It’s time to say goodbye to Mike Lowell; have fun in Texas.  Let me say this: it’s been one seriously great ride.  He was the 2007 World Series MVP for a reason, but unfortunately age happens.  He was the epitome of professionalism.  Talk about classy guys.  Mikey Lowell, ladies and gentlemen, was just about the classiest guy you could find, and his presence in the clubhouse will surely be missed.  Get ready for a standing ovation.  But like I said, age happens, and Theo does have a job to do.  It’s unfortunate that we have to send him off like this, but what other option do we have? The trade would give us catching prospect Max Ramirez, who’s leading the Venezuela Winter League in home runs.  But he’s had some wrist problems, so we’ll have to wait for his medical records to clear.  Then the question becomes, who will replace him? Or conversely, who’ll play first base, being that Youk can move over to third.  And as a result, Youk could save us a lot of money; the market doubles for us because of that flexibility, so we have the freedom to pick and choose someone who’s right for us and who comes at the right price.  I’ve heard we’re talking to Adrian Beltre, but believe me, I would be infinitely more enthusiastic about us talking to Adrian Gonzalez.

Remember Manny Delcarmen’s tragedy of a second half? Turns out he had shoulder fatigue for three months and didn’t say anything about it until September 30.  That’s just infuriating.  I mean, I don’t really know what to do with that.  Theo had him receive a cortisone shot that same night, but after the car accident he was dropped from the postseason roster anyway.  But that’s not the point.  Either you want to help your team win, or you want to help your team win.  If something’s going on, your team has a right to know, no matter how badly you want to play.  As a fan, it’s hard not to play what-if in these situations; with a healthy Delcarmen down the stretch, who knows what would’ve happened.

In an attempt to cover the holes in our bullpen made by the Braves, we signed Scott Atchison to a one-year deal with two options.  He spent the last two seasons in Japan and previous pitched for the Giants.  He had an ERA above four that year.  Whatever; he’s another option, and a bullpen built around options and flexibility is a bullpen poised to win a championship.  Besides, we still have Paps, Bard, Ramirez, and a hopefully healthy Delcarmen.  I think we’ll be okay.

We also acquired Boof Bonser from the Twins for pitching prospect Chris Province.  Bonser isn’t great.  He has a career ERA above five and missed all of last season due to labrum and rotator cuff tears.  But he adds depth to the staff; he’ll have a chance to try for a depth spot in the rotation.  But more likely, think of him as 2010’s Paul Byrd but with one conspicuous difference: the name.  The Boston Red Sox now have a pitcher named “Boof.” Add this to Red Sox Nation’s to-do list for the offseason: preparing to take Boof Bonser seriously come April.

The Yankees traded for Curtis Granderson.  Let’s remind ourselves that this was no feat of business managerial genius.  The Tigers, affected by Detroit’s suffering economy, couldn’t carry his salary anymore.  That’s the theme of this offseason for them; they lost Edwin Jackson, too.  They got four players in return who aren’t as good as either and probably never will be.  It’s a sad situation, but one the rest of the baseball world is taking note of.  Point being that if you’re in need of some talent but want it on the cheap through trade, talk to Detroit.  I’ll bet they’d be willing to listen.

And perhaps most importantly, the Jason Bay plot thickens.  Our offer of four years worth sixty million dollars was rejected because he wants a fifth year.  But we’ve publicly stated our commitment to not offering a fifth year; in fact, we’ve said that if someone else offers him a fifth year, we’re just going to assume that he’s leaving Boston and that’s it.  So far, the Mets haven’t done so; their offer was comparable to ours.  The Mariners are also unlikely to offer the fifth year; they’re more interested in keeping Beltre or signing Lackey.  The Angels have more or less dropped out in order to focus on pitching.  And the Yankees just acquired Granderson.  So more waiting seems to be in line.  Bay wanted to test the free agent market, and he’s testing it.  He’s looking for something specific and good luck to him trying to find it.  I’d rather watch him walk away than break the bank.  In fact, if he doesn’t take a more flexible approach, he could find himself in a bind, because guess who’s also a free agent: Matt Holliday.  And guess who the Red Sox are also interested in: Matt Holliday.  Holliday played pretty well for Oakland.  He struggled at the plate initially, which is to be expected from a guy coming over from not only the National League but Coors Field, with all that thin air.  (Which is something you have to keep in mind when looking at Holliday’s career stats, by the way.) In the end, I agree with Curt Schilling: I’d go with Bay because he’s been tested and proven.  All I’m saying is that the presence of Holliday, who unfortunately is represented by Boras, could soften Bay up a bit (in addition to jacking up his own paycheck because until Bay cuts teams some slack, Holliday would effectively be considered the only available elite left-fielder).  So could our reported interest in Mike Cameron, who would be more than happy to switch from center to left for us.  That’s not likely, but it’s a possibility.  But we’d only seriously consider him after both Bay and Holliday become unavailable, and something tells me that may not be an issue.

Casey Kelly has made a decision: he’s going to pitch.  No more shortstop for him.  I completely agree.  The mound will write his one-way ticket to the big leagues; if he decided to play short, we’d be talking a two-way.

Welcome to NESN, Peter Gammons! He signed a multiyear contract as a regular studio analyst and reporter.  This is fantastic.  Personally, I always thought it was funny that such a prominent representative of Red Sox Nation reported for ESPN, which doesn’t have a major presence in Boston.  Well, the world rights itself eventually, I guess.  And I’ll tell you one thing: Peter Gammons must be thrilled, because any television network is better than ESPN for baseball analysts.  I mean, have you seen “Baseball Tonight?” (If you have, let me applaud you for somehow finding out when it’s on TV.) It’s over by the time it starts, so the analysts never have time to convey any real information.  It really makes you appreciate NESN.

Congratulations to Bill James, who’ll receive the Judge Emil Fuchs Memorial Award for “long and meritorious service to the game.” He’ll be in good company; Hank Aaron and Jim Rice have also received it.  And Bill James definitely deserves it after revolutionizing baseball with his sabermetric approach.  I’m telling you: this game, let alone our team, wouldn’t be where it is today without him.

The Bruins beat the Leafs, 5-2, but lost to the Isles in sudden death.  How we can score five goals against the Leafs and lose to the Isles is beyond me.  The Leafs and Isles are comparable teams, with the Isles only two points ahead.  (Can you believe that? The New York Islanders are third in their division.  Don’t get me wrong; I’m thrilled that the Flyers are at the bottom of the barrel, but I never would’ve expected the Islanders to be anywhere but under the whole conference.) We’ve dropped to second, by the way.  Two points behind the Sabres.  We should get back up within the coming days.  The Patriots lost to the Dolphins by a point.  A point! The final score was 22-21! It was just awful.  That’s our fourth loss this season and our second in a row.  It pains me to say this, but the Pats are officially on a losing streak.  That must be stopped.

ArmchairGM

Red Sox Acquire Boof Bonser From Minnesota Twins – Boston Red Sox …
Red Sox Acquire Boof Bonser From Minnesota Twins – Boston Red Sox – NESN.com.

Red Sox Acquire Boof Bonser: MLB Rumors – MLBTradeRumors.com
8:28am: The Red Sox acquired pitcher Boof Bonser, according to the pitchers agency Reynolds Sports Management. Bonser was designated for assignment on Tuesday to make room for Carl Pavano. The 28-year-old had labrum and rotator cuff …

Boof Bonser,Bostondirtdogs | TheNewsPk
Boof Bonser,Bostondirtdogs:The Red Sox [team stats] just announced that they have acquired right-hander Boof Bonser from the Twins for a player to be named later.

Red Sox sign SP Boof Bonser | The Bottom Line
MLB Trade Rumors is reporting that the Red Sox have signed starter Boof Bonser. The Red Sox acquired pitcher Boof Bonser, according to the pitchers.

Boof Bonser Designated For Assignment: MLB Rumors – MLBTradeRumors.com
TUESDAY, 1:32pm: The Twins designated pitcher Boof Bonser for assignment to make room for Carl Pavano, tweets Kelsie Smith of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. The 28-year-old Bonser had labrum and rotator cuff surgery in February. …

SoxProspects.com News: Red Sox acquire Boof Bonser
The Red Sox have acquired pitcher Boof Bonser from the Minnesota Twins, according to Bonsers agent Larry Reynolds. The Twins will receive a player to be named later or cash considerations in exchange for the big right-hander, …

Whats Hot & Buzzing in America ? | rule 5 draft | boof bonser …
Whats Hot & Buzzing in America ? | rule 5 draft | boof bonser | obama nobel peace prize speech | jamie hoffman | chris cuomo leaving gma | tiger woods women.

Sox sign Boof – Projo Sox Blog
INDIANAPOLIS _ The Red Sox have acquired pitcher Boof Bonser from the Minnesota Twins in exchange for a player to be named later. The 28-year-old right-hander missed the entire 2009 season after undergoing arthroscopic surgery to repair …

BostonHerald.com – Blogs: Clubhouse Insider Blog Archive Red …
Red Sox acquire Bonser from Twins. The Red Sox just announced that they have acquired right-hander Boof Bonser from the Twins for a player to be named later. Bonser was considered one of the top pitching prospects in baseball after …

What are the necklaces the Minnesota twins pitchers wear around their necks?
Mike Napoli
(LAA – C
Derrek Lee
(ChC – 1B
Ian Kinsler
(Tex – 2B
Alex Gordon
(KC – 1B,3B
Cristian Guzman
(Was – SS)
Eric Byrnes
(Ari – OF
Ryan Church
(NYM – OF)
Casey Kotchman
(LAA – 1B
Brad Hawpe
(Col – OF)
Mike Lowell
(Bos – 3B
Todd Helton
(Col – 1B

Daisuke Matsuzaka
(Bos – SP
Brian Bannister
(KC – SP
Bobby Jenks
(CWS – RP
Dontrelle Willis
(Det – SP
Chris Young
(SD – SP
Sidney Ponson
(Tex – SP
Boof Bonser
(Min – SP
Jake Peavy
(SD – SP
Matt Albers
(Bal – SP,RP
Kevin Millwood
(Tex – SP
Scott Kazmir
(TB – SP
John Lackey
(LAA – Sp
Jon Lieber
(ChC – SP,RP
i made a trade a few days ago for Jake Peavy and Nick Swisher for Lance Berkman did i make a mistake by making this trade

looking at my tean should i trade Casey Kotchman for Travis Hafner and Brad Penny?
and make my team stronger
Mike Napoli
(LAA – C
Derrek Lee
(ChC – 1B
Ian Kinsler
(Tex – 2B
Alex Gordon
(KC – 1B,3B
Cristian Guzman
(Was – SS)
Eric Byrnes
(Ari – OF
Ryan Church
(NYM – OF)
Casey Kotchman
(LAA – 1B
Brad Hawpe
(Col – OF)
Mike Lowell
(Bos – 3B
Todd Helton
(Col – 1B

Daisuke Matsuzaka
(Bos – SP
Brian Bannister
(KC – SP
Bobby Jenks
(CWS – RP
Dontrelle Willis
(Det – SP
Chris Young
(SD – SP
Sidney Ponson
(Tex – SP
Boof Bonser
(Min – SP
Jake Peavy
(SD – SP
Matt Albers
(Bal – SP,RP
Kevin Millwood
(Tex – SP
Scott Kazmir
(TB – SP
John Lackey
(LAA – Sp
Jon Lieber
(ChC – SP,RP
i made a trade a few days ago for Jake Peavy and Nick Swisher for Lance Berkman did i make a mistake by making this trade

What do you think of my team 12 man league should i just trade jenks since i wont win with 1 closer anyway?
Available Pitchers on the Wire:
Ian Snell
Scott Olsen
Kevin Milwood
Garrett Olson
Bronson Arroyo
Bonderman
Gorzelanny
Jeff Francis
Mark Hendrickson
Greg Smith
Brian Burres
Mussina
Jesse Litsch
Matt Garza
Gil Meche
Jon Lester
Maddux
Boof Bonser

Gallardo out, who to pick up?
I’m looking for K’s but more importantly pitchers that wont get rocked…i havent won ERA yet..

Jeremy Bonderman

Bronson Arroyo

Boof Bonser

Miguel Batista

Justin Duchscherer

Andy Sonnanstine

Tim Redding

Nick Blackburn

Joel Pineiro

Todd Wellemeyer

Kevin Millwood

Odalis Perez

Choose the top 3 pitchers in this group?
Jeremy Bonderman

Bronson Arroyo

Boof Bonser

Miguel Batista

Justin Duchscherer

Andy Sonnanstine

Tim Redding

Nick Blackburn

Joel Pineiro

Todd Wellemeyer

Kevin Millwood

Odalis Perez

What pitchers do i add? choose 3?
12 Team Keeper League. Head to Head with 25 players and 2 DL spots.

C – Victor Martinez
1B – Justin Morneau
2B – Rickie Weeks
SS – Rafael Furcal
3B – Yunel Escobar
IF – Nick Swisher
OF – Matt Holliday
OF – Kosuke Fukudome
OF – Adam Dunn
OF – Michael Cuddyer (Picked up to replace Drew and Ellsbury)
UTIL – Evan Longoria
BN – Jacoby Ellsbury (sitting out with injury)
BN – JD Drew (“”)
Stats Are R, HR, RBI, SB, BB, AVG

SP – Taylor Buchholz (Fills in when SP spot not needed)
SP – Chad Durbin (“”)
SP – Johan Santana
RP – Jonathan Papelbon
RP – George Sherrill
P – Carlos Marmol
P – Heath Bell
P – Rafael Betancourt
P – Aquilino Lopez (filling in for Borowski)
BN – Hiroki Kuroda
BN – Daisuke Matsuzaka
BN – Boof Bonser
DL – John Smoltz (will return as closer)
DL – Joe Borowski (questionable on return)
Stats are W, SV, K, H, ERA, WHIP

Minimum of 45 innings pitched per week is why i have so many relievers.

I am currently in first by half a game after 4 weeks.

How would you rate my Hitters, SP, RP on scale of 1-10?Taylor Buchholz and Chad Durbin are both (SP,RP). I use them to fill in on days that my starters are not playing.

League is highly competitive. I missed out on both Cueto and Scherzer but now have a waiver priority of 1 so I am waiting for the next big name to drop.

Any Comments about my team would be appreciated.

How Would Your Rate My Fantasy Baseball Team?
Mike Napoli
(LAA – C
Derrek Lee
(ChC – 1B
Ian Kinsler
(Tex – 2B
Alex Gordon
(KC – 1B,3B
Jhonny Peralta
(Cle – SS
Eric Byrnes
(Ari – OF
Jeremy Hermida
(Fla – OF
Nick Swisher
(CWS – 1B,OF
Jeff Kent
(LAD – 2B
Brad Hawpe
(Col – OF)
J.J. Hardy
(Mil – SS

Daisuke Matsuzaka
(Bos – SP
Brian Bannister
(KC – SP
Bobby Jenks
(CWS – RP
Dontrelle Willis
(Det – SP
Chris Young
(SD – SP
Rich Hill
(ChC – SP
Boof Bonser
(Min – SP
Jake Peavy
(SD – SP
Barry Zito
(SF – SP
Kevin Millwood
(Tex – SP
Scott Kazmir
(TB – SP
John Lackey
(LAA – SP
Jason Schmidt
(LAD – SP
i made a trade a few days ago for Jake Peavy and Nick Swisher for Lance Berkman did i make a mistake by making this trade

What do you think of my team 12 man league? aloso do u think i should pick up s. rolen and if so who to drop?
Mike Napoli
(LAA – C
Derrek Lee
(ChC – 1B
Ian Kinsler
(Tex – 2B
Alex Gordon
(KC – 1B,3B
Jhonny Peralta
(Cle – SS
Eric Byrnes
(Ari – OF
Jeremy Hermida
(Fla – OF
Nick Swisher
(CWS – 1B,OF
Jeff Kent
(LAD – 2B
Brad Hawpe
(Col – OF)
J.J. Hardy
(Mil – SS

Daisuke Matsuzaka
(Bos – SP
Brian Bannister
(KC – SP
Bobby Jenks
(CWS – RP
Dontrelle Willis
(Det – SP
Chris Young
(SD – SP
Rich Hill
(ChC – SP
Boof Bonser
(Min – SP
Jake Peavy
(SD – SP
Barry Zito
(SF – SP
Kevin Millwood
(Tex – SP
Scott Kazmir
(TB – SP
John Lackey
(LAA – SP
Jason Schmidt
(LAD – SP
i made a trade a few days ago for Jake Peavy and Nick Swisher for Lance Berkman did i make a mistake by making this trade

What do you think of my team 12 man league?
Mike Napoli
(LAA – C
Derrek Lee
(ChC – 1B
Ian Kinsler
(Tex – 2B
Alex Gordon
(KC – 1B,3B
Jhonny Peralta
(Cle – SS
Eric Byrnes
(Ari – OF
Jeremy Hermida
(Fla – OF
Nick Swisher
(CWS – 1B,OF
Jeff Kent
(LAD – 2B
Brad Hawpe
(Col – OF)
J.J. Hardy
(Mil – SS

Daisuke Matsuzaka
(Bos – SP
Brian Bannister
(KC – SP
Bobby Jenks
(CWS – RP
Dontrelle Willis
(Det – SP
Chris Young
(SD – SP
Rich Hill
(ChC – SP
Boof Bonser
(Min – SP
Jake Peavy
(SD – SP
Barry Zito
(SF – SP
Kevin Millwood
(Tex – SP
Scott Kazmir
(TB – SP
John Lackey
(LAA – SP
Jason Schmidt
(LAD – SP
i made a trade a few days ago for Jake Peavy and Nick Swisher for Lance Berkman did i make a mistake by making

What you yhink of my team 12 team league?
I hav 2.76 ERA and 65 K…i only have 2 wins, which pisses me off

here is my rotation…

SP: Felix Hernandez
SP: Cole Hamels
RP: Bobby Jenks
RP: Todd Jones
P: Chris Young
P: Rich Hill
P: Shaun Marcum
BN: Brian Bannister
BN: Boof Bonser
BN: Jeremy Guthrie

King Felix has been lights out but the mariners dont give him any run support! Samething with Chris Young, although he has one win. Samething with Cole Hamels, what the heck is up??? should i be worried?

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The Sox just picked up Boof Bonser, owner of the second greatest sports name ever. Here’s what the press release says:

The Boston Red Sox today acquired right-handed pitcher Boof Bonser from the Minnesota Twins in exchange for a player to be named later. The announcement was made by Executive Vice President/General Manager Theo Epstein.

Bonser, 28, missed the 2009 season after undergoing arthroscopic surgery in February to repair partial tears to the labrum and rotator cuff in his right shoulder. The right-hander made one rehabilitation appearance on September 6 for the Twins Single-A Fort Myers affiliate, tossing 1.0 scoreless frame.

Selected by the San Francisco Giants in the first round (21st overall) of the 2000 First-Year Player Draft, Bonser has made 96 Major League appearances (60 starts) over parts of three seasons with the Twins (2006-08). He is 18-25 with a 5.12 ERA (223 ER/391.2 IP), compiling 317 strikeouts compared to 125 walks. Bonser made one start for Minnesota during the 2006 Division Series vs. Oakland, throwing 6.0 innings of two-run ball in a no-decision.

Sounds good to me.

The Lowell deal is on hold for the moment as it seems not all the wrinkles have been ironed out.

More later.

Go Sox.

69 Days.

Done.

also available at www.SethSpeaks.net -

The Rule 5 Draft came and went this morning, and the Twins did not lose anyone in the major league draft. As we knew, they did not select a player either. So… that was much ado about nothing.  The Twins also passed in both the AA and AAA phases of the minor league draft. They lost Angelo Sanchez in the AAA portion. He had pitched for Elizabethton in 2009. They also lost Winston Marquez in the AAA phase. He missed all of 2008 and pitched this year at Elizabethton and Beloit. I thought he might be lost in the major league portion of the Rule 5. This is worse because he won’t come back.

On one hand, I’m thrilled that guys like Steve Singleton, Brian Dinkelman, Matt Fox and others will be back with the Twins organization. That is a positive for the Twins. I am certain that, on some level, those players are disappointed in not being selected and getting an opportunity at another team’s big league camp. That said, I can see those three all possibly coming to big league camp with the Twins as non-roster invitees.

Also during the Rule 5 draft, the agent for Boof Bonser announced that the righty had been traded to the Boston Red Sox. No more details than that at this point. I’ll update as we find out more.

Curtis Granderson could be the centerpiece of a three-team deal that would bring the all-star centerfielder to the Yankees.  Various news agencies are reporting that the deal has been agreed to in principle – Granderson would go from Detroit to New York, while Yankee prospects would disperse – AAA centerfielder Austin Jackson would head to Detroit along with lefty reliever Phil Coke, one-time top prospect Ian Kennedy would head to Arizona, where he would be joined by Detroit starter Edwin Jackson – giving the Diamondbacks a pretty solid rotation, and two D-Back arms, Max Scherzer and Daniel Schlereth would join the Tigers.

Let’s do this by team.  The Yankees have to deal with the potential free agency losses of both Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui.  Granderson would likely move Melky Cabrera to left (Cabrera might be a better centerfielder these days, though) letting Damon find a new home.  The thinking is that the overall outfield defense would improve (either Cabrera or Granderson in left is an upgrade over Damon), and Granderson would at least maintain the offense provided by Damon.  Except that Damon has hit pretty well and Granderson hit .249 last year – his second straight year of decline after breaking through in 2007.  What might be a concern is the Yankees dropping a couple of useful relievers (Coke, Bruney) – but it might be that Chamberlain is going back to the bullpen, especially if the Yankees land a starter in the next several weeks.

Arizona loses a blue-chipper in Max Scherzer, who looked VERY promising in 2009, and Daniel Schlereth, who has a nice arm but needs to deal with control issues.  However, if Edwin Jackson is as good as he looked for the first four months of 2009 (he slipped as the year ended) and Ian Kennedy stays healthy (he looked great in the Arizona Fall League and appears to be ready), the Diamondbacks could be REALLY solid in the rotation.  Webb (hopefully) , Haren, Jackson, Kennedy is potentially as strong as anybody.

Detroit unloads a lot of salary in Granderson (two more years at $23 million).  Jackson was due for arbitration on the heels of a fine season.  So, adding Scherzer – who, frankly, looks to be better than Jackson moving forward – also cuts the salary back without necessarily hurting the team.  Austin Jackson was a Yankee prospect who appears to be Melky Cabrera – fast, a slashing hitter but not a ton of power – and now appears to be a leading candidate for the centerfield job.  He won’t provide Granderson’s offense (even in an off-season, Granderson does take a walk and hits for serious power), but he could match his defense.  The net change may be 30 runs, but we’ll see.  Adding Coke and Schlereth gives the Tigers a much deeper pen and a potential future closer if Joel Zumaya never gets going again.

It’s hard to call the Yankees a winner in this deal – I think it’s a bit of a wash, really, though they get younger in the outfield.  I don’t like giving up all these arms – but the Yankees do have other options, and they have some money left to spend.  Detroit might take a slight step back in terms of offensive production, but the extra arms might make up for it and Scherzer could wind up being AWESOME (!) and giving them a second ace.  They get some money back that can be used for other holes.  In Arizona’s case, they have a couple of ifs (if Jackson can repeat, if Kennedy stays healthy and produces) and gave away what I thought was a solid future ace.  So, my early take is that the Tigers got the best of the deal, the Yankees are second, and Arizona is third – but could wind up being a surprise winner.  We’ll see.

Other News…

Rafael Soriano accepted an arbitration offer from the Braves – despite the fact that Atlanta added two potential closers to the roster.  Ryan Church was released to make room on the roster for the 2009 closer.  [ESPN]

Carl Pavano also accepted arbitration from the Twins – Boof Bonser will be asked to hit the road or head to the minors.  [ESPN]

Mark Teahan signed a three year, $14 million deal with the White Sox, avoiding arbitration. [SI]

Florida pinch hitter deluxe, Ross Gload, joins the Phillies.  My friend, Gio, will be saddened.  Gload got a two-year deal.  [MLB]

MLB is getting serious in their baseball coverage.  Peter Gammons is leaving ESPN to join the MLB Network and add his writing skills to a growing online news presence.  Gammons joined ESPN in 1989…  [MLB]

Happy Birthday!

One-time MEGA prospect, Todd Van Poppel, turns 38 today.

Others celebrating with cards, cake, or remembrances include: Cy Seymour (1872), Joe DeMaestri (1928), Bob (Hurricane) Hazle (1930), Darold Knowles (1941), Del Unser (1944) – one of my favorites as a kid because I thought he was related to Al Unser, but I was wrong, Doc Medich (1948), Steve Christmas (1957), Juan Samuel (1960), Tony Tarrasco (1970), Tony Batista (1973), and Eric Stults (1979).

Afterthoughts…

Mark Buehrle bid $10,000 to manage the Cardinals for a day in spring training – and will use the opportunity to present his prize to a young girl (Mickey Cunningham) with Down’s Syndrome and her mother.  Very cool!  (Tony LaRussa matched Buerhle’s donation.)

also avaialble at www.SethSpeaks.net -

Over the next week to ten days, the Twins will have to make some final decisions on their 40 man roster. There will be some tough decisions.

But before we get started, I should point out that it appears that Juan Morillo will now come off of the Twins 40 man roster as he has signed with a team in Japan. I wrote about that possibility here last week when I could come up with only one reason for his addition to the Twins 40 man roster. It appears that the Twins should have temporarily kept Justin Huber on the 40 man roster too as he is close to signing in Japan as well and the Twins may have got some money for him as well.

Technically the Twins have 40 players on their 40 man roster. However, the Twins five internal free agents will come off of the roster unless the Twins decide to sign one of them quickly. There are (too many) rumors about the Twins talking to Orlando Cabrera about playing 2B. That would be horrible, so we can assume that won’t happen. Right? There is also talk of conversations with Scott Boras regarding Joe Crede. Again, I understand some think that would be a good thing. Personally, I am just not a fan of that idea. Carl Pavano would be a solid #4 type of pitcher and the Twins should consider the idea of bringing him back, if the price is right. However, the assumption is that there will be several teams interested in his services, and hence, he probably would not sign quickly. Ron Mahay would make sense if the Twins didn’t have several other left-handers who could either start or be a second lefty reliever. Mike Redmond is a good guy and a good teammate, but bringing him back makes no sense.

So, I will work under the assumption that all five will be off of the 40 man roster, which would put the Twins at 35.

If you checked out the TwinsCentric Offseason GM Handbook (which is still available as an e-book or a print version), there was an article on the 40 man roster called “Nine to Note.” Information was given on nine players that the Twins should consider adding to the 40 man roster. Of those nine players to consider, two of them (David Winfree and Brock Peterson) were not added to the 40 man roster and can become free agents. The Twins can bring them back if they want, but they will not be added to the 40 man roster. And to this point, the only player added to the Twins 40 man roster was Juan Morillo, who was not even considered among the nine. And now I don’t look quite so dumb!

So, let’s get back to this week. Again, the Twins are likely going to be at 35 players on the 40 man roster. If that is the case, there are four spots available. However, are there others that can be removed from the 40 man roster? Last week, Justin Huber was removed. The Twins tried to take Armando Gabino off of the 40 man roster, but in doing so, he was claimed by the Orioles. So as the Twins make these decisions, they will have to consider a couple of things. If the Twins take the player off of the 40 man roster, would they be lost to another organization? Is the player that would be added better (or a better fit for need) than the one who would be removed? 

With that, let’s take a look at a few guys that the Twins could consider removing from the 40 man roster:

• Bobby Keppel – in 2009, the Twins saw what Keppel can be. They saw the very good and the saw the very bad, all within his three month stint with the team. Since he is out of options, he would have to make the Twins roster and stay on it, or potentially be lost. With Morillo and Bonser also out of options, and Pat Neshek likely coming back at some point, what are the chances of Keppel making the Twins roster?
• Boof Bonser, Jesse Crain and Pat Neshek – All three are arbitration eligible this year. All three have had injuries and missed time in the last couple of years. All three have experienced big league success. And, I am pretty sure that if taken off the 40 man roster, all three of them would be gone.
• Glen Perkins – It’s hard to imagine that he will be back with the Twins, but can he be traded?
• Drew Butera – Can’t hit. Led International League in Passed Balls, but still known to do a good job of calling games and throwing. Can’t hit. At all. There are a lot of backup catchers around who can throw runners out who will play for $750,000, if the Twins even needed that.
• Alexi Casilla, Matt Tolbert, Steve Tolleson, Nick Punto, Trevor Plouffe – They’re all the same. Play a little defense. Play a couple of positions. Hit once in a while, but not necessarily well. How many backup infielders are needed? Obviously Punto and his $4 million deal aren’t going anywhere. Casilla is out of options. Plouffe is at least young. He is probably the only player who would be lost if left unprotected. He would certainly be claimed.
• Deibinson Romero – He’s all about the tools, apparently. He’s a big guy, strong. And, the reality is that he hasn’t actually produced much since he was in the rookie leagues. He’s 23 already. The tools are all there. The effort has been questioned.
• Luke Hughes – I keep hearing people say that he could be removed. If he is, he would be claimed by the first team who could. He’s not going anywhere.
• Jason Pridie – very good defense. Left-handed bat who refuses to walk. Has some pop in his bat. With Carlos Gomez now gone, the Twins need a 5^th outfielder who can play all three outfielders, including centerfield. Other option would be to let him go and sign a veteran outfielder who could pinch hit. Pridie does have one more option year left.

OK, so we started at 35. Will the Twins sign any of those five internal free agents before the 40 man roster is set? How many from the current 40 man roster would you remove?

Now let’s consider the players who would have to be added to the 40 man roster or left subject to the Rule 5 draft. Note that if they are not selected in the Rule 5 draft, they would stay in the organization unless they are six year minor league free agents. 

The Obvious Additions:

• Danny Valencia – Whether everyone considers him the 3B of 2010, or the 3B of the Future, or a possible 3B, he has experienced success at each level including AAA. If left unprotected, he would be gone.
• Deolis Guerra – He’s 20. He showed much improved control in 2009. He’s got three potentially big league pitches. He’s had success in AA. Again, this is an easy choice as his potential alone makes him a target for some Rule 5 team.
• Alex Burnett – The Rule 5 is about finding players with either high upside and can be hidden on a roster, or about guys who can contribute to any degree with the big league club. Burnett fits into both categories as he could already contribute to a big league team’s bullpen and he has tremendous upside in a bullpen.

Must Strongly Consider:

• Loek Van Mil – He’s 7-1, and he throws 95-97. He should probably be in the obvious category too. His strikeout numbers don’t shout out at you, but the stuff does. Tall pitchers take a little longer to develop because they need to find their release point. As an international player, you can assume a longer learning curve too. Adding him to the 40 man roster gives three more years to develop. But again, his pitching angle and the velocity make Van Mil a likely choice.
• Rob Delaney – since being signed as a non-drafted free agent out of college in 2006, Delaney has dominated the minor leagues. He gets strikeouts and he walks very few. He struggled some in Rochester, but I think his track record makes him an easy choice. The fact that he could help a big league bullpen today makes him an easy choice. How many bullpen guys will they put on the roster? That’s the only question.
• Steve Singleton – Good glove. Can play 2B, 3B and SS. Can hit 2^nd in a batting order, or at the bottom of the order. Can hit for average. Is best when he is patient. Has good power for a middle infielder. Lots of doubles and triples. Can play very good defense.
• Brian Dinkelman – Put up terrific numbers in New Britain. Doubles machine. He is two years older than Singleton. Played a lot of LF once Singleton promoted to AA. That gives him a better chance of being added. Defense is not spectacular either place, but he does make almost all the plays.

Should at least think about:

• Santos Arias – The Dominican righty had a very good year in 2009 in Ft. Myers. Good fastball. Durable. Very good changeup. Has a lot of room to grow.
• Winston Marquez – Left-handed. Young. Throws hard. Good slider. Missed 2008 with injury and Twins were patient with him in 2009.
• Matt Fox – Again, he could pitch in the big leagues, in the back of a bullpen. He could handle it well mentally. And the former #1 pick has been able to get stronger and better each year since coming back from Tommy John surgery. Also, his cutter is very tough on lefties.

Others that are eligible include Juan Portes, Kyle Waldrop, Estarlin de Los Santos, Dustin Martin, Whit Robbins, Ramon Santana, Matt Williams, Brandon Roberts, Ryan Mullins, Frank Mata, Mark Dolenc, Rene Leveret, Jair Fernandez, and Alexander Soto.

Also, Rene Tosoni, David Bromberg and Anthony Slama do not need to be added to the 40 man roster at this time, so they will not be added.

Again, you’re starting at 35 players. You can take a few more off of the 40 man roster. You could quickly sign some of your internal free agents. You will want to add a bunch. Do you want to fill all 40 roster spots, or do you keep one or two open so that you can take a pick or two in the Rule 5 draft. What do you think? What would you do? Send me an e-mail, or leave your Comments here.

Boof Bonser is out of options, both literally and figuratively.

Just two years removed from serving as the number two starter in Minnesota’s rotation, Bonser, 28, is in the uncomfortable position of not knowing what his future with the organization may hold or if he even has a future with the organization.

The Twins currently have half a dozen pitchers under contract for 2010 that started twelve games or more last season.

Bonser, who spent 2009 rehabbing from surgery to repair tears in his labrum and rotator cuff, didn’t throw a competitive pitch until a rehab assignment in September.

Additionally, Brian Duensing and Jeff Manship also figure to make bids for spots in next year’s rotation and the team has made mention that they’ll be on the lookout to add a veteran arm or two this offseason.

So where does that leave Bonser?

The Twins could conceivably non-tender him this December, thus making him a free agent.

Given Bonser’s considerable upside and reasonable salary, it wouldn’t make much sense for the Twins—a team that used eleven different starters in 2009—to just let him walk away.

If I were a betting man—and I am—I’d put good money on the Twins giving Bonser a one-year contract and an invite to Spring Training with a very clear message that if he doesn’t pitch his way into the rotation, or a long-relief role in the bullpen, he’ll be plying his trade elsewhere.

Bonser’s descent from first-round pick and elite prospect to potential non-tender candidate has been a rapid one.

Bonser, a high school standout, was drafted with the 21st overall pick of the 2000 amateur draft by the San Francisco Giants. He was assigned immediately to the short-season league and suffered the usual up and downs high school pitchers do at that level.

The next year, however, Bonser had a breakout season pitching for the Hagerstown Suns of the South Atlantic League.

Bonser went 16-4 with a 2.49 ERA and 178 strikeouts in 134 innings pitched. In doing so, Bonser—who was just 19-years old at the time—won the South Atlantic League Most Valuable Pitcher award and earned postseason all-star honors as well.

Although he didn’t match that success in any subsequent seasons, he still rose steadily through the Giants’ farm system and was pitching in Triple-A by the end of the 2003 season.

That winter Bonser was the key-component in the now-infamous A.J. Pierzynski trade that sent Bonser, Joe Nathan, and Francisco Liriano to the Minnesota Twins.

Since then both Liriano and Nathan have surpassed Bonser, both in terms of overall production and value within the organization.

Nathan was immediately given the closer role and has proved to be one of baseball’s best in that role.

Liriano showed glimpses of brilliance and dominance before succumbing to Tommy John surgery which has since rendered him maddeningly inconsistent.

Bonser spent two seasons in the Twins’ farm system before getting called up in 2006. He spent most of the year bouncing back and forth between Rochester and Minneapolis, all the while going 7-6 with a 4.22 ERA and 84 strikeouts in 100.1 innings pitched at the major league level.

In 2007, Bonser began the year as the number two starter behind Johan Santana. Inconsistency was the name of the game as Bonser would alternate awful starts with brilliant starts. When it was all said and done he had another unimpressive line of 8-12 with a 5.10 ERA and 136 strikeouts in 173 innings pitched.

Following that mediocre season, Bonser—at the request of the front-office—made an effort to drop some weight so that he could pitch deeper into ballgames. Bonser showed great dedication and dropped 35 pounds over the winter.

The only problem was that a slimmer, sleeker Bonser still couldn’t get anyone out.

Despite being the only experienced starter in the 2008 rotation, Bonser was demoted to the bullpen by the end of May after going 2-6 with a 5.97 ERA to start the year.

Unfortunately, the results out of the bullpen weren’t much better.

Bonser pitched 52 innings out of the bullpen and tallied 5.88 ERA. He was used mostly in mop-up situations, but appeared to be re-finding his form near the end of the season. He was averaging better than a strikeout per inning and seemed to be getting back on track.

As such, Bonser spent the 2008-2009 offseason preparing both physically and mentally for a bullpen role. He was rumored to be in the mix for a long-relief spot or perhaps a setup role in front of closer Joe Nathan.

Unfortunately, Bonser’s 2009 ended before it had ever really begun. He was diagnosed with tears in both his labrum and rotator cuff and ruled out of the 2009 season early in Spring Training.

Bonser’s loss was a major reason for the early-to-mid-season struggles of the Twins’ bullpen as the team was forced to bring in castoffs like Luis Ayala to fill roles that they had no business filling.

Since then the club has acquired Jon Rauch as a top setup man and saw relievers Matt Guerrier, Jose Mijares, and Jesse Crain take big steps forward to solidify their roles in the bullpen.

With the aforementioned overabundance of potential starters, the Twins have plenty of in-house candidates for additional bullpen roles and not nearly enough roster space for all of them.

And that bring us back to the big question: where does that leave Boof Bonser?

As I stated earlier, Bonser is probably too intriguing of an option for the Twins to outright release him, but will he be ready to outpitch the competition this spring?

For his part, Bonser has already shown a lot of dedication and desire to make it back with the Twins.

He worked very hard in his rehabilitation to make it back ahead of schedule and pitch in meaningful games in September.

It was reported that he was showing good velocity and improved command of his pitches during his rehab assignment.

Is it a sign that Bonser has finally found the right mix of desperation and motivation to become the great pitcher he appeared to be in the minors or was this just another sign that Bonser is a great minor league pitcher who can’t make the right adjustments at the highest level?

Hopefully 2010 will be the season that question is finally answered, and when that answer comes, here’s to hoping that Boof is still wearing Minnesota pinstripes.

The San Francisco Giants fired their hitting coach this week, Carney Lansford, despite the fact that the team stayed in the hunt for the playoffs right up until the last few weeks of the season in part due to an offense that seemed to outperform most expectations yet didn’t show the overall improvements that the organization’s front office expected. Yes, the same Carney Lansford that was a staple in the Oakland A’s lineup throughout the 1980’s and was just as recognizable for his never-give-in attitude as he was for the thick mustache he sported throughout his playing days. On his way out the door, Lansford had some tough words for the organization and its players in an interview he did with Henry Schulman of the SF Chronicle:

“I sleep real well knowing I took my best shot with that team. It’s no secret it was a team of free swingers, which is a very frustrating thing. That’s hard to change.”

Six players struck out 80 or more times on the season so the “free swinger” comment was, in fact, an accurate one. Offensively the Giants finished the season 13^th in scoring, 14^th in slugging percentage, and last in walks and on-base percentage. Only Pablo Sandoval and Juan Uribe (who surprised everyone, mind you) had what could be considered as solid seasons offensively.

After two years on the job, Lansford went on to express some doubt about whether he’ll accept another coaching job elsewhere. He has two sons, Josh and Jared, who are both current minor leagues. Josh, a third baseman turned pitcher, is in the Cubs organization and Jared, a pitcher in the A’s organization, are both under 25 and neither has erupted onto the minor league scene as of yet, although Jared did reach Triple-A for the first time late this past season. In theory the elder Carney could take a coaching/instructor position with an organization, like perhaps the A’s, which would allow him to watch his sons play and still remain active in the game.

Current Triple-A hitting coach, Hensley Muelens, has been mentioned as a likely candidate to replace Lansford, the only member of the coaching staff who will not be back next season. Longtime Giant fan-favorite Will Clark has also been mentioned in speculation about a potential replacement for Lansford but has said himself that he has not yet been contacted by anyone about taking the position. I recall watching Clark play throughout the 80’s and he always seemed like one player who was destined to get into some aspect of coaching but he has resisted the urge primarily so that he can be close to home to be with his autistic son. Sure, he’d be a logical choice for the now open position but would all of that time on the road be too much for him to accept it? Clark has a fairly good gig at the moment as a special assistant in the Giants front office.

The Giants made a number of other moves over the past week, resigning both GM Brian Sabean and manager Bruce Bochy for another two seasons. Sabean has been at the helm of the Giants longer than any GM in baseball has been with their respective organizations and is well respected throughout the game. Perhaps one move he’ll forever be taunted by, however, was an ill-advised trade with the Minnesota Twins in which he acquired A.J. Pierzynski for three minor leaguers – Joe Nathan, Boof Bonser, and Francisco Liriano. Think he’d make that move again knowing what each player has developed into? I think (and hope) not.

In other Giants news, the team has a number of decisions to make as their offseason began sooner than they had hoped. Perhaps the biggest decision yet to be made is whether uber-prospect Buster Posey will be handed the reins to the team’s starting catcher position or if they will sign a veteran to platoon with him until he learns how to call a game. Posey was a surprise call-up in September once Bengie Molina began to experience some soreness in his knees and shoulder, only to then sit on the bench for over a week without getting into a single game. After receiving only 17 plate appearances over the course of the month, much has yet to be determined about the readiness of the #1 prospect in the game and the Giants would be better served being overly cautious with him rather than simply throwing him to the wolves at the onset of the new season in the spring. With that said I think they would be wise to bring in a veteran to share time with Posey and help teach him the fundamentals of calling a game. Offensively and defensively he’s got little to learn but a lot to prove. The one knock against him is his game-calling abilities and that is where a veteran would be ideal. While Molina has expressed interest in remaining with the Giants he is rumored to want a two year deal, which simply would not make sense for the Giants at this time. A one year offer to someone such as Rod Barajas, Josh Bard, or even Jason Varitek could be feasible.

The team has moved its Double-A affiliate from Connecticut (where they were known as the Defenders) to Richmond, Virginia where they will now be known as the Flying Squirrels. Really? Flying Squirrels huh?

Uribe signed with the team late last offseason on a minor league contract and he was expected to compete for a utility role with the team. He enjoyed somewhat of a breakout season, contributing a .289 batting average, 16 home runs, and relatively consistent defense at 2B, 3B, and SS. He could be resigned by the team but it remains to be seen if he can put up that kind of production consistently. The one certainty, however, is he’d likely be more valuable than anything Edgar Renteria may offer at this point in their respective careers and Renteria is still penciled in as the team’s starting shortstop next season.

Finally, general speculation seems to be that the Giants will search for a power hitter this offseason to add to their lineup. The two biggest bats on the free agent market – Matt Holliday and Jason Bay – will both likely be mentioned as possibilities but I think it is unlikely this team goes out and spends top dollar on one of the two to fill this hole in the lineup. I’ve even heard some talk that Sabean might consider trading center fielder Aaron Rowand to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for disgruntled (and unwelcome) outfielder Milton Bradley. While Bradley would give the team a little more pop, his antics really aren’t worth taking a chance on, especially when you consider the fact that Rowand has long been respected as one of the more stand-up guys in the game today.

Personally, I think the team needs to look for some guys that know how to get on base consistently to install at the top of the order and maybe someone who can steal a base or two (Chone Figgins anyone?). If you can get Sandoval and Posey coming to the plate with runners on base in front of them, that can only lead to good things for a team with so many offensive struggles. Find some high OBP guys, supplement them into the current lineup, and start preaching a little plate discipline in Spring Training and throughout the minor leagues and there could be a great turnaround to this offense next season.

also available at www.SethSpeaks.net -

The Ft. Myers played Game 2 of their Best of Three series against Charlotte. The New Britain Rockcats traveled to Norwich to take on the Connecticut Defenders in Game 1 of their Best of Five series. Both Twins affiliates started their fourth best starter in the game, and as you would expect, it did not go well for either team.

For the Rockcats, 20 year old Deolis Guerra got the Game 1 start. He gave up four runs in the bottom of the first inning, then threw two zeroes on the board before allowing a run in the fourth inning. Cole DeVries came out of the bullpen for the fifth inning and threw three shutout innings. He gave up just three hits, walked one and struck out six, his best performance in a long time! Carlos Gutierrez gave up a run in the eighth inning. However, thanks to the Defenders’ Ben Snyder, it would have taken a yeoman’s effort for any Rockcat to get a win. Snyder was nearly unhittable in the game. Through eight inning, he had allowed just two hits, and no runs. He came out for the 9^th inning, but he gave up two runs on two hits, including a solo home run to Brian Dinkelman. The makeshift Rockcats lineup managed just five hits in the game. 19 year old Angel Morales played CF and went 0-4, but just struck out once. Yangervis Solarte was the team’s DH. Alejandro Machado played 2B. Yancarlos Ortiz was at SS. You have to wonder why, in a playoff game, Steve Singleton would not be in the lineup.

Lefty Tyler Robertson got the Game 2 nod for the Ft. Myers Miracle. In just 3.1 innings, he gave up six runs  on nine hits and a walk. Michael Allen got him out of the fourth inning, but allowed another run on two hits. Boof Bonser was back on the mound and in two shutout innings, he struck out four. Blair Erickson struck out two in his two scoreless innings before Henry Arias threw a scoreless ninth inning.

Down 7-1 going into the bottom of the sixth, Nick Romero came to bat as a pinch hitter for Chris Cates. Romero hit a three run homer to cut the lead to 7-4. But that was as close as the Miracle would get. The Miracle had plenty of base runners. They had seven hits and seven walks. Deibinson Romero was 1-2 with a walk.

Ft. Myers will count on Santos Arias in the series-deciding Game 3 tomorrow night in Ft. Myers. New Britain will send Matt Fox to the mound in Game 2 in Connecticut 

Twins Links:

• Granny Baseball reviews his top prospect lists from a year ago to see how they did in 2009.

If you have any opinions, comments or updates, please leave them in the Comments section.

Not only was May 24 the worst loss of the year for the Twins, it also spelled the end of Boof Bonser’s career as a starter in a Twins uniform. I know it seems I am focusing a lot on the nasty losses the Twins were dealt, but honestly, these were the games that forced the changes that the Twins needed in order to make a run at the playoffs. The weird thing about this game, as compared to the last of this series, is that the Twins didn’t feel out of it right away. The Twins outhit the Tigers 5-2 through 2 innings, and Alexi Casilla had a very nice home run (351 feet, the announcers said). So, without further ado, I bring you the play-by-play:

• Boof Bonser was solid for two innings, then wretched for 1+ innings. He ended the game having given up 9 runs (8 ER) on 7 hits and 2 walks.
• Alexi Casilla had a home run; it was actually a pretty impressive affair.
• Carlos Gomez struck out three times; he was never anywhere near the pitch on any of his Hulk swings.
• Tigers’ starter Nate Robertson actually looked pretty bad; he wasn’t focused, but the Twins were doing a great job of getting themselves in the hole with first-pitch swings.
• Brian Bass, who I had almost forgotten about (isn’t he with the Orioles now?), gave up seven runs on 7 hits in 1.1 innings. Hey, at least he didn’t walk anyone.
• Juan Rincon gave up three runs on two hits after allowing both of Bass’ inherited runners to score.
• You know the game is over when Mauer and Morneau are substituted for.

Box Score:

I don’t know what to say about this game. It was really the low of the season for me. I was pretty depressed, base-ball-wise, after the Chisox series in which the Twins had their rears handed to them every night for four days, but this was terrible. Bonser was terrible, Bass was worse, and Rincon continued the train of suck. Cuddyer was, at this point, suffering some of the ill effects of his strained finger; he would go on the DL a month later, after re-re-re-aggravating the injury sliding into a base and then swinging a bat too early. The bright spot of this game was Matt Macri, who got two hits, a stolen base, and scored a run in his first major-league experience. He also took a walk and struck out. It was a very good debut.

So what ranks this game in the most important? This game was at a time in which the Twins were competitive. The Tigers were the bottom of the division; it would take KC losing 8 of 10 to jog them from that position. The Twins were 2.5 back of the Chisox, and threw away this game miserably. It would turn out that the division would only tighten, but at the time I had the overwhelming feeling that this could cost the Twins the division. In effect, it did, since one more win would have made that nonsense with Game 163 unneccessary. Oh well.

The next game in the series is already written, and should be posted tomorrow; it is a Twins win, I promise.

Read the latest Buzz around the Minnesota Twins

Right-handed Pitcher Boof Bonser (#26) of the Minnesota Twins pitched last season for a total of 111.2 innings in 47 games and in that he gave up 139 Hits, 36 Walks, 16 Homeruns for a total of 87 Runs, (78 earned runs) resulting in an ERA of 1.23. He also struck out 97 players. Boof Bonser pitched in 47 games, of which he started 12. He won 3 and lost 7 games.

On defense Boof, Bonser played 118.1 innings in 47 games and as a right-handed thrower, he put out 6 players and assisted on 16 at 25 Chances, he committed 3 Errors, all in all resulting in an Fielding Percentage of 0.880 and a Range Factor of 1.67.

Bonser is 6-4 tall and weighs 245 lbs. He’s 27 years old (born on October, 14th 1981)
If you want to check out his complete stats, you can do that here
Minnesota Twins underground Fan T-Shirts

The Twins are done for the year after a disappointing loss to the White sox in their 163 game of the year. 163rd games really make you realize how important every game is. It makes you wonder about games that could have been. It makes you wonder what would have happened if the ump had made the right call on that Pierzynski play awhile back, or what might have happened if Cliff Lee had started the last game against the White Sox instead of Bryan Bullington, or how things might have looked if the Twins bullpen wasn’t so atrocious for their extensive late season road trips, or if they had brought up Liriano and replaced Livan one start earlier. Unfortunately these are what-ifs that will nave have answers. After all, that’s just how baseball works, some things don’t go your way and some do. At the end of the year you just hope to come out ahead. The Twins finished the season needing one more thing to go right.

But what an improbable season it was! One of my favorite things about the season is that if you look back to the beginning and think about it, it makes no sense that we competed. It would have surprised people if the Twins needed a 143rd game, much less a 163rd. Let’s look at it like this:

The Twins were well short of the playoffs last year, then lost the game’s best pitcher, and their star outfielder who was a key offensive piece. They also lost a [formerly] reliable starter, and gave up a talented young starter. Along the way they picked up some players. Delmon Young, Brendan Harris, Carlos Gomez, Adam Everett, Livan Hernandez, Craig Monroe, and Mike Lamb were the most notable. Not exactly equivalent to what was given up, but some possibilities for (albeit somewhat limited) success. Here’s where it gets impressive though. What if at the beginning of the season I told you Livan would only be good for a few games and then quickly turn into the worst pitcher in baseball, Boof Bonser would pitch so poorly he gets dumped into the bullpen (where he does no better) at the beginning of June, Scott Baker would spend a month on the DL, Francisco Liriano would not meaningfully contribute until August, Pat Neshek would essentially be on the DL the entire season, Michael Cuddyer would be miss about three and a half months of the season, neither Joe Mauer or Delmon Young would hit a homerun until June, and Adam Everett would be hurt and along with Mike Lamb and Craig Monroe hit just a bit over .200? All of that in combination with the players we lost and the fact that we weren’t a playoff team last season wouldn’t give you much hope for this year. But in spite of all of that, the Twins found ways to win, young guys stepped up and filled the plethora of voids.

The Twins reinvented themselves this year. It’s hard not to when so many of the opening day starters are not starting by the end of the season. And personally I like the new look of the Twins, they steal bases and get bunt hits, and they hit enough singles to make your head spin. The pitchers throw strikes, (something of a lost art these days) and work both sides of the plate. The most exciting thing though is that almost everyone is so young that you can only see them improving. Next year looks bright as long as players can stay healthy and they keep play Twins baseball.

“I think during the summer, I get numb to bad baseball commentary because I watch so much ball through media where that sort of chitchat is common. But then I just spent the last month and a half just reading box scores and reading BP and like-minded news sites, and I had forgotten how bad some commentary could be. I learned this while watching the White Sox/Twins just now, as they said silly things about how Jon Danks, since he was young, could probably throw about 3.8 million pitches tonight on 3 days rest. Harold Reynolds also talked about how he always liked hitting 9^th because “you could do a lot of things” because the 1 and 2 hitters were up next – apparently this gave you license to go willy nilly on the bases.”

[end quote from my message to Wyatt]

When you think about it, White Sox-Twins is just about the perfect storm for bad commentary.  Why?  Thanks for asking.  The Twins have been ridiculously successful this decade by being really, really good at drafting and development (I’m counting the Rule V pick of Johan Santana as a D and D success).  That’s basically the entirety of why they have been great.  Oh, and because Brian Sabean had a fever and the only prescription was more AJ Pierzynski, even at the cost of Francisco Liriano, Boof Bonser, and Joe Nathan.  However, the mainstream media likes to make them a smallball story.  Sure, they don’t hit very many home runs, I won’t dispute that, but they have had really, really good pitching and defense during their success.  Having Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau in the middle of the lineup recently has helped, too.  But the Twins have won in spite of their Nick Punto/Christian Guzman-pre-LASIK/Luis Rivas/Carlos Gomez/Jason Tyner-@DH-occasionally jones, not because of it.

On the other hand, the White Sox of recent vintage have hit a lot of home runs (actually, it seems like the White Sox of every vintage have hit a lot of home runs, but I’m speaking especially of their recent renaissance years).  In reality, they’ve been just about the typical Weaver Ball team – pitching, defense, and the three run home run.  This year has been less about defense (23rd in the Majors in defensive efficiency, the percentage of balls in play converted into outs), so it’s even more true that this Sox team plays a style of game that many oldtimey media types do not find aesthetically pleasing.  Therefore, they make team quality judgments about it.  Obviously, people who hit home runs are lazy and don’t understand “the way the game was meant to be played.”  Actually, a guy I live next to just came in and said something to the effect of “all the White Sox do is hit home runs.”  I actually had to convince him that the team that allowed 15 fewer runs than the Twins this season was actually pretty good at pitching.

All this to say…I mean, there is a lot of room for error tonight based on surfacy player/team value judgments.

If I get some time soon, I’d like to post on the guys who would win my awards, provided I got a vote.  As it is, I’ll have to settle for voting in the Internet Baseball Awards, I guess.

The Twins wrap up their 2008 season on Sunday at the Metrodome, where they’ll try to take one out of three from Kansas City.

After losing again on Saturday, the Twins were once again reduced to rooting for Cleveland to beat the White Sox. The Indians obliged, thus keeping the Twins atop the tradition-laden AL Central by a slender 1/2 game.

Here’s the story: If the Twins win on Sunday, then they’re assured of no worse than a tie for the AL Central lead. If the Twins win and the Sox lose on Sunday, the Sox are done, as the Twins will have an insurmountable 1 game lead If the Twins win and Chicago wins, the Sox will have a makeup game to play against Detroit on Monday (and won’t those Tigers be eager to play that game…).

If the Twins lose and the Sox win, the Twins will be a 1/2 game behind, but the Sox will still need to beat Detroit in the makeup game.

If both teams lose on Sunday, we’re back to where we started, and Chicago must face the Tigers. If they win that makeup game, then there would be a one game playoff in Chicago between the Twins and Sox.

Crystal Clear, eh?

It appears that after the thrilling, emotional series against the Sox, both the Twins and Sox are cooked, both physically and emotionally. The Wednesday and Thursday games were essentially edge-of-your-seat games from the first pitch to the last. I wasn’t surprised in the least when the Twins came out flat on Friday against the Royals. Saturday’s loss, on the other hand, is more troublesome. Instead of the ragged bullpen falling down (although both Boof, who had been superb this week, and Guerrier were awfully shaky), this one is on the bats. With 4GIDP, the Twins couldn’t get a big inning going. They had Gil Meche on the ropes during several innings, but couldn’t come up with a hit to extend it. MVP candidate Justin Morneau is one who’s enmeshed in a nasty slump at an inopportune time. He left 6 runners on base, and hit into one of the 4 GIDP. He’s had just one RBI on the homestand.

The other disquieting note for the offense is that Carlos Gomez, who has once again been electrifying the past two weeks, appeared to be moving a bit gingerly during Saturday’s game. He, too, had missed opportunities on Saturday, with 4 LOB.

Scott Baker, who’s probably been the Twins’ most consistent starter, hurls on Sunday. Meanwhile, in Chicago, veteran Mark Buehrle, on the heels of his season-high 121 pitch effort against the Twins on Wednesday, is coming back on short rest.

And to think that the playoffs haven’t even started…

The first extra-base hit didn’t come until the bottom of the 5th, and the total of them got doubled in just a few pitches when Glen Perkins gave up back-to-back homers, the first a two-run shot and the second a solo shot that ended up in just about the same spot in the left field seats.

Perkins was done after four innings in favor of Boof Bonser, who had a great month of August. But his September started horribly, giving up a walk and then a go-ahead homer to his first two batters.

Matt Guerrier would also give up a run later in the game.

All of the Twins’ nine hits were singles, but they were aided by a couple stolen bases and a wild pitch.

I don’t have any stats for the game, the internet here isn’t working properly. I believe tonight’s game starts at 6.

So, I’m back. Sorry about essentially missing the last three weeks. I had a week of vacation, followed by a week of moving, followed by a week of EIW (early interview week, for those not law-school inclined). But, classes start again on Tuesday, and a more regular schedule will be far more conducive to more regular blogging.

So. Given the name of the blog and what I have been focusing on personally this season, I think I will have a weekly issue on the state of the ‘Pen.

The ‘Pen has not been a happy place to be for the last week for some of its members. Brian Bass went away and ended up in Rochester. Jesse Crain has given up the winning run in the last three games in which he has pitched. Guardado, the newest (and the oldest) face in the Twins’ ‘pen got shelled and nearly lost Wednesday’s game. So, lets go through it, reliever by reliever.

Brian Bass (-) RIP. Bass accepted his assignment to Rochester, so we might see him again on Tuesday after the call-ups. However, this could be the end of “Kerosene Boy.”

Boof Bonser (-) Boof had a very good week, after disappointing for most of the season. In four innings, Boof gave up only one earned run on two hits. If Boof’s coversion to a long reliever continues in this vein, he will have a future with this team, though I still think he should be trade bait for some bullpen depth (or depth anywhere else). That said, his stuff was nearly filthy on Thursday night.

Craig Breslow (-) Breslow has continued a stellar season. One thing that Breslow has been suffering from are high expectations upon his claiming off waivers from the Indians. We all just sort of expected him to be the Reyes of ‘06. In the last week, he gave up one earned run on one hit in 4.1 innings. Not great, but when you consider that he absorbed the loss when Jesse Crain allowed an inherited runner to score on Thursday (accounting for the one ER), he really was fantastic. Breslow appears to be earning Gardy’s trust, and I think he deserves a look as a seventh/eighth inning guy on nights when Guerrier and/or Guardado aren’t available. On Friday night, Breslow turned in one of the best performances of the year by a Twins relief pitcher, throwing three perfect innings with three Ks, earning a meaningless save in the 12-2 blowout.

Eddie Guardado (-) So, the Twins made a move that surprised everyone (and no one) when they moved A-ball closer Mark Hamburger to the Rangers for Everyday Eddie. I (personally) was not a fan of the move. Mark Hamburger looked to be the heir apparent to Anthony Slama in Ft. Myers, and his high-nineties fastball was fast for his frame (which could have stood for a bit of added weight). Maybe it’s just me, but getting Eddie for a couple months (I think that’s all we get) for someone with a ton of potential value is just rough. But, then again, there is a huge logjam of relievers in teh lower levels of teh Twins organization, since the Twins are stuck with the likes of Julio DePaula, Carmen Cali, and Danny Graves in AAA, which has kept people down lower than their level should be. Anyway, goodbye, Burgerman. Have fun in the Texas system. Anyway, Eddie immediately reminded us all of why he both made us happy and made us cry when he was acquired. He threw a perfect eighth on Monday, then gave up a run in 2/3 innings on Thursday. Don’t expect anything else from Eddie. He’s a great guy, but he is old and wanted to finish his career in a Twins uniform. I’m happy he got his wish.

Matt Guerrier (-) Matty is slowly redeeming himself as he tries to come back from overuse. He was given seven of ten days of from August 12 – 21,and immediately responded, appearing in every game of the seattle series without giving up a hit. Guerrier will be fine, though his ERA will be horrible for this year.

Joe Nathan (-) I’ll come back when there is something to tell. He had a bad night the other night, but that’s that.

Dennys Reyes (-) Eh. He’s been passable, but still not great. Reyes, as all year, has been wildly inconsistent. In three appearances totaling 2.2 innings, he gave up two hits and one earned run; he once had to be rescued by Breslow.

I am not going to talk about Jesse Crain right now. I am still mad at him from last night, and so talking about him wouldn’t be terribly helpful. Just to suffice it to say that he has become the Guerrier of two weeks ago, and needs to be shut down for at least a week or two.

Any thoughts on the bullpen at this point in the season?

Oh, and by the way, going to sethspeaks.com instead of sethspeaks.net was an, ahem, experience. Check it out if you want to wonder what the world is coming to.