Comments on: Twins Notes: Zumaya, Morneau, Span, three catchers, and old friends

By: SHS

SHS — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 22:40:28 +0000

while i disagree with the assesment that many quality veteran set-up men were available this off-season and even shitty set-up men late for dirt cheap.

There was no doubt that I classify Coffey, Wheeler, Qualls as solid middle relievers or secondary set-up guys (7th -inning)

And the Twins look absolutely silly right now for not getting 1. Becasue even a veteran middle reliever at this piont would easily be our 3rd best reliever. (or higher)

By: ToddE

ToddE — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 20:51:41 +0000

So, if Mauer DHs, and another player catches and gets injured, is it that much worse to have Butera come in to catch and hit future at bats than a pitcher? That would be the comparison if Mauer shifted from DH to catcher. I think Jim Kaat, Jim Perry, Johan Santana and probably many others would be better options than Butera. (I am showing my age to remember Kitty Kaat and Jim Perry.) Butera’s hitting ability is about in line with a slightly above-average-hitting pitcher’s. Maybe they should look for a pitcher who can hit to handle the backup-pseudo-DH slot in case Mauer would have to move out of the DH to a position. They could do a double-switch. Mauer to catcher, the good-hitting pitcher to pitch.

By: tjw

tjw — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 19:56:56 +0000

Because I knew this would bug me, I found the five games in which Joe Mauer started a game at DH and then moved to Catcher.

August 30, 2009 (Home vs. Texas) – Mauer starts at DH, Redmond at Catcher. In the bottom of the 8th, with a 2-run lead and Redmond on 2nd base with 1 out, Redmond is pulled for pinch runner Orlando Cabrera. Mauer catches the 9th and no pitcher bats.

August 9, 2009 (Road @ Detroit) – Mauer starts at DH, Redmond at Catcher. In the top of the 8th, in a tie ball game with Redmond on 1st base and 0 out, Redmond is pulled for pinch runner Carlos Gomez. Mauer catches the 8th and no pitcher bats.

May 28, 2009 (Home vs. Boston) – Mauer starts at DH, Redmond at Catcher. In the 7th inning Dustin Pedroia hits a sac fly “scoring” Jeff Bailey. In a reality in which Todd Tichenor is not the umpire, he was actually tagged out. Redmond leaps up to argue and Tichenor tosses him followed shortly by Gardy. Cuddyer pinch hits for Sean Henn in the 7th while Brian Buscher pinch hits for Luis Ayala in the 9th.

July 6, 2007 (Road @ White Sox) – Mauer starts at DH, Redmond at Catcher. In the 1st inning Redmond is injured and Mauer moves to catcher. Matt Garza goes 0-2. Jeff Cirillo pinch hits for Garza in the 7th. Jason Tyner pinch hits for Matt Guerrier in the 9th. Twins win 12-0.

August 31, 2005 (Road @ Kansas City) – Mauer starts at DH, Redmond at Catcher. In the top of the 9th, tie game, Redmond on 1st, one out, Brent Abernathy pinch runs (and is caught stealing). Mauer catches the 9th (walk-off Royals win) and no pitcher bats.

So twice, in Joe Mauer’s 120 career games at DH has he been forced to move to catcher or DH because of injury or ejection.

By: Paul

Paul — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 16:58:56 +0000

@tjw – I remember that game, it was awesome!

By: tjw

tjw — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 16:00:15 +0000

I only remember one time where we lost the DH because the catcher got hurt. It was a White Sox game and Redmond got hurt while Mauer was DH’ing.

Most of the rest of those instances of losing the DH, I believe, were more along the lines of the following: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MIN/MIN200805190.shtml

Casilla started at 2B, leading off while Brendan Harris was DH’ing and batting 2nd. Craig Monroe pinch-hit for Casilla in the 9th, but the game went to extras so Harris moved to the infield. Bobby Korecky singled in the 11th and Livan Hernandez was on deck when the winning run scored.

By: Jamie

Jamie — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 15:29:20 +0000

Juan Rincon’s career statistics need to be erased. As soon as he got off the juice, he went straight into the toilet.

By: BR

BR — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 15:14:56 +0000

The Twins seem to have taken it to an extreme, but it seems fairly clear that they want to find/develop inexpensive, young, in-house relievers rather than rely on older (if relatively cheap) vets. If they were in full rebuilding mode, this would make some sense. But I don’t know how you sign Jamey Carroll to a 2-year deal to be your starting SS and then give such short shrift to your pen – especially when, as AG has repeatedly noted, there were tons of cheap RP vets available. It’s baffling, and it would be nice if the media actually pressed Ryan on this point.

By: JP

JP — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 15:11:23 +0000

I know he isn’t necessarily the level that a few of the other names you mention, but what is the status of Michael Wuertz? Seemingly could be had on a minor league contract and at least has had a few good years in the league prior to recent injury issues….

By: Paul

Paul — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 06:58:27 +0000

Turns out this article was almost exactly right:
http://www.theonion.com/articles/joel-zumaya-agrees-to-throw-one-last-amazing-pitch,27183/