Results tagged ‘ Orlando Hudson ’
Paying The Piper
We sports fans are a fickle lot most of the time. For the last few years, Twins fans were ALWAYS badgering GM’s (either Ryan or Smith) to sign more players to help us win. Since the pitching seemed solid, a lock of hitters was always our “dire” need.
Well, we brought in guys like Delmon Young, Orlando Hudson, JJ Hardy, and Jim Thome to help the offense. Plus, we signed out “Mantle & Marris”…
…to long-term deals.
Well, those offensive players (for a variety of reasons) never really paid off, and “M&M” have been too hurt to meet the return on investment.
Thus, part of the reason for this season spiralling into disaster has been an inability to patch holes like we have done in the past. The bullpen guys got too pricey, the starters all regressed or never hit their potential, and all the hitters got hurt. ALL…OF…THEM.
So, we are now realizing (as we did in the 1990s) that we still can’t quite spend with the big boys on the coasts…even with a new stadium. The time to pay the piper has come, and that time is now.
Notes:
-Twins get swept by lowly Orioles at home.
-Liriano goes on the DL (Scott Diamond will take his place).
-Kubel is claimed off waivers (though no deal yet) by the White Sox.
-Same story as above for Jim Thome & the Indians.
Preview (55-75, 4th, 9.0 GB CWS): Rick Porcello (11-8, 5.17) vs. Scott Diamond (0-1, 4.26)
Hudson Goes To Cali
Orlando Hudson is a Padre.
When healthy, O-Dawg was a force at the top of our lineup. However, that healthy state eluded him time and time again. Just when it seemed as if he had recovered from the previous injury and was getting his stroke back, a new malady would crop up.
Basically, O-Dawg was a one-year rental for a playoff push that never transpired. Enjoy him, Cali…when he is in the lineup, that is.
Oh yeah, and his DP mate will be Jason Bartlett…
Small world, huh?!
Are You Watching Closely?
Man, it’s been awhile since I’ve written on this blog. I guess this year, I’m taking the annual loss to the Yankees in the playoffs a bit harder than usual.
To be honest, I’m not even going to comment on that ALDS. If you are curious as to some analysis about why we were beaten by the Yankees again, just look at two older posts from this blog:
Just change around a few of the names and faces, and that (once again) perfectly explains why the Twins can’t quite topple the mighty Yanks (even though a team like Texas doesn’t seem to have much trouble with them).
What I want to look at right now, instead, is a huge missed opportunity. After seeing Cliff Lee (Game 1 WS start aside) pretty much buzz-saw his way through the playoffs once again, I can’t help but wondering if Twins execs shouldn’t be “watching closely” as to the difference one ace pitcher can make.
Consider this:
Throughout the regular season, the Twins were the far superior team than Texas. In those final months of the year, we practically ran away with the #2 seed in the American League. The ultimate turning point, though, came at the All-Star break, when we had a chance at acquiring Mr. Lee…
However, it seemed as if Wilson Ramos…
…was the stumbling block (at least as reported in the papers) as to why the deal fell through.
Basically, the way I understand it, the Twins didn’t want to give up such a touted prospect for a guy who they knew they would only be renting, especially at a time when a playoff spot was not a given at that point.
Here’s what boggles my mind, though. Ramos eventually did get shipped out of town, but for the services of one Matt Capps, who did relatively nothing to lock down a solid closing role and was a non-factor in the playoffs.
Now, on one hand, I get what the mid-market (with the new stadium) Twins were trying to do, and that is not tie up too much money in a short-term player when our own talent will need to be paid again soon. I just wish that Twins execs would have taken a page out of the 2009 Vikings handbook. The Vikes gambled on Brett Favre, and it took them to the NFC Championship game with a magical season. Why couldn’t the Twins have done the same?!
I truly believe that we were a much better team than the one that lost to the Yankees in a short three games. We could hit, field, and pitch (despite a lack of a star bullpen) quite well, but we were just missing that one ace who could give us that confidence-building lead in the series. Cisco and Pavano did their best, but once it got to Duensing it was all but over.
As much as I hate to say it, the window may have just closed a bit. Thome’s status is uncertain, Hardy/Hudson might both be gone (leading the old faithful Punto/Casilla middle infield that inspires little confidence both on the field and in the box), and who knows if Pavano can put together another inspired season again (if he even does return). As evidenced by Texas bouncing the Yanks rather easily, they were ripe for the picking this year. It just would have taken one ace…the one ace we didn’t gamble on.
Twins execs…are you watching closely?
A Different Feeling
Last year ended (at least the regular season) about as exciting as a Twins season has ever come to a close (see above).
This year obviously felt a little different. For most of today’s regular season finale against the Toronto Blue Jays, the 3-4-5 batters were: Drew Butera, Ben Revere, and Trevor Plouffe.
This occured due to the Twins trying to rest guys for the playoffs, but it was still a bit disconcerting to see the team lose so many games after clinching. I’m not too worried, though, for this reason:
Last year in the ALDS against the Yankees, the Twins Brendan Harris, Nick Punto, and Matt Tolbert in the starting lineup. No such thing will happen this year, as those guys are replaced (respectively) by Jim Thome, Orlando Hudson, and Danny Valencia.
We know that our first-round opponent this year will again be the Yankees, but I’ll have more on that matchup in a later post.
Final AL Central Standings:
| y-Minnesota | 94 | -68 | . | - |
| Chi White Sox | 88 | -74 | 6.0 | |
| Detroit | 81 | -81 | 13.0 | |
| Cleveland | 69 | -93 | 25.0 | |
| Kansas City | 67 | -95 | 27.0 |
More Bailouts Than Obama (aka Don’t Mess Around With Jim)
Tonight’s Twins-White Sox game featured more bailouts of Twins’ pitchers than the Obama Administration:
First, Scott Baker stunk it up once again, giving up a bevy of hard-hit balls, including a moonshot from Paul Konerko in the early innings:
However, the Twins also got dingers of their own from Delmon Young and Orlando Hudson, as well as a big triple from Jason Kubel, to stay in the game.
With the Twins leading 5-4 going into the bottom of the ninth, Matt Capps was brought in for the save situation. The first batter, Alexei Ramirez, homered to tie the game, but Capps was bailed out by a huge, bases-loaded double play to end the inning.
In the tenth, Jon Rauch took the mound and, with one out, gave up three straight singles to once again allow the White Sox to score a run, giving them a 6-5 lead. Rauch, for the second time in as many games, couldn’t even finish off his inning and had to be replaced:
At this point, though, is when Big Jim took matters onto his own, rather broad shoulders:
In the bottom of the tenth, Delmon Young sent a rocket right through the crotch (almost literally) of Matt Thorton. Up stepped Jim Thome, and three things happened in rather short fashion:
1. The ball rocketed towards the right field pavilion;
2. The ball landed, giving Thome career homer #581, and the first walk-off jack at Target Field;
3. A shaving cream-filled towel quickly homed in on Thome’s face, courtesy of one Nick Punto.
Every win against the Sox is a good win at this point, but it’s so much sweeter when Thome does it to his former mates! Next to Delmon Young choosing to punch AJ Pierzynski in the face instead of sliding into home plate, Thome’s blast is easily the highlight of the season-series with these two clubs so far. Can we drop them even further back tomorrow?!
Preview (69-50, 1st, 4.0 GA CWS): Gavin Floyd (8-9, 3.70) vs. Francisco Liriano (11-7, 3.26).
When Delmon Ain’t Happy, Ain’t Nobody Happy
One of the startling (but in a good way) characteristics of the 2009 Minnesota Twins has been their ability to overcome injury adversity and play on despite extended DL trips for three starters (Orlando Hudson, Nick Punto, and Justin Morneau) and a beat-up Joe Mauer. Guys like Delmon Young, Michael Cuddyer, Alexi Casilla, Drew Butera, and Danny Valencia have found their niches over the past few months.
However, if the first two games dropped in Tropicana tell us anything (besides the fact that the Rays are fast and shouldn’t be walked, respectively), it is that Delmon Young is the key to everything right now (at least with Morneau still on the sidelines). So far against Rays pitching, Delmon is 1-9. Without him spraying the ball everywhere, the Twins just don’t have enough lineup depth to keep mounting rallies when needed.
Thus, against good teams that we can’t just clobber, we all too often send a bullpen full of late-inning collapsers (Guerrier, Crain, Mijares) into the game at the most pressure-filled situations. Unless the splits/matchups go exactly our way, bad things are almost bound to happen.
I’m not saying that the pen is altogether rotten, but put it this way…right now I have as much confidence in Jesse Crain as in anyone else that comes out of those swinging doors, and anybody who has read my blog in the past knows how difficult it is for me to even CONSIDER that statement.
Notes:
-Another good start for Duensing (just one mistake that happened to be hammered by Sean Rodriguez), but still too many walks, which only serve to raise the pitch count and tack on runs that shouldn’t ever materialize.
-Woke up this morning, heard Brett Favre had texted his retirement to the Vikings, and thought “Well, the Twins had better be the bread-winners this sports season”. Of course, that would mean I actually BELIEVE #4…
Preview (59-48, 2nd, 1.5 GB CWS): Scott Baker (9-9, 5.00) vs. David Price (14-5, 2.90).
Pinballin’
Man, since when did Rogers Centre turn into Coors Field? Once again tonight, the home of the Toronto Blue Jays turned into something akin to a pinball machine, with the Jays bashing enough long fly balls (both in and out of the park) to beat the Twins 6-5.
Both Alex Gonzalez and Jose Bautista hit moonshots for the blue birdies, while John Buck, Vernon Wells, and that pesky Fred “my batting stance looks exactly like Fred McGriff” Lewis also added big hits.
Of course, both Orlando Hudson and the unstoppable Delmon Young added dingers of their own, but it wasn’t enough to push Kevin Slowey (6.1 IP, 5 ER) and Matt Guerrier (blown hold) out on top.
Like I said yesterday, the Twins hitters will come around (even if it is at the frenetically-charged Rogers Centre), but it is the pitching that needs to turn in a few more quality starts. It doesn’t help that our staff’s biggest weakness (the gopher ball) plays right into the Jays’ greatest strength.
Notes:
-Just heard tonight that Jake Peavy of the White Sox will likely miss the rest of the season. This is a huge blow to the ChiSox, because they really folded down the stretch without him last season.
-Hopefully Morneau is okay after taking a knee to the head sliding into second base (he left the game as a precautionary measure). Wouldn’t surprise me to see him take a day off tomorrow.
Preview (44-38, 1.5 GB DET): Scott Baker (7-7, 4.72) vs. Brett Cecil (7-5, 4.19). It’s halfway through the season and Baker has an ERA near 5.00? Perhaps this is why we are so strongly in the running for Cliff Lee?!
Making ‘Em Sweat
Last night, the Minnesota Twins look for all the world to be headed to another disappointing loss on the road. Down 5-2 after five innings, Carl Pavano was getting beat by the long ball and the bats weren’t doing much of anything (besides grounding to Lyle Overbay, that is).
However, that is when the bats started to heat up:
Not only did it take back-to-back jacks from Morneau and Kubel to jump back into the game, but big hits were also needed from Mauer (dinger), and doubles by Thome and Delmon Young (who finished the game 3-3) since the pen kept serving up the meatballs.
As much as everyone is worried about the Twins right now, I think that our hitting is what it is and we aren’t going to change anything. If we continue to trot out a Span-O-Dawg-Mauer-Morneau-Cuddy-Kubes-Big D-Big Jim-JJ lineup, we’ll score runs:
If it doesn’t, then we probably just don’t deserve to make the playoffs anyway, so why worry? Thus, are biggest area of improvement will be pitching. Cliff Lee would be huge, but enough so to mortage away guys like Wilson Ramos and Aaron Hicks? At this point, I would have to say yes. With that kind of potent lineup day in and day out, we may actually have a chance to take on the mighty Yanks in the playoffs this year (one always has to assume that the AL road to the World Series runs through the Big Apple), but not without a few pitchers to hold back their firepower. Sending Lee, Liriano, and Pavano/Slowey/Baker/Blackie to the mound would give as at least a fair shake against their big bats, I think, though of course nothing is guaranteed.
Another key…more pictures like this:
Notes:
-Too bad Delmon Young won’t win the Final Vote balloting, but Kevin Youkilis probably deserves it. Just as long as Swish doesn’t make it…man I hate that guy!
Preview (45-38, 2nd, 0.5 GB DET): Kevin Slowey (8-5, 4.57) vs. Marc Rzepczynski (0-0, 0.00). The Tigers needed some late-inning heroics to preserve their division lead last night, so let’s keep the pressure on. I don’t want to be two games back heading into Comerica this weekend.
A Solid Nine
This afternoon, the Twins rapped out 9 hits (two apiece from Morneau, Kubel, & Cuddyer) against the Tigers, while Kevin Slowey followed Blackie’s example and turned in his first quality start in ages, beating the Tigres 5-1 and pushing them just a bit further back in the AL Central standings.
The thing I wanted to comment on today, though, is the kind of lineup the Twins will be able to put on the field everyday once JJ Hardy gets back from his injury (likely this weekend):
1. Denard Span, CF
2. Orlando Hudson, 2B
3. Joe Mauer, C
4. Justin Morneau, 1B
5. Michael Cuddyer, 3B
6. Jason Kubel, RF
7. Delmon Young, LF
8. Jim Thome, DH
9. JJ Hardy, SS
Wow…Thome batting eigth?! Of course, the two concerns are Cuddy’s defense at third and Thome’s status as everyday player (even at DH), but if those things pan out, that lineup could be as deadly as any order this side of the Yankees in the American League. Plus, Gardy could (and would) bring Nick Punto off the bench as a defensive sub at practically any infield position late in the game.
I know that the Twins have always been a streaky bunch of hitters the last few years, with Young, Cuddyer, and Morneau (although perhaps not his ’10 form) prone to terrible dry spells, but that is where the depth comes in. When guys 1-9 can provide big hits, it would take every single one of them in a slump to slow production.
Notes:
-It was nice to see Slowey strike a few guys out today. Whereas Blackburn needs the ball to dive to get outs, Slowey needs to have his perfect control, which will lead to some K’s in big spots.
Preview (43-35, 1st, 1.5 GA DET): Jeff Niemann (6-2, 2.72) vs. Carl Pavano (9-6, 3.33). Man, if Pavano was any shorter, he’d be the spitting image of this guy:
Two Good Teams
This past weekend, the Minnesota Twins and Atlanta Braves (both leaders of their respective divisions) played some hard-fought games that brought to mind another series between each club that you might remember:
On Friday night, Francisco Liriano and Tim Hudson locked horns in an epic pitchers duel (I was at this one in person!). Frankie struck out seven batters in a row at one point (tying a club record), and the Twins did Hudson in with one productive inning in the seventh.
For Saturday’s game, another pitching lockup commenced, this time with Nick Blackburn taking the hard-luck loss to Derek Lowe.
In the finale, Kevin Slowey came back down to earth after a series of outstanding starts, and the Twins effectively lost after the second inning (down 5-0). Delmon Young did continue his hot hitting with a three-run bomb, though.
Notes:
-It was nice to see the Twins organization recognize Bobby Cox before the opening game of the series (Cox has announced his retirement from managing effective at the end of this season). He truly is a class act who will be sorely missed by Atlanta and all MLB.
-Boy, is Delmon ever on a tear! Of course, he is also prone to those bone-dry stretches as well, so is it really necessary to re-hash the Garza/Bartlett for Young/Harris trade every time he goes on a streak?!
-We need to get healthy. We may be able to beat some NL clubs (like the incoming Rockies) with the likes of Danny Valencia and Trevor Plouffe in the lineup, but we need O-Dawg and JJ back to compete with the big boys offensively.
Preview (36-27, 1st, 2.5 GA DET): Aaron Cook (2-3, 4.76) vs. Carl Pavano (6-6, 3.92). Does Pavano ever get a no-decision? I’m kidding…that’s actually a positive thing, as it means he’s pitching deep into games.
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