They have the videos of the Willingham and Parmelee shots on this website. Both were very solid, legit homeruns. Parmelee had some distance to his blast.

What is it that Blackburn brings to the table?

You lumped him with Marquis. I think he's better. He's healthy this year, so we'll just have to see, but I think he'll do much better than Marquis.

b game tommorrow at 10am before the regular game.

blackburn and marquis are rotation filler whom the twins seem to value more than rotation contributor.

What makes you think Blackburn is filler? I think he'll be better than others in the rotation. Possibly be the best of the bunch.

Funny thing happened today while I was watching batting practice. The guys were hitting on field 5, where if a righty pulls the ball it may go over the fence toward the parking lot. There's always a few standing out there trying to get a ball. So Butera pulls one over and some little old guy takes off after it and loses his footing and does a couple of rolls. Tony O laughed, as did Jeff Smith standing next to him and a couple others. Tony's saying "did you see that old guy?" and just getting a kick out of it. So Tony turns around and walks over and asks if anyone has a pen. I give him my pen and he signs a ball, has Jeff sign it, and a few others along with Butera. Then he gives it to a groundskeeper to take to the guy in the striped shirt out there. He runs the cart down there and gives the guy the ball, and the guy waves and is tickled, you could see.

Tony brings the pen back and we all get a chuckle out of it. Wouldn't you know, not long later another liner is pulled over the fence, right at the guy. One hop shot, that he missed and it hits him in the shin. Ouch, that had to hurt. He hustles after that ball and gets it too. Pretty soon he comes up behind the backstop where I'm at and shows the balls to some gal standing by me. One's got a half dozen signatures, and the other's sporting blood. LOL. He sits in the bleachers, front row and Tony asks him if he needs any water and holds up his water bottle. It all was kinda fun!

No truer words have been spoken. And you can add Carl Pavano (Mr. innings-eater) and Francisco Liriano to the list of rotation fillers. Oh, and Scott Baker cannot be added to this list because his next injury is always looming.

I hate to say it, but I think of Blackburn as being 'rotation filler' as well. What has he really done to prove otherwise? I was initially encouraged by his early development, but that enthusiasm abated almost at the very moment they 'locked him up' with a nonsense deal. From then on he has done nothing besides grow a beard and give five or six innings of so-so stuff. Up until last season, he'd pitched for contending teams with records well above .500 and he wasn't even a .500 pitcher. His career ERA is 4.50. He is now 30 years old. I don't think you can get much more pedestrian than Nick Blackburn.

.......... If I'm Gardy???
I'm calling out Blackburn this year. I'd tell him to shave the dumb beard, sit up straight, look me in the eyes, ect..... and generally have coaches monitor him constantly.

I believe something happened with Blackburn. He got the contract, his wife had a kid.......did he lose the will to compete? Did he get 'comfortable'?? On appearance that is not an unworthy speculation. We see the evidence over time. Trends occur, etc. I think it's smart to ask: Does Nick Blackburn fit here in 2014? He's got an 8 million dollar option then. I wonder if any of these things are even given a moment's thought.

In my opinion, Gardy should be asked about Blackburn plenty this ST. Afterall, Gardy did say Blackburn "...is one of my guys"
I guess that might explain Gardy's approach with him.

Well if that's the way you feel, who in the rotation isn't filler. I'd say the whole rotation, with maybe the exception of Liriano. So, we have what we have, and I think some are more valuable than others for this team. Maybe they wouldn't have any value on other teams.

At one time or another EVERYONE becomes 'rotation filler'. The difference between Blackie and some others on our staff is that he hasn't progressed past that. I'm just looking at his career numbers. He's never had a year where he excelled past average. At least Liriano, Pavano and Baker (to some extent can say that). Blackie has never won more than 11 games. We gotta acknowledge that difference, right?

Sure, but I'm looking at this season. I'm trying to figure out just where this team stands and what might become of this coming year. I don't see Marquis helping at this point.

Blackburn has pretty much been the same pitcher his whole career. There really hasn't been much development at all to speak of. He's a guy who's going to sport a record right around .500 and have an ERA somewhere between 4 and 5. Blackburn has never done anything better than that.

At least Liriano, Pavano and Baker have proven that they can perform better than that. They don't always do it but they can. Blackburn can't say the same. Hence, the rotation filler moniker.

If Blackburn can stay healthy all year I have more confidence in him than all our starters except Baker. If healthy, and with adequate defense behind him, I see an ERA a little under 4.

I'm not as critical of pavano,baker,and liriano as 4th street is.Pavano at least for the most part keeps you in the game,gives you a chance to win,goes deep into games and occasionally shuts down a team.Baker was terrific last year when healthy,i'm not going to rip a pitcher who develops elbow problems it happens to a lot of guys.Liriano has never been the same since TJ he had 1 pretty good year-2010.I wouldnt be as surprised if he is better this year.Blackburn has so many games where he goes 3-4 innings and gives up 7-8 runs.Marquis has been average at best in the NL,now he goes to the AL and I'm expecting a 4.5 to 5 era and gone by july 31.

Blackburn has never had an ERA under 4 in his career. Not once. Never. And he's played behind much better defenses than the one he will play behind this year. So your prediction is predicated on nothing more than blind hope/optimism. Nothing wrong with that, I just think you're delusional.

In 2008 Blackburn pitched 193 innings with an ERA of 4.05. In 2009 he pitched 205 innings with an ERA of 4.03. In 2010 and 2011 he had injury issues.

It may be delusional to hope he can stay healthy or get adequate defense, and I am not predicting either. But if those conditions are met I do not think it unreasonable to think he could shave at least a mere 0.04 off his best ERA.

Doyle off to a rough start. Lead off double followed by a walk.

And another double.

He might not make it out of the first inning.

Boy, no kidding! He's going to have to shape up here pretty quickly or the Rule 5 waiver wire will be vibrating.