"Twins Bloggers: Get to Know 'Em!" presents Shawn Berg

FYI, the holidays are an awesome time for speculation and also for expounding on fascinating trades like Curtis Granderson to the Yankees. But they're not an awesome time for my social life or for my blogging. I've been at work until midnight and 2:30AM consecutively, and I'm at work late Thursday night as I type this ... anyone who listened in to Jack Steal's podcast last night also must know that I had to ditch out to keep working in the middle of that. So I apologize wholeheartedly for not being around more, and hopefully soon I'll have more posts. But, always bringing me back every Friday, is my weekly offseason series...

"Twins Bloggers: Get to Know 'Em!" presents Shawn Berg of On the Road with Shawn! Shawn's got a great perspective on the minor league system of the Twins, having had the advantage of living in Binghamton (which is a stone's throw away from both the AA and AAA teams for the Twins). Unfortunately he's leaving that area and will inevitably become an Astros fan for reasons he can expound on, but he will still assuredly be a great Twins blogger and one of my favorite finds in our online community. Make sure to check out his current Top Prospects posts as well, those are always a fun thing in the offseason and Shawn takes the time to provide his perspective. So, without further ado:

Personal-

NAME: Shawn Berg

WEBSITE: ontheroadwithshawn.blogspot.com

BIRTHDAY: June 10, 1973

HOMETOWN: Fosston, MN. Moving from Binghamton, NY area to central Texas.

WHAT KEEPS YOU EMPLOYED OTHER THAN BLOGGING: I am about to become a Business Analyst

FAVORITE COLOR: Blue

FAVORITE FOOD: Portugese food, Newark, NJ style

FAVORITE MOVIE: Field of Dreams

FAVORITE BOOK: Sirans of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut

FAVORITE TYPE OF MUSIC: Rock N Roll or Alternative ... Sevendust, Queens of the Stone Age, Dropkick Murphy's, Rolling Stones...

FAVORITE SPORT TO WATCH OTHER THAN BASEBALL: Football

FAVORITE SPORT TO PLAY: Baseball

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE VIKINGS/TIMBERWOLVES/WILD: I have always loved the Vikings, used to be my favorite sports team but kind of went back towards the Twins post 2002. I follow the Wolves and have great memories of 2004. I will be more interested when they become better of course. I follow the Wild somewhat.

General Baseball-

WHAT MAKES BASEBALL SO GREAT TO YOU: Being at the park, watching any level. I love watching minor leagues and even little league games. The strategy, the pace, the building of an organization, I love it all.

IF YOU HAD TO FOLLOW ANOTHER TEAM, WHICH AND WHY: I will start following the Houston Astros on the side. I will be working for one of their owner's companies and also living in Texas. It is a National league team so it doesn't conflict with the Twins.

BEST EXPERIENCE AT A BALLPARK OTHER THAN THE DOME: I went to 2 Twins games at Wrigley Field this summer. The second we sat in the bleachers. We had many beers with a couple different bachelor parties, plus my own. The stadium was 50-50 Twins/Cubs fans. Swarzak pitched the game of his life. Twins win 2-0.

OPINION ON INTERLEAGUE PLAY: I love it!!!!! I love the chance to go to different stadiums and see the Twins play.

OPINION ON THE UNBALANCED SCHEDULE: I am fine with it. A team should have to beat its division in order to win the division. It works best for rivalries. Only drawback for me is less Twins games near where I live (since I have not lived near the central division).

FAVORITE NON-TWINS PLAYER IN BASEBALL HISTORY: Dale Murphy! I watched a lot of Braves games as a kid, due to superstation influence and Murphy was just starting to get good. He was just such a nice guy and had good values. He was a really good power hitter as well.

MOST HATED NON-TWINS PLAYER IN BASEBALL HISTORY: Alex Rodriguez. With the large contracts, the cavalier attitude about steroid use, the purple lipstick, 2004/09 ALDS, the walk-off HR that I was in attendance for this May .... I just despise him.

DID YOU EVER PLAY BASEBALL/SOFTBALL, WHAT POSITION: I played all 3 OF positions and 3B/1B at various times as a child. Wasn't as serious about organized ball as I wish I would have been.

Twins Generic-

WHEN DID YOU BECOME A TWINS FAN AND WHY: I became a fan during the pennant run in 1984. Cubs and Braves games dominated cable where I lived and this was the first year I remember the Twins. I also went to my first Twins game that season.

BEST EXPERIENCE AT THE DOME: Celebration the day after the Twins won the 1991 World Series. I skipped my classes to go.

EVER BEEN TO TWINS FEST, HOW WAS IT: I have not been, would like to go.

EVER BEEN TO SPRING TRAINING, HOW WAS IT: Not yet!

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN CIRCLED BY BERT: Nah, I don't mind the antic but it really isn't for me.

HAVE YOU EVER CAUGHT A FOUL BALL OR HOME RUN AT THE DOME: I jammed my finger and dropped a Chuck Knoblauch HR around 1994. Never came close again.

Player Specific-

FAVORITE TWINS PLAYER IN HISTORY: Kirby Puckett

FAVORITE CURRENT TWINS PLAYER: Carlos Gomez (this was answered pre-trade...)

FAVORITE OBSCURE TWINS PLAYER: Mike Pagliarulo

ARE THERE (WERE THERE) ANY PLAYERS YOU DISLIKE: I really didn't like Carlos Silva.

FAVORITE EXPERIENCE MEETING A PLAYER: I met some of the AA guys this past summer: Loek Van Mil, Alex Burnett, Steve Singleton, Jeff Christy, Carlos Gutierrez, Kyle Waldrop & Frank Mata, they all signed my stepson's ball out by the visitor's bullpen. Loek was a very nice guy and very humble. The rest of the guys were picking on him.

CURRENT PLAYER YOU'D MOST LIKE TO WATCH A GAME WITH: Greg Maddux (almost current), I'd like to see what he sees.

MOST LIKE TO GO TO A BAR WITH: A.J. Pierzynski

MOST LIKE TO BE STRANDED ON A DESERT ISLAND WITH: Carlos Gomez would probably keep me entertained, I guess.

MOST LIKE TO HAVE DINNER WITH: C.C. Sabathia, I'd love to see how much he'd eat

YOU'D WANT TO BE THE FRONT MAN OF YOUR NEW BAND: Pat Neshek

YOU THINK SHOULD BE A MOVIE STAR: Pablo Sandoval

YOU'D ASK FOR HELP ON A SCIENCE LAB: Craig Breslow

YOU'D LIKE TO START A BUSINESS WITH: Jimmy Rollins

EXPECTATIONS OF TARGET FIELD: I'm excited. I've seen video and pictures and have done a drive by, it looks great. I can't wait to go in May.

EXPECTATIONS FOR THE TEAM NEXT YEAR: If the team can solve most of its infield and decide on 3 OFs, I see them as a favorite to win the division again.

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Big thanks to Shawn of On the Road With Shawn! If you haven't yet checked out his site, make sure to do so! And be sure to stop by next Friday for the next installation, where I'll profile Parker Hageman of Over the Baggy! Have a great week!