Presented Without Comment

~~~

Ok...I do have something else to say. I have three winners of the Game 7 of the 1991 World Series DVD drawing...

• Francis M (@fran_the_man)
• Amy N (@SoAmySays)
• Nathan T (@Lecroy24Fan)

Congratulations!

I got a lot of great lists of favorite baseball movies. It's fun to see what everyone likes.

And thanks again to A&E Home Entertainment and MLBProductions for this fun thing.

Be sure to check out twinsbaseball.com to purchase this and other great DVDs.

DL Report: Scott Baker ... Again

Last time Scott Baker was on the DL, I was on vacation and didn't have the chance to make the paper doll until after he came off. I'm so sorry he felt the need to be on it again so I could do this properly. Or maybe he didn't.

The Twins have placed Scott Baker on the 15-day DL again with a right flexor strain. It apparently is still sore and it's affecting his pitching. Since the Twins' playoff hopes have largely evaporated, it makes sense to shut him down and let it completely heal.

Kevin Slowey has been recalled from AAA Rochester to replace him. Slowey has been pitching very well for the Red Wings since being sent down. He's scheduled to start on Sunday in Cleveland.

Other updates:

Alexi Casilla, on the DL with a hamstring pull, has been running and such, and he is expected to be activated when he is eligible on Friday.

Justin Morneau, on the DL recovering from a wrist injury and a pinched nerve in his neck, is hitting the ball well in his rehab assignment in Rochester and may join the team in Detroit next week.

I was so hoping that we could have a day or two when there was no one on the DL, but alas it is not to be. In fact, the Twins haven't had a day with no one on the DL since Nishioka broke his leg on April 8. And I believe that there hasn't been a day with fewer than two men on the DL since Joe Mauer went down on April 13 (I'm not 100% sure about that second fact, but I'm pretty sure).

~~~

DVD Giveaway Update:

Don't forget about my new DVD drawing, this time Game 7 of 1991 World Series. Just tell me your top 5 baseball-themed movies to enter. Three winners to be announced Friday (which is more than I previously stated).

Baseball’s Greatest Games: 1991 World Series Game 7 DVD

BASEBALL’S GREATEST GAMES * 1991 WORLD SERIES * GAME 7 * THE MINNESOTA TWINS WIN THIS ALL-TIME FALL CLASSIC FEATURING JACK MORRIS’ 10-INNING SHUTOUT

http://shop.history.com/detail.php?p=300740&v=aetv

Many thanks to A&E Home Entertainment and MLB Productions for this great promotion.

Another DVD Drawing!

I get to do another DVD drawing, and we'll have TWO winners. This time for a DVD of Game 7 of the 1991 W.S.

http://shop.history.com/detail.php?p=300740&v=aetv

Just tell me your top 5 baseball-themed movies to enter. Include them in the comments below, tweet me on Twitter, find me on Facebook, or get me on Google+.

Deadline to enter is 6 pm central on Friday, August 12. One entry per person. Winner is responsible to contact A&E Home Entertainment to redeem prize. We here at k-bro's baseball blog are not responsible for the prizes.


For what it's worth, here are my top five baseball-themed movies:

1. Bull Durham
2. Sandlot
3. A League of Their Own
4. Field of Dreams
5. Major League

Winner Winner

We have a winner of the 1991 World Series Collector's DVD set....

And the winner is....

Nicole Margaret (a.k.a. @nmarg34 on Twitter). 

Congratulations, Nicole! I'll contact you with info on how to redeem your prize.

~~~

Thank you to everyone who entered. I received way more entries than I thought would. If you're new here because of the drawing, welcome. I hope you visit again.

Don't fret if you didn't win. The DVDs are available for purchase starting Tuesday. Click the links on the sidebar on the right for more information.

Also, other Twins blogs are hosting contests and drawings as well. I encourage you to visit them. So far, I'm aware of the following contests that are still going:

• Diamond Centric / Over the Baggy
• SethSpeaks.Net
• Puckett's Pond
• Knuckleballs
• NoDak Twins Fan

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.

1991 World Series Collector's DVD Contest!

The 1991 World Series was a great time in Twins history, and to commemorate the 20th anniversary of this awesome feat, I have been given the opportunity to allow one of my readers to win a very nice collector's DVD set produced by A&E Home Entertainment. I have the details of the DVD set after the contest rules.

Contest Rules:
Well, I decided to keep it simple. If I had a poetry or caption contest, I know I would have a very hard time choosing (all my readers are awesome; I wouldn't be able to choose one over the other). I also didn't want to manage some kind of guessing contest, because I know I'd screw it up somehow (besides, most of my readers are smarter than me, so I'd have a hard time coming up with suitable questions).

So, I'm just going to do a simple drawing. Enter in one of three ways -- comment on this or a future post, send me an email to kbrobaseball@gmail.com, or send me a tweet to @kbrobaseball -- with the words "DVD Entry" before 11:59 pm 31-JUL-2011. I will put all the entries in my trusty game hat, and have one of my kids draw a name out. I assure you it will be on the up and up (you'll have to trust me on this; I don't know an independent auditor, and even if I did, he or she would be my friend, so...). One entry per person.

I will provide the winner with contact information for the person at Foundry Communications / A&E Home Entertainment; it is the winner's responsibility to contact A&E. A&E Home Entertainment and Foundry Communications are solely responsible for delivering the prize. K-bro's baseball blog holds no responsibility for delivery of the prize.

You may see other blogs offering the same DVD set. I encourage you to visit those blogs and enter those contests as well. I know my friends at Knuckleballs Blog are doing a fun prediction contest (although you may need to hurry on that one -- it has to do with Joe Nathan breaking the team saves record).

Good luck.

If you're interested in purchasing the DVD set, see the sidebar on the right; links are there.

DVD Release Information from A&E Home Entertainment:

“The whole series was like a storybook”

-- Twins Manager Tom Kelly, after Game 7

THIS AUGUST, COMMEMORATE THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE MAGICAL  FALL CLASSIC ESPN CALLS “THE GREATEST WORLD SERIES OF ALL TIME!” WITH TWO UNFORGETTABLE DVD RELEASES

THE MINNESOTA TWINS 1991 WORLD SERIES

COLLECTOR’S EDITION

&

MINNESOTA MAGIC: REMEMBERING THE MINNESOTA TWINS 1991 WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP

Street Date: August 2, 2011

DVD SRP: WS Collector’s Edition: $69.95/

Magic in Minnesota: $19.95

PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS 

THE MINNESOTA TWINS 1991 WORLD SERIES COLLECTOR’S EDITION

In 1991, the Minnesota Twins beat the Atlanta Braves in seven grueling – and unforgettable -- games to capture their second World Series championship since moving to The North Star State in 1961.  Now, catch every historic moment of this championship series with THE MINNESOTA TWINS 1991 WORLD SERIES COLLECTOR’S EDITION, a handsomely packaged 7-disc set.  Packed with bonus footage and all seven games in their entirety, this is sure to be a must get for not only Twins fans, but baseball fans everywhere as the Twins get set to commemorate the 20th anniversary of this milestone series.

Was it really the greatest Fall Classic ever?  Five games were decided by one run.  Four of the games were won on the very last plate appearance. Three games went extra innings. Two managers played a seven-game chess match.  One run was scored in the Game 7, 10-inning masterpiece.  Add in Kirby Puckett’s Game 6 for the ages, a power-hitting third base tandem, Kent Hrbek providing a lift at first, a rookie rising above the tension, veteran power, clutch pitching led by the wizened Jack Morris, plus a relentless and dynamic Atlanta Braves team --and yes, it was the Greatest World Series ever played.


This beautifully-packaged seven-DVD collection contains every pitch, hit, sterling defensive play, and ear-popping Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome memory along with each glorious Minnesota Twins 1991 World Series championship moment. The collection displays the heroics of Dan Gladden, Gene Larkin, Chuck Knoblauch, Chili Davis and Brian Harper, plus the steadying leadership of Manager Tom Kelly. A special DVD audio feature allows fans to watch the World Series television broadcast and listen to the Twins Radio Network announcers! Yes, it was the greatest World Series and the proof is in the seven games digitally preserved in this DVD trophy.

Magic in Minnesota: Remembering the 1991 World Series Championship

In more than 100 years of World Series play there have been many that could be considered memorable and a handful that might be classified as unforgettable.  But only one can be called the best ever – and for many the 1991 World Series between the Atlanta Braves and Minnesota Twins was just that.

MAGIC IN MINNESOTA: Remembering the 1991 World Series Championship revels in the mesmerizing masterpiece of Jack Morris’ 1-0, 10-inning Game 7 and Kirby Puckett’s unbelievable heroics in Game 6.  This commemorative DVD, timed to the Twins’ 20th Anniversary celebration, salutes the contributions of superstars, support players, and the deafening, intimidating Minnesota Twins fans who electrified the Metrodome like never before and includes extensive game highlights and interviews with two-time World Champions manager Tom Kelly, Kent Hrbek, Gene Larkin, Dan Gladden, and  John Gordon.  As an exclusive bonus, the DVD also includes footage such as the final outs from four Twins 1991 ALCS victories plus the celebration footage after winning the 1991 American League Pennant; a vintage 1991 Minnesota Twins commercial; the footage of the ‘91 Twins meeting the President at the White House and Kirby Puckett’s Hall of Fame induction speech


MAGIC IN MINNESOTA is more than just another film about just another championship team.  It’s about the Twins – your Twins – and perhaps the greatest World Series of all time.

PROGRAM INFORMATION

THE MINNESOTA TWINS 1991 WORLD SERIES COLLECTOR’S EDITION

Type:  DVD/7 Discs

Catalog #:  AAAE245590

Running Time: 15 hrs., 45 mins.

Genre:  Sports/Baseball

Rated:  N/A

Audio: Stereo

THE MINNESOTA TWINS 1991 WORLD SERIES COLLECTOR’S EDITION

Type:  DVD/Single

Catalog #:  AAAE248210

Running Time: 75 mins. + extras

Genre:  Sports/Baseball

Rated:  N/A

Audio: Stereo

#   #   #

Holding a 16

The non-waiver trade deadline is Sunday, and teams have to figure out what, if anything, they want to do with it. Winning teams will add a key piece or two to help them finish the season strong, and the losing teams provide those pieces with hopes of acquiring youngsters that can help in future years.

And then there are the Twins. It's really hard to tell what the smart path is for the team that has shown flashes of both brilliance and brutality. It's like they're playing Blackjack, and they hold a 16.

If you've ever played Blackjack (and I haven't very much, so bear with me), you'll know that having a 16 is the worst hand to have. You know it's not likely that you'll win if you stay pat, but if you take a hit, you may bust. Or, you could just surrender*, give your chips to someone else, and try again next year.

This is a crucial week for Bill Smith to make up his mind; the team really needed to stay hot to convince him to try for winning -- in other words, be buyers. But they haven't looked like winners this week, so they may want to shed some players who can help another team and work on building for next year -- be sellers. However, they have a history of staying pat.

It might be difficult, but the smart move would be to admit that the Twins won't win the division this year, and they should look to improve in 2012. And it'll probably hurt.

There are a number of guys who are due to be free agents after the season, so it may be wise to trade one of them in order to get something for them before they potentially lose them. Michael Cuddyer, Jason Kubel, Joe Nathan, and Jim Thome will be free agents this off-season. Cuddyer probably has the most value right now, but the Twins have said a number of times that they're not interested in trading him. Kubel, Nathan, and Thome have had injury issues, although Kubel and Nathan are probably ok for the rest of the season.

Matt Capps, Denard Span, and Francisco Liriano have also drawn some interest from other teams. However, Span is still on the DL, and has yet to play in a full nine-inning game in his rehab. They can't trade a guy on the DL (well, actually, I think they can, but it requires special permission, and it's really a hassle and why would they want to anyway?). Capps and Liriano have kind of diluted their trade value lately.

And, of course, Kevin Slowey is still available for a trade.

So the next few days will be very interesting to see what happens. Interesting, and potentially painful. Stupid 16.


*If you're an expert Blackjack player, you'll know that I can't really surrender this hand because I've already taken one hit. Just ignore that and go with the flow here ok? I don't really feel like taking a new picture with a queen and a six.

~~~

Be sure to drop by here again in the next couple of days, for an exciting chance to win a DVD set of the 1991 Minnesota Twins World Series Championship:

MINNESOTA TWINS 1991 WORLD SERIES COLLECTOR'S EDITION DVD SET: http://shop.history.com/detail.php?p=302520&v=aetv

MAGIC IN MINNESOTA: REMEMBERING THE 1991 WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP DVD:  http://shop.history.com/detail.php?p=302519&v=aetv

I just have to figure out what kind of contest to host. I'll come up with something. Probably something that doesn't require much work on my part.

More details soon.