Nine Innings with Seth
It’s
been awhile, but I think it is time for a new Nine Innings with Seth. Here are
nine topics or subjects that are at least a little different. As with a regular
ball game, there are some quick innings, and other innings tend to drag on a
little bit! Hopefully there is plenty of information here today that you will
enjoy.
1st
Inning – Radio Time
As has now become a regular time slot, I will be on The Paul
Allen Show on KFAN this morning at 10:20 to talk about the Twins.
2nd
Inning – All About Joe
I suppose that the title for this inning is not quite right. No
one knows all about Joe Mauer. Maybe not even Joe Mauer. But everyone has an opinion, and everyone wants an
update. Finally today, there is an update. On Tuesday, Joe Mauer
went 0-1 with a walk in his first game action. He was the designated hitter for
the Extended Spring Training team. He took a five-pitch walk. He also reached
on an error after a nine-pitch at bat. He had to slide into 2nd and
3rd bases and scored a run. Of course, following the game, Mauer declined comment and would not give any time table.
As fellow TwinsCentric blogger Nick
Nelson tweeted on Monday, Mauer has a sore shoulder
and will not throw for a week to ten days. Hopefully that is the time that he
is able to start catching some innings.
However, it is a positive sign that he is able to play, even
just as a designated hitter. It is a start.
3rd
Inning – Signing for North Minneapolis
The Twins announced on Wednesday that several of their players
will be signing autographs outside of Gate 29 on Target Plaza. For $10, fans
can get one autograph with any of the players participating. Proceeds will go
to the Red Cross for its relief efforts for tornado victims in North
Minneapolis.
4th
Inning – The Slowey Situation
I am really struggling with this Kevin Slowey
situation. Obviously I am not in the clubhouse every day like many, but I have
never heard anyone say anything negative about Kevin Slowey.
In fact, in my opinion, he is a terrific guy. We first made contact late in
2005 after he signed with the Twins and finished his season in Beloit. He has
done several Q&As, and he continues to participate
in my NFL “Expert” Picks each year. I have absolutely nothing bad to say about
him. In fact, there are many great things to say about him. I remember talking
to him at Twins Fest several years ago when a little kid came to him and asked
him what his season highlight was. Slowey responded
by saying that it was pitching the gold medal game against Cuba in Havana
during an international comopetition. Then, he asked
the boy what his favorite highlight of his season was. I was impressed. So when
I hear reports of the Twins saying negative things about him, I can’t help but
wonder aloud. When I hear Bert Blyleven and Dick Bremer bashing and questioning
Slowey, it certainly makes me wonder.
Slowey is incredibly smart and speaks several
languages “well enough.” I have heard it from a couple of sources that Gardy and the coaches don’t necessarily like smart players.
See Craig Breslow and Brendan Harris for a couple
more examples. Is Slowey an ace? No. Would it be nice
if he was able to just take the role (bullpen) that he is being asked to fill? Of course. But I think the level of disdain and
disappointing the is spewing out of the coaching staff
and the media is far overboard. Even if everything they say is true, why are
they letting it become public? There would be several teams interested in Slowey today if the Twins made him available.
To be fair, if Slowey is healthy and
just asking out of the bullpen role, that would be disappointing. At the end of
the day, the Twins are paying him well to pitch in whatever role they ask. And
if he wants to get back into the starting rotation, the best way to do that is
to pitch well in his given role, the bullpen. However, he was put on the
disabled list yesterday with an abdominal strain. Even that can’t be an easy
situation as Slowey says it is an ‘acute’ abdominal
strain, while the Twins trainer says t is ‘mild.”
5th
Inning – From Goat to Hero
Kris Humphries is probably the single reason that I don’t really
watch Gophers (or any college) basketball anymore. Watching that ‘team’ play
during his one season in
the Maroon and Gold was awful. The offense was Throw it to Humphries and see
what he can do. That was it. I have never seen more individual, selfish play in
my life. And now, news came out yesterday that he proposed to Kim Kardashian and she said yes. So now, Kris Humphries is my
hero.
6th
Inning – Minor League Game Notes
Rochester did not have a game scheduled on Wednesday.
New Britain 4, Binghamton 3 – Mark Dolenc
led the Rock Cat bats. He went 4-4 with his fourth double. Yangervis
Solarte went 2-4 with his third home run. Steve
Singleton and Joe Benson each had two hits. Bobby Lanigan
started and gave up three runs on five hits. In six innings, he walked two and struck
out three. Mike Tarsi struck out two in two scoreless innings.
Ft. Myers 1, Tampa 12 – It was a rough one for starter Kane Holbrooks. In 3.1 innings, he gave up 11 runs on 14 hits
and two walks. Shooter Hunt came in and gave up one run on two hits and two
walks in 2.2 innings. He struck out two. Jhon Garcia
went two scoreless innings and struck out four. Note that Aaron Hicks was not
in the lineup. He’s been playing very well of late. On Tuesday night, he was
caught between third and home and dove into 3rd base and came away
from there holding his hand. The extent of the injury
is not known at this time. It could be a short-term thing, or (hopefully not!)
it could be longer. I’ll try to get more information.
Beloit 4, Burlington 5 – Pat Dean started on his 22nd
birthday. He went 5.2 innings and gave up three runs (2 earned) on four hits
and two walks. Blayne Weller went the next two
innings and gave up two runs on four hits. He walked none and struck out three.
Michael Tonkin, Jason Kubel’s brother, got the final
four outs.
7th
Inning – Viewing Party
Last year, TwinsCentric hosted several
events where Twins fans could get together, watch a ball game and talk about
our favorite team. Details are still being finalized, but keep Friday, June 3rd
in mind as we will be co-hosting a Twins Viewing Party with KFAN’s Intern-Gal
Lindsay that night. As of now, the location is still pending, but we will get
any updated information to you as soon as things are finalized. John Bonnes
(The Twins Geek), Parker Hageman (Over The Baggy),
Nick Nelson (Nick’s Twins Blog) and myself will be there, and I’m certain many
of your other favorite Twins bloggers will be as well. So again, keep the date
open.
8th
Inning – Harmon Killebrew
The governor of Minnesota has designated today Harmon Killebrew Day. The Twins will celebrate the life and times
of Killer in a tribute ceremony at Target Field tonight which will be telecast.
I wish I could make it there as I’m certain it will be an emotional night.
Again, Killebrew played his final big league games
the year that I was born, so I never got to watch him play. But I have been
overwhelmed by the stories of the type of person that he was. Again, I want to
be like Harmon is a theme that hopefully I can carry with me as a blogger and
as a person. His work off the field and the stories by so many Twins fans and
players has almost overshadowed what an incredible baseball player that he was.
If you are able to make it to the event, or want to continue talking about Killebrew, that is always fine!
9th
Inning – Twins Links
·
Aaron
Gleeman continued his series of the Top 40 Twins Players with his
choice for #17. He was long the best catcher in Twins history, until recent
years, of course.
·
Twinkie
Town’s Adam Peterson asks, “Why
is this the worst pitching staff in baseball?”
·
Former
Twins RHP Rob Delaney was DFAd by the Rays yesterday.
Should
the Twins consider bringing him back? (I say absolutely yes)
·
Nick
Nelson rehashes what he thought was The Wrong Call,
using Brian Duensing as a starter instead of out of
the bullpen.
·
John
Bonnes discusses
Kevin Slowey as well.
·
The
Nodak Twins Fan reviews
the ABC’s of Losing, something Twins fans hadn’t had to worry about in a
long time.
·
Check
out a new Twins blog called Hail Chip
Hale
·
The
Bat Shatters asked, “What’s
with all the Over-Analyzing?”
·
K-Bro
discusses the flight
from Rochester to Minneapolis that the Twins travel department has had to
schedule many times already this season, and more.
That’s
it for today. Thanks for reading! As always, if you have any
questions or comments, please feel free to leave them below.
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