On one hand...
That's how close we are to the White Sox. We can count on one hand how close we are. Thank you whoever makes the schedule for letting us play Tampa while Detroit and Chicago beat up on each other. The Twins win their 6th in a row and we get to finish the series with Santana. With luck, we could get even closer to the White Sox.
I have no illusions though. We are heading for a road stretch that could hurt us as much as the last week has helped us. Just before the All-Star break, the Twins showed their weakness on the road. Now, playing Cleveland I'm not as concerned, but that White Sox series could really be scary. Consider this: Liriano won't be starting in that series. Luckily, Radke and Santana will.
On the other hand...
Recent news about Shea Hillenbrand has produced some chatter about the Twins possibly seeking a trade for the 3B/1B/DH. The Twins could use a good solid power bat at 3B or DH, and he certainly isn't that far out of our price range. However, I think this would be a bad idea.
First of all, the reason the Blue Jays designated him for assignment is a red flag. If the guy takes offense to the front office not congratulating him for his adoption, I gotta wonder about his attitude. Now, I can understand his ire for the manager calling him out in a team meeting, but the whole situation makes me feel uncomfortable about him possibly disrupting our clubhouse.
Second, Nick Punto is doing a great job filling in at 3B. His hustle and heart has helped boost this team up in the standings. He's part of this team's success, and I would not want to mess that up by giving Hillenbrand the position that has helped Punto fit in. Granted, Punto doesn't produce for power, but so what! He's still hitting and getting on base. Could he do it from Center Field? Left Field? Perhaps. But remember what happened when Cuddyer got messed around. He found a niche in RF. Punto has found a niche at 3B. Keep him there.
The only way I would possibly accept the trade is if Shea would agree to DH for most of the time. And that was a complaint he had in Toronto. The Twins are doing quite well right now. Hillenbrand might benefit from a change of scenery, and he might be able to bring even more punch to this lineup, but I can't get around the red flag of just how he got into his position with Toronto in the first place. I would hate to see this team lose because of a cancer in the clubhouse.
I have no illusions though. We are heading for a road stretch that could hurt us as much as the last week has helped us. Just before the All-Star break, the Twins showed their weakness on the road. Now, playing Cleveland I'm not as concerned, but that White Sox series could really be scary. Consider this: Liriano won't be starting in that series. Luckily, Radke and Santana will.
On the other hand...
Recent news about Shea Hillenbrand has produced some chatter about the Twins possibly seeking a trade for the 3B/1B/DH. The Twins could use a good solid power bat at 3B or DH, and he certainly isn't that far out of our price range. However, I think this would be a bad idea.
First of all, the reason the Blue Jays designated him for assignment is a red flag. If the guy takes offense to the front office not congratulating him for his adoption, I gotta wonder about his attitude. Now, I can understand his ire for the manager calling him out in a team meeting, but the whole situation makes me feel uncomfortable about him possibly disrupting our clubhouse.
Second, Nick Punto is doing a great job filling in at 3B. His hustle and heart has helped boost this team up in the standings. He's part of this team's success, and I would not want to mess that up by giving Hillenbrand the position that has helped Punto fit in. Granted, Punto doesn't produce for power, but so what! He's still hitting and getting on base. Could he do it from Center Field? Left Field? Perhaps. But remember what happened when Cuddyer got messed around. He found a niche in RF. Punto has found a niche at 3B. Keep him there.
The only way I would possibly accept the trade is if Shea would agree to DH for most of the time. And that was a complaint he had in Toronto. The Twins are doing quite well right now. Hillenbrand might benefit from a change of scenery, and he might be able to bring even more punch to this lineup, but I can't get around the red flag of just how he got into his position with Toronto in the first place. I would hate to see this team lose because of a cancer in the clubhouse.
posted by Joe at 7/20/2006 07:51:00 AM
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