Rondell White is here in Canada, and boy, does he seem excited about it. After whiling away almost four months of the baseball season in Florida, his legs are finally up to playing in the big leagues again, and he seemed thrilled to see his teammates again. It’s been a long road back, and he almost took a different road. “I live on I-75 in Georgia, and every day (in Fort Myers), I took I-75 to the ballpark,” he said. “And some days, I was tempted to just stay on the freeway and drive home.”
He made it clear that he’s not 100 percent, but feels good enough to play. Interesting, White said one of his thighs is naturally bigger than the other, and it’s always given him trouble.
He’ll DH tonight and probably all week on Toronto’s carpet. Wouldn’t be surprised to see him stay there for awhile.
Torii Hunter looked terrible before the game, fighting some sort of sinus congestion. His eyes are red, his nose and throat are stuffed up, and he was dragging in the clubhouse. But he expects to play.
The lineups:
TWINS
Castillo 2b
Bartlett ss
Mauer c
Morneau 1b
Hunter cf
Kubel lf
White dh
Tyner rf
Punto 3b
Santana p
BLUE JAYS
Johnson lf (lifetime vs. Santana: .563)
Rios rf
Glaus 3b
Wells cf
Thomas dh
Hill 2b
Stairs 1b
Thigpen c
Clayton ss
Marcum p
Monday, July 23, 2007
Friday, July 20, 2007
Two Weeks, No More, Cuddyer Says
All things considered, Michael Cuddyer was upbeat about the thumb injury that will keep him out of action for two weeks. It’s not as bad as it could have been, he said. And two weeks, he figures, is about the upper limit of how long it will take him to recover, meaning he should be ready to play against the Indians on Aug. 3, the first day he’s eligible.
Cuddyer will have to wear a soft brace on his hand for the next five or six days, but then he should be able to start taking batting practice again, in order to be ready in time.
He just hates the timing -- the Twins are nine games out, they have been starved for clutch hits, and he hit .524 (11 for 21) over the past week. “It’s frustrating as it is, but it’s doubly frustrating to have to sit right now,” Cuddyer said.
Rondell White could make an appearance soon. White, reportedly totally healthy again, will resume playing in Gulf Coast League games today, and manager Ron Gardenhire, mindful of his hitting shortage, joked that one hit might be enough to convince the Twins he’s ready to play again.
For now, Darnell McDonald is the right fielder, though he looked fairly dazed at the reality of returning to the major leagues three years after his last appearance.
Tonight’s lineups:
ANGELS
Figgins 3b
Cabrera ss
Guerrero dh
Anderson lf
Matthews cf
Kotchman 1b
Izturis 2b
Napoli c
Willits rf
Lackey p
TWINS
Castillo 2b
Bartlett ss
Mauer c
Morneau 1b
Hunter cf
Kubel lf
McDonald rf
Jones dhPunto 3b
Cuddyer will have to wear a soft brace on his hand for the next five or six days, but then he should be able to start taking batting practice again, in order to be ready in time.
He just hates the timing -- the Twins are nine games out, they have been starved for clutch hits, and he hit .524 (11 for 21) over the past week. “It’s frustrating as it is, but it’s doubly frustrating to have to sit right now,” Cuddyer said.
Rondell White could make an appearance soon. White, reportedly totally healthy again, will resume playing in Gulf Coast League games today, and manager Ron Gardenhire, mindful of his hitting shortage, joked that one hit might be enough to convince the Twins he’s ready to play again.
For now, Darnell McDonald is the right fielder, though he looked fairly dazed at the reality of returning to the major leagues three years after his last appearance.
Tonight’s lineups:
ANGELS
Figgins 3b
Cabrera ss
Guerrero dh
Anderson lf
Matthews cf
Kotchman 1b
Izturis 2b
Napoli c
Willits rf
Lackey p
TWINS
Castillo 2b
Bartlett ss
Mauer c
Morneau 1b
Hunter cf
Kubel lf
McDonald rf
Jones dhPunto 3b
Twins put Cuddyer on DL
The Twins placed right fielder Michael Cuddyer on the 15-day disabled list today, retroactive to July 19, with a sprained right thumb.
In his place, the team called up outfielder Darnell McDonald from Class AAA Rochester. McDonald was acquired from the Washington Nationals in a trade for pitcher Levale Speigner on June 24. In 22 games for the Red Wings, McDonald hit .282 with seven doubles, one triple, two home runs and 13 RBIs.
Check back for a more thorough update on Cuddyer's condition before tonight's game.
In his place, the team called up outfielder Darnell McDonald from Class AAA Rochester. McDonald was acquired from the Washington Nationals in a trade for pitcher Levale Speigner on June 24. In 22 games for the Red Wings, McDonald hit .282 with seven doubles, one triple, two home runs and 13 RBIs.
Check back for a more thorough update on Cuddyer's condition before tonight's game.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Torii's Hurt, but Not Bad
Torii Hunter says he’s OK, mostly. But his hamstring is sore enough to keep him out of the lineup today, though he hopes to be ready tomorrow. He’s available to pinch-hit, he said.
Jason Tyner will replace Hunter in center, with Garrett Jones getting a start in right field against Jeremy Bonderman. That leaves Michael Cuddyer as the only regular outfielder in the lineup today -- and he’s iffy.
Cuddyer’s hand became swollen after breaking up a double play, the same play in which Hunter pulled up lame. His hand “looks like one of those blown-up cartoon gloves,” manager Ron Gardenhire said, but given the urgency of the Twins’ situation, he’ll be in the lineup.
Justin Morneau, too, feels a little soreness today, in the elbow that was hit by a pitch. But he’ll play.
Hey, it could be worse: The Tigers’ Marcus Thames, who made a difficult tumbling catch to preserve Detroit’s lead, injured his right leg severely enough that he was put on the disabled list this morning. Timo Perez was called up to replace him.
Today’s lineups:
DETROIT
Granderson cf
Polanco 2b
Sheffield dh
Ordonez rf
Guillen ss
Casey 1b
Perez lf
Rabelo c
Inge 3b
Bonderman p
MINNESOTA
Castillo 2b
Bartlett ss
Mauer dh
Cuddyer rf
Morneau 1b
Redmond c
Jones lf
Tyner cf
Punto 3b
Baker p
Jason Tyner will replace Hunter in center, with Garrett Jones getting a start in right field against Jeremy Bonderman. That leaves Michael Cuddyer as the only regular outfielder in the lineup today -- and he’s iffy.
Cuddyer’s hand became swollen after breaking up a double play, the same play in which Hunter pulled up lame. His hand “looks like one of those blown-up cartoon gloves,” manager Ron Gardenhire said, but given the urgency of the Twins’ situation, he’ll be in the lineup.
Justin Morneau, too, feels a little soreness today, in the elbow that was hit by a pitch. But he’ll play.
Hey, it could be worse: The Tigers’ Marcus Thames, who made a difficult tumbling catch to preserve Detroit’s lead, injured his right leg severely enough that he was put on the disabled list this morning. Timo Perez was called up to replace him.
Today’s lineups:
DETROIT
Granderson cf
Polanco 2b
Sheffield dh
Ordonez rf
Guillen ss
Casey 1b
Perez lf
Rabelo c
Inge 3b
Bonderman p
MINNESOTA
Castillo 2b
Bartlett ss
Mauer dh
Cuddyer rf
Morneau 1b
Redmond c
Jones lf
Tyner cf
Punto 3b
Baker p
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Where Was His Stuff?
To those who read Matt Garza’s comments after his seven shutout innings Tuesday night -- that his arm felt “weird” and that he didn’t have his normal velocity -- and were ready to panic, here’s some advice: Don’t.
Garza explained Wednesday that the problem was nothing physical, and it wasn’t even that unusual. “You don’t get out of bed every morning with your best stuff,” Garza said. “Sometimes your fastball just doesn’t have the usual pop. That’s all it is. You go out there with what you’ve got.”
What he had was pretty good. The Tigers -- who, it should be noted, have outscored the major leagues’ second-highest scoring team by an amazing 34 runs, or roughly six percent more -- managed only three hits, and a single, unearned run.
So Garza’s manager wasn’t buying that the pitcher was anything but his best.
“You don’t go through that lineup over there without some good stuff,” Ron Gardenhire said. “He had a great fastball, had a good breaking ball.”
-- Phil Miller
Garza explained Wednesday that the problem was nothing physical, and it wasn’t even that unusual. “You don’t get out of bed every morning with your best stuff,” Garza said. “Sometimes your fastball just doesn’t have the usual pop. That’s all it is. You go out there with what you’ve got.”
What he had was pretty good. The Tigers -- who, it should be noted, have outscored the major leagues’ second-highest scoring team by an amazing 34 runs, or roughly six percent more -- managed only three hits, and a single, unearned run.
So Garza’s manager wasn’t buying that the pitcher was anything but his best.
“You don’t go through that lineup over there without some good stuff,” Ron Gardenhire said. “He had a great fastball, had a good breaking ball.”
-- Phil Miller
Happy birthday, Torii
Torii Hunter turns 32 today, but he shouldn't expect a gift from his manager. Asked what he got Hunter for his birthday, Ron Gardenhire said, “I put him in the six hole. He can give me something for his birthday, a couple of hits.”
Here are your lineups ...
Minnesota
Luis Castillo 2B
Jason Bartlett SS
Joe Mauer C
Michael Cuddyer RF
Justin Morneau 1B
Torii Hunter CF
Jeff Cirillo DH
Lew Ford LF
Nick Punto 3B
Johan Santana P
Detroit
Ryan Raburn CF
Placido Polanco 2B
Gary Sheffield DH
Magglio Ordonez RF
Carlos Guillen SS
Ivan Rodriguez C
Marcus Thames 1B
Craig Monroe LF
Brandon Inge 3B
Andrew Miller P
Here are your lineups ...
Minnesota
Luis Castillo 2B
Jason Bartlett SS
Joe Mauer C
Michael Cuddyer RF
Justin Morneau 1B
Torii Hunter CF
Jeff Cirillo DH
Lew Ford LF
Nick Punto 3B
Johan Santana P
Detroit
Ryan Raburn CF
Placido Polanco 2B
Gary Sheffield DH
Magglio Ordonez RF
Carlos Guillen SS
Ivan Rodriguez C
Marcus Thames 1B
Craig Monroe LF
Brandon Inge 3B
Andrew Miller P
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Hunter back in the lineup
Just as predicted, Torii Hunter is back in the lineup today after taking a bit of a break on Sunday (he did have to pinch hit).
Not much else is new here at the Metrodome, seems the Twins are anxious to see if they can restart what they had going against Oakland in this three-game series against the Tigers -- certainly one of the biggest series of the year so far.
Lineups ...
Minnesota
Luis Castillo 2B
Jason Bartlett SS
Joe Mauer C
Michael Cuddyer RF
Justin Morneau 1B
Torii Hunter CF
Jeff Cirillo DH
Jason Tyner LF
Nick Punto 3B
Matt Garza P
Detroit
Curtis Granderson CF
Placido Polanco 2B
Gary Sheffield DH
Magglio Ordonez RF
Carlos Guillen SS
Ivan Rodriguez C
Sean Casey 1B
Marcus Thames LF
Brandon Inge 3B
Nate Robertson P
Not much else is new here at the Metrodome, seems the Twins are anxious to see if they can restart what they had going against Oakland in this three-game series against the Tigers -- certainly one of the biggest series of the year so far.
Lineups ...
Minnesota
Luis Castillo 2B
Jason Bartlett SS
Joe Mauer C
Michael Cuddyer RF
Justin Morneau 1B
Torii Hunter CF
Jeff Cirillo DH
Jason Tyner LF
Nick Punto 3B
Matt Garza P
Detroit
Curtis Granderson CF
Placido Polanco 2B
Gary Sheffield DH
Magglio Ordonez RF
Carlos Guillen SS
Ivan Rodriguez C
Sean Casey 1B
Marcus Thames LF
Brandon Inge 3B
Nate Robertson P
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