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.
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Posts about Twins fans
Return of the LPR
Posted by: Jim Souhan Updated: November 27, 2012 - 2:14 PM
This week’s Local Power Rankings:
1. Gophers hockey. They have been far from flawless, but they’re talented and entertaining and ranked up where they belong, near the top of the national rankings.
2. The Wild. Still undefeated.
3. Gopher basketball. There is no shame in losing to Duke this time of the year. Duke dominates early-season tournaments. Andre Hollins and Trevor Mbakwe both turned in big games last week, two excellent signs for a talented team.
4. The Vikings. I know, I know, they are sliding down a slippery slope, but pause for a moment and recognize this fact: They are 6-5 and a victory on Sunday at Green Bay would keep them in playoff contention. I know, I know, but let’s not pretend this is a predicable league.
5. The Timberwolves. Kevin Love’s return, and his inability to shoot to his standards while recovering from his hand injury, have jammed the previously flowing offense. The Wolves will figure it out, but it’s been a rough week.
6. The Twins. They haven’t done anything to fix their pitching yet. But it’s early. We probably can’t begin to judge their winter until they trade Denard Span and sign at least one veteran starter.
7. Gopher football. Despite all of the negative things that have happened this season, it’s too early to call for Jerry Kill’s head. It’s not too early to suggest that his continued seizures, and the fact that they seem triggered by stress, are a bigger problem than Woody Teague wants to publicly admit. Yes, the seizures will hurt recruiting. Yes, the seizures are a threat to ticket sales (I wouldn’t want to risk seeing anyone suffering in that way on the sideline.) Yes, the seizures are a threat to Kill’s career. It’s sad. It’s also true.
Why DL Span?
Posted by: Jim Souhan Updated: August 30, 2012 - 4:16 PMSo why would the Twins place Denard Span on the disabled list two days before they're allowed to expand their roster for September callups?
I think there are two reasons.
1. They want to bring up Matt Carson, a corner outfielder who played well in his brief stint with the team. Because they sent Carson down a week ago, they can't call him up again unless he's replacing someone who is headed for the DL. Thus, the move.
2. Reading between a lot of lines, I also think the Twins are tired of waiting for Span, who has been ``day-to-day'' for a long time. This is a way of telling him that he's driving them nuts and that they'd rather play other people at this time, anyway.
Other notes from the Twins' 5-4 loss to Seattle:
-Twins lost 8 of 190 against Seattle this season.
-The Twins have lost 17 of their last 21 against the Mariners.
-Josh Willingham had two bat at-bats with runners in scoring position early in the game, then dropped a line drive in the sixth that prolonged the Mariners' four-run sixth. He also hit his 32nd home run.
-Brian Duensing's record is now 3-10 with a 5.26 ERA.
-I'll be on 1500espn at 6:30 tonight and 2:05 tomorrow. My Twitter handle is @Souhanstrib.
Next year's infield?
Posted by: Jim Souhan Updated: August 30, 2012 - 3:25 PMWatched Trevor Plouffe and Pedro Florimon take the field for early infield practice today. It's one of those little things that could be meaningless but indicates a willingness to work on their craft.
The morning of a day game following a night game, they might have been tempted to sleep in or relax in the clubhouse with their teammates. Anyway, while watching them, I started to project what the infield will be next year.
Trevor Plouffe is the third baseman. Ron Gardenhire keeps pushing him to work on his fielding and concentration, but let's be honest - the guy has hit 20 homers in 321 at-bats. He's going to be in the lineup.
I think Florimon has a chance to stick as the shortstop. He's talented and athletic, with a strong arm and speed, and the Twins don't believe he's going to be a classic bottom-of-the-order out.
Brian Dozier, I'm guessing, will, be given a chance to compete with Florimon next spring, and if Florimon holds the job, Dozier might be the leading candidate to play second if the Twins don't spend on that position in free agency.
Eduardo Escobar is likely to become a utility infielder.
Justin Morneau is the obvious choice at first base, but Chris Parmalee's big season at Class AAA gives the team options.
Between catcher, DH, first base and the three outfield spots, the Twins will have Joe Mauer, Morneau, Parmalee, Ryan Doumit, Josh Willingham, Denard Span, Darin Mastroianni and a handful of prospects like Arcia and Hicks.
To me, that glut, or potential glut, points to a trade this winter of Span, if the Twins can aquire enough pitching to justify sacrificing a good offensive player. Trading Span would open centerfield for Revere, who belongs there, and rightfield for Parmalee or one of the prospects.
The Twins could trade Morneau, too, which would open first base for Parmalee and free payroll to pursue pitching.
No longer sure Twins in playoff race
Posted by: Jim Souhan Updated: August 28, 2012 - 10:40 PMColleague Patrick Reusse figured it out before I got back up from the Twins' clubhouse:
Since July 18, 2011, the Twins are 71-127, for a winning percentage of .357.
That's pathetic.
For the Wednesday paper, I conducted a lengthy interview with Twins GM Terry Ryan. He was not happy. The column is about future plans, but he's stumped as to why what should be a pretty good lineup has fallen apart.
The Twins have failed to homer in 10 of their last 11 games. They went through a 14-inning scoreless streak before finally scoring in the third inning on Tuesday, and then they went to sleep until a token rally in the ninth.
They've been outscored 47-19 in their last eight games.
A lack of pitching is the reason they're not in contention. There's no sound explanation for why they've stopped hitting.
-The Mariners have beaten the Twins in seven straight games.
-The Twins are 10-26 against the AL West.
Enough about this team. Again, my interview with Terry Ryan will be in the Wednesday paper and at Startribune.com.
Please follow me on Twitter at @Souhanstrib.
The all ex-Twins team
Posted by: Jim Souhan Updated: August 28, 2012 - 12:13 PMSo I'm watching the Twins live last night, and the Orioles and White Sox online, and I couldn't help but notice how many good former Twins were playing in the latter game.
A.J. Pierzynski. Lew Ford. Francisco Liriano. J.J. Hardy. Jesse Crain.
Then I flipped to the Rangers game and watched Joe Nathan look as dominant as his old, All-Star self, while blowing away the Rays in the ninth.
So here's a first draft of an all-former Twins team. If I forgot someone significant, and I'm sure I did, please email me at jsouhan@startribune.com to remind me, and I"ll update later when I'm at tonight's Twins game.
C A.J.
Dh: David Ortiz
1b: Michael Cuddyer (who probably will play there next year for the Rockies.)
2b: Nick Punto, the key to that big Red Sox-Dodgers deal.
Ss: Hardy
3b: Danny Valencia (Sorry, it's not a perfect team. At least Danny adds some ``Swag.'' Whatever that is.)
OF: Jason Kubel, Torii Hunter, Delmon Young. Torii has to play CF again.
Starting rotation: R.A. Dickey, Johan Santana, Kyle Lohse, Francisco LIriano, Jason Marquis. Santana's hurt and Marquis is not very good, but how many teams have fully healthy and dominant rotations?
Bullpen: Joe Nathan, Jesse Crain, Matt Guerrier, LaTroy Hawkins, Jon Rauch, Craig Breslow
Bench: Wilson Ramos, Carlos Gomez, Lew Ford, Jason Bartlett, Orlando Hudson.
OK...now who did I forget?
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