Minnesota Twins rough series with the Tigers

[BrewCityUnit]

The Twins had a real good chance to gain some ground and get right in the thick of the Central race this week but got swept by the Tigers. The Twins left 57 guys on base in a 3 game series.....how frustrated would you be if you were a Twins fan. I thought the Brewers were the only team who left runners on base?

[TuesdaysWithRillo]

When you have garbage players in your lineup like Jason Bartlett and Nick Punto, LOB will happen.

[Klements Bratwurst]

Ouch that hurts-mightily!!! I think that might put a nail in the Twins coffin for the season. Unless they bounce back quick, they might be sellers.

[lukevan]

yeah, the Twins are playing this year how I thought they'd play last season ( I told my Twins fan buddy that they'd finish 4th in the Central last season ). The "pirhanas" are playing back to their actual abilities, Morneau and Hunter are having to carry the offense and they have no bench, not to mention their starting rotation is a bit iffy, though their bullpen has been very good.

 

If I'm a Twins fan, I feel a little bit like we did around this time last season about the Brewers, though we hadn't accumulated 4 of the last 5 division titles. I have no pity for Twins fans. They've had plenty of opportunities to see postseason baseball.

 

EDIT - P.S. I hate the Vikings!

[Bruce Ciskie]

Punto and Bartlett weren't the only problems in the Tiger series. Morneau left a small village on the basepaths in the second game, and the team generally couldn't score in a -- well, this is a family site, so use your imagination.

 

The Twins need the pitching and defense to be practically impeccable every night if they're going to make a run, because they're about six guys short of having a good day-to-day lineup.

[endaround]

Which is why I scoff whenever I hear Ryan call a great GM. Great GMs do not have Punto, Bartlett, and Tyner on their teams. Great GMs don't give millions to Ponson, Ryan runs a very good drafting and developing system, but he has left the major league team full of easily fillable holes for years.

[TheCouga23]

The Tigers are the best team in baseball right now with Rogers back and Miller taking Maroth's spot in the rotation. When Zumaya and Rodney come back from the DL in a few weeks, they will be even tougher. Coupled with that, the Tigers have a fairly easy schedule the rest of the way. I wouldn't be shocked if they won 100 games.

[TooLiveBrew]

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Unless they bounce back quick, they might be sellers.

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Rent-A-Torii! Are you a division-contender with a hole in CF? Have your eye on a FA CF after the season? Then Rent-A-Torii may be right for you! Sure, he may not hit .300, or have jaw-dropping power, but he's a well-rounded talent - and the total package in the field! Call now, supplies going fast!

[bsglorydays]

In fairness, no matter how "easily fillable" those holes are, you need resources to fill those holes. The Brewers have had years and years of rosters compiled of fillable holes, in part due to poor drafting/developing and in part due to lack of resources.

 

Granted, the Twins could have tried to fill a hole with the money spent on Ponson.

[Diskono]

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Which is why I scoff whenever I hear Ryan call a great GM. Great GMs do not have Punto, Bartlett, and Tyner on their teams. Great GMs don't give millions to Ponson, Ryan runs a very good drafting and developing system, but he has left the major league team full of easily fillable holes for years.

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Yes. I figured the Twins' luck would run out as soon as the other teams in the AL Central stopped being completely horrible. (S)crappy battlers who "play the game the way its meant to be played" are fine when you're playing most of your games against the Royals and Tigers from a few years ago, but that won't cut it against decent teams. FWIW, the Twins' record against the AL Central between 2001-2005 is 226-152, but their record against the East and West during that time is 170-171.

[TuesdaysWithRillo]

I think the chances that they extend Santana's contract is about the same as the Brewers extending Sheets contract. Both are probably not happening.

[BrewCityUnit]

They actually left 26 guys on base......I thought the 57 sounded high. Got some bad info from my source...sorry about that.

[valpocrewsader]

According to the highlights from last night's game, Minnesota got jobbed pretty good on two calls by the umps. Probably cost them the game.

[EinhornIsFinkle]

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Great GMs don't give millions to Ponson,

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Ponson received a minor league invite with a contract worth $1 milion if he made the team. Hardly "millions".

[EinhornIsFinkle]

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Granted, the Twins could have tried to fill a hole with the money spent on Ponson.

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What exactly could you buy with $1 million dollars?

[Bruce Ciskie]

Sidney Ponson.

 

If I were going to rip Terry Ryan for overspending on a pitcher, I'd look at that $3.5M he plunked down for Ramon Ortiz.