Twins Bullpen

[zepman]

Really stinks right now. I wouldn't be suprised to see the Twins make a move pretty quickly to aquire some relief help. Let's get rid of one of our outfielders and get some decent help out in the pen.

[harvey lee]

Yes, we need pitching. Starters also.

[CrappiesNCats]

We have help that is MLB ready (or close to) in AA New Britain. Our answer is as simple as Anthony Slama and Rob Delaney. They are too good for to just be promoted to AAA.

Cut Dickey and Ayala (should have never given ayal 1.3 to start with)

its too early to give up on the starters. remember mauer was out the first month. mauer calls a better game and also raises our offense out of the gutter. we also don't need to acquire outsiders with Mulvey and Swarzak in the wings. Gutierrez' sinker is amazing and he's probably not far off either.

[UdeLakeTom]

Look for Breslow to be the first to be cut if he can't find the plate his next outing and Duessing to be brought up. 1.3 mil is really nothing for a short reliver, and he will be picked up by somebody else.

[Jarrod32]

That is correct ULT. From the Sporting News website:

Minnesota Twins

May 3, 11:39 a.m.

Manager Ron Gardenhire says he has spoken to GM Bill Smith about bringing Anthony Slama to the big leagues.

Fantasy spin: Slama doesn't throw gas, but that's not stopping him from whiffing 20 batters in 11 1/3 outings for Double-A New Britain. The Twins are also fans of his funky delivery, and could replace Craig Breslow shortly. Gardenhire has given Breslow notice, saying that his nine walks in 6 2/3 innings cannot continue.

[luckyworm]

I thought there would be a topic on the Twins bullpen after this weekend. Our bullpen was really bad in the 2nd half of the season last year and it is picking up right where it left off last year. I agree that Ayala is a bum. He has came in the game 3 times this year when the Twins have had the lead and he has either given up the lead or the tying run in all 3 games. Both Dickey and Breslow have been brutal too. One of these bums needs to go now for a guy from the minors.

I am really disappointed that the Twins front office did not address this issue in the off season after it cost them a trip to the post season last year. There is no reason why they couldn’t have got a guy like Juan Cruz for 2.5 mil and a prospect, but they are too [PoorWordUsage] concerned about losing a prospect in the minors. Instead we go waste 1.3 mil on a washed up puke and we let Cruz go to division rival.

I think Mijares, Crain and Gurrier need to have a really good year for the Twins to make the post season. If you look at the past 3 seasons that the Twins have made the playoffs, they have had an outstanding bullpen.

I am confident Liriano and Baker will turn the corner. It needs to start tonight with Frankie!

[SledNeck]

Baker pitched good yesterday until the 7th. He looked like he was in pain when he was throwing in that inning.

[Jarrod32]

Baker is gonna come around and be all right...he has a 16:5 strikeout to walk ratio, and 26 hits in over 20 innings indicates he isn't quite as bad as he has looked.

[UdeLakeTom]

Good nite tonite for Francisco...he got the monkey off his back. And Cuddy had a good nite to.

[Dahitman44]

best way to protect the bullpen is for the starters to go a little deeper in the game -- Frankie was good tonight, but most nights they are in the 5th and then they a little sleepy from all of that hard work.

bullpen -- not good

starters, should be good -- are not good -- that may be exposing our weak pen too much?

[bassNspear]

Good nite tonite for Francisco...he got the monkey off his back. And Cuddy had a good nite to.

Gotthat right. He threw a heck of a game against Jackson. Jackson was on fire till the twins had that rally in the 7th!

I hope they can keep hitting the ball. Have to score runs

[zamboni]

Cuddys having a nice stretch in general lately. Breslow is horrible this year, maybe the Indians got rid of him for a reason- huh?

[Quackaddict9]

Breslow is horrible this year, maybe the Indians got rid of him for a reason- huh?

So would the Twins...soon

[wahoohendoo]

nah, twins never figure it out till the damage is done and done good.

[zamboni]

nah, twins never figure it out till the damage is done and done good.

Gotta point- Rondell White sat on the bench for 2 seasons, which is exactly 2 seasons longer than I woulda let him

[wahoohendoo]

the dreaded pen strikes again. I didnt see any reason to pull blackburn today. that bullpen makes me sick. crain is worthless and always has been. the horrible offseason non moves is really showing with these turkeys. how much better would our record be without the pen.

[blue_healer_guy]

been terrible, will be terrible, and cost us a post season.

[riverrat56]

I thought Blackburn was pulled when he should have been if we had a decent pen, but we don't, so it's a real gamble.

In a tight game like this, that would have been a big win for a series sweep, why not let Nathan throw 2 innings?

[winterwalleye]

I agree with you riverrat56 Nathan should be used for 2 innings once in a while til they get some bullpen help,but gardy would rather have him sit on the bench only to get a easy save. Gardy sucks.

[solbes]

Do we have any guys ready in the farm system? They didn't do anything to really improve their pen this year. It was obvious last year that we had problems there. If no one is ready to be promoted, then we need to go out and aquire. We have extra infielders and outfielders to trade for some quality relief help.

[B. Amish]

do we not remember the 2 inning Nathan experiment from last year?

[fishin58]

somewhat, but it is easier to remember the debacle that was yesterday.

[greebs]

what hacked me off even a little more with the debacle this past Sunday was that crain made the comment about had morneau caught the ball on that one line drive that the guy hit that he would have gotten out of the inning. that is true but that guy about ripped the cover off the dang ball when he hit it. just irks me when a guy like that comes off all cocky and tries to shun his failure on one of the team's all star players.

Hey crain, why don't you admit that you've got two pitches; meatballs and way out of the strike zone throws that don't even tempt the opposing player to take a swing. 90 mph doesn't matter when that's where you are throwing it.

[KMR85]

crain is a bum

[SledNeck]

time to bring back the jesse crain=P00P00 thread!

[luckyworm]

I am going to blow a gasket the next time the bullpen blows a game. It is very disappointing that we didn't improve are bullpen after last season when it cost us a trip to the post season. Gardy has to be steaming. Come on Bill Smith...wake up!!!

[wahoohendoo]

crain allows another dinger tonite, he probably blamed mauer for the pitch call. he is a real drag. lose the necklaces it obviously is not helping your image.

[Drewski]

lose the necklaces it obviously is not helping your image.

I know! Since when did wearing a rope around your neck come into style?

[Ice Chicken]

In Crains case it's a choker.

[wahoohendoo]

definitly a choker!!