutout innings were hot. Or, rather, "hawt." And the fact that it was the White Sox that they owned made it all that sexier. Rawr. It's totally cool to have a crush on both of them -- this is baseball love after all. In fact, I wouldn't mind if all the pitchers started flirting with me by pitching gems.
Ozzie Guillen made some funny comments after Thursday's game (I'll try to paraphrase, but I don't know if I'll do a good job because I never understand what he's saying anyway). He said that the Twins were a bunch of "sardines" and "circus midgets" and they still beat his team. I think his point was that all the big, burly boppers (Morneau, Mauer, Thome, Kubel) were gone and all that were left were the Revere- and Casilla-sized guys. And, like the piranhas of the past, the little ones earned Ozzie's respect ... and annoyance.
~~~
Transactions:
In order to make room for Tsuyoshi Nishioka, Glen Perkins, and Joe Mauer to come off the DL, the Twins had to move some guys to AAA. Dusty Hughes and Brian Dinkelman have been outrighted to AAA. This removes them off the 40-man roster so Nishioka and Mauer can be re-added. Chuck James was optioned to AAA for Glen Perkins.
~~~
Joe Nathan flew back to Minnesota from Fort Myers. He says he's ready to come back. Gardy wasn't convinced and wants him to report to Rochester for a rehab stint. Can you imagine that conversation? "Hey Gardy, I'm ready to go." "Uhhh...no, Joe, I think you need more time." "No, skip, really. I'm good." "No, Joe. You really need to get more pitches in." "Awww, c'mon skip, I don't wanna go to Rochester. Paleeeeeeese let me stay?" "Joe...now get your butt to Rochester and stop complaining." "Ooh-kay. Rats!"
~~~
Friday is Joe Mauer Day 2011! Even though there have been plenty of fans commenting on blogs and calling into sports talk show who are frustrated with his inability to play, most fans are really looking forward seeing him again.
He had a press conference on Thursday where he tried to explain the cause of his injury and why it took so long to return. He made it very clear that he did not have Lyme disease, or any other disease for that matter. He indicated that the rehab from his off-season knee surgery didn't go as planned, and his legs were weak because he was really suffering from post-surgical pain. Plus, the timing of that nasty flu bug probably didn't help any either, although Joe insists that his legs felt weak before he caught it.
Listing the injury as "bilateral leg weakness" was probably a mistake in retrospect. The Twins had to list something on the transaction, and since they didn't really know exactly what was wrong, that's what they wrote down. But doing so created a lot of unintentional angst among fans.
Folks understand things such as "broken fibula" or "strained oblique." "Bilateral leg weakness" doesn't mean anything at all except that both legs feel weak. Additionally, most fans also understand the cause of most muscle strains or tissue sprains -- there's usually an event to point to. Even Jim Thome's continuing back troubles are easy to figure out -- he's got a bad back and that's that.
However, when the ambiguous "bilateral leg weakness" was the announced disability for Mauer, most fans ran to the internet to look it up. And the internet wasn't particularly helpful. There are probably a million causes for bilateral leg weakness, and some of them are pretty scary. Which led many fans to believe that Joe and the Twins were hiding some serious condition. I can't tell you how many hits this blog received by people Googling "Joe Mauer Lyme Disease." I never said he had it; I merely listed several of the causes I found in my Googling to illustrate that the symptom could have meant anything.
At any rate, he says he's still not 100%, but he is ready to play. Welcome home, Joe.
Carl Pavano's complete game and Nick Blackburn's eight shutout innings were hot. Or, rather, "hawt." And the fact that it was the White Sox that they owned made it all that sexier. Rawr. It's totally cool to have a crush on both of them -- this is baseball love after all. In fact, I wouldn't mind if all the pitchers started flirting with me by pitching gems.
Ozzie Guillen made some funny comments after Thursday's game (I'll try to paraphrase, but I don't know if I'll do a good job because I never understand what he's saying anyway). He said that the Twins were a bunch of "sardines" and "circus midgets" and they still beat his team. I think his point was that all the big, burly boppers (Morneau, Mauer, Thome, Kubel) were gone and all that were left were the Revere- and Casilla-sized guys. And, like the piranhas of the past, the little ones earned Ozzie's respect ... and annoyance.
~~~
Transactions:
In order to make room for Tsuyoshi Nishioka, Glen Perkins, and Joe Mauer to come off the DL, the Twins had to move some guys to AAA. Dusty Hughes and Brian Dinkelman have been outrighted to AAA. This removes them off the 40-man roster so Nishioka and Mauer can be re-added. Chuck James was optioned to AAA for Glen Perkins.
~~~
Joe Nathan flew back to Minnesota from Fort Myers. He says he's ready to come back. Gardy wasn't convinced and wants him to report to Rochester for a rehab stint. Can you imagine that conversation? "Hey Gardy, I'm ready to go." "Uhhh...no, Joe, I think you need more time." "No, skip, really. I'm good." "No, Joe. You really need to get more pitches in." "Awww, c'mon skip, I don't wanna go to Rochester. Paleeeeeeese let me stay?" "Joe...now get your butt to Rochester and stop complaining." "Ooh-kay. Rats!"
~~~
Friday is Joe Mauer Day 2011! Even though there have been plenty of fans commenting on blogs and calling into sports talk show who are frustrated with his inability to play, most fans are really looking forward seeing him again.
He had a press conference on Thursday where he tried to explain the cause of his injury and why it took so long to return. He made it very clear that he did not have Lyme disease, or any other disease for that matter. He indicated that the rehab from his off-season knee surgery didn't go as planned, and his legs were weak because he was really suffering from post-surgical pain. Plus, the timing of that nasty flu bug probably didn't help any either, although Joe insists that his legs felt weak before he caught it.
Listing the injury as "bilateral leg weakness" was probably a mistake in retrospect. The Twins had to list something on the transaction, and since they didn't really know exactly what was wrong, that's what they wrote down. But doing so created a lot of unintentional angst among fans.
Folks understand things such as "broken fibula" or "strained oblique." "Bilateral leg weakness" doesn't mean anything at all except that both legs feel weak. Additionally, most fans also understand the cause of most muscle strains or tissue sprains -- there's usually an event to point to. Even Jim Thome's continuing back troubles are easy to figure out -- he's got a bad back and that's that.
However, when the ambiguous "bilateral leg weakness" was the announced disability for Mauer, most fans ran to the internet to look it up. And the internet wasn't particularly helpful. There are probably a million causes for bilateral leg weakness, and some of them are pretty scary. Which led many fans to believe that Joe and the Twins were hiding some serious condition. I can't tell you how many hits this blog received by people Googling "Joe Mauer Lyme Disease." I never said he had it; I merely listed several of the causes I found in my Googling to illustrate that the symptom could have meant anything.
At any rate, he says he's still not 100%, but he is ready to play. Welcome home, Joe.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
DL Report: Justin Morneau
There are now nine men currently on the DL (two will come off in the next 24 hours), 13 men to be on it sometime this year, and two men twice, for a total of 15 transactions. Oy. Plus, with all the minor leaugers filling in, only 10 guys on the current 25-man roster have had no transactions at all. I've had to rearrange my spreadsheet quite a bit.
The Twins have placed Justin Morneau on the 15-day DL, retroactive to June 10, with a left wrist strain. He had a cortisone shot a few days ago, but unfortunately, it didn't give him any relief. He had it re-examined, and the doctor told him to immobilize it for 10 days. He'll get a cast on it sometime Thursday.
How he hurt it is unclear. I haven't seen any definitive reports in the media. It could be caused by some kind over-compensation of his sore neck and shoulder (experts call this a "cascade injury"). However, I've also read some speculation that he may have hurt in in a fit of frustration.
Either way, it's hurt, and he has to sit. With a cast.
No announcement yet as to who will take his spot on the roster, but both Tsuyoshi Nishioka and Glen Perkins are due to come off the DL on Wednesday or Thursday.
Updates:
Tsuyoshi Nishioka has been playing some games at AAA Rochester and is ready to come back to Minnesota. He'll be evaluated again once he arrives to Target Field, and he may be ready to play Wednesday night. Because he's currently on the 60-day DL, someone will have to come off both the active roster and the 40-man roster to make room. Pitcher Dusty Hughes has been outrighted from the 40-man roster.
Glen Perkins should be in the line up Thursday, or maybe even Wednesday night.
Joe Mauer is very close to returning, too. I'm hoping he'll be in the line up Friday. He faced Joe Nathan in some batting practice in Fort Myers on Wednesday. I wonder if Nathan "got him with the slider" and then Mrs. Mauer came by and told them to go play outside. Ha. And, like Nishioka, he's on the 60-DL, which means a 25-man and 40-man roster spot will need to be cleared for him.
Joe Nathan will be returning to Minnesota soon. He's not quite ready to return to the line up, but he's very close.
Jim Thome and Kevin Slowey are in Fort Myers doing rehab.
Jason Kubel is taking swings in the batting cage, but still has pain in his foot when he runs.
Denard Span is feeling better every day, but is still suffering concussion symptoms.
How he hurt it is unclear. I haven't seen any definitive reports in the media. It could be caused by some kind over-compensation of his sore neck and shoulder (experts call this a "cascade injury"). However, I've also read some speculation that he may have hurt in in a fit of frustration.
Either way, it's hurt, and he has to sit. With a cast.
No announcement yet as to who will take his spot on the roster, but both Tsuyoshi Nishioka and Glen Perkins are due to come off the DL on Wednesday or Thursday.
Updates:
Tsuyoshi Nishioka has been playing some games at AAA Rochester and is ready to come back to Minnesota. He'll be evaluated again once he arrives to Target Field, and he may be ready to play Wednesday night. Because he's currently on the 60-day DL, someone will have to come off both the active roster and the 40-man roster to make room. Pitcher Dusty Hughes has been outrighted from the 40-man roster.
Glen Perkins should be in the line up Thursday, or maybe even Wednesday night.
Joe Mauer is very close to returning, too. I'm hoping he'll be in the line up Friday. He faced Joe Nathan in some batting practice in Fort Myers on Wednesday. I wonder if Nathan "got him with the slider" and then Mrs. Mauer came by and told them to go play outside. Ha. And, like Nishioka, he's on the 60-DL, which means a 25-man and 40-man roster spot will need to be cleared for him.
Joe Nathan will be returning to Minnesota soon. He's not quite ready to return to the line up, but he's very close.
Jim Thome and Kevin Slowey are in Fort Myers doing rehab.
Jason Kubel is taking swings in the batting cage, but still has pain in his foot when he runs.
Denard Span is feeling better every day, but is still suffering concussion symptoms.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
The "Win" Stat
The series against the Angels pretty much sums up everything I hate about the "Win" stat for pitchers. I hate it so much, I usually won't acknowledge it when determining a pitcher's worth and I use stats that pitchers actually have some kind of control over such as WHIP or K/BB rate. (For the record, I do use ERA, even though it's flawed. It generally gives an accurate feel for how well a pitcher does, as long as he pitches enough innings to make it meaningful.) I believe that teams win games; pitchers just guide the team there.
This series paints the ridiculous picture of the Win stat is.
First, let's define the Win: if you're the guy who threw the last pitch before your team took the lead for good, you get a "W". If the other team ties or goes ahead after you come out of the game, you can't get a W. Oh, and if you're a starter, you have to pitch 5 innings or more in order to earn the W, but if you're a reliever, all you need is one pitch -- as long as your timing of that one pitch is good. Getting a Loss is easy -- you cough up the baserunner that turns out to be the go-ahead run, and that go-ahead sticks, you get the L. It's not so easy to get the W; it depends so much on the rest of the team.
Take Scott Baker for example. On Friday, he pitched brilliantly, going seven innings without giving up a run and leaving the game with a 5-run lead. He must have felt pretty good about himself as he sipped his Gatorade in the bottom of the 7th -- as well he should have. And then he probably choked on that Gatorade as he watched Alex Burnett, Dusty Hughes, and Jim Hoey parade through to piss away the lead. Scott Downs, who faced two batters, got the W because he happened to throw the last pitch before the half-inning when the Angels scored their sixth run. Scott went home with a homely "No Decision" for his efforts. That's all he deserved because he couldn't get his bullpen to pitch well.
On Saturday, both Anthony Swarzak and Jered Weaver sparkled as they pitched eight and nine scoreless innings, respectively. However, neither one would take home a W, as they simply couldn't make their teammates score runs. Alex Burnett got it, because he was able to will that winning run in the 10th. Fortunately for Swarzak, his No Decision wasn't as homelys as Baker's because at least his team won. Poor Hisanori Takahashi had to wear the L, and he wasn't even on the mound when the Twins went ahead.
Then Carl Pavano was going for his 100th career W on Sunday. This was his sixth try at that golden stat. Now, to be honest, in some of those tries, he didn't pitch well enough to actually earn that W. However, on Sunday, he probably did, except he just didn't have the ability to make his fielders behind him make routine outs. If he had, well, who knows.... But, instead, he takes home another ugly L.
~~~
DL Report:
The Twins have placed RHP Joe Nathan on the 15-day DL with elbow and forearm soreness. This is probably an expected condition as a result of his Tommy John surgery. The forearm flexor muscle has to be pulled apart during the ligament replacement, and can be easily irritated if the patient works very hard during rehabilitation, which Joe did. An MRI showed only inflammation, and no other damage, so he and the Twins are hopeful that two weeks' rest will do the trick.
(Don't worry, he's not as deformed as this paper doll suggests. I'm at the lake this weekend, and I'm borrowing my nephew's computer. It only has Paint for photo editing, and only one of those lame touch pad things for a mouse. This was way harder to do than it looks. Although the Popeye forearms and lack of wrists are kind of funny.)
The Twins purchased the contract of LHP Chuck James to replace Nathan. In order to make room on the 40-man roster for James, the Twins placed Tsuyoshi Nishioka on the 60-day DL. This transaction is paperwork-only as it does not change the expected return date for Nishioka.
Updates:
Matt Capps experienced some soreness in his forearm earlier in the week, but after resting a couple of days, he's fine.
Jose Mijares has been pitching in extended spring training games and could be activated Monday.
Joe Mauer is continuing to play in extended spring training games and increasing his activity. Gardy says he's doing and feeling well. As far as I know, the super-secret timetable for his return has still not been revealed.
Also watching:
Jim Thome needed a cortisone shot in his right shoulder that he tweaked while swinging hard on Saturday.
Francisco Liriano was pulled from Saturday's start due to shoulder soreness. According to ESPN1500's Phil Mackey, an MRI showed some inflammation and maybe a touch of tendinitis. They'll determine his status on Tuesday after his scheduled bullpen session.
This series paints the ridiculous picture of the Win stat is.
First, let's define the Win: if you're the guy who threw the last pitch before your team took the lead for good, you get a "W". If the other team ties or goes ahead after you come out of the game, you can't get a W. Oh, and if you're a starter, you have to pitch 5 innings or more in order to earn the W, but if you're a reliever, all you need is one pitch -- as long as your timing of that one pitch is good. Getting a Loss is easy -- you cough up the baserunner that turns out to be the go-ahead run, and that go-ahead sticks, you get the L. It's not so easy to get the W; it depends so much on the rest of the team.
Take Scott Baker for example. On Friday, he pitched brilliantly, going seven innings without giving up a run and leaving the game with a 5-run lead. He must have felt pretty good about himself as he sipped his Gatorade in the bottom of the 7th -- as well he should have. And then he probably choked on that Gatorade as he watched Alex Burnett, Dusty Hughes, and Jim Hoey parade through to piss away the lead. Scott Downs, who faced two batters, got the W because he happened to throw the last pitch before the half-inning when the Angels scored their sixth run. Scott went home with a homely "No Decision" for his efforts. That's all he deserved because he couldn't get his bullpen to pitch well.
On Saturday, both Anthony Swarzak and Jered Weaver sparkled as they pitched eight and nine scoreless innings, respectively. However, neither one would take home a W, as they simply couldn't make their teammates score runs. Alex Burnett got it, because he was able to will that winning run in the 10th. Fortunately for Swarzak, his No Decision wasn't as homelys as Baker's because at least his team won. Poor Hisanori Takahashi had to wear the L, and he wasn't even on the mound when the Twins went ahead.
Then Carl Pavano was going for his 100th career W on Sunday. This was his sixth try at that golden stat. Now, to be honest, in some of those tries, he didn't pitch well enough to actually earn that W. However, on Sunday, he probably did, except he just didn't have the ability to make his fielders behind him make routine outs. If he had, well, who knows.... But, instead, he takes home another ugly L.
~~~
DL Report:
(Don't worry, he's not as deformed as this paper doll suggests. I'm at the lake this weekend, and I'm borrowing my nephew's computer. It only has Paint for photo editing, and only one of those lame touch pad things for a mouse. This was way harder to do than it looks. Although the Popeye forearms and lack of wrists are kind of funny.)
The Twins purchased the contract of LHP Chuck James to replace Nathan. In order to make room on the 40-man roster for James, the Twins placed Tsuyoshi Nishioka on the 60-day DL. This transaction is paperwork-only as it does not change the expected return date for Nishioka.
Updates:
Matt Capps experienced some soreness in his forearm earlier in the week, but after resting a couple of days, he's fine.
Jose Mijares has been pitching in extended spring training games and could be activated Monday.
Joe Mauer is continuing to play in extended spring training games and increasing his activity. Gardy says he's doing and feeling well. As far as I know, the super-secret timetable for his return has still not been revealed.
Also watching:
Jim Thome needed a cortisone shot in his right shoulder that he tweaked while swinging hard on Saturday.
Francisco Liriano was pulled from Saturday's start due to shoulder soreness. According to ESPN1500's Phil Mackey, an MRI showed some inflammation and maybe a touch of tendinitis. They'll determine his status on Tuesday after his scheduled bullpen session.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Twins at Rays: Baking Cookies
Recap:
Thursday: Rays 4 - Twins 3
Friday: Rays 5 - Twins 2
Saturday: Rays 4 - Twins 3
Sunday: Rays 2 - Twins 4
Record: 5 - 10
A Story:
Some of the Twins players got together and decided to make cookies for everybody. They especially wanted to make some for Gardy because he had been feeling kind of grumpy lately, and every one knows that if Gardy ain't happy, ain't nobody happy.
Carl Pavano offered to make them. He knew that Gardy was a fan of delicious Nutella, so he researched recipes on the internet and found a really good one for Nutella cookies*. He went to the store and bought the ingredients, got out the mixer, and got baking. He got one panful in the oven, and when he pulled them out, they were amazing. He got a second panful ready.
"I've got to leave now," Carl said suddenly. Jason Kubel asked him why, but he just replied "I gotta go," and he abruptly left.
"Great," Jason said, "now who's going to finish these cookies?"
Joe Nathan stepped into the kitchen and said "I'll do it. I'll finish them." And then Felipe Lopez, Ben Zobrist, and Matt Joyce mischievously scampered through the kitchen and knocked the pan out of Joe's hand and on to the floor, ruining the rest of the dough.
"It's ok," said Matt Capps. "There are just enough cookies to make Gardy happy until we can make more, right? I'll just take these to him." Matt then put all the cookies neatly on a platter and started to leave for Gardy's office.
And then, out of nowhere, Johnny Damon came in and stole all the cookies.
The next day, Nick Blackburn tried to make more cookies, but after he started off well, everything just started going wrong. He broke some egg shells into the dough, the flour poofed up into his face when he added it to the mixer, and he realized too late that he'd forgotten the baking soda. The whole group decided to screw it and try again the next day.
The following day, Scott Baker decided he'd give baking the Nutella cookies a shot. So he rolled up his sleeves and got to work. Everything went smoothly and it seemed like he'd be able to make several panfuls. After two panfuls were done, he realized he was too tired to finish.
Joe Nathan again offered to finish. Since Joe has a great history of finishing cookies, Baker was confident that it would be ok despite Joe's last attempt.
However, right as Joe was bending over to place the pan of cookie dough into the oven, Ben Zobrist ran into the kitchen and startled him so badly that the parchment paper slid right off the cookie sheet and landed dough side down right into the oven, again ruining the dough and making a huge mess in the oven. Joe was eventually able to clean up the mess, but when he wasn't looking, BJ Upton and Casey Kotchman came in and stole some of the cookies. Now, again, there weren't enough cookies for everyone.
Jose Mijares told everyone to stop worrying and that there were still enough cookies for Gardy. After Jose sampled some of the cookies, he shared a few with Sam Fuld. The guys started scolding him, so he placed the cookies neatly on a platter and started off for Gardy's office.
And then, out of nowhere, Johnny Damon came in and stole all the cookies.
On the final day before the guys had to leave town, they wanted so badly to make these amazing Nutella cookies. It was Brian Duensing's turn to try his hand at baking. He called all the guys in a group and explained to them that, while he is a capable cookie-maker, he really needed everyone to pull together and help as much as possible.
They did, all the cookies were made, and they were amazing. Gardy was pleased.
~~~
After blowing two saves over the weekend, Joe Nathan, together with Ron Gardenhire and Rick Anderson, decided it would be best for the team, and for Joe, to take him out of the closer role for a while. Matt Capps will close, and Joe will pitch in less stressful situations.
To accommodate this, the Twins are rearranging the bullpen. They have called up RHP Jim Hoey from AAA Rochester, presumably to be the 7th/8th inning set-up guy, and sent RHP Jeff Manship down.
I can't objectively talk about this move. Nathan's my guy, so I tend to think with my heart about him. Hopefully he can work out the kinks quickly and he can re-take his rightful role.
~~~
DL Report Updates:
Joe Mauer is still battling the flu. He's lost about 12 pounds since Thursday and he still doesn't have much of an appetite. It's still not clear if his leg weakness is related to the viral infection. The team is on its way to Baltimore where Joe's specialist practices, so he'll likely get checked out in a day or two. Then he'll need to work on getting stronger.
We're also watching Justin Morneau. He missed Sunday's game due to flu-like symptoms, but Kelsie Smith of the Pioneer Press reports that it's not the same thing Mauer's got.
~~~
Another clever Twins commercial. This time with Jim Thome.
~~~
*Yes, these Nutella cookies exist, and they are, indeed, amazing. Also, the part about the parchment paper slipping and flipping dough all over the inside of the oven is a true story, well, except for Ben Zobrist in the kitchen.
Thursday: Rays 4 - Twins 3
Friday: Rays 5 - Twins 2
Saturday: Rays 4 - Twins 3
Sunday: Rays 2 - Twins 4
Record: 5 - 10
A Story:
Some of the Twins players got together and decided to make cookies for everybody. They especially wanted to make some for Gardy because he had been feeling kind of grumpy lately, and every one knows that if Gardy ain't happy, ain't nobody happy.
Carl Pavano offered to make them. He knew that Gardy was a fan of delicious Nutella, so he researched recipes on the internet and found a really good one for Nutella cookies*. He went to the store and bought the ingredients, got out the mixer, and got baking. He got one panful in the oven, and when he pulled them out, they were amazing. He got a second panful ready.
"I've got to leave now," Carl said suddenly. Jason Kubel asked him why, but he just replied "I gotta go," and he abruptly left.
"Great," Jason said, "now who's going to finish these cookies?"
Joe Nathan stepped into the kitchen and said "I'll do it. I'll finish them." And then Felipe Lopez, Ben Zobrist, and Matt Joyce mischievously scampered through the kitchen and knocked the pan out of Joe's hand and on to the floor, ruining the rest of the dough.
"It's ok," said Matt Capps. "There are just enough cookies to make Gardy happy until we can make more, right? I'll just take these to him." Matt then put all the cookies neatly on a platter and started to leave for Gardy's office.
And then, out of nowhere, Johnny Damon came in and stole all the cookies.
The next day, Nick Blackburn tried to make more cookies, but after he started off well, everything just started going wrong. He broke some egg shells into the dough, the flour poofed up into his face when he added it to the mixer, and he realized too late that he'd forgotten the baking soda. The whole group decided to screw it and try again the next day.
The following day, Scott Baker decided he'd give baking the Nutella cookies a shot. So he rolled up his sleeves and got to work. Everything went smoothly and it seemed like he'd be able to make several panfuls. After two panfuls were done, he realized he was too tired to finish.
Joe Nathan again offered to finish. Since Joe has a great history of finishing cookies, Baker was confident that it would be ok despite Joe's last attempt.
However, right as Joe was bending over to place the pan of cookie dough into the oven, Ben Zobrist ran into the kitchen and startled him so badly that the parchment paper slid right off the cookie sheet and landed dough side down right into the oven, again ruining the dough and making a huge mess in the oven. Joe was eventually able to clean up the mess, but when he wasn't looking, BJ Upton and Casey Kotchman came in and stole some of the cookies. Now, again, there weren't enough cookies for everyone.
Jose Mijares told everyone to stop worrying and that there were still enough cookies for Gardy. After Jose sampled some of the cookies, he shared a few with Sam Fuld. The guys started scolding him, so he placed the cookies neatly on a platter and started off for Gardy's office.
And then, out of nowhere, Johnny Damon came in and stole all the cookies.
On the final day before the guys had to leave town, they wanted so badly to make these amazing Nutella cookies. It was Brian Duensing's turn to try his hand at baking. He called all the guys in a group and explained to them that, while he is a capable cookie-maker, he really needed everyone to pull together and help as much as possible.
~~~
After blowing two saves over the weekend, Joe Nathan, together with Ron Gardenhire and Rick Anderson, decided it would be best for the team, and for Joe, to take him out of the closer role for a while. Matt Capps will close, and Joe will pitch in less stressful situations.
To accommodate this, the Twins are rearranging the bullpen. They have called up RHP Jim Hoey from AAA Rochester, presumably to be the 7th/8th inning set-up guy, and sent RHP Jeff Manship down.
I can't objectively talk about this move. Nathan's my guy, so I tend to think with my heart about him. Hopefully he can work out the kinks quickly and he can re-take his rightful role.
~~~
DL Report Updates:
Joe Mauer is still battling the flu. He's lost about 12 pounds since Thursday and he still doesn't have much of an appetite. It's still not clear if his leg weakness is related to the viral infection. The team is on its way to Baltimore where Joe's specialist practices, so he'll likely get checked out in a day or two. Then he'll need to work on getting stronger.
We're also watching Justin Morneau. He missed Sunday's game due to flu-like symptoms, but Kelsie Smith of the Pioneer Press reports that it's not the same thing Mauer's got.
~~~
Another clever Twins commercial. This time with Jim Thome.
~~~
*Yes, these Nutella cookies exist, and they are, indeed, amazing. Also, the part about the parchment paper slipping and flipping dough all over the inside of the oven is a true story, well, except for Ben Zobrist in the kitchen.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Twins at Blue Jays: Working out the Rust
Recap:
Friday: Twins a little - Blue Jays a lot (3-13)
Saturday: Twins 1 - Blue Jays 6
Sunday: Twins 4 - Blue Jays 3
Record: 1-2
Forgive me, I'm experiencing some rustiness. I haven't done a series recap in so long, I had to look up posts from a year ago to remember how.
Obviously, I'm not the only one who has some rust to work out. Pavano, Manship, D. Hughes looked very rusty. Liriano didn't look so sharp either.
It's hard to tell if Nishioka is suffering from rust or jitters. He's made some mistakes at second; some of them costly. I'm willing to give him a whole bunch of slack because he's got a lot to learn very quickly, but, man, some of those mental mistakes are hard to watch. I hope he's the type who learns from his mistakes and works hard to avoid them in the future. Anyway, I don't mean to be terribly critical; it's only been three games. I'm sure he'll settle in soon and be just fine.
Of course, the owner of the most rust was Joe Nathan. And understandably so. That save, which is his first since Oct. 3, 2009, was probably the most difficult, nerve-racking, excruciating, stressful, heart-thumping, nail-biting, prayer-inducing, hair-pulling, oh-my-god-Joe-just-get-him-out pleading performance I've ever witnessed. It very well could be a good thing it was that way. He had to have been extremely nervous, excited, and scared. And, though it wasn't a pretty save, he certainly earned it. It must have been a great boost to his confidence to face that challenge, stumble but not fall, and finally complete it mostly intact. All with Gardy believing in him enough to let him get that far (although you know he was done after that last batter). I'm sure Joe will be better next time. The only concern now is how his elbow feels after throwing that many pitches. Let's hope for the best, of course.
Another guy with more rust that the others is Justin Morneau. This series takes him back to the place where he suffered his season-ending concussion last year. He played in all three games, but DHed on Sunday. That's great progress. Unfortunately, he didn't his first hit until Sunday -- a broken-bat infield single. That's kind of amusing.
~~~
High Fives:
I've never really done this kind of thing before, but I may as well give some credit where credit is due. As long as the Twins aren't swept in a series, I'll try to figure out three players (or more, if I'm so inclined) who deserve a high-five.
1. Nick Blackburn. He was outstanding on Sunday. He pitched in and out with movement, and when the Jays made contact, it was weak. Well, except for Jose Bautista, but Nick's not going to be the last guy to give up a homerun to that guy.
2. Denard Span. He had a game-saving catch and a moonshot on Sunday. Plus, he's currently leading the team in batting.
3. Joe Nathan. Well, he earned a save. And by that, I mean, he really earned a save. Oh, if you watched the game on TV, did you notice how sweaty he was during the post-game interview? I guess he was a bit anxious.
Friday: Twins a little - Blue Jays a lot (3-13)
Saturday: Twins 1 - Blue Jays 6
Sunday: Twins 4 - Blue Jays 3
Record: 1-2
There was a lot of rust for the Twins this series, but Sunday's win kept it from being a complete clunker.
Forgive me, I'm experiencing some rustiness. I haven't done a series recap in so long, I had to look up posts from a year ago to remember how.
Obviously, I'm not the only one who has some rust to work out. Pavano, Manship, D. Hughes looked very rusty. Liriano didn't look so sharp either.
It's hard to tell if Nishioka is suffering from rust or jitters. He's made some mistakes at second; some of them costly. I'm willing to give him a whole bunch of slack because he's got a lot to learn very quickly, but, man, some of those mental mistakes are hard to watch. I hope he's the type who learns from his mistakes and works hard to avoid them in the future. Anyway, I don't mean to be terribly critical; it's only been three games. I'm sure he'll settle in soon and be just fine.
Of course, the owner of the most rust was Joe Nathan. And understandably so. That save, which is his first since Oct. 3, 2009, was probably the most difficult, nerve-racking, excruciating, stressful, heart-thumping, nail-biting, prayer-inducing, hair-pulling, oh-my-god-Joe-just-get-him-out pleading performance I've ever witnessed. It very well could be a good thing it was that way. He had to have been extremely nervous, excited, and scared. And, though it wasn't a pretty save, he certainly earned it. It must have been a great boost to his confidence to face that challenge, stumble but not fall, and finally complete it mostly intact. All with Gardy believing in him enough to let him get that far (although you know he was done after that last batter). I'm sure Joe will be better next time. The only concern now is how his elbow feels after throwing that many pitches. Let's hope for the best, of course.
Another guy with more rust that the others is Justin Morneau. This series takes him back to the place where he suffered his season-ending concussion last year. He played in all three games, but DHed on Sunday. That's great progress. Unfortunately, he didn't his first hit until Sunday -- a broken-bat infield single. That's kind of amusing.
~~~
High Fives:
I've never really done this kind of thing before, but I may as well give some credit where credit is due. As long as the Twins aren't swept in a series, I'll try to figure out three players (or more, if I'm so inclined) who deserve a high-five.
1. Nick Blackburn. He was outstanding on Sunday. He pitched in and out with movement, and when the Jays made contact, it was weak. Well, except for Jose Bautista, but Nick's not going to be the last guy to give up a homerun to that guy.
2. Denard Span. He had a game-saving catch and a moonshot on Sunday. Plus, he's currently leading the team in batting.
3. Joe Nathan. Well, he earned a save. And by that, I mean, he really earned a save. Oh, if you watched the game on TV, did you notice how sweaty he was during the post-game interview? I guess he was a bit anxious.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
I Loves Me My Closers
Many baseball experts don't like the specialized role of a Closer. They say that the ninth inning is just another three outs, and really isn't all that much more special than any other inning. The Save, these people say, is really a silly stat that doesn't indicate anything, and any halfway decent relief pitcher should be able to take care of the ninth. Fair enough.
I, however, have a more romantic view of a Closer. I love how he comes into the ninth, ready to save the day -- or at least the game. He has to have a steel constitution and a fearless heart. He's alone and he has a very important job to do. If he blows it, he can't really call for backup. If he's on the road and blows it, game over...period. At home, he has a small chance that his mates can save his ass, but those mates are facing another motivated Closer. No wonder he comes out to rock and roll music. He'd come out on a white horse if there wasn't a risk it'd crap on the field.
Which explains why I love Joe Nathan so much (and Mariano Rivera, but I don't really want to admit that because he wears a certain NY on his cap). So when my Joe required ligament replacement surgery last year, I was very worried. I was worried about his recovery, I was worried about his age, and I was worried about his slider.
Joe, however, did not have time to worry. He was too busy recovering, rebuilding, and reloading. He arrived to camp ready to go having suffered no set-backs in his rehab, and he went right to work with re-learning his pitches. And, with only less than one week left in camp, he's still had no set-backs.
He's also still trying to find his slider. Aahh, that tricky slider. This is his out-pitch, a very important weapon in is arsenal. It would be nice if that slider comes back right away. Although, if I remember correctly, his slider is always the last pitch to come during camp. And it's not like he's not very good at throwing other pitches (I am absolutely in love with that curveball he drops in for a strike).
With that being said, I like that Matt Capps is on the team. At first I had this little jealous thing against him -- how dare he try to take Joe's job away. But since Gardy indicated that they were going with a "Joe for two days, Matt for one" plan, I was on board. My romantic notions of Closers notwithstanding, I'm really intrigued by this approach, regardless of injury histories or whatnot. Kind of like having a Senior Executive Principal Closer and a Vice Closer.
Certainly, Twins fans should be prepared to lower their expectations of Joe a bit. He is still rehabbing and recovering and rebuilding. And reloading. But, it's a long season, so if he's not "THE Joe Nathan" the first few weeks, fine. He will be soon enough. Eighty percent of "THE Joe Nathan" is still way better than many other Closers.
So, if Joe feels ready for Opening Day, he should pitch Opening Day, if needed. Even if his velocity is down a bit and his slider's not there yet. Because after all, it's only three outs -- any other inning. He's a smart pitcher; he'll be fine.
I, however, have a more romantic view of a Closer. I love how he comes into the ninth, ready to save the day -- or at least the game. He has to have a steel constitution and a fearless heart. He's alone and he has a very important job to do. If he blows it, he can't really call for backup. If he's on the road and blows it, game over...period. At home, he has a small chance that his mates can save his ass, but those mates are facing another motivated Closer. No wonder he comes out to rock and roll music. He'd come out on a white horse if there wasn't a risk it'd crap on the field.
Which explains why I love Joe Nathan so much (and Mariano Rivera, but I don't really want to admit that because he wears a certain NY on his cap). So when my Joe required ligament replacement surgery last year, I was very worried. I was worried about his recovery, I was worried about his age, and I was worried about his slider.
Joe, however, did not have time to worry. He was too busy recovering, rebuilding, and reloading. He arrived to camp ready to go having suffered no set-backs in his rehab, and he went right to work with re-learning his pitches. And, with only less than one week left in camp, he's still had no set-backs.
He's also still trying to find his slider. Aahh, that tricky slider. This is his out-pitch, a very important weapon in is arsenal. It would be nice if that slider comes back right away. Although, if I remember correctly, his slider is always the last pitch to come during camp. And it's not like he's not very good at throwing other pitches (I am absolutely in love with that curveball he drops in for a strike).
With that being said, I like that Matt Capps is on the team. At first I had this little jealous thing against him -- how dare he try to take Joe's job away. But since Gardy indicated that they were going with a "Joe for two days, Matt for one" plan, I was on board. My romantic notions of Closers notwithstanding, I'm really intrigued by this approach, regardless of injury histories or whatnot. Kind of like having a Senior Executive Principal Closer and a Vice Closer.
Certainly, Twins fans should be prepared to lower their expectations of Joe a bit. He is still rehabbing and recovering and rebuilding. And reloading. But, it's a long season, so if he's not "THE Joe Nathan" the first few weeks, fine. He will be soon enough. Eighty percent of "THE Joe Nathan" is still way better than many other Closers.
So, if Joe feels ready for Opening Day, he should pitch Opening Day, if needed. Even if his velocity is down a bit and his slider's not there yet. Because after all, it's only three outs -- any other inning. He's a smart pitcher; he'll be fine.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Leaving Injury Island
I'm not an athlete. Clearly. So I can only imagine what it feels like for a competitive soul to sit there and recover from an injury while the rest of his team plays. The itching to get out there and perform must be nearly unbearable. Even missing a few days must suck; baseball players play baseball because they want to play baseball, not watch it. Being on the bench while healing must feel like being on a deserted island. A nasty, mean, ugly, miserable island.
Hearing about all the players dropping like flies during Spring Training kind of bummed me out. It got so bad one day that the Twins had to get special permission from the commissioner's office because they couldn't come up with the required five regulars to make a road trip. Not to mention, I was still bummed out about the hold-overs from last season.
So, it's been great to read accounts about guys, one-by-one, taking positive steps off that lonely island.
First, Joe Nathan has been showing great promise, with no setbacks, coming back from Tommy John surgery last year. All reports indicate that his velocity is good and his command is improving.
And then, the big news, Justin Morneau took his place at first base for the first time since July. If he feels ok over the next few days, it might be the beginning of the end of that nasty concussion. Although, I must say that I rather enjoyed watching my Twitter feed as he took the field -- Gardy had Chris Parmalee listed on the roster at first base, the sneaky devil. Not that I ever want Gardy to do that again...
Delmon Young played his first game after being out with turf toe. He walked in his two at-bats, but he ran from first to home reportedly without favoring the foot. This is encouraging.
The ginormous crater in the bottom of Michael Cuddyer's foot left from the wart removal is said to be healed over. Assuming all he feels is a little tenderness, it won't be long until he can run around on it. (If you haven't seen the picture of the said crater, look here for the photo he uploaded to Twitter -- not for those with weak constitutions.)
Joe Mauer is still out, but we keep hearing reassurances that he's just being cautious and taking things easy. As long he's ready on Opening Day, it's all good.
Even all the other minor nicks and bumps (Fransico's shoulder, Baker's elbow, Alexi's ankle, etc.) are kind of taking care themselves as the players shake off the off-season rust.
So, here's hoping that by April 1, 2011, that stupid Injury Island is truly deserted and all our guys are ready to play.
Hearing about all the players dropping like flies during Spring Training kind of bummed me out. It got so bad one day that the Twins had to get special permission from the commissioner's office because they couldn't come up with the required five regulars to make a road trip. Not to mention, I was still bummed out about the hold-overs from last season.
So, it's been great to read accounts about guys, one-by-one, taking positive steps off that lonely island.
First, Joe Nathan has been showing great promise, with no setbacks, coming back from Tommy John surgery last year. All reports indicate that his velocity is good and his command is improving.
And then, the big news, Justin Morneau took his place at first base for the first time since July. If he feels ok over the next few days, it might be the beginning of the end of that nasty concussion. Although, I must say that I rather enjoyed watching my Twitter feed as he took the field -- Gardy had Chris Parmalee listed on the roster at first base, the sneaky devil. Not that I ever want Gardy to do that again...
Delmon Young played his first game after being out with turf toe. He walked in his two at-bats, but he ran from first to home reportedly without favoring the foot. This is encouraging.
The ginormous crater in the bottom of Michael Cuddyer's foot left from the wart removal is said to be healed over. Assuming all he feels is a little tenderness, it won't be long until he can run around on it. (If you haven't seen the picture of the said crater, look here for the photo he uploaded to Twitter -- not for those with weak constitutions.)
Joe Mauer is still out, but we keep hearing reassurances that he's just being cautious and taking things easy. As long he's ready on Opening Day, it's all good.
Even all the other minor nicks and bumps (Fransico's shoulder, Baker's elbow, Alexi's ankle, etc.) are kind of taking care themselves as the players shake off the off-season rust.
So, here's hoping that by April 1, 2011, that stupid Injury Island is truly deserted and all our guys are ready to play.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Notes: Oct. 31, 2010
Just a few quick notes for the week:
Happy Halloween! Here's is my jack-o'-lantern for this year:
Pretty cool, huh? The stencil is available on the Twins website.
~~~
Earlier in the week, the Twins made two of the many decisions they face this off-season. They picked up the 2011 option for Jason Kubel, and he'll make $5.5 million. They also declined the 2011 option for Nick Punto, allowing him to become a free agent.
I'm not surprised by either of these moves. Jason Kubel is still relatively cheap for his production, and he could possibly be used as trade bait -- or not. Punto, on the other hand was set to make $5 million next year -- a lot of dough for a bench utility player.
Because Nicky is a free agent, there's still a chance the Twins could sign him to a new contract, but it would have to be for like $1 million or so. He's still one of my favorite infielders, so I kind of hope he comes back, but I won't be surprised if he doesn't.
~~~
Oh, I forgot to tell you, this blog is the proud sponsor of the Joe Nathan page on Baseball-Reference.com. When I need baseball stats, BR is my go-to place. They rely on sponsorships or advertising to keep doing what they do, and they do excellent work. When I saw that Joe's page was available for a reasonable price, I pounced.
~~~
Here is another video of CJ Wilson. He drives sweet cars. Is there any doubt why I love him? He might have to be my favorite non-Twin. Better still, the Twins should try to get him. (Now waking up from dreamland.)
~~~
So far, this World Series has surprised me. I expected the pitching to be better. I expected the Rangers to be better. If this is going to seven games, things have to improve for the Texas nine.
Happy Halloween! Here's is my jack-o'-lantern for this year:
~~~
Earlier in the week, the Twins made two of the many decisions they face this off-season. They picked up the 2011 option for Jason Kubel, and he'll make $5.5 million. They also declined the 2011 option for Nick Punto, allowing him to become a free agent.
I'm not surprised by either of these moves. Jason Kubel is still relatively cheap for his production, and he could possibly be used as trade bait -- or not. Punto, on the other hand was set to make $5 million next year -- a lot of dough for a bench utility player.
Because Nicky is a free agent, there's still a chance the Twins could sign him to a new contract, but it would have to be for like $1 million or so. He's still one of my favorite infielders, so I kind of hope he comes back, but I won't be surprised if he doesn't.
~~~
Oh, I forgot to tell you, this blog is the proud sponsor of the Joe Nathan page on Baseball-Reference.com. When I need baseball stats, BR is my go-to place. They rely on sponsorships or advertising to keep doing what they do, and they do excellent work. When I saw that Joe's page was available for a reasonable price, I pounced.
~~~
Here is another video of CJ Wilson. He drives sweet cars. Is there any doubt why I love him? He might have to be my favorite non-Twin. Better still, the Twins should try to get him. (Now waking up from dreamland.)
~~~
So far, this World Series has surprised me. I expected the pitching to be better. I expected the Rangers to be better. If this is going to seven games, things have to improve for the Texas nine.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Ok, So Now What Am I Supposed To Do?
k-bro note: Ok, if I had known that talking about Joe Nathan's elbow was going to turn into a three-part series, I would've warned you ahead of time. But if you allow me this one last indulgence, I promise I won't need to go on any more. Call it working through my grief, if you will.
Ok. He knew it. The Twins knew it. You knew it. I knew it. Joe Nathan's going to have Tommy John surgery. I wish him all the best, and I sincerely hope that he can return next season and pitch for many years after that. In fact, I hope he realizes that he has super healing powers and comes back in time for September call-ups and pitches better than ever. Yes, I realize there's no sense in being delusional.
Joe will be impossible to replace on the mound. Surprisingly, I'm not terribly worried about what the Twins are going to do. For one thing, even an average pitcher can successfully convert about 80% of the save opportunities*. Plus, whoever the Twins initially choose will have a pretty short leash -- blow two saves or labor through three times, and ... next. Really, my gut tells me it'll be ok. And who knows, someone may surprise all of us and just shine in the role.
But, I really want to talk about the most important thing. What am I going to do? Ok, this may not be the most important thing, but it's well documented that I'm all in favor of anything that's all about me. You see, this whole ordeal has taken a toll on me -- more so that I thought it would. Turns out he might be my baseball boyfriend. Who knew?
It's not just that he's one of the best closers in the game, although that's a big part of it. But, I always had a good time watching him pitch. I love that he's twitchy. I love that he always made me nervous. And I really love his curveball -- no, I mean REALLY love it; oh my.
Actually I have this "thing" with him -- I have ever since his first pitch in a Twins uniform. I talk to him when he's on the mound, right through the TV or radio. I always say "Joe, no interesting." Always. And I get my kids involved -- I make them say it too. I know he hears me, and he usually responds well (for the record, for that blown save against the Yankees in the playoffs, I was at my kid's football game and unavailable to talk to him -- don't think that didn't kill me). Between his nervousness and my encouragement, it's a great relationship, and it works.
So, who am I going to have this relationship with now? Who am I going to talk to while he's on the mound? What am I going to say? You don't understand how extremely important this is to me (yes, yes, I know I don't really have this much power over the players, at least the core of my brain knows it -- there's no reasoning with the core of my gut).
Neshek? Possibly; he's got potential, and he's fun to watch. But his elbow is kind of iffy, and I'd stress out too much worrying about both the game and his arm.
Crain? Nah. He annoys me. I have an automatic dim view set on him, so regardless of how he performs, I'll think he sucks. Can we even take him seriously?
Guerrier? Maybe, but he's kind of boring -- he doesn't even twitch. But if he can get saves, I can overlook that.
Rauch? Nope. I refuse to talk to him. I mean, I want him to do well, for the good of the team and all. But I can't see myself having fun watching him pitch.
Mijares? Um, I don't think he'll even get a chance. Do you?
Somebody new? Wow. That'd be like a first date. I won't even know him, and it'll be all awkward.
So, what's a girl to do? I guess I'll figure it out along with everyone else. But, really, it'll be ok. Right?
*I think I read that somewhere, and I'm not sure where, so I can't verify this. But it sounds plausible. So, if I'm wrong, don't yell at me.
Ok. He knew it. The Twins knew it. You knew it. I knew it. Joe Nathan's going to have Tommy John surgery. I wish him all the best, and I sincerely hope that he can return next season and pitch for many years after that. In fact, I hope he realizes that he has super healing powers and comes back in time for September call-ups and pitches better than ever. Yes, I realize there's no sense in being delusional.
Joe will be impossible to replace on the mound. Surprisingly, I'm not terribly worried about what the Twins are going to do. For one thing, even an average pitcher can successfully convert about 80% of the save opportunities*. Plus, whoever the Twins initially choose will have a pretty short leash -- blow two saves or labor through three times, and ... next. Really, my gut tells me it'll be ok. And who knows, someone may surprise all of us and just shine in the role.
But, I really want to talk about the most important thing. What am I going to do? Ok, this may not be the most important thing, but it's well documented that I'm all in favor of anything that's all about me. You see, this whole ordeal has taken a toll on me -- more so that I thought it would. Turns out he might be my baseball boyfriend. Who knew?
It's not just that he's one of the best closers in the game, although that's a big part of it. But, I always had a good time watching him pitch. I love that he's twitchy. I love that he always made me nervous. And I really love his curveball -- no, I mean REALLY love it; oh my.
Actually I have this "thing" with him -- I have ever since his first pitch in a Twins uniform. I talk to him when he's on the mound, right through the TV or radio. I always say "Joe, no interesting." Always. And I get my kids involved -- I make them say it too. I know he hears me, and he usually responds well (for the record, for that blown save against the Yankees in the playoffs, I was at my kid's football game and unavailable to talk to him -- don't think that didn't kill me). Between his nervousness and my encouragement, it's a great relationship, and it works.
So, who am I going to have this relationship with now? Who am I going to talk to while he's on the mound? What am I going to say? You don't understand how extremely important this is to me (yes, yes, I know I don't really have this much power over the players, at least the core of my brain knows it -- there's no reasoning with the core of my gut).
Neshek? Possibly; he's got potential, and he's fun to watch. But his elbow is kind of iffy, and I'd stress out too much worrying about both the game and his arm.
Crain? Nah. He annoys me. I have an automatic dim view set on him, so regardless of how he performs, I'll think he sucks. Can we even take him seriously?
Guerrier? Maybe, but he's kind of boring -- he doesn't even twitch. But if he can get saves, I can overlook that.
Rauch? Nope. I refuse to talk to him. I mean, I want him to do well, for the good of the team and all. But I can't see myself having fun watching him pitch.
Mijares? Um, I don't think he'll even get a chance. Do you?
Somebody new? Wow. That'd be like a first date. I won't even know him, and it'll be all awkward.
So, what's a girl to do? I guess I'll figure it out along with everyone else. But, really, it'll be ok. Right?
*I think I read that somewhere, and I'm not sure where, so I can't verify this. But it sounds plausible. So, if I'm wrong, don't yell at me.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
The Case For Letting Joe Nathan and His Arm Wait
Many of my friends and acquaintances are wondering why Joe Nathan and the Twins organization are waiting so long since they discovered his UCL injury to decide whether he should undergo Tommy John surgery. He's planning on testing his arm sometime soon to see if he can continue pitching through the pain or if there's no alternative but to have the procedure. Unfortunately, the collective gut feeling is that he won't be able avoid going under the knife. Many fans, myself included, believe that he should have it done so we still have a chance to see him in 2011.
It turns out the injury may not be as significant as originally reported; there's still a slim chance that he'll be able pitch in 2010. It's all about whether he can grit through the pain. If he goes that route, there's a risk that he just wont be very effective. Plus, he'll always be sore and may not be able to go on consecutive days. And then, there's an even bigger risk that he'll blow the ligament completely sometime down the road when it's too late to satisfactorily fill the void.
Now, there are plenty of fans who want to immediately ship him off and get him fixed. However, we need to stop thinking about him as merely an asset to the team -- nothing more than a machine -- and start thinking about him as a human. He's a guy with a sore arm who has a difficult decision to make, one that will affect every aspect of his life for the next year-plus. Damned if he does; damned if he doesn't. Either option is pretty crappy, and I'm sure he's pissed he even has to decide.
He's doing the Twins a favor by trying to get them an answer in a two-week time frame. I'm certain he would like several more weeks to allow it to heal more. And I don't blame him a bit for being hesitant to immediately decide. He's doing everything possible to avoid having this surgery. And he should. This is a procedure that not only takes away his livelihood for over a year, but also puts a serious dent in his quality of life for awhile.
Surgery is risky. Anytime someone goes under general anesthesia, there's a risk of dangerous and permanent complications. Reconstructive surgery includes the extra hazard of being difficult to recover from. And that's assuming all goes as planned. If he's a slow healer, if he doesn't respond well to pain medications, or if he contracts an infection, recovery will be even worse.
After surgery, the road from not even being able to make a sandwich to throwing a fastball again is long and difficult. In fact, the whole following year will be absolute hell. It will not only be physical hell, with awful pain and the inability to even use his arm, but it will also be emotional hell. He'll be mad and frustrated, angry that it happened, disappointed that it's taking so long, helpless, hopeless, lonely, and depressed, all while the team has moved on without him.There will be crushed optimism and setbacks -- more than once. And, every step of the way, he'll second guess himself. After all that, there's a very good chance he'll never be the pitcher he was. Just because others come back, it doesn't mean necessarily mean he will. Healing at 35 is much different than healing at 25. He'd get through it, but, trust me, he doesn't want to.
I expect he knows about the hell that is recovery. He's a smart guy; he's asked around and done his research. He wants to do everything he can to avoid this, so he's taking his time and figuring out what's best. Either way, it sucks, and the route that sucks less isn't readily apparent.
However, don't think for a second that the Twins are handcuffed by this delay. They certainly want what's best for him, and they can't rush him much, but they're also not sitting on their hands. They have roadmaps drawn for plans B, C, D, E and probably F and G.
So, give him time. He needs to figure this out. Two extra weeks in a 50 - 70 week recovery is nothing. And, regardless of which route he chooses, he'll need all the positive vibes from fans he can get.
It turns out the injury may not be as significant as originally reported; there's still a slim chance that he'll be able pitch in 2010. It's all about whether he can grit through the pain. If he goes that route, there's a risk that he just wont be very effective. Plus, he'll always be sore and may not be able to go on consecutive days. And then, there's an even bigger risk that he'll blow the ligament completely sometime down the road when it's too late to satisfactorily fill the void.
Now, there are plenty of fans who want to immediately ship him off and get him fixed. However, we need to stop thinking about him as merely an asset to the team -- nothing more than a machine -- and start thinking about him as a human. He's a guy with a sore arm who has a difficult decision to make, one that will affect every aspect of his life for the next year-plus. Damned if he does; damned if he doesn't. Either option is pretty crappy, and I'm sure he's pissed he even has to decide.
He's doing the Twins a favor by trying to get them an answer in a two-week time frame. I'm certain he would like several more weeks to allow it to heal more. And I don't blame him a bit for being hesitant to immediately decide. He's doing everything possible to avoid having this surgery. And he should. This is a procedure that not only takes away his livelihood for over a year, but also puts a serious dent in his quality of life for awhile.
Surgery is risky. Anytime someone goes under general anesthesia, there's a risk of dangerous and permanent complications. Reconstructive surgery includes the extra hazard of being difficult to recover from. And that's assuming all goes as planned. If he's a slow healer, if he doesn't respond well to pain medications, or if he contracts an infection, recovery will be even worse.
After surgery, the road from not even being able to make a sandwich to throwing a fastball again is long and difficult. In fact, the whole following year will be absolute hell. It will not only be physical hell, with awful pain and the inability to even use his arm, but it will also be emotional hell. He'll be mad and frustrated, angry that it happened, disappointed that it's taking so long, helpless, hopeless, lonely, and depressed, all while the team has moved on without him.There will be crushed optimism and setbacks -- more than once. And, every step of the way, he'll second guess himself. After all that, there's a very good chance he'll never be the pitcher he was. Just because others come back, it doesn't mean necessarily mean he will. Healing at 35 is much different than healing at 25. He'd get through it, but, trust me, he doesn't want to.
I expect he knows about the hell that is recovery. He's a smart guy; he's asked around and done his research. He wants to do everything he can to avoid this, so he's taking his time and figuring out what's best. Either way, it sucks, and the route that sucks less isn't readily apparent.
However, don't think for a second that the Twins are handcuffed by this delay. They certainly want what's best for him, and they can't rush him much, but they're also not sitting on their hands. They have roadmaps drawn for plans B, C, D, E and probably F and G.
So, give him time. He needs to figure this out. Two extra weeks in a 50 - 70 week recovery is nothing. And, regardless of which route he chooses, he'll need all the positive vibes from fans he can get.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Well, Isn't THAT Just a Punch in the Gut
So, yeah, you've already heard by now that the most valuable right elbow in Twins Territory is damaged. And not just rub-some-dirt-on-it-and-walk-it-off sore, but torn-and-possibly-needing-surgery damaged. There's a "significant" tear to the ulnar collateral ligament, otherwise known as the ligament that gets replaced in Tommy John surgery. And that's just the route he might have to take. He'll decide in the next two weeks. I hate it that this thought entered my head: this may not only end his season, but he's 35, and chances are that it'll take two years to get back to awesome-closer form, this might end his ... nope, I don't want to think about it. Damn.
So now there is much hand-wringing throughout Twins fandom about who will fill those most excellent shoes. Who's going to notch 47 saves in 2010? I'm glad I'm not the one who has to decide.
Rauch? He's got major-league experience with closing, but his stuff's not terribly over-powering. And many fans don't seem to like him very much.
Neshek? Well, sure, if it was still 2007. But he hasn't thrown a pitch in a major league game for almost two years, I think he needs some time to ramp back up.
Liriano? Meh. He probably has the stuff, but I can't trust his head.
Guerrier? Well, he did close in the minors. I guess he'd be ok. But still ...
Trade for someone? Right...unless we could pry Joakim Soria from the Royals, which ain't gonna happen.
Aaaaaaaggggggghhhhh!!!!!
There are so many great points of view out there. Click on the various blogs; a lot of folks have some great input on the topic. I found this Twinkie Town interview with Will Carroll particularly informative.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Because I Said So
Last week, one couldn't swing a baseball bat around the Internet without smacking someone who had an opinion regarding keeping or trading Joe Nathan.
It all started with this article by Patrick Reusse. And then a whole bunch of really smart bloggers offered their rebuttals and ..., um, whatever the antonym of rebuttals is. I figured I might as well join the fray, even though the fray has calmed down a little.
First of all, it's important to remember that Reusse is, and always has been, a Grump. I'm pretty certain that he is a charter member of the Grump Arcade, which is just like Dave & Buster's only moodier -- you earn your prize tickets by losing at video games or publishing grumpiness-inducing newspaper columns. I'm sure he's got enough prize tickets to get a cheap t-shirt by now.
Shortly after his column, the really smart bloggers chimed in with their analyses. These folks did their homework, crunched the numbers, thought things through, and inspected the facts. Yeah...I'm not going to do that.
Put simply, the Twins should keep Joe Nathan for one very important reason:
I'm fond of him and would be really pissed off if he were traded.
Indeed, it's all about me. This is my blog; of course it's all about me. This is the only place on the planet where I can get away with saying that.
But I do have a couple other reasons too.
It all started with this article by Patrick Reusse. And then a whole bunch of really smart bloggers offered their rebuttals and ..., um, whatever the antonym of rebuttals is. I figured I might as well join the fray, even though the fray has calmed down a little.
First of all, it's important to remember that Reusse is, and always has been, a Grump. I'm pretty certain that he is a charter member of the Grump Arcade, which is just like Dave & Buster's only moodier -- you earn your prize tickets by losing at video games or publishing grumpiness-inducing newspaper columns. I'm sure he's got enough prize tickets to get a cheap t-shirt by now.
Shortly after his column, the really smart bloggers chimed in with their analyses. These folks did their homework, crunched the numbers, thought things through, and inspected the facts. Yeah...I'm not going to do that.
Put simply, the Twins should keep Joe Nathan for one very important reason:
I'm fond of him and would be really pissed off if he were traded.
Indeed, it's all about me. This is my blog; of course it's all about me. This is the only place on the planet where I can get away with saying that.
But I do have a couple other reasons too.
- He's very good. Yes, he had 5 blown saves; one of them really, really heartbreaking; but he also had 47 good ones. Only Brian Fuentes had more converted saves (48) -- but he also had more blown ones (7). And he's not the only closer who blew a save in the playoffs. In fact, Mariano Rivera is the only one who hasn't. Chalk that up to really good hitting.
- I'm not a fan of the trade-a-guy-the-minute-he-becomes-top-notch model. It never seems to work out for a team when they trade away an elite player for prospects. Remember Johan? Yeah...as much as I like Go-Go, he ain't no Johan. And repeatedly making moves like this makes your team into the Pirates or Indians.
- If not Joe, then who? I believe it's necessary to have an excellent closer, and I believe that it takes a unique pitcher to be one. You can't just plug any old body into that position. I suppose the next best option is Mijares, but he's young and has shown an inability to control his emotions. I'm not comfortable with him in pressure situations. Maybe Neshek could do it, but I'd want to give him another year to recover from his surgery before putting him in close-and-late situations.
- I like him. Twins fans have taken a fancy to his on-mound routine. And he's a terrific leader for this band of young pitchers. But his popularity reaches beyond the diamond. He's a great interview, does player appearances, and is down right adorable. See?
(I took this picture in 2004. Notice the goatee isn't quite as gray as it is now?)
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Appreciation
After such a heart-breaking, soul-crushing loss on Wednesday, it's tough to remember the things to be grateful for. But what better way to cheer myself up, so I'm going to try.
Recap:
Monday: Twins 4 - White Sox 1
Tuesday: Twins 4 - White Sox 3
Wednesday: Twins 2 - White Sox 4
I'm still grateful that...:
Recap:
Monday: Twins 4 - White Sox 1
Tuesday: Twins 4 - White Sox 3
Wednesday: Twins 2 - White Sox 4
I'm still grateful that...:
- Well, first off, look at the recap. We won two of three. That's good.
- The starting pitching was awesome and a lot of fun to watch. I was especially impressed with the rookies, Manship and Duensing. They looked like real big-leaguers.
- We don't have to face Jim Thome any more. I never really liked seeing him in the batter's box. That's supposed to be praise -- it's the best I can do for a division rival. I wish him the best of luck in the National League.
- Joe Nathan is a pro. He knows he's been struggling lately, but I'm confident that he'll right the ship (at least I think I'm confident -- I hope he'll be all right).
- Jose Morales hit the walk-off single on Tuesday. That was a ton of fun. And he was so adorable when everyone was hog-piling on him. His smile was so big.
- I was in meetings at work for a big hunk of Wednesday afternoon. I missed the ninth. And I'm willing to bet that my co-workers are grateful as well -- there was no actual screaming this way.
- The Evil Ugly White Sox got to finish their Metrodome tenure on a good note (for them). I'm guessing this kept them from burning the place down out of frustration. This is good because the Twins still need it for the rest of the month. I understand there's a football team that uses it too.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Going Gray
This turned out to be a pretty fun series, but, I tell ya', it gave me a few more gray hairs than I'd like. I'm old enough that I get those on my own, thankyouverymuch.
Recap:
Friday: Twins 3 - Rangers 2
Saturday: Twins 0 - Rangers 3
Sunday: Twins 5 - Ranger 3
Joe Nathan, who happens to have a few gray hairs himself in his goatee, gave fans of all ages all over Twins Territory more than their fair share of gray hairs both Friday and Sunday. He got the save both times, of course, but, whew, it was hard to watch. And that's exactly what was fun about it. On Sunday, he had the bases loaded (thanks in part to his own error) and nobody out, and he got the next three guys to earn the save. Waaaaay too interesting, Joe. But it also proves what a great closer he really is.
Now, as good as he looks with his "touch of gray," I really need him to stop doing that for awhile. None of us need any more.
I have an idea. The Twins should have leads big enough to not be save situations (10 runs should do it) for the next several games. That way, Nathan can rest up, and the rest of us can calm down.
As for me, I got myself a new hair cut and color. No more grays for me. Let's hope Nathan doesn't make them come back for me.
~~~
Speaking of gray beards, the team's resident graybeard gave me my biggest laugh of the weekend. Mike Redmond, who could fairly be called "the slowest man in baseball" (he is old and a catcher after all), got a triple on Sunday. Yes -- a triple! The ball ran the gap and the outfielders were in so much shock that they kind of fumbled the ball a little, all the while Red was huffing and puffing around the bases, refrigerator on his back and all, and belly-flopped into third safely.
The cameras panned over to the Twins dugout where everyone was laughing his ass off. I thought Gardy was going to tip backwards right out of his folding chair because he was laughing so hard. I'm pretty sure that Red was the most surprised of all. Good times.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Breathing
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This Royals series had me holding my breath a couple of times, but a Twins' sweep made it all worth it.
Recap:
Friday: Twins 5 - Royals 4
Saturday: Twins 8 - Royals 7
Sunday: Twins 10 - Royals 3
Friday's game was fine, until Joe Nathan came to the mound, and then I was a mess. To be fair, I'm always nervous when the Nathanator comes out. I think his hyper-anxiety rubs off on me. I wasn't necessarily worried that he would blow the save, I was just generally worried.
I was right to be worried.
But, after the blown save, he went out for the 10th after the Twins re-took the lead. And it took him for...ev...er to pin it down, all the while I'm sitting and hyperventilating. But he did it. Whew.
Saturday's game was fine, until the bullpen came in. Duensing did just fine by only allowing 2 runs, but "Tell-me-again-why-he's-here" Keppel and "The Crainwreck" Crain each gave up two runs to allow them within two. And since Nathan was unavailable because of Friday's herculean effort, it was Guerrier's game to save. And I thought I was hyperventilating the night before. He allowed a run, but eventually got the save. Whew -- again!
Sunday's game was not hyperventilation-inducing -- thank goodness. That awesome offensive outburst in the 7th, and Pavano's nice pitching performance, was just the relaxing game I needed. Cuddy's two homeruns in one inning was a little breathtaking, though. He's the first Twin to ever do that; I, for one, think that's damn cool.
~~~
And since I forgot to recap the Texas series:
Monday: Twins 5 - Rangers 8
Tuesday: Twins 9 - Rangers 6
Wednesday: Twins 5 - Rangers 4
Thursday: Twins 1 - Rangers 11
Splitting the series was better than I expected. So, yay for that...you know, if Thursday's game hadn't been so soul crushing.
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