SB Nation User Blog: BeefMaster

Denard Span talks beaning, OBP, Target, and Spam

BeefMaster — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:48:49 -0000

Denard Span talks beaning, OBP, Target, and Spam

David Brown of Big League Stew talks to our favorite leadoff man for his "Answer Man" column, answering the crucial question: Is Michael Cuddyer a witch? (Span's answer: "Ahh, maybe.")

Hey! It's a day game in Eastern time!

BeefMaster — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 16:55:18 -0000

Unofficial game thread located here, unless/until one of the head honchos comes up with one.

Scott Baker vs. Brett Cecil

Twins Lineup

Span CF

Cabrera SS

Mauer C

Morneau 1B

Kubel DH

Cuddyer RF

Young LF

Harris 3B

Punto 2B

Blue Jays Lineup

Inglett 2B

Snider RF

Lind LF

Overbay 1B

Encarnacion 3B

Ruiz DH

Bautista CF

Chavez C

McDonald SS

FanPosts must be 75 words long, so here are thirteen more unnecessary words.

Postseason Roster

BeefMaster — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 19:49:06 -0000

Yeah, it's premature. But it's also important. What are your thoughts on the Twins' potential playoff roster?

Here are the rules, as far as I can tell:

Players listed on the postseason roster have to be on either the active roster or disabled list (or some equivalent list, like bereavement) on August 31
Players on the postseason roster who are unavailable for the playoffs can be replaced with someone who was in the organization on August 31
In the event of a replacement, a pitcher must replace a pitcher, and a position player must replace a position player

To me, this strongly indicates that the Twins have another roster move coming before the end of the month - there's no need for a 12-man pitching staff in the postseason. Pitching rotations are trimmed to, at most, four, and the added bench flexibility is important in the postseason, where there is more pressure to maximize pinch hitter leverage and the potential to play by National League rules. My guess is that a pitcher with options (Gabino, maybe?) is "sent down" on or near August 31st to make room for Jose Morales, although said pitcher would probably be recalled as soon as possible in September.

The Twins should have plenty of room to experiment with the bullpen this September - there are a bunch of pitchers currently on the disabled list. Any or all of them could be added to the playoff roster, basically allowing for an open September competition for the last few spots on the pitching staff.

With that, here is the Twins' current active roster and disabled list - the players in boldface are ones I'd consider locks for the postseason roster:

IF: Cabrera, Casilla, Crede, Harris, Morneau, Punto

OF: Cuddyer, Gomez, Kubel, Span, Young

C: Mauer, Redmond

SP: Baker, Blackburn, Pavano, Duensing, Gabino

RP: Nathan, Mijares, Guerrier, Crain, Humber, Manship, Keppel

DL: Bonser, Liriano, Neshek, Perkins, Slowey

As I mentioned before, I expect Morales to be called up in time to be added to the postseason roster. Even though the playoffs are pretty spread out, which should allow Mauer to get plenty of rest, it would be good to at least have the option available to let him DH. For that matter, Morales would provide a competent switch-hitting bat off the bench, which is always a useful thing to have.

Astute observers will notice that I have listed just six pitchers as "locks" for eleven spots. I honestly don't know that there are any more than that. I wouldn't be surprised to see any of the other six current pitchers left off the playoff roster, and Gabino is the only one I'd be very surprised to see on it. My guess is that Liriano will be listed (if he comes back, I'd assume they'll play him), but at this point, the others are almost like picking out of a hat. Here's my best guess:

Baker, Blackburn, Pavano, Nathan, Mijares, Guerrier, Duensing, Crain, Neshek, Liriano, Slowey

OUT: Boof, because he might come off the DL in September, and you don't want to run the risk that he comes back and sucks and you're stuck with him. Keppel, Manship, Gabino, and Humber are out because no one outside their immediate families trusts them with less than a 30-run lead. Perkins, partly because I forgot about him when making the list and partly because of the same reason as Boof - you don't want to get stuck with him if he comes back crappy.

IN: Liriano, because if they pull him off the DL, it's likely because they see something good in his rehab, and he'd be on the lock list if he were healthy, terrible though he's been. Crain, partly out of loyalty, partly because he's actually been decent the last month. Duensing, because he's the best of what's left.

The way I see it, September will be an open competition for two or three (depending on Liriano) back-of-the-bullpen spots between the guys on the "OUT" list and whoever gets a September call-up. May the best men win, both for the sake of the making the postseason, and for the postseason itself.

NOTE: I did not address the brewing Joe Crede situation, because even if he's placed on the DL, he'll almost certainly still be put on the postseason roster, with either Valencia or Buscher taking his spot if he's out for the playoffs.

Official Complain About Joe Mauer Discussion

BeefMaster — Wed, 13 May 2009 14:35:01 -0000

Yeah, he's tearing it up. But he's supposed to be perfect, not just incredible. Continue to point out the shortcomings of Minnesota's Golden Boy in the comments.

At current pace (1 HR/9 AB), even if he somehow gets 500 at-bats this season, he will hit less than 60 homers.

All of his homeruns are to the opposite field, so we are robbed of the grandeur of upper-deck blasts.

Complete lack of exciting stolen bases and triples.

Just barely on pace to break Bonds' OPS record.

Only 1-for-6 catching baserunners stealing, and the one CS was at third (NOTE: this is actually a legitimate criticism, although the fact that every Twins catcher sucked terribly at this makes me think a lot of it is the pitchers' fault).

At current pace, will not become the first player to bat in the .400s since Ted Williams.

No sacrifice flies, after leading the league last year.

No longer dating Miss America, as far as I know.

Former Twin News: J.C. Romero Suspended

BeefMaster — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 15:01:51 -0000

In what could be MLB's answer to the Kevin & Pat Williams case, J.C. Romero has been suspended for 50 games for taking a supplement he believed was legal.

Phillies (and former Twins) reliever J.C. Romero has been suspended for 50 games for a violation of MLB's drug policy. However, this is not exactly a straightforward case - Romero purchased the supplement at a GNC, and at the time of his positive test, MLBPA had assured players that any over-the-counter supplement purchased in the US was acceptable. Romero also had it checked by two separate nutritionists, although he did not call the MLB drug hotline. After he was notified of the positive test, he quit taking all supplements, and another test on October 1 confirmed that the banned substance was out of his system during the Phillies' championship run.

It's likely that Romero will challenge the suspension in court, and it would not at all shock me to see a situation similar to what happened with the Vikings' Kevin and Pat Williams this year - they tested positive for substances in supplements they had been told were legal, and a judge prevented the league from imposing the suspensions until he could make a decision on the case.

Interesting note about Romero's appeal hearing: He was told that if he admitted guilt, he could have a 25-game suspension instead of 50.

Gardenhire signs 2-year contract extension

BeefMaster — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 22:43:15 -0000

Gardenhire signs 2-year contract extension

Everyone's favorite and/or least favorite manager has been signed to a 2-year contract extension, taking him through the 2011 season. Rick Anderson, Steve Liddle, and "the rest of Gardenhire's top staff" were also re-signed.

MLB considering eliminating coin flips

BeefMaster — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 15:54:14 -0000

MLB considering eliminating coin flips

Wouldn't this rule have been nice a month and a half ago?

Sigh...

We should have seen it coming

BeefMaster — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 13:39:45 -0000

Remember the last time the Twins were in a one-game playoff? We should have known what would happen...

Everyone saw the Twins' dramatic one-game playoff defeat in Chicago as a first in Twins history, something that the franchise had never before experienced - but they were wrong. It had happened once before, and moreover, there was a common link in both games, a nemesis that the Twins simply could not overcome.

I'm speaking, of course, of the 1994 film Little Big League. In that film, the Twins go on a great run through mid-to-late summer, until hitting what "Wally Holland" (the team radio announcer, played by John Gordon) refers to as the "September Swoon". The Twins rally to sweep a key series at the end of the season, leaving them in a tie for a playoff spot with a team that had Ken Griffey Jr. in center field, triggering a one-game playoff. Ultimately, the Twins are defeated, as their best chance to take a lead in the game is foiled by a Griffey defensive play. The Twins end the season in defeat, but full of hope for next year after their surprising near-playoff run.

Any of that sound familiar?

Redmond is officially returning

BeefMaster — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 19:14:43 -0000

Redmond is officially returning

The Twins have exercised their option on Mike Redmond, bringing him back for a fifth season as the team's backup catcher.

Batting Stance Guy covers the Minnesota Twins

BeefMaster — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 15:55:37 -0000

Batting Stance Guy covers the Minnesota Twins