Monday, May 5, 2008

Monday, May 5th

Twins Talk
Minnesota 7 Detroit 6
Minnesota 16-14 First Place
  • POG: Boof Bonser- I know alot of people are going to give me crap for this because it wasn't a quality start but hang in there i will explain. Boof went 6 innings and gave up 6runs on 8 hits with 5 strikeouts. The thing was he gave up all 6 runs in the first inning and they weren't all his fault. They hit a bleeder that scored a run and Nick Punto let a throw get by him when they were stealing. I know it wasn't a great throw by Joe Mauer but you have to give up your body to keep it in front of you. After 1 inning Boof had given up 6 runs on 45 pitches so you thought he was done heck no. Boof pitched 5 shutout innings after the first inning and saved the bullpen by pitching threw the 6th. It takes alot of determination to keep going after that 1st inning and it showed me alot of what Boof has inside him and hopefully he can show that in every start from now on.
  • Joe Mauer continued to cream the ball going 2-4 with a 2 run single that put the Twins ahead in the 7th. In the series Joe is back to being the hitter we remember going 7-11 a .636 average. Joe may not hit for alot of power but he is the best hitter we have and when healthy he makes the team so much better.
  • Joe Nathan is worth every penny we are paying him like Jim Souhan said today in the trib. theres nothing worse then fighting back from a 6-0 deficit and take the lead only to have the closer blow it. By the end of the year the money we are paying him will look like a discount.
  • Today the Twins have their last off day in 3 weeks and get ready to face the White Sox Tommorrow in Chicago.

Rochester Wrap

Toledo 8 Rochester 4

Rochester 14-17 8.0 games back

  • POG:Alexi Casilla- For probably the first time this season Alexi did what we expected him to do all season and that is get on base and scoring runs. Alexi went 3-4 with a run scored for the Red Wings to bring his average to .212 on the season. Alexi has struggled this year but i hope this is the beginning of good things because many people in the organization look at him as the starting shortstop for the Twins next year so if he could turn it around that would be huge.
  • Brian Duensing had the same trouble Boof Bonser did for the Twins. He gave up 6 first inning runs and then was fine after that. For the game Brian went 5.2 innings and gave up 6 runs on 5 hits while walking 4 and striking out 3 to raise his era to 3.67 on the season. I look for Brian to move on from this cause really it was just a bad inning and things like that are not too hard to come back from. I look for him to come out next time and do his usual 2 or 3 runs in 6 or 7 innings and be fine.
  • Backup Catcher Ryan Jorgensen got his first playing time of the year and hit his first homerun and drove in 2 runs as the Red Wings tried to make a comeback. With the way Morales is hitting maybe Ryan can get some more playing time.
  • Tonight, the Red Wings begin a 3 game series with Columbus in Columbus. Gametime is at 6pm with Francisco Liriano getting the start as the Red Wings try to break their 2 game losing streak.

New Britain Business

New Britain 6 New Hampshire 5

New Britain 16-12 1.5 games back

  • POG:Trevor Plouffe- Trevor continued his recent upward string going 3-4 with second homerun of the year along with 2 rbi's and 2 runs scored. Trevor seems like he is getting better and better every game and the Twins view him as the shortstop of the future and the future might be next season. Right now he is getting outshined by teammates Luke Hughes and Dustin Martin but i believe if he keeps it going he will be joining them in Rochester before the end of the season.
  • Oswaldo Sosa struggled again only making it 5 innings while giving up 5 runs on 8 hits while walking 1 and striking out 3. With the bad outing it raised Oswaldo's era to a bad 6.39 on the season. He is really struggling and i dont get it because he has too much talent to struggle like this and with the players around him i dont think the Rock Cats will continue to be patient with him forever so he needs to step it up.
  • Dustin Martin continued his recent hot streak by going 2-4 and driving in the winning run in the bottom of the 9th. With the 2 hits it raises Dustin's average back up to .352 which is 2nd on the team behind teammate Luke Hughes.
  • Tonight, the Rock Cats begin a series with Bowie a farmteam of the Orioles in New Britain. Gametime is at 5:35pm with Yohan Pino getting the start as the Rock Cats try to extend their season high winning streak to 7 games.

Fort Myers Musings

Daytona 6 Fort Myers 4

Fort Myers 18-12 First Place

  • POG: Danny Vais- Danny continued his dominate stuff out of the bullpen going 3 innings and only giving up 1 hit while walking 1 and striking out 2. People have been saying the dominate short men for the Miracle are Delaney and Slama well i think you can add Vais to that to make it a trio. When the Miracle have a lead after 6 innings its over those 3 have dominent stuff and will get the job done more times and not and the Miracle are very lucky to have them so keep an eye on them.
  • Tyler Robertson really struggled yesterday i dont know if it was the extra day off or what but he sure didnt have it yesterday. He made it 5 innings somehow and gave up 6 runs on 14 hits while walking 1 and striking out 2. Im having trouble figuring out what happend yesterday because he had been so good all year so im just going to bank that off as a bad day and hope next time he goes out he shows the stuff that has made everyone in the Twins organization salivate.
  • Dan Berg had his first big game since coming off the Dl going 2-4 with a double and a rbi to bring his average up to .333 on the season. Dan is a good backup who should get more and more playing time if he keeps hitting like he is now.
  • Tonight, the Miracle play game 3 of their 4 game series with Daytona. Gametime is at 6:05 with Cole Devries getting the start for the Miracle.

Beloit Beat

Lansing 4 Beloit 1

Beloit 12-18 10.0 games back

  • POG:Brian Kirwan- Brian continued the recent string of awesome starting pitching by the Snappers going 6 innings and only giving up a run on 4 hits to lower his era to 3.31 on the season. Brian has been one of the more consistant pitchers on the staff so far but its like everyone is trying to outdue the other to see who is going to pitch the best. Brian has alot of talent and the talent is starting to come through and it can mean only good things for the whole Snapper team becuase going into the season the Starting Pitching was supposed to be their strength.
  • Bradley Tippett had his worst outing of the season going 1.2 innings and giving up 3 runs on 4 hits. I think that he has alot of talent and i think he will rebound next time with a good outing.
  • Ben Revere continues his hot start for Beloit going 2-4 with the teams only run scored of the game. With the 2 hits it raises Ben's average to .393 and with the start he has had to puts alot of hope in his future with the Twins.
  • Tonight, the Snappers continue their series with Lansing. Gametime is at 6:05 with Steven Hirschfeld getting the start for the Snappers as they try to keep the good starting pitching going.