Francisco Liriano Named to All Star Team!

by Jesse on Jul 10, 2006 4:22 PM EDT in News Comment 16 comments

Better late than never, justice has been served.

Congratulations, Francisco. You've earned this.

Liriano replaces White Sox starter Jose Contreras, who will not participate due to pitching six innings against the Red Sox last night. At 10-1, with a league-leading 1.83 ERA, with a league-leading 0.97 WHIP, with a league-leading 10.39 K/9, with a league-leading .544 opponent OPS, you're damn right he belongs.

Said All Star Johan Santana: "There is no question that he should be here. The numbers that he has put up are impressive, unbelievable."

Said All Star Joe Mauer: "He's been amazing for us. I can't really say enough about what he has done this year. His stuff has been electric. He's obviously deserving."

Now, if only something could be worked out for Travis Hafner...

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question

How come Contreras and Glavine aren't going to play because they started on Sunday, but Santana presumably is? Doesn't Santana need rest too?

Also, no doubt Liriano is deserving of the berth but isn't this a case of tripping over pounds to pick up shillings? Ozzie's picking a second Twins starter so he can rest his precious Cuban arm, and this makes us... vindicated or nervous?

http://fastcentury.blogspot.com

by natetheskate on Jul 10, 2006 4:58 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I believe they are both electing to sit out of the

All-Star game. If Santana felt he shouldn't go, that would be his choice.

by chrome on Jul 10, 2006 6:08 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Well...

I wonder if Santana will actually pitch (don't think he will) but in any event, I'm glad he'll be there to sort of be a mentor to the kid over the break (ie "look kid, respect these guys, play the game right, you'll keep being here" kind of a thing). Not that Cisco needs that, but it can't hurt.

by djskilbr on Jul 10, 2006 8:08 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Well then...

my question now is, if Santana's not gonna pitch why is he staying on the roster? Or, conversely, why didn't Contreras and Glavine stay on their rosters?

Basically, I don't like entrusting Liriano and Santana (who are basically manna from Twins heaven) to Ozzie for one night, magical as that night may be.

http://fastcentury.blogspot.com

by natetheskate on Jul 10, 2006 11:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

From the Chicago Tribune

"With my players, I can handle the situation," Guillen said. "The rest of the league is a dangerous situation. If all of a sudden I hurt one of those kids or I overuse him or they don't like the way I handle it, then we have problems.

"That's why I had a meeting face to face to see how they can help me. I told them, 'Don't lie to me. If you feel something or can't pitch or don't want to pitch ...' And everybody seems fine. Except this kid [Boston reliever Jonathan Papelbon]. I told him the only way I will pitch you is if we go 19 innings and we don't have anybody else. It's a tough situation.

"If Jose could have pitched [Tuesday], he would pitch. But I'd rather, as the manager, not use him. In the meanwhile, maybe people will say, 'He's not going to pitch Contreras but he's going to pitch Santana and Halladay.' That's a real dangerous spot for me.

"I talked to the players. I made it real clear if you're not available, please let me know. If we get to the point I don't have to use somebody to lose the game, I'd rather lose the game than have people talking about me hurting somebody."

I really don't think you have to worry about Guillen pushing Santana any farther than he's capable of going.

by chrome on Jul 11, 2006 12:28 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

critical thinking skills

George W. Bush tells me the kids in Iraq are dying for a good cause, so I guess I really don't have to worry abouty that either...

http://fastcentury.blogspot.com

by natetheskate on Jul 11, 2006 1:07 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Easy...

Not the same thing. Not even the same ballpark.

Ozzie's leadership style is easy to question; I question how much longer his team can respond to shock therapy and a clown-like sideshow. But he's a player's manager in many respects, if only because he was a player himself. I have no reason to think he'd purposely overuse a member of the Twins, or any player, just for a laugh at their expense. If Santana and/or Liriano pitch, it won't be more than an inning. If they say they can't go, he won't play them. There's no reason to think otherwise.

by Jesse on Jul 11, 2006 1:34 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Come on now...I know he's a successful

manager for an opposing team, but you don't need to go below the belt with comments like that.

I know you may not like him because he occassionally puts his foot in his mouth and wrongly picked Mark Buerhle for the All-Star game, but he's a guy who's also earned the trust and respect of his players because he trusts and respects them.

Liriano and Santana will be fine.

by chrome on Jul 11, 2006 2:04 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Uncalled

That was both uncalled for and irrelevent to the discussion. I would like to know if you actually have a stance on Guillen, but if you don't, please don't hide it with a comment like this.

"Baseball is great because you can't take a knee or kill the clock. You have to put the ball over the plate and give the other guy his damn chance." C Stengel

by AdamOnFirst on Jul 11, 2006 3:06 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

great ...

Bush Derangement Syndrome pollutes TwinkieTown ...

by BD57 on Jul 11, 2006 7:24 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

sorry about bringing up the president, guys

It was more a point about not using a quote from Ozzie as proof-positive that Ozzie's cool. Just like it would be downright un-American to uncritically accept what our dear Commander in Chief tells us. No "Bush Derangement Syndrome" here, fellas, relax (although since the latest FOX opinion poll puts his approval rating at 35% I have to wonder if the rest of the country has caught the syndrome)...

Anyway, I still don't get why some pitchers bow out of the game altogether because they just pitched, why some stay on the roster but assumably won't play, and why still others will go on to pitch on two days rest.

I'm sure Ozzie's not gonna do anything crazy, and congrats to Liriano and Santana. They are certainly two deserving pitchers. I hope we get an inning or two of a Minnesota Twins battery representing the league.

http://fastcentury.blogspot.com

by natetheskate on Jul 11, 2006 9:14 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

My worry

Is that Ozzie uses the two worst pitchers on the roster for most of the game. He has said he will use Rogers for two or three innings and then Buehrle for two or three innings. At worst, that leaves three innings for the best pitchers ont he team whie the two guys who don't even belong there get most of the game.

I predict an NL win.

Joe Mauer for MVP.

by cmathewson on Jul 11, 2006 10:32 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

OK, I forget Redman

Maybe he getstwo innings and Ozzie uses Jenks for the ninth. That leaves Halladay, Santana, Liriano, Rivera, F-Rod, BJ Ryan, and co out of the game. Great job Ozzie.

Joe Mauer for MVP.

by cmathewson on Jul 11, 2006 10:34 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs