Bullpen? We Don't Need No Stinkin' Bullpen!

Time to make a change

After two late-inning blown games in New York, it's time to deem the Twins bullpen an official mess. But it's not just those two losses in New York that appropriate a move to help the team, it's the last two season's worth of poor relief pitching that dictate finding a solution -- and fast.

The Twins starting pitching is solidifying as the season moves along. The Big Five are getting quality starts and the offense is generating enough run support to allow the starters to stay in games much longer than, say, three years ago. This should translate into wins. Instead, it's translated into a .500 baseball team that can't beat anyone outside the division.

The solution may be trading an outfielder. Heck, the Twins have plenty of those. The Twins even have a bunch of catching prospects -- certainly some team is suddenly interested in the skills of Jose Morales. Perhaps a prospect pitcher should be called up (ala Johan Santana, who was a reliever early in his career) or (gasp!) trade for a solid reliever.

Or, better yet, it may be time to move Joe Nathan and spend less on the closer position while dispersing money paid him instead to four solid setup men. Billy Beane and Terry Ryan certainly would agree a closer could be found somewhere in the organization. Beane's long-held postulation that pitching one inning is an easier find than a setup or long reliever has been proven time and again by Ryan. Take a look at: (a) LaTroy Hawkins, (b) Eddie Guardardo and (c) Joe Nathan.

Let's trot out Anthony Swarzak, Kevin Mulvey, Brian Duensing or even Phillip Humber for some relief time. It's time for the Twins front office to act like it actually sees what the fans have been seeing for two years now.

MLB Gameday

The Top MLB Innovation

Is there any better thing than the pitch-by-pitch approach used by MLB in its free Gameday package? Thursdays at work are significantly better with an afternoon Twins game on in a browser on my computer.

I often monitor multiple games when I'm not at the ballpark and it used to be an outstanding function while working on deadline at the newspaper.

Obviously MLB isn't the only website running pitch-by-pitch, but it's probably the best. It appears as if the programmers hired by the league are trying new innovations with it and trying to give the interface a more real-time, watching the game feel.

Watch NHL games on a gameday function. Or an NBA game. Every time I "watch" an NFL game on their Flash Player it's simply too frustrating to wait for the next play or the next comment put in by the person running it.

MLB's Gameday has them all beat. There are up-to-date statistics, links to each player's career stats, everything.

I know it sounds like an advertisement, but honestly, what innovations have better served baseball in recent years? Certainly not homerun replays or maple bats or long pant legs or that crappy font on Twins broadcasts which always has me wondering if the Twins are losing 1-0 or 7-0.

Back in the Pen!

After a too-long hiatus, the Bullpen Catcher has returned to the pen.

Time for a few thoughts about the first month of the Twins season:

1. Well, the Twins bullpen leaves a lot to be desired. When you have a knuckleballer in there, a few folks who can't keep the ball down, and Joe Nathan playing less than stellar, things are just not going to go well for this team. Right now it's starting pitching or nothing for the Twins. Maybe the Joe Crede aquisition was the big front page deal of the off-season, but what really stands out is how badly the team needed bullpen help and did nothing but get a very shakey Luis Ayala.
2. It sure is different when Joe Mauer plays, huh? When he's in the lineup and catching behind the plate, the Twins have a formidable lineup and strong defense. When he's not, well, you have either the option of Red Dog slapping one over to right field every once in a while or Jose Morales hitting, but struggling to mitt the ball.
3. When this pitching rotation gets in synch it could be fun to watch. Unfortunately, it's early and we haven't seen all five of the big arms put it together in the same karma zone. The first time this happens this year, the Twins will vault to first place. Think of it: Baker tosses one of his gems, Slowey follows it up, Liriano dominates, Perkins fools another team and Blackburn looks like he did when he was brilliant at times last year. That will be a hell of a week when it happens -- and it will sometime this season.
4. It would be nice to see Joe Crede get a hit.
5. It was the right choice to send Alexi Casilla to the minors. What the heck was that we were watching. Two words on Alexi so far this season: Clue Less.
6. Isn't it cool that of all the Big Four outfielders that Denard Span is the one producing? Span had that godawful Spring Training and then stepped into the regular season like it was last season again. He's one heck of a leadoff hitter.
7. Punto? Come on.
8. Ron Gardenhire is doing a pretty darn good job so far. Just on the guts of moving Casilla to the minors and in sticking with Span in the leadoff spot despite pressure to do other things is impressive enough.
9. Admit it: we all look over at that new stadium no matter what when we drive down I-94 or are on that side of town. Try not to look next time you're over there. Just try ...