The Twins are unable to get off the schneid in Chicago, losing pathetically 6-2 to Mark Buehrle and the equally slumping Chisox. It seems as if from Friday night on, the Twins have lost more pathetically each day; Monday's 7-6 loss in the Bronx was not as close as the score suggests, and following Scott Baker's 40-pitch second inning Tuesday night, the Twins were really never in the game. Buehrle continues to have the Twins' number, and the Twins bats were obliging the White Sox all night long. Plenty to get to, so let's just do it.Two at-bats by Carlos Gomez really stand out here. Gomez, a player with Double-A talent and tee-ball smarts, is increasingly becoming a player that you just can't bear to watch at the plate. His defensive exploits, while certainly overrated, are worthy of praise, but it's rare for a major-league club to have an outfielder on their roster simply for defensive purposes. Who am I kidding, though -- these are the Twins were talking about, who 
are committed with losing valuable offense at the plate by starting defensive "wizards" Nick Punto and Matt Tolbert everyday. Of course Gomez has a spot on the roster, especially with "Seldom" Delmon Young letting the outfield play him. Offensively, Gomez is an absolute wreck. His .232 batting average, believe it or not, is deceivingly high, as he has yet to have one base hit of any consequence this season. And for all of Dick Bremer's idiocy, Gomez is perhaps the worst bunter I've ever seen, especially when it comes to sacrifice situations. Gomez hasn't gotten it through his thick skull that a sacrifice bunt means exactly that -- sacrificing your at-bat for the good of the team. He tries to bunt for a basehit every time he's asked to sacrifice, and rarely does he put it in fair territory.
are committed with losing valuable offense at the plate by starting defensive "wizards" Nick Punto and Matt Tolbert everyday. Of course Gomez has a spot on the roster, especially with "Seldom" Delmon Young letting the outfield play him. Offensively, Gomez is an absolute wreck. His .232 batting average, believe it or not, is deceivingly high, as he has yet to have one base hit of any consequence this season. And for all of Dick Bremer's idiocy, Gomez is perhaps the worst bunter I've ever seen, especially when it comes to sacrifice situations. Gomez hasn't gotten it through his thick skull that a sacrifice bunt means exactly that -- sacrificing your at-bat for the good of the team. He tries to bunt for a basehit every time he's asked to sacrifice, and rarely does he put it in fair territory.In the top of the fifth, Mike Redmond was fortunate enough to lead off the inning with a double, and Gomez was the next batter. The Twins were down 3-0, but when Carlos Gomez is at the plate, you know he won't produce anything good at the plate, so he should have been bunting. Swinging away was Gomez, and he grounded out to the left side, failing to advance the runner. Even more aggregious was Gomez' at-bat in the seventh inning, when the Twins had runners at the corners with nobody out. Pathetically, Gomez struck out on three pitches, and he never took one good swing in the at-bat.
One may be quick to blame Ron Gardenhire for Gomez' continued struggles (and don't think for one second that I'm letting The Brain off the hook), but one must consider the Twins lineup as a whole. Usually a sacrifice bunt means that the next hitter will produce an RBI for you, but in the Twins lineup, Nick Punto hits behind Carlos Gomez, which is pretty much like saying a pitcher is hitting behind Carlos Gomez. In a National League game, it is rare that an eighth-place hitter lays a bunt in front of the pitcher's spot (unless that pitcher is Yovani Gallardo or Micah Owings, perhaps). In essence, the Twins have two pitchers hitting in a row with Gomez and Punto. It probably doesn't make sense to waste an at-bat with Gomez because you already know that Punto won't get the job done himself. Both Gomez and Punto (especially Punto) cripple your batting order, and it's a major reason for the current five-game losing streak. I never thought I'd say this -- we need you, Delmon Young!
Now the only reason (I hope) that Ron Gardenhire legitimates Nick Punto being a starting shortstop is his defense, and in my book, for 1) the insane amount of money that Punto makes and 2) the hapless, nonexistent offense he contributes, the only way I can justify Punto being an everyday player is if he plays error-free baseball in the field. It's the only way -- Punto needs to be a Gold Glover in order for him to be out there everyday, and pathetically he's not a Gold Glover. He had a terrible error on Monday night in New York and Tuesday a misplay that was not counted as an error loomed large in the seventh inning, when the Sox broke it open. New Twins reliever Sean Henn picked off Scott Podsednik from first base, and Justin Morneau's throw to second was right on target to get the runner, but Nick Punto dropped the ball. Why an error was not charged I don't know, and the inning wouldn't end until two runs had scored, taking a 4-2 game into a 6-2 game. That's it for me, Gardenhire -- when Nick Punto's defense betrays him, he has zero skills to offer a major-league team. The Twins are stuck with Punto and his $4 million contract -- I can just imagine Bill Smith trying to shop Punto to other clubs. Other GMs would likely laugh at Bill Smith or perhaps get offended at the gesture. "How dare you offer me the worst player in the league?" they might say. At this point, as far as a trade goes, I don't think Nick Punto is worth a bag of baseballs-- an absolutely valueless ballplayer.
Now the only reason (I hope) that Ron Gardenhire legitimates Nick Punto being a starting shortstop is his defense, and in my book, for 1) the insane amount of money that Punto makes and 2) the hapless, nonexistent offense he contributes, the only way I can justify Punto being an everyday player is if he plays error-free baseball in the field. It's the only way -- Punto needs to be a Gold Glover in order for him to be out there everyday, and pathetically he's not a Gold Glover. He had a terrible error on Monday night in New York and Tuesday a misplay that was not counted as an error loomed large in the seventh inning, when the Sox broke it open. New Twins reliever Sean Henn picked off Scott Podsednik from first base, and Justin Morneau's throw to second was right on target to get the runner, but Nick Punto dropped the ball. Why an error was not charged I don't know, and the inning wouldn't end until two runs had scored, taking a 4-2 game into a 6-2 game. That's it for me, Gardenhire -- when Nick Punto's defense betrays him, he has zero skills to offer a major-league team. The Twins are stuck with Punto and his $4 million contract -- I can just imagine Bill Smith trying to shop Punto to other clubs. Other GMs would likely laugh at Bill Smith or perhaps get offended at the gesture. "How dare you offer me the worst player in the league?" they might say. At this point, as far as a trade goes, I don't think Nick Punto is worth a bag of baseballs-- an absolutely valueless ballplayer.Sean Henn had to watch the first five innings of the ballgame in the bullpen with his new fellow relievers, and apparently the vibes of Jesse Crain and Luis Ayala and Matt Guerrier rubbed off on the southpaw, who did his job and took the Twins out of the ballgame. I've been hearing so much of these young Twins prospects down on the farm -- Swarzak, Slama, Delaney -- and needless to say it was not surprising that the Twins brought up this Henn guy. Looks like he's found a home in the Twins bullpen.
Props to Rick Anderson getting in Scott Baker's face after his 40-pitch patheticness in the second inning, but Bert Blyleven and Dick Bremer overplayed the situation. Yes, Baker and the rest of the team deserves a stern talking-to, but let's remember that this team is definitely not the 1978 "Bronx is Burning" Yankees who made a routine of clubhouse tension and animosity. This team is settling into its status as a second-rate ballclub, and episodes like this are a visible sign of the team seriously cracking.
Props to Rick Anderson getting in Scott Baker's face after his 40-pitch patheticness in the second inning, but Bert Blyleven and Dick Bremer overplayed the situation. Yes, Baker and the rest of the team deserves a stern talking-to, but let's remember that this team is definitely not the 1978 "Bronx is Burning" Yankees who made a routine of clubhouse tension and animosity. This team is settling into its status as a second-rate ballclub, and episodes like this are a visible sign of the team seriously cracking.
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