Quick Notes: Jan. 2, 2011

Happy New Year, everyone! I really enjoyed the last two weeks of the year. I was able to spend some time with family while keeping things low-key and setting some time aside to relax. I hope you were able to do the same thing.

I'm about 97.6% certain that Bill Smith was able to do the same thing as well, because nothing is happening with the Twins. Ok, I don't really know that; he could be going on 3 hours of sleep and staffing the phones right this minute trying to complete 14 separate deals. Do you doubt that? Yeah, I doubt that too.

I'm crabby because I just want something to talk about and it's really boring that there isn't. *sigh*

~~~


Remember all those years when the Twins organization was trying to get the Minnesota legislature to chip in for a new ballpark and they kept trying to prove their point by griping about how crappy the Metrodome was? Well, the old Humpty Dump found a way to not only stick it to the Vikings for all their complaining, but it also figured out how to give the Twins one final "up yours". The air-less balloon that used to be the roof won't be fixed for a few months, not nearly in time for Twins Fest, scheduled for the end of January. Way to go Dome, that'll show 'em.

Fortunately, the Twins were able to relocate to the National Sports Center in Blaine. That's a nice big facility, but I really don't know if Twins Fest will be as grand there as it usually is. I'm sure it'll be fine, and it's great there is a place to go on such short notice.

Twins Fest is Jan. 28 - 30.

~~~

On Thursday, Dec. 30, I was one of a cast of thousands starring on Seth Stohs' SethSpeaks.net Weekly Minnesota Twins special 2-hour, year-end special podcast. Ok, there wasn't really a cast of thousands. It was more like a cast of 17. But, still, pretty impressive. We talked about our favorite memories of 2010, what we think of the off-season, and what we're looking forward to in 2011. It was a really fun show with a lot of great guests -- and me.

My favorite memory of 2010 was the Home Opener in Target Field. The park is one of the best in the majors, and I think it contributed to the success of the team in 2010. The crowd was full, and abuzz, nearly every game, and the players must've appreciated a nice field to play on and nice facilities to be in. I also like how they incorporated the great players and memories from the past throughout the park, from the photo murals all around in places like the Legends Club to the glass on the Metropolitan Club with a definite nod to old Met Stadium. I was glad to be there to help open it.

My thoughts around the off-season revolved largely around acquiring a veteran starting pitcher who can give us 200+ innings a season -- namely Pavano. I think that now that the bullpen features a lot of inexperience, an iron-man type starter who can go deep into games would be a valuable asset. I'd also like to see Jim Thome back in a Twins uniform because I like him and he makes me happy.

I'm looking forward to the return of Joe Nathan in 2011. I have a gut feeling that by June, our Joe will be the formidable Joe Nathan again. And I can't wait to see it happen.

So anyway, check out the podcast here. I come in at about the 34-minute mark, but I really encourage you to listen to the whole show; it was a lot of fun.

Also, listen and learn why my boss has put the kibosh on any designs I had on doing voice-over work.

Thanks, Seth, for inviting me to be on your show with all those other great guests and thanks for being a friend of this blog over the past year.

~~~

In the on-going, captivating saga of the crocheting I'm doing to spend the vast amount of time until baseball starts again, I present this cute little sock monkey I made.

Of course he's a Twins fan. We haven't decided on a name for him yet. Perhaps Hubert.

~~~

And finally, I'd like to express my prayers and good wishes for Harmon Killebrew. He announced earlier this week that he's battling esophageal cancer.

I don't remember too much about his playing days, but I always been aware of his presence with the team. Seems like he's always around during Spring Training, Twins Fest, and other events. He always seems so proud to be associated with the Twins, and Twins fans are grateful to have him around. My mom had the thrill of shaking his hand a few years ago at Twins Fest, and he was very gracious to her.

I hope Harmon, his family, and his doctors can find a way to get him through this battle and on to a full recovery.

Quick Notes: Dec. 12, 2010

The Winter Meetings are over, and I have to say they were more eventful than I expected them to be. I was fully prepared to write something about how I predicted that the Twins never do anything during the Winter Meetings, even when they're trying to trade Johan Santana. Boy, do I wish I could've written that.

The Twins traded JJ Hardy, Brendan Harris, and cash to the Baltimore Orioles for ... wait ... who were those guys again. I don't know, a couple minor league pitchers. Hang on a sec.... Oh yeah, James Hoey and Brett Jacobson. Word has it that Hoey could break into the bullpen in 2011, but Jacobson is strictly a prospect at this point. Both are known for throwing heat but struggle with control.

The Twins must be confident they'll sign Japanese player Tsuyoshi Nishioka or else they would've held on to Hardy at least a little longer. The organization claims they made the trade because they wanted more speed in the lineup; not very many fans buy that. Many fans believe it was a salary-dump -- Hardy was arbitration-eligible and will make as much at $5 mil in 2011.

Let me just say that I hate this trade, salary-dump or not. I'm not a fan of the current middle-infield picture -- Casilla, Tolbert, Plouffe, Hughes make for slim pickings and probably a lot of fan eye-rolling. And adding Nishioka doesn't ease my mind much; being good in Japanese ball doesn't always translate into being good in the MLB.

I'm also mad that, if they did have to trade JJ, that's really all they could get for him? He's a damn fine shortstop, I think if the Twins had held on a bit, they could've gotten a better deal. Plus, he's just one of those players I like -- he might not be a superstar, but he did his job, made some nice plays, and seemed like a good guy. I'll miss him. I wish both JJ and Brendan the best with the Orioles -- good luck facing the Yankees and Red Sox 157 times a year. The cash will do well no matter who it faces.

With all that being said however, I don't think this trade is a huge blow to the team. If the Twins can use that saved money to sign a decent starting pitcher or some reliable bullpen help, everything will be ok.

~~~

The Rule 5 Draft took place on the final day of the Winter Meetings. This is where teams can window shop the other teams and select players not on a 40-man roster. The catch is that if a team selects a player, it must put him on the big league active roster the entire next season or he must be returned to his original team (or the two teams could work out a trade).

The Twins selected LHP Scott Diamond from the Braves organization. We'll likely see him in the bullpen.

I swear, if he chooses "Sweet Caroline", or any other Neil Diamond song for that matter, as his walk-out music, I'll puke.

The Twins didn't lose anyone in the Rule 5 Draft.

~~~

I know this is a baseball blog, but I can't let the popping of the Metrodome on Sunday go unmentioned. After all, it is the old neighborhood of the Twins.

I'm sure many of you saw what happened to the roof. It's very fortunate that no one was hurt; on Saturday there were workers on the roof shoveling it off, but they called it off due to dangerous wind and cold. It would've been tragic if those workers were still up there when the Teflon tore.

In case you didn't see it, or if you want to see it again, here:



I hope they can get it fixed soon. There's another Vikings game scheduled for a week from Monday; I'd hate to have them play in a neutral site two consecutive weeks.

~~~

I know you're dying to know how I've been spending my time now that there's no baseball. Crocheting. Lots and lots of crocheting. In addition to scarf-zilla, I've made another scarf (normal-sized), three hats, and 30 smallish things that I'll pair up and give as gifts. Thirty. I'd divulge more, but my mom reads this blog and she's going to get one of those gifts whether she wants one or not (hi mom!). So will just about everyone I've ever met.

I need baseball to come back soon.

A Quick Nod and a Thanks

So the two preseason exhibition games at the brand-spanking-new Target Field were very exciting. I didn't make it down there, but I could certainly feel the buzz right through my TV. The pictures and accounts I've seen from the media and my friends have convinced me that it's amazing. I've been to enough ballparks to know this one is special -- I see shades of the best parts of them here. I'm especially impressed with the emphasis of the Twins branding while keeping the Target branding present, yet low-key. I'm really looking forward to going myself (I've got tickets for three games, and I'm working on more).

The games themselves were pretty thrilling -- for exhibition games, that is. Denard Span getting the first hit and dinger, Joe Mauer planting a baseball among the centerfield trees, and Jacque Jones receiving a number of surprise standing ovations made for some fantastic moments. Ironically, however, the real hero of the weekend is the old Metrodome itself. Really. Not only was its crappiness a driving force, a very significant one at that, behind the support for the new ballpark, but it also saved baseball in Minnesota.

In 2001, when Bud Selig and 28 team owners voted to contract the Minnesota Twins and the Montreal Expos from Major League Baseball, it was the Metrodome, or rather the Twins' contract to lease it, that saved our beloved club. Hennepin County District Court Judge Harry Crump, who reportedly wasn't even really a baseball fan, granted the Metropolitan Sports Facility Commission an injunction to force the Twins to play the 2002 season, thereby forcing MLB to keep the teams. Whether the whole thing was elaborate conspiracy to ensure public funding for the new ballpark, or an ill-advised get-richer-quick scheme by Mr. Pohlad, it's immaterial when the baseball fans of Minnesota sit under the sky on a beautiful day watching a great game.

So next time you're on your way to beautiful Target Field, be sure to give a quick nod and a thanks to the old Dump Dome as you go by. I just know it's happy for us.

Keep Playing Until Somebody Wins

One of the many things I love about baseball is that there are no tie games*. And, as the Twins are fully aware, there are no tie season records either. So, thanks to some Metrodome Magic that doesn't want to fade quietly and a little help from the White Sox, the Twins are set to play the second game 163 in as many years.

And if this is news to you, I want to know what type of rock it is that you're living under.

Recap:

Friday: Twins 10 - Royals 7
Saturday: Twins 5 - Royals 4
Sunday: Twins 13 - Royals 4

So, what was most certainly an impossible mountain at the beginning of September has become a beautiful jewel sitting on the table on the other side of one more game. It's there for the taking; it belongs to whomever wants it more.


*No tie games, as long as they aren't All Star Games that go into the eleventybillionth inning.
~~~

I went to the game on Sunday; I bought the tickets the day they went on sale last spring. I expected tear and happy nostalgia, and I wasn't disappointed.

The game was a blast. I'm usually a pitchers'-duel kinda gal, but I gotta admit that watching Kubel and Delmon both smacking two homers each, and Cuddy crushing another was a hoot.

And the post-game ceremony was touching and well-done -- even if it was a bit awkward because there'll be at least one more (technically) regular-season game. It was great to see all those former players again and recalling their contributions to the team. And it was especially touching whenever Kirby Puckett's name was mentioned.

I didn't take a lot of pictures because we were pretty high in the second level and I don't have the greatest camera, but here they are:




~~~

Update on the food drive:

I'm still planning to donate items for as long as the Twins are still winning. So remember guys, I want to donate food.

Please Allow Me a Little Self-Promotion

Remember that Metrodome memories story I wrote for Minnesota Public radio? Well, they must've liked it because they asked me to do a short interview for their Morning Edition program.

A friendly intern came to my work, and after short time of technical difficulties, she recorded my answer to "what's your favorite Metrodome moment?"

Let me tell you, there's a reason I'm not in broadcasting. I was pretty nervous; I talked too fast and too loud. And I'm pretty sure I said the word "awesome" too many times. But it was still kind of fun. After she edits it all together (we wound up having to do it in three pieces), it should be only about 60 seconds.

They're creating a bunch of these fan stories, and they'll jam them into their regular programming all Friday morning. Therefore, it's hard to know when it'll air -- sometime between 6 and 9 am on Friday.

So if you listen to Morning Edition on MPR, keep an ear peeled for my little segment. I'll be the one who sounds like a mixture a Frances McDormand from Fargo and Fran Drescher from The Nanny. (Actually, I used my real name, Kirsten Brown, so listen for that.)

If I happen to find it on their website, I'll let you know.

My Favorite Metrodome Memory

So, word has it that the Twins are no longer going to be playing in the Metrodome after this season. I gotta admit, I'm going to miss the old, ugly Bubble. In fact, I think I'm probably one of about four people in Twins Territory who actually likes the place. Sort of.

There are a million things to hate about it: the roof is ugly, the seats are hard, the concourses are too small, the restrooms are nasty, the lower level doesn't have hand rails, the rows are too long, etc. Heck, even the cup holders are wrong (who thought it was a good idea to install tilted cup holders?).

Even though it's a dump, it's where my team plays, so I love it. Granted, I would go watch the Twins if they the only place they played was on an aircraft carrier asea in the Devil's Triangle...if I could get tickets...and airfare...and a really good life insurance policy. But more than it being the the only place I can see my boys in their home uniforms, there are some wonderful things about it -- the memories.

I mentioned yesterday that MPR is collecting fans' favorite memories. Here is the piece I wrote.

My Favorite Metrodome Memory

My tradition every year is to go to the final home series of the season. In 2006, I was able to go to the Sunday, October 1st game, the last game of the regular season.

By that time, the Twins had already clinched at least a wildcard spot, and it was assumed by many that they would finish out the regular season then head to New York for the playoffs. The Twins were hosting the White Sox, while the Royals were visiting Detroit. A Twins loss or a Tigers win would give Detroit the Division Championship.

Adding another layer of interest was the tight batting-title race between Joe Mauer and Derek Jeter of the Yankees. Our Joe was leading, but only by a few hundredths of a point.

The game itself started kind of slowly. The White Sox took an early lead in the first. But then Silva settled down. In the fourth, the Twins finally put three on the board and another one in the fifth.

Meanwhile, everyone in the crowd was keeping an eye on the Royals-Tigers score on the out-of-town scoreboard. By the sixth inning, the crowd reacted more to KC scoring in their game than to anything going on in the Twins game. It was funny when a Twins batter fouled off a pitch, the crowd roared because the KC-DET score updated at that moment.

My husband kept checking the web on his phone to find out how Jeter's day at the plate was going. By Joe's final plate appearance, Jeter's day was already done -- Joe had won the batting title with a .347 average! Seeing him take a bow and kiss his bat was an amazing moment.

Once the Twins beat the White Sox 5-1, the Metrodome staff tuned the jumbotrons to the Royals-Tigers game, which had gone into extra innings. The crowd was clapping and chanting "Let's go Royals, let's go Royals, let's go Royals" as if they were playing in front of us. After a bit, the Twins players emerged from the dugout onto the playing field to chant and cheer along with the crowd.

When the Royals had finally beaten the Tigers 10-8, the crowd erupted into joyful pandemonium. The Twins' win and the Tigers' loss meant that the Twins were the Central Division Champions!

I was high-fiving and hugging people I had never met, and will probably never see again. From my seat in the upper deck, I could see the players jumping and running and slapping hands of fans hanging over the barriers. Torii Hunter and Gardy found microphones and spoke to the fans, thanking everyone for their support and expressing their spontaneous glee of the moment. I sat in my seat not wanting to ever leave; what a magical day!

I also submitted a picture of the scorecard I kept that day.


Heh. Notice all the scribbling in the Sox side of the 8th? Either I started the inning with the wrong batter, or I forgot to flip it over as the Twins were batting. I hate it when I do that.

Here is the request from MPR for your favorite memory:

MPR News: What’s your Metrodome Memory?

After 28 years, the Twins are moving on from the Metrodome to greener pastures made of real grass. In commemoration of their last season at the Dome, MPR News is collecting memories of baseball at the Dome to feature on our Morning Edition program. We want to hear your funniest, strangest or simply most memorable moments at the Dome – whether on the field or in the stands. Share your story with us here: http://tinyurl.com/mprdome. Please contact Molly Bloom at mbloom [at] mpr [dot] org with any questions. We look forward to hearing from you!

MPR News: What’s your Metrodome Memory?

Hey everyone, Minnesota Public Radio is collecting stories of fans' favorite memories of the Metrodome to commemorate the Twins' final season there. While I mull over the memory I want to share, I'll give you their invitation to share yours. They're collecting the stories to possibly use on their Morning Edition program.

Here's the request from MPR:

MPR News: What’s your Metrodome Memory?

After 28 years, the Twins are moving on from the Metrodome to greener pastures made of real grass. In commemoration of their last season at the Dome, MPR News is collecting memories of baseball at the Dome to feature on our Morning Edition program. We want to hear your funniest, strangest or simply most memorable moments at the Dome – whether on the field or in the stands. Share your story with us here: http://tinyurl.com/mprdome. Please contact Molly Bloom at mbloom [at] mpr [dot] org with any questions. We look forward to hearing from you

When I figure out what I'm going to write, I'll post it here too.

If you want, you can share your favorite memories here in the comments section too. I love reading other fans' stories.