Twins rotation

April 30, 2008 04:31 pm

— Boof Bosner
That was a very impressive start Tuesday by Boof Bonser, probably better than any he had in 2007. But for all the nice things being said about Boof Lite, and despite his 3.75 ERA so far in 2008, he still isn't pitching as well as in 2006. The strikeout rate is sharply lower -- asmsot two per nine innings — and the walk to strikeout rate is worse.

Not that either number in 2008 is terrible, and not that we're dealing with a large sample size. But he hasn't yet convinced me that he's turned the corner.

Livan Hernandez
Speaking of pitchers who haven't convinced me: His backed-up sewer of an outing last weekend in Texas shot his ERA up to 5.05 and his batting average allowed to .310. I fully expect it to get worse, because the weather is bound to get better.

Nick Blackburn
A 3.45 ERA with a .317 batting average allowed. Something here cannot continue. He's not walking people (4 walks in 31 innings entering Wednesday's start) and he hasn't given up a homer yet. Chicago will be a good test of that, since the White Sox offsense largely consists of walks and homers.

Blackburn looks like a successor to the Scott Erickson-Joe Mays-Carlos Silva string of sinkerballers. I wasn't high on that crew. On his side — in a small sample size, his strikeout rate isn't as bad as it was for those three.

Addendum: Blackburn allowed two walks and one home run in his seven innings Wednesday. His four strikeouts goosed his K rate slightly, and his ERA rose a tad to 3.52.

Scott Baker
Strained a side muscle in spring training, strained his groin last weekend. The best starter on this team right now, but he's got to make the starts to prove it.

Extreme flyball pitcher, which is why he's given up 6 homers in 30 innings.

e-mail Edward Thoma