Quick Thoughts and Quick Rants

• Stan Van Gundy needs to lose his job. How the best center in the game is only averaging 11 shots a game is beyond me. Last night in the 4th quarter he spent the whole time setting picks at the top of the key. I don't remember a single time him posting up in the 4th quarter. When Rafer Alston is taking 5 more shots than an NBA 1st team player you have a problem. Van Gundy needs to go so they can replace him with someone who can utilize this team properly.
• There are just certain players that could really use a AAAA level, and Alexi Casilla looks like he might be one of those players. After struggling all year at the majors, he has gone down to Rochester and been the Joe Mauer of AAA going .462-0-5 with 3 stolen bases in 6 games.
  
• A lot was made of Casilla's struggles so far this year but I would guess that he will be back quick because Matt Tolbert does not seem to be the answer. He is not as good defensively and he is only hitting .190 so far. The thing he does well is patience at the plate drawing 4 walks already.
• The Twins need a middle infielder who can hit. Punto is hitting .200, Casilla was .167, Tolbert .190, and now that Harris has come back to earth he is hitting .174 so far in May.
  
• Whenever Joe Mauer hits a home run, I immediately start laughing. I have never seen a player who has the inability to pull a pitch. I don't think this is the start of the 20 home run seasons we thought we would get, but I can't imagine how anoying it must be to a pitcher to see Mauer slice a ball over the left field wall. He is playing the best he has ever played so far in his career because he is hitting but it is for power and not just singles up the middle. His OPS is currently 1.488.
• I do not get at all why Gomez is not playing. Yes, he is struggling at the plate but he is hitting .286 in the few appearances he has had in May. Even if he is struggling he is maybe the best defensive centerfielder in the MLB. I am still a fan of Delmon Young but currently he should be the odd man out. Gomez despite his struggles still has a higher slugging percentage than Delmon Young. He causes more issues on the base paths and miles better defensively. A crazy idea to help Gomez would be to bat him second in the lineup. With Denard Span on the basepaths and Mauer behind him he would see a lot more fastballs and with his increased patience at the plate he could see the kind of success that Casilla had in the 2 hole last year. When he hits 8th or 7th with Nick Punto protecting him he is not getting any fastballs or pitches to hit.