Scott Baker's back, and so are the Twins
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by user False Prophet
First, an announcement. The Twins Report columns will return starting tomorrow.
Next, onto the original topic. Sidney Ponson was released earlier this week, and in the process, Scott Baker, once expected to become a phenom but ended up with a 5-9 record last season and a trip back down to AAA Rochester, was called back up. Baker went 8 and a third of an inning, giving up 2 runs of 6 hits, and getting 5 K's in the process. He gave up two solo home runs, one in the first inning, and one in the 9th. He could have thrown a complete game, but because the solo shot in the ninth made it a save oppertunity, they pulled him to relieve the pressure from him, and to preserve the good start that he had. Joe Nathan then went in to finish the inning and get the save.
But the game was not the story. The story tonight was his ability to control his pitch placement. All of last year, Baker would get rocked because he would leave his pitches up in the strike zone, and hitters would capitalize on it. He had never had that problem earlier in his career, but for some reason couldn't keep the ball down in the Major leagues. Almost a year later, Baker is back in the Major leagues, and this problem is gone. I love the Twins future with or without Santana. Yes, I said it, the Twins don't need Santana long term. Would he help out enormously? Hell yes. But would it be as determental as losing Torii Hunter after this year? No. With Baker, Liriano, Garza, Slowey, and Perkins all destined to be good starters long term, the Twins seem to be set with pitching in the up and comming years regardless of the future of their Ace. They also have Carlos Silva, Ramon Ortiz, and Boof Bonser; all of which are good options when on top of their game.
The Twins won again tonight, 5-2. Hunter has been an absolute beast this year, and went 2 for 4 with 3 RBI and a steal. It marked their second consecutive win. The significance is last season, it was this time of year, with the beginning of interleague play that marked the start of the the Twins turnaround. The record didn't increase drastically, but the players started to get the bats going. The Twins are doing the same thing right now.
The Twins need to do well in interleague play. They benefit from the ability to play the small ball, move the runners around the basepath, NL friendly style of baseball. If they do well, they should have strong confidence towards the end of June, and into the month of July.
Ron Gardenhire has done a great job so far this season not giving up on what they have. He knows that he can get a lot more out of the team than he is right now, and is willing to stick it out till the end.
Everyone doubted them to start the season, and they fell off the face of the sporting world after their slide these past two weeks. But now, things are turning around. The Twins are back, and so is Scott Baker
