also available at www.SethSpeaks.net –
Real quickly, I watched the end of the Twins game last night and was sleeping within minutes. Woke up feeling a little bit better, so hopefully the worst is behind me!!
Well, the Twins did not make a deal yesterday, and that is fine. More important, they got a tremendous, clutch pitching performance from Nick Blackburn and plenty of power from the bats of Joe Mauer and Jason Kubel to beat the White Sox 4-1. Blackburn has clearly been struggling in the second half, but he gave up just one run over seven innings to pick up the win. Jose Mijares and Matt Guerrier worked the 8th inning, and Joe Nathan had an easy ninth inning for his 35th save. In the 3rd inning, Joe Mauer blasted a home run into the upper deck in right field to give the Twins a 1-0 lead. It was his 26th homer of the year. After a Justin Morneau single, Jason Kubel hit a monster shot well over the centerfield fence to increase the lead to 3-0. Coupled with a Tigers loss, the Twins are now 3.5 games back in the division as September begins today.
Following the game, the White Sox shipped Jim Thome to the Dodgers for a minor leaguer. They also sent Jose Contreras to the Rockies for a minor leaguer. Although that gives the look of waving the white flag, and that the Sox seemingly have done so, they still have a very good lineup, and Contreras wasn’t one of their better starters anyway.
Tonight, the Twins will have Jeff Manship make his first start of his big league career against the White Sox. It will be fun to see what he is able to do. Then Brian Duensing will take the mound on Wednesday night.
It was written yesterday that the Twins will promote Brian Buscher, Matt Tolbert and Anthony Swarzak today. It is likely that another group of one to three or even four players could be called up next Tuesday following the Rochester finale on Labor Day. Since being demoted to Rochester, Buscher has hit .179/.281/.218 in 89 plate appearances. With Brendan Harris, Nick Punto and Tolbert also able to play 3B, Buscher really serves little purpose other than potential left-handed bench bat, which seems counter-intuitive given Buscher’s inability to hit.
At New Britain, Wilson Ramos was 3-4 with two doubles. In his last three games, he is 7-12 which raises his average to .313 on the season.
The Ft. Myers Miracle had an off day on Monday, but there was some good news. Manager Jeff Smith was named the league’s top manager. David Bromberg was named the Florida State League Pitcher of the Year. Ben Revere and Chris Parmelee were also named to the league’s post season All-Star team.
Martire Garcia struck out ten and walked just one over six one-run innings in an Elizabethton 3-1 loss.
This afternoon, the GCL Twins will send BJ Hermsen to the mound against the GCL Nationals in their playoff game.
And finally, take a couple of minutes to read this article on a great person who passed away yesterday. I really do feel happy to be part of such a great company.
Please feel free to leave your comments on the Twins, or anything.
SethSpeaks.net 
Get well Seth….we’re gonna need you at 100% for the stretch run!
Very good of you to link the Strib story!
PTBNL for Rauch was Mulvey.
PS Never in this lifetime did I ever think I would type the following sentences. “It’s not just that Orlando Cabrera’s batting average is heading south like a freight train out of control, or that the quality of his at-bats declines almost daily. But when you add that to his on-again, off-again defense, I think Nicky P ought to be playing shortstop.” There, I wrote it!
I’m feeling hopeful today…so here’s how I see the rest of the season playing out.
The Twins catch the Tigers in this sorry division, making the playoffs, where anything is possible. We match up with the Yanks in the first round. The Yanks have absolutely owned us for years. The Twins will beat them in Game 5 behind a masterful pitching performance by…..Carl Pavano (Mr. Yankee himself). We will then lose in the ALCS, but it will have been a nice ride from an overmatched squad.
Hows that for hopeful?!?!?