Tuesday Notes
Good
morning everyone! Well, you’ve noticed the last couple of titles have included
the word “Note” in it. That is because I am again having technical difficulties
with my home computer and so any write-ups you’re seeing here these days are
pretty high-level notes. Nothing too in-depth. For
that kind of analysis, be sure to check out several of those Twins blogs on the
left, and since it’s the offseason, click on a few of the other baseball blogs
as well and see if you can find some favorites.
Anyway,
as you can imagine, I am completely frustrated by my computer and internet
connectivity. My computer is not new. In fact, it is probably over years old! I
was so frustrated last night that I thought about going online, or to Best Buy,
and just buying a new computer. I really could use one. Then I remembered that
I have collection agencies calling me about my bills, so spending on a laptop
probably doesn’t make a lot of sense. I guess I will just have to figure out
something.
I
admit, I become crabby when I don’t have my internet
at home. I think I went to bed last night at about 9:00 rather than sit around
thinking about how mad I was. Sleep is a good thing and something I don’t get a
lot of when I blog, but at the same time, I always feel horrible about not
having something new to read each day.
Because
of my stubbornness, I missed a bunch of great baseball last night. The
Cleveland Indians won Game 3 against the Boston Red Sox to take a 2-1 series
lead. Kenny Lofton got the scoring started with a 2-run homer. Tonight
is Game Four and it pits Paul Byrd against Tim Wakefield.
Congratulations
to Latroy Hawkins and the Colorado
Rockies on their win last night, another series sweep, and a trip to the World
Series. Matt Holliday hit a big home run and was named the series MVP.
The Rockies now have to wait a record eight days before the Series itself
actually starts.
This
is a minor league site, as well as a site regarding the Twins big league club.
I have been a bit negligent about covering the Twins in the Arizona Fall
League, so here is a quick update:
· Nick
Blackburn gave up three runs in two innings during his one appearance so
far. He walked none and struck out three. Blackburn had such an out-of-nowhere
season in 2007 that I am very curious how he will do against some great
prospects.
· Eduardo
Morlan has pitched two games in relief, each one
inning. He has not allowed a run despite two hits and a walk. He also has not
struck out a batter yet. This should be a good challenge for him.
· Ryan
Mullins has started one game to date. He gave up no runs on one hits and no walks in his two innings. He struck out three.
· Anthony
Swarzak has made two starts and went two innings
in each. He has given up two runs on five hits and three walks in his four
innings, and he has struck out just one.
· Drew
Butera has caught just one game. He went 1-4 with
two RBI.
· Trevor
Plouffe has started five games. He is 4-17
(.235/.316/.294) with a double and an RBI. He has walked twice and struck out
five times.
· Matt
Macri has played in four games and is 4-12
(.333/385/.750). I received a report on Macri saying
that when he makes contact, he hits the ball very well. Well, of his four hits,
he has two doubles and a homer. He has one walk and four strikeouts.
Of
course, the numbers presented above mean very little. Two innings or a dozen at
bats really don’t say a lot. I just think these guys deserve mention and any
good that they do should be looked upon favorably.
As
for the Venezuelan Winter League, the Twins have a working agreement with the Tigres de Aragua. Current Twins (or Twins farmhands) on
their roster include: Brian Bass, Danny Hernandez, Bobby Korecky, Frank Mata, Jose Mijares,
Yohan Pino, Oswaldo Sosa, Rodolpho
Palacios, Wilson Ramos and Brian Buscher.
Buscher is 5-16 with two doubles so far. Yohan Pino is 1-1
with a 2.25 ERA. He has given up one run on three hits and a walk in four
innings. He struck out three. Bass gave up a run in four innings in his first
start. Korecky has pitched three scoreless innings in
two appearances. The team also includes former Twins (or Twins minor leaguers) Henry
Bonilla, Luis Maza, Luis Rodriguez,
Ruben Salazar and Alex Romero. Romero had an incredible season
with the Tucson Sidewinders, the Diamondbacks AAA affiliate. In four games in
Venezuela, he is 0-16.
Finally,
I got an e-mail from Chad H that asked what I think is a really good
question, and I would love your thoughts on it. Here is his e-mail, followed by
my response:
Do you find yourself rooting for the Indians because:
1. They are from the AL Central and even though we “hate” them because they’re from the same division, at least the Twins can say the lost out to the AL Champs?
2. They’re not the Red Sox (even though Big Papi is a great player whom we all miss?)
3. Small market teams are good for the rest of the little guys?
Seth’s
Response:
d- All of the above.
However, my initial reaction would be #1. I've always been that way. I remember
in high school. Whichever team beat us in the playoffs, I would want to win in
the playoffs because it would make us look better. Most back then wanted them
to lose. I never understood that thinking.
Secondly, I love the small market thing. I love the model that Cleveland has
used to get back to winning, including some great trades, getting young guys
for getting-expensive talent (Colon to the Expos for Sizemore, Lee... and Einar Diaz to the Rangers for Travis Hafner
and more), development, and then some nice pickups like Kenny Lofton. They've
locked up their core to long term, below-market deals (Sizemore, Hafner, Peralta, Martinez, etc.). It's just a well-run team
and young, talented players.
And yeah, I don't like the Yankees, Red Sox and Cubs because of their spending.
Although at least the Yankees appear to have turned a corner and began
realizing that youth is not a bad thing and aging veteran free agents aren't
worth the money later in the contract (Hunter Alert?). The Red Sox seem to get
that. The Cubs are the ones going against that now.
I
include this question because I think it is an interesting topic that could be
discussed in a number of ways. Secondly, with my computer/internet acting up, I
would like to encourage your questions of me. Consider it a Reader’s Mailbox, or something like that. Please feel free to e-mail
me any questions. They can be about the Twins, the playoffs, the Vikings, or
really anything. I will try to answer 2-3 questions a day, maybe more,
depending on the length of the question and response. Thanks!
And, just two more things. First, if you would like to keep tabs on how the
SethSpeaks.net Fantasy Playoff Contest is going, click here.
Josh
Johnson of Josh’s Thoughts is
the Week 6 winner by going 10-3. It helped him a little bit in the overall
standings, but he has a long ways to go to catch up to Stick & Ball Guy.
Here are the up-to-the-minute standings in the SethSpeaks.net NFL “Expert”
Picks!
|
Final Standings |
Total |
Week |
6 |
|
Over |
All |
|
|
Name |
Site |
W |
L |
Win% |
W |
L |
Win % |
|
Stick & Ball Guy |
9 |
4 |
69.2% |
61 |
28 |
68.5% |
|
|
JD Arney |
9 |
4 |
69.2% |
60 |
29 |
67.4% |
|
|
Josh Taylor |
8 |
5 |
61.5% |
59 |
30 |
66.3% |
|
|
LaVelle E. Neal III |
9 |
4 |
69.2% |
58 |
31 |
65.2% |
|
|
Tim Kolehmainen |
9 |
4 |
69.2% |
58 |
31 |
65.2% |
|
|
9 |
4 |
69.2% |
57 |
32 |
64.0% |
||
|
Roger Dehring |
Several Blogs |
7 |
6 |
53.8% |
55 |
34 |
61.8% |
|
Cory Hepola |
9 |
4 |
69.2% |
55 |
34 |
61.8% |
|
|
Howard Sinker |
7 |
6 |
53.8% |
54 |
35 |
60.7% |
|
|
John Bonnes |
9 |
4 |
69.2% |
54 |
35 |
60.7% |
|
|
Al Bethke |
9 |
4 |
69.2% |
54 |
35 |
60.7% |
|
|
Mike Brasel |
9 |
4 |
69.2% |
53 |
36 |
59.6% |
|
|
Nick Nelson |
8 |
5 |
61.5% |
53 |
36 |
59.6% |
|
|
SethSpeaks Panel |
|
8 |
5 |
61.5% |
53 |
36 |
59.6% |
|
Melissa Lien |
SethSpeaks.net |
8 |
5 |
61.5% |
52 |
37 |
58.4% |
|
Seth Stohs |
SethSpeaks.net |
7 |
6 |
53.8% |
52 |
37 |
58.4% |
|
Wes Holtsclaw |
7 |
6 |
53.8% |
51 |
38 |
57.3% |
|
|
Vic Quick |
9 |
4 |
69.2% |
51 |
38 |
57.3% |
|
|
8 |
5 |
61.5% |
50 |
39 |
56.2% |
||
|
Will Young |
8 |
5 |
61.5% |
50 |
39 |
56.2% |
|
|
7 |
6 |
53.8% |
49 |
40 |
55.1% |
||
|
Josh Johnson |
10 |
3 |
76.9% |
48 |
41 |
53.9% |
|
|
Twins Pitcher |
7 |
6 |
53.8% |
47 |
42 |
52.8% |
|
|
Bill Ferris |
8 |
5 |
61.5% |
45 |
44 |
50.6% |
|
|
Trevor Born |
0 |
0 |
0.0% |
32 |
30 |
51.6% |
Thanks again for stopping by. Have a great
day!