Gassner getting a chance
Hortonville native makes Twins? pitching debut Saturday
By Mike Woods
Post-Crescent staff writer
Dave Gassner thought it was a little early in the season to be called into the manager?s office.
He had just thrown six strong innings for the Rochester (N.Y.) Red Wings on Saturday when Phil Roof summoned him into his sanctuary, where pitching coach Bobby Cuellar also awaited.
?He said your pitching coach has something to tell you,? said the Hortonville native, ?and he said, ?Yeah, you?re going to the big leagues.? And I looked back at my manager and asked, ?Is he kidding?? ??
No, he wasn?t.
?It was crazy,? said Gassner. ?I didn?t know what to do. I didn?t know what to say. Then there were hugs all around.??
Gassner will make his major-league debut for Minnesota on Saturday in Cleveland when the Twins take on the Indians at 12:05 p.m. Stacey Gassner, Dave?s brother, said there will be a caravan of cars leaving Hortonville at 1 p.m. Friday, and estimated there will be between 100 and 125 family members and friends making the journey.
?Well, it really hasn?t hit me quite yet,? Dave Gas-sner said in a phone interview Monday morning from Minneapolis. ?But it?s going to be awesome; this is something I?ve always dreamed about doing since I was a little kid. It?s going to be nice.??
One of the first calls Dave Gassner made was to Stacey, the pro at Reid Golf Course in Appleton, who had just driven Dave?s truck from Fort Myers, Fla., site of the Twins spring training facility, to Rochester, a trip he made in 21 straight hours.
?He called and said ?I just need another favor out of you,? ?? said Stacey. ?And I?m thinking ?What now, I just drove your truck 21 straight hours for you.? And he said, ?Seriously, I need a big favor. I need you to fly here and drive my truck to Minneapolis.? And that brought the tears.??
Gassner?s big break came when it was discovered Twins? No. 3 starter Carlos Silva had a torn lateral meniscus cartilage in his right knee. Early speculation had Silva likely needing surgery and being out until the all-star break, and possibly the season.
The 26-year-old Gassner had an excellent spring with the Twins, posting a 2.38 ERA in 11 innings of work. He will move into the fifth spot in the Twins? starting rotation.
?It was enough on a resume for us to consider him a guy that can come up here and get the job done,?? Twins general manager Terry Ryan said on the team?s Web site.
Gassner went 16-8 with a 3.41 ERA last season in Rochester.
?Gassner threw the ball very well for us this spring and his first outing was outstanding,?? Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said on the Web site. ?That?s who they recommended. He?s a left-hander who knows how to pitch.
?That?s a very deserving young man. It?s kind of exciting from that point that a kid gets a chance that?s done so well.??
Gassner said being with the big-club in the spring will eliminate some of the awe factor.
?That will calm me down a little bit, I know what to expect. I know I can get big-league hitters out,?? he said ?But pitching in front of a large amount of people, that?s another thing.??
Gassner never has possessed a big arm, won?t make anyone?s eyes pop when holding a radar gun and never is the first guy mentioned when talking about the depth in the Twins? pitching-rich farm system. In many respects, that makes this all the more special.
?To be able to say to all those people who doubted me, ?I accomplished it,? ?? he said. ?I always feel I have to prove myself to people but really I?m trying to prove it to myself. I want to make myself better and will never be satisfied with what I?ve got. I want to go out there and get more and do more. I want to be as good as I can be.??
Hortonville native makes Twins? pitching debut Saturday
By Mike Woods
Post-Crescent staff writer
Dave Gassner thought it was a little early in the season to be called into the manager?s office.
He had just thrown six strong innings for the Rochester (N.Y.) Red Wings on Saturday when Phil Roof summoned him into his sanctuary, where pitching coach Bobby Cuellar also awaited.
?He said your pitching coach has something to tell you,? said the Hortonville native, ?and he said, ?Yeah, you?re going to the big leagues.? And I looked back at my manager and asked, ?Is he kidding?? ??
No, he wasn?t.
?It was crazy,? said Gassner. ?I didn?t know what to do. I didn?t know what to say. Then there were hugs all around.??
Gassner will make his major-league debut for Minnesota on Saturday in Cleveland when the Twins take on the Indians at 12:05 p.m. Stacey Gassner, Dave?s brother, said there will be a caravan of cars leaving Hortonville at 1 p.m. Friday, and estimated there will be between 100 and 125 family members and friends making the journey.
?Well, it really hasn?t hit me quite yet,? Dave Gas-sner said in a phone interview Monday morning from Minneapolis. ?But it?s going to be awesome; this is something I?ve always dreamed about doing since I was a little kid. It?s going to be nice.??
One of the first calls Dave Gassner made was to Stacey, the pro at Reid Golf Course in Appleton, who had just driven Dave?s truck from Fort Myers, Fla., site of the Twins spring training facility, to Rochester, a trip he made in 21 straight hours.
?He called and said ?I just need another favor out of you,? ?? said Stacey. ?And I?m thinking ?What now, I just drove your truck 21 straight hours for you.? And he said, ?Seriously, I need a big favor. I need you to fly here and drive my truck to Minneapolis.? And that brought the tears.??
Gassner?s big break came when it was discovered Twins? No. 3 starter Carlos Silva had a torn lateral meniscus cartilage in his right knee. Early speculation had Silva likely needing surgery and being out until the all-star break, and possibly the season.
The 26-year-old Gassner had an excellent spring with the Twins, posting a 2.38 ERA in 11 innings of work. He will move into the fifth spot in the Twins? starting rotation.
?It was enough on a resume for us to consider him a guy that can come up here and get the job done,?? Twins general manager Terry Ryan said on the team?s Web site.
Gassner went 16-8 with a 3.41 ERA last season in Rochester.
?Gassner threw the ball very well for us this spring and his first outing was outstanding,?? Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said on the Web site. ?That?s who they recommended. He?s a left-hander who knows how to pitch.
?That?s a very deserving young man. It?s kind of exciting from that point that a kid gets a chance that?s done so well.??
Gassner said being with the big-club in the spring will eliminate some of the awe factor.
?That will calm me down a little bit, I know what to expect. I know I can get big-league hitters out,?? he said ?But pitching in front of a large amount of people, that?s another thing.??
Gassner never has possessed a big arm, won?t make anyone?s eyes pop when holding a radar gun and never is the first guy mentioned when talking about the depth in the Twins? pitching-rich farm system. In many respects, that makes this all the more special.
?To be able to say to all those people who doubted me, ?I accomplished it,? ?? he said. ?I always feel I have to prove myself to people but really I?m trying to prove it to myself. I want to make myself better and will never be satisfied with what I?ve got. I want to go out there and get more and do more. I want to be as good as I can be.??
