twins/mlb

I am sorry but the way the Twins ended the playoffs last year with barely a whimper still sits bad with me. Jason Kubel going 0 for everything in the playoffs off last year and continuing his poor hitting this year is not good. This team has little or no fire right now. Not a good way to start off the season...

Is this middle-infield thing gonna be the mantra of Souhan and the bloggers for the next month?

As the playoffs the last so many seasons have proven, if it weren't for the Twins getting to play the likes of their own division nearly 20 times each they wouldn't even finish close to .500. What does it say when the Red Sox and Yankees finish with a better record than the Twins each year despite having to play each other (along with Tampa and Toronto) 19 times each while the Twins play as many games against KC and Cleveland? This year is the worst team they've had in the last five years. Philadelphia made less money last year than the Twins did with the new tax-payer paid stadium, yet they can afford both Holiday and Cliff Lee while the best the Twins can manage is a 36 year-old, 89 mph corner-painting Carl Pavano. What a joke.

The 2010 Twins won 94 games, but the shortstop was always hurt and the second baseman had a big mouth. Lets run them off for more speed. Watch what you wish for Gardy.

Vlad instead of Thome as the DH giving a right handed power bat. Cuddyer traded for real bullpen help. Save the Nishi money and get a real second baseman to go with JJ Hardy. Trade Slowey and prospects for a real front line pitcher. No one else wanted Pavano, wonder why. He should never have been re-signed, he is an inning eater but he will not be an above .500 pitcher again. These are all things Billy Boy failed to do.

It will be interesting to see how long it takes for the Twins to start playing with some intensity and which players take the lead.

I'm getting angry watching the games thus far. All of the players and coaches seem pressing and apprehensive. As if they are waiting for something to go wrong. And why won't Morneau bunt? I mean the Jays are putting the Williams' shift on him, and just like Ted Williams, instead of taking advantage of noone guarding 3rd base, Morneau gets angry and is trying to hit through it. Ridiculous. Our pitching is what really is worrying me. Few first pitch strikes. Too many long counts, overthrowing, and the walks. If these first two games are a precurser to what the rest of the season is going to be like, I hope wholesale changes will be made. Losing isn't the worst thing. Being dominated and playing like you don't belong on the same field with AL East teams is. I'm tired of it. Unacceptable.

Something about playing the Beasts of the East teams always brings out the worst in the Twins. That is why there has been so much playoff frustration. They just don't have moxie. To much Minnesota nice. They are beaten physcologically before the game starts. Kinda wimpish really. We are so lucky we don't play in the AL East. This team would be hoping they could finish ahead of Baltimore.

The #1 person who needs to take the blame for this lackluster start is GM Billy Smith. The most glaring need for the Twins after last year's all-too-familiar debacle vs. the Yankees was the lack of a true ace. Never addressed. Hardy made all the plays at shortstop last year. He had a strong arm and had great range. Casilla has none of that. Hudson played with enthusiasm and an air of confidence. If it was hit near him, he nearly always made the play. Hudson would have won the Gold Glove if he hadn't gotten hurt. Nishioka looks overwhelmed. His knees are buckling at the plate as he bails on curveballs, and routine plays seem to require a supreme effort from him. There is also a definite lack of communication in the field. Smith's only accomplishment this offseason was to make this team much worse.

The lack of communication in the infield has been critically bad.