New Player Profile: Josh Willingham

aka: 'Hammer'

(Or is it THE Hammer? I really am asking-- anyone know? And, yes, it matters.)

He automatically scores points for an great nickname. I hope to chant HAM-MER! HAM-MER! HAM-MER! at some point this season.

He also might have an awesome walk up song, 'Your Love' by the Outfield (you know the one: I just want to use your love tonight/I don't want to lose your love tonight). If he uses it because it's by The Outfield and he plays in the outfield -- not awesome. If he just thinks the song (from 1986) is rad and it fires him up -- yes awesome.  So let's meet him:

Where did he come from?

Alabama. Drafted by the Marlins in 2004, as a middle infielder. Made the move to left soon after. Some injury issues. Traded to Nationals in 2008; in 2009, hit two grand slams in one game, back to back innings. Traded to the A's in 2010. The Twins have him signed for 3 years.

Nutshell: He is essentially the replacement for Cuddyer; similar by the numbers, batting order, paycheck. He is strong and has more power than Cuddy. Similar speed. Less of an arm. But, seriously, he is strong.

How is he doing so far as a Twin?

He is ripping. shit. up. He was just named the AL Player of the Week. Right now, he is #2 on the MLB leader board for batting average, tied with Josh Hamilton atop the AL leader board for homeruns, and now he has just done something that has previously seemed impossible (besides actually hitting home runs in Target Field) -- check out tonight's lineup v. Yankees:

1. Denard Span, CF
2. Jamey Carroll, SS
3. Joe Mauer, DH
4. Josh Willingham, LF
5. Justin Morneau, 1B
6. Ryan Doumit, C
7. Danny Valencia, 3B
8. Clete Thomas, RF
9. Alexi Casilla, 2B

You see what I'm seeing? Pretty wild.

He has been a beast, indeed -- offensively.

I think he looks like a goofball in left field, but he's killing it so at the plate that we can maybe agree to let that slide, at least for this first bit.

A quick digression: I say maybe because I'm not actually willing to let it slide -- I'll never fully get behind a player that is only good--even if he is really good--on one side, offense or defense. Unless he is, of course, the DH who gets a defensive pass by definition, or the backup catcher, who gets an offensive pass from me as well. If a backup catcher can come in and call a good game and play solid defense, that is a job well enough done for me. If they happen to be able to hit, that is great. (Whatever crazy ass thing Gardy is trying to pull off with our backup catcher Doumit playing in the revolving right field and not on reserve as the very important job of backup catcher is beyond me-- I'm not a fan.)

Digressing further: This is the heart of my famous, uh... impatience with ol' Nick Punto (remember him?) Defensively he was great, I know. But the shit he pulled at the plate with the consistently .180 batting average, the popped up bunts, the fall-down-swing-through strikeouts -- and then the sliding into first, the running through stop signs and the all around base-running tragedies... all of this, I could not abide. I'm not meaning to just pick on Punto, rather speak to my point about much I value an all-around game. It's big one for me. But, tons of Twins fans still loved the guy. So there.

OK, back on topic and on to the most important question of them all: where does Hammer rank on the So It Goes Baseball Hottie Meter?

He's cute. A little too corn-fed, country boy pure for my taste, but he is quite cute and certainly will find his audience. I don't think he'll replace Dimples on the hottie meter as well as in the lineup, but I will say, he moves UP the meter fast when he's he's fired up and a little tousled.

rawr.

Josh Willingham, everybody.

Ciao, buddies.

-cr.

p.s., I know, it's an ugly start, again. And, we keep up this rough schedule for most of April. It is still early -- let's not forget that -- but, yeah, this is painful. It got a little uglier yesterday seeing Perkins blow it like that. Yikes. But... there are a few things to be excited about, and Willingham is one of them.

p.s.s., Vinny Malone, if I haven't already told you this, Hammer is your Twins boyfriend. It is done.