MINNESOTA TWINS Official 2010 Season Thread (94-67) >>> First round Sweep. What else.

[djaman]

Austin Jackson looks really good, but he's going to hit a pretty significant slide at some point. I just wonder when Jason Kubel and Denard Span get completely back to being themselves.

Knee-jerk comment: Mauer to third and Ramos catching? Or is Ramos key trade bait to pick up someone down the line?

 

[houser34]

Originally Posted by djaman

Knee-jerk comment: Mauer to third and Ramos catching? Or is Ramos key trade bait to pick up someone down the line?

A lunch discussion between JPZ and I (and a foreign idiot as well). I believe moving a GG catcher to third is silly, and we don't know if he can even play a solid third. But it's conceivable if Ramos keeps producing like this. Not 2010 conceivable, though. And not likely, ever.

 

[djaman]

Yeah, but I think it borders on naive to think a guy can catch fifteen years in the bigs and not break down. Moving Mauer to a different position likely maximizes his offensive longevity. I'm not saying Mauer will move positions in even three years, but I'm surprised if he finishes his career behind the plate.

 

[651akathepaul]

I'm not about to comment on how a very good 2 games for Ramos justifies the potential to move Mauer around the diamond.

As far as the future goes with Mauer, we'll cross that bridge when we get there. He's still got a good 4-5 years until this becomes a concern.

 

[rsdplaya]

let's settle down on Ramos and reevaluate in due time...2 games is not judge-worthy.

 

[651akathepaul]

Span is 3-4 for today. A sidenote on what should be a win. Once that guy starts hitting...Oh boy!

 

[651akathepaul]

Dammit Rauch...Don't be dumb.

 

[651akathepaul]

Phew...Good one. Widen that gap.

 

[RyGuy45]

Kubel leavin 8 on base total for the game

 

[651akathepaul]

I like Kubel. I always hoped that the Twins could eek out 30 HR's from the guy. He's got the power, but I don't know if it happens now. I'll keep hope.

 

[houser34]

Originally Posted by rsdplaya

let's settle down on Ramos and reevaluate in due time...2 games is not judge-worthy.

Agreed...It's an interesting idea to toss around, but it's obviously a down-the-road type of thing.
With that in mind, check out what Jim Souhan wrote in the Star Tribune today...

"The Twins don't look at Ramos as redundant or expendable. They see him as a multitalented top prospect who as soon as next season could enable Mauer's bat to stay in the lineup every day. One possible future scenario would have Mauer catching five days a week and spending one or two games a week at DH or in the outfield, with Ramos catching two days a week and spending the rest of his time as the Twins' righthanded designated hitter, helping them balance their left-leaning lineup."



Seems logical, and of course premature, but if Ramos pans out and Mauer has knee/back/heel/groin/toe/sideburn issues in the future, it's a viable option.

Originally Posted by 651akathePaul

I like Kubel. I always hoped that the Twins could eek out 30 HR's from the guy. He's got the power, but I don't know if it happens now. I'll keep hope.

Same here (sig check

). He's a great hitter, just in a slump. He'll bust out later in the year, no doubt.





SWEEP!!!!!

 

[djaman]

It's great to win a game where the other team hits four bombs and we hit none.

20-9. I think we were 13-14 at this point last season or something really close to that. Kansas City was leading the division.

 

[jpzx]

All that talk about "dome field advantage" and how we would struggle out of the gate trying to get used to the new stadium. 19-9

Tigers were only 0.5 GB coming into the series, so it's nice that within a span of three days we now have a comfortable 3.5 game lead.

Four game series versus the Baltimore Orioles on the way. They're 7-23, so this will be a great chance to put even more distance between us and the other teams in the Central. I expect us to win three, but all four would be superb.

Pitching Matchups
Thursday
Carl Pavano (3-2, 3.73 ERA) vs. Brad Bergesen (1-2, 10.57 ERA)
Friday
Francisco Liriano (4-0, 1.50 ERA) vs. Kevin Millwood (0-3, 3.15 ERA)
Saturday
Scott Baker (3-2, 5.35 ERA) vs. Jeremy Guthrie (0-4, 4.78 ERA)
Sunday
Nick Blackburn (2-1, 5.79 ERA) vs. Brian Matusz (2-2, 3.93 ERA)

 

[rsdplaya]

idk if you guys agree, but Rauchy scares the helk out of me every appearance

Prediction, Twins have a new closer by the trade deadline.

 

[651akathepaul]

Originally Posted by rsdplaya

idk if you guys agree, but Rauchy scares the helk out of me every appearance

Prediction, Twins have a new closer by the trade deadline.

Nathan had his moments right along with Rauch.

 

[RyGuy45]

Guys, I'm sittin Budweiser Party Deck tonight

 

[proshares]

Random thought as I crash your thread, did they ban my boy nnarum? Haven't seen him posting

 

[houser34]

^

 

[jpzx]

Originally Posted by rsdplaya

idk if you guys agree, but Rauchy scares the helk out of me every appearance

Prediction, Twins have a new closer by the trade deadline.

Post I made recently in the MLB thread addressing something djaman said:

Back to that contender/pretender thing for a minute, as Twins fans djaman, we gotta hope the Padres are out of the race by July. Just in case Rauch has some troubles, we want to keep our options open and potentially have that trade for Heath Bell lined up to help us for the second half stretch. Rauch is doing fine right now, but hopefully San Diego starts to tail off so we at least have that option when July comes, if we do indeed need it. The only way the Padres trade him is if they're out of contention.

As for this:

Random thought as I crash your thread, did they ban my boy nnarum? Haven't seen him posting

Dude's last post was on 3/21, so I dunno. I know he was thinking of hanging them up a year or so ago. Even made post with the title saying "Goodbye NT...".

h34
Start fandango-ing.

 

[jpzx]

This is embarrassing. Lets get something going here.

 

[jpzx]

Just saw Jon Rauch at my main movie theater... dude was watching Iron Man 2 in the same theater as me

I guess that's what players do when there are rain-outs

 

[651akathepaul]

Was he by himself?

 

[jpzx]

Nah he was with a girl.

Gametime lets go. Only 70% of the time does a team win both games of a doubleheader. Lets buck the trend.

 

[rsdplaya]

Originally Posted by JPZx

Just saw Jon Rauch at my main movie theater... dude was watching Iron Man 2 in the same theater as me

I guess that's what players do when there are rain-outs

i hope you weren't stuck sitting behind his tall self

 

[jpzx]

Justin Morneau

2-0.