2007-02-11 16:37:49 · 11 answers · asked by hballman 1 in Sports ➔ Baseball
Because they didn't want to rush their kid pitchers. Without Radke and Liriano this season they needed to replace a lot of innings.
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2007-02-11 16:42:28 · answer #1 · answered by Darren 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Ponson and Ortiz are meant to be innings-eaters to kill some time until Garza and Perkins are fully acclimated to make the leap to the show.
Lots of people forget that Liriano struggled mightily during his late-season call-up in 2005 and was flat-out unhittable in 2006. Garza and Perkins both went through some of the same struggles and the Twins want to use the same approach with them that they did with Liriano early last season and ease them in.
That is why the Twins allowed the likes of Kyle Lohse to stay in a Twins uniform as long as they did last season before finally pulling the trigger and shipping him off to Cincy.
Ortiz and Ponson are both well past their primes and both have a much larger downside than upside, but the Twins got them both fairly cheap and even when they're awful they can eat a lot of innings and the Twins have a solid defense stuck behind them.
Personally I expect them to both last about as long as the veterans the Twins brought in last season--Sierra and Bautista--and then they will hand the reigns over to the young-guns and we'll see whether or not this Twins team can bounce back like last year's squad did.
2007-02-12 03:48:48 · answer #2 · answered by tkatt00 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree. I cannot believe there are no decent AAA pitchers in the Twins organization who could match the performance of Ramon Ortiz or Sidney Ponson. Ponson is a world class head case.
2007-02-11 17:55:36 · answer #3 · answered by mattapan26 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I agree with tkatt, they are just place holders until they feel Perkins and Garza are ready. And with the upcoming contracts of Santana and Morneau (hopefully both get long term deals soon) they are not going to want to match the ridiculous inflated market and sign a number four pitcher to a three year deal for the amount they are going for. The Twins got what they could for a reasonable price, and if they work out (maybe Ponson could get his stuff together and eat some innings) then great, otherwise Perkins and Garza will step in to the 4 and 5 spots and hopefully get the job done.
2007-02-12 04:57:13 · answer #4 · answered by pemmican 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Twins are a small market team that couldn't afford a Zito, or even a Suppan or Weaver. So they had to settle on the reclamation project Ponson, and Ortiz, who's so done that the A1 sauce is just dripping off him. The Twins are gonna feed Ponson and Ortiz to the wolves of the AL until they can bring someone up or claim someone off waivers.
The other guy who claims that they are average+ pitchers are smoking crack. MAYBE Ponson, with some anger management and AA classes, will have a decent year, but Ortiz is one of the worst SP's in baseball.
2007-02-11 17:23:57 · answer #5 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Flat out, they needed them. Or at least one of them. They're down two starters.
Besides, for barely any money in baseball terms, they can take on a few veterans like these guys and try salvage a decent 4.5 ERA season out of them. Compare this to the Royals, who are paying 11 million for potentially the same thing. Personally, if I can hire 3 guys for under a million each- and one of them works out, I'm doing a heck of a lot better than the guy who paid 11 million for one guy. Especially if that one guy doesn't even work out.
So, basically they signed them because they are smart with their money. Which is why they can spend a fraction of what the Rangers do, but still be competitive, while the Rangers live in the basement.
2007-02-11 18:45:25 · answer #6 · answered by loki_of_valhala 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Indeed, our pitching staff is actually going to be a weak point this year, after Santana. It's a bunch of young guys with a lot of potential, but not something I want to rely on night in and night out. Hopefully Sidney and Ramon can show some good stuff, and can help out our pitching staff.
2007-02-11 16:47:50 · answer #7 · answered by sportsguy29 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Twins are very desperate for starting pitching. They figure that one of these two guys might be able to pitch up to their abilities after have a few off years. It is difficult to replace just one starter and the Twins must replace two, in Radke and Liriano. They will have a tough time unless they can come up with a diamond in the rough.
2007-02-11 23:08:14 · answer #8 · answered by P.I. Stingray 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because they have pitching issues. Liriano might not come back as healthy as they originally thought. Santana is a stud but he can't pitch everyday. Losing Radke is big.
2007-02-12 06:33:54 · answer #9 · answered by Oz 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They are two above average veteran pitchers. That way if Liriano decides to bust up his elbow again, they will have other guys there.
2007-02-11 16:54:01 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋