Boof Bonser Gets the Boot

With Minnesota Twins right-hander Scott Baker coming off the disabled list from a strained right groin, the decision has been made to move the struggling Boof Bonser to the bullpen.

Baker is 2-0 with a 4.09 ERA over six starts while Boof is just 2-6 with a 5.97 ERA and 20 walks in 12 starts. Baker is scheduled to pitch this Thursday against the Baltimore Orioles, who were 0-7 against the Twins last season and haven't won a series against them since 2002.

Sadly, utility infielder Matt Macri will likely be sent back down to the AAA Rochester Red Wings, as manager Ron Gardenhire expects to keep 13 pitchers on his staff to aid the over-worked relief corps. However, if Nick Punto can't work through his strained left hamstring, the Twins are left with just 3 position players riding the bench.

Check up on the Twins at 10,000 Takes: Derek Jeter, Meet Cuddy's Laser Rocket Arm.

[MLB]

One Less Question Mark for Twins Rotation

The competition for the Minnesota Twins' rotation has become an all-out dogfight. With the retirement of Brad Radke and the season-ending Tommy John surgery of Francisco Liriano, the Twins are left with 24 wins and 283 innings from 2006 that they must replace.

After pitching seven scoreless innings over his last two starts with a 3.38 ERA so far this spring, Boof Bonser has secured himself a spot as the club's third starter behind Ace Johan Santana and a revamped Carlos Silva. After that, it's wide open.

The final two spots will likely become a battle between one guy trying to redeem his career, one trying to lower an ERA that has hovered around 5.00 over the last few seasons and another trying to prove he's really ready for the majors this time.

After struggling with weight, inconsistency and serious legal issues over the past couple of seasons, 30-year-old Sidney Ponson is set to revive his career. The right-hander says that offseason surgery to remove bone chips from his elbow makes him feel like a new man. If nothing else, he has some big league experience on his side.

The 33-year-old Ramon Ortiz, whose repertoire includes a fastball, slider and changeup, may have a better shot at making the roster than Ponson, as he has big league experience, as well, but a better resume. The righty led the Washington Nationals last season with 15 quality starts, including a no-no which was lost in the ninth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Matt Garza, who went from Class-A to the majors last season, likes to throw heat. All the time. So, he's working on mixing up his pitches and getting a little less of the plate on his sinkers.

Those three are just the tip of the iceberg. Let's not forget about Kevin Slowey, a control pitcher who owns a 1.96 minor league ERA; lefty Glen Perkins, a University of Minnesota graduate; and Scott Baker, who has been working for two seasons to become the pitcher that the Twins organization has long expected.

At this point, the projected rotation is different from everyone's perspective. For me, it is: Santana, Silva, Bonser, Ortiz and Ponson... I guess.

[Minnesota Twins]

The Angry Lohse and Other Twins News

Minnesota Twins center fielder Torii Hunter was nailed in the head by a first-inning pitch from former teammate Kyle Lohse on Friday night and left for the remainder of the game against the Cincinnati Reds. He was hit on the left side of his batting helmet and did not appear to lose consciousness or have any signs of a concussion.

Lohse, who was traded to the Reds last July after five-plus seasons with Minnesota, had runners at second and third and was trailing 1-0 when he hit Hunter. After lying in the dirt around home plate for close to four minutes, Hunter walked back to the dugout with a trainer on each side of him.

When Lohse walked over to check on Torii, Twins manager Ron Gardenhire - whose office door was bashed in by Lohse last season - patted him on the shoulder as to say, "It's alright, buddy. I won't punch you in the face."

Lohse lasted two-thirds of an inning and left with a mild strain of his right hamstring before being replaced by Brian Meadows.

In other Twins news, injured left-handed phenom Francisco Liriano and righty Boof Bonser were each inked to 2007 contracts, along with 21 other players on Friday. Liriano wowed the American League in 2006, going 12-3 with a 2.16 ERA in 28 games - 16 starts.

The 6'2", 200-pound Dominican was named to the All-Star team before a season-ending elbow injury forced him into Tommy John surgery. Bonser was 7-6 with a 4.22 ERA in 18 starts and is vying for a permanent spot in the Twins rotation.

[Minnesota Twins]

Twins 7, White Sox 3

The Twins get their 71st win and pulled within one game of the Wild Card lead, taking the series opener from the White Sox at the Dome, with Boof Bonser (2-4, 5.51 ERA) pitching 5.1 awesome innings. After three shutout innings, he gave up three runs on six hits (a 2-run shot by Jermaine Dye in the 4th inning and a Konerko RBI single in the fifth), walking two and striking out five.

Pat Neshek (3-0, 0.84 ERA) came in to strand two runners in the 6th and strike out two in the seventh getting the win, with Reyes getting Jim Thome for the last out of the inning. Jesse Crain pitched a solid eighth, striking out one before Matt Guerrier polished things off in the ninth with a 1-2-3 inning.

Freddy Garcia (11-7, 4.87 ERA) just wasn't himself Friday night, which is fine by me. He pitched 6.1 innings, giving up 10 hits and five earned runs. Minnesota came out swinging in the first when Justin Morneau (2 for 4) singled, bringing Punto around third for the 1-0 lead and his 105th RBI. Jason Kubel (1 for 4) doubled off Garcia to score Torii Hunter (2 for 3) and tie the game at 2. Then, Luis Castillo (0 for 4) scored Kubel on a sac fly. Twins up, 3-2. Chicago countered with Konerko's RBI single, but in the sixth Torii smashed a line drive homer just fair to left to regain the lead at 4-3.

After Garcia had enough of the piss-pounding, Neal Cotts came in and intentionally walked Michael Cuddyer (1 for 4) to put a man on first. Great idea, with Morneau on deck. Justin (RBI #106) singled on a soft ball to center, scoring Nick Punto (3 for 5). Then Cuddy scored on a fielding error by Brian Anderson, his first of the season (good timing). Finally in the eighth, Punto hit an RBI single, scoring Jason Tyner, who went 3 for 4 with a run scored in the game.

Brad Radke (12-8, 4.43 ERA) takes on Jon Garland (13-4, 4.98 ERA) and the White Sox Saturday evening at 6:10pm CT in the second game of the series.