OK, so there is one controllable problem

After I mentioned yesterday that the Twins had some issues related specifically to the fact that the a rampant case of dysentery is ravaging the team, I did realize I had to mention one issue the team has that is controllable:

.140/.196/.186. That is extraordinarily bad. And you know what? It's indefensible to keep him in the lineup. A topic I have harped on for the past year is that the team has a glut of fly ball pitchers, which makes a talented fielder who can't hit playing short about as useless as a manager who wants Francisco Liriano to pitch to contact. The other thing, of course, is that Alexi Casilla is actually a below average fielder by most metrics (J.J. Hardy over his career is actually well above average), so the first point should be rendered moot anyway.
Naturally, Casilla hit 2nd yesterday. I give up.

Spring Training: A Vignette

Alexi Casilla: Yoshi, que se supone que la segunda jugada en la actualidad. Vamos a ser el mayor tándem doble matanza en la historia!

Tsuyoshi Nishioka: 私はスペイン語、背の低い男を理解していない

 Rod Carew: Oh God...

Man Muscles

A couple years back, Torii Hunter said that young Joe Mauer would be a real force when he developed his 'man muscles'. Unfortunately, it appears that Mauer is developing Paul Molitor's man muscles, which seems a waste with someone with his frame.
Someone who HAS seemed to develop man muscles, much to everyone's surprise, is Alexi Casilla. Of course, Alexi Casilla seems to have aged about 20 years since the last time I saw him. Either way, I've been impressed with his presence in the dugout. He seems a lot more relaxed and comfortable in the field and at the plate. Oh. And he just LOOKS a lot older:

This is a Casilla from 2 years ago (from MLN) and this is this years picture of Casilla from the Twins site:
Hard to believe it's the same guy. Somehow, he has 2 homers, and once again, Delmon Young and Joe Mauer combined have 0.