After the Minnesota sweep in Baltimore, and Cleveland just barely winning two games in Kansas City, the Twins now find themselves 5 games behind the Indians, which means that this series will almost all but decide our fate. Win and we are right in the thick of the A.L. Central race. Lose and the season is basically over (again).
I don't want to get my hopes up, especially since it seems that the Twins have struggled against the Indians this year, going 4-8 - but they are 3-3 since the All Star Break. Like Minnesota and Detroit, Cleveland has struggled since the Break, allowing the Central division to be a lot closer then it should be.
Match-ups:
Monday 6:05: Silva (10-12, 4.10) vs Byrd (12-5, 4.61)
Tuesday 6:05: Bonser (6-10, 4.76) vs Westbrook (4-7, 4.40)
Wednesday 6:05: Santana (14-9, 2.97) vs Sabathia (14-7, 3.38)
Individual Leaders:
MINNESOTA
AVG - Hunter - .302
HR - Morneau - 29
RBI - Morneau - 94
R - Hunter - 80
CLEVELAND
AVG - Garko - .304
HR - Sizemore - 22
RBI - MartÃnez - 90
R - Sizemore - 95
A.L. Central Standings
Cleveland 72 57 .558 --
Detroit 70 60 .538 2.5
Minnesota 67 63 .515 5.5
11 comments:
Oh man, that triple play Redmond hit into was painful. He was so slow running down to first that you just knew what was going to happen.
We were still down 7-3, but at least we were threatening to score with two on and no outs (obviously).
Mauer still out and Bonser up next tonight so the struggles could continue.
I just want to say that Punto's play last night at 2nd was one of the best I've ever seen.
You can watch it at twins.mlb.com
Am I really seeing 4 runs against Santana in the first innning?
Yep. Not a good outing for Johan tonight. 4 runs in the first inning off of two homeruns.
We need to trade him this offseason when we might be able to get some players for him.
WTF Gardy? Nick Punto gets to bat in the 9th with a man on when he is 0 for 3 already and you're only a run down? Forget that you've got Kubel and Buscher on the bench when the 9-spot comes up. Why is Punto even starting?
Totally infuriating. The guy has proven numerous times that he can't even get a bunt down. I don't care what he does in the field. His offense is SO atrocious that it's not even a wash at this point.
I am frustrated to no end, without a doubt. But I'd ONLY be interested in trading Santana if there's no chance of resigning him. It's really sad that for us to think about upgrading our offense, we have assume trading Santana is the way to do it.
But I'd ONLY be interested in trading Santana if there's no chance of resigning him.
I was thinking last night if it's even worth trying to sign him. Not that he isn't a great pitcher or that he won't be great for a few more years, because he is and will be, but because is any pitcher really worth $20m?
Just looking at the top 10 in wins this season, no pitcher is making more then $10m. And to give twice that amount to a guy that can only help 1 in 5 games, and more realistically 1 in 10 games? It just doesn't seem wise, no matter what market you are in. And when you have the pitching depth that we have over the next few years, it's hardly our weakness looking down the road.
Of course you are conveniently forgetting a couple of things for whatever they are worth, in no particular order:
1. Someone will ALWAYS pay such a ridiculous sum, worth it or not. Most of those guys making under 10M haven't come to their walk year yet. That's exactly why Johan will be so expensive. Elite pitchers that hit the FA market are a rare thing indeed. It behooves the Twins to sign him ASAP. Any half-way decent FA pitcher will cost A LOT.
2. Facing Johan is not something I would wish upon the Twins, because there's a guaranteed loss 95% of the time. So the logic there is that keeping him could actually earn a few more wins than just his starts alone (if he stayed in the AL particularly).
3. Perhaps his salary would be more justified in the amount of merchandise he sells, a la Ichiro. It's maybe marginal at best, but what the heck.
4. You build a staff around this guy. There is NO ONE else, prospect or otherwise, the Twins should be building around. There aren't many FA pitchers out there that could provide his kind of leadership, along with the intangibles of being a part of this pitching staff for as long as Johan has.
5. Top 10 in wins is only part of the story. ERA, WHIP, BAA. Those give us a more complete picture.
1. Oh of course someone will always pay, but we're talking teams from NY, LA, Chi and maybe a few others. Not Minnesota, and not while we're still in the dome. If this were 2010, it could be a totally different story.
2. I would definitely try to trade to the NL if possible. Heck he's shown he can hit which should raise his trade value!
3. Yeah, I wonder how many Santana jersey's are sold in Caracas. I'm thinking at least 5. :)
4. I completely agree about his ability to lead a staff and to build a team around. But are his best years over? At most he has a few great years left, but do we want an average pitcher taking $25m+ in 2011 (figuring his salary would go up each year after the contract).
5. Oh of course. My point wasn't really to compare, but that how often is a super high paid player really worth it.
I think the question is, what are our options with his $20m?
- Sign him long term for a lower per year salary
- Sign him short term for a higher per year salary
- Trade him and use money for traded player plus free agents (3B, DH, CF?)
- Let him go after next year and get nothing but payroll room
I think it's a very complicated situation. Where each trade has to be looked at and decided what is best for the club for 2008 and for 2011.
This is what kills me about baseball. If we want to keep guys like Hunter and Santana, we simply don't have the financial tools to do it. Granted, I agree about their worth being extremely inflated by out-of-control FA dollars, but where is the reasonable middle ground? Instead, as a fan, you can't get too attached to someone, because they'll ultimately be leaving when they get too (good) expensive. Even with the possibility of increased revenues in a new stadium we won't be able to compete payroll-wise.
Obviously, we will have to entertain offers on Santana this winter. But all we will end up with are prospects and possibly some lower salaried veteran. That's fine for the future, but the idea is to get enough of these guys together in their prime, in order to win a World Series.
Instead, as a fan, you can't get too attached to someone, because they'll ultimately be leaving when they get too (good) expensive.
I do think we've been pretty lucky so far. Keeping Hunter for as long as we have, and enjoying Santana through his best years. But yeah, it sucks being in a middle market team sometimes.
We're in a much better situation then say, Kansas City, who loses players like Beltran right as they are getting good.
Even with the possibility of increased revenues in a new stadium we won't be able to compete payroll-wise.
I'm not sure how much our payroll will jump with the new stadium, but our current payroll is $71m, which ranks 18/30 (next to Milwaukee and Cincinnati). If it were to go up by $15m, which I think it probable, we'd only jump a few places, but would be similar to Philly and Atlanta, both teams in bigger baseball markets.
2007 Baseball Salaries
Division keeps Twins down
if the Twins had never faced Cleveland this season, they would be only two games behind the Indians. But Cleveland's 11-4 record against the Twins, including 4-0 against Cy Young winner Johan Santana, has turned the race into a blowout.
"They get homers from five or six guys," Morneau said. "We get, what - two? It makes it tough."
Morneau includes himself in that assessment. The Twins' home runs in Cleveland, both solo shots, came from Jason Bartlett and Brian Buscher.
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