Over The Baggy

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Nick Blackburn and opportune groundballs: via Over The Baggy March 14, 2010 at 10:51 AM; After tossing around 200 innings in each of the last two seasons, Nick Blackburn has been the organization’s most dependable starter, able to digest innings while other members of the rotation succumb to injury or ineffectiveness. Even more impressive is how the 28-year-old has managed to produce a decent statistical line (22-22, 4.04 ERA) the past two years while allowing 464 hits, th
Nathan's injury: Should we have seen this coming?: via Over The Baggy March 14, 2010 at 10:51 AM; The standard rule of thumb for sniffing out elbow injuries is a decrease a pitcher’s control. Whereas a shoulder injury will likely reveal itself through a decrease in velocity, the elbow injury will manifest itself through a loss of command. With that in mind, a more vigilant (read: paranoid) observer may have been able to detected Joe Nathan’s injury potential in the latter hal
J.J. Hardy: Middle Infield Repairman?: via Over The Baggy March 14, 2010 at 10:51 AM; The Minnesota Twins have been cashing residual checks the past few seasons based on a sterling defensive reputation built in the early part of the decade. While the franchise continued to receive accolades, signs of cracks in the façade had started to appear. Nowhere is this more evident than in the middle of the infield. Upon review of the team’s 2009 fielding numbers, it was clear t
OtB Twins Notes (02.22.10): via Over The Baggy February 22, 2010 at 02:24 AM; I’ll admit it, even with all of my trepidation surrounding Jim Thome’s one-dimensional abilities and power decline potential, I’ve gone on record as saying this is a good move for the team. For a low-risk contract, the roster will have a powerful pinch hitting option late in the ballgames against a large corps of right-handed closers in the American League. Remember, they lost 20
The Splits of Nick Punto: via Over The Baggy February 18, 2010 at 03:17 PM; Prior to bleating out my Nick Punto Day post a week ago, I descended into his batted ball split numbers located at fangraphs.com to see if the contains the secret to the ebb and flow of his offensive output. In his five seasons in a Twins uniform he’s gone from slightly below average hitter to a super below average hitter and back again. A team that has numerous offensive contributors in the
OtB Twins Notes (02.15.10): via Over The Baggy February 17, 2010 at 09:23 PM; I knew that the payroll had been cresting uncharted levels with each acquisition and arbitration avoidance but when I read that the Twins could have a total payroll higher than that of the Los Angeles Dodgers, I got light-headed. Of course, this turned out to be somewhat misleading. As Joe Christensen noted in his blog following the Orlando Hudson signing, the Twins were projected to enter 2
Hudson acquisition addresses Twins' biggest need.: via Over The Baggy February 13, 2010 at 11:59 AM; In 1996 the Minnesota Twins scored a massive 877 runs. Today, this still represents the high-water mark for the ballclub’s offensive flood and only the 1936 Washington Senators scored more in the franchise history with 889 (and they did so in an impressive 153 games). That year’s Twins lineup boasted some of the game’s finest on-base machines: Leading off was Chuck Knoblauch’s .448 OBP, fifth best
Around the Central (02.09.10): via Over The Baggy February 13, 2010 at 11:59 AM; Rummaging through the news and notes from the Twins interdivision rivals so you don’t have to: Chicago White SoxESPNChicago’s Bruce Levine notes that the White Sox are in the market for another situational left-handed reliever. Levine speculates that Chicago could potentially target Toronto’s Scott Downs in a trade.ANALYSIS: With Matt Thornton and Randy Williams as the two left-h
What It Means to be Punto-esque: via Over The Baggy February 13, 2010 at 11:59 AM; For whatever reason, the mere mention of “Nick Punto” and “starting job” evokes a kneejerk reaction as if someone just suggested aborting puppies on Christmas morning. You would think that in addition to rounding third a tad too overzealously in the deciding divisional game, needlessly diving headlong into first base to impress some omnipresent Pete Rose and producing incor
OtB Twins Notes (01.31.10): via Over The Baggy January 31, 2010 at 11:41 PM; Joe Christensen at the Star Tribune reported on his blog that Nick Punto would need minor surgery on his right wrist (throwing wrist). According to Christensen, GM Bill Smith said it as a minor procedure in order to get it “cleaned up” and will be ready by the time the Grapefruit League games start. ANALYSIS: As it stands today, Nick Punto figures to be the Twins’ starting second baseman. Yes, t
What's Next for Neshek?: via Over The Baggy January 28, 2010 at 11:11 PM; Ever since he burst onto the scene as a dominating set-up man in 2006, striking out 53 in just 37 innings of work, people have debated Pat Neshek's motion. Due to its unique quality from start (where he does not raise his lead leg) to finish (after the arm's whipping action concludes with him seemingly firing an imaginary gun in the air), his mechanics became a polarizing subject. One group focus
Thome Reactions.: via Over The Baggy January 27, 2010 at 04:36 PM; For $1.5 million and some change, you can hardly find much too criticize about the signing Jim Thome. Is he ideal? No. He’s one-dimensional, not a two-hitter nor a second or third baseman. I still maintain a cautiously optimistic stance that if you limit his exposure strictly to right-handed pitching, he’ll give you an above-average boost of power when needed and give the Twins roughly one additio
The Thome Paradox: via Over The Baggy January 24, 2010 at 02:29 PM; Reports emerged first from a Chicago radio station then later confirmed by Joe Christensen that the Twins were indeed considering bringing in the mammoth slugger, Jim Thome. According to the Star Tribune reporter, a Twins official reiterated that the team has “real interest” in the 39-year-old and “haven’t ruled out their chances of signing him.” This recent development has sent Twins fans a
Twins sign Harris for two years.: via Over The Baggy January 22, 2010 at 12:05 AM; In the TwinsCentric Offseason GM Handbook, we went through the exercise of reviewing the previous year’s roster and supplying a grade based on their performance. Utility infielder Brendan Harris was labeled a “C”. In the corresponding write-up on Harris, I noted that: “As bench-fillers go, Harris can play just about everywhere in the infield well, but not well enough to merit sta
Kouzmanoff to Oakland: via Over The Baggy January 16, 2010 at 03:41 PM; During the Winter Meetings in December, reports emerged that the Twins attempted to extract the 28-year-old Kevin Kouzmanoff from the San Diego Padres by offering the organizationally ostracized lefty Glen Perkins. On paper and in theory, sending a pitcher with major league experience that has a skill set that would play well in the spacious Petco Park in exchange for a player with tools bes
All You Need to Know About Glen Perkins: via Over The Baggy January 15, 2010 at 03:05 PM; You could ski down this shit.
Twins Minor League Skills Assessment: Walk Rate: via Over The Baggy January 14, 2010 at 04:30 PM; Top BB% Gainers BB | 08 PA | 08 BB% | 08 BB| 09 PA| 09 BB%| 09 Improve. % DeSanMiguel, Allan 29 241 12.0% 39 207 18.8% 6.8% Benson, Joe 24 290 8.3% 48 334 14.4% 6.1% Portes, Juan
Friday Flotsam (01.08.10): via Over The Baggy January 08, 2010 at 04:47 PM; Jim Souhan reminds us how much we need to resign Joe Mauer. Wrote the Star Tribune columnist on Friday "He is the rare catcher who can dominate with his arm, bat and eye. While there are plenty of first basemen and outfielders who make an offensive impact on the game, Mauer gives the Twins an unparalleled advantage because of the position he plays." This is quite the about-face from the scri
Around the Central (01.06.10): via Over The Baggy January 05, 2010 at 11:42 PM; News and notes from the Twins interdivision rivals: Chicago White Sox Newly acquired JJ Putz, fresh off of a year which was cut short due to bone chips in his pitching elbow, is elated by the makeup of the White Sox bullpen. ''Obviously, we have a great closer in Bobby Jenks and a great left-handed set-up guy in Matt Thornton,'' Putz said, ''so I'm thinking going into it, I'll be a seventh-
Blyleven's On-Going Vote Count, Ensuing Diatribe.: via Over The Baggy January 05, 2010 at 03:06 PM; Yes No Bill Conlin (Phil Daily News) Jon Heyman (Sports Illustrated) Pat Caputo (Morning Sun) Rick Telander (Chicago Sun) Mark Topkins (Tampa Times) Danny Knobler (CBS Sports) Terry Pluto (Cleveland Plain Dealer) Bruce Jenkins (San Francisco Chronicle) Ric