Monday June 14, 2004

TWINS LOSE 2 OF 3 TO PHILS

TWINS MINOR LEAGUE REPORT

MOVIE REVIEWS

WEEKEND WRAP-UP

First things first... I got an e-mail from The View from the Bleachers. It seems that the first round of voting in The World Series of Blogs is complete. I want to thank those of you who voted for this site. Somehow,  SethSpeaks received enough votes to win the AL Central vote and advance into the playoffs. So, I hate to do it, but I guess it doesn't hurt to ask, right? If you want, be sure to head over to The View from The Bleachers and vote in The World Series of Blogs! I am in contention in the American League with Athletics Nation, Blue Jay Way and Firebrand (Red Sox). As of last night, I was getting absolutely crushed, so help me out, check out the site and vote early and often!

__________________________________________________________________________

Good morning and happy Monday to everyone. I hope everyone had a great weekend. I know that I said that I would use your responses to my Twins-related questions today, but with a busy weekend of Twins games and of their affiliates, I am going to post your thoughts tomorrow. If there are others that would like to respond to the below questions, please e-mail me. And, feel free to add other thoughts you have on anything Twins that you'd care to share.

What's been going on with me? Well, I will be closing on and moving into a house in about 2 1/2 weeks. Lots to do. If there is anyone out there that has any suggestions on moving or packing or anything, please let me know!

Last night, I was able to watch the season premier of the HBO Original Six Feet Under. Normally I prefer comedy to drama, but this show is so well done. It is the story of a family who lives and works the life of morticians and funeral directors. The show is so well written and the acting is incredible. I did learn something last night while watching the show though, something that I must have forgotten since last season... You don't want to be eating while watching the show. Ick! But, if you have HBO and aren't watching Six Feet Under, you should start!

The Lakers are down 3-1 in the NBA Championship Series. They have been completely outplayed by the Detroit Pistons. In other words, I really don't think that the officials are losing the games for the Lakers. I do think that Karl Malone's knee injury, which they say is worse than the injury that sidelined him for the better part of three months during the regular season, is a major factor. The Lake Show has a huge obstacle to overcome. Game 5 is in Detroit so the Pistons have a shot at capturing the title at home. However, I still will continue to say that the Lakers will win until the Pistons have a lead at the final buzzer.

And, a message to Lakers fans who still believe that the Lakers aren't getting any calls... Now you know how every other NBA team feels when they play the Lakers.

Alright, here are those questions that were asked last week. I promise... Your thoughts will be posted tomorrow! So again, please feel free to e-mail me your thoughts.

Let's talk Twins. I want to give the readers the forum of this site tomorrow, so please e-mail me and make your thoughts heard.

TWINS LOSE 2 OF 3 TO PHILS

Friday - Twins 6, Phillies 11

This was a very good game until an ugly top of the 9th inning, and inning which caused roster changes that would have been surprising even a week or two earlier. The Twins fought back from behind to tie the game at six in the bottom of the seventh when Lew Ford hit a big two out, two run home run.

In the top of the ninth, Terry Mulholland, who had pitched well in the 7th and 8th, gave up hits to the first two Phillies batters. Ron Gardenhire went to his bullpen and summoned lefty JC Romero. First batter was Jim Thome who ripped a two run, ground rule double. The next batter, another lefty, Ricky Ledee, hit a three-run homer and the game was out of reach. Following the game, Romero and starter Seth Greisinger, who gave up six runs in 5 2/3 innings, were demoted to AAA Rochester.

Joe Mauer went 3-3 with a double, his second homer of the season and 2 RBI. Jacque Jones went 3-4 with two doubles. Lew Ford went 2-5 with a double and his 8th homer of the year. Torii Hunter was 2-4 as well.

Saturday - Twins 6, Phillies 1

Carlos Silva had a chance to pitch against his friends and former teammates. He was definitely up for the challenge. In 7 innings, he gave up eight hits and just one run. He struck out a career-high 8 batters, and just as important, he walked none. The bullpen came in and performed great. Juan Rincon struck out the side in a dominant 8th inning, and lefty Aaron Fultz pitched a scoreless ninth.

The Twins were led by the bat of Luis Rivas and Cristian Guzman. Rivas was 3-4 with a triple, two RBI and a stolen base. Guzman went 3-5 with an RBI and two stolen bases.

The Phillies lone run came on Jim Thome's 18th homer of the season. It was also his 399th career homer.

Sunday - Twins 1, Phillies 2  

Brad Radke was on the mound for the Twins and that means two things of late. First, it meant that the Twins would get an excellent starting performance. Radke went 7 innings and gave up just one run on six hits and a walk. He struck out 7. Unfortunately, the second thing it means was that the Twins offense would have been just as good had they gone up to the plate without a bat! The Twins provided Radke with just one run of run support. Aaron Fultz and Juan Rincon gave up the go-ahead run in the 8th. Rincon induced a ground ball to Rivas at 2B. They got the out at second, but Cristian Guzman's throw to 1st pulled Doug Mientkiewicz off the base.

The Twins had just seven hits on the game. Amazingly, Luis Rivas went 4-4 with a double and another stolen base. Corey Koskie was 1-2 with 2 walks. His solo home run was his 11th on the season and gave the Twins their only run.

Twins Thoughts  

The impressive offensive performance of Luis Rivas was great, and obviously I am happy about that. However, unfortunately it means that Ron Gardenhire will continue to play Rivas at 2B.

With JC Romero and Seth Griesinger heading down to AAA Rochester, the Twins recalled Michael Restovich and RHP Matt Guerrier. It does make sense with the Twins headed into a week of National League baseball, to have an additional hitter on the bench. The Twins are heavy on left-handed hitters, so Restovich makes sense.

Matt Guerrier is a name that not a lot of Twins fans may know. He came to the Twins this offseason. This year, he is just 3-6 for Rochester. However, his "other" numbers are very good. He has an ERA of 3.57 and his WHIP is just 1.04. He has walked just 12 batters in 80.2 innings. Guerrier was a 10th round draft pick of the Chicago White Sox in 1999 out of Kent State University. He spent the past two seasons with the Nashville Sound, the AAA affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. In those two seasons, he went 11-18 with an ERA just over 4.50. His won-loss record isn't positive, but I am very excited to see Guerrier get this opportunity. He just kind of seems to fit the Twins mold of pitcher. Gives up some hits and some runs, but doesn't walk a lot of batters.

Hall of Fame Game - Before beginning a three-game series in Montreal on Tuesday night, but today, they will be playing the Atlanta Braves in the annual Hall of Fame Game in Cooperstown, NY. I went to the game in 2001 when the Brewers and Marlins played. What it was was an exhibition game, and that meant that the starters each got maybe an at bat and then some minor leaguers played the rest of the game. Neither team uses any of its big league pitchers. The Twins are actually starting their best minor league pitcher so far this year, Scott Baker, who is at AA New Britain. Other Rockcats who will be there with the Twins include Rob Bowen, Seth Davidson, Tommy Watkins, Bobby Korecky, Pat Neshek and James Tomlin. Rochester reliever Joe Beimel will also be there. I am curious as to how these particular players were chosen. I mean, I'm ok with it, but why wouldn't the Rockcats best players so far this year, Luis Maza and Kevin West play? Maybe even Jake Mauer just to showcase the Mauer name.

Again, be sure to e-mail me with your responses to the above Twins related questions. I'd love to hear and then post your thoughts on the Twins tomorrow.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

TWINS MINOR LEAGUE REPORTS

ROCHESTER REDWINGS

Friday - Redwings 4, Buffalo 8 - So, Matt Guerrier is going to start for the Twins on Thursday in Montreal. He must have had a great start in Rochester for them to make the move, right? Wrong! Guerrier lasted just 4 2/3 innings and gave up 7 runs on 8 hits and two walks. He struck out three. Joe Beimel gave up a run in the next 1 1/3 innings. Kevin Hodge pitched two scoreless innings. Josh Rabe went 2-3 with two doubles. Chris Heintz went 2-4 with a double. Luis Rodriguez and Michael Restovich were each 2-4.

Saturday - Redwings 5, Buffalo 9 - Luis Rodriguez would probably love the opportunity for a shot at the Twins 2B job. In this game, he was 4-5 with a double, a homer and 2 RBI. Josh Rabe was 3-4. Brian Simmons hit his 7th home run of the season. Gary Glover made his first Redwings start. He gave up two runs (on 2 HR) on four hits and a walk in three innings. Brent Schoening gave up a run in two innings. Adam Johnson pitched two scoreless innings. Then Jesse Crain came in for the ninth and it wasn't pretty. In the inning, he gave up three hits and a walk. He gave up 6 runs, but just one was earned.

Sunday - Redwings 3, Syracuse 1 - David Gassner won again, improving to 8-4 with a 3.17 ERA. In 6 innings, he gave up a run on four hits and two walks. Jeromy Palki and Beau Kemp pitched a scoreless inning each. Jesse Crain came back and picked up his 13th save of the season with a scoreless ninth. Jason Kubel went 3-4 with another double. Luis Rodriguez and Augie Ojeda each doubled.

NEW BRITAIN ROCK CATS

Friday - Rockcats 10, Portland 7 (10) - Things didn't start out well as Ronnie Corona started and gave up five runs in the first three innings. Travis Bowyer came in and went 1 2/3 scoreless innings (despite four walks). Pat Neshek gave up two runs in 2 1/3 innings. Bobby Korecky then pitched a perfect final three innings. Tommy Watkins went 2-5 with an RBI double. 2B Luis Maza was 2-4 with a double. DH Billy Munoz was 1-4, but hit his 8 homer of the year, with 3 RBI. 1B Garrett Jones had a double and his 6th home run. 3B Matt Scanlon hit his first homer of the year for New Britain, a 3 run shot in the 10th inning that won the game.

Saturday - Rockcats 6, Portland 2- Boof Bonser has been doing much better lately. He went six innings and gave up just two runs on three hits and two walks. He struck out five. Jason Miller and Bobby Korecky pitched the final three scoreless innings. 1B Garrett Jones went 3-4 with his 7th homer. 3B Matt Scanlon, who was just sent back down to New Britain from Rochester last week, went 2-4.

Sunday - Rockcats 3, Portland 4- Jon Pridie started yesterday and went five innings. He gave up a run on four hits and two walks. He struck out six. Travis Bowyer continued to walk a lot of hitters but somehow not give up a run. Yesterday, he walked three in 2 1/3 innings, but didn't give up a run. Jason Miller then struck out the lone batter he faced. Pat Neshek gave up two runs in just 1/3 inning. Jason Richardson took the loss giving up two hits and a run without getting an out. 2B Luis Maza went 3-4 with a double, a triple and a homer... a single away from the cycle. 1B Garrett Jones went 2-4 with a double.

The Rockcats do have a day off today, again, as some of their roster will be with the Twins in Cooperstown.  Here is a quick update of a couple of the Rockcats players.

Travis Bowyer didn't give up a run at Ft. Myers. In his four games with New Britain, he is yet to give up a run in 8 1/3 innings. He has given up just one hit. He has 12 strikeouts. The lone concern with him is the 12 walks that he has given up.

But Bowyer isn't the only Rockcat reliever who has come to the team and been spectacular. In Jason Miller's six outings, he has gone 5 1/3 innings without giving up a run. He has given up one hit and 3 walks, while striking out six.

Luis Maza - .326/.368/.508 - 16 doubles, 5 triples, 6 homers and 34 RBI

Kevin West - .311/.362/.570 - 20 doubles, 1 triple, 13 homers and 52 RBI.

FORT MYERS MIRACLE

Friday - Miracle  (This weekend was the Florida State League's All-Star game in Port St. Lucie. Miracle SS Kaulana Kuhaulua hit a 2-run double in the game)

THE SWING OF THE QUAD CITIES

Friday - Game 1 - Swing 1, Kane County 7 - Quad Cities had just three hits. Nick Blackburn gave up just two runs on eight hits in five innings. However, the combination of Kevin Culpepper, Billy Mauer and Peter Tautor gave up five more runs in just two innings.

Friday - Game 2 - Swing 1, Kane County 1 (12) - Just what these teams need on a double-header day, right? Instead of a second 7 inning game, they play 12 innings. Making it even more difficult, starter Scott Tyler went just 2 2/3 innings. He didn't give up a hit or a run, but threw a lot of pitches because of 3 walks and 6 strikeouts. Julio DePaula went the next 2 1/3 innings. He gave up an unearned run on a hit and a walk. Eric Brandon pitched two scoreless innings. Levale Speigner went 3 1/3 innings of not-hit ball. Jon Uhl got the win with four strikeouts and no hits in two innings. DH Brock Peterson went 2-6. 3B Omar Burgos, C Kyle Phillips and LF Mark Zamojc were all 2-5.

Saturday - Swing 4, Kane County 0 - Errol Simonitsch improved to 4-1 with a 2.04 ERA. He gave up seven hits and two walks in six innings. Kevin Culpepper and Eric Brandon pitched the final three innings of the shutout. LF Justin Arneson went 2-4 with a double and 2 RBI. 2B Paul Rutgers was 2-4 with a double. C Kyle Phillips and 3B Omar Burgos were also 2-4.

Sunday - Swing 2, Kane County 7 - Quad Cities went back to its non-hitting ways with just five singles yesterday. Chris Schutt went 7 innings and gave up just 2 runs on three hits and two walks. He struck out 6. Jon Uhl went 1 2/3 innings and gave up five runs (4 earned) on five his and a walk.

Former Gophers All-American 2B Luke Appert plays for Kane County, an affiliate of the Oakland A's. In the four game series, Appert went just 1-15, but also had four walks. He is currently hitting just .249 this year.

Any questions or comments on the Twins minor league system, e-mail me.

MOVIE REVIEWS

I three consecutive weekends of much travel, I stayed at home this weekend and that meant that I needed to watch a few movies. I rented three and watched them and below you will find some brief thoughts.

SCARY MOVIE 3 - OK, you have to enjoy the spoofing type of movie to like any of the Scary Movie trilogy. I liked the first one, didn't like the second, and I really enjoyed the third installment. Starting with scene one which included Pamela Anderson and Jenny McCarthy. I love trying to find which movies are being spoofed. The obvious ones in Scary Movie 3 are Signs, 8 Mile and Gothica. Of course, Anna Faris was one of the stars, as she has been in all three Scary Movies. Charlie Sheen and Simon Rex are also in this one.

I actually laughed a lot during this movie. It served its purpose. Will it win any awards? Probably not, but it will make you laugh, especially if you have seen some of the other movies mentioned.

EUROTRIP - Again, I like to laugh. They advertised the movie as being from the same people who made Road Trip. That's enough for me, of course I was going to watch it. I'll be honest, it is not Road Trip. It's nowhere near Road Trip. That said, it is a pretty funny movie. It is definitely worth watching once.

"Scott" gets dumped by his high school girlfriend just after his graduation. At a party that night, he sees her with the lead singer of a band. Their song was about how Scott didn't know what was going on. Anyway, "Scott" has a friend he talks to online, Mike, who is from Europe. Mike says he wants to come to America for the summer to meet up with him. Scott gets nervous thinking that Mike wants to hook up with him, so he sends a rude e-mail to Mike to end that. Only then does he find out that Mike really isn't Mike. SHE is Mieka, a common female name in Germany, a very attractive girl. She is offended and blocks his e-mail. So, he heads to Europe with one of his friends to find her. A set of twins that they graduated go along as well. They hop from city to city and country to country on a journey trying to find Mieke. Tons of adventures and mishaps happen throughout.  I would definitely say that Eurotrip is worth seeing.

For what it is worth, I think that this will be the breakout performance by Michelle Trachtenberg. Previously, she was Dawn, Sarah Michelle Gellar's sister on Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

 

Have you seen any of these? What did you think? Any other movies you would recommend that I watch or rent? I am always looking for suggestions E-mail me.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

That is it for me for today. Have yourself a great Monday and a terrific week!! As always, if you have any questions or comments on anything, please e-mail me.

Back to Archives           Home