Quick Notes: Dec. 26

I hope everyone had a great holiday and you all were fantabulously spoiled. I was.

Goodbye Kuuuuuubes
Jason Kubel signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks. It was a strange signing for them because they already have a ton of outfielders and they don't need a DH. Perhaps they are hoping to trade one of the other ones or something.

I always admired and respected Kubes, and I appreciated his contributions, but I regret that I never really grew to love him like I did for some of the other Twins players. Maybe because he was so quiet and, well, bland. Maybe because he always looked like he was sneering. Who knows? And, no matter.

My favorite moment has to be his come-from-behind, go-ahead grand slam off Mariano Rivera to beat the Yankees.

The Twins will receive a sandwich round draft pick as compensation.

I sincerely wish him the best of luck in Arizona and I hope he wins over lots of great fans.

Marquis Signing
...but not so much of a "marquee" signing. (Bad pun. And not at all original. Sorry.)

The Twins have signed RHP Jason Marquis to a one-year deal. He's kind of an average pitcher who's spent his entire career in the National League (which generally features weaker hitting than the American League).

This is the actual conversation I had with my son:

Me: "The Twins have signed right-handed pitcher ..... (expecting him to guess someone)
mini-bro: "Oooh. Um. I don't know. Who?"
Me: "Jason Marquis"
mini-bro: "Why did you get my hopes up like that?"

Ok, he's probably not all that bad. His numbers and pitching style is much like Nick Blackburn's. Which will be just fine if both of them can put together more than 4 great starts in a row.

C'mon! Enough Already! (Injury and Illness Update)

Good grief! I don't know what the Twins did to piss off the injury and illness demons, but they had better figure it out and correct it really quickly before things get any more serious.

Let's take inventory, shall we:

We already know that Nick Blackburn's season is over.

Joe Mauer's season is over. He has been diagnosed with "mild" pneumonia, and he needs to rest for two weeks -- which will take up the rest of the season. Mild pneumonia, often called "walking" pneumonia, is the least serious of the pneumonia infections, and it usually doesn't require hospitalization. This is not to say that Joe's not miserable. Pneumonia of any strain is an infection of the lungs. He can probably walk around and do some light activity, but he's got a bad cough and probably has a hard time catching his breath when he runs.

Tsuyoshi Nishioka's season is over. He has a nagging oblique strain that just doesn't seem to be getting better, so the Twins shut him down. According to LaVelle E. Neal of the Star Tribune, the Twins have sent him on his way with instructions for an off-season workout program.

Justin Morneau's season is most likely over. He's still fighting concussion symptoms and now he's got the flu. The concussion symptoms are quite worrisome because they reappeared after he made a somewhat routine play attempt at first base. This article by Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports explains just how scary and frustrating Justin's situation is.

Jason Kubel's season is most likely over. The foot injury he suffered earlier in the season has flared up again, and he's in quite a bit of pain. He'll have it looked at more during the off-season.

Denard Span's season might be over. He also can't shake off the concussion symptoms and migraines.

Scott Baker is still on the DL with a forearm strain. He hopes to be able to pitch out of the bullpen soon.

Alexi Casilla is still on the DL with a hamstring strain. He hope to be able to play before the end of the season.

Danny Valencia has the flu.

Ben Revere just got over having the flu.

Brian Duensing just got over having the flu.

Fransico Liriano pitched two innings out of the bullpen on Saturday. So that's good news.

~~~

Since we're talking about injuries and whatnot, here's Michael Cuddyer's paper doll:


Michael Cuddyer missed several games in August due to a sore neck. Then when he came back from that, he was promptly hit in the wrist by a pitch.

He played the day after he was hit by the pitch after verifying with medical staff that playing wouldn't damage it further and all he needed to do would be manage the pain.

This, of course, riled up columnist Jim Souhan, who praised Cuddyer's toughness (kind of omitting the fact that he missed time from the neck the week before) and used him as an example to prove that Joe Mauer is soft. Cuddyer, of course, wasn't able to play particularly well with the sore wrist.

Of course, all that put some bloggers and fans into a small snit (Souhan puts people into snits pretty regularly). A lot of folks (not wrongly so) kind of used him as an example that playing hurt is not necessarily a good option.

Once rosters expanded, Cuddyer missed some time to get the wrist feeling better.

I don't think it mattered too much either way whether he played hurt or not. He played when the team despirately needed warm bodies, and it wasn't like his poor play blocked anyone else from getting a chance. Then, when there were warm bodies, he sat. No problem.

Neither a Buyer Nor Seller Be

The non-waiver trade deadline has passed, and the Twins have nothing to show for it. Nothing. However, that's not to say that Bill Smith and his boys weren't busy. It just means that they were probably stubborn.

The loudest buzz of the weekend surrounded Denard Span going to the Nationals for right-handed reliever Drew Storen. From what I gathered through sorting through hundreds of tweets on the topic, Washington pushed hard for Span, but his value caused Smith to ask more than what they were willing to give up. It hard to tell exactly how close this deal actually was; all the news came from the Nationals' side, and the Twins, as usual, were very secretive.

Storen's a good pitcher, and he would have been a very nice addition to the Twins' struggling bullpen, but Span is just too valuable to let go unless the return package blows everyone away. Span is a great on-base guy (an important asset for a leadoff hitter), hits for average, has some power, and his defense gets better every year. Plus, he's under contract at a reasonable price until 2014 (with a team option in 2015). He's a good clubhouse guy with a great attitude; he tends to let adversity fire him up rather than bring him down. There were also indications that his teammates would have been upset if he was traded.

This whole thing must have weighed on his mind as he read his name all over Twitter. He sent out a few tweets indicating that he hoped to remain a Twin and how much he appreciated the fan support. On Sunday evening, he expressed his relief and gratitude again. I certainly hope he can move on from all this chaos cleanly with no regrets or hard feelings.

Jason Kubel, Michael Cuddyer, and Kevin Slowey's names were also thrown around as trade candidates, but I never got the feeling that anything was serious or eminent with them. It seems that the Twins still consider themselves contenders, and Kubel and Cuddyer will be important pieces in achieving that goal.

Turns out, it's probably also wise that they hung on to Kevin Slowey. The rotation is scuffling, and the Twins may need him to take over for someone. Also, there is still a chance that he could be traded through waivers in August.

Not giving away helpful pieces is well and good and all, but the Twins didn't gain any helpful pieces either. Which is disappointing. There are wide holes in the bullpen and middle-infield that could use some quality help. The starting pitching is also leaving a lot to be desired lately. I wonder if all this focus on Span cost the Twins some opportunities to target other players.

Fortunately, it's still possible to acquire some guys; they just have to clear waivers first (and there are ways to get around that, too). Remember, Carl Pavano was added in August of 2009, and that worked out pretty well.

~~~

DL Update:

Denard Span has been activated from the DL after being out since June 9 with a concussion. He will meet up with the team in Anaheim and is scheduled to start Tuesday (Monday is an off day for the team). Infielder Luke Hughes was sent down to AAA Rochester (again!) to make room.

Justin Morneau might start a rehab assignment this week.

~~~

Don't forget to enter for the 1991 World Series Collector's DVD Set drawing. The deadline is Sunday night, so this is your last chance. I'll execute the drawing, with one of my kids, sometime after dinner on Monday (it is supposed to be taco night, so, you know, priorities).

One entry per person, so enter now if you haven't already. Just let me know any way you know how.

DL Report (Belated): Scott Baker

I knew it. I knew the minute I announced that I was on vacation, someone would need to go on the DL. I'm back now, but it's kind of too late, because he's already been activated. However, every guy who hits the DL deserves a paper doll, regardless of my timing.

On July 17, the Twins placed Scott Baker on the DL, retroactive to July 7, with a right flexor strain. This was pretty much a paperwork move so that he could rest it one more start and the team could call up another pitcher for a spot start.

The flexor is the tendon that allows the elbow and wrist to bend.

Scott Diamond, who started in Monday evening's game, was called up to take his spot. The Twins also sent down Matt Tolbert to make room for Chuck James for additional pitching help.

Baker was activated Saturday, and pitched five good innings. Because pitching has been such a problem lately, the Twins felt like they needed to keep James around, so they were forced to send Luke Hughes down to make room.

~~~

Other transactions:


Jason Kubel was activated Friday from his ankle injury. Scott Diamond was sent down to make room.

Kevin Slowey was activated from the DL from his oblique injury and was reassigned to AAA Rochester.

~~~

I'll have a report sometime later on all the baseball I saw while I was on vacation. Right now, I have piles of laundry to do.

Things Moving

It's the All-Star Break. The Twins aren't exactly in the position we all were hoping for when spring training broke. Good thing they're traditionally better in the second half of the season. I'm hopeful that if the Twins continue playing good baseball, we fans will be enjoying meaningful games come September. However, I'm also not delusional.


This doesn't bother me too much; the Twins have overcome this number before.

This, however...this might be asking a lot. This would require a serious alignment of the planets and still need extra luck.

Playing well and winning is one thing. It's not impossible to move up six and half games on one team in just a few weeks. Depending on three teams to stumble is pretty tough.

It should be exciting.

~~~

I enjoyed watching Joe Mauer play first base on Thursday night. It kind of looked like he enjoyed it too. It was nice to see him smiling after he made some good plays. I guess I've never noticed him having fun playing; it's pretty hard to tell if he is with his face behind a mask all the time.

It's important to remember, however, that he's not moving to first base. He's a catcher. He will spend most of his playing days catching. For several years. But it's nice that he has the option to play there once in a while to help save his legs and still keep his bat in the lineup.

Of course, the experiment proved what I've suspected all along: he's one of those guys who just does everything extremely well without even really trying hard or knowing what he's doing -- even things he's never done before. I hate those kind of people. I'm sure if someone challenged him to cook fine French cuisine or hang glide, he'd do it perfectly. Like the Most Interesting Man in the World guy, only with less interestingness.

~~~

With the All-Star break comes some roster moves for the Twins. Delmon Young has been activated from the DL. He played a few games in Rochester and both DHed and played in the outfield and he's ready to go. Rene Tosoni has been reassigned to Rochester to make room.

Trevor Plouffe has been tearing the cover off the ball in Rochester. So Gardy told him to get some time playing at first base, which he did. And now he's coming back. He'll be a nice addition to the platoon of Hughes, Cuddyer, and Mauer who are currently staffing the position. He can also play some in the outfield. Catcher Rene Rivera has been reassigned to Rochester to make room. We all knew the Twins couldn't keep three catchers around for very long.

The Minnesota Twins: now with 100% less Rene-ness.

~~~

DL Watch:

Like I said, Delmon Young has been activated.

Denard Span could be ready to play very soon. He still needs to pass the ImPACT test before he is cleared. When he does, he'll likely spend some time in Rochester in a rehab assignment.

Jason Kubel had a little set back on his sprained foot, but an MRI showed no additional damage. He'll likely resume his rehab play soon.

Kevin Slowey has been pitching in rehab games for Rochester and is likely to come off the DL soon. However, he's likely to remain in Rochester as a starting pitcher.

Justin Morneau's neck surgery went well, and he's already feeling stronger. He fully expects to return sometime in August as originally expected.

We're watching Scott Baker, who missed Sunday's start due to some tenderness in his elbow, and Jim Thome, who sat Sunday with a strained big toe. Hopefully the All-Star break will give them time to heal, and they'll be fine on the other side.

DL Report: Justin Morneau

There are now nine men currently on the DL (two will come off in the next 24 hours), 13 men to be on it sometime this year, and two men twice, for a total of 15 transactions. Oy. Plus, with all the minor leaugers filling in, only 10 guys on the current 25-man roster have had no transactions at all. I've had to rearrange my spreadsheet quite a bit.

The Twins have placed Justin Morneau on the 15-day DL, retroactive to June 10, with a left wrist strain. He had a cortisone shot a few days ago, but unfortunately, it didn't give him any relief. He had it re-examined, and the doctor told him to immobilize it for 10 days. He'll get a cast on it sometime Thursday.

How he hurt it is unclear. I haven't seen any definitive reports in the media. It could be caused by some kind over-compensation of his sore neck and shoulder (experts call this a "cascade injury"). However, I've also read some speculation that he may have hurt in in a fit of frustration.

Either way, it's hurt, and he has to sit. With a cast.

No announcement yet as to who will take his spot on the roster, but both Tsuyoshi Nishioka and Glen Perkins are due to come off the DL on Wednesday or Thursday.

Updates:
Tsuyoshi Nishioka has been playing some games at AAA Rochester and is ready to come back to Minnesota. He'll be evaluated again once he arrives to Target Field, and he may be ready to play Wednesday night. Because he's currently on the 60-day DL, someone will have to come off both the active roster and the 40-man roster to make room. Pitcher Dusty Hughes has been outrighted from the 40-man roster.

Glen Perkins should be in the line up Thursday, or maybe even Wednesday night.

Joe Mauer is very close to returning, too. I'm hoping he'll be in the line up Friday. He faced Joe Nathan in some batting practice in Fort Myers on Wednesday. I wonder if Nathan "got him with the slider" and then Mrs. Mauer came by and told them to go play outside. Ha. And, like Nishioka, he's on the 60-DL, which means a 25-man and 40-man roster spot will need to be cleared for him.

Joe Nathan will be returning to Minnesota soon. He's not quite ready to return to the line up, but he's very close.

Jim Thome and Kevin Slowey are in Fort Myers doing rehab.

Jason Kubel is taking swings in the batting cage, but still has pain in his foot when he runs.

Denard Span is feeling better every day, but is still suffering concussion symptoms.

DL Report: When Thome Goes to DLandia, He Doesn't Go Alone

First, let me start by saying that I don't really mean to stick to doing only DL reports with this blog. I fully intend to keep writing other stuff too. I'm trying to think of clever things to say, but, unfortunately, I'm usually only clever when I'm content. And, well, I'm not feeling terribly content with my baseball team. It'll come back soon enough. I'm sure you understand.

Anyway, on to the paper dolls...

The Twins have placed DH Jim Thome on the 15-day DL with a strained left quad. He tweaked it taking a swing on Wednesday. This after he just returned on May 23 from a DL stint due to an oblique strain. I'm guessing, but could it be that he's still favoring the oblique, so he swung differently, which cascaded to tweaking the leg? Hard to tell.

IF Luke Hughes has been recalled from AAA Rochester to take his place on the roster.

Apparently, Thome's a-scared of DLandia because he never goes alone. Last time, he brought Jason Repko with him. This time, since any old Jason will do, he's bringing Jason Kubel. (Yes, I know, Jason got hurt first. Just go with the joke, ok?)

The Twins have placed OF Jason Kubel in the 15-day DL with a sprained mid-left foot (I know that's worded weird, but that's how it is in the transaction report). It's interesting they used the word "sprained"; this means there is some actual tissue damage. ("Strain" usually means "sore"; "sprain" means "tear.") He hurt it going after a homerun ball in Detroit on Monday. According to the Twins radio broadcast on Wednesday, he said that he hurt it right when he broke to chase the ball, not when he jumped up the wall.

OF Ben Revere has been recalled from AAA Rochester to fill his spot.

However, with two of his power lefty hitters down, Gardy needs another left-handed hitter. So the Twins have purchased the contract of OF Brian Dinkelman. To make room on the 25-man roster, IF Trevor Plouffe has been re-assigned to AAA Rochester, and to make room on the 40-man roster, C Joe Mauer has been added to the 60-day DL. This move means that Mauer won't be eligible to return until June 12. It was highly unlikely that he would've returned before then, so it's just a paperwork move.

Updates:

Joe Mauer caught three innings in an extended spring training game, and went 0-5. He reported feeling fatigued after the game. He'll continue alternating DHing and catching. He's been struggling at the plate against prospect pitching.

Liriano and Perkins are throwing and making progress.

Nishioka is playing in the field in extended spring training, but he's also still struggling at the plate.

Here We Go Again...DL Report

The Twins have placed LHP Francisco Liriano on the DL retroactive to May 23rd with left shoulder inflammation. This doesn't come as too much of a surprise as he's been experiencing soreness since he pulled himself out of Saturday's start. Like I mentioned last time, an MRI showed inflammation and maybe a bit of tendinitis. According to the StarTribune's Joe Christensen, Gardy is hopeful he'll only miss one more start.

Anthony Swarzak took a no-hit bid into the seventh inning in a spot start replacing Liriano on Saturday. Swarzak will start in Liriano's place again on Thursday.

The Twins called up RHP Anthony Slama from AAA Rochester to replace him on the roster.

Other transactions:

The Twins activated LHP Jose Mijares off the DL who will be available Monday.

The sent down LHP Dusty Hughes to AAA to make room.

Updates:

Joe Mauer continues to play extended spring training games. Mauer has been DHing rather than catching due to some shoulder soreness. I think I remember reading somewhere that Gardy hinted that maybe they'll send Mauer to AAA at some point to face better pitching, but I don't remember where I saw that.

Tsuyoshi Nishioka has been playing both 2nd base and shortshop in extended spring training. He's eligible to return June 7.

Glen Perkins could begin throwing again in a couple days.

Also watching:

Jason Kubel hurt his left foot trying to bring back a home run by Victor Martinez in Monday's game. X-rays showed no breaks, but he is wearing a boot. He said it's the top of his foot, not the ankle or the toes.

What's With All the Singing?

So, it seems that the Twins players are having some fun doing some commercials. We can tell they're having fun because they're signing. Singing is fun.

If you're here in Minnesota, you've probably already seen the "snipe hunt" commercial featuring the vocal stylings of Denard Span, Jason Kubel, and Jerry White.

If you want to see it, here's a link.

I gotta say, Jerry White sings pretty well. No comment on the other two.

And now, our great state wants you to spend your money traveling throughout it. And Joe Mauer sings about it. He's exactly as awkward as you'd imagine.



It's a good thing they're good at baseball.

~~~

Be sure to check out the Rumor Report over on From The Third Baseline. I write about the trade rumors around Kevin Slowey.

Notes: Oct. 31, 2010

Just a few quick notes for the week:

Happy Halloween! Here's is my jack-o'-lantern for this year:

Pretty cool, huh? The stencil is available on the Twins website.

~~~

Earlier in the week, the Twins made two of the many decisions they face this off-season. They picked up the 2011 option for Jason Kubel, and he'll make $5.5 million. They also declined the 2011 option for Nick Punto, allowing him to become a free agent.

I'm not surprised by either of these moves. Jason Kubel is still relatively cheap for his production, and he could possibly be used as trade bait -- or not. Punto, on the other hand was set to make $5 million next year -- a lot of dough for a bench utility player.

Because Nicky is a free agent, there's still a chance the Twins could sign him to a new contract, but it would have to be for like $1 million or so. He's still one of my favorite infielders, so I kind of hope he comes back, but I won't be surprised if he doesn't.

~~~

Oh, I forgot to tell you, this blog is the proud sponsor of the Joe Nathan page on Baseball-Reference.com. When I need baseball stats, BR is my go-to place. They rely on sponsorships or advertising to keep doing what they do, and they do excellent work. When I saw that Joe's page was available for a reasonable price, I pounced.

~~~

Here is another video of CJ Wilson. He drives sweet cars. Is there any doubt why I love him? He might have to be my favorite non-Twin. Better still, the Twins should try to get him. (Now waking up from dreamland.)

~~~

So far, this World Series has surprised me. I expected the pitching to be better. I expected the Rangers to be better. If this is going to seven games, things have to improve for the Texas nine.

Angels at Twins: Royal Love

Recap:
Friday -- Angels 2 - Twins 7
Saturday -- Angels 9 - Twins 3
Sunday -- Angels 0 - Twins 4

Record: 72-52; 5 games ahead

I'm in a loving mood this morning. So I thought I'd spread some around...

Brian Duensing -- Aww, honey. It looks like you're all growed up to be a real pitcher. Also, it made my heart sing when you tried so valiantly to come in for the ninth. I'm so proud.
Jim Thome -- Another triple -- your second of the year. I love triples. It's so cute when you have to run.
Jason Kubel -- Ok, so home runs aren't quite as adorable as triples, I do still love them when you hit them. So keep it up.
Any Lefthanded Person Not Named Glen Perkins -- I love you because I honestly think you might be able to help the bullpen. With Mahay and Mijares hurt, and Glen Perkins being (ack) Glen Perkins, you've got a real shot.
Scott Baker -- Rocking the goatee and pitching shutout innings. Very sexy indeed.
Danny Valencia -- That home run was pretty impressive. And you're so cute, I could just give you a big squeeze (in a totally non-creepy way, of course).
Michael Cuddyer -- You not only fought off like 692 pitches from Jered Weaver -- some of which are one you typically strike out on -- and then finally hitting a juicy double, you also sacrificed your ego and intentionally looked silly on the basepaths so that Kubel could score from first. Also, did you see what you did to Weaver's face? I thought his forehead was going to burst. Bonus love for that.
Kevin Slowey -- Get well soon, honey. Again.

And, last but not least, The Kansas City Royals -- You took an excruciatingly cruel scheduling snafu against the White Sox, and beat them two of three. In extra innings. For all three games. All within 24 hours. Thank you.

Twins at Rays: Alternate Universe

Recap:
Monday -- Twins 2 -  Rays 4
Tuesday -- Twins 4 - Rays 6
Wednesday -- Twins 2 - Rays 1 (13)
Thursday -- Twins 8 - Rays 6

Record: 61-48, 1.5 games back

Earlier today, I listened to a podcast about quantum theory and parallel universes (totally over my head, by the way), but if you think about it, this series seems to have "anti-Twins" and "just odd" written all over it.

• Carl Pavano, who had been the go-to-guy to end a losing streak by pitching brilliantly, ended a winning streak by pitching dully. 
• Rays rookie pitcher Jeremy Hellickson pitched like a big-league Cy Young Award winner, then gots sent to AAA 17 minutes after his game.
• The Twins pitching staff, who coming into the series had given up the fewest walks in the MLB, gave up a crapload of walks.
• The Twins defense, which is usually pretty solid, looked like it was playing on quicksand.
• Scott Baker, who had been struggling, pitched crazy-amazingly.
• Kevin Slowey, who had been stalling on the mound and shaking off the catcher lately, pitched quickly, efficiently, and crazy-amazingly.
• The Twins bullpen, which had been great lately, blew leads in two games.
• The two games in which the Twins bullpen blew leads, the Twins won.
• The Twins were on the road, and they caught some breaks.
• Jon Rauch, an obviously-grown man, contracted a (usually) childhood virus (hand, foot, and mouth disease).
• The Twins, who had spent the last decade trying to get out of a domed stadium and had finally succeeded, saved the series split by the grace of the domed stadium ground rules.
• Jason Kubel, probably the shiest guy on the team, has totally earned the right to strut his stuff. Picture this: as the Twins fly to Cleveland, Kubes walking up and down the plane aisle, shaking his booty and singing "I'm a model you know what I mean, And I do my little turn on the catwalk, Yeah on the catwalk on the catwalk yeah, I do my little turn on the catwalk..."

Twins at Orioles: Love Letters

Recap:
Thursday: Twins 5 - Orioles 0
Friday: Twins 2 - Orioles 3
Saturday: Twins 7 - Orioles 2
Sunday: Twins 10 - Orioles 4

Record: 53-46 1 game back

That was a nice series. Even the one loss didn't feel demoralizing -- it was more a matter of Jeremy Guthrie and Luke Scott having a good day than any of the Twins having a bad one.

Usually I don't like to pin my mood on the results of my team -- I do have a life after all -- but this series was so nice, it improved my already content state of mind. So nice, in fact, I'm compelled to to write a few short love letters.

Dear Carl Pavano: I love complete games. I love complete game shut-outs. You're pitching so excellently that you're beginning to remind me a little of my beloved, Brad Radke. Please keep up this level of excellence. 

Dear Ty Wigginton, Juan Samuel, Idiot Fan Running on the Field, and Orioles Security Staff: Thanks for the laughs. No, really. Your performances gave me a good chuckle.

Dear Brian Duensing: Nice work. Really. You did exactly what you were asked to do. You kept the team in the game, and you looked pretty smooth. Keep it up kid; you may have earned a permanent spot in the rotation.

Dear Joe Mauer: Hi. That homerun you hit was really pretty. You know it was. Do that again. A lot. Please.

Dear Anthony Slama: Welcome to the big leagues, kid. Tough break giving up that homer to Luke Scott. If it's any consolation, it's not really an awful thing to give up a dinger to him -- he's a good hitter. Just ask Scott Baker. Oh, and keep rocking those stirrups.

Dear O-Dog: Get well soon. Again. 

Dear Scott Baker: Hugs. That pitching performance was very solid. Way to go. You know how much I love good pitching. Keep it up; we're all rooting for you.

Dear Jason Kubel: Boom! Oh yeah! You loves you some grand slam action. Next time I see you, I'll buy the Gummi Bears.

Dear Kevin Slowey: There you go, pal. That's the kind of pitching we like to see. In fact, you were doing such a nice job, Bert accidentally called you Brad Radke. Keep it up, and I'll love you almost as much as I loved him.

And, most importantly --

Dear Delmon Young: I'm thunderstruck, and I like it. You are on one hell of a tear, and it's beautiful. I mean, look at you at the plate. Sure, you still swing at a lot of pitches, but you're not flailing. You're making contact, and hitting to all fields. And, that power...ooh la la. Also, when the cameras catch you on the bench, you seem all happy and fun and stuff. I like seeing that. Let's face it -- you're good. Please sustain this good mojo, because everyone is beginning to love you, including me.

Eternally yours,
k-bro

Yankees at Twins: Top Ten List

Recap:
Tuesday/Wednesday -- Yankees 1 - Twins 0
Wednesday -- Yankees 3 - Twins 2
Thursday -- Yankees 2 - Twins 8

Twins drop series 1-2

Record: 27-20

~~~

I am tickled pink that the Twins were able to stick it to the Yankees on Thursday. I love it that Jason Kubel decided to spank them proper. I just wish the Twins could beat the Yankees more often. A lot more often.

I make it no secret that I hate the Yankees. Among other reasons, I believe it's my moral obligation, as a fan of a mid-market team, to do so. When the Twins are playing the Yankees, I get a little ... um, unbalanced. A typical utterance in my household during these games goes something like: "Did you finish your homework? Oh, by the way, I hate the Yankees." It gets even worse when the Twins lose.

So, I present:

The Top Ten Distasteful Things I'd Rather Do Than Watch the Yankees Beat My Team

Number Ten: Eat a KFC Double Down "Sandwich".

Number Nine: Have Dionne Warwick's song I Say a Little Prayer for You stuck in my head. For...three...days.

Number Eight: Call a balk against Mark Buehrle (and then argue with Ozzie Guillen).

Number Seven: Kiss Joe West or Phil Cuzzi on the lips.

Number Six: Have lunch with the Burger King -- creeeeepy.

Getty Images

Number Five: Stand in Staples while some random guys shout "Wow! THAT'S a low price" in my ear.

Number Four: Figure out the TV show LOST (note: I never watched a single moment).

Number Three: Date Nick Swisher (über-creeeeepy).

Number Two: Sit in this every day.

Oh wait, I already do.

And the Number One Distasteful Thing I'd Rather Do Than Watch the Yankees Beat My Team:
Play third base with a crazed squirrel on the loose.

Two-For-One

k-bro's note: Hi. Yeah, I know I didn't do a recap of the Yankee series. I was tired/busy/uninspired. And since the Toronto series is over now too, well just smush them together into one short post. Cool?

Twins at Yankees: I Owe Jason Kubel Gummi Bears
Recap:
Friday -- Twins 4 - Yankees 8
Saturday -- Twins 1 - Yankees 7
Sunday -- Twins 6 - Yankees 3

Ok, so everyone said it would all be ok if the Twins just took one game of the series. And they did. I don't even want to think of the first two games. So I won't.

And the third game didn't look too promising in the beginning. In fact, I got so mad, I went outside and did some serious work with the Garden Weasel -- all while swearing angrily at the Yankees.

Then, by the grace of the baseball gods, Mark Teixeira dropped that ball. And Jim Thome took that 3-2 pitch for a ball. And Jason Kubel stepped to the plate. And he went boom. Off the Great Mariano Rivera no less.

So, I'd like to buy a bag of gummi bears for Jason Kubel. (Read this to find out why gummi bears and not beer. Although, I bet he'd like beer, too. Or both.)

~~~

Twins at Blue Jays: Extremes
Recap:
Monday -- Twins 8 - Blue Jays 3
Tuesday -- Twins 2 - Blue Jays 11 (!)

Well that was certainly a contrast wasn't it. Game 1 featured good offense, and adequate pitching. A nice win.

Game 2...well...game 2 pretty much reeked. It put the "ugh" in "ugly".

Red Sox at Twins -- Busting Myths

Recap:
Monday -- Red Sox 2 - Twins 5
Wednesday -- Red Sox 6 - Twins 3
Thursday -- Red Sox 0 - Twins 8

Twins take series 2-1
The Twins are 2-0 in games I attend. I hope the Twins organization remembers that with a gift of free tickets if there is a late-season push for wins.

~~~

So the Twins are all nice and cozy in their new home. For the first time that I can remember, I went to two home games in one week -- usually the only time I do that is if I'm traveling (so they're away games). So, since I'm all expert-y now about the ins and outs of Target Field and the Twins, I thought I'd review some myths and determine their validity.

1. The Northstar Commuter Train is a great way to get from the northwest suburbs to Target Field. Well, in theory, it's a great idea. I mean, it goes from Big Lake; stops at Elk River, Anoka, Coon Rapids, and Fridley; and drops you right at the Target Field station. How great is that? Well, it's ok. I boarded in Elk River, and when we left the station, all the seats were full and some people were standing. By the time we left Coon Rapids, the train was stuffed. They needed to call in some buses to take the folks from Fridley. Oh, and because there were so many people boarding, we arrived at the ballpark late. Also, the "Family Pass" ticket is a great deal -- if you qualify. It's $13 (from Elk River) for two adults and up to three kids 6-12 (5 and under free) round-trip. Hmm. That's less than parking. However, my kids are older than 12. So for 4 adults, it's $22 one way. Not a deal at all. (Shhh...we bought the Family Pass ticket anyway.) And then leaving was an adventure. We couldn't fit on the first train out, so we had to wait 30 minutes for the next one. What a waste of time. And not all games will have trains coming back, so you have to be careful, or you're paying a lot for cab fare. So, while I'd love to take the commuter line to the park, it's not completely practical. This myth is busted.[Important Update: scroll down]
2. The concourses of Target Field are wider and less crowded than the ones at the Dome. Well, Target Field's concourses may measure wider, and they are less crowded -- during the game. However, before the game starts and after it ends, it's just as bad as before. They do, however, do a good job getting everyone out of the building, so that experience is a little better. But, man, before the game, when all the concession stand lines block the walking lanes, it's tough to get through. Now, in their defense, if I had arrived earlier, I may have been able to avoid a lot of the crowding. This is what public transportation does for me. So, if you allow that the concourses will be stuffed both before and after the game, the rest of the time they're all right. This myth is plausible, but not likely.
3. The cupholders at Target Field aren't tilted like they are at the Dome. Back in January, when the Twins front office employees first moved into Target Field, the person behind the official Twins Twitter account asked fans if they have any questions. So I asked him/her if the cupholders were tilted like they are at the Dome, and he/she replied that no, they were not. Happy news; I really hate to have to drink half my beer/pop before I can set it down. For Monday's game, my tickets were in a wheelchair row (I had a folding chair), and the cupholder was perfectly level. However, today, much to my horror (ok, not really horror, but certainly surprise), my cupholder was, indeed, tilted. Here's photographic proof.

Umm, that looks tilted to me. This myth is busted.
4. The Twins have a hard time beating AL East teams. Well, at least for this one particular AL East team for this one particular series, it ain't so. The Twins sure looked good -- for game 1 and 3 anyway. Game 2 was a little sloppy (11 men left base?!), and Slowey and Crain were kind of shaky, but it wasn't totally depressing. I'd say this series was a success. This myth is busted.
5. Jason Kubel has bad knees, is slow, and has no defense. Did you see his baserunning today? Did you see that great catch in left? I think he's all right. This myth is busted.
6. We should be worried about Jose Mijares. I watched him today, and I wasn't impressed. I don't know if it's his eyes (he's battling some kind of eye problem that causes blurred vision), his control, his confidence, or what, but he didn't look good. He gave up a couple of hits, and he wasn't at all dominating. Of his five appearances, I've only been satisfied with two of them. This myth is confirmed.
7. Joe Mauer is perfect. Nope. He 0-fer'ed today. So, he's merely super-human. This myth is busted, but not badly.

Update:
Apparently, Metro Transit heard my complaints (and probably other people's too) about the commuter line, because they sent me the following email Friday afternoon:

Schedules for the Northstar Commuter Rail Line will change this Saturday (April 17). Based on current ridership patterns and customer requests, Metro Transit will adjust the departure times for all weekend service, all weekday morning service into Minneapolis and most northbound weekday trips.

The weekday schedules will better match actual travel times, saving several minutes in each direction. Visit Metro Transit's web site for the new schedule details. Connecting bus routes 20 and 811 will be adjusted to meet the new train times.

The change alleviates the 10 p.m. train, which had limited ridership, and is replaced by a 7 p.m. departure. The weekend schedules also will allow earlier arrivals in downtown Minneapolis for Minnesota Twins games at Target Field. Northstar will serve 53 of the Twins' 81 home games this season. Visit Metro Transit's web site for a list of games served by the Northstar Line.

During the Twins opener this week, the Northstar line was a big winner. Ridership grew from 501 for the first game train on Monday to 2,055 on Thursday. What this says to me is people are accepting commuter rail as an economical and desirable way to move.

If you have questions or comments about the new Northstar schedules, service to Target Field or other operations between Big Lake and downtown Minneapolis, please use the online customer comment form at http://www.metrotransit.org/ or call Metro Transit customer service at 612-373-3333.

Thank you for riding Northstar - or if you haven't ridden yet, give Northstar a try for a relaxing, convenient and safe ride.

Sincerely,
Dan Erhart
NCDA Board Chair

PS. Also starting on Saturday, Family Passes will extend eligible ages to 6 - 17 years old.

So, it's good to know that they're trying to solve the problems. We'll see. I'm really happy about the Family Pass thing, because now it works for me.

And, many thanks to haasertime, who provided this link to a Star Tribune article about it in the comments.

I'd Like to Buy a Beer For...

Scott Baker

Look at this line from Friday night's game:

IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR
9.0	2	0	0	0	5	0

Yup. That's right. Nine innings. No runs. That means a complete-game shutout. And that's beer-worthy.

Plus, only two hits, no walks, and five strike outs. That's just darned good pitching.

Thanks Scotty! Those kind of games are a ton of fun! Do it again, please. Oh, and don't forget your ID 'cuz you know you'll get carded.

Oh, and mad props to Jason Kubel for his 5-RBI night.

I Think Jason Kubel Wants Me To Love Him

I've never really given much thought to Jason Kubel. He's always just kind of been there, just quietly doing his job and not making any noise about it. I've always catagorized him in the "Glad He's On My Team, But Don't Really Have Much Else To Say" group.

He doesn't appear in clever commercials. His interview skills are, well, awkward, but at least he tries. He's not expected to go to the All Star Game or win any post-season awards. He regularly participates, along with Mauer and Crede, in the Great Clubhouse Quiet-Off. I'm willing to bet the boldest thing he does is fill in the daily crossword in pen.

You don't hear about him doing anything goofy; you don't hear about him doing anything stupid. You don't see him dance in the dugout; you hear him sulk to the press. He neither seeks nor eschews the limelight. He makes a very middle-of-the road salary. He's the very center of the middle of the median of personality, while at the same time, on the very outside edge of attention.

And it seems like lately, he's tired of being Mr. Average.

• He's hit a homerun in four of his last five games and 11 on the season.
• He's only the second player this season to hit a homerun out of Wrigley Field.
• He holds the lead for batting average for DHs.
• He's on pace to hit about 27 homeruns and drive in about 91 runs (assuming my math is correct, which is iffy at best)
• His OPS and SLG have improved over the last two years. His AVG has greatly improved over the last two years.
• His homeruns this year seem more impressive, or timely, or -- something -- compared to the last two years.
• Oh, and that cycle, topped off with the grand-slam...yeah.

I adore awesome pitching and dazzling defense. However, as the DH, he can only get my attention with his bat.

Well, Mr. Kubel, you have it. Keep up the good work.

Moments

*Sigh* Another split series. And that final game was a real bummer. Oh well, it's not so bad.

Recap:
Monday: Twins 3 - A's 4
Tuesday: Twins 10 - A's 5
Wednesday: Twins 6 - A's 3
Thursday: Twins 3 - A's 4

This series was odd. Every time the Twins took a lead in a game, and they had early leads in all of them, I just didn't feel comfortable (ok, I felt a little comfortable when we headed into the 9th on Tuesday leading 10-0...right up until Scotty walked that first batter).

There were fantastic moments, like Morneau's and Kubel's homers on Tuesday. There were some dreadful moments, like the 9th inning on Tuesday.

There were solid moments, like the bullpen innings on Wednesday. There were shaky moments, like Swarzak's innings on Monday.

There were gleeful moments, like Crede's homer on Thursday. There were heartbreaking moments, like the 8th and 9th innings on Thursday.

~~~~~~~~~~

Up next: the Cubbies! I hope the Twins have a good time there and pull out a couple wins. And pitchers hitting -- I love that.

I'd Like To Buy a Bag of Gummi Bears For...

Jason Kubel

I am nothing if not a woman of my word. In the seventh inning of Tuesday's game, right after both Mauer and Morneau reached, Jason Kubel stepped into the box. I looked up from my laptop, looked at Kubel's face on TV, and literally said out loud, "Jason, I'll buy you a bag of Gummi Bears if you hit a homerun." And he did. And it was sweet.

This is significant due to a series of events. First, this article mentioned how Gummi Bears fueled Kubel to hit two three-run homeruns in one game last week. Then, earlier this evening, I saw a piece on SportsCenter about how the Lakers' Lamar Odom loves loves loves candy and sweets, which reminded me of the above article, so I told j-bro about it. Then, right before I looked up and spoke only to the TV, I was playing a game on Pogo called Sweet Tooth, which features Gummi Bears as game pieces. I don't play it very often because I used to play it a lot and kind of got sick of it, but tonight I thought "what the heck?"

So the article, the Odom piece, the game, and Jason Kubel all came together to create one perfect, sweet, delicious moment. We need all of those we can get while on the road. Thank you.

[EDIT:] Yeah, clearly I wrote the above post before the ninth inning clown show. If I had waited until after the game, my enthusiasm would've been a little tempered.

But I did some asking to find out what happened to our relievers. Rumor has it that former-Twin Craig Breslow brought over some wasabi peas and told the guys they were just like the sugar-coated peanuts you get at Chinese buffets. Obviously the boys dug right in (who wouldn't). And since they were expecting sweet instead of heat, they tossed them into their mouths by large handfuls. Once the spice kicked in,they were quite uncomfortable, but they were too embarrassed and too macho to admit it, so they just kept eating. Then Crain and then Mijares were called in to pitch, but the hot snack made their eyes water so badly they couldn't see Joey's mitt. Fortunately for the Twins, Joe Nathan didn't eat any because he had just put a new piece of gum in his mouth and he didn't feel like taking it out.