 |
The WGOMSBG Nation Provides Your Daily Source for Half-Baked Crap |
March 10th, 2008 by ubelmann
Starting 2B/SS combinations used so far this spring (including the rained out game):
5 -- Punto/Everett
3 -- Harris/Casilla
2 -- Harris/Tolbert
1 -- Casilla/Harris
1 -- Casilla/Everett
1 -- Harris/Basak
0 -- Harris/Everett
Consider yourself warned.
Sorry, the LTE form is closed at this time.
 | Heading off to God's Country, SBGville. What's on your mind today? 40 LTEs Horrified that the Best GM in all of Sports is your avatar? Go here to set up an account and right the wrong that has been done unto you! (Use the same e-mail account that you signed up with here.) |
In Response to Cup of Coffee: July 3, 2009,
ubelmann wrote: I wonder how accurate the top of that strike zone is. Jake Fox seems to have a pretty low crouch in his stance, and watching the replay, it looked like the ball was borderline…
brianS wrote: somebody's been listening to old tapes of the Greaseman, I see.
New Guy wrote: Someone (I don't have the capabilities) needs to do a Great Moments in Gameday History for the last pitch of the Brewers/Cubs game today. A walk-off walk on a pitch that should have ended the…
Andrew wrote: Hey now...I think. It's ok, I suppose, since I've admitted in the past to having a crush on a girl because she could open a bottle of beer with her teeth.
Andrew wrote: For my money, A Rush of Blood to the Head is Coldplay's best work.
davidwatts wrote: *thumbs up*
Beau wrote: I did not. I guess I couldn't tell
freealonzo wrote: 1. So High -- Elvis Presley 2. Video Killed the Radio Star -- Presidents of the Uniteds States of America 3. Jamaica Sky -- The Specials 4. Down by the Highway -- Bob Dylan 5. John Henry -- Bruce…
freealonzo wrote: You know Urge Overkill sings that particular version of Girl?
E-6 wrote: 1. "Beware of Darkness" George Harrison All Things Must Pass 2. "Lover's Spit" Feist Live at Park West 3. "Lady in the Front Row" Redd Kross … "Too Bad" Faces A Nod Is As Good As A…
In Response to The Poor Nobodys - Canary in a Coal Mine, Stone Arch Waltz,
New Guy wrote: Yeah I like them a lot. On their Myspace page you can listen to what is probably their best song, Ghosts and Shadows. It's a fabulous track, and I could see it getting some radio…
brianS wrote: don't even THINK about it. This is a tasty little band, NG. Nice picks.
New Guy wrote: Welp, looks like I'll just go back into hiding then.
brianS wrote: ** crickets **
In Response to Butch and Mrs. Butch are Throwing a Party,
brianS wrote: 45 years of marriage. they didn't waste much time ;-)
E-6 wrote: Great piece, SBG. Congrats to your mom and dad. My own parents were 3 months shy of their 63rd anniversary when my dad passed away in the spring of 2008. He was 86. (And on…
ubelmann wrote: 45 years of marriage sounds like a great reason to get the family together. I hope all the SBGs have a terrific weekend.
socaltwinsfan wrote: In October, we're all flying out to Minnesota for my sister's wedding. This will be her second marriage. It will be a few weeks after my parents celebrate their 46-year wedding anniversary. My brother will…
Moss wrote: Great stuff, Stick...give Moss' regards to your folks! Have a nice holiday...
In Response to Evidence-based medicine recommends more s-e-x,
Rhubarb_Runner wrote: "Missourah" should only be used in the Mizzou fight song, otherwise it IS an accurate indication of a resident's IQ
SBG wrote: And to think that some websites delete comments that are off topic. We depend on them!
In Response to Cup of Coffee: July 2, 2009,
Rhubarb_Runner wrote: "...As long as there's a U.S.A., don't let his memory die..."
SBG wrote: I'm no hockey guy and have never heard of Havlat. But, that's what I've heard. I felt it was important enough to mention, though, that the first draft pick of the organization and…
In Response to You Choose -- Vol. 5,
Rhubarb_Runner wrote: Abstain here as well. Just can't pull the trigger on this one.
There have been
visitors to the WGOM since August 23, 2004
Rhubarb_Runner replied on March 10, 2008 at 7:07:04 pm
I'm sure Gardy is just wanting to see some of these youngsters in action for himself, while...GREAT GOOGLY MOOGLY, THAT'S PUNTO AT THE TOP OF THE LIST!
*dead faint*
Algonad replied on March 10, 2008 at 7:20:05 pm
I think you guys are overreacting. It's not as if Gardenhire came out and said that Punto was the starting SS back in September or anything....Wait, he did?
Whiffers replied on March 10, 2008 at 7:22:43 pm
From scouting reports and the notes in the newspaper, I fully expect Harris' glove is going to keep him from being a regular on this team. And I won't disagree that Casilla could use more time at AAA, so that leaves PUNTO POWER at 2B.
I'm just trying to lower my expectations for opening day.
ubelmann replied on March 10, 2008 at 7:26:00 pm
I just edited this to add the Harris/Everett combo, which I intended on including in the first place.
brianS replied on March 10, 2008 at 9:08:09 pm
I see that Machado was reassigned to the minor league camp. I thought he had to be on the active roster or offered back?
SBG replied on March 10, 2008 at 9:40:05 pm
Nope, he was on the roster last year.
brianS replied on March 10, 2008 at 9:43:08 pm
I thought he was on the 60-day DL, and I thought that didn't count. Huh.
ubelmann replied on March 10, 2008 at 10:54:24 pm
I don't think the 60-day DL counts, either.
ubelmann replied on March 10, 2008 at 10:54:02 pm
Machado was taken off the 40-man roster a while ago. At that point, he was offered back to whoever, but they didn't bite.
SBG replied on March 11, 2008 at 8:03:15 am
I think that's right, having scoured for an interpretation of the secret rules. I suppose he wasn't all that attractive with a torn labrum.
New Guy replied on March 10, 2008 at 10:40:04 pm
I don't mean to be snarky, but didn't you write an article a couple weeks ago advocating Punto as the starting second baseman? Has Gardenhire been browsing the WGOM?
ubelmann replied on March 10, 2008 at 10:53:07 pm
I did write that, and maybe Gardy does read the WGOM. Maybe Gardy writes for the WGOM. Maybe I am Gardy. Maybe he feels a lot of peer pressure from the organization to follow his gut when he really wants to follow the numbers.
In all seriousness, I'm perfectly okay with Punto as the starting 2B. I just think that most Twins fans see that as a remote possibility, when all the signs so far point to him as the leader in the clubhouse (so to speak.)
My only fear is that Gardy won't actually pinch-hit for Punto as much as he ought to. But really, this is one of those cases where the manager doesn't make that big of a difference. Harris and Punto are pretty equal in value overall, and if he's just going to plug one in every day to play all nine innings, then he can't make a bad choice. (Conversely, he can't make a good choice, either.) It would make sense to start Harris every now and then--against a lefty starter or maybe with one of the fly ball pitchers on the mound--but even then, I'll probably wind up complaining about the lineups more than it actually matters.
SBG replied on March 11, 2008 at 8:06:38 am
Of course, there's an old saying in Tennessee, I think it's in Tennessee I know it's in Texas, "Fool me once, shame on, shame on you. Fool me twice, you can't get fooled again."
There's another saying that defines insanity as "doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."
E-6 replied on March 11, 2008 at 8:26:18 am
Perhaps management's hindsight needs corrective lenses.
brianS replied on March 11, 2008 at 8:32:51 am
I believe the second half of the aphorism is "won't get fooled again!"
E-6 replied on March 11, 2008 at 8:53:39 am
Who's on first. What's on second. I Dunno's on third.
ubelmann replied on March 11, 2008 at 1:58:17 pm
There's another saying that defines insanity as "doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."
If Punto's hurt, then he shouldn't be out there. But when he's healthy, he's not as bad as he was last year.
thisisbeth replied on March 11, 2008 at 7:47:45 am
Noted: Harris and Everett are equal with the most appearances (6 each), it's just that they never played together.
ubelmann replied on March 11, 2008 at 12:02:35 pm
The key here (I think) is that Ron Gardenhire has noted in the past, and it is conventional wisdom, that it is important for middle infielders to get used to playing with one another.
spycake replied on March 11, 2008 at 8:36:42 am
It could be that, in an expanded version of ubelmann's earlier suggestion, Punto + Everett will be the starting defensive duo, and Harris + another infielder will be the replacement offensive duo... I have no idea who that other infielder would be, at this point, though.
Personally, I'd like to see Harris take some reps at third base. Maybe he's even worse defensively there, but he played a lot of 3B in the minors, and there promises to be a lot of playing time available at the spot because Lamb sure isn't going to play everyday (and he's no great shakes defensively either). And he's a better platoon partner there than Buscher, although historically Lamb doesn't have huge platoon splits (although perhaps he's been protected a bit, not being an everyday player).
Harris could be a good platoon guy at any of the 3 spots -- he raked against LHP in Tampa last year (.345/.411/.486) and also in 2006 at AAA. (In 2005 he was roughly even against LHP and RHP at AAA.)
ubelmann replied on March 11, 2008 at 1:57:16 pm
I agree that I'd like to see Harris getting time at 3B. Even if he's not a whole lot better at fielding 3B, it's a less important defensive position than 2B or SS. On this team, he is best suited to be a bench player and spot starter against LHP. Traditionally, backup infielders are guys with good gloves, but not many teams have the no-hit infielders that we have.