Wednesday, April 28, 2004
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
Do you ever wonder if so-n-so is still playing baseball? You see someone on a Baseball Tonight highlight and wonder if it is the same player who used to be with the Twins? Well, I was able to check out the statistics of former Twins players who are either in the big leagues with another team, or with a team's AAA affiliate. Note - Statistics are through games on Monday.
Paul Abbott - Tampa Bay Devil Rays - 2-1, 2.37 ERA in 3 games started. In 19 innings, he has given up 10 hits and 5 runs on 6 walks and 12 strikeouts.
Chad Allen - Texas Rangers - Started the season at AAA Oklahoma. In 14 games there, he was 29-56 (.518/.554/.679) with six doubles, a homer and 13 RBI. He is 0-1 thus far with the Rangers.
James Baldwin - Norfolk Tides (AAA NY Mets) - So far, he is just 1-2 with a 4.15 ERA in three games started. In 17 1/3 innings, he has given up 22 hits, 9 runs (8 earned) on four walks and 13 strikeouts.
John Barnes - Las Vegas 51s (AAA LA Dodgers) - He has played just 8 games and is 5-31 (.161/.188/.258) with a homer and 5 RBI.
Sean Bergman - Ottawa Lynx (AAA of Baltimore Orioles) - Bergman is 2-1 with a 5.48 ERA in four starts. In 21 1/3 innings, he has given up 26 hits and 3 walks while striking out 19 hitters.
Casey Blake - Cleveland Indians - The Indians starting 3B has started off alright. He is hitting .270/.310/.296 (17-63) with two doubles, two homers and eight RBI.
Shane Bowers - Scranton-Wilkes Barre (AAA of Philadelphia Phillies) - Bowers is 0-2 with a 6.19 ERA. He has pitched in four games, starting two. In 16 innings, he has given up 20 hits and four walks, striking out 8.
Brian Buchanan - San Diego Padres - Buck is used primarily as a pinch hitter for the Padres, although, he also is used as the team's 1B when Randy Johnson or other tough lefties pitch against them. So far, he has played in eight games. He is 6-14 (.429/.429/.500) with a double and three RBI.
Greg Colbrunn - Arizona Diamondbacks - Colbrunn is really just a pinch hitter. He has a double in five at bats this year.
Jack Cressend - Cleveland Indians - Cressend is near the end of the Indians bullpen, but he gets some innings. This year, he is 0-1 with a 7.15 ERA in 8 games. In 11 1/3 innings, he has given up 15 hits and 8 walks while notching 5 strikeouts.
Midre Cummings - Durham Bulls (AAA Tampa Bay Devil Rays) - Cummings is crushing the ball so far. In 15 games, he is 26-61 (.426/.486/.820) with eight doubles, two triples, four home runs and 18 RBI.
Tony Fiore - New Orleans Zephyrs (AAA Houston Astros) - Fiore has started the season 2-0 with a 3.95 ERA in three games. He has pitched 13 2/3 innings and given up 14 hits and three walks, to go with 9 strikeouts.
Eddie Guardado - Seattle Mariners - Guardado's season got off to a slow start due to some arm problems. So far, he has pitched in seven games. he is 0-0 with 2 saves and a 1.23 ERA. In 7 1/3 innings, he has given up four hits and two walks, and has struck out three.
LaTroy Hawkins - Chicago Cubs - Eddie G's setup man is now setting up for Joe Borowski and the Cubs. He has been great so far. In seven games and 8 1/3 innings, he is yet to give up a run. He is 0-0 with a 0.00 ERA and has recorded one save. He has walked one and struck out nine.
Denny Hocking - Colorado Rockies - Hocking continues to play everywhere in Colorado. He has played in 14 games and is 7-27 (.259/.310/.296) with a double and two RBI.
Mike Jackson - Chicago White Sox - Jackson is now in the ChiSox bullpen. He is 0-0 with a 2.45 ERA in five appearances. He has pitched 7 1/3 innings and given up 7 hits and a walk, and struck out three hitters.
Todd Jones - Cincinnati Reds - Jones was released by the Devil Rays at the end of training camp but was almost immediately signed by the Reds. He has done well so far. In 10 games, he has pitched 12 innings. He has given up 10 hits and four walks, and struck out 10 hitters. He is 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA.
Bobby Kielty - Oakland A's - Kielty went to the Blue Jays for Shannon Stewart. He was then sent by the Blue Jays to the A's for Ted Lilly. He has got off to a very slow start and a leg injury cost him a few games. He has played in 12 games and is 11-49 (.224/.309/.347) with four doubles, a triple and three RBI. Nick Swisher is putting up very strong numbers at AAA so Kielty needs to get it going.
Matt Kinney - Milwaukee Brewers - Kinney was a surprise performer in a poor Brewers team last year. So far this year, he has not been good. He has made four starts and is 0-2 with a 6.97 ERA. In 20 2/3 innings, he has given up 25 hits and 11 walks, while striking out 12.
Matt Lawton - Cleveland Indians - Lawton needed to win a starting job, and he has been great so far this year. He is 22-77 (.286/.333/.506) with two doubles, five homers and 16 RBI.
Mike Lincoln - St. Louis Cardinals - I was shocked when the Cardinals signed Lincoln to a $1 million contract. But he was incredible in the preseason and started out well this season. He is 2-1 with a 3.55 ERA in 10 games. In 12 2/3 innings, he has given up 8 hits and 2 walks, striking out 12.
Pat Mahomes - Edmonton Trappers (AAA Montreal Expos) - Mahomes is the closer in Edmonton. So far in the role, he is 1-0 with 2 saves and a 1.13 ERA. In 7 games, he has pitched in 8 innings. He has given up four hits and 3 walks, but struck out 10.
Jason Maxwell - Durham Bulls (AAA Tampa Bay Devil Rays) - Maxwell has started out very slow and isn't getting very consistent playing time. The 2B has played in seven games and is 4-26 (.154/.207/.269) with a homer and two RBI.
David McCarty - Boston Red Sox - McCarty earned his roster spot with a huge spring training home run barrage. He has really only been used as a pinch hitter for the Sox this season. He has a double in 13 at bats so far (.077) and that is only because the ball was lost in the sun by Hideki Matsui. McCarty went to camp also trying to become a left-handed reliever. So far, he has pitched in one game, getting two outs. He gave up one hit, one walk and one run.
Quinton McCracken - Seattle Mariners - Q is used as the 4th outfielder for the M's. He has played in 7 games and is 2-9 (.222).
Damian Miller - Oakland A's - Miller had been a catcher for The Big Unit and Schilling, then he spent last year with the Cubs. He was traded to the A's for Michael Barrett last winter. He has started off very well in 2004 with his new team. In 15 games, he is 16-53 (.302/.362/.472) with three doubles, two homers and six RBI.
Eric Milton - Philadelphia Phillies - Eric Milton went five innings last night to improve his record to 2-0 on the year. His ERA is now up to 3.37. In four starts, he has pitched 22 innings. He has given up 22 hits and 7 walks, while striking out 16.
Chad Moeller - Milwaukee Brewers - Moeller hit for a cycle last night in the Brewers 9-8 win over the Reds. Going into that game, he was 8-40 (.200/.333/.300), but now his average is up to .267. He now has two doubles, two homers and 9 RBI.
Dustan Mohr - San Francisco Giants - Mohr is playing just as I would have suspected, not very well and not very often. Actually, Felipe Alou has been very gracious in getting Mohr 23 at bats this season. Mohr has just one hit, for a .043 batting average. He has played in 14 games.
Warren Morris - Toledo Mudhens (AAA Detroit Tigers) - Morris is the definition of a AAAA player. Had the Tigers not signed Fernando Vina, Morris could have filled in for the Tigers and been adequate. Instead, he is at AAA and performing, well, adequately. In 18 games, he is 22-76 (.289/.321/.487) with seven doubles, a triple, two homers and 12 RBI.
Michael Nakamura - Toronto Blue Jays - The Twins took him off their 40 man roster. The Blue Jays claimed him. He pitched in three games with Syracuse, the Jays AAA club, and was 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA. In 9 innings there, he gave up six hits and three walks, but struck out 12. He was called up to Toronto last week, and in one inning, he struck out the side.
David Ortiz - Boston Red Sox - Ortiz finally had a full, healthy season last year and we saw what he could do. Playing some 1B and some DH for the Sox, he has started the season 20-72 (.278/.358/.542) with seven doubles, four homers and 14 RBI.
AJ Pierzynski - San Francisco Giants - I think everyone is happy that AJ is gone. In 16 games with his new team, Pierzynski is 13-59 (.220/.258/.237) with a double and six RBI. Certainly not providing any offense around Barry Bonds.
Mark Redman - Oakland A's - Redman went from the World Champion Florida Marlins to the A's this offseason. He has made four starts this year and is 1-1 with a 3.91 ERA. In 25 1/3 innings, he has give up 30 hits and 4 walks, and struck out 11.
Kenny Rogers - Texas Rangers - Rogers was a decent fourth or fifth starter for the Twins last year. He never seemed to get flustered. When he 'surprisingly' went back to Texas as a free agent, I didn't think it was a smart move. However, he has been really good so far this season. He is 3-0 with a 3.96 ERA in four starts. In 25 innings, he has given up 25 hits and seven walks, while striking out 15.
Jason Ryan - Memphis Chicks (AAA St. Louis Cardinals) - Ryan is 1-2 with a 9.75 ERA in three starts so far. In 12 innings, he has given up 20 hits and 10 walks (that's a 2.50 WHIP, if you're counting), and struck out just three. Overall, just not good!
Todd Sears - Portland Beavers (AAA San Diego Padres) - Has played in just one game and was 0-3 with a strikeout.
Javy Valentin - Cincinnati Reds - Javy had a very strong spring training camp. He wasn't expected to make the team, but earned his roster spot. He is primarily a third catcher/backup first baseman/pinch hitter for the Reds. In 12 games played this year, he just just 1-14 (.071) with two walks.
Todd Walker - Chicago Cubs - Walker is really a backup 2B to Mark Grudzielanek with the Cubs, but Mark G has been on the DL much of the year. Walker is 18-52 (.346/.462/.558) with five doubles, two homers and 10 RBI.
So there you have it, the former Twins playing in the big leagues or in AAA. Do you have any questions or comments on any of them? Did I miss someone? Please feel free to e-mail me.
All Jacque needed was a sacrifice fly to win the game, but instead he launched a ball into the left field bleachers to give the Twins a 7-4 win. It was another come-from-behind win. Johan Santana started for the Twins and gave up four runs in the first four innings to put the Twins down 4-0. He settled down and managed to complete seven innings. Juan Rincon pitched two great, scoreless innings as well.
In the fifth inning, Torii Hunter singled in Luis Rivas for the Twins first run. In the bottom of the 8th, Lew Ford came through yet again with two run double off Kerry Ligtenberg. That cut the lead to 4-3 heading into the 9th. With Justin Speier on the mound, Shannon Stewart led off with an infield single. Doug Mientkiewicz, hitting second, singled and Stewart went to third. Corey Koskie lined out to center for the first out. Torii Hunter again singled to center, scoring Stewart and tying the game. Almost as important, Mientkiewicz went to third, meaning all Jacque Jones needed was a medium deep fly ball to win the game. On a 1-2 pitch, Jones launched the homer to send the home crowd home happy!
Lew Ford again had three hits, including two doubles, including the big two-run double in the 8th inning. Doug Mientkiewicz was 3-5. Torii Hunter and Jacque Jones were each 2-5 and combined for 5 RBI.
A good win for the Twins! Tonight, the Twins finish the series as Kyle Lohse pitches against Justin Miller.
Any Twins Thoughts? E-mail me.
ROCHESTER REPORT - Last night, the Redwings lost to Buffalo 3-2. Michael Restovich provided most of the offense. He had two of the team's five hits, including a home run (his 5th), and both of the team's RBI. David Gassner went 6 innings, giving up the three runs on six hits and a walk. Jesse Crain struck out the side in the ninth. The team's notes say that he was clocked at 97 mph.
NEW BRITAIN REPORT - The Rockcats defeated Erie, 2-0. Jason Richardson got the start and went 5 innings. He gave up two hits and three walks. Victor Moreno pitched the final four innings for the Save, giving up one hit, and striking out seven batters. 2B Luis Maza, LF Kevin West and CF BJ Garbe each had two hits. C Gabby Torres hit a two-run double in the 6th inning for the only runs of the game.
FT. MYERS REPORT - The Miracle lost to Brevard County 7-3 last night. Leading 2-1 going in to the 9th inning, Brevard County put up six runs in that frame. The Miracle were only able to counter with one. Matt Yeatman pitched six strong innings. He gave up four hits and no walks, for one run. He struck out five. 2B Kaulana Kuhaulua had three of the team's seven hits.
QUAD CITIES REPORT - The Swing scored five runs in the top of the 8th and won the game 7-3 over Cedar Rapids. RF Scott Whitrock went 3-4 with a homer (his 5th) and three RBI. 2B Alex Garcia, DH Brock Peterson and 1B Mark Zamocj each had two hits in the win. The team now opens up its new park in Dubuque tonight against Burlington.
Any questions or comments, e-mail me.
WOLVES WIN NAIL BITER IN GAME 4
Holy Wow!! That was a good, highly competitive, make-me-want-to-vomit contest between the Wolves and Nuggets. Neither team played great, but some of that may have been caused by tremendous defense and the refs letting a lot more happen without blowing the whistles. Both teams were unable to take a big lead. Neither led by more than 9 points, and when they had such leads, the other team came back to cut it to within two.
It was fun to see the intensity of really the whole game. There were a couple of verbal tirades and plenty of pushing and shoving and lots of hard fouls, but that's playoff basketball. Right or not, that's what it is!
The Wolves had a nice run at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Fred Hoiberg and Trenton Hassell each made huge shots in the run. But down the stretch, it was Kevin Garnett, Sam Cassell and Latrell Sprewell who won the game for the Wolves. Voshon Lenard just could not miss from three point range. Andre Miller came up with big rebounds among towers. Earl Boykins was frustrating. Chris Anderson showed off his new perm, but he is a tough player. I think he wants to be Dennis Rodman. He's more athletic, but he's not half as smart as Rodman was.
In the end, it was back and forth. Lenard knocked down a three. Then Sprewell knocked down an even bigger three. But Lenard answered with another three pointer before Spree missed two free throws. Great defense meant two really difficult missed shots for the Nuggets and a two-point win for the Wolves (84-82).
The win gives the Wolves a 3-1 series win. Game 5 will be played on Friday night back at Target Center. It would be nice for the Wolves to close the series out that night because I don't want to have to go through the stress of watching another game like this one!
The Wolves got solid contributions from a number of players, starting with the great Kevin Garnett who had 27 points, 14 rebounds and 5 assists. Sam Cassell had 15 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Latrell Sprewell had 13 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Fred Hoiberg hit big shots on his way to 9 points. Voshon Lenard led the Nuggets with 28 points (including 6-7 from 3 point range).
But my selection as Wolves MVP of this game is none other than Trenton Hassell. First, with Wally Szczerbiak unable to play, Hassell picked it up on the offensive side of the ball. He knocked down 7 of 10 shots for 14 points. Three of his four rebounds were offensive. Then, what he is most known for... his defense. There is a reason that Carmelo Anthony was 1-16 from the field, the defense of Hassell. The one basket Anthony had was a dunk on a fast break all by himself. Trenton Hassell deserves far more credit than he will receive.
And, just because I'm sure people will talk about it, I'll throw my two-cents in about it... I am absolutely thrilled that Latrell Sprewell got in the face of Francisco Elson after the game was over. Yes, Jon Barry got in the middle, but it was clearly Elson that he wanted to talk to. Elson, you may know, met Kevin Garnett near the team bus after the Nuggets win on Saturday night and got in a verbal altercation. First, who is Francisco Elson (he's NOBODY) and why is he talking to Garnett. Second, as I mentioned this weekend, the Nuggets sure were talking and arrogant on Saturday night and the Wolves handled themselves very well. So, yes, I was very happy that Spree got in their faces and said something. It was absolutely necessary. I'm sure that each Wolves player, the coaches and Kevin McHale are very happy about what he did. And well, so am I!
As a Wolves fan, is there anything more annoying or stupid that the "Can't get out of the first round" thing! Seriously, it's like people don't realize that only Garnett, Szczerbiak, Hudson and Trent have been on even one previous Wolves team. I've always hated that, and am really sick of it, and that's the main reason I want the Wolves to win!!!! Any thoughts? E-mail me.
It was Gloria Estefan night on American Idol. I am sure there are many good jokes that I could use on that, but I'll be nice, maybe because it is now after the Wolves game has been done for awhile, and I should be in bed. I will say this, it would be tough for the judges to critique since the performers could sing just like Estefan and that wouldn't be saying that it was good. OK, I admit, I used to listen to Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine all the time. I have the tape. Sometimes, I still just put it in and jam to Conga. Sing it with me, "Come on everybody, let's do the Conga-I know you can't control yourself any longer... "
It was just a tough genre, especially for a couple of the performers. Again, I will post the thoughts I jotted down as I watched the show, and then rank the performances before predicting the Bottom three and finally who will be eliminated tonight.
Fantasia Barrino - Get on Your Feet
Just not a good format for her. Average at Best.
George Huff - Live for Loving You
Terrible! Again! Just not good for him. He is fun though!
LaToya London - Rhythm is Gonna Get You
Very good vocally, nice job dancing too.
Jon Stevens - The Music of My Heart
He went with an easy song and he missed pretty much every note. The song was depressing to listen to! How do you know when you're really bad? Simon complimented him on a number of things, none of which had to do with the competition.
Jasmine Trias - Here We Are
Missed a couple of notes, but also hit some really impressive ones!
Diana Degarmo - Turn the Beat Around
Actually pretty good. Good song for her personality. Excellent strength throughout. Best of the Night.
So, how would I rank the performances?
1.) Diana Degarmo
2.) Jasmine Trias
3.) LaToya London
4.) Fantasia Barrino
5.) George Huff
6.) Jon Stevens
Who I think the Bottom 3 will be:
Jon Stevens, Fantasia Barrino and Jasmine Trias
Who I think will be (and should FINALLY be) eliminated:
Jon Stevens
What do you think about the show and who should be eliminated, or how each performer did? E-mail me.
That is is for today. Lots of stuff, but I hope you find it all interesting. If you have any ideas for topics, or have any questions or comments, please e-mail me.