Justin Morneau Is in a Slump...
by Jessy S on Apr 18, 2010 9:14 PM EDT
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What would you do?
Short of a medical issue, Justin Morneau needs to break out of his slump and fast. Every Twins fan knows that he isn't that hot right now and even is a goat for killing rallies that would have prevented Jesse Crain from pitching in the ninth inning of today's game with another possible save chance for Jon Rauch. Although September pennant runs are exciting, every win early in the season would prevent a situation like last season where the Twins needed to win their final four games just to have a shot at a tiebreaker game with Detroit. A win today would have brought us one step closer to preventing a third straight game 163 and a certain sweep by the AL Central Winner's Division Series opponent. (Chicago won one game in 2008 vs Tampa Bay).
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Morneau slumps every year
July and August is his time generally
From the only TRUE North division
by thewild_viking_twins on Apr 18, 2010 9:45 PM EDT reply actions
he is getting out over 50% of the time...
The Hochevar Principle: The future comes to all teams. Some teams wait for it. Those teams finish in last place a lot. -Joe Posnanski
I think that was meant to be sarcastic
but he didn’t use the font, so who knows.
"Pinch-bunters don't have a ton of value, even with the Twins"
by Steven Ellingson on Apr 19, 2010 11:49 PM EDT up reply actions
Justin Morneau H15 HR2 .341/.473/.545
Joe Mauer H14 HR1 .341/.440/.537
"Don't take life for granted, because tomorrow isn't promised to any one of us." -Kirby Puckett
"Positive happines come whit sucess if you no have that is all bs" -Ozzie Guillen
by less cowbell, more 'neau on Apr 18, 2010 10:16 PM EDT reply actions
You're saying they both suck equally?
"It wasn't long ago that Kubel communicated mostly by nodding and mumbling." - Souhan
by what_would_gil_thorp_do on Apr 18, 2010 11:47 PM EDT up reply actions
Honestly I don't find it to be that big of a deal.
Every year Justin goes through a slump and he always gets out of it. It’s early in the season and he will find his swing in no time.
Also, you can’t say that the division will come down to a Game 163 for the third straight year. The division winner could run away with the division this year. You just never know. It’s way too early in the season to tell.
It isn't that big of deal
Unless you count that the Twins have had trouble bringing home the runners this season in key situations. Justin Morneau just had horrible day and homestand thus far and killed us in a few key situations today.
As for game 163, I am not saying that there will be one and we will be involved in it, but what I am saying is that a win today would have gone a long way toward preventing a third straight game 163 in the AL Central. We play 76 games within our division compared with 36 with AL West opponents, 36 with AL East opponents, and the rest being interleague play. That means that most of our victories will come from within the division. That will figure on being at least 50-60 wins with at least 40 wins coming from outside the division including multiple wins over Milwaukee, and the Mets plus a possible win over Philadelphia and Atlanta, and maybe a victory or two over the Yankees.
It's not like his hitting line is bad.
It’s actually really good but he just isn’t getting it done with runners on base. He’s trying a little bit too hard, once he starts relaxing he’ll really start to rake and pick up some RBI’s.
yeah
even though he sucked today, he’s done well overall. never entirely believe what your eyes tell you.
But
That was in clutch hitting. The Twins need to respond that way.
Thats baseball
Mauer will strike out with the bases loaded too sometimes.
If he continues to hit .341,with the hitters in front of him, he will be fine.
by clutterheart on Apr 19, 2010 7:43 AM EDT up reply actions
I saw him hit a bomb on Saturday
In the Metrodome, it would have been 10 rows deep. Caught on the warning track.
I wouldn’t say he’s in a slump. He’s not hot. But he’s not cold either.
I couldn’t believe how Hochevar pitched to him. He walks the bases loaded and Morneau comes up and Hochevar, who hadn’t come close to the strike zone for three batters, is suddenly hitting the outside corner at the knees with two perfect pitches. Then he throws what looks like the same pitch except it breaks in the dirt for a strikeout. I don’t know too many hitters who could have done better.
"You're thinking too much. Just have fun." -- Bennie "The Jet" Rodriguez in Sandlot
I agree, Hochevar pulled out some nasty stuff for that AB.
Morneau hasn’t been getting the big hit with runners on quite as much as we’d like, but he’s fine, as his rate stats demonstrate. He might be a little psyched out about not having hit a homer in TF yet, but I won’t worry about him yet. ’
If you’re worrying about Morneau, just ponder this for a second: Mark Teixeira is hitting .114/.291/.205.
True
Mark Teixeria hitting .114 is beyond the point. The Yankees are loaded at this point to the point that they can withstand a poor pitching performance by somebody like Phil Hughes and have someone else be the hero.
As for Hochevar, consider this, he fearlessly pitched to Justin Morneau after drawing Joe Mauer a four pitch walk. Chew on that for a few minutes. Of course, that could have been a byproduct of the Royals Bullpen coach trying to improve their bullpen.
I feel you,
Morneau has been a huge disappointment in a lot of big RBI spots this year (aside from that big double against Boston), but generally his performance is really encouraging to me. Coming off the back issues he had last year, just seeing him playing and putting up a high-900s OPS is fabulous.
I wouldn’t mind sitting him for a game sometime, mainly for some rest and because we have an extra BIG JIMMER on the bench, taking the sting out of resting a stud like Morneau.
The Twins could do worse for a game than Cuddyer at first
Kubel in right, Delmon in left and Thome DHing
I read that and saw
“I saw him hit a bomb on Saturday in the Metrodome.”
by medicineball on Apr 20, 2010 5:34 PM EDT up reply actions
The biggest at bat yesterday was Thome's, not Morneau's
Either he comes through with a hit there, or the Twins lose. ’Cause Soria is automatic, but Rupe is not.
"You're thinking too much. Just have fun." -- Bennie "The Jet" Rodriguez in Sandlot
I won't be unhappy at all
if he continues “slumping” all season to the tune of .319/.467/.511
We Are the Washington Generals
by Eric in Madison on Apr 19, 2010 8:56 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
seriously ...+1
for goodness’ sake GOOD players fail 7 times out of 10 at the plate.
I appreciate the attempt at humor to offset the panic, but complaining that he didn’t come through in a couple of clutch situations this weekend is just a bit too myopic and pessimistic.
and that’s coming from a confirmed pessimist.
by montanatwinsfan on Apr 19, 2010 10:29 AM EDT up reply actions
They confirm pessimists now?
Next thing you know, they’ll confirm atheists.
"You're thinking too much. Just have fun." -- Bennie "The Jet" Rodriguez in Sandlot
What a joke.
This is just sad. We’re only 14 games in. I wouldn’t be concerned if he was batting below the Mendoza line at this point.
by PurplePeopleEaters on Apr 20, 2010 3:24 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
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