Thursday, May 29, 2008

Two Days, Game Notes

Because of the five year anniversary posting this morning, I did not post any game notes last night. So today, you get game notes from both Wednesday and Thursday games. Pitching. Pitching. Pitching. The Twins have great young pitching at the big league level and there are several throughout the minor league system that are exciting and should keep the Twins competitive for years to come. (Note - I will be back with Part 2 of the SethSpeaks Top 50 Twins Prospects list in a bit.)

Sweep Complete

• The Twins had a crazy five run top of the 9th inning on Wednesday, capped by a two out, two strike, three run, game-tying home run by Craig Monroe. Then in the top of the 10th, Justin Morneau hit his ninth home run to give the Twins the win. It was a game that the Twins didn't necessarily deserve to win, but I guarantee that there will be games throughout the season that they do deserve to win and won't. 
• Kevin Slowey – Mr. Slowey was certainly the story of this game. The righty threw a complete game. He was one out away from the shutout. An Alex Gordon double with two outs in the bottom of the 9th inning scored David DeJesus, whose double two batters earlier meant the first Royals base runner to reach 2B in the entire game. After giving up three runs in each of his first four starts, Slowey threw 15 innings on this road trip and gave up just one run. In this game, he threw just 101 pitches and 74 of them went for strikes. Slowey is now 2-4 with a great 3.38 ERA.
• I think it is time to stop discussing who is better between Kevin Slowey and Nick Blackburn. It is a dumb, unnecessary argument as both are pitching great and have earned their spots in the Twins starting rotation.
• Mike Lamb went 1-4 on Thursday, but did you realize that he is now hitting .252 on the season? In his last eight games, he has gone 12-31 to increase his average from .218 to .252. And yet some still want to see someone like Nick Punto take playing time from him!
• The Twins claimed Craig Breslow, a lefty reliever dropped from the Cleveland Indians 40 man roster. To make room on the Twins 40 man roster, Pat Neshek was put on the 60 Day Disabled List. He will be activated before the Twins/Yankees Friday night game. So, who will be sent down tomorrow? The easy choice is Bobby Korecky who is probably at the back of the bullpen for the Twins. The tough choice is releasing Juan Rincon. I don't think the Twins would do it, but I think it would be the right choice. With Nick Punto set to come off of the Disabled List on Saturday, a second player will need to be sent down as well. So, here is what I think will happen. You never know how good that Yankees offense could be, so I think an extra pitcher is always a good thing to have against them. So, for the one game, I would send Howie Clark down on Monday before sending a pitcher down (or releasing Rincon, should that be the choice) on Saturday. Matt Macri, in my mind, should stay on the roster. He can hit right handed and platoon with Mike Lamb at 3B. Nick Punto can play 3B as well, but he can be a backup/late inning defensive replacement for Brendan Harris and get some time at 2B as well.
• Delmon Young's impressive consecutive games played streak ended last night. It was definitely the right decision. I know a lot of people think that he needs to be sent down to Rochester (and the Royals sending down Billy Butler would be comparable), but just like with Carlos Gomez earlier, a day off can work wonders. I would personally get him right back in the lineup on Friday night and let him play. He will be just fine, but the day off was absolutely needed.
• The Twins lost last Saturday to Detroit 19-3 and many Twins fans cried that the sky was falling down. The Twins did not play great on Wednesday. They had a defensive lapse on Tuesday. And yet, somehow, the Twins managed to win five out of six games on this road trip. Despite the fact that the Twins pitching staff gave up 36 runs in those six games while the offense scored 36 runs in the same time, the Twins won five out of six. Sometimes it's important to step back and be happy. No need to always whine about something!

Any Twins thoughts?

Twins Minor League Updates

Wednesday SethSpeaks Player of the Day – Jason Pridie, Rochester Red Wings
Wednesday SethSpeaks Pitcher of the Day – Jeff Manship, Ft. Myers Miracle

Thursday SethSpeaks Player of the Day – David Winfree/Dustin Martin, New Britain Rockcats - Danny Valencia, Ft. Myers Miracle
Thursday SethSpeaks Pitcher of the Day – Kevin Mulvey, Rochester Red Wings

ROCHESTER REPORT
Wednesday – Rochester 6, Charlotte 3 – Danny Graves made another start and this time gave up three runs on eight hits in 5.2 innings to improve to 2-0. He walked one and struck out three. Ricky Barrett walked two in a shutout inning. Then Tim Lahey picked up his seventh save with 2.1 shutout innings. Jason Pridie led the offense going 3-5 with his sixth triple, two RBI and his ninth stolen base. Randy Ruiz went 2-3 with his 14th double. Garrett Jones was 2-4 with his 14th double.

Thursday – Rochester 4, Charlotte 3 – Kevin Mulvey put together his second straight quality start and improved to 3-6. In seven innings, he gave up three earned runs on five hits. Impressively, he walked none and struck out nine. Mariano Gomez went the next 1.1 innings without allowing a run. Julio DePaula got his first save by getting the final two outs. Tommy Watkins had two doubles in four at bats. He has four on the season. Darnell McDonald went 1-2 with his fifth homer. Garrett Jones hit his fifth homer as well.

NEW BRITAIN NEWS
Wednesday – New Britain 3, Connecticut 2 – The Rockcats scored all three of their runs in the 7th inning, the game-winner coming on a bases loaded walk to Drew Butera (of all people). Erik Lis went 2-3 with a walk. Ryan Mullins improved to 5-3 with a 3.38 with seven quality innings. He gave up two runs but both were unearned. Kyle Aselton went a scoreless inning. Ben Julianel got his ninth save with a scoreless ninth.

Thursday – New Britain 10, Connecticut 6 – As poor as the bats were in the Rockcats Wednesday win, they were alive and well in this game. David Winfree and Dustin Martin were each 3-5 with a double. Luke Hughes went 1-3 with two walks, his 11th homer and three RBI. Brock Peterson went 2-4 with his 14th double. Toby Gardenhire went 2-4, and Trevor Plouffe went 2-5. Anthony Swarzak was the beneficiary of the run support. He improved to 3-2 with 5.2 innings of work. He gave up three runs (2 earned) on seven hits and two walks. But he did strike out ten. Jay Sawatski gave up three runs (2 earned) on just one hit but four walks in 2.1 innings. Armando Gabino got his third save by striking out three in a perfect inning.

FT MYERS MEMOS
On Thursday, the Florida State League announced its All-Star team rosters. Six members of the Miracle team were named to the roster. Jeff Manship, Rob Delaney and Anthony Slama each earns spots on the pitching staff. Brian Dinkelman and Danny Valencia each made the team. Rene Tosoni, who won't be able to play because of his broken leg, was also named to the team.

Wednesday – Ft. Myers 2, Sarasota 0 –  The Miracle shutout the Reds for the second straight day. This time, it was Jeff Manship getting his sixth win. He threw seven shutout innings, giving up just three hits and three walks. Anthony Slama struck out three over the final two innings. Juan Portes led the offense, going 3-4 with his tenth double. Eli Tintor was 2-4. The losing pitcher in this game was former Twins prospect Alexander Smit. The young lefty gave up just one run in six innings. 

Thursday – Ft. Myers 5, Sarasota 1 – Deolis Guerra also won his sixth game of the year. In six innings, he gave up just one run on four hits. He still needs to cut down on the walks as he issued five free passes. Jose Lugo threw two shutout innings. Rob Delaney came in for the 9th and did not allow a run. Danny Valencia went 3-5 with his 18th double. Yangevis Solarte went 3-4 with his third double and two RBI. With the success he's experienced in his short time with the Miracle, it would be hard to send him back to Elizabethton at this point. Danny Santiesteban went 1-1 with three walks.  

BELOIT BITS
Wednesday – Beloit 0, Clinton 1 (10 innings) – Santos Arias did not allow a run in seven innings of work. He gave up five hits. Amazingly he walked six hitters (and struck out six). Spencer Steedley then threw two perfect innings. Steve Hirschfeld fell to 4-1. He worked the tenth and didn't get an out. He gave up a hit, walked two and then gave up the game winning hit. Danny Lehmann went 2-4. Ramon Santana hit a double.

Thursday –  Beloit / Clinton - Postponed by Rain.

Be sure to check back later for Part 2 of the 2008 midseason Top 50 Twins Prospects list.

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