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Posted June 11, 2007
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Guess Who Might be Twins' MVP?
Ask
Ron Gardenhire or Torii Hunter about the Twins' MVP so far
this season and the answer may surprise. Justin Morneau is tied for
second in home runs among American League players with 17, Johan
Santana has won the Cy Young award two of the last three seasons and
with more run support might be at eight or nine wins already, Joe
Nathan is arguably baseball’s best closer, and Hunter is having a
career season with 13 home runs, 48 RBI and a .308 average.
And
then there’s Luis Castillo. He’s hitting .330, second on the
team to Joe Mauer, and earlier this season set a major
league record for second basemen with 143 consecutive games without an
error. The 31-year-old Castillo entered this season with only 19 errors
since 2004, the third lowest total for a second baseman in the major
leagues (behind Detroit’s Placido Polanco, 12, and Kansas City’s
Mark Grudzielanek, 16). Castillo has hit safely in 25 of his
last 28 games, batting .361 (44-122) in that period.
The
Twins, defending Central Division champions, have been a disappointment
so far with a 30-31 record, but Hunter praised Castillo for playing
hurt, getting on base and his errorless streak. “Without him, I don’t
know where we would be,” Hunter said.
Ask
manager Ron Gardenhire about players who deserve consideration
for next month’s major league All-Star game in San Francisco and
Castillo’s name comes up fast. Gardenhire mentioned Santana and Nathan,
outfielders Michael Cuddyer and Hunter, and no doubt intended to
include first baseman Morneau.
“I
think Louie Castillo is probably ahead of them all,” Gardenhire told
Sports Headliners. “He’s done everything for this ballclub up to this
point. He’s probably been our best player even with his sore knees and
all those things. …I would think that what he’s done up to this point
would lead him right to the All-Star game. He’s been there before and
deserves to go again.”
Unfortunately for Castillo, baseball fans haven’t thus far submitted
enough votes to place him in the 2007 All-Star game. As of last week
five other American League second basemen, starting with New York’s Robinson Cano,
had more votes.
Castillo is in his second season with the Twins after an extraordinary
career with Florida. In seven full seasons with the Marlins he hit
under .300 only once, won three gold glove awards and played in three
All-Star games.
Gardenhire made a comparison between the Castillo who played for the
Marlins and the Castillo of today. “His legs are bothering him,”
Gardenhire said. “He’s not the same player he was a few years ago but
when he has to run, he runs. He makes all the plays as we’ve seen with
his records. Good player.”
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Photo courtesy of Minnesota Twins
Ron Gardenhire
“Without him, I don’t know where we would
be."
Torii Hunter on Luis Castillo
Luis Castillo
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Neshek Not Targeting No. 1 Role
The
innings have been minimal but the results maximal for Twins second year
reliever Pat Neshek. In his role of late inning reliever but not
the stopper (hello, Joe Nathan), the second year right hander may
not even work a full inning in some games. His 1.20 ERA is the best on
the team among pitchers with six innings or more.
Neshek’s record is 3-0, with 36 strikeouts in 30 innings. His ERA is
among the most impressive in the American League but he doesn’t have
enough innings to qualify for a ranking among pitchers in major league
baseball with the lowest ERA’s.
Called up by the Twins from AAA Rochester last season, the
Minneapolis-area native was 4-2 with a 2.19 ERA as a rookie. He was
third in wins among American League rookie relief pitchers, trailing
Detroit’s Joel Zumaya, six, and Baltimore’s Kurt Birkins,
five. Neshek had a streak where he didn’t allow a run in nine
appearances for the Twins.
Neshek’s ERA now betters his already impressive averages in the minor
leagues, 2.19 at New Britain in 2005 and 1.95 at Rochester last season.
Coming up through the Twins organization since 2002, Neshek has been a
relief specialist and led Minnesota’s minor leaguers in saves in 2005.
The
26-year-old’s role is often to help the Twins hold a lead or stay in the
game in the seventh or eighth innings. Then the 32-year-old Nathan,
the Twins’ bullpen star, takes over. Neshek was asked if
he aspires to be the team’s stopper some day, or even a starting
pitcher, both opportunities that likely would bring more money. The
Twins could lose Nathan to free agency after next season.
“No,
not at all,” Neshek told Sports Headliners. “I am very content with
what I am doing. I am content to put on a uniform every day and that
would be awesome if I could do that for the rest of my career. I’ve
always said if that’s what they want me to do (relief pitching), that’s
what I will do. In college (Butler University) I was always a starter,
and when they drafted me I said, ‘What do you want me to do?’”
Neshek threw overhand at Park Center High School and developed arm
trouble. Since becoming a submarine style pitcher his arm has been
okay. The unorthodox side arm style, combined with a good fast ball, is
a challenge to hitters. “When it’s cooking at the top of it, I can get
up to 94 (miles per hour),” Neshek said. “Couple times 95 but that’s
kind of a stretch but usually I will set 90-92, 93 once in a while.”
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“When it’s cooking at the top of it, I can get up to 94 (miles per
hour).”
Pat Neshek
Pat Neshek
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Worth Noting
In Johan Santana’s last four losses he has a
1.38 run support average with the Twins scoring just four total runs in
26 innings pitched. He has given up 13 home runs including seven in his
last six starts.
Justin Morneau, with 17 home runs, has hit
11 in his last 30 games.
Murray’s restaurant co-owner Tim Murray travels to see major league baseball
stadiums and so far has visited 24 of the current 30 stadiums. His
favorites, in order, are: Fenway Park in Boston, Wrigley Field in
Chicago, PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles and Coors
Field in Denver. His least favorite: Dolphin Stadium in Miami.
The following potential players for the 2007
NBA Draft were scheduled to work out earlier today at Target Center for
the Minnesota Timberwolves: Louisiana State forward Glen Davis,
Providence forward/center Herbert Hill, Florida forward/center
Chris Richard and Creighton center Anthony Tolliver.
Timberwolves president Chris Wright expects the NBA to discuss
the lottery draft system at upcoming league meetings. The present system
stacks the odds of drafting No. 1 in favor of the teams that finish with
the worst records but the more likely outcome doesn’t always prevail.
Wright said the Portland Trail Blazers have sold over 2,500 new season
tickets since lucking into the No. 1 pick in the June 28 draft.
Memphis, a team with the worst record during the regular season, fell to
No. four in the draft. It was a bitter disappointment for the franchise
which had already started marketing with the assumption a higher pick
would come to the Grizzlies.
Six players who will be with
the Gophers next fall have been invited to the 2007 U.S. National Junior
Evaluation Camp in Lake Placid, New York August 3-11. Mike Carman
(Apple Valley), Cade Fairchild (Duluth), David Fischer
(Apple Valley, Ryan Flynn (Lino Lakes),
Kyle Okposo
(St. Paul) and Patrick White (Grand Rapids) are among a group of
45 players that are candidates for theU.S. National Junior Team
that will compete in the 2008 International Ice Hockey Federation World
Junior Championship in late December and early January in the Czech
Republic. Minnesota has more invitees to the U.S. National Junior
Evaluation Camp than any other school.
The Minnesota Wild, in partnership with Wells Fargo, has announced a
17-city promotional tour that begins Monday, June 25 and ends with the
second annual Wells Fargo Wild Summer Bash Thursday, June 28 at Rice
Park in downtown Saint Paul.
Three MIAC
baseball student-athletes have been selected to the 2007 American
Baseball Coaches Association All-America team. Gustavus senior third
baseman Tony Konicek was a first team pick, St. Olaf
junior outfielder Andrew Schmiesing was second team, while Saint
John's senior first baseman Jay Kasner was a third team
selection.
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Photo Courtesy of Minnesota Twins
Johan Santana
John M. Williams, DDS
Cosmetic & Family Dental Care
612-521-7611 |
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