tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44455869617149753372024-02-22T15:03:40.536-05:00Curve For a StrikePainting the corners, one pitch at a time.Topperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04630727502510188723noreply@blogger.comBlogger151125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4445586961714975337.post-92113683825296216572013-06-27T11:51:00.002-04:002013-06-27T11:51:47.231-04:00Those Damn Yankees: A Minnesota Twinkie in King Rivera's Court<br />
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(This article also published on <a href="http://twinsdaily.com/">Twins Daily</a><span style="text-align: center;">)</span></div>
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I used to be the worst kind of person in the world. A Yankees fan that didn't live in New York. As lewd and annoying as they might be, you can't blame a New Yorker for being a Yankees fan -- let's face it, their other option is the Mets. But if you don't live in New York, and your family isn't from there, it's simple douchebaggery that makes a person cheer for that team. But I did.</div>
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It all started because the Twins broke my heart by trading Rick Aguilera -- twice -- and fell into self-inflicted mediocrity for my entire teenage years. I swore them off about the same time I decided that I was going to move to New York and attend NYU. Down went the Twins paraphernalia and up went a DJ Turn 2 poster (Derek Jeter turning a double-play, in layman's terms). I rocked a navy Mariano Rivera shirsey and Yankees cap with pride and buried my head in my hands with shame when some stupid expansion team from Arizona knocked my new boys out in the World Series.</div>
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Right before I went to college, in 2003, I got a dream gig: working freelance for the YES Network on a visit to the Metrodome. I got to be a production assistant/runner for their videographers, hanging out on the field during batting practice, standing there for pregame interviews and running tapes up to the truck; hanging out in the concourse during the game; and going into the visitor's clubhouse for the postgame interviews. I hung out with my heroes: Alfonso Soriano, Jorge Posada, Andy Pettite, and Roger Clemens. I distinctly remember telling Soriano that I wanted to see him a hit a home-run and then he blasted a grand slam the next inning. It was amazing; the Yankees swept the series.</div>
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Then came my salvation -- high school graduation and my predestined move to the heart of Yankeeland. I packed away my #42 shirsey and hopped a plane to New York, never looking back. Surrounded by own kind. I've been here 10 years and things never should have been better. Except I can't stand the Yankees anymore.</div>
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It's nothing about the team. I still admire Derek Jeter and I think Mo is the only person I'll consider a better closer than my beloved Rick Aguilera. It's all about living in New York and being surrounded by Yankees fans.</div>
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The first time my family came to visit me in college, we went to Yankee Stadium for a Twins and Yankees game, sitting in the upper right field deck. My brother, a naive 11 years old at the time, wore a Johan Santana jersey bravely into the middle of enemy territory. By the 6th inning they were slinging curses and slurs at my 11-year old brother: "Santana you f****t" -- "Turn around kid, can't you f*****g hear us?" -- "What's a'matter, busy crying you f*****g p***y?". That was probably the end of my love of the Yankees. I couldn't be part of that.</div>
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Later that year I remember the floor of my freshman dorm shaking from everyone jumping up and down when the Yankees beat the Red Sox on Aaron Boone's historic shot.</div>
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My Rivera shirsey is collecting dust in my closet. I started a Twins blog (which has since become somewhat defunct), subscribed to MLB extra-innings to catch my favorite team out of market, and taken every opportunity to see the Twins when they make it out east (this time sporting a custom-made Rick Aguilera Twins jersey).</div>
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Now it's my turn to take abuse. It becomes tough to watch your team constantly and heartbreakingly lose whenever they come to town. I've grown so accustomed to hearing Sinatra's "New York, New York" blaring over the loudspeakers while I lower my head and take the long walk back to the 6 train. The toughest were Joe Nathan's 2009 game-tying homer to A-Rod in the 9th leading to our loss in extras -- and the 2010 team in Game 3 when I got beer poured on my head and got a "Christina Aguilera" chant started against me simply for sitting there and trying to ignore them.</div>
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Let's face it -- the Yankees don't consider this a rivalry. Not even close. I've seen headlines in the post where their wonderful scribes describe the Twins as a warm cleansing bath to dispel their previous losing streak -- a break in the season where they didn't need to worry about playing quality baseball to win. You'd be hard-pressed to find a Yankees fan in New York who knows anything about the team other than that Joe Mauer missed his opportunity to join a contender, and Justin Morneau robbed Derek Jeter of his rightful MVP award. I remember one game where a Yankees fan asked me why Wisconsin needed two teams. He was genuinely under the impression that Minnesota was the capitol of Wisconsin and shocked when I gave him a quick geography lesson. THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW YOU EXIST. And we haven't really given them reason to notice.</div>
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But in stark contrast to the disappointment, and the heartache, and the wondering why we seem to choke whenever we see pinstripes, are the few times when we win. And I've seen them. And it's not as far-fetched these days as it once seemed.</div>
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Last year we took two of four in New York. A series split.</div>
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But the best moment came three years ago. We sat in the upper deck behind home plate and we were losing as always. But somehow, in the 8th, we loaded the bases and threatened to take the lead. The Yankees were scared enough that the Twins might win, that they brought in Rivera, #42, the greatest closer in baseball history, in the 8th inning to try to shut us down.</div>
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Enter Sandman blared over the speakers -- the super fan lovingly know as the "Marlboro Man" started head banging and air guitaring in time to the music and the excitement of all the Yankees fans trusting in their beloved closer was enough to slightly dampen my excitement that Jim Thome was due up.</div>
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It wasn't Thome that was the hero though. He walked in a run with the bases loaded, fans everywhere groaning and complaining about awful umpiring. And then Kubel stepped into the batter's box and launched what would be a game-winning grand slam off of the greatest closer in the world. Every fan I could see in Navy or pinstripes was shocked. Silence. More silent than I've ever heard Yankee fans could be. Mo never blows a save. The Yankees never lose to the Twins. </div>
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But it happened. And I was there. And it will happen again. I walked out of there in my favorite closer's jersey -- Aguilera -- with my head held high and knowing that there's no reason we can't beat those Damn Yankees.</div>
Topperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04630727502510188723noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4445586961714975337.post-64389820921517528762012-03-30T17:19:00.004-04:002012-03-30T17:41:21.342-04:00Twins Ready to Make Some Moves<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFbefXdXNEbkbgPmBECBECrjokjaIwRy-KecSeircJxiypK0xxlkx_NJzAWy_2eMs2bUeUGKhWmYgolaATwW-QPvvwzihuVthd78Ndc4YQwVRNNEKenEoN0FTUXXGHrSGHWQfJCxctquLt/s1600/20111107_terry-ryan_33.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 277px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFbefXdXNEbkbgPmBECBECrjokjaIwRy-KecSeircJxiypK0xxlkx_NJzAWy_2eMs2bUeUGKhWmYgolaATwW-QPvvwzihuVthd78Ndc4YQwVRNNEKenEoN0FTUXXGHrSGHWQfJCxctquLt/s400/20111107_terry-ryan_33.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5725807771049494850" /></a><br />Twitter and the Blogosphere broke with the news today that the Twins had acquired Matt Rizzotti from the Phillies for "cash considerations". This move is in lieu of the minor leagues being one first baseman short now that Chris Parmelee is likely to break camp with the Twins due to his inspired play that's carried over since late last year.<div><br /></div><div>The bigger news however, is what's to come.</div><div><br /></div><div>At a press conference after the acquisition of Rizzotti, with reporters peppering Terry Ryan with questions about their latest acquisition, Ryan made a bold assertion: "When a team has holes, we will do anything in our power to help fill them. This isn't only true when it comes to minor league depth."</div><div><br /></div><div>This statement has been leading to wild speculation that the Twins might look to acquire middle infield help, bench depth, one or two starting pitchers, and some veteran arms for the bullpen.</div><div><br /></div><div>While this is a major breakthrough for the Twins front office -- that a player who can fill a needed position can be acquired for cash considerations -- some sources are criticizing the Twins for not coming to this realization earlier. Other players such as Edwin Jackson, Mark Buehrle, Todd Coffey and even Nick Punto could have been acquired for "cash considerations" (sometimes known as free agency) earlier in the offseason.</div><div><br /></div><div>When questioned about their tendency to not seek out players for cash in recent history, Ryan countered: "We've been exploring all the normal channels for acquiring players. All options such as waivers, the Rule 5 Draft, etc. have been utilized. Now that we see the simplicity of a cash acquisition, perhaps that could change our stance going forward, but let's take one step at a time."</div><div><br /></div><div>While the front office won't readily admit to being amendable to opening up the checkbook, word out of the other side of Fort Myers is that Twins scouts and personnel have been loitering around the Red Sox minor league fields with calculators and wads of one dollar bills, but that most of their players won't go near them without their agents present. The Twins front office has declined to comment on this.</div>Topperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04630727502510188723noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4445586961714975337.post-18876161542086917672012-03-30T00:18:00.008-04:002012-03-30T08:36:41.376-04:00Spring Training 2012 (Day One)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFavX7ZteH6j8Fh1u8yAFUFTvNN5hvcqWlJz0W0B8rhYo5xglp8d08NHiEENf8RsYb6wyfntxn-lKATRU_ALDv6K69kJzK4H6_aqWfUNxWqd-17cxZXtpkBTV14qyD1Iqnf4WJ_bql32Mr/s1600/DSC00727.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFavX7ZteH6j8Fh1u8yAFUFTvNN5hvcqWlJz0W0B8rhYo5xglp8d08NHiEENf8RsYb6wyfntxn-lKATRU_ALDv6K69kJzK4H6_aqWfUNxWqd-17cxZXtpkBTV14qyD1Iqnf4WJ_bql32Mr/s400/DSC00727.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5725550615832146786" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvep8pZ2NXJhu0EmljtYephdeQkNcGr3dI19L2ZffGvuVeHEIfeWeZaL51v6CAbfkU9c9N_O5f2nDvTj66u3XDzHTtuBvBB_eXMcO0PGLZUaywN8mS-6IcFq64vnDT_t5f4VN5O1I9wK2o/s1600/DSC00644.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a>Well, nothing better than Spring Training to get me back here to write something.<div><br /></div><div>Despite arriving in Florida on Wednesday in time to head straight from the airport to catch the game against the Phillies, I decided to head down to Naples, get some Cuban food, and just relax on the beach instead.</div><div><br /></div><div>Thursday, however, I got up early and went to check out camp first thing. I got there at 9am, before the players had even hit the field. (Overhearing Gene Glynn & Tom Brunansky chatting later it sounds like there was a nutrition meeting that morning and it set their schedules back a bit.)</div><div><br /></div><div>Since the Twins were out of town playing the Pirates, my day was just spent bouncing around from field to field watching exercises, fielding practice and BP. Not the same as a game of course, but for someone deprived of baseball for months on end it was like a dream come true. And with the team out on the road it's always nice to have the sports complex almost completely to yourself.</div><div><br /></div><div>My recap probably is best served as just an amalgamation of bits and pieces -- it's really the only way to describe Spring Training -- for anyone who hasn't been there in person it's almost a sensation overload and it's just enough to keep a few coherent thoughts in order:</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvep8pZ2NXJhu0EmljtYephdeQkNcGr3dI19L2ZffGvuVeHEIfeWeZaL51v6CAbfkU9c9N_O5f2nDvTj66u3XDzHTtuBvBB_eXMcO0PGLZUaywN8mS-6IcFq64vnDT_t5f4VN5O1I9wK2o/s400/DSC00644.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5725549736647900818" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div>- The first thing that struck me was when I was watching Morneau take BP over on the main field near the Stadium. He was taking cuts in the same group as Willingham and Span. But the thing that I noticed was that he was wearing a batting helmet in BP. Not a huge surprise, I suppose, but considering the guys on the big league side of things tend to just wear hats in the cage, it struck me as a little odd. Down in the minors everyone was wearing helmets, but it seems like once you're in the bigs you get a little swagger and don't want to make your head any sweatier in the Florida sun than necessary. But fragility supersedes style. Morneau did have some powerful shots in his BP session, drilling a few back-to-back shots over the right field fence in one round and then in the next hitting a homerun on a rope, pure line drive (also to right). Willingham had as much pop as advertised as well, and not just when he was pulling the ball -- it seemed like for awhile he was trying to drive it and he ended up launching one way over the 405 ft. centerfield fence and high off the green backboard beyond. Morneau, Span, Hendricks, Willingham, and Carroll all took time to sign some autographs along the rail after their workout. Morneau didn't seem down, tired, lackluster or anything. He was laughing, joking, and making plenty of fun small talk with fans and if anything it was just good to see him in good spirits.</div><div><br /></div><div>- In complete contrast with Morneau was Nishioka. Relinquished to the backfields but still followed around by Ryo, Nishi just didn't look happy to be there at all. He kept to himself, he went through his drills, and as soon as fielding was over he went straight to the enclosed batting cages to take some swings instead of staying on the field with the rest of the team. I overheard Bruno say something to Gene Glynn about Nishi going inside and I couldn't tell if there was any subtext to it or not. Best not to read into it too much I suppose, but hard not to.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4MbVdW0vT3zEPlhibHz8EeYWYOryKozuBXVXDnUo3k3HULKob1mx2nEcpym94jbhv0sqETPcOuiKNDda89XPV8wz1IKSfi7ZyESrhs3-TsNSDAkn7qr7-n4V3f48CuTRMc5NkXG2K4Tw5/s400/DSC00697.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5725550164661757170" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div>- Watching Bruno run BP was great. He really has a great way with the players and they seemed to listen to him and actually respond to his instruction. In one instance, he was working with Aaron Bates and he stood in front of him, positioned his bat, adjusted Bates's hands, and gave him some direction on driving the ball. The next time he stepped into the cage he checked his hands and just drilled the next pitch. He spent time with everyone on that practice field, talking in Rene Rivera's ear while he was hitting, demonstrating adjustments for Ray Chang in his stance, etc. Later, Matt Carson was taking some hacks with Rene Tosoni and Joe Benson and Bruno was actually throwing the BP session. Carson took a strong swing at a pitch well over the far side of the plate and Bruno tsked him and said "Just because it's out there doesn't mean you need to be aggressive... stay back, wait for your pitch. Sit on the fastball in or wait for that hanging slider." Carson took the next pitch which Bruno tossed a little high and then Bruno hung one right over the heart of the plate and Carson belted it deep to the warning track with nodding approval from Bruno.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJDIvw5vMrp_Ciucm8DMQxSDUYbN8s7nNrdSeLOJ25QP18TBHQkZLNj0VFtaGUawjb2SYz8H29FFoUChZQsWfYV9dQO2FPeKqA1gr_vzq-auiV4pAW1ry3A0RAx70HMfDTXL56WjH8kbN3/s400/DSC00670.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5725549945788030130" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div>- There was a lot of PFP going on today as always. There were 3 fields running, one of which I didn't spend much time at was the lower levels of the minors. There was one group of AAA pitchers working with Glynn, Bruno and Cuellar while another group that seemed like a mix of AAA and AA worked with Cliburn, Smith, and Hernandez. Wimmers was in Cliburn's group and seemed very at ease, which is a good sign that hopefully he's in for a good season. Steve Hirschfeld was also in that group and above everyone else he stuck out as a TALL pitcher, with long arms and a big frame. His minor league success isn't fluky it seems and he's definitely someone to keep an eye on as a future major leaguer. In the AAA group there were a ton of former non-roster invitees (PJ Walters, Brendan Wise, Daryl Thompson, etc.) along with some familiar faces like Scott Diamond and Jeff Manship. One guy in particular it was pretty great to see on the field: Kyle Gibson. While the other pitchers would throw a live ball in the drills he just mimed the action, but still went through the routines. Hopefully he can make it back to throwing soon. Gibson's wife was there as well, along with their adorable Alaskan Malamute (who must have been baking in the sun). Their puppy got a lot of attention from the players as they ran to the field. I think I heard Tyler Robertson saying something about how he'd be their mascot for later in the game and a bunch of the other guys chuckled.</div><div><br /></div><div>- Pedro Florimon was fun to watch as he took practice. He was pretty smooth with the glove in the field and has a decent size that I imagine could generate some line drive power if he makes more contact with the bat. He's also got a very easy going nature, very jovial. Glynn told him he'd be playing shortstop in the game today and he smiled and shook his head and said "No, no, segundo," which drew some laughs.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIs-GjOPB75K3BxFGJdIFb5MyJftmVRonsAyEPut76JmvhmJoSaX5cniJIQDFVrsO0hmiujW6Vss8tn6hH6ozgipK_cIAuspoVsSFu9dG_pLPMgEhk7Y1E-nT1U5MnnMYFcgPbzZ0W_3mB/s400/DSC00688.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5725550483177234402" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div>- Smith threw some BP to a group that included Aaron Hicks, Marc Dolenc, Evan Bigley and Darin Mastroianni. He went through a few rounds and then began going through situations with them, telling them to drive one shot to left, followed by center, followed by right. If someone could get all three to the right direction he'd give them a bonus situation. Hicks really seemed to struggle with directional hitting and wasn't getting good cuts. Mastroianni actually nailed all 3 and so Smith called out a bonus situation for him: "Bases loaded, 2 outs, take a shot" and Mastroianni proceeded to lay down a bunt and sprinted out of the batting cage which seemed to amuse everyone on the field.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihJjHT28M0ILCKlUI4m6j_M2pWkfGMOEZ3pJQjc7n2tTRlROLr1nDwHRReIYzkc8RCxA3Ct0pnN6lkq2lfP6YJIQxfHvZg1wh-R0MFr226QpbrrlOeFmdWOiXSG6q6jSxNgNRZ0qjakMOD/s400/DSC00713.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5725550339965279042" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div>- As great as it was watching Bruno teaching the AAA players about their hitting, it was fun to watch Paul Molitor and Tom Kelly strolling between the 3 active fields and jumping in to offer pieces of advice, or sitting down on a bench or a folding chair and taking in some of the practice. When everyone finally broke to go in for lunch before their minor league games that afternoon, I wandered by the little half field near the clubhouse and saw Molitor hitting grounders to Mastroianni -- who for some reason was getting reps at second base -- to practice ranging to his left and ranging to his right while Molitor would shout out advice between each grounder. Eventually TK and James Beresford wandered by as well and Beresford asked if he could join, so TK ended up shooting the grounders and Molitor stood by the two of them and gave them some pointers.</div><div><br /></div><div>That's about all I can remember from my sensory overload today. I'm going to the Twins/Red Sox game Friday and I'll also catch the game against the Pirates on Saturday. If anyone else is going to some of the games feel free to shoot me an e-mail or leave a comment and maybe I'll see you there!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Topperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04630727502510188723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4445586961714975337.post-12006868706466197822012-02-19T16:28:00.003-05:002012-02-19T16:38:32.606-05:00A Baseball Sonnet<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfm1ko5tY_EwNHwsWOU3CRkrAxBKQ10OYp_NqQvunHPQsumukOTh6kzz-mODOiXhfYJrJG4KPygwAQMqfwx3tTshoKNXm5QohnODQmF6X64D0RrrXBD80hEhBGm6N71FmB3Jhx-2hX2l8e/s1600/DSC00018.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfm1ko5tY_EwNHwsWOU3CRkrAxBKQ10OYp_NqQvunHPQsumukOTh6kzz-mODOiXhfYJrJG4KPygwAQMqfwx3tTshoKNXm5QohnODQmF6X64D0RrrXBD80hEhBGm6N71FmB3Jhx-2hX2l8e/s400/DSC00018.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5710964315818222594" /></a><br />Sticking with the <a href="http://twinsgeek.blogspot.com/2012/02/baseballs-happy-lexicon-2012.html">running</a> <a href="http://kbrobaseball.blogspot.com/2012/02/start-of-something-great.html">theme</a> of celebrating pitchers & catchers reporting -- a Shakespearian sonnet:<div><br /></div><div><i>The grassy fields of Hammond Stadium</i></div><div><i>Are live this morn with sound of bat and glove.</i></div><div><i>Walkways and bleachers filled with fandom's hum</i></div><div><i>As sunlight and hope stream from skies above.</i></div><div><i>Mauer stretches and tests an achy knee,</i></div><div><i>While Cisco winds and loosens up his arm,</i></div><div><i>And Revere runs the fields smiling with glee</i></div><div><i>As prospects show early to prep for the farm.</i></div><div><i>The spring is here and summer can't be far.</i></div><div><i>Soon mascots, organs and anthems will sing.</i></div><div><i>Fans will fill stadiums, their couch and bar,</i></div><div><i>To see teams begins the quest for a ring.</i></div><div><i><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>We get seven months before sign of fall,</i></div><div><i><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>It's time to enjoy the beauty of ball.</i></div>Topperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04630727502510188723noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4445586961714975337.post-41762723053325123452012-02-14T01:00:00.000-05:002012-02-14T11:44:20.963-05:00Love & Baseball<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVCTzaZ_BddagHaVNHmKBSqQsH8fzltfX-TfYpHz-CLWopLuvJgVg3S_WufuxtJEEHxO_321PnGVr3QxOQ7qA3xwWhKoFhupz8tWsk3ji-mBWK_4OqlxG-1ha5xRwdKy_rNBsTJBqUscEd/s1600/i-love-baseball.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 128px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVCTzaZ_BddagHaVNHmKBSqQsH8fzltfX-TfYpHz-CLWopLuvJgVg3S_WufuxtJEEHxO_321PnGVr3QxOQ7qA3xwWhKoFhupz8tWsk3ji-mBWK_4OqlxG-1ha5xRwdKy_rNBsTJBqUscEd/s400/i-love-baseball.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709030925026141890" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>I don't know why people like the home run so much. A home run is over as soon as it starts... The triple is the most exciting play of the game. A triple is like meeting a woman who excites you, spending the evening talking and getting more excited, then taking her home. It drags on and on. You're never sure how it's going to turn out. - George Foster</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">I've always loved baseball. And I've always liked women. When the two meet, it's great.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">To be fair, even though I was always a Twins fan when I lived in Minnesota, I never became such a die-hard fan until I moved to New York and was separated from my team. Baseball was always great, but I think I took for granted being so close to my team and being able to have them anytime I wanted. The same goes for relationships I suppose, but its first evidence in my life was made plain in baseball.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">My girlfriends when I lived in Minnesota were never really baseball fans (perhaps that's why they never worked out), but since I've moved to New York I've either sought out Twins fans or converted them. Yes, converted them. Or at least attempted to.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">For example, my first serious girlfriend in New York was not really into baseball at all. A New York art student, Floridian, vegetarian, nothing really conducive to baseball. But in order to make things work, much to her credit, she actually attempted to adopt my team and develop an interest in the game. Early on I went out and bought a Joe Nathan t-shirt jersey in men's small and gave it to her saying it was my old shirt I'd grown out of. Nathan however did NOT become her favorite player. Despite his lovable facial twitches and being the best closer in Twins history, no, she fell instead for Torii Hunter.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Torii was an easy player to love I suppose. And it didn't hurt that when we went to a game at Yankee Stadium, her first Twins game, Torii belted a go-ahead homerun in his first at bat and she stood up cheering and said "I think I like HIM!" Her Torii Hunter connection was furthered later when she found out that her favorite place to eat in Minnesota, The Original Pancake House, was also Hunter's. It didn't matter, she liked the Twins, she was hooked. Pick any player she wanted, I'd finally found a Twins fan in New York.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">At the time, my roommate was a Detroit Tigers fan. My girlfriend spent a lot of time at my apartment and her proximity to the two of us probably forced her to get into baseball more than she otherwise would have. After awhile she told me that she didn't like watching baseball with me because if we lost I'd be upset the rest of the day and act really depressed. But she pressed on, still watching baseball and sometimes falling asleep in extra innings, sometimes awake enough to celebrate 9th inning walk offs. But the real test was on the last day of the season when the Twins won and she actually encouraged me to switch channels and start cheering for the Royals to beat the Tigers to see if we could make the post-season.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We did. Of course. And my roommate came home upset and she got her first taste of gloating.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But I know she's not a baseball fan anymore. Perhaps that means she never really was. Perhaps the departure of Torii Hunter doomed the relationship and to be a true Twins fan you need to be in love with the team and not just a particular player. Life's eternal questions.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I later started dating another girl for awhile. She was an avid sports fan from Arizona, but primarily baseball and basketball. This was my first taste in starting to cheer for the teams of a girl that I liked. While the Timberwolves and Vikings floundered and the Gophers were in the middle of a stretch of nonexistence that they're still in now, I started learning reasons to like Steve Nash and found out what a Sun Devil was. Since the Diamondbacks weren't much of a team she conceded to me on the baseball front and went out to buy a Justin Morneau jersey on her own accord.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But this relationship didn't even survive an offseason. It was short, and baseball never really even got it's chance. We never went to a game together, which is the first sign (although to be fair there was never really an opportunity).</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">My last girlfriend was a bit of an enigma. She was Polish, and trying to learn about baseball from a slew of Giants fan friends in the year they won the World Series. Our first date was bringing her to a Twins game at Yankee Stadium for a game that got rained out. I was excited because there was someone I liked that genuinely wanted to learn about baseball before meeting me but had no strong allegiance to any team in particular. I got great seats, close to the field (and to Danny Valencia, thinking that he'd be a good introduction for any girl to start liking baseball), but as the skies opened and the game was rescheduled until September, we left the ballpark and settled for dinner instead.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">She genuinely started getting into the game, learning how to read balls and strikes, the different between catching fly balls and force-outs, even the hard to grasp rule of tagging up before advancing on a caught fly ball. I made the trip up to Boston to catch the Twins at Fenway and she joined me. Despite another gloomy and rainy day we got to watch our first live baseball game together, and although the Twins lost she started feeling an affinity for Jason Kubel, the only player on our team worth caring about in a season of disappointment. I sometimes wonder how someone could go from cheering for a World Series winner to one of the worst teams in baseball within the span of a year, but she did it admirably.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We spent the summer watching games at the bar or on a hacked MLB.TV account. We caught Liriano's no-hitter, went out of our way to see the Twins play the Giants, and even flew out to see some games at Target Field; but the moment I knew she liked the Twins was when she started referring to them as "us" and "we". Finally, a girl who got it beyond superficial cheering.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But when September rolled around we couldn't catch that rain-out game and gave the tickets to some friends. Kubel seemed destined for departure despite her autographed Kubel baseball and her new Kubel T-shirt, and he ended up making his way to the Diamondbacks early in the off-season (talk about painful for someone who likes the Giants).</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Looking back on things I'm not sure if it's right to convert people you like into fans or your team, or if it's even truly possible. Perhaps it does more harm than good. I think you either meet a Twins fan or you accept that the person you love is a fan of another team and learn to live with the differences. I've had the pleasure of getting to know The Geek and The Voice of Reason, and reading <a href="http://twinsgeek.blogspot.com/2011/08/magic-part-19.html">the story he publishes every year</a> and seeing the two of them together makes me realize that you can love your team and you can love your person and you don't need to force the two of them together -- it will happen naturally or it won't happen at all.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But as Valentine's Day rolls around today -- and Happy Valentine's Day to everyone -- I'm not looking to create any new Twins fans. I'm counting down the days until my lifelong true love returns. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">5. 5 more days. 5 more days until we're back at baseball. That's the best Valentine's Day gift ever.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The other sports are just sports. Baseball is a love. - Bryant Gumbel</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Topperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04630727502510188723noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4445586961714975337.post-74028007608293151882012-02-09T01:00:00.000-05:002012-02-09T13:44:41.109-05:00Return To Piranhas?When Ron Gardenhire announced his projected opening day lineup I don't think there were any surprises, at least not personally. However, not playing coy and announcing to the world before any of them have stepped foot on Hammond Field to take a few warmup swings seems either a little presumptuous or a devilish attempt at lighting a fire under some fringe players.<div><br /></div><div>Personally, it just seems a little deflating. It's hard right now to imagine Willingham and Doumit's impact having never seen them suit up for the Twins, and truth be told I never really payed all that much attention to them before their names starting popping up as possibilities for the Twins. Regardless of how well their bats might play I think it's pretty clear that the 2012 Twins will lack the thump we got a little taste of back when JJ Hardy was batting ninth and Thome was tapping his foot on the bench waiting to mash some taters.</div><div><br /></div><div>Instead, this is throwing me back to the days when Nick Punto was dirtying up his uniform by sliding headfirst into first base, Jason Tyner was locking down the DH spot, and Luis Castillo was burning his prosthetic knees up the first base line after laying down a bunt for a hit. The top and bottom two spots of the lineup will be a typical return to Piranha fashion, with that injection of speed that we heard about last year but never really got to see.</div><div><br /></div><div>Leadoff and the two-hole being filled with Denard Span and Jamey Carroll makes decent sense, as both have relatively strong on base skills and once they get on they can hopefully run a little bit. Of course both are somewhat of a question mark as it remains to be seen if Span will return healthy and if Carroll can stave off his aging long enough to play a few more years.</div><div><br /></div><div>At the bottom of the lineup we're rounded out with the ever-enigmatic Alexi Casilla and then Ben Revere. If either can post a decent OBP the four of these hitters going back-to-back could be enough to to scrap together some typical Piranha runs late in a ballgame. But of course this relies on us seeing the "good" version of Casilla and on Revere improving on his performance at the plate from last year -- neither of which are sure bets.</div><div><br /></div><div>The other factor to watch will be how the Piranha approach works for the Twins in their new ballpark. Without the aid of the turf in the infield helping them get some seeing-eye singles, the four new Piranhas will have to rely a little heavier on line drives to the gaps to show off their wheels (unless of course they're playing the Tigers and can just lay down bunts up either line).</div><div><br /></div><div>Regardless, it seems like the Twins are committed to adjusting their offensive approach in Target Field. Going back to what worked for them throughout the middle of last decade. It will be interesting to see if it pays off, because I'm still a little puzzled why they ever changed direction from the 2010 Minnesota Murderer's Row that posted one of the best records the Twins have had in recent history their first year at the new ballpark. Hopefully this year helps them decide if they pursue the small-ball approach they seem set on or else start looking for some power bats again.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>*In other news, if you haven't already, please <a href="http://mlbfancave.mlb.com/fancave/index.jsp?content=vote&partnerId=aw-8045329928000504961-996#fbid=JqGUBWZ0Z4t">go support</a> Twins maven Lindsay Guentzel in her quest to live in the MLB Fan Cave! I had the pleasure of attending an event there last year and walk by it almost every day as it's down the street from my work. It would be great to have a fellow Twins fan over there and if anyone from our online Twins community deserves it it's definitely Lindsay -- who has made herself omnipresent in the Minnesota sports world.</i></div>Topperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04630727502510188723noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4445586961714975337.post-23139363416726248282012-02-02T01:00:00.000-05:002012-02-02T13:11:46.634-05:00ResurfacingLet me take a moment to welcome myself back.<div><br /></div><div>*Moment*</div><div><br /></div><div>Welcome myself back from what however, I'm not sure. Laziness? Lack of inspiration? Busy personal life? Probably all of the above. One thing is certain and that it's hard to maintain an interest in blogging while your team goes through an endless stretch of ineptitude. That's no excuse though as many excellent bloggers out there continued to write throughout the season (and the lifeless offseason) and my appetite for anything baseball has taken complete advantage of being able to read them every day.</div><div><br /></div><div>It's tough to know how to get back into this. I'm sure I've lost many loyal readers, and I'm sure Curve's link has been removed from many other blog sidebars. For anyone interested, I'm going to find a way back to writing, but at this point it has to be more for myself than anyone else I suppose.</div><div><br /></div><div>For anyone who does it on a regular basis, writing is a muscle that needs to constantly be exercised (trite, cliché, eye-rolling everywhere). And if nothing else I hate having that muscle out of shape.</div><div><br /></div><div>So let's start out slow, disjointed -- the only way to ease back into the tepid water I'm facing.</div><div><br /></div><div>- I already miss Michael Cuddyer, Joe Nathan, and Jason Kubel. Losing one after the other in succession felt like saying good-bye to best friends. I realize it would have been a mistake to resign them (although I still think losing Kubel is a tough pill to swallow). Doumit should fill in nicely, and Carroll will probably at least be decent, which is a sure step-up from anything we've seen in the middle infield except JJ Hardy. But this is a stopgap, and I'm sure the front office sees it the same way.</div><div><br /></div><div>- Our bullpen is a hot mess. I thought we tried the same plan last year -- throw a bunch of arms at a wall and see which ones stick. The real problem here isn't that we're not going out and signing solid relievers, that rarely ever works out for teams (e.g. Soriano, Cruz, Rodney, etc. etc.). The real problem for me is that the young talent in our farm season either hasn't risen fast enough or isn't there. I think we'll have a very good idea of if Burnett is for real or not after this season. Why Gutierrez, Bromberg, Manship, Waldrop, or Slama are not viable options for us at this point is beyond me. If we don't believe they'll step up, I can understand roster positions going to people like Phil Dumatrait, Casey Fien, Jeff Gray or people of that ilk, but then the bigger question becomes why aren't we producing our homegrown talent like we were before?</div><div><br /></div><div>- Tom Kelly's jersey being retired is a classy classy move. That man will forever live in my heart as being the guy that brought World Series titles to Minnesota and it was a sad day when he hung up the clipboard. Not to take anything away from Ron Gardenhire but he has a large shadow of a small man hanging over him. Gardy certainly has some of Kelly's attributes, but the silent effectiveness of TK is something I've always admired. Well done, sir.</div><div><br /></div><div>That's it for now. Hopefully the next post is more coherent and not far off in the future...</div>Topperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04630727502510188723noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4445586961714975337.post-38549906328698335162011-05-04T07:00:00.000-04:002011-05-04T10:32:56.788-04:00Well ... THAT Happened<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3rnCSxiiIzFBOs_mUQMJW5wz0Uq4LNDzAuuxYqm2G5xv-jEYSw3WZ5cF6uhChEUs6dt7ZdVI_fuj6Mb33es78HpoTTgwmsJhTVYwBI7Pq-v3v-eaQcaKdHDnlm8fSUKc-4cXrmKu11lp_/s1600/ap-201105032152787742631.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 269px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3rnCSxiiIzFBOs_mUQMJW5wz0Uq4LNDzAuuxYqm2G5xv-jEYSw3WZ5cF6uhChEUs6dt7ZdVI_fuj6Mb33es78HpoTTgwmsJhTVYwBI7Pq-v3v-eaQcaKdHDnlm8fSUKc-4cXrmKu11lp_/s400/ap-201105032152787742631.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602868817797445618" /></a><br />There's a lot of caveats to how amazing the game was last night -- but why would you ever dwell on them? In the midst of the worst start to a season that I can remember, Tuesday night's game against the White Sox was the kind of game you need.<div><br /></div><div>Liriano wasn't dominant, but he made history. And that's all that matters right now. I'm going to try to hold off on the griping and complaining about this team for awhile and just tip my cap. Well done. Well done.</div>Topperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04630727502510188723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4445586961714975337.post-39749989681953790202011-05-02T00:01:00.001-04:002011-05-02T13:20:40.061-04:00The End of Optimism... and also Ribs Are Amazing<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqfum9ij7vkyapyvO3bCKe-EAhbaj1WsWQpCoek6s3-fBQPl4ESuD-u_EQ6bqb0HhAsQq8UjF3bog8olYWyntkPGUQOULi2wrdjQwEgRWjbDAhQAXGFOAQUj6tZSw8V4uLZqMdsQreQid1/s1600/IMG00204-20110429-1846.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a>It's difficult to find anything to praise in this team right now. I keep looking for the silver lining and they keep handing out plasticware. Looking up at not even just the rest of the division, but the rest of the entire collected teams of Major League Baseball is a tough pill to swallow -- especially for a team coming off a historic season like 2010. Right now the only consolation I can think of is that we're getting to see Rene Tosoni and Luke Hughes get a shot at sticking in the Majors -- two fun players who are probably a little over their heads playing so regularly but could be capable role-players on a team that was actually functioning.<div><br /></div><div>You can only imagine how long the Alexi Casilla experiment is going to go on, two meaningless triples after countless bonehead plays doesn't buy that much. $7 million for JJ Hardy (despite the fact that he's injured) isn't so hard to justify for someone who can actually hold their own in the field and at the plate on a somewhat consistent basis. Not that JJ Hardy would have been the savior of this team, but in a broader sense, looking ahead to the future -- which is about all I can do at the moment -- we have no realistic options at short unless Trevor Plouffe suddenly puts it all together (and I know he's not doing half bad at AAA but I'd like to see it for a full season).</div><div><br /></div><div>It was both oddly entertaining and also oddly terrifying seeing coolheaded Carl Pavano trashing the Kansas City visitor's dugout with a baseball bat. I kind of hope all of them are feeling that angst. At least Jason Kubel is increasing his mid-season trade stock for us to hopefully net a decent prospect or two for next year, even as Francisco Liriano continues to piss away every amount of confidence he gained by last year's performance.</div><div><br /></div><div>The person I feel worst for right now is Jim Thome, the ultimate good guy looking to break 600 career homeruns on a championship caliber squad being relegated to burning up roster space on a team that will eventually be needing to start some youngsters for experience once they're knocked out of contention. As they say, you can't win your division in April but you can certainly lose it, and the Twins are doing everything in their power to lose it.</div><div><br /></div><div>9-18. I have to resist the urge to vomit looking at those numbers. I have to imagine that they'll at least finish at or just above the .500 mark, and while that's still feasible of course, it's going to take a lot, A LOT of ifs to make that happen:</div><div>- <i>if</i> Francisco Liriano can start to step up and post numbers like last year...</div><div>- <i>if </i>Michael Cuddyer suddenly realizes how to hit again...</div><div>- <i>if</i> Joe Mauer returns and can actually do something other than ground into a double play -- while staying healthy...</div><div>- <i>if</i> someone in the bullpen other than Matt Capps can show signs of reliability...</div><div>- <i>if</i> someone in the combination of a healthy Nishioka, Puntoesque Tolbert, Cuddyeresque Hughes, boneheaded Casilla, and questionable Plouffe can form a keystone combo...</div><div>- <i>if</i> Morneau and Young can become the power threats they need to be in order to bulk up this lineup...</div><div><br /></div><div><i>then</i> maybe we can get back into contention. But if those things don't start to fall in place by the end of May I think they'll be way too far out of the running, despite the fact that the Central is still acting like they're stuck in hibernation and letting Cleveland and Kansas City get all their nervous energy out of the way now.</div><div><br /></div><div>Despite the fact that I can hardly consider my outlook optimistic, I got to go to one of the best events I've ever been to this past Friday. The MLB Fan Cave is an awesome new media guerilla marketing technique by MLB to connect with the modern age -- taking two "Ultimate Fans" and making them live and breathe baseball for an entire season. They've taken the old Tower Record space in the Village on Broadway, and converted it into the ultimate baseball playhouse. On Friday night they invited people wearing Twins garb to show up and enjoy a night of baseball with the ultimate fans, and since I live two blocks away from the Fan Cave and pass by it almost every day on my way in to work, I thought I'd accept the offer the check it out myself.</div><div><br /></div><div>When you walk in there's a huge catwalk above you where they walk up and "change the score" adding a game every time they watch one and taking down a number from the other side of the board in their countdown to the postseason. There is a HUGE wall of televisions, 15 to be exact, where they can have every single game on. Next to the televisions is an electronic map depicting aerial views of every MLB stadium in the country, which light up when a game is being played.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfkqbqygcLrw97dpoQEODlwBnNs2LZal3MS1CyS7NaAKeycz3tY3gV9HASmbFs74nHyEBW_eQL04eZaqCxuSUgiaP1thPxN3Pcfa-wuBVXugR6xavjIEy4v3c86B08Gn84yXgFLFxIU88b/s400/IMG00209-20110429-1910.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5601963283561616226" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1B7NcLJUCPi1N5iKNq3hMsXxm4NBeLG_lv7LHTrcKguXuRWNd8Pwd6srEhK-I1x5_HAuWWZ6f9zFX74Pd0wffWJ-NbI5HnqyWsZnH0GP-PTyevOOsFV1UoYkXlVm-N6xkdZ19BPJpTSeb/s400/IMG00206-20110429-1847.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5601962940130608450" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><i>This is the front of the house/seating area</i></span></div><div>Behind the the bank of televisions is a playground for baseball addicts. A 3D tv station is set up for games broadcast in 3D (yes, those exist), as well as airhockey, shuffleboard and pool tables all decked out with the MLB logos, a beaded portrait of Jay-Z (over 10,000 beads), an electronic graffiti board, a giant statue of Willie Mays, a bank of Macbook pros where the MLB is building every single player's favorite playlists so you can check out your favorite player's musical predilections, and so much more I can't even name.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqfum9ij7vkyapyvO3bCKe-EAhbaj1WsWQpCoek6s3-fBQPl4ESuD-u_EQ6bqb0HhAsQq8UjF3bog8olYWyntkPGUQOULi2wrdjQwEgRWjbDAhQAXGFOAQUj6tZSw8V4uLZqMdsQreQid1/s400/IMG00204-20110429-1846.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5601962607824096994" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><i>The electronic graffiti board, ready for the Twins party</i></span></div><div>They have a huge wall mural where people stop by and autograph and leave mementos when they come to visit -- one is a picture of Huston Street in a jersey that says "Huston Street" -- they apparently decked him out in that jersey and brought him two blocks away to New York's Houston Street (pronounced "House"-ton) and had him ask for directions there -- people kept telling him it's pronounced House-ton and not Huston until finally somebody stopped and said, "Wait a second, you ARE Huston Street!" There were tons of other stories like that, and the place just sounds like a blast.</div><div><br /></div><div>That night, Lou Bavaro and his wife were serving us the infamous Michelbobs Ribs, and for those of you who aren't aware of the joy that is Michelbobs ... for shame! </div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtRVvHb1WagX4JSD-NC80BaEZ4DCWEgMy0hZhdiOZLv7l6-ceGmTxKP2Eva7xfQfTDACfx19YaXhgF-po1qlDdDuOHS-cyAw0c6rGa3vcSz2NVJnE5Tt6mygzQ36MjYiS7q9uRqRcnZXlr/s400/IMG00210-20110429-1925.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5601963473633984674" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><i>Me, Lou, and his wife with Michelbobs ribs</i></span></div><div>LENIII always mentions it in his spring training guide and I've tried to hype it myself whenever I go down, but they have the most succulent barbeque you'll ever taste, with ribs that literally fall off the bone as you pick them up. They now serve them at Target Field and are also connecting to a bunch of grocers where you can buy them in the store, but for the real experience you need to go to Naples and check out the restaurant. I've had my share of Michelbobs over my life but it was a treat to have Lou and his wife making the ribs themselves, and especially to enjoy it in NYC watching the Twins with some other Twins fans. MLB tried to prepare a banquet to go along with it, and did a pretty good job of stuffing us with mac and cheese, hush puppies, okra, and Budweiser, but the star of the night were those ribs and I think I helped myself to a few plates to save up for next spring.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcKpgfgx1kkgsSZE0pEubrBxfAVKCs_Q1G51FJBRxxPBLJOv1PtnAH6nSWrenl0qxaK06md8zh5zgkyHhsikCehkEOEzjxJhyphenhyphenBFe8wDc7o0wT6xyS_mDX_K_rZvclN7k_6C-q446D6u7UZ/s400/IMG00208-20110429-1849.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5601963052387081778" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><i>Probably my third helping, can't remember...</i></span></div>Topperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04630727502510188723noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4445586961714975337.post-89765385183239590672011-04-11T00:01:00.000-04:002011-04-11T00:21:40.185-04:00Losing Is a Disease (and other thoughts)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZPIq4Uuglwo4oECNM83ghl7d72Zq0gd40ivlzWI87Ziz1qRaTt9m-by6ulDeyk0Mq6i85QRkUlB2KavGm0QZn72flVCrlg2AHeYnechxuht6irwA-ALin-qLaASzui5Db0mvZQzD6zGPt/s1600/natural.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZPIq4Uuglwo4oECNM83ghl7d72Zq0gd40ivlzWI87Ziz1qRaTt9m-by6ulDeyk0Mq6i85QRkUlB2KavGm0QZn72flVCrlg2AHeYnechxuht6irwA-ALin-qLaASzui5Db0mvZQzD6zGPt/s400/natural.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594176344128580722" /></a><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>All I can remember from playing baseball -- or other organized sports for that matter -- is that when you get in a funk, it's really tough to break out. It seems like all the breaks go the wrong way and that there's no way to build momentum.<div><br /></div><div><object width="459" height="55"> <param name="movie" value="http://ecdn1.hark.com/swfs/player.swf?1297555656"> <param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"> <param name="flashvars" value="autoplay=false&dataPath=http://www.hark.com/clips/gztwxzjspk.json"> <param name="wmode" value="transparent"> <embed src="http://ecdn1.hark.com/swfs/player.swf?1297555656" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="autoplay=false&dataPath=http://www.hark.com/clips/gztwxzjspk.json" width="459" height="55" wmode="transparent"></embed> </object> <span style=" display: block; width: 440px; margin-left: 5px;font-size:9px;color:#ddd;"> (<a href="http://www.hark.com/clips/gztwxzjspk-losing-is-a-disease-like-polio" style="color: #aaa;">Link</a>) View more <a href="http://www.hark.com/collections/hbjjldstxf-frank-carpenter" style="color: #aaa;">Frank Carpenter Sound Clips</a> and <a href="http://www.hark.com/collections/ngvmrhjgfm-the-natural" style="color: #aaa;">The Natural Sound Clips</a> </span></div><div><br /></div><div>It reminds me of that therapist they brought in to speak to the Knights in The Natural -- one of the greatest montage sequences I can think of and it perfectly sums up how everything seems to go wrong during a slump. (I'm not suggesting the Twins bring in any team therapists for positive reinforcement, but at this point, something has to help them.)</div><div><br /></div><div>We're a whopping 9 games into the season, and it seems like whenever we get any steam that something comes along to take the wind out of our sails. But there are a good 153 games left to play -- it's why we're not cheering for a football team -- and we still haven't even had a whiff of the AL Central yet.</div><div><br /></div><div>How the Twins perform against the AL Central is going to determine the course of the year, and what better way to start it off than against our favorite whipping post: The Kansas City Royals. I don't think anyone in Kansas City is making plans for the postseason yet, and for that matter, neither are the Indians. This time of year the standings get a little topsy-turvy, and I fully anticipate that towards the middle of May we'll be able to start sifting through the wheat from the chaff and see who really wants a seat in the division.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>THOUGHTS:</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>- Nishioka's injury was unfortunate. I was there with a couple of friends and honestly my attention was focused on the throw over to first and I missed the collision. It sounds like it could have been a lot worse, but watching Ryo and the team doctor help Nishi hobble off the field was a depressing sight, made slightly worse by the sympathetic Yankee fans who admirably gave him some applause as he made his way off the field. This of course opens the door for Luke Hughes to make a statement, but it appears that until the Twins can find some semblance of an offense that Gardy might be trotting Cuddyer out at 2B in order to get as many big bats in the lineup as he can. I think the Nishi injury actually could help him out a little bit, I don't see any way that he comes back without a rehab assignment and it might be good to let him play for a little bit in the minors and start to figure out the strike zone a little better.</div><div><br /></div><div>- Thome hit 590 Sunday. If the injury bug keeps forcing him into the lineup on a more consistent basis I think we see 600 at just about the All-Star break and he passes Sosa before the end of the year. That's my eternal optimist, but there's got to be something positive to think about right now.</div><div><br /></div><div>- Morneau and Nathan are encouraging. The fact that they're playing at all is something to be thankful for, and I'm not really that concerned about either of them. Nathan will perhaps never be as dominant as he was before the injury, but his velocity is better than I expected and he always liked to make things interesting at the end of games anyway. Morneau is connecting well, it's just not getting many results. I think his performance Sunday against the A's which included a few bleeders and bloops means that things will start to even out a little bit for him and hopefully some of his more solid hits will start to drop. All it takes is that first homerun and I think we'll see the power floodgates rip open for him.</div><div><br /></div><div>- Our bullpen is actually alright! I think when Slowey comes back healthy that will be a huge boon as he could really thrive in a short relief role. (Of course I think he could thrive as a starter again too, much honestly he gives me more confidence out of the pen than most of the people on our roster.) Capps/Nathan is one of the better tandems to end a game, and Mijares and Perkins have both looked rather solid as well. I'm reserving judgment on Manship because I think he is what he is for his role in the 'pen, Hughes I'm still a little wary of but he's looked just fine -- especially getting out of that jam on Saturday night.</div><div><br /></div><div>- It's a little disappointing having already had the boys in my neck of the woods and not being able to see them again for awhile. They've rescheduled the rained out Yankee game for a TBD date in September, which I guess gives me something to look forward to then -- but right now I'm just looking forward to Fenway and finding an excuse to fly back to Minnesota for a little bit. Local fans don't know how lucky they have it.</div>Topperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04630727502510188723noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4445586961714975337.post-28010949785044989482011-03-29T00:01:00.000-04:002011-03-29T00:01:00.101-04:00Interview with a Wart<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw7u8sur7JsoyBVWUzdJUaaiXDoU52GuSXJc9LFUad2-GR-YhldG7NYTXA-Lh6RfSRE7AazQKqGsg9AmOBBY0KFGP3_RVOe4C8obMhIEDPO2rzcW9RnjPospjK6jObhHl14YOPVL6U9-0s/s1600/251448892.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><i>I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to chat with a new addition to the world of Twitter, <a href="http://twitter.com/cuddyerswart">@cuddyerswart</a> -- someone who has some insider knowledge of Michael Cuddyer and the travails he's gone through to get in shape this Spring Training. I thought it would be interesting to hear his side of things and get a new (albeit awfully low to the ground) perspective.</i><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw7u8sur7JsoyBVWUzdJUaaiXDoU52GuSXJc9LFUad2-GR-YhldG7NYTXA-Lh6RfSRE7AazQKqGsg9AmOBBY0KFGP3_RVOe4C8obMhIEDPO2rzcW9RnjPospjK6jObhHl14YOPVL6U9-0s/s400/251448892.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589335422047972946" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 298px; height: 400px; " /></span></i></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span></div><div><b>CURVE:</b> Mr. Wart, thanks for taking the time to chat with me, I'm sure you've got a particularly busy schedule what with Spring Training winding down.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>WART:</b> Not so much my schedule, I just hang around for the most part. It's Michael doing all the work, he's the real star. I'm just along for the ride.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>CURVE:</b> Well put. Tell us a little bit about your relationship with Michael, how things got started...</div><div><br /></div><div><b>WART:</b> Wow, that's a loaded question. I honestly don't remember how things went down -- it was just after getting knocked out of the playoffs, things weren't going too well. I think Michael was in a little bit of a funk. It was just one of those things -- two people in the right place at the right time, we kind of grew attached to each other. Perhaps some sort of a post-partem depression from baseball.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>CURVE:</b> I don't think I heard about your presence in his life until sometime during the Winter Meetings? I think we were all a little caught off guard in Twins Territory?</div><div><br /></div><div><b>WART:</b> I can see how that would happen. I think Michael actually wanted to let go at that point. Looking back perhaps I was becoming too clingy, it's one of those things seen a little easier in hindsight. But things went on a little longer than they should have, no one wants to be alone for the Holidays and all. In fact, I think the longer our relationship went on, the harder it was for us both to walk ... walk away I mean.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>CURVE:</b> What was the deciding factor for parting ways?</div><div><br /></div><div><b>WART:</b> He's kind of career driven. I think that was part of it for me at least. When the Twins front office stepped in and decided it was time to sever our relationship it was a little tough to say no. They basically just told him to cut me off. Freeze me out of his life. I was a little shocked, and I think he was too. It seems like it left a hole in both of our lives and we each sought out things to fill it. For him it was bandages and gauze, for me -- drugs, alcohol, and cheap pimples.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>CURVE:</b> Have you stayed in contact with Michael at all?</div><div><br /></div><div><b>WART:</b> These things linger on, they don't die quickly. We've had infrequent contact, only recently over Twitter. That was a defining moment in our friendship, I think, the fact that we can still stay in contact and let bygones be bygones.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>CURVE:</b> Do you have any complaints about your time together?</div><div><br /></div><div><b>WART:</b> Not complaints, per se. I think there's always things you'd want to change looking back on things. I think I held him back a little bit. Personally I hated how he would always wear tennis shoes after practice. We were in Florida, it was humid, I just wanted to breathe, I felt smothered. But really, if that's all you can find to complain about -- the guy's a gem, Claudia's a lucky lady and I really hate to think I ever might have got between them.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>CURVE</b>: Why a baseball player? Do you ever ask yourself that?</div><div><br /></div><div><b>WART:</b> I've always been a baseball fan. Sometimes I look back on the greatest moments in baseball -- Curt Schilling's bloody sock comes to mind -- and I think: that ... that's my future ... that's what I want to be remembered for. Blood on a sock in a baseball game. I guess it just wasn't meant to be.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir78_2SViXhHVj7etoCNlzMEUNRXvkijKz5OiHF7iEeCu5qj6Y34GTApUB2zZwjqAS7wNUVtE9YmY-rONDxoShl_907tL4gjcl70WME7RiP_cg4OlOxr55aLXpiIYw6Y2WwFHiqKyNUVE0/s400/schillingblood.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589335669234127266" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 269px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><i>Again, I'd like to thank <a href="http://twitter.com/cuddyerswart">@cuddyerswart</a> for taking the time to answer these questions and being such a good sport!</i></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Topperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04630727502510188723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4445586961714975337.post-51217002437732250652011-03-28T00:01:00.000-04:002011-03-28T00:01:00.452-04:00The Rationale of Tolbert over Hughes<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvfVbqvC0M71_GeScYW9-qurDXZ8JryIITeqDNcXndAhKx8N2LBLygxr_bE8oXr_c24AzfFVk9_ciSoHMphlbtQo9WtwavIr-o-_Vqf39NvTZl9Y-U4RSx0TInCPLbCzbayFuUDOTKg4TM/s1600/Jack%252BHannahan%252BMatt%252BTolbert%252BMinnesota%252BTwins%252BRDavD_ljMLel.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy3grh-zg8_68qcBeBKsPGRKVhL9aSXdnbpywnk4kYYsJ42Kwdx3GIoIgRt3QntCDnK2rWJY_arvUAfeYhrXeUOy0vPgKoJnFh-XfRoTZxglcvvx1hYD0a6jDGbZj5ToET5oWUxyAwpQuA/s1600/hughes51.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy3grh-zg8_68qcBeBKsPGRKVhL9aSXdnbpywnk4kYYsJ42Kwdx3GIoIgRt3QntCDnK2rWJY_arvUAfeYhrXeUOy0vPgKoJnFh-XfRoTZxglcvvx1hYD0a6jDGbZj5ToET5oWUxyAwpQuA/s400/hughes51.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588962182586711538" /></a><br />To be clear, I'm a big proponent of Luke Hughes being ready for the Majors. He's shown he can hit, and spending any more time in the minors isn't going to make him Gold Glove material, so you might as well throw him to wolves and give him a place on the 25-man roster. But there is no reason that Hughes should break camp with the club right now instead of Matt Tolbert.<div><br /></div><div>Luke Hughes had an amazing spring, and combined with his track record both in the minors and his short stint with the big league club last year has solidified that he won't be in Rochester for long. But the way that this team is currently assembled there isn't a place for him right now. The only possibiltiy for giving him a spot on the 25-man roster right now would be by trimming our bullpen, and with the uncertainties prevalent there that isn't going to happen.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>1. Strength of the starting 9</b></div><div>Who are you going to pinch hit for in our starting lineup? The only obvious choice is Alexi Casilla -- and we have one pinch hitter already (either Thome or Kubel, whoever is sitting that day). I wouldn't hit Hughes over anyone else in the lineup. The lineup for the Twins is one of the more formidable and talented lineups from top to bottom, and consequently, the roles on the bench this year are very defined: speed and defense. The problem with the current construction of the team, and it's only a problem in that it limits our roster space, is that both Kubel and Thome are retaining essentially the same position. Neither should see such much if any time in the field, and both are left-handed power threats. Ideally, one of those spots would be filled by Luke Hughes, but I don't think anyone in Twins Territory is advocating removing Kubel or Thome from the roster to make room for Hughes.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>2.</b> <b>Hughes needs to get playing time</b></div><div>At this point in his career, Tolbert is what he is. He can handle not getting many starts and only filling a few innings here or there, but Hughes should continue to get his work in. He was injured for most of last year, and in fact, he's had a slew of injuries that have hampered him from making much of an impact at the Majors until this point. I'd rather let him continue to get back in shape by playing regularly at AAA until a spot opens up for him than by letting him waste away on the bench and see a few at bats every week. Hughes can hit, and there's a very good chance he could be a capable everyday player at a corner infield or 2B position but he's not going to enhance those chances as a limited role player.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>3. This means Cuddyer and Morneau are healthy</b></div><div>Believe me, if Cuddyer and Morneau aren't ready to go, Hughes would be coming north with the team. At this point, Hughes could take over 1B or RF and no one else would have to slide around positions. But regardless, I would rather have Cuddyer and Morneau in the lineup and playing than Hughes. This is a good thing. It means we're healthy and that the injury bugs that plagued us all of Spring Training are finally subsiding.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>4. Hughes will get his shot</b></div><div>On the flipside, someone is going to get injured. It's bound to happen. Even if that someone is Tolbert. </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvfVbqvC0M71_GeScYW9-qurDXZ8JryIITeqDNcXndAhKx8N2LBLygxr_bE8oXr_c24AzfFVk9_ciSoHMphlbtQo9WtwavIr-o-_Vqf39NvTZl9Y-U4RSx0TInCPLbCzbayFuUDOTKg4TM/s400/Jack%252BHannahan%252BMatt%252BTolbert%252BMinnesota%252BTwins%252BRDavD_ljMLel.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588962384579846898" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 265px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>I thought only Nick Punto could go horizontal like that</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div>Hughes is only a phone call away and unless he literally falls off the face of a cliff, he will likely be the first call from Rochester. At the very least, when rosters expand in September, Hughes will be here. We don't have many other major-league ready right-handed power threats with the upside of Hughes waiting in our system, and as soon as he gets his shot I have to believe that he's going to want to prove that he shouldn't get sent back down -- similar perhaps to Danny Valencia's quest to stay in the Majors after getting his shot last year.</div>Topperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04630727502510188723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4445586961714975337.post-63564975170795968992011-03-23T00:01:00.002-04:002011-03-23T01:22:03.753-04:00A Crash Course on Jeff Bailey<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><br /></span></u></span></div><i>First off, please note the re-design of the website -- I got a little sick of the cheesy old blogspot format and the nondescript banner at the top of the page. I used to think of it as elegantly simplistic and eventually just realized it was lazily underwhelming. New banner courtesy of my awesome co-worker, Mike Moreno, who is kind enough to help me with design work in his free time. Background image is still something I'm mulling over so feel free to veto and I'll try to find something else.</i><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><i><br /></i></span></div></span></div><div>Spring is winding down -- sadly -- and rosters are starting to take shape. The inimitable Seth Stohs has <a href="http://www.startribune.com/sports/twins/blogs/118437504.html">a great piece</a> on who remains in camp and their likelihood of seeing any big-league action, and I encourage you all to read it although I imagine you've already done so.</div><div><br /></div><div>Amidst his deductions of people having slim to no chance of cracking the 25-man out of camp, he spends a little time mentioning the likelihood that we will all become familiar with Jeff Bailey at some point this season, and I agree wholeheartedly.</div><div><br /></div><div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJVWVI3sI9Y9k_jxC90_sDpC5480-CCmwoqcOE3xZoU4bYuhCbI6Gw4I2sljNBJmWnk84-sai3MsyGL4vwkmDDcnqzrUKple9qYDOR2umclIkmPHT2b3BGwWFu7zsOswDp5uJWIC0TIvu5/s400/jeff_bailey_082608.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587103302579898018" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 284px; height: 400px; " /></span></i></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>This is Jeff Bailey</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div>During the offseason, Bailey was one of those names that I simply glazed over during what seemed like 4 long months of signing AAA filler, but I think we were all a little remiss in dismissing him so quickly. My eyes were set on names like Troy Glaus and Derrek Lee so naturally Jeff Bailey faded quickly in mind.</div><div><br /></div><div>To be honest, it's tough to really consider Jeff Bailey a prospect at this point, and I'm not arguing that we do so. He's bounced around enough (Marlins to Expos to Red Sox to Twins) that he hasn't really been able to latch on, but at the same time he did experience a respectable showing with the eastern powerhouse Red Sox between '08 and '09. In '08 over a miniscule sample size of around 30 games he hit a solid .280/.390/.460 with a couple homeruns in less than 60 plate appearances.</div><div><br /></div><div>While it's tough to judge from such a small sample size in the Majors, at least he's shown that he can fill in decently when needed -- and his minor league numbers are solid. In fact, I'd find him oddly comparable to Garrett Jones, a guy who could never latch on anywhere despite being given a few chances at the majors, but who tore up the minors. Jones is about 3 years younger and spent 3 fewer years bouncing around farm systems, but Bailey has a better slash line in the minors (.276/.380/.478 as opposed to .258/.312/.450) so perhaps Bailey just needs to find his groove at the majors. He's got the pop in his bat to justify a position at 1st base or corner outfield -- in fact like our Spring Darling, Luke Hughes, Bailey hit a homerun in first MLB at bat and it was also against the Tigers.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMJYtAheRRbOJvOn21FYfkJUsRayyRhc4ypfm__akyiaGRSP4Rg8C4XJiBI_Wl9QLeCu8qfCLoLw3tO4Heu1oqzYMmlVPhZE1sRVg3VvmniGUdbliOwJf_LeI62Q9VwPXt8wMd0B80bHn/s400/Bailey+resize.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587103230148443954" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 320px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Also Jeff Bailey again</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div>Perhaps it's time to back off, I don't want to be known as the Bailey advocate of the Twins blogosphere -- for Bailey to crack the roster would likely mean that both Morneau and Cuddyer are not ready to go, and we don't want to imagine that scenario. Though with the fact that Cuddyer is just now about to start playing in his first real Spring games, and that it's taken Morneau this long to play in back-to-back games, we have to consider the possibility that one or both might not be ready at the get-go of the season (which THANK HEAVENS is less than two weeks away!).</div><div><br /></div><div>Of course if Bailey sticks around the minors with us this season, puts up something similar to his career numbers, and there's room on the 40-man I can't see how he wouldn't get a September call-up. At that point, with a beat up and weary roster we could probably use an extra corner infielder/outfielder with a little veteran pop from the right side of the plate coming off the bench.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'd say that chances are greater than not that we see Bailey getting at least a cup of coffee this year, and while I know he might not be the next big thing, he should be able to hold his own if he gets a shot and hopefully he's able to use it as his chance to stick like Garrett Jones did.</div>Topperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04630727502510188723noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4445586961714975337.post-22869532208229913022011-03-10T09:42:00.007-05:002011-03-10T10:33:46.473-05:00Spring Training Part II<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyiEFhikGndMILqgWRLbsO5BfIZjIfnVN3ZcFKK4Xbz3YIaWGTFmGvmQyriIQDPAWfSdfi8LD4jXNN5UkZHFRpm5PmAu8Sv3iKWA-6AL3humed1qMzlPVYqMyen5XAspUy2DeOc33mXirD/s1600/DSC00394.JPG"></a><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb6B2P-rBHxnabTvskLKgHu3bYAUhPXNEbh4EyrcxNHw0g303mAP0LZS-gtWfqM0dAhcaiqSe9l8XTbZ930ExgV03ZQEIkYcFZnq7xA0F4LrCciIjD-hZAdy9eNPloPFuMu1-3PD1CJXlr/s1600/DSC00395.JPG"></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc8npG77icdx3m-LEAPddCVGYhVSgViMdCk_3cOr-2SAbK4bEOPzSNmv2x7Jrwl-9RG9ye3bWV-Xf23CF2sM3rVKjGpyBW3WFrvuLEidc8hnyFwZz3ml7pzEnhI4u5n1LWCaPaL8VtN5IQ/s1600/DSC00391.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc8npG77icdx3m-LEAPddCVGYhVSgViMdCk_3cOr-2SAbK4bEOPzSNmv2x7Jrwl-9RG9ye3bWV-Xf23CF2sM3rVKjGpyBW3WFrvuLEidc8hnyFwZz3ml7pzEnhI4u5n1LWCaPaL8VtN5IQ/s400/DSC00391.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5582474040634084754" /></a><br />Instead of making our way up to Sarasota to check out the game at Baltimore, Seth and I decided to take in some morning workouts from the people who stayed behind. We made the trek up in time to hopefully see the bus leave but got there just a little bit late. We were hoping to see if Joe Mauer got on the bus in case the Twins were going to pull out a surprise like they did with Morneau and get him his first game action away from the fans, so instead we just kept an eye out for him at the complex (I saw him being carted around on one of the golf carts, so that settled it, he had stayed behind).<div><br /></div><div>We wandered down to the minor league area for awhile and saw some of the younger players working out on their own on one of the fields -- we got a great view getting to wander right up to the fence behind the catchers as the caught some unofficial bullpen sessions. Eventually Tommy Watkins wandered out with a bunch of people from near the minor league batting cages and called everyone over for some live BP.</div><div><br /></div><div>While they went to get everything ready for BP we went back to the major league area and saw some pitcher's fielding practice, which is always kind of fun to watch. Even though not much action goes on, you get to see a large variety of pitchers going through some basic drills at the same time.</div><div><br /></div><div>I then wandered over to the batting cages under the stadium and saw Jim Thome hitting off a tee while Tony Oliva and Delmon Young watched. Meanwhile, Ben Revere was hitting next to him with Carew and Jason Repko watching him. Eventually Revere and Repko wandered away and Carew joined Oliva, Young and Thome. Thome started talking to Delmon and I could just hear pieces but he was talking about how the difference between being good and being great is consistency, and that that stems from finding consistency in your swing. It was great watching him just start pontificating and sharing his years of knowledge like that and I can only imagine how he drops little insights like that throughout the course of the year to his teammates.</div><div><br /></div><div>Eventually everyone left the batting cages under the stadium and went for some live BP.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb6B2P-rBHxnabTvskLKgHu3bYAUhPXNEbh4EyrcxNHw0g303mAP0LZS-gtWfqM0dAhcaiqSe9l8XTbZ930ExgV03ZQEIkYcFZnq7xA0F4LrCciIjD-hZAdy9eNPloPFuMu1-3PD1CJXlr/s400/DSC00395.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5582474214864906674" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>I will admit, most of my pictures are over people's rear ends. Ugh. I've got to work on my photography. But that's Oliva, Carew, Young, and Morneau -- pretty good collection of players leaning against the fence.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyiEFhikGndMILqgWRLbsO5BfIZjIfnVN3ZcFKK4Xbz3YIaWGTFmGvmQyriIQDPAWfSdfi8LD4jXNN5UkZHFRpm5PmAu8Sv3iKWA-6AL3humed1qMzlPVYqMyen5XAspUy2DeOc33mXirD/s400/DSC00394.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5582474374998274770" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Big Jim!</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">I watched a few rounds of BP, and if you go over to <a href="http://talkintwinsbb.wordpress.com/2011/03/10/spring-training-day-2/">Seth's site</a> you can read a little bit more about some funny tidbits from there.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Eventually Tom Kelly told everyone to head to the stadium to keep working out. This is one of the moments, moving from that practice field to the stadium that all the players walk in front of a short little fence that everyone leans over and hollers for autographs. Everyone usually waves and acknowledges the fans if they get hollered at, but if they have some place to go and are in the middle of practice, it's not very likely that they can stop and sign for a long time at that fence.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Joe Nathan was one of the last people to wander over to the stadium and of course everyone was calling to him. He waved and ended up setting his stuff down and coming over to sign autographs for fans for a long time -- and actually I had seen him do the same thing the day before. He's really a great ambassador to the fans and takes lots of time out of his schedule to connect with the people who follow him, which is a great thing and will surely be missed if he doesn't come back after next year.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I hung around outside the stadium while Seth went inside to call into a radio show and watched players trickle out from the locker rooms one at a time. Ben Revere walked by and I congratulated him on the his great catch from the day before. Someone else went up and got an autograph from him and you could see the scuffs all over his hands from the diving catch. I'm definitely glad he's OK enough to play because I can't reiterate enough how amazing that catch was, he definitely could have come away more banged up than that.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Anthony Slama also walked out on his way to the parking lot and you could see some sort of a large butterly looking bandaid or bandage taped up on his right elbow -- Seth had noticed earlier how during PFP he was still going through the motions but was the only one not throwing an actual baseball. Hopefully he comes back and is able to play soon because he could be a valuable addition to an already questionable bullpen.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Finally we left the stadium and spent the rest of the day at the Sunset Beach Bar in Naples, drinking and walking along the beach, and eventually ended the night by meeting up with Steve from <a href="http://twins.gearupforsports.com/blog/">Gear Up For Sports</a> and Twitter (@MNTwinsGUFS) and his friend who are both down here for Spring Training as well. We ended up eating at Michelbob's, a staple of LaVelle Neal's Spring Training dining guides and one of the best BBQ restaurants with ribs that just fall off the bone, perfectly smoked pork, and amazing peanut butter pie and key lime pie. If you come to Southwest Florida you need to make the trip there.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpvt1zrHDa72-zaLDFw3FGs7zvvwlOpNZ0-Aq17PoOaQSdxDzlCI8Xt3BhvNljI0WN4SUHrfATETCRpRLay4TiGaGUHpItr867fB47KQgdukhF9KC5KiuVNd0sPFQAsmE2akYzzte8mMUd/s400/DSC00396.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5582474605852418450" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div>Topperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04630727502510188723noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4445586961714975337.post-51637554181261720442011-03-08T23:00:00.006-05:002011-03-09T00:29:46.616-05:00Spring Training, Part I<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifowDoiQMSvVmoxie-qdWqeEFXOzaqfw9G2sm6L16V8T1CzQrebUPaI7ZRRQ4_l5vktQHd2cjZQq0a-EVBw4sQuZX2z6zOx_MlOmQVpCukvFthtXn6letbN4_CdaVvAgz-MpDb-FZvJ429/s1600/DSC00385.JPG"></a><i>***Ok, it's been awhile. It's been quite awhile. In fact, every day it gets harder to figure out something to write because it has to be perfect as a re-entry into starting to write again. This is why I stopped trying to be a screenwriter ... writer's block. So easy to just put down the pen. And you know what ... this post isn't anything special. But I don't care because I just need to start writing again, and nothing gives me the urge to write more than actually <b>watching</b> a baseball game, which is what I got to do today...</i><div><i><br /></i></div><div>Spring is here. I don't think I officially realized that until I stumbled out of the car and walked like a man in a dream over to Hammond Stadium on Sunday. It was raining all morning and the drive from Naples to Ft. Myers was as grey and overcast as I've ever seen it, but I had to get my fix.</div><div><br /></div><div>Walking up to the practice fields I saw how empty it was. Fans were milling around aimlessly, waiting for some sort of action, but due to the rain (and the fact that the MLB Player's Association was having their annual meeting as I found out later...) no one was out on the fields. The biggest draws were a shuffling little Wayne Hattaway, Dick Bremer in sandals and some sort of golf visor, and Roy Smalley walking around in a salmon color shirt that screamed Florida golf courses.</div><div><br /></div><div>I did notice the Japanese media -- wandering around with tripods and cameras -- I can only imagine how many are going to be showing up to Target Field over the course of the year. There were also a lot of fans, walking around in Ichiro jerseys namely. At one point a Japanese man in a flashy suit and a nice head of hair snuck out from the Stadium restricted access area and fans immediately started crowding around him asking for autographs -- he obliged halfheartedly -- but it was not Nishioka. He was a reporter or likely a TV anchor of some sort, and I don't think anyone realized that for awhile. At the first sign of a Japanese man in a nice suit they just reacted. Kind of funny.</div><div><br /></div><div>Eventually though the rain cleared and the players took to the fields for some practice before their game with Baltimore. I didn't have tickets but I needed to see some sort of baseball so I stuck around to watch practices until everyone filtered back into the stadium for the game. Some of the things I noticed:</div><div>- Joe Nathan looks great. It's great to see him moving around and smiling and happy... I think he's psyched to be back playing baseball and I wish him the best</div><div>- I don't know what everyone's worried about with Mijares and his weight. I saw him doing sprints on a backfield with Nathan and he was keeping pace pretty quickly. I've seen him much heavier previous springs, he actually looks like he could've lost some weight.</div><div>- Dmitri Young was walking around and it took me until reading notes from the Star Tribune and Phil Mackey to realize it. I knew he looked familiar and he was getting a lot of love from players as he walked around but I didn't put two and two together.</div><div>- The person I did notice was Jim Kaat. I had decided to get his autograph at Twins Fest this year and he was the first face other than Hattaway and Smalley that I saw, wandering out onto the fields before the players, decked out in Twins gear and obviously in some sort of supervisory role.</div><div><br /></div><div>While I didn't get to see any baseball on Sunday, I ended up back at the stadium on Tuesday for the tilt against the Pirates. I dropped of Nick Nelson in the morning and went to go pick up Mr. <a href="http://talkintwinsbb.wordpress.com/">Seth Stohs</a> from the airport. Nick got there just in time to see Morneau, which I'm sure you can read about if you <a href="http://www.nickstwinsblog.com/">go over to his site</a> -- the "B" game definitely seemed to have an A-list feel to it with the last minute addition of Morneau and the ability to see Slowey, Delmon and Kyle Gibson all on the same practice field, they had quite the crowd there watching some free baseball by the time Seth and I arrived.</div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks to Nick Nelson's generosity and Parker Hageman's seating hookups we had some pretty awesome seats to watch the game...</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifowDoiQMSvVmoxie-qdWqeEFXOzaqfw9G2sm6L16V8T1CzQrebUPaI7ZRRQ4_l5vktQHd2cjZQq0a-EVBw4sQuZX2z6zOx_MlOmQVpCukvFthtXn6letbN4_CdaVvAgz-MpDb-FZvJ429/s400/DSC00385.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581946187531399202" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>I realize this is just a nice view of some umpire rear-ends, but believe me that's not what we were focusing on...</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">Pavano didn't look particularly stellar -- in fact outside of Kyle Waldrop there wasn't much to speak of in terms of pitching today. Pavano wasn't shaky really, but he didn't seem to have his best stuff, still feeling out some of his pitches and teasing his velocity. But he didn't look bad either.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_lBFvlbxQZEJSNrwoL0JrpKFOZdEvI5w586xI-w1CqeYuNvHW87t8LUIBGAlIyU1Z5PBDAsLyENENrdv56AtsZLfmB3kEVRZ8L_NrM6QwLwBa1wKNe3SZeu5jABuO4bFgop4BVj6dVEyJ/s400/DSC00378.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581946384865432642" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">None of the pitchers really looked bad -- Neshek was suitable in his inning but got hit pretty hard even though some of them went for outs. Outside of the long homerun to Overbay he had a warning track flyball that looked like a sure double until Ben Revere showed his amazing range and tracked it down for what would be a Sportscenter Top 10 play for sure if only they had been televising the game. He must've been sore after that, diving for it onto the dirt track, and got a rousing standing ovation on his way back to the dugout.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY6xVIdxb90_Gnq_FF6hc0SER2EMJaKbuwW4egANqpa010cJzmNxiPaStTj2knJHYVpMY0K-LQgOkOALI861MTIqSdTTHbu_uw8VeXh1VO-t2PcW8cGFpfB-inWF6D0PHTW5pzbK-owfuh/s400/DSC00386.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581946527499940962" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">Danny Rams was the other star of the game for sure -- not only did he spook the hell out of me when he caught a pop fly right at the fence (all of us were staring up to make sure the ball didn't land at us over the backstop and when I followed it down he caught the ball right in front of my face). He also had some towering doubles that could've left the fence if they'd had just a little bit more carry. He's certainly got quite the bat, I can't wait to see where he ends up in the next couple of seasons because with the grasp for Holm and Rivera we could certainly use some strong catching depth and he's the one to watch in my book.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Nishioka also played in the game today -- the fans loved him, he's certainly going to be a treat to watch. He had a nice solid single and flashed a little leather over at 2nd base -- I feel pretty confident that he'll be able to at least hold his own in the Majors this year.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGrzMv3Mz6-rMI8Ailpjl6zYvB_zd25zfaoDaoUwDERTdQSpZSnBXg4JZ5sLSAtvKdhY7KwP3sMUIve80oAJqMXItFgznPAmwvPy4i897SA_bzfUSYPBtNRMPaTqA9d2LT4owtV4QTg_sQ/s400/DSC00381.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581946971864980082" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Unfortunately I couldn't get a good angle on him with the ump in the way...</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">It was good to see some of the other players like Tosoni, Benson, and Hughes as well -- all of whom I have some strong hopes for this year.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Anyway, look for some more posts to follow soon -- Seth and I are going to make an early morning trek up to the Lee County Sports Complex to catch some workouts from the people who stay behind on the roadtrip so hopefully we have some more pictures and stories to share soon!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>(Definitely check out Nick and Seth's sites tomorrow as I see them writing as I'm going to bed and I'm sure they'll have some better stories to read -- I think you can find Seth's today at the Star Tribune <a href="http://www.startribune.com/blogs/TwinsCentric.html">Twins Centric page</a>.)</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Topperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04630727502510188723noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4445586961714975337.post-80989424326394907112010-12-25T00:37:00.004-05:002011-01-02T03:25:05.209-05:00My Christmas Wish List<i>It's a Christmas miracle! I'm writing an entry on my blog! Unfortunately, the past few months have been so draining that I had absolutely no thought to write, much less do anything else. But now I'm on almost a 2 week break from work, back in Minnesota for the holidays, and I can already feel my batteries recharging. And what better way to recap the months of material that I've missed than to assess the state of my team in a manner befitting of the season...</i><div><i><br /></i></div><div><b>MY CHRISTMAS WISH LIST (TWINS-RELATED)</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>Dear Santa,</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm sure you're really busy this time of year, and I'm sure you way too many requests from Pirates fans and Royals fans and the like to give me much thought, but just in case you had enough time for people up in Twins Territory, I thought I'd give you a little checklist of things I'd like to see. Where to start?</div><div><br /></div><div>1. I'd really, really, appreciate the front office hiring someone proficient in sabermetrics. They don't need to listen to him all the time, but at least check it out? It seems like every other team in baseball is at least venturing slightly into advanced metric stats and taking those into account when making decisions, why can't we? Perhaps if we had such a person they could help point out how Nick Blackburn isn't really a ground-ball pitcher and is due for significant regression, or how picking a pitcher simply because they have a low ERA and lots of innings under their belt doesn't always tell the whole story...</div><div><br /></div><div>2. I miss J.J. Hardy. Can you undo this, Santa? I know it hasn't been a long time, and I know we have to say goodbye sometimes, but I was just kind of getting familiar with having him around. It was kind of nice to feel confident whenever a ball was hit to the left side of the infield. And it was <i>really</i> nice to see the 9th spot in the order roll around and not groan. Please help Alexi Casilla not suck too badly.</div><div><br /></div><div>3. I'd really like for Jim Thome to mash his 600th tater in a Twins uniform. I know he might not be the the thing this team needs next season, but I can be a little selfish with one of the 25 roster spots, and I chose being selfish for Jim Jam.</div><div><br /></div><div>4. Help Justin Morneau and Joe Nathan come back feeling 100% better. They are important pieces of our team and I'm scared to go into a season not knowing how well they'll perform. Morneau still not feeling 100% scares me, in fact it really really wigs me out. And at this point I'm kind of just expecting the worst from Nathan. If the two of them survive a full season on our roster without any significant setbacks, that will be a true miracle, and I could go for one of those.</div><div><br /></div><div>5. Bless our farm system. It seems like every year that we do well, someone from the minors needs to step up. I don't really care who it is this year, but I am very excited that you've given us gifts like Kyle Gibson, David Bromberg, Deolis Guerra, Joe Benson, and Ben Revere, all of whom are probably very close to being unwrapped. Can't we just take a peek early? No, no, I know, that will spoil it.</div><div><br /></div><div>6. Magically transport me to Minnesota so that I can get season tickets and enjoy my team all the time. It's tough living in New York sometimes, and knowing that if I want to see a baseball game on a random day that I either have to suffer through the pain of the Bronx, or sit out in Queens watching Johan in another uniform. When I can't get back to Minnesota, please help me make arrangements to roadtrip it up to nearby places like Toronto and Boston this year when our boys go there.</div><div><br /></div><div>7. World Series? Please?</div>Topperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04630727502510188723noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4445586961714975337.post-91701559074677013292010-10-07T08:00:00.000-04:002010-10-07T09:59:50.017-04:00Something to Make You Feel Better<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih7Z3kjeYmdx9iTGms1Gc8J4VzgY2DVx57OVSnnKecSVgllB4cprdYFma161hW_EKL3TXcO-H-679HixuRqbpUtT0MaDZy-Pd1wt0SFSmBuukLvMBturcX4OvnOTHB9tdT3OIhFw5lofMz/s1600/40127_157286194293780_100000372016627_326173_954411_n.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih7Z3kjeYmdx9iTGms1Gc8J4VzgY2DVx57OVSnnKecSVgllB4cprdYFma161hW_EKL3TXcO-H-679HixuRqbpUtT0MaDZy-Pd1wt0SFSmBuukLvMBturcX4OvnOTHB9tdT3OIhFw5lofMz/s400/40127_157286194293780_100000372016627_326173_954411_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525303434915690898" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDeIZ0F6C74prFXSujyr-v6TDORMtcvKu3jmFyIfGSb0eMH_UW00sa_IvkIii3BWB1-5HfQ-tXO1F0COkSOpNIeSWnmqAl2krgQf25zFF2PXMzbBtWj6zQx6epB1dPZf2bEdB6DANcfjcE/s1600/47057_10100105731859309_801433_54443851_946027_n.jpg"></a>Sometimes as a Twins fan in New York, it can be a little tough. I remember living in Minnesota and finding the stray Yankee fans out there and being immediately turned off by their obnoxious arrogance -- out here it's really no different except YOU are suddenly the stray.<div><br /></div><div>The one thing to take solace in is that the majority of people around the world are on our side, even if I can't see them. And when you do find a couple other like-minded, sane, rational, down-to-earth people out here in New York who ALSO happen to despise the Yankees, there's an immediate bonding. Regardless of if it's a Red Sox fan, Mets fan, or anyone else.</div><div><br /></div><div>I found a few of those at the bar last night, and I also thankfully had a cadre of Twins fans with me, although they all seemed to wander home after the 7th inning.</div><div><br /></div><div>Anyway, I don't know about you, but I need a pick-me up this morning. And there's no better way to accomplish that than to make fun of the Yankees a little:</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFiylP8zje2emzdBU9v0vg8X5_JNzw5Pgyl2SGsUAF0XctlKmCbAabeB1dYlWrKB5yguiF-5I9eTFV8gEVazbtuqt43nhtFHTbmvT1eYr9vs4VHllvQlgDuaDeyqxoX-R2g1CziVq4F9S8/s400/64076_10100105706535059_801433_54443541_2786192_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525302622091280914" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 294px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Jeter -- this is just completely inappropriate behavior on the field.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipFe5VOGWGEWqo9jnAcTUtPxalt2m8IiZU_CzmqP5oc76iN2qw7CwCELRxR9NKRliFuZpxhG3i90hl0XUYNEKKiYT79ECpnT_63GXWyEq6WXzLoD73Rj7Zl73KN9pO0jDvJdFBdZTjM10q/s400/gayrod.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525302820508406546" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 337px; height: 400px; " /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Focus on the game A-Rod! The game!</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizjK7rUEfByGvesTiPl6ACj6wni1o8hi9013kCJuthXWnzvb2OjsFmzoVeN435jXSiF9Ja_-PBHojJuxFia5CSaYYNDfjdswlvoub7aUrFcqVJQcp2DQt75K3Z1eZULL7JCP1kWtuIXoF8/s400/a-rod-ass-grab.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525302709134585570" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Dammit, I said focus on THE GAME!</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimRc3-B6S7LCAlLr4DlfV3W806bjpjjzRQwiAl16S4HpZ_Rt4H2phcNQKKX5bFq9hIw2O6214SzB68hQO7OLOvG5wweg9rtlaqmFEg4oAxHczxGtpR9S8BxZnlArlzplRx5bRkoiz-X9N1/s400/nick-swisher1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525302921480143634" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 304px; " /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>I see vanity doesn't plague A-Rod alone. This picture makes me throw up a little.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXQOqAhZPmUcUuySDQgawH0HOzwNfCJ3-wevvpcUnhdwHj0v0zPpcKdzfWXOrQkMmpSyf98hHqL7gM_vOT5rvi4BapQpCMOWEz2l_AYFRZpCN5RwYUYzfKi63SV2djaMi9w2ulxYeMkUU3/s400/yankees_suck_theeeeee_yankees_suck_tshirt-p2358043344933911623y40_400.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525303286863866034" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px; " /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>I should be rocking one of these shirts more often...</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwa6o31Lnu9oKQcsSJvGU-me9WSoWIT9WCpoCP0snw2saE2gXXW5PicQyKHM-bMUoN5uQKt_iUTb5OA-GIho8MRtK-l5oQEJtngM_fr-i3Cq9A0nEE-mKyKPPM1ogyTItEWEtUXWINR6aj/s400/pics_jesus-hates-the-yankees.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525303030337770706" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 299px; height: 387px; " /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Glad to know I'm on the Lord's side!</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkp0TarBREKDM1RbYLnVYozar2OB6J9k9S5Uy9sruYMzzi0hiPmZ_HZd0y0jDRvYeHqMeOYlgA5CHvWfONnrqWW-mBgYmDmLBH8mKNbZwyhabLDHd88Moh0XL5ljhdvIRQFzpKTTe4Nvgn/s400/typicalyanks.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525303181290139378" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 375px; " /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Lack of taste doesn't only extend to their choice in sports teams...</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDeIZ0F6C74prFXSujyr-v6TDORMtcvKu3jmFyIfGSb0eMH_UW00sa_IvkIii3BWB1-5HfQ-tXO1F0COkSOpNIeSWnmqAl2krgQf25zFF2PXMzbBtWj6zQx6epB1dPZf2bEdB6DANcfjcE/s400/47057_10100105731859309_801433_54443851_946027_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525302520510273346" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 318px; " /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>My wishes for their franchise. In pictoral form.</i></div>Topperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04630727502510188723noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4445586961714975337.post-67143033890836461092010-10-04T00:01:00.002-04:002010-10-04T07:22:20.832-04:00Twins vs. Yankees: Lineup Comparisons<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWTOgX444QR-QJmhLZnXvjW6YzTTeLJOqDs3oC_SCKt1fG7T9myjttMV_j4pHoGG5215cbJ7HVfe-m39iWmcn52R1GfLyonn-pvy4_E6-QTgJwGHpZ5nlYeNvP3fNfeRyKZxBxNklyeUkt/s1600/Minnesota+Twins+v+New+York+Yankees+Game+1+IQbZUlt0mHZl.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWTOgX444QR-QJmhLZnXvjW6YzTTeLJOqDs3oC_SCKt1fG7T9myjttMV_j4pHoGG5215cbJ7HVfe-m39iWmcn52R1GfLyonn-pvy4_E6-QTgJwGHpZ5nlYeNvP3fNfeRyKZxBxNklyeUkt/s400/Minnesota+Twins+v+New+York+Yankees+Game+1+IQbZUlt0mHZl.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523990468666683506" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><br /></span></u></span></div><b><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">I'm psyched -- the Twins finally have a chance to redeem themselves against the Yankees and the postseason jinx they've put on us. My last experience at Yankee Stadium was the Kubel walkoff, and I'm hoping that I have a few more of those instead of what <a href="http://curveforastrike.blogspot.com/2009/10/what-is-it-about-new-york.html">I had to deal with last year</a>.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguJV_qLaiW2wqUDXhC6zg8O9xTE87rwtZQ_dgHtNJMd5pjKiZQd0jk1xUmwO4xum6b6RSd5lJf8_2NOPBv38hSa9TQ9iAl2HJsgmV7ZIhOJlM8h1JuBMiEsUKjvl4dbTZ2zK-dQAnmioJt/s400/Minnesota+Twins+v+New+York+Yankees+cutYZzitAlEl.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523990200267438626" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 246px; " /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">While I'm always nervous during the postseason, I'm not quite as edgy as I've been before. While last year I was talking trash with Yankee fans but secretly wringing my hands and hoping, <i>hoping, </i><b>hoping</b> that we wouldn't screw things up, this year is a different story. The Twins can match up with any team in baseball this year.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWrLO77pMGuqOKq3Ig5rC5WvSaQuJlDdbgWojAFjgQ_mJw_TFkuRrQfYEql0fbEElNT1DXKNUdaPatKX12XnF6OJxEL00z6pXS2YqxrjEF6GlD4v7964UE8QhIivXkPg7jaK2w4Y_5lyTf/s400/20091009_alex-rodriguez_33.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523990134963305442" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 277px; " /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">To put that to the test, let's examine the two opposing lineups today:</span></div><div><b><br /></b></div>Catcher:</b><div><i>Joe Mauer: .327/.402/.467, 9 HR, 75 RBI, 42 2B, 65 BB, 52 K</i></div><div><i>vs.</i></div><div><i>Jorge Posada: .250/.358/.458, 18 HR, 57 RBI, 23 2B, 58 BB, 98 K</i></div><div><i>Francisco Cervelli: .271/.359/.335, 0 HR, 38 RBI, 11 2B, 33 BB, 42 K</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>- </i>I think this one is pretty clear cut and it's a nice way to start out. Joe Mauer is obviously the better catcher between the two teams. While Jorge still has the jolt in his bat, Joe Mauer is a hitting machine. He's also got the best plate discipline of anyone in the two starting lineups, being the only person to actually draw more walks than strikeouts. Advantage: Twins. And by a long shot.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>First Base:</b></div><div><i>Michael Cuddyer: .271/.336/.418, 14 HR, 81 RBI, 37 2B, 57 BB, 93 K</i></div><div><i>vs.</i></div><div><i>Mark Texeira: .258/.366/.484, 33 HR, 108 RBI, 36 2B, 92 BB, 121 K</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>- Texeira has better power, plate discipline, and probably fielding skills as well. Although this isn't a knock on Cuddyer, who still shows solid numbers. Cuddyer doesn't have awful plate discipline, he's been serviceable in the field, and he has decent power and average. The advatage goes to the Yankees, but not by as much as you'd think.</div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><b>Second Base:</b></div><div><i>Orlando Hudson: .267/.337/.372, 6 HR, 37 RBI, 24 2B, 50 BB, 87 K</i></div><div><i>vs.</i></div><div><i>Robinson Cano: .320/.382/.535, 29 HR, 108 RBI, 41 2B, 57 BB, 77 K</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>- Just like it was clear that Mauer was the better catcher, it's pretty clear that Cano is the better second baseman. Cano is probably the most complete player on the Yankee roster. Hudson's overall numbers have shown a drop in September, and he's clearly an upgrade over anyone the Twins have seen at second in a longtime, but they have a long way to go to match Cano's production. Advantage: Yankees. By a longshot.</div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><b>Shortstop:</b></div><div><i>JJ Hardy: .269/.320/.396, 6 HR, 38 RBI, 19 2B, 27 BB, 53 K</i></div><div><i>vs.</i></div><div><i>Derek Jeter: .269/.340/.369, 10 HR, 66 RBI, 30 2B, 63 BB, 104 K</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>- This is a pretty tough call. Hardy's overall numbers are down by the lack of games due to injury, but he actually stacks up pretty evenly with Jeter. Clutch and leadership are not a factor in this decision, this isn't the MVP race... Hardy is a much, much, superior defender, and I think it comes down to that. They are about even at the plate and Hardy has the edge on defense. Advantage is going to the Twins, although not by a whole lot.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Third Base:</b></div><div><i>Danny Valencia: .314/.354/.453, 7 HR, 40 RBI, 18 2B, 20 BB, 45 K</i></div><div><i>vs.</i></div><div><i>Alex Rodriguez: .270/.341/.508, 30 HR, 124 RBI, 29 2B, 58 BB, 96 K</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div> - Valencia is having a monster year. It's too bad he's only played a half season because you have to take his numbers with a grain of salt. Alex Rodriguez is typical Alex Rodriguez. There's no doubt that the edge is going to the Yankees, although the question is which A-Rod will show up this post season? The '09 version or the choke artist we've seen every year before. Advantage is to the Yankees, but the Twins don't have a slouch at third for the first time in a long time.</div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><b>Right Field:</b></div><div><i>Jason Kubel: .250/.324/.427, 21 HR, 92 RBI, 23 2B, 56 BB, 116 K</i></div><div><i>vs.</i></div><div><i>Nick Swisher: .288/.358/.506, 28 HR, 88 RBI, 33 2B, 57 BB, 137 K</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>- Kubel is having a down year, and Swisher is going to be as annoying as ever. They are about equal in all facets. Kubel probably has more potential and he's shown he can be dangerous against the Yankees. Swisher is better in the field, and so he gets the nod. Advantage: Yankees, although slight.</div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><b>Center Field:</b></div><div><i>Denard Span: .266/.333/.350, 3 HR, 58 RBI, 24 2B, 60 BB, 73 K</i></div><div><i>vs.</i></div><div><i>Curtis Granderson: .247/.325/.469, 24 HR, 67 RBI, 17 2B, 53 BB, 115 K</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>- It really depends on what you're looking for here. Granderson has the power and Span has the average. Granderson strikes out a lot, Span has better plate discipline. Granderson probably has a slight edge in the field. I think the edge actually goes to the Twins, Span isn't meant to hit for power but he can sure as hell get on base and that's what he's there for. This is a pretty tough one for me but it's hard to ignore that power disparity. Advantage: Yankees. I think...</div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><b>Left Field:</b></div><div><i>Delmon Young: .299/.334/.495, 21 HR, 112 RBI, 46 2B, 28 BB, 81 K</i></div><div><i>vs.</i></div><div><i>Brett Gardner: .275/.383/.377, 5 HR, 47 RBI, 19 2B, 79 BB, 100 K</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>- </i>No comparison. As pesky as Gardner is, Delmon is a beast and there's no denying the year that he's having. He might not be the best fielder, and Gardner has more of a penchant for walks, but Delmon will likely get MVP votes (even if unwarranted), Gardner will not. Advantage: Twins. Not close.</div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><b>Designated Hitter:</b></div><div><i>Jim Thome: .280/.410/.625, 25 HR, 59 RBI, 16 2B, 60 BB, 82 K</i></div><div><i>vs.</i></div><div><i>Lance Berkman: .248/.368/.413, 14 HR, 58 RBI, 23 2B, 77 BB, 85 K</i></div><div><i>Marcus Thames: .288/.352/.495, 12 HR, 33 RBI, 7 2B, 19 BB, 61 K</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>- Thome is putting up a monster year. He's got the best slugging % of anyone on this list and also a killer slugging percentage. The job of the DH is to hit the ball, and Thome does that perhaps better than anyone on either roster. Hopefully the lefty duo of Sabathia and Pettite don't neutralize this advantage, but it is an advantage. Berkman and Thames are solid players, but they are no Thome. Advantage: Twins. Not really close.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Summary:</b></div><div>The Yankees are better at 5 positions. The biggest disparity is obviously the Cano/Hudson, followed by Rodriguez/Valencia. The margins between Texeira/Cuddyer, Swisher/Kubel, and Granderson/Span are not that big though, and the Twins are right there with the Yankees at those spots.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Twins have the advantage at 4 positions, and 3 of them aren't even close. Mauer/Posada/Cervelli is a huge gap, likewise Young/Gardner and Thome/Berkman/Thames. The only place it's really even close is Hardy/Jeter.</div><div><br /></div><div>Basically these are going to be some very competitive matchups, the likes of which we have never had before in the postseason against the Yankees. The Twins have 3 vastly superior matchups at positions, and the Yankees have 2. The other four matchups are going to be pretty close. It will be interesting to see...</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Next up: rotation comparisons.</i></div>Topperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04630727502510188723noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4445586961714975337.post-4251409648168514872010-09-27T08:00:00.001-04:002010-09-27T15:54:41.829-04:00Twins MVP Award BallotSeth Stohs has done a great job of keeping the Twins blogging community together, and this year he's invited a bunch of us to pool our collective minds to figure out our choices for the Twins MVP, Twins Top Pitcher, and the Twins Top Rookie.<div><br /></div><div>Today <a href="http://sethspeaks.net/">he posted the collective results for the MVP</a> and I'll release my ballot to the awaiting public. Unlike <a href="http://kbrobaseball.blogspot.com/2010/09/my-super-secret-blogger-awards-ballot.html">K-Bro's careful thought process</a>, I feel like I'm the Keizo Konishi of this year...</div><div><br /></div><div><b>1.) Francisco Liriano</b></div><div><br /></div><div>I know, I know, I could've gone Mauer. But he set the bar pretty high for himself last year, and I guess I feel a little let down. He's been amazing, but I don't think anyone would put him in the top running for League MVP, unfortunately. Liriano on the otherhand has stepped up in a way above-and-beyond what anyone expected for him this year. He's filled a void on our team that has been absent since we shipped Johan Santana off to New York -- and I think for any team to succeed in the long-run they need a truly identifiable ace on their pitching staff. That guy is Liriano, and that deserves some MVP love in my book.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>2.) Joe Mauer</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Easy choice. If Mauer wasn't first on my ballot there was no way he was slipping any further. Mauer is too consistently good to fall any lower.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>3.)</b> <b>Carl Pavano</b></div><div><br /></div><div>This is a little crazy, perhaps, but I'll stick by it. For all the times I roll my eyes at the banter about needing that veteran presence on a pitching staff, Pavano may have just proved me wrong. There's something comforting about knowing that every 5 days he will toe the rubber and give us a shot to win.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>4.)</b> <b>Jim Thome</b></div><div><br /></div><div>I don't think anyone went into this season expecting such an explosive impact from Big Jim. What an amazing contingency plan, though! With Morneau's injury derailing him for over half the season, this team probably would've been doomed without Thome's ability to step in and contribute -- seemingly entering the prime of career at age 40.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>5.) Delmon Young</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Delmon carried this team on his back for the entire month of July, and he hasn't been a slouch the rest of the year either. Despite his obvious defensive shortcomings he's had a monster of a year, showing everyone exactly what we were hoping for when we acquired him from Tampa Bay.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>6.)</b> <b>Michael Cuddyer</b></div><div><br /></div><div>I think everyone can get caught up in how streaky and inconsistent his bat is, but I don't think you can put a fair pricetag on his versatility. There really wasn't any player in our minors who was anywhere close to being ready to man first base. Beyond covering 1st, Cuddyer has spent time at both second base and third base year -- running around and trying to plug holes wherever he can. I think it's apparent to anyone that Cuddyer gives an all out effort both on and off the field, wherever he may be.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>7.) Orlando Hudson</b></div><div><br /></div><div>O-Dawg has slowed down a bit over the last month, but I think it's not enough to devalue the presence he's brought to our team. Being able to run him out at second base and the second spot in the lineup day after day is a great asset to us, getting on base for Mauer to drive him in. This is something our team has been lacking for years and it's part of what put us over the top in 2010.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>8.) Brian Duensing</b> </div><div><br /></div><div>This was a tough call for me. I'm already beating myself up for putting two pitchers on this ballot but a 3rd??? The amazing thing about Duensing is how he has done it both in the bullpen and in the rotation. When he was pitching out of the pen he was arguably our best reliever. Since stepping into the rotation his numbers have been ridiculous and unexpected. What was expected to hopefully be a stopgap move has given him a surefire right to be a starter in the postseason and the inside edge in a rotation spot in 2011. If the Duensing-in-the-rotation experiment hadn't panned out back then when our rotation was in complete disarray, we could've been in for a miserable 2nd half.</div>Topperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04630727502510188723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4445586961714975337.post-70891371952392797012010-09-22T00:01:00.001-04:002010-09-22T11:44:59.050-04:00Post Season Roster Dark Horse<div style="text-align: left;"><b>UPDATE:</b> <i>I would have written a congratulatory article about the Twins clinching last night but I think enough voices out there have a better handle on that than me. It was great to watch though, and it's kind of surreal to not have to worry about the hunt for October when there's actually still baseball left to be played. Over at <a href="http://www.baseballism.blogspot.com">Baseballism</a>, my buddy Francisco lends his congratulations to our squad for their clinch last night and reflects on what a great year the Twins have put together. He's one of the most lucid and intelligent baseball afficionados I get to interact with on a regular basis so be sure to add his blog to your daily reads!</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYTMge2GqLTG7r8zGHWTKkFYPNo_wGnRuJ-xFN82ylX8kv7o2xwl_DiEPJaAwcxFHgGiEls9PXH-gGqzyfM_juRVFnxd5JO7pSYgmEDH3ac0Tj41IQi3QD-oCgtt1TvPROh6JaNjcfeosO/s1600/BenRevere.standalone.prod_affiliate.79.jpg"></a>There's been plenty of speculation around our blogosphere about who will and who won't make the post-season roster. Questions remain about who exactly will be cut to whittle down to the stated 11-man pitching staff. The biggest elephant in the room is obviously the health of Justin Morneau and whether he will be around as a potent bench threat for us in October.<div><br /></div><div>The general assumption though is that if Morneau isn't back that Jose Morales comes off our bench as a pinch-hitting/3rd catcher option. I'm a little skeptical.</div><div><br /></div><div>Morales has been on the backburner all year and except for Mauer's recent tweaked knee he's barely seen the light of day in a game. In the microcosm of the postseason there's no reason to waste a roster spot on someone who will never get in a game and a 3rd catcher who can occasionally get a single really doesn't do any good for us. Besides, as Seth Stohs pointed out on his <a href="http://www.startribune.com/sports/twins/blogs/103413434.html">Twins Centric column</a> -- who in our lineup do you plan on pinch-hitting for anyway?</div><div><br /></div><div>So who is the final bench spot going to?</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYTMge2GqLTG7r8zGHWTKkFYPNo_wGnRuJ-xFN82ylX8kv7o2xwl_DiEPJaAwcxFHgGiEls9PXH-gGqzyfM_juRVFnxd5JO7pSYgmEDH3ac0Tj41IQi3QD-oCgtt1TvPROh6JaNjcfeosO/s400/BenRevere.standalone.prod_affiliate.79.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519487127147594578" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px; " /></span></div><div>Ben Revere.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>***I'll excuse you while you laugh and disagree with me***</i></div><div><br /></div><div>Think about it though -- our bench will not be made of pinch-hitters. It will be made up of defensive replacements and speedsters who will all come in late in the game pinch-running for our slow-plodding starters.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrjYr6uOvbdxgr_LXCfjO09eN6rv80yxxwcqRdMrgWZ_CuDGbIYkcoquuFg-lFCntwglSvSw2wHf8oHc_uGjXVm_jvbIsx1vH0_pgXg_1vE1YPnQwIXG2jGQWpqPjxSlSl4J2C0JagCH4R/s400/2532626489_91ce6f496e.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519487872440954338" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 211px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Look at that! Even the shutter can't keep up to him!</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div>This isn't a new concept. In fact, the 2002 World Champion Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim followed the same formula with their fresh-faced rookie: Chone Figgins.</div><div><br /></div><div>Figgins was a "September" call-up (end of August really) who was used in all of 15 games the last few weeks of the season and was almost unilaterally implemented as a late-inning speedster/defensive replacement. It didn't matter that his batting average was a miniscule .167 that season because he was simply there to wreak havoc on the basepaths.</div><div><br /></div><div>In fact, the minor league slash line of '02 Figgins is almost identical to Revere's minor league slash from this year, except Figgins had a little bit more power.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Figgins: </b>.305/.364/.466 with 39 SBs</div><div><b>Revere:</b> .305/.371/.363 with 36 SBs</div><div><br /></div><div>Revere is really the best pure threat on the basepaths that we have on our roster. We all know Span's baserunning gaffes and penchant for getting picked off. Punto is coming off a tweaked hamstring injury (and I'm sure we remember his baserunning blunders from last postseason as well...). And for how fast Casilla is he only has 5 SBs all season.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW2rxYzRyCd-d0vI_I9L0sKo-rH_UoU__N_A_pOGRmGUx7cFrG5ico8wsx0burLzbIKtPuTWKzOl3fpX1WD5aCSuCoIxbVAP2xFrQnS_dhsD4m4geq04JOcJL_9oFPAl4NWsxK4t1oxUfd/s400/100806benrevere.standalone.prod_affiliate.79.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519488070594407506" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 282px; height: 400px; " /></span></div><div>It was a nice story to call Revere up this September, something for people to get excited about certainly. But there <i>had to be</i> more of a reason to bring him up then just getting him a little playing time with the Major League club. We didn't need to exercise an option year yet or throw Matt Fox on waivers for someone we weren't planning on implementing.</div><div><br /></div><div>September has been and continues to be an audition for Ben Revere's postseason debut. He is our dark horse and our secret weapon in October.</div>Topperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04630727502510188723noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4445586961714975337.post-1998666790232204372010-09-09T11:32:00.002-04:002010-09-09T12:01:04.394-04:00CentralizedSince 1998 the Twins have been locked into a divisional dogfight with the Detroit, Cleveland, Kansas City, and Chicago. And since the Twins righted the ship this past decade, they have been a divisional powerhouse by slaughtering the other Central teams on a consistent basis.<div><br /></div><div>In 2003, the Twins posted a solid 43-33 record within in the division en route to a playoff appearance.</div><div><br /></div><div>In '04 we were even better -- posting a remarkable 45-29 record in the Central. Only New York and Boston could claim they bullied their own division more.</div><div><br /></div><div>In '06 we finished 41-35 against the Central.</div><div><br /></div><div>In '08 we were 43-30 (just barely behind the Game 163 winning Sox who were 44-29).</div><div><br /></div><div>In '09 our domination of the division (46-27 against the Central) led us to our amazing resurgence in early October, coming from behind to overtake our divisional foe ahead of us.</div><div><br /></div><div>And this year? How do we fare so far? <b>38-19 against AL Central opponents.</b> That's good for a .667 winning percentage in our division. That is far and away the best divisional record -- the next closest perhaps being the Rangers who are 24-16 for a .600 mark -- or in the NL only Cincinnatti with a 40-24 (.625) record.</div><div><br /></div><div>While it's true the season isn't over -- if we continue to feast upon teams within our division it has the added benefit of not only boosting our record but also crippling theirs. This philosophy -- demonstrated by the Twins in their successful pennant chases of the past decade -- is what secures a ticket to the playoffs, and it's what will secure our appearance in the 2010 playoffs as well.</div><div><br /></div><div>Bring on Cleveland.</div><div><br /></div>Topperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04630727502510188723noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4445586961714975337.post-84939726777722824252010-09-04T20:31:00.004-04:002010-09-04T21:05:17.771-04:00It's All About Depth<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; ">Wow, looking at my last posting date it's been QUITE awhile since I've ventured around my own corner of the internet and helped contribute to our blogosphere. My apologies for being so remiss -- I suppose that's what happens when you have to balance a demanding day job on top of your passion but it makes me all the more appreciative of the guys out there who blog about our team nearly every day despite everything else going on in their lives...</span></div><div><br /></div><div>At the outset of the season I had one concern about the Twins roster which I voiced several times in podcasts and posts. It was the question of depth. Unlike many years where the Twins were relying on guys from their farm to step into key positions from the outset or bringing in stopgap veterans, the Twins front office aggressively pursued trades and free agents to bolster the 25-man roster for the first year in their new house.</div><div><br /></div><div>Gold-glove caliber All-Stars were brought in to shore up the SS and 2B positions, Thome filled a long empty power bat off the bench role, and almost every other player on our roster seemed primed for a solid year.</div><div><br /></div><div>As we all know by now, the opening day roster for the Twins has barely been active together at one time since the first week. This was and always has been my biggest concern: what happens if the pieces we brought in and the pieces we already had ended up dropping out for extended periods?</div><div><br /></div><div>Going into 2010, the Rochester Red Wings roster was full of unproven, unready, and uninspiring prospects for the most part -- and that demonstrated itself in the dismal season that's played out at Frontier Field. But what fans in Rochester haven't seen on display, the Twins have been fortunate enough to reap the benefits of.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmyzP6G6AAMMMU_6UBveHpPVNXKen3__47h_1FklnCLiH4ornIoYEAUmxnKNiNn0nkzOG3CAsg5TpsOTRA4gHGe0DAs_FM7bzmdL6YTfxfMKCiDiCuCKAnJ2jOFBD8VrcYWmLgcse9ey6i/s400/danny-valencia.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513228722679640610" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 327px; " /></span></div><div>Danny Valencia, one of the top prospects in the Twins system who many were clamoring for to break camp with the team (myself included) has stepped up heads above anyone else. Anchoring the long upheaval of names strolling through the 3B position on the Twins roster, Valencia has shown the Twins solid-if-not-flashy defense and a white-hot bat with a penchant for timely hits.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDRsxJrXwPooXrFhZSdTNyAbDFeZBKK7pJ7IpBXf6BycgPB0Hb6FQkI_cPS3aFTL8-p_-X5HmpfX417enDf4O1DWS6GQAaq4hEAdxMnPZf00as3A3b3lLbsiDaYSYIxPYUo-rl6xr_U2DT/s400/xl.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513229105114672706" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 281px; height: 400px; " /></span></div><div>Trevor Plouffe, a potential middle infielder of the future and former first-round draft pick has survived a constant flux of shuttling back and forth between the big leagues and AAA to always be there when the Twins have needed him. While his learning curve of adapting to Major League pitching hasn't quite been as fast as we'd like, he's conducting himself like a pro and hasn't taken his offensive woes with him onto the field -- allowing one error in 70 innings.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Jzmi9Fz7SKGvcdQmNtYs2UYxqG2BSfza8f0ome8jVGugl11B77ZtsU9Htfx1ybvXbRz52EvND5pvg2ysNej-P0_ycUsmKhq-hNuAccF_au6Dt9e7NpQsTG6MeEGNtGF4QMWe9elqSy_9/s400/20100708__100709butera_400.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513228549913379778" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 293px; " /></span></div><div>Drew Butera has been quite a surprise. His even-keeled manner behind the plate and maturity and calm have helped keep our ever-changing pitching staff together. While his bat will never be anything to speak of he's still had his share of clutch hits, but it's his glove-work, gun, and ability to call a game that put him light-years above many 2nd string catchers around the league. And with a guy like Mauer in front of him on the depth chart, we don't need another .300 hitting catcher on the roster.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8w4wOeAwX2ZLj0Vm_60wBAfqSkOC-ty2MB0wgGi1eBdHGLg1LjYZOw1RtgmIl148VX0YeRaln8XbvHwqw5N__AJPv4CDPHhldUkU1xYtlqDkMa9zoHVVvE-xceIarOXSDPoH5Bm2kMcx7/s400/Minnesota+Twins+v+Oakland+Athletics+nFdd2UHTBeul.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513228870988018370" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></div><div>Alex Burnett was one of the more pivotal performers out of the bullpen at the start of the season. Making the quick jump from AA to the Majors when he broke camp, Burnett held hitters over the first half of the season to a .278 BAA. While the hits came more frequently after the first couple of months as hitters began to adjust -- Burnett has shown poise far beyond his years that will certainly help him out as he makes a bid for a bullpen spot next year.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGtdFb5Zpbk1ElspJkGi1SeG57RPjBZJvPKPxV9S8AqxTUnbnlps8yIEqf-fY4IqhkNXfaYfWESpy4owzMfHf915h76hqo9EdpWiXwFQj4_N634-IiIEgijN9EXhqrYROMlTjLJojiDAqW/s400/web_twins0726.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513229003009425650" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 360px; height: 330px; " /></span></div><div>Jason Repko has meant more than we could've expected. While at the beginning of the year I was clamoring for the Twins to add a bench outfielder along the lines of Endy Chavez, Angel Pagan, or Juan Pierre, the Twins never made any such move. Jacque Jones was brought in for some AAA depth (and I'm still hoping we at least see him once this September), but other than Span there was really no true centerfielder on the team. There were musings of Punto and Tolbert filling in as a backup outfielder (and look where that ended up) but eventually the front office made a move for a AAAA guy with spectacular defense and a career that had never really lived up to its potential in Los Angeles. Where would we be without Repko on the team? His dazzling glove in the outfield has made up for the lack of range elsewhere on our team and his brilliant putout on a deep fly Friday night likely saved the first game of this pivotal series against the Rangers.</div><div><br /></div><div>There are countless examples. Matt Fox's solid last-minute debut. Key pickups like Capps, Fuentes, and Flores to help anchor an exhausted and depleted bullpen. Brian Duensing's light's out performance out of the 'pen translating itself as a starter. Luke Hughes brief but exalting moment in the spotlight with a homerun in his first AB.</div><div><br /></div><div>Despite the fact that the Red Wings have scuffled and fallen flat all season long, their team has contributed greatly to the success of the Twins and we owe it to the gutsy performance of these players to be seated atop the Central and fighting for the possible position of homefield advantage in the first round.</div>Topperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04630727502510188723noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4445586961714975337.post-87782059860990721532010-08-02T00:01:00.000-04:002010-08-02T01:06:55.159-04:00Foolproof<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFBVIN7vTL_XKi2B8DRnqDPSZDB3lTKru9hnf_ZzfuYlc3CP5JReT_VK2b6FAWuhPKnTjQB_2PGrjz303C65R8VUiVarOyJHA5HpPsRuZq8xv1_y7l9TLepAaYZUZl1kCSfcOey85SEpWq/s1600/610x.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 330px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFBVIN7vTL_XKi2B8DRnqDPSZDB3lTKru9hnf_ZzfuYlc3CP5JReT_VK2b6FAWuhPKnTjQB_2PGrjz303C65R8VUiVarOyJHA5HpPsRuZq8xv1_y7l9TLepAaYZUZl1kCSfcOey85SEpWq/s400/610x.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500674519340076354" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4g_P5XK8ydpeXWgfuzH-okk-XNXdt8T0KubSjmnvQc08-kMDgKOAhLCiCh22odqPUkWOHekEiG8f2PRYtmZEGh_HqMwThjOCabO_gEphwJTAZ0mOCPLeDI3uLPzWsyjQHrotfUI-PCXMa/s1600/jon-rauch-twins-20090830_zaf_cf9_046.jpg"></a>The Twins have long been known around baseball for having one of the best relief corps, but over the past couple of years most Twins fans have watched as what was always one of our strengths had quickly turned into an Achilles heel.<div><br /></div><div>Going into this season, the loss of our most consistent bullpen presence -- Joe Nathan -- left many of us wondering what kind of mess we'd be late in games once again. Arbitrarily, the role of "closer" was handed to Jon Rauch out of Spring Training, presumably because he had what was known as "closing experience", but most likely because he was just so tall he looked terrifying.</div><div><br /></div><div>Amazingly enough, the Twins bullpen has made a resurgence this year to claim its once heralded place among the best in baseball. Going into today our bullpen is statistically dominant -- 2nd in MLB ERA with 3.11 behind only the Padres, 3rd in WHIP with (1.22) and a commanding 1st in fewest walks allowed: 82 -- the next closest being Tampa Bay with 88.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyKI7z3BL75mqp3Phacv7LpYmjdlKfJcievVxSlwxADfmhGEy_QU6ROHqftj3ovZ8bWv-dNdZ1ULfT29JRvhlE8tXZJwIJuIq30QZs5mF3tH8i9RtySlVY02bERdDby1nUZIIgTEhwbRZF/s400/Seattle+Mariners+v+Minnesota+Twins+ljXdJTLwsEzl.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500674230311446626" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 320px; " /></span></div><div>Despite all of our success in late game pitching this year, as a fanbase we've come to mistrust our team's bullpen management. The Save has become a statistic so meaningless and yet always sought after that we've thrown our most valuable trading piece away after the hope of gaining one or two more "saves". Players with numbers and track records screaming for recognition continue to sit in the minors while those we view as overrated or on the decline continued to pitch with the major league club.</div><div><br /></div><div>But despite all this, our bullpen is in an amazing place -- and there's no way our manager or anyone else can mess this up.</div><div><br /></div><div>The most consistent annual criticism of Gardy's bullpen management has been his reliance on having a closer and confining him to a role at the backend of the bullpen, despite the need to use him elsewhere. Understandably this is vexing and it <b>was</b> vexing for many years. But the only way that can be considered bad is when it's your best reliever is given this limited closer's role.</div><div><br /></div><div>In 2010 any fan would be hard pressed to say who our best reliever is. I think even the team's management would have a hard time determining that. Without the presence of someone so statistically dominant in every category, our manager has just arbitrarily handed the role of closer over to someone with experience.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4g_P5XK8ydpeXWgfuzH-okk-XNXdt8T0KubSjmnvQc08-kMDgKOAhLCiCh22odqPUkWOHekEiG8f2PRYtmZEGh_HqMwThjOCabO_gEphwJTAZ0mOCPLeDI3uLPzWsyjQHrotfUI-PCXMa/s400/jon-rauch-twins-20090830_zaf_cf9_046.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500673553017459890" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div>The only pitching category that Jon Rauch or now Matt Capps is more distinguished in than the rest of our bullpen is that of the Save. And the Save is a completely meaningless statistic.</div><div><br /></div><div>Jose Mijares has the best ERA of any reliever on our team. </div><div><br /></div><div>Matt Guerrier has the best WHIP. </div><div><br /></div><div>Mahay and Mijares have the fewest free passes. </div><div><br /></div><div>Capps only has one more strikeout than Jesse Crain.</div><div><br /></div><div>Essentially the Twins have a bullpen full of quality pitchers, none of whom really have such overwhelming dominance that everyone in a room could point to them and say "Him. He's the closer. Put him in at the end of games." So while this might be a conundrum for someone like Gardy who has to have that anchor he only uses at the end of games, for fans that means that we'll always see someone reliable at the end of the game but that there are many other equally reliable options being trotted out there before him.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzdHQZceM-dsmoKNVXf_iSadh7nk3htq2vSQLbrV9E_prsDs1jqJYyf5rKF2reBAFs_i5doqcgKRf1mKZEft8iVMA8U78vJX6hfP4nO2qaT3i30258xiwaM7Rhglg-n4KvC5iF4-GINNgy/s400/Seattle+Mariners+v+Minnesota+Twins+3uM15d6SnD6l.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500674383620936674" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 320px; " /></span></div><div>It's foolproof.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Topperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04630727502510188723noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4445586961714975337.post-39784158208338958912010-07-28T00:01:00.001-04:002010-07-28T00:29:26.932-04:00Baltimore Trip Recap<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1kcOhuF19tqzbMl5-IrnIA8ydD8JEkxuqoJN2Gc5xDeVwWhQzd-HKJctbTvHZb9bhU5NiXZr98nCrrc4o5J5ivly2yk_3z6Q5ArKo-MEQdgwoZ8X5jvqD6gDgInWChI19Sl6iqxflsV9c/s400/134946350-2fe6251849e5108fdf78a2effcc880e2.4c4e6ed8-scaled.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498799138648191010" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2WQoUSS1km79INFKCf1PVMS75BmedcHjCyo6nyvLQAXzhxC_d6e5-opAuVn7oqwebPUEIX8pJMumyHy4VrhXGqBTzDooIIw9ZAG9m3pS8_KDsVu0L1yIh16OsXiR5Ln3BP9m6qlhyphenhyphenTlDU/s1600/101409+wharf+rat.jpg"></a><i>You have absolutely no idea how hot it was. Perhaps the most uncomfortably hot I've been in my life.</i><div><br /></div><div>Let me start over.</div><div><br /></div><div>I've been trying to check out as many of the east coast ballparks as I can in case I decide to move from New York, and when I saw this year that the Twins would be visiting Baltimore for a weekend series it looked like the perfect opportunity to check out a ballpark I've heard so many good things about. Anyone I've spoken to who has visited Camden Yards has had nothing but good things to say -- and now I can see why.</div><div><br /></div><div>Planning this trip I knew it was going to be pretty hot. After renting a car and reserving a motel just south of Downtown Baltimore, I checked the forecast for the weekend. Triple digits are never encouraging.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNZIqjivdTSkDC4eZjp6_SouvFd1-ZUqDvTxC6mrC4KjnoNmku7F899W4CP3z9sUjgfUJQKEIKMqfgx6ZmO9L9akASXscSByNLwFSXoVrBDdHVtOTZl5PXWXjZtxw_xNzbr_QDke4UOXu6/s400/134838309.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498798843355184786" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The temperature gauge on my car kept climbing. I needed photographic evidence.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Thankfully my motel was supposed to have air conditioning. And it did. But there was no way to adjust it and whatever the AC was set at wasn't going to get the job done this weekend. This kind of went along with the theme of the hotel, which included drug dealing and prostitution in one corner of the parking lot. Basically, what I was told to expect from Baltimore.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Camden Yards, however, was gorgeous! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv4xqF11iXfC3IC623ScaNAe4qzxUXpQyHgN8OPrLjjKF1rDL4go06liOPR8EDR_sQOBigzM10awOcBlSKrvvjlYTScGms06jKCCmJNuRTI5mf_UnXR9WlYOBDOQO5ftU2uYMqNlsaetnW/s400/39482_968191264789_801433_53160878_946272_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498803897439324434" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">I met some friends of mine who live in the D.C. area on Saturday night, and they were able to secure some of the company seats from Lockheed Martin for us, which happened to be about 10 or so rows back from the Twins dugout.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE42UdDdErGdLcrwGPumfgVnONiowrDfunpv7da3dr5H0zlcN7Ei0zEbuoRRyEk23TziTflXvp9GqP13X2wKWbEuFZRn3c9h_sHxgo76yxDfAtB5p9L2_fRBbFh5FTAz-q2qIicioni1Bt/s400/38916_968190970379_801433_53160854_4794680_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498804765344563074" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">Besides being amazed at how inexpensive tickets of this quality normally are (sitting in these seats normally costs $48 -- the same price could maybe get you into the upper deck of Yankee Stadium...), I was also amazed at the vast amount of Twins fans at the stadium.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNqz4DdambjG2NLnIIWpK_oUh9uLLdzzrcx8LuAJRNTkPEgWoEi41tAAnYr60dqZlpx0Ba1loqfRnYq8y3mfTysYgJCH6_QmfLOrScqR4DpOb-0sbDWwqU6oQI1LobYixj1LjSVdqB3vZj/s400/38654_968191125069_801433_53160868_4720261_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498804506391848034" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">...<i>and North Stars fans! Classic!</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Twins fans turned out in droves for this series. I've seen a decent representation when I went to Citizen's Bank Park in Philadelphia or to Citifield and Yankee Stadium, but it almost felt like a home crowd.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The game Saturday night was great but seemed to drag on forever. This was primarily due to the fact that all of us were drenched in sweat. You couldn't lean against the back of your chair without leaving a big sweat mark on your shirt. We had stuffed all of our pockets with towels and napkins and were constantly drying off. Some of us also resorted to sitting with our beer pressed against our cheek or forehead like an icepack. Every couple of innings I decided to make my way to the bathroom and take a bum-shower in the sink by washing off my arms and face.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgdn5jMN-eJozFOJFbm2qnr_jDUrBGPu5zTKYC5Zd56fhG0W4LRHkCbX1zT49ZkbyKquUirDBx8q_c392Bo2rCkJhlWfSBDNug6_oL35vLi_yBO0YH6pgRiZtV6O_MrC0DTXpfirWOI8Jo/s400/37905_968190830659_801433_53160846_5086029_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498805158868065922" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">Moving around the concourse was much more pleasant, and so on one trip to the bathroom sink I decided to spend a little bit more time ambling around the concourse. I didn't get any food that night, just beers -- a microbrew that I can't remember for the life of me -- and I really don't regret not getting any food at the stadium. That's probably the only drawback I can think of about Camden -- nothing really stuck out in terms of signature food! There was an item called Boardwalk Fries that seemed popular and was labeled as a "Baltimore tradition" but they looked like normal fries. Everything else was pretty much standard ballpark fare of hotdogs and hamburgers and cracker jacks except for one stand I saw serving crab cakes. Maybe I missed something -- if anyone knows of a particularly heralded food item at Camden please let me know because I plan on going back and would love to try it when I do!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">After the game we drove over to Fells Point near Inner Harbor and met up with some of my friends' coworkers who were on a pub crawl. We joined up with them at a pub called The Wharf Rat and I highly recommend it. It feels very colonial, almost like stepping back in time, and it's just enough off of the Broadway Market place that it doesn't get horribly crowded. Their selection of beers and ales is great and there's nostalgia practically baked into the walls -- it's like the bar you imagine your ancestors used to gather in as their local haunt. Hard to describe.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2WQoUSS1km79INFKCf1PVMS75BmedcHjCyo6nyvLQAXzhxC_d6e5-opAuVn7oqwebPUEIX8pJMumyHy4VrhXGqBTzDooIIw9ZAG9m3pS8_KDsVu0L1yIh16OsXiR5Ln3BP9m6qlhyphenhyphenTlDU/s400/101409+wharf+rat.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498798603799134194" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">We followed this up with going to The Horse You Road In On Saloon which was much more crowded but featured some nice music and a decent amount of Twins fans. This bar was a little bit more on the beaten path and consequently more crowded, but there's soooo many nice places to get a drink in Fells Point that you can't go wrong just wandering around.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">After some drinking we went to a late night pizza place on Broadway Market and because I was in Baltimore I had to try the Four Cheese and Crab Meat pizza, which proved to me that you can probably put crab meat on anything and it will still be pretty good. This capped off the night before I headed back to my seedy Baltimore hotel.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I left there as early as I could the next morning and parked in Downtown Baltimore, walking around in my lucky Rick Aguilera jersey to check out the city before the game. After wandering a few blocks I realized that there was no way I would survive in a baseball jersey in that heat and direct sunlight (pangs of sympathy for the guys who would be playing were also present). I picked up some 50+ SPF sunscreen and changed into a T-Shirt and continued my short tour of the city.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Eventually I wandered over to the ballpark to check out some of the things I didn't get to see the night before. I was supposed to meet Eric from <a href="http://thetwinsdifference.wordpress.com/">Call to the 'Pen</a> and his wife for the game and I had a little bit of time to kill before we were supposed to meet so I checked out their Sports Legends Museum which is pretty cool. If you hang around the outside of the ballpark near the Camden Street Gate H entrance, you will be right next to the Sport Legends Museum. Even just hanging outside they play classic sports calls over a loudspeaker system and it's fun to just sit there and listen to some of the classic moments in sports history.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipJCYIjUtt8MTn8Ep-mRXru-1x75LLOr4oMaxQK1WRQb4avBlNi8WgY9GCOHZ2RpEhr3rAjFOj2C752f49QzqqmIcw-amXX6YEzb3ExxtoQyDJngHEBYskEVYPRuv8OcysyI20QiR0L6RX/s400/38124_968190700919_801433_53160838_1029728_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498804936638934290" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">Shortly after I left the Sports Legends Museum I met up with Eric and his wife and we headed in to go to a pregame picnic near the bullpen. The Minnesota State Society of Baltimore was having an all you can eat (and all the beer you could drink!) picnic with the purchase of a special ticket, and Eric was kind enough to find out about this and invite me along.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Not only was it great meeting him and his wife who are both instantly some of my favorite people to hang out with, but it was obvious what a huge Twins fan Eric is to make the trip out to a baseball game just a couple days before he had to take THE BAR EXAM!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Our seats were in centerfield with a great view of the whole ballpark but the unfortunate side effect of being directly in 100% sunlight with no shade or relief. Our dark green seats were scalding hot and the only relief we had from the constant heat beating down on us was occasional cloud cover passing by.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo-awUgZRet7eMEuPzwdc5HH_G0nokRb6ixwAWP1r458UlhC4ZthPAOYE9LgLQXBuinJknic24lspqdUJ9lv2OIB26JmJLiAmC4V6HbD03u-djxHLfmK8jTWZQFUHAfaSDgVzi8ltfUZnZ/s400/39212_968190421479_801433_53160824_6095798_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498804178160717650" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">Thankfully the ballpark staff set up a free ice stand near the flagpoles in the outfield for anyone to go by and grab a cup of ice -- something I utilized many times that day. I don't think we were the only ones going delirious in the heat: Matt Guerrier kept wrapping a towel around his head like a turban and doing a Pharoah dance in the bullpen, and Ron Mahay started jumping around and waving his arms maniacally in the bullpen occasionally when we would look over.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The best thing about sitting in the heat was that the Twins rewarded us on the field. This was the beginning of their recent offensive onslaught and completely made up for the fact that we were roasting in the sun and baking in the heat for hours just to watch them.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Around the 6th inning the wind suddenly picked up and started blowing around banners in the upper decks and sending napkins, wrappers, and tons of other litter through the air onto the field and into the bullpen. The Twins relievers were all interested in the flying litter and ran out to get a view of what was going on just in time to see dark storm clouds rolling ominously closer to the ballpark.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd_ppiBdGhr2x8TPwHnkeJeJ3-ScJPkmGGqbGq2jjfdnxQv0u2T6Sf69MeJLKomAxxV59fF36BT3QQnQQla2qSIV4kmxSwLUryXSmKjXu8gB34evnnkowEur3VnNUJUmLwG9UpVFuDcOvf/s400/135443824.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498798999223997634" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">We tried to tough it out through the rain, and it was actually somewhat relieving to be cooled off like that, but as soon as the game got postponed I knew I had to start heading back to New York in order to get home at a reasonable hour. Unfortunately my car was parked a little ways from the ballpark and I had no umbrella, so before I hopped into my car to drive back to the city I had to wring out my soaking wet T-shirt in the parking garage so that it was at least partially dry!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">All in all it was a great trip -- Camden was a gorgeous park and everyone should visit it -- and Eric is an awesome guy with a great blog that hopefully you all read!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4hZbDMyYbehiRPLNxRltr8uHjCX6bWUUGWsFjb1LfUneWb8sLmWIKRe0Jl00DZib4OBITN1d0X9Xj9QOrGfd5kjvc68DhGk-aIWE6GTs0ZJAUnKggUMlj19vxkEOcsLli_p-nsMYVDrk_/s400/39650_968190201919_801433_53160810_759113_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498803775462753506" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div>Topperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04630727502510188723noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4445586961714975337.post-67700696113501273552010-07-16T00:01:00.000-04:002010-07-16T00:01:00.561-04:00Mid-season Awards/Predictions<i>It's tough to write about the Twins these days -- call it a lack of inspiration. So today is just a baseball-in-general post as I dole out completely meaningless mid-season awards:</i><div><br /></div><div><b>MANAGER OF THE YEAR:</b></div><div><br /></div><div><i>AL:</i> Terry Francona, Boston Red Sox. Talk about a guy who has found a way to rally his team and field a winner despite unforeseen circumstances! Currently on the DL are Josh Beckett, Clay Bucholz, Junichi Tazawa, Manny Delcarmen, Victor Martinez, Jason Varitek, Dustin Pedroia, Jed Lowrie, Jacoby Ellsbury, Mike Lowell and Jeremy Hermida. (And we're upset that Nathan and Morneau are there...) Not only does Martinez go down but so does his backup (Varitek). Not only does Pedroia go down but so does HIS backup (Lowrie). But they keep winning in the toughest division in baseball. It will be a travesty if Francona isn't rewarded.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>NL:</i> Buddy Black, San Diego Padres. Black has taken a team that was expected to be in complete rebuilding mode, including neverending speculation about where his star players like Adrian Gonzalez and Heath Bell would be traded to by the end of July, and shown us one of the best teams in 2010 baseball. With a team full of young talent like Tony Gwynn Jr., Kyle Blanks, and Mat Latos to name a few, he has harnessed their youth and given San Diego something to cheer about.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>ROOKIE OF THE YEAR:</b></div><div><br /></div><div><i>AL:</i> Brennan Boesch, Detroit Tigers. At the beginning of the year, this young slugger was on nobody's radar. He could barely sniff top prospect rankings and was unlikely to crack a Tigers roster already dangerously overloaded with youth for a team trying to compete. Boesch posted solid but unspectacular numbers over his career in the minors (but he did have 28 HRs last year in AA), and has taken the Majors by storm posting a .342/.397/.593 slash line over 65 games and looks to be a mainstay here to torment the Central for years.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>NL:</i> Mat Latos, San Diego Padres. 3rd in the NL in Wins and 7th in ERA, Latos is simply solid in every statistical category. 8.4 K/9 and only 2.4 BB/9 with a WHIP of 0.966 and only 9 home runs allowed in 106 innings. Not only is he my hands down ROY so far but he's in consideration for the Cy Young.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>CY YOUNG:</b></div><div><br /></div><div><i>AL: </i>David Price, Tampa Bay Rays. Probably the easiest choice of any of these mid-season awards. Leading in Wins and ERA, Price is dominant across the board. With 100 K's in over 115 innings pitched, he is a consensus choice and leads a staff of talented Tampa Bay pitchers as easily the most dominant pitcher in the American League.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>NL:</i> Roy Halladay, Philadelphia Phillies. This is a much tougher choice than the AL. Ubaldo Jimenez, Adam Wainwright, Mat Latos, Tim Hudson, Clayton Kershaw, Tim Lincecum and so many more are begging for attention. But Doc is the cream of the crop. 4th in ERA (2.19), 2nd in K's (128), and 3rd in Wins (10) is reason enough.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>MOST VALUABLE PLAYER:</b></div><div><br /></div><div><i>AL: </i>Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers. It pains me to admit it, but he is probably the best hitter in baseball this year. Tied for 1st in all of the Majors with a .346 average, 2nd in homeruns (22), and 1st overall in RBIs (77) you couldn't reasonably argue that anyone else is more deserving.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>NL:</i> Joey Votto, Cincinnati Reds. This one isn't so clear cut. I was tempted to think someone along the lines of Albert Pujols or David Wright, but Joey Votto is really the only person consistently near the top of every statistical category. Wright is too deficient in the power game this year. Pujols is too deficient in average this year. Votto is having an amazing season and spearheading a great year by the Reds. He's the most deserving player in my book.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>PLAYOFFS:</b></div><div><br /></div><div>New York Yankees over Detroit Tigers</div><div>Texas Rangers over Boston Red Sox</div><div><br /></div><div>Atlanta Braves over San Francisco Giants</div><div>St. Louis Cardinals over San Diego Padres</div><div><br /></div><div><b>DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIPS:</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Texas Rangers over New York Yankees</div><div>Atlanta Braves over St. Louis Cardinals</div><div><br /></div><div><b>WORLD SERIES:</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Atlanta Braves over Texas Rangers (4-2)</div>Topperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04630727502510188723noreply@blogger.com0