twins/mlb

Jamie Carroll had a better OBP than Span last year and is almost identical for his career and got on base way better than Revere. Hicks got on base very well in the minors. I am confident one or both can do the job and there is always the possiblility of Mauer moving up in the order. It is not 1-6 I am worried about. It is 7-9.

Still nobody in uniform to get on base, steal a base or bunt somebody over for the big boys to drive in. Filling the defensive gap in centerfield with somebody that can run is a huge problem. Neither Ben or Span had much of a arm but made up for it defensively and were good table setters at the plate. Twins blew this one big time.

I don't think that there will be a huge problem putting a quality glove in center field, the question is, will that glove also come with a quality bat. Regardless, always love this time of year when every off season signing hasn't yet imploded, every rookie prospect still has an upside and Spring/Summer is just around the corner. Bring it on!!

Funny. Romero can't enter the country where he will be very well paid, already has a job, and is wanted, because of visa issues. meanwhile, about 15,000 illegals will cross over from Mexico this weekend and start collecting benefits on day 1. Whats wrong with this picture?

It's a simple solution. Mauer should leadoff. Who cares if he can't run? When you have the middle of the order coming up anyway, the last thing you want to do is get thrown out at 2B. Mauer, Carroll, Morneau, Willingham would actually be a quite competent 1-4 in terms of OBP and enough power at 3-4. Oh, and no bunting. The Twins will make enough outs with awful hitting at the bottom of the order as it is; they don't need to just give away any more outs. Bunting is worthless unless the likes of Drew Butera or a pitcher are hitting. Then you might as well get something out of an automatic out.

"Mauer, Carroll, Morneau, Willingham would actually be a quite competent 1-4"....Mauer singles; Carroll singles to short RF and Mauer stops at 2B, because he is too slow to reach 3B...Morneau flies out and Mauer can't advance to 3B. Willingham flies out no advance; Doumit singles and Mauer is thrown out at home...Three hits and no runs because the leadoff hitter is a slow runner....Sounds like a plan that explains why the leadoff hitter has usually been a runner for the first 150 years of baseball.