We Need some Hitters

[Down to Earth]

I just glanced back through the schedule from this year and by my count the Twins lost 38 games in which they scored 2 or less runs including 9 times being shut out. That's not counting games they probably won scoring 2 or less, but got great pitching. Hopefully Ryan will be allowed to make some moves during the off season to bring in a decent bat or two. It looks like we will again have a solid rotation for next year. Throw in a better run producing line up and the outlook would be a bit better.

[Willy]

The Twins have needed hitters the last 3 years. This year it just shows more than others because they are SO bad.

I think if we had a bopper or two last year, we win the WS.

Next year, add one big name bopper and another good hitter and still, we win the WS.

Our rotation and bullpen is the best in baseball and will get better for at least a few years. The time is now. Johan, Nathan, Radke, Silva, Rincon. These guys aren't going to be around forever and even though our management touts many of our pitching prospects as the next big thing, I don't think that our staff can be any better than they are now.

[rundrave]

wow nice to see a true baseball thread going again on this board.

I agree twins need some sticks, but its just a little to late to start any chase for the post season.

[Willy]

Even waiver trades are over with now so it's actually not gonna happen for sure this year. I'm pretty much looking to next year right now. Just hate to waste the pitching we had this year.

P.S. Besides that LONG home run he gave up, that Liriano kid looked pretty impressive yesterday. I hope we get to see him start a game before the season's over.

[Down to Earth]

Hoping next year's rotation will go something like:

Santana

Radke

Silva

Baker

Loriano

[NAPAFISH]

Hitters?! Shouldnt Ullger recieve some of the blame

[juggs]

I agree. A lot of this has to do with coaching. These hitters are about the most undisciplined crew I've ever seen. They swing at pitches out of the strike zone on 2-0, take pitches over the plate with two strikes, and don't get me started on the fundamentals. With the exception of a couple guys, this is a team-wide problem. Probably goes back to their minor league training, too.

[FI Guide]

You have to blame most of it on ullger. Almost every player on the team except for mauer has no patience at the plate. Also everyone on the team suffers from lecroyitis. The condition is we can only hit singles and not drive in runs with people on base. We need hitters but we will never get them with the management on this team.

[blue_healer_guy]

Hitters, yeah we need them. As far as hitting coaches, they get way to much dump if a team is not hitting. These guys are major leaguers, they may need hitting coaches in their minor league career, but up in the bigs I think it's way overblown. The real problem with the twinkies is the same it always will be. I've beaten this horse to death, but until Pohlad sells this MN Nice team, we will say this forever. Can't get a bopper and keep our pitchin staff until grandpa opens up the wallet.

[Down to Earth]

I have to disagree a bit with putting so much blame on Ulger. Look at the line up from last night, with their career averages.

Stewart .300

Abernathy .246

Punto .243

Mauer .298

LeCroy .263

Ford .288

Morneau .249

Tyner .256

Bartlett .257

Basically what you have with the exception of Stewart, Mauer and maybe Ford is a bunch of crappy singles hitters. I don't think any coach could improve this bunch. If so, it would have been done way before this season. You can put a little blame on the hitting coach, but at least give him something to work with. The problem is the Twins simply do not have a solid RBI guy in their line up. If your gonna have a bunch of guys hitting .240-.260 in your line up at least have 1 or two that's going to hit the ball out of the park and drive guys in on a regular basis instead of hitting singles.

[juggs]

DTE--With the pitching the Twins have, they can go a long way with a bunch of singles hitters. I for one don't believe they need the big bopper in the middle of the lineup to get them over the hump. Just think of all the one and two run games they've lost this year because of lost opportunity on the bases and not being able to get a lead off runner in from second. Their record the past three years has been better with just a little better offense. Good pitching can take you a long way but with such a limited offense only so far. From what I've seen on TV and being at the dome, they seriously lack plate discipline. The pitchers around the league are on to them and throw a lot of slow stuff off the plate. Not to mention they can't bunt to save their lives.

[FI Guide]

DTE you are correct a buch of crappy singles hitters. For god sake lets trade for dontrelle willis and stick him in our lineup since he can actually hit the ball.