Got to see the first part of the Twins preseason game against New York Yankees yesterday. Of course it's just one meaningless game but it was my first chance to see some of our new players and overall my first impressions were mixed.
Delmon Young really impressed me. Not only did he show some strength on a home run to center field but he also was taking some pitches and using the whole field (in particular he a hard single to the opposite field in his last at bat). If first impressions hold true then he's going to be our MVP this year.
On the other hand Carlos Gomez did absolutely nothing to impress me or make me think that he's ready for the big leagues. He did take a couple pitches in his first at bat and laid down a nice looking bunt but after that he didn't seem very disciplined nor at the plate. What really disturbed me about him though was how he looked on defense. To me it looked like he misplayed a couple balls hit to center and then he had not one but two horrendous throws to home plate that made memories of Jacque Jones not seem so bad. Of course it's just one game but based on my first impression he's going to be starting at triple A this year which might be best.
My impressions of Brendan Harris were more of a mixed bag. The most exciting thing to see for me is that he looked very comfortable at the plate and had some good at bats working the count and putting some good swings on the ball. Defensively he looked below average, not charging a ground ball and missing one that looked to have gone off or just beneath his glove. Those things can be improved on though so if he continues swinging the bat well, he should be our starting second baseman with Nick Punto replacing him defensive reasons at the end of the game.
Kevin Slowey got the start and didn't do half bad. He was aggressive with his pitches throwing strikes early in the count but he did leave some balls up. Overall I think he showed that he can be a very good fifth starter if they need him but he's not going to blow anyone away.
A couple other nice things to see were watching Alexi Casilla make a strong throw from deep in the whole at short and watching Garrett Jones absolutely smash a pitch that was left up and out over the plate for a long home run. That's exactly what you're suppose to do to a pitch like that and being that he's got a good chance of being a bench player this year, it was good to see. Overall it's just fun to be able to watch baseball again. I'll paste all my notes in here now so you can see my thoughts on the individual at bats.
My Twins game notes from March 5, 2008:
#) denotes at bat
Defense Notes:
First Inning
P Kevin Slowey
1) Looks to be attacking the strike zone.
2) Leave a pitch up and it gets lined to center
3) Still seams to be up in the zone…finally gets a pitch down and gets a weak grounder to Second ,,, Harris seams a bit timid in fielding as he doesn’t charge the ball
4) Keeping the ball down better…Fools Arod on a great breaking pitch off the plate. Almost got him on good looking pitch inside (ump doesn’t give it to him)
5) Nice strikeout of Giambi
Second Inning
6) Still attacking the strike zone. Gets a pop fly to left
7) Left a pitch up that is lined to center…Gomez misjudges it and looks a bit foolish
8) Leaves another pitch up that gets smashed to the center field wall…Gomez looks timid again to me …maybe he wasn’t sure where the wall was
9) Nice strikeout
10) hard smash up the middle…Harris makes a nice effort but comes up short on a dive
11) Walk
12) Lined to center…Gomez throws to the plate and makes a terrible throw to the plate that’s about 12 feet wide of Joe Mauer
13) Arod strikes out
Third Inning
P Julio Depaula
1) First pitch single to left
2) Throwing some nice looking pitches…pop fly to right
3) Ground ball up the middle…Gomez is way of the mark again on a throw to the plate but it is cut off and they get an out on hitter going to second
4) Nice looking strikeout
Forth Inning
P Randy Keasler
1) Strikeout
2) Ground out to second
3) Ground ball that goes under Harris’ glove…was moving to his right but I think he should have had it
4) Pop fly to center
Fifth Inning
5) Fly ball to center
6) Grounder deep in the hole to short…Casila makes nice strong throw and gets him out…nice pick by Morneau
7) Grounder to first
Offesive Notes:
CF Carlos Gomez
1) Nice bunt…good to see him take a few pitches
2) Chopper to short
3) Skies first pitch to short center
2B Brendan Harris
1) Looks like a patient hitter taking a few tough pitches….does a nice job hitting a single on a pitch up in the zone.
2) Showing patience again going 3-0…grounds to second
3) Takes the first pitch again….chopper up the middle for force out
C Joe Mauer
1) Still patient as ever up there waiting for his pitch…picked the wrong pitch to swing at as he got on top of a curveball grounding into a DP.
2) Chops ball to first
3) Loops a ball into the gap for a double
1B Justin Morneau
1) Takes a few pitches that look like balls but get called strikes…Works count full and flies out to center
2) Holds up on tough breaking pitch…ends up walking
3) Lines out to center…Mauer gets gunned down easily trying to advance to third
LF Delmon Young
1) Nice looking swing…definitely shows some power with a tall homerun to center
2) Takes a few pitches…lines a one hopper to third
3) Smashes a single to the opposite field. Nice swing
3B Brian Buscher
1) Works the count and then lines a bullet to the first baseman’s glove.
2) Line drive over first baseman’s head
3) [Matt Marcri] pinch hits and strikes out
DH Jon Knott
1) Grounds out to third
2) Misses a fastball that’s left up and over the plate…fouls of some pitches then gets wrung up
RF Garrett Jones
1) tapper to the pitcher
2) hits a fastball left up and out over the plate way out of the park…that’s what you’re spouse to do with that pitch
SS Matt Tolbert
1) Strikeout
2) First pitch hits his foot…look like it was probably intentional?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment