Where is "That guy?"

[Eric Wettschreck]

Watching the Twins play lately is painful to say the least. They're lolligagging (to take a term from Bull Durham). They just don't have any fire in them. In the past, like the guys or not, they've had Nick Punto, Denny Hocking, etc. The guys who Pete Rose/Charlie Hustle every play, and that kind of hard charging play, I feel, oozed out to the rest of the team and made them play tough.

Now, they don't have a "That guy." No one is stepping up. They just don't have any fire under their belts. Gardy needs to send half of them to Rochester for a while so they can learn to appreciate baseball at the major league level again.

Sucks.

[Jackpine Rob]

Eric, I'm thinking his name is Ben Revere. Couple of days ago, when he tumbled and somersaulted rounding second base and still got the triple, I think the question was answered. I watched the post-game, and the reaction of the Twins in the dugout said it all.

He might not be hitting .400, his arm might be suspect, but the kid flat-out gives it his all. He is a sparkplug.

Ben Revere for "that guy".

[minnesotashooter]

At least for last nights game it has to be Cuddyer! He turned his little bloop into left field into a double and then was pretty much on Mauer's heels coming into home last night. He hustled on both plays and helped win that game.

[zamboni]

Was there a different Denny Hocking that played for us?

[harvey lee]

Seems a few stepped up the last 2 games.

Valencia has had 2 great late inning hits to help steal 2 away from Cleveland.

Only 5 out and they were almost 20 not that long ago.

It could get interesting before this season is over.

[Musky Buck]

Has Morneau hit a target field jack yet ? I think he has but has the park been open almost 2 years now ? What is up with that guy, bad neck yet he reaches higher than anyone to high five his teammates, he needs to get back and get busy for us, Kubel and Span they can take the rest of this year off, don't seem to miss our outfielders as much.

[Superduty]

Musky Buck,

You don't have room for Kubel and his .310 avg in your lineup?

I happen to agree with you on Span. Mediocre outfielder and a space cadet on the basepaths.

[solbes]

...he needs to get back and get busy for us, Kubel and Span they can take the rest of this year off, don't seem to miss our outfielders as much.

I dunno, I'm salivating at the prospect of a healthy Kubel in the lineup. He was our only bright spot before the injury. His bat could really help our lineup. The return of Span would open up some trading options for us. A healthy Morny would be awesome too of course, but seems pretty uncertain. Right now he's "doing great" and will be evaluated after the weekend, whatever that means.

[greebs]

get kubes in the lineup asap. he needs to play every day against rhp. as bad as april and may was for this team, without kubel who they would have been in an even deeper hole than they were.

[harvey lee]

WE need Kubels bat for sure. He was the hottest batter we had until his injury.

[Hoyt4]

Span is our best trade bait with Slowey.

Kubel might help out but going to take a couple weeks to get back into the groove.When he comes back you just keep Cuddy at first and Kubel in RF. Thome needs more at bats keep at DH.

[B. Amish]

Was there a different Denny Hocking that played for us?

LOL. I thought the same thing.

[Big Tom]

Span is our best trade bait with Slowey.

Kubel might help out but going to take a couple weeks to get back into the groove.When he comes back you just keep Cuddy at first and Kubel in RF. Thome needs more at bats keep at DH.

I'm kind of liking Baby Jesus batting over .500 playing 1st. When Mauer catches I agree with Cuddy at 1st and Kubel in right field. Mauer playing 1st is a great solution to keeping Thome's bat in the line-up.

[mainbutter]

With Mauer and Cuddy both having a great time at the plate, I keep wondering what it would be like having Kubel somewhere in the mix.

I do worry a bit, as the rumors are that Kubel's bat has cooled off a lot and really needs to re-work some stuff to get his swing going right again.

[zamboni]

Man, I like Morneau as much as the next guy, but can he ever not be hurt? He would be amongst the first person I would trade. Cuddy and Hughes are very capable at first. I would rather see Mauer in right than at first, plus he can part time DH next year after Thome retires.

[crothmeier]

kubel in left, cuddy at 1st mauer catching. or kubel dh, cuddy right, mauer 1st.

trade bait: span, slowy(crybaby) and young(overweight again & worthless)

leave revere in the outfield. he injects energy into that team, like carlos gomez did a few years ago, except revere doesnt look like a kid entering valleyfair for the first time.

trevor plouffe can rotate through the outfield. these arethe guys that got us back in contention! let em play!

[SledNeck]

Man, I like Morneau as much as the next guy, but can he ever not be hurt? He would be amongst the first person I would trade. Cuddy and Hughes are very capable at first. I would rather see Mauer in right than at first, plus he can part time DH next year after Thome retires.

would you pay cuddy 12+ mil a year

[Hoyt4]

Young is starting to get the bat going.

Morneau is done maybe get a couple weeks at the end of the year from him.

Kubel in Right, Span traded with Slowey. Ben in center , cuddy at 1st.

Thome has to get more at bats to get going. Mauer is hitting and can DH or catch and a few games at 1st. Ploufe just has to get some confidence in the field having trouble with fly balls now.He will be a bat off the bench at the end of the season. Not sure if we can stay with the Tigers, they hit better then we do with runners on we suck. We just make too many errors right now ,cannot win the division and make this many errors as we do right now.

[B. Amish]

players that are injured never get traded. dumb idea. what do you expect to get for someone who is injured?

[B. Amish]

ben revere is a flash in the pan. trade him now while his value is high. notice how the opposing outfielders are starting to play really shallow on him and catch some of his lazy line drive would be singles. he's only got enough to hit it over their head once a month.

no power, noodle arm, terrible on base percentage = bad

[Hoyt4]

I have no problem trading revere and Span. Beltran is up for trade I know he gets hurt but would be a great center fielder and has power.

[zamboni]

We can't afford Beltran. I think he is still in the top 5 in salaries in the Majors, and we would have to honor his contract out.

[hunter76]

Lets work on Capps first. He needs to go.

[Hoyt4]

New york is going to pick up his remaining salary.

[zamboni]

You would still have to re-sign him. Not going to be cheap.