The All-Star break can be a big turning point in the season for many MLB squads. A team that has been dominant in the first half may start heading toward a collapse after the break. While a sub-par, .500 team may turn a pivotal corner and make a run for the title.
The Twins have shown some good magic going down the stretch in the later depths of summer in other seasons. They've made runs to be on top of the AL Central before, most recently and notably in 2008.
What the team's front office hasn't done so well with: making that headline trade to spark its average lineup. As many sports journalists have pointed out recently, the last "big move" from the Twins came back in 2003, when they dealt outfielder Bobby Kielty for Shannon Stewart.
But this is 2009, and it looks as though no epic trade is in the works for General Manager Billy Smith. Not to worry, because staying true to Minnesota form, Smith was able to snag a minor-league deal with the 39-year-old veteran Mark Grudzielanek over the weekend.
Another veteran
The second-baseman went on the disabled list last August, and now hasn't played for the first half of the current season. Another brilliant move; if this doesn't give the Stewart trade a run for its money, I don't know what will.
This bit of news broke for me via Twitter, and then I read the story about it in the Star Tribune. I could not believe one particular quote from Smith, in regard to his new acquisition (source: Joe Christensen blog):
"He has a tremendous history over the last seven or eight years."
Of course he has a good history, but history means past. He now sees age 40 on the horizon.
Sure, the guy has a Gold Glove to his name, along with a .290 career average during his 14 major league seasons, but why are the Twins showing interest? Manager Ron Gardenhire's response seemed a little more realistic than Smith's. (source: AP)
"He can hit and he can play, but I don't know what he can do to help us. It's up to how he gets through all this."
Infield replacement
I think the plan would be to move Grudzielanek in at second, should Alexi Casilla flounder yet again this season. That's great, but inserting a 39 year old into your everyday lineup is not a permanent solution.
It sounds like Smith just wanted "another option," but Casilla will be the No. 1 guy for now. He is hoping Lexi can bring a "spark" to the lineup.
Casilla was recently called up again from the minors after being sent down (twice this season) to pretty much get his head on straight. He was originally sent down because of low production and a slight attitude problem. He couldn't fathom why he was being demoted... with his below .200 average. Even Gardy was scratching his head over that one.
Who knows what will happen with Casilla or Grudzielanek. Without another trade, acquiring Gruds might be the only highlight for the team. If Casilla continues his downslide, and/or returns to his frustrating ways, I wouldn't be surprised if we see the veteran up here after he gets his feet wet in Rochester.
That could be the big spark Smith is talking about. Or we may never see him up in the majors. There's no use playing the "what if?" game. I think the team will be watching both players closely to see what move, if any, would be the best to try and close in on first place in a mediocore division.
Other notes:
Mauer's human
Joe Mauer is slumping. Everybody gets into hitting slumps, but with Mauer I think things will be magnified because he seems so immortal.
If you're superstitious, his average dropped below .400 (and hasn't gone back) since about the same day as the Sports Illustrated issue came out featuring him as the cover story. And of course, his involvement in the All-Star Home Run Derby can be another scapegoat for his falling average.
He went 0-for-6 in the series finale at Texas, a career first. He also fell to second for the batting title lead. But come on, he's Joe Mauer. It's just a slump, and we all know he'll be back to smashing opposite field hits in no time.
Series opener at Oakland? Don't get me started
I didn't stay up to watch the whole game, but when I read the coverage the next morning, I was not happy. So many things did not go right in the 14-13 loss, a game in which the Twins blew a 10-run lead, tying a team record.
Plenty of offense, and no pitching. Career nights, grand slams and an apparent wrong-call to end the game at the plate.
In reading so many thoughts from players, to coaches, to fans, to writers, there seem to be two sides: a) "Yeah, the call at the end was bad, but they shouldn't have blown that lead and put themselves in that position," or b) "It doesn't matter what happened the rest of the game, they got screwed by a bad call that ultimately cost them the game."
I'm not sure where I stand on this one, especially since I didn't see the final play. I think I may be in the middle. I'm never afraid to pick on the officiating, especially when it is so obviously in the wrong, but how do you blow that big of a lead???
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