Poetic License?

If you haven't seen this yet, you've got to check it out! Startribune.com sent a video producer to Spring Training. And with haikus written by Howard's readers, the boys had a little fun.

My favorite is definitely Cuddy. He looks really comfortable in front of a camera reading a script. Hmmm...future in broadcasting maybe? (Duh) He's certainly handsome enough.

Cups, Veggies, and Puppets

Some thoughts about spring training so far...

• I guess the Twins and the Red Sox were serious about competing for the coveted Mayor's Cup. Both teams started what looked to be close approximations of their Opening Day lineups. They were tied 2-2 going into today's game. Unfortunately, the reigning World Champs will keep the Cup another year.


• Sounds like the Twins are thinking that their Opening Day starter shall be Livan, and a lot of folks beg to differ with the decision. Personally, I'm on the fence - kind of "meh". It's true he's not quite the Opening Day starter we had last year (what was his name? Jo...Joh...Johan something?). But he is a veteran, so he has the experience. And the best other option, Scott Baker, has an ouchie back. And besides, it's really only an honorary thing, and it's for only one game, after which the rest of the rotation will follow. If he can't handle facing other teams' aces, I'm sure Gardy will switch things around. I just wish we had a better veteran.


• All the media folks are running absolutely wild with the news that Pat Neshek decided to go vegan. I saw it on his website a few days ago, but coming from him, it didn't seem like that big of a deal. He made the change a couple months ago, and he says he feels healthier. He even admits that he'll probably eat meat again sometime. I think it's great that he's making changes; the important thing is that he's making thoughtful, conscious choices about his diet. However, it's no reason to get all crazy (startribune - seriously? Was it worth a note on the front page?) or cynical (Dan Barreiro - you think changing his diet is over-reacting?).

And now for something completely different...

Just for today, I'm stealing a page from Lipgloss & Baseball's M.O. and highlighting some cool music.

A very good friend of mine - one of the really good people in my life - is the lead singer, guitarist, and songwriter for The Julie Puppets. They have a new CD, Codes & Signals, and I really like their sound. Be sure to check them out at the Fine Line on Fri, March 21^st at 8 p.m.

A Few Thoughts About Today's Game

Twins 4, Bad Guys 6

• Gee, it was nice to hear Dick and Bert's voices again. I much prefer them over the ESPN morons.


• The more I see Delmon Young, the more I like him. Same with Craig Monroe.


• I'm kind of bummed that Alejandro Machado got sent to the minors in the first cuts. I like him. Same with Brian Duensing.


• How come it is that everything seems right with the world when Mike Redmond is shaking off some stinger, smack, nick, knock, or some other ouchie?


• Michael Cuddyer is the perfect spokesman for the team. He's so well spoken and he always says the right things.

And in other news:

The Texas Rangers signed Sidney Ponson to a minor-league contract. Ok, well, good luck with that. It's just interesting that he has a team now, and Kyle Lohse still doesn't.

Dad

Thirteen years ago today, the man who taught me to love baseball, my dad, died of colon cancer.

My dad was a great guy. He was brilliant - he knew something about absolutely everything. He had a wry sense of humor, and he could tell the best stories.

He taught me many things like cooking and driving. But he firmly believed that every kid needed two skills: playing cribbage and scoring baseball games. He took me to a few games at the old Met Stadium. His favorite player was Roy Smalley, while I had a mad crush on Butch Wynegar.

My favorite memories are of summer evenings when we would go down to the Dairy Queen - the kind where you had to walk up to the window to order- and sit in his beat-up old maroon truck in the glow of the yellow lights that were supposed to keep the mosquitos away but didn't, and listen the Herb Carneal call the Twins game on the radio.

So, in his memory, I will take part in the Get Your Rear in Gear 5k at Southdale on April 13 benefiting the Colon Cancer Coalition. For me, it's a great way to make a difference and honor my dad.

My First One!

Today, I am thankful for the technology that allowed me to "work remotely". I was too much of a wimp to head out into the snow and spend 4 ½ hours driving to work, so I emailed my boss and told him I was working from home. What I didn't tell him was that the Twins game was on TV. I'm so sly.

This is my first televised game since I started this blog, so I'm not quite sure what to do. But I am going to have fun.

I have a habit of talking directly to the television during games because I know they can hear me. They don't always listen to me, but they can hear me. Here's a recap of the conversations I had during the game:

1^st inning:
(To Rick Suttcliff when he's talking about Morneau) Morn-yo? Dude, it's not Morn-yo.

(To Derek Jeter when he's taking his sweet time getting a new bat and doing his usual "human-rain-delay" routine) Yes, Jeter. The camera's on you. Take your time and get your pretty face on air as long as possible.

(To Kevin Slowey) Striking out Giambi is a beautiful thing.

2^nd inning:
(To Brendan Harris when he missed that ground ball) Nicky would have got that. We should combine the two of you - Nickdan Puntis.

(To both ESPN guys when they're going on and on about A-Rod's previous at-bat) Oh, for crying out loud, he walked last inning. That doesn't make him God.

3^rd inning:
(To ESPN as a whole) Stop showing film of Johan. It's old now.

(To Gardy as he's being interviewed) You can sure tell it's spring training. You're usually much more uptight during the season.

(To ESPN as a whole) Heaven forbid you guys show a graphic or tell us who's up to bat. Who is that, Mike Lamb? Wait, no, it's ... hmm, got me.

5^th inning:
(To Garrett Jones)BOOM!

(To Joba Chamberlain when he beans Matt Tolbert in the ankle)Hey! Hey! Hey! A pox on your ankle.

6^th inning:
(To Justin during his interview) Hi honey. Nice to see you smiling so much in an interview. And you've been practicing avoiding all the "ums" and "likes". Nice job. Way to come out of your Canadian shell.

7^th inning:
(To the ESPN guy) It's "Pridie", NOT "Perdie"

8^th inning:
(To Alejandro Machado when he doubled and drove in two) ALE-JANDRO!

9^th inning:
(To Everyone) YAY! Twins win!

So that's that. Good Guys 7, Evil Empire 5


Cheers to: ALE-JANDRO!

Because you drove in the go-ahead runs, and your name is fun to say.

Boo-hiss to: Joba.

Dude, calm down. It's spring training for crissakes. No need to be plunking people just cuz someone hit a homer off you.

Adam Everett

KARE-11 TV had a nice piece about Adam Everett last night. He seems pretty likable.

http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=500612&GID=xMEOqHSmsof8T1QhrSEbI1GhRwCYfJI3qSLt+N2QPsk%3D

I guess they're going to profile a different player every Monday night.

(No, I don't work for KARE-11)

I'm Bored Today...

I'm bored today. And I don't really feel very good (only partly self-inflicted). Maybe some bullet points will help. Everyone loves bullet points.

• I'm not too worried about the Twins slow start in spring training. It seems to me that when they have a great spring, they have an average season; when they have a lousy spring, they have a great season. At least that's what I'm telling myself. Of course, I reserve the right to change this opinion if our boys start winning tons. They're off to a good start today.


• Am I the only person who doesn't like the "stuf" inside Oreos? Their marketing department has come up with a gimmick where they're hosting stuf licking races. Bleh. Me? If I do eat it, I never separate it from the delicious chocolate cookie goodness. Usually I just scrape it off, throw it away and eat the cookies plain.


• I finally got around to dusting my memorabilia cabinet (housekeeping is not one of my stronger abilities - I want a sparkling clean house; I just don't want to be the one making it that way). I don't have many items - just stuff I've collected over the years. But I came to some sad realizations as I was dusting: (look - sub-bullets)
  


• I have nine Twins bobbleheads. Only two were former Twins when I got them (Kirby and TK). Now, only two are current Twins (Gardy and Joe Mauer). The rest have moved from the current Twin side of the shelf to the former Twin side of the shelf.


• Remember in 2005, the Twins had that coin collection promotion? Every day, you would cut out the coupon from the paper, go to Super America and buy a coin with a Twins player's picture on it. It turned out to be a big hairy deal at the end of the promotion because everyone was buying up the last of the coins then selling them on eBay for 89 times the purchase price. Well, I was lucky enough to complete the set without resorting to eBay. Anyhoo, there are 20 coins with pictures, and only five are current Twins (Gardy, Mauer, Morneau, Nathan, and Cuddy).


• Mike Lamb is better looking than I first thought. Except he has a really small mouth - too small for his face. Just an observation.


• I'm currently reading Kent Hrbek's book "Tales From the Minnesota Twins Dugout". I'll let you know what I think when I'm done.
  

That's all I have for today.