BBTF's Newsblog Discussion :: Minnesota Twins place Scott Baker, Joe Mauer on DL

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Thursday, April 02, 2009

Minnesota Twins place Scott Baker, Joe Mauer on DL

PioNeer junction...depletion zone ahead!

Scott Baker’s Opening Night assignment has been called off. And so has the Philip Humber-R.A. Dickey roster competition.

The right-hander was placed on the disabled list today after he experienced some stiffness in his right shoulder while pitching against Class AAA Norfolk on Wednesday.

Baker will be replaced Monday night at the Metrodome against the Seattle Mariners by Francisco Liriano, who receives the first Opening Day assignment of his career.

Liriano will be followed by Nick Blackburn on Tuesday, then Kevin Slowey and Glen Perkins. Friday’s starter in Chicago figures to be Dickey, whose quest for a roster spot has been successful, at least until Baker returns. With Baker going on the disabled list for 15 days — retroactive to his last Grapefruit League start on March 27, making him eligible to return as early as April 12 — the Twins are down to 12 pitchers.

Baker threw just 58 pitches in his final tuneup start, allowing no runs over five innings.

The Twins also placed catcher Joe Mauer and pitcher Boof Bonser on the disabled list, joining Pat Neshek. Mauer’s exact return date is uncertain as he is continues recovering from inflammation in his sacroiliac joint. Bonser is out for the season after shoulder surgery in February.

Repoz Posted: April 02, 2009 at 01:45 PM | 16 comment(s)
Related News: General, Minnesota

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1. Craig Calcaterra Posted: April 02, 2009 at 01:05 PM (#3122305)

Kunckleballers: 1, Earthlings: 0

2. Dewey, Local Boy and Soupuss Posted: April 02, 2009 at 01:08 PM (#3122309)

This is the Twins' last season in the Metrodome, right? I really hope so.

3. Esmailyn Gonzalez Sr. Posted: April 02, 2009 at 01:12 PM (#3122312)

Kunckleballers: 1, Earthlings: 0

Spelling 1, Craig 0

4. Obama Bomaye Posted: April 02, 2009 at 01:16 PM (#3122320)

While tooling around the new stats on B-R yesterday, I noticed that Mauer had far and away the best productive-out % in the AL last season. Without trying to olney the thread, I think all would agree a productive out is better an unproductive out. Anyway, I then noticed the next couple guys were also Twins -- Span, I think, and someone else. Seems to me that this, in addition to their good hitting with RISP, helped their offense score all those runs, despite not appearing to have a powerful lineup. I assume an organizational philosophy has helped them succeed at this. Perhaps it's the same philosophy that prevented David Ortiz from achieving his power potential, but can make other types of hitters more productive.

5. Craig Calcaterra Posted: April 02, 2009 at 01:20 PM (#3122326)

Spelling 1, Craig 0

Though the "edit" option is still live for that post, I will leave it up in all of its misspelled glory because, as is the case with kunckleballers the world over, for me, precision is far less important than dazzling deception.

6. Dingbat Charlie

Posted: April 02, 2009 at 01:30 PM (#3122339)

this stinks, I like Scott Baker.

7. Jimmy P Posted: April 02, 2009 at 01:35 PM (#3122350)

At least this offsets the idiocy of starting DeWayne Wise and leading him off.

Ok Indians, it's time for you to do something equally stupid!

8. The Polish Sausage Racer Posted: April 02, 2009 at 01:44 PM (#3122365)

And Morneau's out with a bad back....

9. Ryan Jones Posted: April 02, 2009 at 01:45 PM (#3122367)

Obama Bombaye, as a question, do the Twins also engage in an abnormal number of hit&runs;? If so, that would at least partially explain the number of productive outs - it's a lot easier to advance a runner on a ground ball when he's already running. Also, don't the Twins, as a whole, emphasize speed and baserunning more than other teams? That's always been the reputation that I've heard, but I don't know if it's true or not.

10. Dewey, Local Boy and Soupuss Posted: April 02, 2009 at 01:48 PM (#3122373)

And Morneau's out with a bad back....

Perfect marketing scheme - "Crede. Mauer. Morneau. The Bad Back Boys."

11. Obama Bomaye Posted: April 02, 2009 at 02:16 PM (#3122410)

Ryan, I don't know, and I don't think hit & runs are counted even on the new B-R. Hopefully a Twins fan can answer. But they don't appear to have an inordinate number of SB or CS. Last year they did take an extra base on hits more than average. The Angels seem to have a similar reputation for situational hitting and aggressive baserunning.

12. Ball Point Pen Guy (Will Young) Posted: April 02, 2009 at 02:52 PM (#3122460)

The Twins don't hit-and-run particularly often anymore. Span and Mauer's productive out total is likely partially driven by the fact that the people on base when they hit will always be Gomez, Casilla, Punto, etc. Those guys are very fast and can likely advance more bases on outs as well. It's a lot easier to hit a flyball that advances Carlos Gomez from 2nd to 3rd than one that advances Justin Morneau.

Also, Carlos Gomez is a lunatic on the bases which also cannot hurt. He's easily the most entertaining player I've ever seen put on a Twins uniform simply because the potential always exists that he'll do something amazing or something totally idiotic and either way it's fun to watch.

13. Random Transaction Generator Posted: April 02, 2009 at 03:42 PM (#3122534)

Also, Carlos Gomez is a lunatic on the bases which also cannot hurt. He's easily the most entertaining player I've ever seen put on a Twins uniform simply because the potential always exists that he'll do something amazing or something totally idiotic and either way it's fun to watch.

That sounds like the description Bill James gave for Alfredo Griffin on the basepaths.

14. BeanoCook Posted: April 02, 2009 at 09:22 PM (#3122813)

Are the Twins being cautious with Baker or is this a real injury? Anyone hear either way?

15. Dr. Dave Posted: April 02, 2009 at 11:28 PM (#3122900)

I assume an organizational philosophy has helped them succeed at this.

Really? I assume they got lucky. Seems more likely...

16. Obama Bomaye Posted: April 02, 2009 at 11:51 PM (#3122911)

Span and Mauer's productive out total is likely partially driven by the fact that the people on base when they hit will always be Gomez, Casilla, Punto, etc. Those guys are very fast and can likely advance more bases on outs as well.

A good point.

I assume they got lucky. Seems more likely...

They've had a higher than average % of productive outs for 7 seasons in a row, and 10 out of 11. There could be a park factor involved. I'd say being lucky is unlikely.

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Thursday, April 02, 2009

Minnesota Twins place Scott Baker, Joe Mauer on DL

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