Twins Player of the Game: Sweeping the Padres Edition

by Jesse on Jun 20, 2011 7:30 AM EDT in Player of the Game, 2011

This was a great series, largely because it consisted of three pretty good games. Also because the Twins came out on top of all three. As badly as those first few weeks of the season were, it seems like the last three weeks have been just as impressive. Although, impressive in a good way.

For me there's one performance that really stands out from this weekend's weep of the Padres, and a couple others that you could call critical performances at critical times. Let's see what you think, as I introduce this weekend's nominees.

Scott Baker: Baker's 8-inning, 10-strikeout performance on Saturday was brilliant. It's hard to say enough good things about how really, seriously, awesomely good he's been recently, and this performance was easily one of his strongest performances in what's been a very good season to date.

Danny Valencia: 2-for-7, 2 HR, 4 RBI. Before being removed from Saturday night's game with a tight bicep/tricep, Valencia had delivered twice. His first was a three-run homer in the five-run first inning outburst during Friday night's contest, which ended up being a critical moment as the Padres fought back to make it just a one-run game. His other moment was arguably even more critical, as his solo homer in the second inning on Saturday night was the difference in support of Baker's game. It was the only run in a 1-0 contest.

Rene Tosoni: Tosoni was 2-for-5 in the series, with his biggest hit being a clutch two-out double down the first base line to tie Sunday's game at three.

Matt Tolbert: Tolbert was 1-for-1 yesterday, delivering a big double into the gap to score Tosoni for the go-ahead run in Sunday's game.

Drew Butera: Butera's lone plate appearance delivered yesterday's game-winning run.

Poll

Who's your favorite Padre-topper?

Scott Baker

339 votes

Danny Valencia

145 votes

Rene Tosoni

14 votes

Matt Tolbert

5 votes

Drew Butera

40 votes

543 votes | Poll has closed

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From the San Diego paper's recap of the game, since the Gaslamp site only updates like once a day:

Chad Qualls walked 2010 Japanese batting champion Nishioka to get to the Twins’ No. 3 catcher, Sal Butera, who hit the ball sharply to Headley’s left. The ball ricocheted off Headley’s glove as he dived, rolling through the normal shortstop home that had been vacated by Jason Bartlett when he moved to his right on Butera’s contact. Young raced home from second as the ball rolled to a stop on the outfield grass.

If Sal got the GWRBI, then the Twins are really living right…

Let loose the hogs of war!
Dogs of war..
Whatever farm animal of war, Lana...

by darren004 on Jun 20, 2011 10:12 AM EDT reply actions

Haha!

"Don't take life for granted, because tomorrow isn't promised to any one of us." -Kirby Puckett
"God grab your neck but never choke" -Ozzie Guillen

by less cowbell, more 'neau on Jun 20, 2011 3:28 PM EDT up reply actions

Went with Danny V

two important hits in two games.

Baseball reminds us of all that once was good, and that could be again.-Terence Mann/James Earl Jones in FoD

by Twins33 on Jun 20, 2011 10:21 AM EDT reply actions

Me too.

Great pitching performance but Danny’s home runs were the game winning factor in two of the three games.

"Somebody once asked me if I ever went up to the plate trying to hit a home run. I said, 'Sure, every time." --Mickey Mantle

by ilovethetwins on Jun 20, 2011 10:32 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

That was my logic.

I think Danny deserves this one

"There are three things in my life which I really love: God, my family, and baseball. The only problem—once baseball season starts, I change the order around a bit." -Al Gallagher

by twinsgirl197 on Jun 20, 2011 11:14 AM EDT up reply actions

Agreed

You and Danny are two of a kind.

I'm a proud fan of the Minnesota Twins and Dallas Cowboys!
"Life is precious and time is a key element. Let’s make every moment count and help those who have a greater need than our own." – Harmon Killebrew

by Jessy S on Jun 20, 2011 12:55 PM EDT up reply actions

haha

thats step one of my master plan to eventually marry him ;) (lol jk.. thatd be really creepy… lol:)

"There are three things in my life which I really love: God, my family, and baseball. The only problem—once baseball season starts, I change the order around a bit." -Al Gallagher

by twinsgirl197 on Jun 20, 2011 1:24 PM EDT up reply actions

Hey now, he is a soon-to-be married man!

by twinscrazy_german on Jun 20, 2011 3:00 PM EDT up reply actions

I know...

:`( I sort of creepily googled and looked up all sorts of stuff saying he’s getting married this fall

"There are three things in my life which I really love: God, my family, and baseball. The only problem—once baseball season starts, I change the order around a bit." -Al Gallagher

by twinsgirl197 on Jun 20, 2011 3:07 PM EDT up reply actions

But you can still be the other woman.

Maybe become a teen mom in the process and get on that Teen Mom show. The only thing though is that the Twins woudn’t like it.

by Jessy S on Jun 20, 2011 8:48 PM EDT up reply actions

eww that's be so creepy

I mean I like Danny but A) I’d feel so terrible if I ever dated someone who was already in another relationship, and B) MTV shows are generally stupid. Only decent show on MTV is ABDC

"There are three things in my life which I really love: God, my family, and baseball. The only problem—once baseball season starts, I change the order around a bit." -Al Gallagher

by twinsgirl197 on Jun 20, 2011 8:58 PM EDT up reply actions

What do you know

There is actually something decent on MTV.

by Jessy S on Jun 20, 2011 9:02 PM EDT up reply actions

well if there was anything else good on

the couple of times I have seen it I wouldn’t have even watched it. I just gave up and watched it maybe 4 or 5 episodes

"There are three things in my life which I really love: God, my family, and baseball. The only problem—once baseball season starts, I change the order around a bit." -Al Gallagher

by twinsgirl197 on Jun 20, 2011 9:07 PM EDT up reply actions

At least we know where your priorities lie

That is until MTV picks up baseball with Sookie doing the announcing.

by Jessy S on Jun 20, 2011 10:37 PM EDT up reply actions

who is Sookie?

(I only watched ABDC after my friend told me I should check it out.. I only paid attention to the music though.) Is that someone on the show?

"There are three things in my life which I really love: God, my family, and baseball. The only problem—once baseball season starts, I change the order around a bit." -Al Gallagher

by twinsgirl197 on Jun 20, 2011 10:59 PM EDT up reply actions

This was my logic as well

"Lord, beer me strength."

by TexansDC on Jun 20, 2011 1:21 PM EDT up reply actions

Danny V

Me too went with Danny V 2 homers in 2 games with one of them being the game winner. Although it was a toss up between him and Baker. I just thought that Danny played in two of the three games and Baker only 1 I’d go with Danny

by Die Hard Twins Fan on Jun 20, 2011 11:30 AM EDT reply actions

Trades

I don’t want to make Twins Fans mad like last night, but do you think of the Twins possibly trading Delmon and maybe Slowey to the Padres for Heath Bell? If we were able to pull that off it would make room for Ben Revere, Slowey doesn’t want to be here if he can’t start, and I believe he would fair much better in the N.L than the A.L like Kyle Lohse did. Just a thought

by Die Hard Twins Fan on Jun 20, 2011 11:38 AM EDT reply actions

I'm not sure Delmon would get picked up on waivers

Delmon has negative value and Slowey doesn’t have much. I think they would expect more than that for Heath Bell.

by DJL44 on Jun 20, 2011 11:42 AM EDT up reply actions

Agreed. We'd probably have to throw in Gibson or another high level prospect.

Cheering for inconsistent, undisciplined teams [Twins, Wild, Packers, Hawkeyes] since 1989. "False Hope is better than No Hope"

by Yabbs on Jun 20, 2011 12:05 PM EDT up reply actions

Delmon

Delmon yes I know has a negative value, just hoping we could find a sucker to take him, Slowey I believe would turn his career around if he was in the N.L. Lohse sure has he’s been pitching all right for the Cardinals,being there’s no D.H.

by Die Hard Twins Fan on Jun 20, 2011 12:05 PM EDT reply actions

Delmon yes I know has a negative value, just hoping we could find a sucker to take him

The same people who were saying this in 2009 were making the case for him to be the Twins’ MVP in 2010. I wouldn’t be surprised to hear that kind of praise again, followed by more bucket-of-balls trade proposals a few months later.

by ben2 on Jun 20, 2011 2:26 PM EDT up reply actions

Gibson

Don’t you think it’s time to call up Gibson. He is 3-6 with a 3.79era down in Rochester. I don’t know whose spot he takes in the Rotation Duensing’s maybe if he continues to struggle. That’s hard for me to say because I like Duensing. I just thought we’ve all wanted power arms in the rotation a bona fide ace and this kid is it. My aunt watched him pitch at Mizz. Think about if we call up Kibson we’d have two aces in Frankie and Gibson move Baker to the 3 spot and a already strong rotation just got stronger.

by Die Hard Twins Fan on Jun 20, 2011 12:56 PM EDT reply actions

I don't know why we'd call him up now

Wait until we need him. Duensing is fine, he’s been good for two years – let him work through this. as soon as someone has to miss more than a start (someone will) then bring up gibson. No reason to bring him up when the rotation is as good as its been.

"Pinch-bunters don't have a ton of value, even with the Twins"

by Steven Ellingson on Jun 20, 2011 1:30 PM EDT up reply actions

No

Don’t you think it’s time to call up Gibson. He is 3-6 with a 3.79era down in Rochester. I don’t know whose spot he takes in the Rotation Duensing’s maybe if he continues to struggle. That’s hard for me to say because I like Duensing. I just thought we’ve all wanted power arms in the rotation a bona fide ace and this kid is it.

The boldfaced statements do not appear to agree.

I actually see more value in Gibson right now bringing him up and throwing him into Burnett’s spot in the bullpen – I’m not sure how big an upgrade he is over Duensing in the rotation at the moment, and the bullpen’s lefties are much stronger than the righties. Break him in with long work, eventually moving him to seventh-or-eighth-inning work while having him around as a sixth starter, then let him compete for a full-time rotation spot next spring.

"There are only two things that are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former." - Albert Einstein

by BeefMaster on Jun 20, 2011 1:52 PM EDT up reply actions

That makes some sense.

The key is what makes the most sense for his development (exposure in the MLB pen or keep starting in AAA), because he’s unlikely to make a huge impact pitching 25 or 30 bullpen innings instead of, say, Alex Burnett.

by Luke in MN on Jun 20, 2011 4:56 PM EDT up reply actions

This is true

I was only speaking about what was best for the immediate future of the Twins. Long-term, it probably makes the most sense to let him pitch every fifth day in Rochester.

Interesting question that just came to mind – I wonder if the adjustment from AAA to MLB as a starting pitcher differs depending on whether the player originally came to the majors as a starter or reliever. The Twins have especially done that with lefties – Santana, Liriano, and Duensing are all starters who initially came up as relievers before getting a starting job, presumably because lefthanded relievers are a valuable commodity. It’s possible that a chance to see success at the major league level as a reliever (since that’s easier than starting) is better for a career than continuing to dominate minor leaguers in full-length starts.

"There are only two things that are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former." - Albert Einstein

by BeefMaster on Jun 20, 2011 5:54 PM EDT up reply actions

And Gibson has been pitching very well

Though he seems to struggle to get through the sixth or seventh inning, his numbers are solid. It is just that he has been hurt by the team’s on-field struggles since Rochester has seen a lot of their players get sent to the Twins. It is mostly the latter because of the offense we stole from there.

by Jessy S on Jun 20, 2011 8:57 PM EDT up reply actions

Gibson

71 innings pitched 71 hits 17 walks 74 strikeouts 3-6 3.79 time to call up

by Die Hard Twins Fan on Jun 20, 2011 1:04 PM EDT reply actions

Every single one of our starters

is pitching VERY well right now.

There is zero reason to bring him up.

by Jesse on Jun 20, 2011 2:23 PM EDT up reply actions

Exactement

Suggesting this is just unreasonable at this point.

Let the kid develop further, build up his arm without putting the pressure of the big leagues on him. It’s not going to hurt him and right now, the Twins are sitting well with what they have

by twinscrazy_german on Jun 20, 2011 3:04 PM EDT up reply actions

See my post above

I think there is a decent argument for bringing up Gibson, just not as a starter. If you want him to keep starting, leave him in Rochester, at least until this run of great pitching by the starters ends.

"There are only two things that are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former." - Albert Einstein

by BeefMaster on Jun 20, 2011 3:24 PM EDT up reply actions