Remember Carlos?

here is his latest.

Make sure to check the audio link
(Silva leads the majors in 'you knows' per minute)

what would it take...

... for the first place Twins to win the division?


Here is a realistic (actually pretty pessimistic for the Twins) scenario:

Twins: 65-51

Sun, Aug 10 @ Kansas City (L)
Mon, Aug 11 NY Yankees Perkins (8-3) Ponson (7-2) (L)
Tue, Aug 12 NY Yankees Blackburn (9-6) Mussina (15-7) (L)
Wed, Aug 13 NY Yankees Slowey (8-8) Kennedy (0-4) (W)
Fri, Aug 15 Seattle Liriano (2-3) Silva (4-13) (W)
Sat, Aug 16 Seattle 3:55 PM (W)
Sun, Aug 17 Seattle 2:10 PM (L)
Mon, Aug 18 Oakland 8:10 PM (W)
Tue, Aug 19 Oakland 8:10 PM (W)
Wed, Aug 20 Oakland 1:10 PM (L)
Thu, Aug 21 @ LA Angels 10:05 PM (L)
Fri, Aug 22 @ LA Angels 10:05 PM (W)
Sat, Aug 23 @ LA Angels 9:05 PM (L)
Sun, Aug 24 @ LA Angels 3:35 PM (L)
Mon, Aug 25 @ Seattle 10:10 PM (W)
Tue, Aug 26 @ Seattle 10:10 PM (L)
Wed, Aug 27 @ Seattle 4:40 PM (W)
Thu, Aug 28 @ Oakland 10:05 PM (W)
Fri, Aug 29 @ Oakland 10:05 PM (L)
Sat, Aug 30 @ Oakland 9:05 PM (W)
Sun, Aug 31 @ Oakland 4:05 PM (W)
Tue, Sep 2 @ Toronto 7:07 PM (L)
Wed, Sep 3 @ Toronto 7:07 PM (W)
Thu, Sep 4 @ Toronto 7:07 PM (L)
Fri, Sep 5 Detroit 8:10 PM (W)
Sat, Sep 6 Detroit 3:55 PM (L)
Sun, Sep 7 Detroit 2:10 PM (W)
Tue, Sep 9 Kansas City 8:10 PM (W)
Wed, Sep 10 Kansas City 8:10 PM (W)
Thu, Sep 11 Kansas City 1:10 PM (L)
Fri, Sep 12 @ Baltimore 7:05 PM (W)
Sat, Sep 13 @ Baltimore 7:05 PM (W)
Sun, Sep 14 @ Baltimore 1:35 PM (L)
Mon, Sep 15 @ Cleveland 7:05 PM (W)
Tue, Sep 16 @ Cleveland 7:05 PM (L)
Wed, Sep 17 @ Cleveland 7:05 PM (W)
Thu, Sep 18 @ Tampa Bay 7:10 PM (W)
Fri, Sep 19 @ Tampa Bay 7:10 PM (L)
Sat, Sep 20 @ Tampa Bay 7:10 PM (L)
Sun, Sep 21 @ Tampa Bay 1:40 PM (L)
Tue, Sep 23 White Sox 8:10 PM (W)
Wed, Sep 24 White Sox 8:10 PM (W)
Thu, Sep 25 White Sox 8:10 PM (L)
Fri, Sep 26 Kansas City 8:10 PM (W)
Sat, Sep 27 Kansas City 7:10 PM (W)
Sun, Sep 28 Kansas City 2:10 PM (W)

Total: 91-71

ChiSox: 64-51

Sun, Aug 10 Boston 2:05 PM (W)
Mon, Aug 11 Boston 8:11 PM (L)
Tue, Aug 12 Kansas City 8:11 PM (W)
Wed, Aug 13 Kansas City 8:11 PM (W)
Thu, Aug 14 Kansas City 2:05 PM (L)
Fri, Aug 15 @ Oakland 10:05 PM (L)
Sat, Aug 16 @ Oakland 3:55 PM (W)
Sun, Aug 17 @ Oakland 4:05 PM (L)
Mon, Aug 18 Seattle 8:11 PM (W)
Tue, Aug 19 Seattle 8:11 PM (W)
Wed, Aug 20 Seattle 2:05 PM (L)
Fri, Aug 22 Tampa Bay 8:11 PM (W)
Sat, Aug 23 Tampa Bay 3:55 PM (L)
Sun, Aug 24 Tampa Bay 2:05 PM (W)
Mon, Aug 25 @ Baltimore 7:05 PM (W)
Tue, Aug 26 @ Baltimore 7:05 PM (L)
Wed, Aug 27 @ Baltimore 7:05 PM (W)
Fri, Aug 29 @ Boston 7:05 PM (L)
Sat, Aug 30 @ Boston 7:05 PM (W)
Sun, Aug 31 @ Boston 1:35 PM (L)
Mon, Sep 1 @ Cleveland 7:05 PM (W)
Tue, Sep 2 @ Cleveland 7:05 PM (W)
Wed, Sep 3 @ Cleveland 12:05 PM (L)
Fri, Sep 5 LA Angels 8:11 PM (W)
Sat, Sep 6 LA Angels 7:05 PM (L)
Sun, Sep 7 LA Angels 2:05 PM (W)
Mon, Sep 8 Toronto 8:11 PM (W)
Tue, Sep 9 Toronto 8:11 PM (L)
Wed, Sep 10 Toronto 8:11 PM (W)
Thu, Sep 11 Toronto 8:11 PM (W)
Fri, Sep 12 Detroit 8:11 PM (W)
Sat, Sep 13 Detroit 7:05 PM (L)
Sun, Sep 14 Detroit 2:05 PM (W)
Mon, Sep 15 @ NY Yankees 7:05 PM (L)
Tue, Sep 16 @ NY Yankees 7:05 PM (L)
Wed, Sep 17 @ NY Yankees 7:05 PM (W)
Thu, Sep 18 @ NY Yankees 7:05 PM (L)
Fri, Sep 19 @ Kansas City 8:10 PM (W)
Sat, Sep 20 @ Kansas City 7:10 PM (L)
Sun, Sep 21 @ Kansas City 2:10 PM (W)
Tue, Sep 23 @ Minnesota 8:10 PM (L)
Wed, Sep 24 @ Minnesota 8:10 PM (L)
Thu, Sep 25 @ Minnesota 8:10 PM (W)
Fri, Sep 26 Cleveland 8:11 PM (W)
Sat, Sep 27 Cleveland TBA (L)
Sun, Sep 28 Cleveland 2:05 PM (W)

Total 90-72

Who should be the Twins lead off man?

With Gomez as the leadoff batter, the Twins are 52-38 (.577). With Span as the leadoff batter, the Twins are 8-9 (.471)

The best arm in the Twins minor league system

For years the Twins minor league system has been rich in pitching prospects, resulting in the current rotation of the young brothers at arms of the major league team.

There is a new crop of pitching prospects in the minors, waiting for the opportunity to knock, be it a trade of one of the young major league starters (like Garza's trade last post season) or a vacancy in the pen.

Who of all of those prospects has the best potential in the organization?

It is not Anthony Swarzak, who seemed rejuvenated in Rochester, after a luck laster performance in New Britain. It is not even one the twin closer duo of Robert Delaney (1.46 ERA 0.86 WHIP 7 BB 64 K in 55.2 innings in A+ and AA) and Anthony Slama (0.89 ERA 0.93 WHIP 21 BB 92 K in 61 innings in A+). How about the resurrected Jose Mijares of 1.54 ERA 0.99 WHIP 5 K 26 BB in 23.1 innings in Gulf Coast, Ft. Myers and New Britain. No. Tyler Robertson (2.72 ERA 1.32 WHIP 31 BB 73 K 82.2 innings in Ft Myers?) No. His teammate Cole DeVries (2.85 ERA 1.30 35 BB 96 K WHIP 126.1 innings?) Not quite. How about the recent draft pick with the name made for the bigs, Shooter Hunt ( 1.95 ERA 0.96 WHIP 18 BB 55 K 32.1 innings in Gulf Coast and Beloit?) No, not yet. Ok, how about the crown jewel of the Santana trade Deolis Guerra? He changed his delivery and has 4.75 ERA 1.53 WHIP with 57 BB and 58 K in 113.2 innings in Ft. Myers. Hard time finding the plate this year, but it's close because the pitcher with the best potential in the Twins' minors system is:

Guerra

not Deolis but Pedro Guerra

I am sure that most Twins' fans do not know that there is a Pedro Guerra in the Twins system. Who is he?

He is a 18 year old righty kid, in his second year as a starter in the Dominican League Twins. He has a 2.05 ERA and a 0.94 WHIP in 70.2 innings accompanied by only 9 BB and 63 K. Has given only 3 home runs for the season.

Now you have it.

As a matter of fact, the best rotation in the Twins system is not in the majors or in Ft. Myers. It is in the Dominican:

Pedro Guerra, RHP, 18, 2.05 ERA 0.94 WHIP, 7-2
Eliecer Cardenas, RHP, 21, 1.84 ERA 1.01 WHIP 5-1
Ramon Acosta, RHP, 21, 0.00 ERA 0.64 WHIP 5-0 (*)
Adrian Salcedo, RHP, 17, 1.60 ERA 0.79 WHIP 2-4
Orlando Villaroel, RHP, 18, 2.34 ERA 1.32 WHIP 3-4

I hope that the kids in the Dominican get a little more exposure in the future, because they truly deserve it


(* by far the best ERA in the organization and I could have easily picked him instead of Guerra; however, he is 3 years older and last season was not the best for him. I'd love to see him in Ft. Myers next season)

Crazy waiver days...

Yesterday the Red Sox claimed Brian Giles from the Padres to block him from going to the Rays.

Today there is word out of Frisco, that several teams claimed Huston Street. Do you think?

Keeping track of the reliever market:

I will be keeping track of the available relievers here and update it as news come


Cleared waivers:

Scott Schoeneweis (LHP, 3.02 ERA, 1.286 WHIP; due remainder of $3.6M 2008 and $3.6M 2009 - Mets)

Duaner Sanchez (RHP, 3.83 ERA, 1.277 WHIP; due remainder of $850K 2008- Mets)


DFA:

Chad Paronto (RHP, 4.35 ERA, 1.271 WHIP; due remainder of $500K 2008- Astros)

Al Reyes (RHP 4.37 ERA, 1.368 WHIP; due remainder of $2.3M 2008 - Rays)

Handling with kid gloves?

Pitcher abuse points and ranking in the ML for the Twins' starters this season:

20. Livan Hernandez 20676
116. Scott Baker 1962
118. Kevin Slowey 1874
143. Nick Blackburn 584
151. Glen Perkins 415
172. Boof Bonser 92
233. Francisco Liriano 0

The Twins are in first place after 2 months!

Great win today, with Span and Harris both going deep and Liriano pitching 6 scoreless innings. His velocity is in the low 90s but his slider is sharp. The control could be a bit better, but a very encouraging 1st comeback start. The White Sox got hit hard in KC, in a game that featured 5 ejections and 2 brawls.

In other news, Livan Hernadez' ERA is about to skyrocket mile high