Twins Red Sox Series

Kubel got Wednesday and Thursday off because the Twins faced lefties. Lester starts tonight, and I don't think Gardy will start Kubel at DH, but I think Kubel will play Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.

Here's Kubel's track record against these pitchers.

Matsuzaka (Saturday): 2-for-3 with a BB

Wakefield (Sunday): 1-for-5 with a HR and a BB

Buchholz (Monday): No ABs against

Let's hope that three days off will remind Kubel that he's at his best when he takes pitches, and he can work on bettering that awful K:BB --currently sitting at 23:3

Kubel Struggling

Well, it's all relative. Compared to the rest of the Twins, Kubel has been fairly productive. After the Twins 11-1 taming of the Tigers yesterday, here's where Kubel stands:

.255/.274/.412, 4 HR, 17 RBI

However, an ugly, very ugly, K:BB of 21:3

Not particularly good numbers, which brings up this question: Is this a product of Kubel's own approach, or is he falling for the organizational push to be "aggressive" at the plate? Hopefully it's the latter, and he'll soon realize how idiotic it is to be told to go up there and "take his hacks."

On a non-Kubel note, the Twins really have two definitions of a walk. If you're a Twins pitcher, the worst thing you can do, according to the Twins coaching staff and organization, is to give up a walk. That is why Twins pitching has given up the fewest walks in all of baseball this year.

Now, if you're a Twins hitter, the worst thing you can do is to take pitches, work the count, or draw a walk. I cannot believe the things that Gardy has said about Delmon Young and that he should just go up there and "take his hacks" and not be concerned about working the count. Does he know how Pujols, Utley, Wright, Lee, Abreu, Fielder, Cabrera, Ramirez, Ortiz, et al are successful? They work the count in the favor, and wait for a pitch they can drive. If they do not get one, they don't swing at the crap, they take a walk! What do you think most pitchers in the league are going to through on a 2-0, 3-1, or 3-0 count? Exactly. And if the fastball isn't there, you can take the pitch and no harm done.

Apparently, this is too complicated a concept for the Twins organization to grasp.

Tonight the Twins go against Verlander and tomorrow they go against Rogers. Here's Kubel's numbers against them:

Verlander: 1-for-4, but in those four plate appearances, Kubel has seen 22 pitches.

Rogers: Never faced. I'm guessing that Ulger will start Monroe on Sunday against Rogers, and Redmond will start over Mauer as well, because no catcher can start a day game after a night game.

*FJK offers its condolences to the Gardenhire family over the loss of Mike Gardenhire.