Day: July 28, 2010

GameChat – Twins @ Royals #3, 1:10

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Considering how absolutely GORGEOUS it is in Minnesota today, it’s kind of too bad the Twins can’t play at home but they’ll be up here on Friday and the nice weather is supposed to continue for a bit.  And half of Minnesota seems to have trekked down to KC to fill the stands down there anyway.

There are some questions about how the pitch limit will apply to Duensing’s start today given that it’s his second start and the extreme heat in KC.  He’s targeted for 80-85 pitches but I don’t think they’ll let him go past 5-6 innings no matter how efficient he is.  They just don’t want to overdo yet but I’ll be intrigued to see how it goes. 

Ok, boys, lets see about giving young Brian the same kind of run support you have been giving the rest of the starters lately, huh?

Minnesota @ Kansas City
Span, CF   Podsednik, LF
Casilla, A, 2B   Bloomquist, RF
Mauer, C   Butler, 1B
Young, D, LF   Guillen, J, DH
Kubel, DH   Betemit, 3B
Cuddyer, 1B   Aviles, M, 2B
Valencia, 3B   Ankiel, CF
Repko, RF   Pena, B, C
Punto, SS   Betancourt, Y, SS
  Duensing, P     Bannister, B, P

 

  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Minnesota 3 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 6 14 1
Kansas City 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 4 11 0

 

 

SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!!!

Despite the heat and the getaway day game circumstance, the boys still pulled out the offense in a big way to give Brian Duensing his first Win.  But no one did more offensively than Delmon Young.. again.  Yes, the same Delmon that has been on FIRE for the month of July.  So, he got the BOD without hardly any debate.  But for coming out there and hitting his target pitches and completing 6 strong innings, Mr. Duensing is awarded the adult beverage of his choice and Spanky and Ripcord get pastries for their work.

 

Keep an eye out for word about Nick Punto who pulled up after running through 1B in the 8th inning.  It could be a cramp or a hamstring pull but we’ll see what the team says and I think everyone is glad for the off-day tomorrow!

Poll: Trade Deadline – What Should Bill Do?

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With time running out before the non-waiver trade deadline Saturday, we’re still looking for the white smoke to flow from Bill Smith’s Target Field office indicating he’s made a deal that will assure the Twins a championship. Yet, strangely, virtually nobody outside of Twins Territory seems to be mentioning the Twins as a buyer at the deadline. Not Tom Corcoran at SI. Even his peer at SI, Jon Heyman, barely mentions the Twins in his trade deadline article.

Click on the Twins summary at MLBTradeRumors.com and outside of old posts about Dan Haren, it’s slim pickings. A casual mention of interest in the Jays’ reliever Scott Downs, the Nats’ closer Matt Capps and the Cubs’ starter Ted Lilly. (Of course, this could all change at any moment!)

Of course, some folks locally are still riding Smith and the Twins pretty hard about making a move to improve the team.

Seth Stohs mentioned a number of the Twins’ minor league arms who are stepping up their games perhaps just at the right time in his Twins Centric post. However, the much-maligned back end of the Twins current rotation (Baker, Slowey, Duensing) have picked things up a bit if you’re willing to discount the fact that they did so against the lowly Orioles.

So I thought it would be a good time to take the pulse of the Knuckleballs community (we aren’t quite big enough to be Knuckleballs Nation yet, are we?). What do you think the Twins should do with regard to the impending trade deadline? As always, feel free to expand on your votes in the comments section. – JC

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