Category: Dailies

Perkins scratched from start

Twins starter Glen Perkins is running a fever so he’s been scratched from his start tonight against the Yankees. Right-hander Anthony Swarzak will start in Perkins’ place.

It’s unclear yet whether Perkins will be ready to start on Thursday, which was Swarzak’s scheduled start. I’ll have more on this later.

Reminder, you can follow me on Twitter  @kellythesier

A little golf with your baseball?

When I arrived at the Metrodome this afternoon, golfer Rich Beem was in the batting cage with Twins manager Ron Gardenhire as his pitcher. Beem is in town this week to play a few practice rounds for next month’s PGA Championship at Hazeltine, the course where he won the 2002 PGA by beating Tiger Woods by a stroke.

Decked out in full uniform, Beem took some swings in the cage and then went to shag some fly balls with Gardenhire in left field. He’s also scheduled to throw out the first pitch before tonight’s Twins-Yankees series opener.

As a golf fan, seeing Beem at the ballpark couldn’t help but get me a little excited for next month’s tournament. I have yet to play at Hazeltine but count that as one on my list of “Courses I Want to Play.”

All right, back to baseball. The Yankees are in town and the Twins are looking for a little revenge after getting swept in four games at the new Yankee Stadium in May. C.C. Sabathia is on the mound for New York and it’s been a little over a year since the Twins have faced him — the last time coming when he was still with the Indians.

UPDATES: Gardenhire said that Mike Redmond is available to play tonight.

Justin Morneau has officially declined the invitation to take part in the HR Derby, but said that he’d be happy to cheer on Joe Mauer in the event. Read more about that in a story by my associate reporter, Tyler, on the site.

Kevin Slowey said that he had a cortisone shot in his right wrist during the offseason and it helped alleviate the problem. So he’s optimistic that this shot will help and he’ll be ready to come off the DL on July 19 when he’s eligible, although Slowey  said they’d know more in 4-5 days.

Also, the Yankees starter for Thursday will be right-hander Alfredo Aceves. He’s faced the Twins only twice in his career. Both were relief appearances, but he recoreded two wins in those appearances, throwing a total of two scoreless innings.

Here are the lineups:

Yankees
Derek Jeter, SS
Johnny Damon, LF
Mark Teixeira, 1B
Alex Rodriguez, 3B
Hideki Matsui, DH
Nick Swisher, RF
Robinson Cano, 2B
Brett Gardner, CF
Francisco Cervelli, C
Pitching: C.C. Sabathia, LHP

 Twins
Denard Span, LF
Brendan Harris, SS
Joe Mauer, C
Justin Morneau, 1B
Michael Cuddyer, RF
Joe Crede, 3B
Delmon Young, DH
Carlos Gomez, CF
Nick Punto, 2B
Pitching: Scott Baker, RHP

Twins rotation to stay in line

Manager Ron Gardenhire hinted before Sunday’s contest that the club might alter their rotation with an off day on Monday. But after his club’s 6-2 win over the Tigers, Gardenhire said that no changes have been made.

So the club will go in line with its rotation against the Yankees. Scott Baker will pitch Tuesday, followed by Glen Perkins and Anthony Swarzak. That leaves Francisco Liriano on the mound for the series opener against the White Sox with Nick Blackburn and Baker to follow.

Gardenhire also gave a glimpse at how the rotation will set up after the All-Star Break, saying that Perkins will get the first start out of the four-day break against the Rangers in Texas/. Baker and Liriano will then pitch the final two games of that series.

All-Star Selection Sunday

I am currently watching the All-Star Selection Show on TBS as this year’s All-Stars are announced. I’ll have more updates once the show is over…

UPDATE: As expected, Joe Mauer will be the starting catcher for the AL in this year’s contest. Joe Nathan and Justin Morneau were chosen as reserves via the players’ ballot.

During his pre-game session, manager Ron Gardenhire indicated that the Twins starting rotation could be shuffled following Monday’s off day. Right now Scott Baker, Glen Perkins and Anthony Swarzak are in line to pitch against the Yankees but that could be adjusted. I’ll let you know when we find out if it changes.

Mike Redmond was going to try to throw and swing the bat on Sunday morning. Gardenhire said that Redmond wouldn’t have been able to throw from behind the plate if needed on Saturday. The hope is that he’ll be ready to play by Tuesday or the skipper indicated the club might have to think about a roster move.

One roster move that likely won’t happen in the very near future is an increase to 12 pitchers. Gardenhire said there is no one at Triple-A Rochester that’s quite ready to help the club so for now, they’ll stick with their 11-man staff. As for the pitchers who are throwing the best at Rochester, Gardenhire mentioned right-handers Juan Morillo and Rob Delaney.

The Twins also announced Sunday that they had signed left-hander Matthew Bashore, their compensation round pick in this June’s Draft. Bashore was selected No. 46 overall out of Indiana University and will report to rookie league Elizabethon.

Here are the lineups for Sunday’s series finale.

Tigers
Curtis Granderson, CF
Ramon Santiago, 2B
Miguel Cabrera, 1B
Don Kelly, LF
Brandon Inge, 3B
Magglio Ordonez, DH
Josh Anderson, RF
Gerald Laird, C
Adam Everett, SS
Pitching: Rick Porcello, RHP

Twins
Denard Span, CF
Brendan Harris, SS
Joe Mauer, C
Justin Morneau, 1B
Jason Kubel, DH
Michael Cuddyer, RF
Joe Crede, 3B
Delmon Young, LF
Nick Punto, 2B
Pitching: Nick Blackburn, RHP

Best 1,2 Punch in Baseball?

According to Tigers manager Jim Leyland, that would be the Twins’ M&M Boys –Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau.

Leyland was asked on Saturday about his decision to have Joel Zumaya walk the two hitters back-to-back with two outs in the 11th inning of what eventually was an 11-9 win in 16 innings for Detroit.

“I think
it’s the best 1-2 tandem in baseball. I believe that, I really do,” Leyland said of Mauer and Morneau. “They’re so good, and they’re so professional and they’re so smart. They
know what to do, and they never panic. And I said I’m just not going to
let them beat me.

“If we get beat, we get beat, but I’m not going to let
them beat me. And I’m not going to do it the rest of the year, if I can
help it. They’re just too good.”

While Zumaya’s control had not been the best of late, Leyland said he was willing to take the risk of the next batter, Michael Cuddyer, drawing a bases-loaded walk rather than seeing either Mauer or Morneau come up with the winning hit.
 
“I have as
much respect for those two guys during the course of the game,” Leyland said. “They
remind me a little bit, and Gene Lamont talked a lot about them, of
[Craig] Biggio and [Jeff] Bagwell. The tandem of those guys and how professional they
were, they set the tone for the whole team the way they go about their
business with dignity, the way they work

“Obviously, they’re talented.
They’re special. I can’t think of a better 1-2 punch in baseball. One
guy’s going to put the ball in play all the time for sure, and get
hits. And the other guy, you might strike him out once in a while, but
he’s a big-time RBI guy. This team, to me, has never really gotten the
credit. Somehow they seem to get lost in media attention for whatever
reason.”

Happy Fourth of July!

With the 16-inning game not ending last night until after midnight, it’s already been a busy Fourth of July for the Twins. The club now gets ready to host the Tigers for Round 2 of the series and the hope for both clubs is that their bullpens won’t be needed much in this one.

Manager Ron Gardenhire said that his bullpen isn’t in too bad of shape. He’ll try to stay away from Matt Guerrier, who threw two innings, and Brian Duensing won’t be available after throwing 3 2/3. So who is available? Joe Nathan, Jose Mijares, R.A. Dickey, recently called up Anthony Swarzak and even Scott Baker, who didn’t throw a pre-game bullpen session in case he’s needed.

UPDATE: So much for staying away from Guerrier. He’s now pitching the eighth inning. Guess he was good to go.

The real hope is that Francisco Liriano can give the Twins a long outing.

Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau are both in the lineup, with Mauer playing as the DH. Gardenhire said that Mauer arrived early to the ballpark to tell him that he was good to go. Joe Crede gets a rest after playing all 16 innings on the turf. So Brian Buscher gets the start at third in his place.

As for Kevin Slowey, Gardenhire said that the pitcher will fly to Baltimore on Sunday and see a specialist there on Monday about his strained right wrist. It’s the same doctor that Slowey saw over the winter about the injury.

While Slowey’s wrist hadn’t affected him on the mound until Friday night, Gardenhire said that it had been sore when the pitcher was doing everyday things — like opening doors. Slowey has been getting treatment on the wrist all season, but now that it flared up while throwing he’ll get it checked out again.

“The kid’s got 10 wins. It hadn’t been an issue,” Gardenhire said. “He’s been throwing great
until the last couple of outings. In St. Louis, he said he was feeling
fine. We were worried about his ribs more than the hand, and whether
either one had an effect just hasn’t been an issue until all of a
sudden now. He said yesterday when we took him out that the ball felt
like a leaded ball. That’s what he told me in the dugout.”

Here are today’s lineups:

Tigers
Curtis Granderson, CF
Placido Polanco, 2B
Miguel Cabrera, 1B
Marcus Thames, DH
Ryan Raburn, LF
Brandon Inge, 3B
Magglio Ordonez, RF
Dusty Ryan, C
Adam Everett, SS
Pitching: Edwin Jackson, RHP

Twins
Denard Span, CF
Brendan Harris, SS
Joe Mauer, DH
Justin Morneau, 1B
Jason Kubel, LF
Michael Cuddyer, RF
Brian Buscher, 3B
Jose Morales, C
Nick Punto, 2B
Pitching: Francisco Liriano, LHP

Welcoming the leaders to the Dome

The Twins are opening up a three-game set with the Tigers tonight at the Dome. It’s a big series considering that Minnesota is currently three games back of Detroit in the AL Central standings.

Minnesota will be facing left-hander Luke French in his first Major League start. French has made two previous relief appearances for Detroit and did not give up a run over three innings. We’ll have to see how the Twins fare against a young lefty they’ve never seen before — they haven’t exactly been successful in some of those situations in the past.

Both Justin Morneau (tight left groin) and Nick Punto (tight lower back) are in the lineup after leaving Wednesday’s contest due to the injuries. Manager Ron Gardenhire said that both players were fine and that catcher Mike Redmond’s right forearm is still very sore so he’s unlikely to see any action tonight.

Jason Kubel is coming off the bench for the series opener as Delmon Young gets the start at DH. Gardenhire wanted to add one more right-hander in the lineup against the lefty French. So Kubel could provide a little pop off the bench late in the contest.

Here are tonight’s lineups:

Tigers
Curtis Granderson, CF
Placido Polanco, 2B
Miguel Cabrera, 1B
Marcus Thames, DH
Don Kelly, LF
Brandon Inge, 3B
Josh Anderson, RF
Gerald Laird, C
Ramon Santiago, SS
Pitching: Luke French, LHP

Twins
Denard Span, LF
Brendan Harris, SS
Joe Mauer, C
Justin Morneau, 1B
Michael Cuddyer, RF
Joe Crede, 3B
Delmon Young, DH
Carlos Gomez, CF
Nick Punto, 2B
Pitching: Kevin Slowey, RHP

 

Twins recall Duensing, option Henn to Rochester

The Twins announced today that they are recalling left-hander Brian Duensing from Triple-A Rochester and to make room on the roster for him, they have outrighted left-hander Sean Henn to Rochester.

Duensing, 26, was on the Opening Day roster for the Twins but he made only one appearance — allowing two runs on two hits in Chicago– before being sent back to Rochester on April 13. Duensing was 4-6 with a 4.66 ERA in 13 starts at Rochester.

Henn made a strong early impression with the Twins, but posted a 7.15 ERA in 14 appearances for Minnesota.

Duensing will be in uniform for the Twins for Friday night’s series opener against the Tigers at the Metrodome.

So much for a healthy team

The Twins entered Wednesday’s contest against the Royals with what manager Ron Gardenhire called “a healthy lineup.” But three players –Justin Morneau, Nick Punto and Mike Redmond — all left the game due to various injuries.

Redmond left the contest in the bottom of the fifth inning after he was struck by a foul tip in the right forearm. He was having X-rays on the arm, but results were not yet known.

Jose Morales, the Twins No. 3 catcher on the roster, replaced Redmond
behind the plate. Joe Mauer was already in the lineup for the as the
club’s designated hitter.

Justin Morneau and Nick Punto were both taken out of the game after the sixth. Punto left the game with a tight lower back. Morneau left with a tight left groin. Brendan Harris took over at shortstop for Punto and Brian Buscher replaced Morneau at first base.

I’ll have more updates on the injuries after the game.

Goodbye June, Hello July

While May was a notable month for many of the Twins hitters, there is no question that June was so far the best month for the club as a whole. Minnesota went 15-12 in June — their first winning month this season.

The Twins batted .265 as a team in June and scored 112 runs, but what was the biggest difference? The pitching staff’s ERA which was 3.31 — after posting a 4.43 ERA in May and a 5.26 ERA in April. So there is no question that the turnaround of the pitching staff has had a big impact.

The Twins will try to start out July by picking up a win, one that would also cap off a very solid roadtrip for the club.

Brendan Harris and Jason Kubel are both on the bench for Wednesday’s contest. Harris is just 2-for-13 (.154) off Royals starter Gil Meche while Matt Tolbert is 4-for-5 (.800), so Tolbert is at second base and Nick Punto is playing shortstop today.

Kubel is 5-for-24 (.208) vs. Meche but has 10 strikeouts. So with Joe Mauer DHing, it was a good day to keep Kubel on the bench.

Here are your lineups:

Twins
Denard Span, LF
Matt Tolbert, 2B
Joe Mauer, DH
Justin Morneau, 1B
Michael Cuddyer, RF
Joe Crede, 3B
Mike Redmond, C
Carlos Gomez, CF
Nick Punto, SS
Pitching: Glen Perkins, LHP

Royals
David DeJesus, LF
Willie Bloomquist, RF
Billy Butler, 1B
Jose Guillen, DH
Mark Teahen, 3B
Alberto Callaspo, 2B
Brayan Pena, C
Luis Hernandez, SS
Mitch Maier, CF
Pitching: Gil Meche, RHP