twins/mlb
Jim Souhan analyzes the local sports scene and advises you to never take his betting advice. He likes old guitars and old music, never eats press box hot dogs, and can be heard on 1500ESPN at 2:05 p.m. weekdays, and Sundays from 10 a.m.-noon.
Find him on Twitter
Sunday at Hammond Stadium
Posted by: Jim Souhan under Professional baseball, Ron Gardenhire, Target Field, Twins fans, Twins management Updated: March 14, 2010 - 2:32 PM
I leave Florida on Monday, and may be heading home to Minnesota only to jump on a flight to wherever the Gophers are playing in the NCAA tournament.
That's why I picked Monday as a departure date in the first place, but I had given up hope that the Gophs would make it until this weekend. I don't think conference tournaments should carry this much weight, but I'm always glad when the local teams make themselves worth covering.
Today I'm at Hammond Stadium on a beautiful day. A few Twins' impressions:
-The Twins are using Glen Perkins late in games, and his body language is terrible. If they weren't going to give him a chance to compete for a spot in the rotation, they should have traded him this winter.
Now I'd suggest they package him in a deal for a closer. No, Perkins isn't enough to bring a good closer by himself, but the Twins should have enough organizational depth to be able to make a deal, if there are any worthwhile closers available. (Heath Bell is the best thought to be available, but the Padres are thought to be asking a lot for him.)
--Alexi Casilla is another player who doesn't seem to be making a push for a roster spot. He's on his way to becoming the next Luis Rivas - a talented young infielder who lacked the fire to fulfill his potential.
-The young starters are a bright spot. Scott Baker, Francisco Liriano, Kevin Slowey and Nick Blackburn all look sharp.
It's funny in baseball how our predictions are often right - at the wrong times. Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer have been even better than projected, but they arrived a year later than we anticipated. Last year, we thought the Twins' young starters would be outstanding, and Baker started slowly, Slowey got hurt and Liriano was still trying to learn how to pitch with a surgically-repaired arm.
This spring, all four of them look sharp and comfortable. I could see them, with good health, providing 850 innings. (Of course, Jack Morris, before the game, was telling me they should all pitch about 10 complete games. That would save the bullpen.)
-I mentioned this on the radio show today - with Joe Mauer hanging out with J.J. Hardy and Morneau hanging out with Jim Thome, I fear that the greatest Bromance in Twin Cities history may be over. Watch TMZ for updates.
-I'm here one more day, and I'll be on am-1500 at 7:45 a.m. and on WJON in St. Cloud at 7:14 a.m. I usually go on with Joe Anderson at 6:05 on Monday afternoons, but I'll be in the air, so we'll have to push that back a day or two.
-You can follow me on Twitter at Souhanstrib.
-We had Bill Smith, Denard Span and Nick Blackburn on Sunday Sports Talk today in a Twins-centric broadcast from Hammond Stadium. Next week, the Ron Gardenhire Show debuts at 9:30 a.m. before we start Sunday Sports Talk. Remember to call in and ask Gardy why he doesn't bunt more. He loves that.
ADVERTISEMENT
more twins blogs
-
A Fan's View
Section 219: Watching the Twins (and their fans) melt down
The losing streak has brought out the worst from top to bottom in the...
-
TwinsCentric
TwinsCentric: Examining Arcia's recent struggles
Where's Oswaldo? (Hint: Not in the Twins lineup.)
-
Twins Insider
Three Twins postgame thoughts from LEN3: Roster moves, Florimon, angry looks
The Twins' losing streak is at nine after blowing a late lead against the...
Post By Category
ADVERTISEMENT
- Postgame: Roster moves, Florimon and staredowns
- Section 219: Watching the Twins (and their fans) melt down
- TwinsCentric: Examining Arcia's recent struggles
- Report: P.J. Walters promoted; start Saturday?
- TwinsCentric: Twins take a good, hard turn with Deduno
- Postgame: Colabello asked for OK to swing
- Section 219: Is Twins lost weekend sign of the slide to come?
- Postgame: Homestand woes, Hernandez and Kyle Gibson's shutout
ADVERTISEMENT
inside the StarTribune
-
425 Portland Av. S.
Minneapolis, MN 55488
(612) 673-4000
- Company
- Subscriber Services
- Website
- Buy Ads
- Store
- Connect with Us
© 2013 StarTribune. All rights reserved.
StarTribune.com is powered by Limelight Networks
Newspaper Subscriptions
eEdition
RSS
Newsletters