Minnesota Twins Week 6: Is there any hope?

This is the 5^th edition of my weekly take on the week in review for the Minnesota Twins. I apologize for the lag time between posts. 

Note: all images obtained from a Google image search at google.com

Overall record: 12-23

Scott Baker, the current ace of the Twins staff.

• Scott Baker has easily become the best pitcher on the Twins staff, and he is a joy to watch, having thrown 4 consecutive quality starts going into Wednesday’s versus Detroit.  He has a very repeatable delivery, consistently throws strikes (his K-rate and K/BB rate of 7.8 and 3.4 entering Wednesday’s start are team-best), and he has undoubtedly been the most effective pitcher on the staff to this point in the season (his 2.97 ERA is also team-leading).  He has been one of the few bright spots of the team so far, helping keep a rotation afloat that has had its share of struggles (Carl Pavano’s ERA stands at 6.64 after 7 starts, and Francisco Liriano, despite the no-hitter, was hammered for 4 runs on 3 hits and 3 walks in just hits, and his ERA now is 7.07).

• Unfortunately, Baker was the victim of a very tight strike zone from an inexperienced umpire, jacking up his pitch count early in the game and contributing to his early exit in the 5^th inning.  Baker seemed to lose his sharpness as the game went along, with 3 consecutive hard hits leading to 3 runs in the 5th.  He walked an unusual number of batters (5) and was removed after throwing 99 pitches in just 4 1/3 innings.  A disappointing game from a pitcher the Twins needed badly to pitch well and try to help end a 4-game losing skid.

Meet the 2011 Minnesota Twins All-Star!

• The MLB All-Star Ballot was unveiled back on April 26, and the Twins will be seriously challenged to identify ANY of its players that should be in uniform in Anaheim on July 12.  While watching the game against Detroit on Wednesday, I was questioning whether any Twin was truly deserving of the honor, because let’s face it, basically the entire team has been an unmitigated disaster over the season’s first 34 games.  But in the bottom of the 3^rd the Twins got a run on a 2-out RBI single from the man who answered my question: Jason Kubel NEEDS to be an All-Star.  This is quite a departure from the household names Twins fans are used to seeing at Midsummer Classics (Joe Mauer, Joe Nathan, Justin Morneau, heck, even Francisco Liriano), but Kubel has been absolutely lights out hitting in front of Morneau in the #3 spot in the order, and deserves his spot at the All-Star Game.  Check out these numbers entering Wednesday’s play: played in all 34 games, .347 BA, .400 OBP, .904 OPS, 153 OPS+ (a ballpark-adjusted measure of a player vs. the league average of 100), by far the best on the team and one of only 2 Twins with an OPS+ of more than 100 (Denard Span is the other).  There isn’t even another Twin in the discussion; as much as I like Baker, his stats aren’t All-Star worthy; Mauer has played in 9 games total and doesn’t have a timetable for his return; Morneau is still feeling his way back after a concussion (and his .204 BA, .552 OPS and 55 OPS+ is nothing to get excited about); Delmon Young has missed more than half the year; Nathan only pitches in blowouts because he can’t be relied upon in high-leverage situations; even with the improbable no-hitter, Liriano is among the worst pitchers in the AL; and virtually every other Twin is either struggling or an injury replacement (and playing like it).  Hey Ron Washington, there’s no way Kubel is going to be voted into the All-Star game from the fan vote; do Twins fans a favor and name Kubel to the 2011 American League All-Star team.

• A late point to add to Kubel’s candidacy: his MAMMOTH 3-run blast in the bottom of the 7^th on a 1-1 fastball off lefty Daniel Schlereth capped the Twins’ rally and put Minnesota ahead 6-5.  Just put him on the team right now.

Too late for a mulligan on that trade?

• It is absolutely incredible just how horrendously bad the Twins catchers have been this year at the plate.  In 20 games, Drew Butera has hit .109, with a .290 OPS, and an astounding -18 OPS+ (again, the league average is 100).  Steve Holm (.118 average before being sent down) and Rene Rivera (still without a hit in 9 at-bats so far) haven’t fared all that much better.  Now, I defended the trade that sent stud catching prospect Wilson Ramos to the Nationals for reliever Matt Capps last year; then-closer Jon Rauch was certainly no hero at the spot and an upgrade could certainly be used, and long-term, Capps could be used should Joe Nathan struggle at the outset of the 2011 season as he recuperates from Tommy John surgery, which typically takes 16 months to fully recover from (and he certainly has struggled).  But you can’t help but wonder, given just how well Ramos has hit for the Nationals this year (.301 BA, .358 OBP, .824 (4^th among 21 qualifying MLB catchers), 128 OPS+, all of which may add up to an All-Star appearance), if the Twins made the right deal.  The lack of catching depth is appalling and inexcusable, given Mauer’s thorough injury concerns; not having major league-caliber back-up options have come back to rear its ugly head in a big, big way.

Let's not go overboard on the praise, people.

• I would be remiss not mention Liriano’s improbable no-hitter last week on the South Side of Chicago, but there really isn’t much to say.  Is it an outstanding achievement?  Without a doubt, yes.  But is this indicative of future success?  Last night may not have been the most defining of his future performance as he is still recovering from lingering flu symptoms, but here are his stats from prior to the no-no: 23 2/3 innings, 27 hits, 24 runs, 18 walks, an opposing OPS of .897 (basically, the average hitter hits like an All-Star against him), 9.13 ERA, 1.91 WHIP).  In addition, everything added up for a success that night: a cold night, against a bad-hitting, fellow last place team whose marquee free agent addition (1B Adam Dunn) has been a black hole (.184/.325/.330 slugging, 82 OPS+, 3 HRs, 15 RBI in 30 games).  It still took 123 pitches to complete the game, and Liriano walked 6 batters while striking out only 2.  According to statistician Bill James, his Game Score of only 83 was well-below the no-hitter average of 91, and is dead-last in the history of no-hitters.  So let’s not jump to conclusions, people.  The no-hitter, while a grand achievement for a pitcher badly lacking in confidence, is hardly a predictor of things to come.

Bill Smith! You listened to me!

• One last note: in this column, I mentioned the need for the fatally-flawed Twins to add more piranha-like qualities to the lineup (in reference to the ’06 and ’08 Twins), specifically speedier slap-type hitters.  Ben Revere fits this mold, and his track-star speed was put on display in the 8^th inning on Wednesday against the Tigers.  On first with Matt Tolbert at the plate with 1 out and his team trailing 7-6 following a demoralizing go-ahead 2-run homer by Tigers SS Johnny Peralta, Revere motored all the way around the bases following Tolbert’s double to right.  Revere crashed into catcher Alex Avila and scored to tie the game as the ball flew past Avila to the backstop.  This is the type of player the Twins lacked for the first month, and Revere could make a huge difference for Minnesota in the months ahead.  The only issue is, will he get enough at-bats?  And will he make the most of them?  Or will he get most of his opportunities as a pinch-runner?  Time will tell.

Looking Ahead

Jose Bautista, or as ESPN's Steve Berthiaume calls him, Joey BATS.

 

• The rugged schedule for Minnesota continues, as Toronto visits Target Field for the only time this season over the weekend.  Upon conclusion of the series, the Twins will have played 24 of their first 36 games against AL East clubs.  In addition, Minnesota heads out on the road once again for 7 games, with stops in Seattle, Oakland, and Arizona for Interleague play.  It all just seems so unfair for a team that has played the fewest home games in the majors and is still missing Mauer, Young, and Tsuyoshi Nishioka (although Young is expected back in the coming days).  Given the absence of any semblance of offense, and an inconsistent rotation giving way to an overworked and ineffective bullpen, it is very difficult to see how Minnesota can possibly overcome this massive hole they’ve dug for themselves.