How Many Catchers Does This Team Need?

The Twins cut four lefthanded hitters on Sunday--Eric Munson, Armando Rios, Andy Fox, and Michael Ryan--which has the beat writers penciling in Terry Tiffee as the likely bet to fill the last opening on the bench. Never one to suffer a dull moment, however, Gardenhire is spinning tales to Joe Christensen at the Strib about how he might like to keep Corky Miller as a fourth Catcher on the roster, out of concern for Joe Mauer's knee. Now, I ask, is this something to be taken seriously, or is it just Gardy's idea of a joke?

Who can tell with that guy? If he kept Miller on the team to start the season, presumably he would have a bench of Mike Redmond, Matt LeCroy, Corky Miller, Nick Punto, and Juan Castro. Tiffee would go to AAA, Michael Restovich would be cut or traded, and the manager would be left with just one decent bat and no true outfielders amongst his reserves. It seems outrageously ridiculous, and yet I could imagine Gardy doing it anyway out of fear of what might happen if Mauer's knee were sore and Redmond got hurt... and what if LeCroy were the DH or already had pinch-hit that day? (Gasp!) He might have to use pinch-hitters to bat for his pitchers once or twice in the game! That sort of nightmare keeps him up nights. He's admitted it before. It's silly, but I suppose all sorts of fantastic scenarios might trouble a man when it's his neck on the line and things may start to go wrong. We all might be chewing on Tums while flipping between infomercials, Daria reruns, and Cheap Seats at 3 am, wondering if Johan could bat and play RF in a pinch, if we were in his shoes.

But here's the thing, Gardy. You can't float ideas like that to the press but also get huffy when people continue to speculate on when Joe Mauer will have to move to 3rd base. On the one hand, you say he's just fine and there is no contingency plan to move him. On the other, you're talking about carrying a fourth string catcher because you're still so concerned about Mauer's knee, nearly a year after he first injured it. Which story do you want people to believe?