Quick Notes: Jan. 22

Tuesday was the deadline for teams and their arbitration-eligible players to exchange salary numbers. There were three arbitration-eligible players on the Twins roster: Francisco Liriano, Glen Perkins, and Alexi Casilla.

There were two others at the beginning of the off-season, but Kevin Slowey was traded to the Rockies (and then traded again -- more on that later), and the Twins declined to offer Jose Mijares a contract (and then he signed with the Royals).

The players are under contract for this year, but they're due raises, so they need to agree on the paycheck.

If the numbers are close, then the team and player generally finalize things right away -- Liriano (who will make $5.5 million) and Perkins ($1.55 million) did this. However, the Twins and Casilla felt like they were a little too far apart to settle right away.

Casilla wants $1.75 million, but the Twins are offering $1.065 million. So what next? They'll schedule an arbitration meeting and keep talking. They have all the way up until the start of the meeting, which will probably be scheduled for early to mid February, to meet somewhere in the middle. If they actually do sit down for arbitration, either Casilla's number or the Twins' will be his salary. There is no compromise in arbitration.

From all accounts, everyone wants to avoid arbitration. Both parties will sit before an independent arbitrator (not arbiter; I looked it up) and try to make their cases, which, I imagine, goes something like this:

Player: I'm awesome and I deserve the money.
Team: Weeellll...you're good, but we wouldn't say awesome.
Player: Yeah, but look at all these awesome things I did....
Team: No, but look at all these crappy things you did...
Player: I'm still pretty awesome.
Team: Not awesome.
Player: Yes.
Team: No.

And so forth until they're done, and then the arbitrator will decide one number or the other.

And after it's all done, the team will tell the player he'd better have an awesome year.

~~~

Kevin Slowey, whom the Twins traded to the Rockies early in the off-season, was traded again last week to the Indians. Poor Kevin didn't even make it as a Rockie long enough to go to their fan fest. In fact, I don't even think he's in the country yet after climbing Mount Kilimanjaro with R.A. Dickey.

And from the looks of things, the Rockies got a better player in return than the Twins did.

But the Indians were desperate. One of their starting pitchers, the right-hander formerly known as Fausto Carmona, is in some trouble with stolen identity and falsifying his age. He's not likely to get a work visa to come to the US anytime soon.

It's odd; I've always been intrigued by "Fausto Carmona," and, to be honest, a lot of it may have had to do with that magnificent name.

~~~

Joel Zumaya passed his physical. Welcome to my spreadsheet, Joel. Oh, and welcome to Minnesota, too.

~~~

Seth Stohs is a Twins blogger, and is probably the foremost expert outside the Twins organization on the Twins' minor-league system. He's a great supporter of all us Twins bloggers, and he always does great work.

Seth's 2012 Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook is now available. I encourage you to buy one -- it's very reasonably priced. He always does a nice job writing it. If you don't really know much about prospects, this is a great resource every time one of those minor-leaguers gets called up. There are stats and such, but he also writes up a brief description of each prospect, so you get some background information every time.

I also encourage you to use his Handbook to become more familiar with the prospects. These guys work hard to move up the ranks, and it's kind of fun to follow their progress. They're the future of the Twins team; we should give them all the encouragement we can, if only from afar.

It's a must have if you're planning on going to Spring Training, or even if you're planning on listening to Spring Training games.

Visit Seth's website for info on getting his Handbook.

Quick Notes: Dec. 11

Hi. It's been a while. Sorry.

The winter meetings are now over, and while some other teams made some big splashes, the Twins also made a couple quiet moves.

Twins Catch a Florimon
The Twins claimed shortstop Pedro Florimon Jr. from the Baltimore Orioles. He'll likely be assigned to Rochester, but he is on the 40-man roster. And, yes, his name totally makes me think of Pokemon.

Slow-ride Out of Town
The relationship between Kevin Slowey and the Twins was quite rocky in 2011, so the Twins ended it by trading him to the Rockies, initially for a player to be named later. Ultimately, the Twins received RHP Daniel Turpin.

It's hard to fully understand what caused the rift between Slowey and the organization. A few media members have expressed their disdain for Slowey, but I can't believe that it's 100% his fault. Phil Mackey of 1500ESPN has a well-written, balanced article that explains the decline on both sides.

Turpin has been assigned to Rochester.

Re-Capps'd
The Twins re-signed closer Matt Capps on a one-year deal with an option year. If Capps signed with another team, the Twins would have received a draft pick, but the Twins really wanted him, and they got him.

I wish I could have the guts to say that I'm unhappy about this. However, I believe that disliking players on my team is bad luck. And, since, as it usually is true with closers, as he goes so goes the team, so I'll just shut up about it and wish him all the best.

Now...to find a way to scrub the memory of all those blown saves in 2011...

Twins Select What's-his-name in the Rule 5 Draft
The Twins selected RHP Terry Doyle from the Chicago White Sox. Doyle's given first name is John, and that's the name the reporters first used on Twitter when the selection happened, so there was a bit of confusion of who the Twins actually got.

As with any Rule 5 draftee, he must make the 25-man roster for the entire season, or he must be returned to his original team or a trade must be made.

Hearty Congratulations Times Two!
Michael Cuddyer and his wife Claudia recently delivered twin girls. Here's the picture he posted on Twitter.

Joe Mauer is officially engaged to his girlfriend Maddie Bisanz.

Best wishes to all of them!

2012 Wish List, Part VI: Take the Bullpen Seriously

Remember a year ago when one of the biggest gripes certain Twins fans could come up with was calling Jesse Crain "Crainwreck"? Remember a year ago when certain Twins fans were so fed up with Matt Guerrier they couldn't be bothered with pronouncing his name correctly?

Yeah...I wonder what those certain fans think about those guys now?

I miss them too.

I have to admit that the old cliche of you don't know what you've got until it's gone applies to me regarding the Twins bullpen of yesteryear. And as much I would love to have either one or both of those guys back, it's too late to rue the decisions of the past.

Too bad the present isn't much fun.

The current bullpen owns the worst cumulative ERA in all of baseball (4.53). The front office can't expect to win very many games when they can't trust the men at the back end of the game to preserve leads or, at the very least, keep the team close. Unfortunately, however, the front office has shown over the last few years that it doesn't worry too much about the state of the bullpen. Fans have been fed lines that everything will be ok with the guys we have for a while now.

We can't have Crain or Guerrier back (well, I suppose we could, but I doubt it). But that doesn't mean we have to be stuck with what we have.

Here's the plan I wish for:

Bring Nathan back. The Twins have a $12 million option to keep him one more year. That's pretty spendy; I don't see Bill Smith willing to pony up that kind of money. And frankly, that's too much for a relief pitcher. However, I would like the Twins to let him test the free agent market and then actively pursue him for less money. He turns 37 this off-season; his next multi-year contract will likely be his last. I can see him taking the security of more years and still make it affordable for the Twins.

Tender Glen Perkins another contract. I used to kind of hate him as a starter. I really like him as a set up man.

Find a new home for Kevin Slowey. His, um, philosophical differences with the team are simply too chaotic to overcome. He'll probably succeed elsewhere; he just doesn't fit with the Twins.

Put Anthony Swarzak and Brian Duensing back to the bullpen and keep them as middle-inning and long relievers.

Say good-bye to Phil Dumatrait, Jose Mijares, and Matt Capps. They simply don't pitch well enough and have proven that they can't be trusted. Maybe send Alex Burnett on his way as well.

Then, find good, reliable replacements. I like the promise that Lester Oliveros has shown, though I'm not sure he's really ready for the big leagues yet. He's only 23; let him earn a spot in spring training. Otherwise, make some trades and sign some new guys.

And maybe just make a quick phone call to Jesse Crain and Matt Guerrier.

~~~

Since I mentioned Matt Capps, here's his paper doll:

If I remember correctly, he was unavailable for a few games mid-season because he had some forearm soreness. Or was it shoulder? Elbow? I guess I can't remember correctly.

Anyway, he's the last one of the guys who were on the Opening Day roster.

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.

DL Report: Denard Span

Oh, no. I was afraid of this...

The Twins have placed OF Denard Span on the 7-day DL with a mild concussion and whiplash symptoms. He suffered the injury during a collision with the Royals catcher at the plate on Friday, June 3. He rested a couple of days, and tried to DH on the following Monday; however, he later told reporters that he never felt "right" and everything was hazy.

On Thursday, he tweeted that he had spent over three hours at the doctors, who found the concussion. Before Thursday's game, the Twins trainer told reporters that his symptoms reminded him of the whiplash he suffered in 2009. Friday morning, Span tweeted that the concussion made him feel "lazy." Of course, with every brain injury, there is no telling how long he'll be out. Twin fans are particularly worried as they know that the concussion that Justin Morneau suffered kept him out of baseball for months.

OF Rene Tosoni has been recalled from AAA Rochester to fill his roster spot.

The 7-day DL is new to MLB this year, specifically for concussion-related injuries. The intention is to avoid rushing players with head injuries back into action without hurting the team.

Updates:

Joe Mauer caught in back-to-back games, which is significant.

Jim Thome's quad injury is related to his previous back injury. He's due to receive an epidural soon. To be clear, "epidural" refers to the epidural space, which is the outermost part of the spinal canal. Many women have epidurals to manage pain during childbirth or c-sections. Those are epidural anesthesia procedures. I doubt he's getting that; because that would make the entire lower half of his body numb for a few hours. What I suspect he's getting is an epidural steroid shot, which hurts like a son-of-a-b*tch when you get it, but works pretty well after that. That is, if they get the needle in the right spot the first time. If not, they do it again...ow!

Matt Capps is sore (right wrist). Phil Dumatrait is sore (shoulder). Justin Morneau is sore (neck, shoulder, wrist, etc.). All are day-to-day.

Yesterday afternoon, I sent a tweet out regarding Kevin Slowey. I hadn't heard an update about his injury rehab in quite awhile, and I figured all the "he needs to be traded or sent down so he can be a starter" talk that surrounded the injury made all the beat reporters figure he was no longer with the team. Jordan Schelling from MLB.com replied that Slowey threw long toss with no complaints.

As far as all the other guys, I think you should just read RandBall's Stu's update. He's got everyone covered, and in a much funnier way than I could ever dream of. I'm done here, so go read it now.

Shuttle Plane: MSP/ROC

First of all, I just want to kiss Nick Blackburn fully on the lips. Oh, and I think he pitched pretty well on Tuesday, too. Complete games are hawt!

Oh, and I want to give Matt Capps a time out. A time out in my house consists of sitting on the floor holding a folded-up washcloth against the wall with your forehead until I'm not mad anymore. It's hell; just ask my kids (although, if they were really tired, they'd just fall asleep that way). And Capps isn't the only one; he's just the only one I can think of right now. I have plenty of washcloths to go around.

~~~

Kevin Slowey is hurt again (more about that in a bit). This sure changes things with his "traaaade meeee, traaaade meeee" dilemma (check out what I wrote about it over on From The Third Baseline). Instead of sending him down to AAA to get stretched out to start, the Twins placed him on the DL and will call up another pitcher.

So, all this moving of guys back and forth between Rochester and Minneapolis made me think that the Twins should just invest in a commuter plane. Just run it every-other day; someone will need it.

See what I mean?

Some serious frequent-flyer miles for some of these guys. And it's only May.

~~~

DL Report:

At least this time I didn't have to make a new paper doll; I just had to move the boo-boo on one I had.

RHP Kevin Slowey has been placed on the 15-day DL, retroactive to 5/21, with  strained rectus abdominis. This is a pair of muscles that go from the sternum down alongside the belly-button -- the "6-pack abs" muscles.

He had an MRI with the team physician a few days ago, and that showed nothing. He, or maybe the Twins, requested a second opinion (I have varying reports). A specialist gave him the diagnosis.

The recommended course of action is 7-10 days rest and ice. 

No one has yet been called up to take his spot; many are speculating that it will be RHP Jim Hoey.

Updates: (info from StarTribune)

Tsuyoshi Nishioka is continuing his rehab, and could start playing in games as early as Friday.

Jose Mijares threw a bullpen session on Wednesday, and could pitch in rehab games this weekend.

Joe Mauer has been DHing in rehab games and felt good running the bases. Oh, and now there is a timetable for his return, but Gardy isn't telling anyone what that is. So, it's a super-secret timetable.

Also watching:

Michael Cuddyer has been out for a couple of games with a sore hip, but he was available to pinch-hit on Wednesday. Thursday's an off-day; he should be ready to go on Friday.

Matt Capps has a sore forearm, probably from overuse his last few outings. He's day-to-day.

Bah!

So just when we fans get all excited and begin to believe that things were looking up, then WHAP! we're slapped with more mediocrity.

This series did feature some timely hits, homeruns even, but those were countered with lame strategy and even lamer pitching. Oh, and don't even get me started on the defense. Really?!

It's sad that the team needs the death of a legend to motivate them. It's even sadder when that doesn't even last more than three games.

Ok, so I'll cut myself short again. I don't want to rant and rave like a crazy woman. But, I tell ya', I'm this close...

Let's hope this upcoming home stand will be better. Much better.
~~~

Check out what I wrote over at From The Third Baseline regarding the players who might be traded if the Twins are sellers at the trade deadline.

~~~

DL News:

Glen Perkins has been placed on the DL with a strained right oblique. This is kind of a blow to the Twins because he was just establishing himself as a reliable set-up man. However, his reliability may have cost him; it was beginning to seem like Gardy was over-using him. In fact, my buddy Andrew predicted it on Twitter (he tweeted this just as Perkins was coming out of the 'pen on Saturday's game).

The Twins recalled Dusty Hughes to take his spot.

Also watching:

Kevin Slowey is scheduled to have an MRI on his abdominal area on Monday in the Twin Cities.

In better news:

Jim Thome and Jason Repko are ready to play and have been activated for Monday's game. Ben Revere and Luke Hughes have been re-assigned to AAA Rochester to make room.

Updates:

No new news on Tsuyoshi Nishioka.

Joe Mauer has been increasing his baseball activities, donning catching gear, blocking balls, etc. Still no timetable for his return.

Read and Follow Directions...

I don't have to tell you, it's not easy being a Twins fan lately. I'm sure, like me, you're being pounced on by anyone who knows you're a Twins fan demanding to know what's wrong. Everyone has questions. Everyone has answers too. Everyone wants to tell the Twins what to do and how to do it.

Well, it just so happens that I write directions for a living. I'm very good at telling people what to do. So, it's come to the point where my work life must step in to my baseball-fan life.

Instructions for fixing the Minnesota Twins. Please note that the following instructions are to be used under the supervision of trained professionals (not really, I just have to say that all the time).

1. Inspect the training staff: Of the six guys still on, or recently off, the disabled list, Nishioka is the only one whose injury doesn't seem to be from a lack of proper training or conditioning. Two oblique strains, a case of shoulder bursitis, a quad strain, and a mysterious bi-lateral leg weakness all seem to me to be potentially preventable. It's true that the cold, damp weather all over the country isn't helping matters any -- many teams are suffering through a lot of injuries (including both my fantasy teams). However, this isn't the first year that people have questioned the effectiveness of the Twins' training staff; last season, Pat Neshek openly criticized them for mis-diagnosing his hand injury. Improve the training and conditioning techniques or get a staff that can.
2. Review Justin Morneau: Gardy needs to sit down with Justin and have a heart-to-heart discussion with him and really figure out what's wrong. His offensive numbers are horrible (and well-documented), but he just looks over-matched in the batter's box. He swings and misses at pitches on the outer half of the plate -- pitches he used to hit, or at least foul off. Additionally, his defense is nowhere near what fans have come to expect. He simply doesn't make the nice scoops he usually does. He's thin, and weak, and clearly not himself. I commend him for trying to tough it out, but he's not really helping the team much in this condition. Unfortunately, due to the diminished capacity of the team as a whole right now, there isn't much anyone can do about it; he's a warm body and those are hard to come by. However, as soon as Young and Thome return from the DL, perhaps the Twins should consider giving Justin some more rest. A lot more rest. Like 15 days of rest. Oh, and just for kicks, check his vision and see if his LASIK procedure didn't take a step or two backwards.
3. Get on Carl Pavano's back: I know Carl's a veteran. I know the Twins signed him to a two-year deal. I know he's supposed to be the leader of the rotation. He stinks lately. He knows he stinks lately. He admits he stinks lately. Not only is his stinky pitching putting too much pressure on the hitters, but it's also putting too much pressure on the other pitchers. Granted, he's the type of pitcher who really needs a good defense behind him, and he doesn't really have that. However, he's walking too many guys and he isn't striking out anybody. Gardy and Anderson need to kick him in the pants.
4. Get off Francisco Liriano's back: It's pretty well known that Liriano can be a bit of a head case. It's also pretty well known that Liriano's real talent is as a strikeout pitcher. In order to be effective, he has to trust his stuff. But since the bullpen is so lame, the Twins want him to get outs using fewer pitches so that he can go deeper into games -- i.e. "pitch to contact." However, this strategy simply doesn't seem to work for him. It's as if the Twins are trying to force him into a mold that he simply doesn't fit into. They need to just leave him be, let him pitch the way he wants to pitch, build his confidence, and let him go. I think that if they let him strike out batters, he'll wind up walking fewer.
5. Figure out the shortstop position: Shortstop is considered the leader of the infield. Alexi Casilla has proven he's not leadership material. The Twins have now handed the job to Trevor Plouffe, but he's hurt and may land on the DL. Even if he's ok, he should have a pretty short leash -- I just don't think he's quite ready for prime time. It's time for Bill Smith to pick up the phone and get a decent rent-a-shortstop. Strength in the field, and in the batter's box, will go far to picking up this team.

~~~

DL Report:

Delmon Young and Jim Thome are headed to Florida to rehab. Thome had an MRI and it indicated that there was only a slight strain in a back muscle. He should be able to re-join the team as soon as he's eligible. Young needs a couple minor-league games, and he should be ready to come back.

Nishioka is also in Florida, rehabbing his broken fibula. He's working with Paul Molitor on fielding drills.

Also watching: Trevor Plouffe. He tweaked or pulled a hammy on Sunday. He's due to have an MRI on Tuesday to see if it's serious. 

Kelsie Smith of the St. Paul Pioneer Press has all the injury details.

As you know, Kevin Slowey is off the DL. Dusty Hughes was sent down to AAA to make room.

And, finally, Joe Mauer is getting stronger all the time. But, sing it with me -- you know the words, ♪♫ there's no timetable for his return ♪♫.

A Two Paper Doll Day: Thome and Repko

Good grief. I'm beginning to think I need to make preemptive paper dolls for everyone on the team. It would be easier; these things are kind of a pain to make. Two more guys now puts the current number at six. I'm also beginning to wonder if Ron Gardenhire shouldn't send a multitude of gifts to Tom Nieto, the manager of the Rochester Red Wings, as an apology for destroying his team. I kind of feel bad for the Red Wings fans; it's hard to win with so much thrash -- don't we know it. Now that I'm done complaining, let's get on with this.

Jim Thome - Strained Left Oblique, retroactive to May 1

Big Jim has been slowed by soreness for a few games now. He sat for a couple of games, tried to man-up and power through on Saturday, but on Sunday, he just couldn't get loose again. The cold weather the Twins have been playing in can't be much help. And, well, to be blunt, he is 40.

The thing about oblique strains is that they can be kind of naggy. We've all had an oblique pull -- they take forever to feel better. And I imagine that anything I've suffered from is much, much less that what he's probably got.

He'll need plenty of rest; workouts could re-aggravate it. And hopefully the weather will turn more seasonal and warmer conditions will help.

The Twins have recalled INF Trevor Plouffe from AAA Rochester. He's batting .282 ba/ .344 obp/ .590 slg in 21 games. He struggled defensively during Spring Training, but has been doing much better during the Red Wings season.

~~~

Jason Repko - Right Quad Strain, retroactive to May 2

Jason Repko's quad muscle has been barking for about a week. Gardy's tired of having a bench full of guys he can't use, so he put Repko on the DL.

I haven't been able to find much info on how this happened, so I'm going to go ahead and blame the cold weather on this one too. It's hard to keep one's legs loose when it's so cold that one needs earflaps on one's ballcap.

I don't know much about Repko's injury history, either. So it's really hard to tell when fans should expect him back. Hopefully, it's a slight strain, and he'll be back when the weather gets warmer.

The Twins recalled OF Ben Revere from AAA Rochester. He's batting .293/ .330/ .315 in 23 games. He started the season out slow, but he has been hitting very well the last handful of games. His defense is good, but his arm is a bit weak. He's fast, and can steal a base or two.

Updates:

Joe Mauer's legs feel stronger and he has started participating in baseball activities. He admitted that he wasn't strong enough coming out of Spring Training to handle everyday catching duties. There is still no timetable for his return.

Tsuyoshi Nishioka is in Fort Myers to continue his rehab after X-rays indicated that his fibula is healing on schedule. He's still at least 10 days away from rejoining the team. Some media members are speculating that he could be put at shortshop when he does return.

Kevin Slowey is pitching well in his rehab stint in Fort Myers. Gardenhire admitted that he's trying to increase his pitching load in case there's an emergency in the rotation, but that doesn't seem likely for now. The Twins expect to put him in the long relief role -- ready to pounce fill in if a starter needs him to.

Delmon Young is following his rehab program and feeling better every day. He's eligible to come off the DL on Wednesday, but he may need a bit more time. He should return within a week or so.

Currently, no one has the flu. At least, no one is admitting it.

There's been no word on whether the garbage can in the visiting dugout in Kansas City that Carl Pavano taught a lesson to will be placed on the DL or will simply retire from baseball. Word is that Alexi Casilla's bat, also involved in the lesson, is fine and has since resumed bunting baseballs into foul territory.

Other Transactions:

The Twins optioned C Steve Holm to AAA Rochester, with no corresponding move back up. They need a backup catcher, so this is an odd move. Even odder; they immediately quelled rumors about adding someone from outside the organization. They'll likely call up Danny Lehmann or Rene Rivera from Rochester. This is a head scratcher because neither Lehmann nor Rivera is much of an upgrade from Holm. Why bother wasting another minor-league option...unless they know that Mauer is still quite a long time from returning.

DL Report: Delmon Young

After not playing since April 18, and pulling himself out of Wednesday's lineup because he "couldn't get loose," Delmon Young has been placed on the DL with soreness in his left rib cage area. He was also a victim of that viral bug that's been plaguing the clubhouse, but he's reportedly over that.

It's unclear what the cause of the soreness is; it's possibly an oblique strain or a bone injury. He had an MRI a few days ago, and it came back ok. UPDATE: The Twins announced that it's an oblique strain.

The Twins are currently hurting for depth on the team, and since a double-header is scheduled for Thursday, it became necessary to fill in some gaps. The DL assignment is retroactive to April 19.

Rene Tosoni, a 24-year-old left-handed-hitting outfielder, will take Delmon's roster spot. He hit .286 avg/.329 obp/.500 slg with three HRs and six doubles in 19 games with AAA Rochester.

~~~

Also watching:

Carl Pavano has the flu. His scheduled Saturday start has been pushed back to Sunday.

Jim Thome was unavailable Wednesday due to oblique soreness.

Jason Repko felt tightness in his quad muscle, but was available if necessary on Wednesday.

~~~

Catching up with the others:

Joe Mauer is due to come off the DL on Thursday, but he won't be ready. There is no time table for his return. A rehab stint sometime in the future is likely.

Kevin Slowey has been pitching for the Fort Myers Miracle on a rehab assignment. On Saturday, he allowed one run on one hit and one walk in one inning. Rumor has it that he paid for the clubhouse spread for all the guys after the game. I last read that he was due to pitch again on Wednesday, but he didn't.

Tsuyoshi Nishioka is progressing on schedule.

~~~

Other transactions:

Due to the scheduled double-header on Thursday, and because he pitched in long relief on Wednesday (not very well I might add), Eric Hacker has been optioned to AAA Rochester. Anthony Swarzak has been recalled to replace him. Swarzak will start the evening affair on Thursday on only three days rest.

~~~

I suspect that after reviewing all this, Gardy will go home...and weep.

Twins at Orioles: Better?

Recap:

Monday: Twins 5 - O's 3
Tuesday: Twins 0 - O's 11 (!)
Wednesday: Twins 4 - O's 5
Thursday: Twins 3 - O's 1

Obviously, winning is more fun than losing. Bit by bit, being a Twins fan is becoming more fun. We're all getting tired of telling our friends "it's only April," but it's still a true statement. Aside from the ugly blowout on Tuesday, I think the Twins played well considering the roster is pretty thin right now. Things will get better once everyone is healthy again, right? Right?

Right?

Please tell me I'm right...

High Fives:

Scott Baker -- pitched magnificently on Thursday
Michael Cuddyer -- 2 homeruns
Drew Butera -- 3 RBI on Monday
Jim Thome -- #591


~~~

DL Report: Updates

Tsuyoshi Nishioka's rehab on his broken leg is progressing nicely. He's in Minnesota riding a stationary bike and running a underwater treadmill. He's on schedule to return in four to six weeks.

Joe Mauer is also back in Minnesota working to regain strength after suffering the flu and also to get his legs into baseball shape. Kelsie Smith of the Pioneer Press has a nice article about him.

Kevin Slowey threw a bullpen session last weekend with positive results and will probably throw another one this coming weekend when the Twins come home. After that, he'll likely do a little rehab stint in AAA.

Justin Morneau is still sick. According to the tweets from the press folks, he's been in the bathroom a lot (I know, TMI). He's taken five bags of IVs, and was running a fever of 102 on Wednesday (which is why he was not available to pinch-hit). I don't even want to think about him having to ride the plane after Thursday's game. Yuck, yuck, yuck, yuck, yuck.

We're also watching Delmon Young. He's been out a few days with both the flu and soreness in his ribcage area. The flu is reportedly better, but he'll get (or already got -- not sure) an MRI to see what's going on in his side.

A's at Twins: Well...

Recap:
Friday: A's 1 - Twins 2
Saturday: A's 1 - Twins 0
Sunday: A's 5 - Twins 3

Record: 3-6

"Well..." I've been saying that a lot this weekend (imagine it all snotty-like; it kind of sounds like "welp"). There were just a whole bunch of missed opportunities. The Twins were getting me all excited with a nice hit, just to disappoint me. "Well..." Sure, the Twins faced some good pitching, but was it really that good?

Fortunately on Friday, there were runners on base for Joe Mauer, so he could drive in the go-ahead run. The fielders couldn't do their usual shift for him. If the bases would have been empty, it would have been yet another ground out to second. That saved the home opener, and the series apparently.

Blackie's nice start on Saturday was absolutely wasted by much flailing of the Twins' bats. So much flailing in fact, that one little error -- ok, one big error -- cost the Twins the game. "Well..."

Sunday's game was a little better as far at the Twins runs were concerned. Thome's blast was a ton of fun. And what a blast it was. But there were so many other wasted opportunities to score. And Baker's pitching wasn't all that sharp. "Well..."

Oh, and that baserunning gaffe by Valencia? It was hard to tell from the stands if Jerry White was telling him to "go to two" ('cuz that what he do) not realizing that Liddle was holding Kubel, or if Danny just rounded first too far, assuming that Jason would go home. Either way, some one was a bonehead. "Well..."

The brightest spot of the whole weekend was Thome's blast. That ball flew out of Target Field so fast. It cleared the new batters' eye screen. I heard it crossed the concourse and hit one of the TVs that hang over the State Fair booth. Heh heh. 

I was at Sunday's game. I took some fun, albeit lousy, pictures. I'll post them sometime soon. I only had my phone, so the pictures aren't very good. I want to try to make them a little better.

High Five:

Only one this time: Jim Thome. #590

A pat on the back for Nick Blackburn for a really good effort.
~~~

DL Report:

The Twins placed RHP Kevin Slowey on the DL with what they're calling "shoulder bursitis." Kevin first indicated that it was biceps soreness, but after an MRI, the Twins reported it as a shoulder strain. Perhaps they reviewed the images again to determine bursitis. It's hard to pinpoint the cause; Slowey won't venture a guess. Gardy was uncharacteristically outspoken about it, indicating that Slowey needs to learn how to pitch from the bullpen. Phil Mackey of ESPN1500 has the full story here. I asked Phil via Twitter if Gardy sounded as chippy (I may have used the word "snotty") as those quotes seemed. Sometimes it's hard to get tone-of-voice from printed direct quotes and I wanted to give Gardy the benefit of the doubt -- maybe his words came across more diplomatically as I was reading them. Phil replied that, yes, he did.

Bursitis is inflammation or irritation of a bursa sac that protects and cushions a joint. In this case, it's in the right shoulder. There has been no timetable for return announced.

Right-hander Alex Burnett has been called up from AAA Rochester to take the roster spot.

Nishioka Update:

Nishi's broken fibula won't require surgery or even a cast. The break occurred in a place where there is quite a bit of muscle tissue that stabilizes the bone.

Twins at Yankees: On Moral Victories, Actual Victories, and Big Losses

Recap:
Monday: Twins 3 - Yankees 4
Tuesday: Twins 5 - Yankees 4
Wednesday: PPD (Make-up game in September)
Thursday: Twins 3 - Yankees 4

Record: 2-4

I'm not sure if I should actually write a recap since the series isn't technically over. In fact, the Twins will have this whole there's-one-more-game-in-Yankee-Stadium thing hanging over their heads until September. But at any rate, it is slightly comforting to know the Twins won't get swept in this series.

At least this series wasn't terribly embarrassing. Baker and Duensing pitched well, except for those homeruns they dished up. But I am encouraged that they were able to settle down, make adjustments, and figure it out.

Of course, how much fun was it to see the Twins come back from a four-run deficit on Tuesday? It was absolutely thrilling to see Joe Nathan have a clean save. Sure, he still has more work to do regarding velocity and location -- and getting that slider. But, it's been a while since he's earned a save against the Yankees; he even had trouble when he was healthy.

The Twins seem to play the Yankees hard, and they're right there in the games. But yeah, the losing is getting old. These are winnable games. At least I don't feel demoralized by these losses; they're just like any other losses. I'm just annoyed.

HIGH FIVES:

1. Delmon Young, for his bases-clearing double on Tuesday to allow the Twins to come back and tie, and then go on to win.

2. Matt Capps, for pitching two clean innining on 8 pitches each on Tuesday.

3. Joe Nathan, for a better save on Tuesday than the last one.
~~~


DL Report:

The biggest loss, of course, is the injury to Tsuyoshi Nishioka. He suffered a broken fibula on a hard take-out slide by Nick Swisher.

Let's take a look at the Injury Paper Doll. Note that, according to Joe Christensen of the StarTribune, the break was just below the knee (I already had the paper doll made before I knew that and it's really a pain in the ass to fix, so just pretend that that red starburst is up a little).

There's no specific timetable for Nishi's return yet, but I've seen a number of reports that indicate that it might be a couple of months. And the pain may linger up to a year.

I didn't see Swisher's slide, but just about everyone who did said it wasn't dirty. The Twins, in fact, said it was fair. There's a replay here. Hard slides like that happen all the time in MLB. I'm not necessarily a fan of how Swisher's leg goes up like a kick. However, usually the infielder jumps or gets out the way. That style of hard slides may not be done in Japanese ball, and Nishi may have been caught off-guard.

It's quite unfortunate. Twins fans were very excited to greet him in Minnesota. And his parents flew in from Japan to see him at his home opener. Very, very bad luck.

I was glad to read that Swisher went to apologize to Nishi. Of course, Nishi apologized right back.

The Twins recalled Luke Hughes from AAA Rochester to take the roster spot.

Also Watching:

Kevin Slowey has been shelved for a couple days due to tenderness in his bicep. Hopefully it's nothing series and it feels better after rest.

~~~

Further Updates on the Charter Issues:

I received word from Eric, one of the Umatter2Charter non-bot humans, that Charter Communications has an agreement-in-principle with Fox Sports North to air the additional 44 games.

Yay! Thanks Charter! And thanks Eric!

See the comments section in my previous post to see his entire message.

Quick Notes: Mar. 23, 2011

Starting Rotation

You've probably heard by now that Gardy determined that Scott Baker would occupy the final spot in the rotation and Kevin Slowey would start the year in the bull pen. This isn't terribly surprising; Baker was the Opening Day starter last season.

I still think I'd prefer to see Nick Blackburn in the bull pen with Slowey in the rotation. It makes more sense to me to have the Slowey, the strikeout pitcher, start in the first inning and to have Blackburn, the sinkerball pitcher, to be long relief. Also, when Blackburn first came up, he was a reliever, so he's used to it.

However, all this is pretty inconsequential. One of the starters is likely to get hurt or become ineffective. When that happens (of course, I hope it doesn't), it's good to know Slowey will be right there to slide in. And, from what I've read, he seems like he's got a pretty good attitude about it.

~~~

A Note to Mother Nature

Dear Ms. Nature:

Would it be all right if I called you Mother? Yes? Good.

Mother, remember last year, when Target Field was due to host its very first baseball game, and the national media was all worried and hand-wringy and all about the weather, and they all said that it was dumb to not put a roof on the stadium, but we knew it wouldn't make sense to put a retractable roof on such a beautiful facility, because the weather in Minnesota isn't really any worse than Chicago, and no one's clamoring to get roofs on those stadiums, so I begged you to show all those blowhards, because I just knew the ballpark was an absolute gem that didn't need a bunch of unnecessary bad press, and you obliged by giving Minneapolis absolutely glorious weather for a vast majority of the season?

Yeah, I remember that too. Could you do that again this year? And, could you hurry up and get started on that right away? Things aren't looking too promising right now; there are only 16 days until the first Twins home game.

~~~

Wally is Free

So, you may have heard that Wally the Beerman was acquitted of charges of selling alcohol to a minor. I'm thrilled for Wally.

Now, to be clear, I don't ever think it's cool to sell alcohol to minors. However, Wally has a terrific reputation spanning several years. He's a pro. I think a sting operation in the chaos of Target Field is a little unfair. I also think some big-headed hotshot decided to bring down a legend in order to feed his ego. Seems as if the jury saw it that way, too.

It's still unclear whether he will sell beer again at Target Field. I sure hope so. And if not, I hope he'll be all right with selling something else -- I just want him back. Although, "Wally the Ice Cream Man" doesn't have quite the same ring, does it?

~~~

Big Announcement

Remember a while ago, I gave a shout-out to a new network of sports blogs written by women called G-9 Sports? Well, they've since changed the name to Aerys Sports. They still have all the same great blogs (actually, more by now); they just changed the banner.

And, now for the announcement...

I'll be joining Erin and Katie on the From the Third Baseline blog as the Rumor Report writer. Be sure to check over there for Twins rumors.

Don't worry. I'll still keep up my regular nonsense here as well.

Quick Notes: Jan. 30, 2011

If there was an award for the Most Boring Blog of the Week, I'd win this week. There isn't really a lot of news from Twins world. Add to that the fact that I wasn't able to make it to Twins Fest this weekend, there's not really a whole lot of stuff to talk about.

But, since you were kind enough to stop by, I'll come up with a couple of things.

~~~

News Item 1: Kevin Slowey and the Twins avoided arbitration by agreeing to a 1-year, $2 something million contract.

~~~

News Item 2: The Twins picked up LHP Dusty Hughes off waivers from the Royals. In order to make room, they designated RHP Rob Delaney for assignment -- which means he had to pass through waivers in order to remain on the minor league roster -- who was promptly claimed by the Rays.

Ok. First of all, what is it with the Twins and guys named Hughes? Isn't he like the 17th one they've had in the last six years or so?

Secondly, I don't get this move at all. I can't figure out what the front office thinks their gaining by picking up a reject from the Royals. But, I don't really know much about this Hughes fellow, so I'll give him a chance. I just think it's dumb that they had to lose Delaney to get him.

~~~

News Item 3: Bert's number 28 will be retired by the Twins, now that Jesse Crain is gone and done using it. Huzzah!

~~~

News Item 4: The Twins are removing the pine trees that decorate the centerfield area of the stadium. Some of the batters were complaining that they couldn't see the ball due to the crazy shadows the trees cast during late afternoon and early evening games. Too bad; I thought the trees were pretty.

I hope they can transplant them to a suitable home, maybe around the plaza or someplace close by.

~~~

Ok, so Twins Fest. Due to other commitments -- well that, and the fact I failed to get some of those limited tickets in a timely manner, -- I was unable to attend. But I was absolutely captivated by following my Twitter feed. Many of my Twitter friends went and posted pictures. That was really fun; I'm glad they did. Several friends also posted pictures on Facebook; I loved them.

I also really appreciate how the Twins public relations folks really used Twitter to reach out to fans. It's so easy to conduct a quick interview with a player by recording it on an iPhone and then pop it on to Twitter. They did a number of those, and they were a ton of fun.

So between reading my friends tweets, seeing the Twitvids from the Twins, seeing a bunch of pictures on Facebook, and listening to the interviews on 1500ESPN on the radio, I didn't feel too sorry for myself for missing it.

~~~

Speaking of Twitter, it seems as if some of the players are embracing the social media craze and signing up. Denard (@thisisdspan) and Cuddy (@mcuddy5) have been on for a while, but recently have been reaching out more. Addtionally, Danny Valencia's (@dannyvalencia19) in -- probably the best thing to happen to Twitter, since, well, tweeting (don't believe me? just ask him). So if you're a Twitterer, be sure you're following these guys; it's a lot of fun.

If I had some words of advice for players on Twitter, they would be:

• Keep it real. We follow you because we really want to get to know you a little better. Go ahead and talk about whatever's on your mind -- music, television, movies, food, and of course, baseball.
• Keep it classy. Don't call out your teammates or coaches and don't disrespect your opponents. That kind of stuff might make for some entertaining Twitterbattles, it can also get blown out of proportion in a hurry. We'd hate for you to have to shut down because you pissed someone off. Best to take the approach of pretending that Gardy and your mom are looking over your shoulder with every tweet -- if you can't say it in front of them, don't say it at all. Keep things positive and fun, and you'll be all right.
• Keep a thick skin. There will be some jerks who forget that you are a real human being and will take out their (usually hypersensitive) frustrations out on you because you're there and say some mean things. Don't ever ever ever take this crap personally. These people are morons; don't forget that. Just shrug off their BS. (Oh, and a note to the knuckleheads who do that -- knock it off! You're not that smart and no one likes you.) 

~~~

Now that Twins Fest is done, there's not much to do until Spring Training starts. I'll really surprised if the Twins' front office does anything between now and then, other than avoiding arbitration with Delmon and Francisco. I expect those to be one-year deals, but then they may work on contract extentions for both of them during Spring Training.

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.

A's at Twins: Sweep out the Ugly Shoes

Recap:
Friday -- A's 3 - Twins 4
Saturday -- A's 0 - Twins 2
Sunday -- A's 2 - Twins 4

Record: 68-50, 3 games ahead

Well, isn't that nice. A very groovy sweep, with the added bonus of gaining some ground in the division (thanks Tigers!). I like it a lot!

I've gotta admit, I didn't catch much of Friday's or Saturday's games. (I'm really really bummed that I missed Duensing's gem -- I was hanging out with friends who wanted to watch the Vikings preseason game. I know, I know, but they're great friends anyway.)

So, since I went to Sunday's game, I'll talk about that. I had a wonderful time.

• Beautiful day for baseball. After the recent hot and humid streak Minnesota's been having, it was an absolutely glorious day. It was maybe a bit breezy, but not too chilly.
  
  
  
• Ok, I know I'm a grown woman. Heck, even my kids are grown. But I bought myself a package of Twins Silly Bandz.

(If you don't know what Silly Bandz are, don't worry about it. You'll find out soon enough.)
• Remember the breeze? Well, it's a lot swirlier inside the ballpark. To which, my husband proclaims "it's too windy, there's no way anyone's hitting a homerun today." This comes into play later.
• The 9-year-old girl who sung the National Anthem was fantastic. 
• Twingo! I've never done Twingo -- I don't know why; it just never happened. But I quickly learn that it's kind of hard...I mean how often does one see CI, K-PB, or 7-4 anyway? This also comes into play later.
• I want to hug Jason Repko. Ain't no way Delmon Young makes those catches.
• About the fifth inning or so, I find myself shushing guys around me for saying words that rhyme with "bo bitter." Yes, I'm superstitious. 
• About the same time, I notice Kevin Slowey is getting into some 3-ball counts, but he's been also getting a lot of called third strikes. 
• My son seems to have every play that happens printed on his Twingo card. And when Slowey plunked Mark Ellis, he won. He got a t-shirt.

(He thought it was lame, so he gave it to me.)
• Remember the wind and what my husband said about it? Yeah, well Jim Thome went ahead and proved him wrong...right after I told my mom "Jim Thome is horrible against lefties." I guess he showed us, huh? It was awesome that the guy who caught that hot tater was wearing a Thome shirt.
• And then the booing...Kevin Slowey had pitched 7 innings of no-hit baseball, and Gardy took him out and went with Rauch to start the eighth. Many fans were not happy about it. And said so. I agree with Gardy's decision -- Kev just missed a start with elbow soreness; there's no need to re-sore it. Also, he was beginning to pitch erratically and leave some pitches up; he was getting outs by sheer luck. When he hit Ellis, it was pretty clear he was done. Gardy made the right choice. I don't really blame the fans for booing, though. It was turning out to be a special game, and we wanted it to stay that way. It's not very often that an average fan gets to see a no-hitter, and we were mad that it wasn't going to happen this time. Gardy may have made the right decision, but it doesn't mean we have to like it. For what's it's worth, I didn't boo. I don't ever boo (well, that's not exactly true; I've been know to boo an umpire or two). But I did groan when I saw Rauch come out. I would've rather seen Guerrier or Crain.
• Rauch rewarded my groaning by giving up two doubles, and both those runners scored. So much for that. Crain makes it a little interesting by throwing a wild pitch, then getting one of those famous 6-5-4-6 fielders' choices. But then he gets one of those Slowey-esque called third strikes.
• This was my first chance seeing Matt Capps live. Single. Double-play. Ground-out. I'll take it.
• If there was any negative about this game, it was that the Twins left 12 (twelve!) men on base. Not good. Not good at all. But, as long as they win...
  

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

White Sox at Twins: Tracks and 'Staches

Recap:
Thursday -- White Sox 8 - Twins 7
Friday -- White Sox 4 - Twins 7
Saturday -- White Sox 2 - Twins 3
Sunday -- White Sox 6 - Twins 7 (! after a four-run rally in the bottom of the ninth)

Twins take series 3-1. Record: 49-43, 1.5 GB

What an encouraging series, huh? After gimping into the All-Star break, and then dropping the first one upon return, it was getting quite worrisome for Twins fans that we might be witnessing a derailment. I'm not quite sure it's safe to say they're back on the right track, but at least it seems as if they know where the right track is. It's a start.

But, just because this was an excellent series and the Twins gained some ground on the leaders, it doesn't mean there aren't concerns. It's going to be a bumpy roller-coaster ride if the Twins keep rolling with 2.5 good starting pitchers. Blackburn and Slowey have to, have to, pitch better than this. Blackie was a little better Sunday...well, until he wasn't. It's so frustrating, because we've seen them be very good not that long ago. They must be frustrated too, which probably isn't helping them pitch better. They're likely very aware they're on a runaway train...Phil Miller tweeted that Blackburn said that he doesn't know how long the team's going to put up with him making mistakes. The car is riding one rail...does it tip back on, or tip over?

Personally, I kind of think Blackie is more fixable than Slowey right now, but it's still a bummer because I really like both of them. I guess we fans just have to keep crossing our fingers and hoping for them to -- say it with me -- get back on track.

~~~

Remember how I said I wanted the Twins to develop a rallying cry? A motto, a scheme, a gimmick, anything to get fired up? Yeah, well I should have been more careful in what I wished for. It seems that Carl Pavano started something. And, his brainchild appears to be working -- for him anyway, but others have started trying it too. Unfortunately, it's so hideously ugly, it's almost disturbing.

Yep. He started the 'Staches for Success movement. At points during this past series, we saw Nick Punto, Drew Butera, Brian Duensing, and Nick Blackburn sport some pretty awful growths on their upper lips.

I'm not afraid to admit that I enjoy my fair share of ballplayer eyecandy. However, facial hair stylings that went out with platform shoes, silk disco shirts, and plaid bell-bottoms can certainly make the most handsome face make me shudder with dread (I'm looking at you, Blackie). But, I also grasp that if they believe the mustaches help, they really do help. And I really really enjoy Twins wins.

So, I'm torn. But, I guess if the ugly lip fur helps with some kind of good luck, I'll go with it. I may have to close my eyes on closeup camera shots of our boys, but I'll go with it.