The Twins are not fun to watch anymore

[maroonfive]

It is going to be a long summer without baseball. Fortunately there is plenty to do in the Twin Cities. Hopefully they can rebuild for next year. This team is bad.

Go Gophers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Art Vandelay]

It is going to be a long summer without baseball. Fortunately there is plenty to do in the Twin Cities. Hopefully they can rebuild for next year. This team is bad.

Go Gophers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm beyond befuddled with Gardenhoser and Billy Smith.....

1) Nick Punto continues to find his way into the line-up every day despite just 2 extra base hits in over 100 AB's. Yeah, he can pick it over at SS but Brendan Harris' shortcomings defensively (he's not bad at all) outweigh Punto's offensive shortcomings. IMHO, Punto is overrated defensively...yes I said it. He makes some nice plays here and there, but he kicks routine ones as well and nobody bothers to bring it up...like last night in NY. If Gardenheimer insists on defense over offense, than why does Gomez play more?

2) Speaking of Gomez playing more, why is Cuddyer untouchable? He's getting paid roughly $8 million for .260 16 HR 80 RBI's (projected through 40 games). He's is terrible in the clutch and hits his HR's in blowout situations (i.e. no pressure). His baserunning is a joke and his defense isn't much better. He'd be completely useless if he couldn't throw.

3) Delmon Young goes on berievement leave and they bring up........a 3rd string catcher?!?! Huh?? What a waste of a roster spot. Morales needs to play every day in AAA. On Sunday in NYC, the they sent Mike effin' Redmond up to pinch hit for Punto in the 9th inning. That's our best option off the bench?!?!?!

4) Perkins lasts 2/3 of an inning and all of a sudden his elbow hurts? Yeah right...spare me. It was a loophole to get him out of the rotation for a few weeks. I actually don't blame the front office here. If you can do it, do it.

5) Jason Kubel is on the leader board for the AL batting race and he is somehow the odd man out in tonight's line-up vs. Chicago. I don't care about lefty/lefty match-ups. Punto is 2 for 300 vs. lefties this year and he gets the nod.

6) R.A. Dickey is another waste of a roster spot. A knuckle ball reliever??!??!

That's just the tip of the iceberg. Gardenhomer and Billy Smith should be on the hot seat if you ask me, but this is Minnesota where medicority is the norm and the excuses have already been laid out long in advance so when they fail, they just shrug their shoulders...

[GophersInIowa]

Don't disagree with your first four but..

"5) Jason Kubel is on the leader board for the AL batting race and he is somehow the odd man out in tonight's line-up vs. Chicago. I don't care about lefty/lefty match-ups. Punto is 2 for 300 vs. lefties this year and he gets the nod."

First of all, why even bring up Punto to compare Kubel? They play two different positions. Secondly, the reason Kubel shouldn't play against lefties is he hit .232 against them last year and is 5-for-28 so far this season.

"6) R.A. Dickey is another waste of a roster spot. A knuckle ball reliever??!??!"
He's not a great pitcher but knuckleballers can eat up innings if needed and can make a spot start also. He's thrown well as of late and his ERA is down to 3.63.

[Art Vandelay]

Why didn't Kubel play tonight? Because Gardy apparently had another option (i.e. Span, Gomez, or Cuddyer). Well, there's another option at SS as well....Harris. Tolbert could've played second Yeah, he's struggling since being called up but he's more of a threat at the plate than Pun-terrible and his defense is fine. Give the kid a chance. Punto has had too many....

Dickey threw some nice mop up innings last night but he's useless in a close game. Who brings in a knuckleballer in the 7th or 8th inning with guys on base?? You're asking for trouble with wild pitches and passed balls. As for spot starting...well he's not going to take Perkins' spot according to Gardensteamer so he's the "last resort" out of the bullpen now.

There is zero accountability in this organization. If they're supposedly so wonderful at drafting and developing talent, than why isn't there a line of players ready to be called up? We lose an OF for a week so we call up another catcher to sit on the bench? Where is all of this postion player talent? We need help in pen and the best we can do is some journeyman who is sloppy seconds from the Yankees and Padres? They've been beating into our heads that we have such a talented, deep outfield situation. Well, after tonight we have 12 HR's combined from those 5 guys, and that's counting Kubel who rarely gets to play in the field.

Man, with the exception of the Wild (only until recently) being a GM in this town is the best gig around....

[Schlic Daddy]

Why didn't Kubel play tonight? Because Gardy apparently had another option (i.e. Span, Gomez, or Cuddyer). Well, there's another option at SS as well....Harris. Tolbert could've played second Yeah, he's struggling since being called up but he's more of a threat at the plate than Pun-terrible and his defense is fine. Give the kid a chance. Punto has had too many....

Dickey threw some nice mop up innings last night but he's useless in a close game. Who brings in a knuckleballer in the 7th or 8th inning with guys on base?? You're asking for trouble with wild pitches and passed balls. As for spot starting...well he's not going to take Perkins' spot according to Gardensteamer so he's the "last resort" out of the bullpen now.

There is zero accountability in this organization. If they're supposedly so wonderful at drafting and developing talent, than why isn't there a line of players ready to be called up? We lose an OF for a week so we call up another catcher to sit on the bench? Where is all of this postion player talent? We need help in pen and the best we can do is some journeyman who is sloppy seconds from the Yankees and Padres? They've been beating into our heads that we have such a talented, deep outfield situation. Well, after tonight we have 12 HR's combined from those 5 guys, and that's counting Kubel who rarely gets to play in the field.

Man, with the exception of the Wild (only until recently) being a GM in this town is the best gig around....

YES!!!!
vandelay's rants must mean the Twins are about to go on a roll! Can you maybe rip Baby Jesus too so that he raises his average to .500?:D If only we could get ruppert to jump in here, I think we could guarantee the playoffs.

[Art Vandelay]

Ripping the Baby Jesus is now a felony so no can do....

[NDSU Bison]

love the twins and always will... its a long season with ups and downs got to love American's past time

[Schnoodler]

Gardy's man love with punto is always a big ?? for me. He did redeem himself last year a bit, but still you have to produce at least a little to get in the lineup over someone who is producing.

The inconsistencies Art brought up is probably the one problem I have with Gardy. There is common sensical baseball decisions and then there is a whole different set when applied to Punto. I don't get it.

But still, I'll stick to my stance I made in an earlier thread, this team is the closest we've had to a complete team in a long time, now if we could just close the holes. ie:bullpen.