The Lighter Side

Very few things are as good as advertised. Hype, especially in today’s overdriven media cycle, can drain the joy out of experiencing something on its own terms. Even if it’s good, you’re left wondering what all the fuss was about. But when something keeps every promise made on its behalf, like 2019 Nelson Cruz or “Flagpole Sitta” by Harvey Danger, the satisfaction is a shivering, tangible thing.

A few months back, well before COVID-19 became an international pandemic, a group of 16 Twins Daily writers committed to starting a fantasy baseball league. Despite no guarantee that there will be a 2020 Major League Baseball season, we decided to move forward with the draft on Sunday night.

In last week’s installment of What To Watch While You Wait For Baseball, I recommended Justified, a show that will appeal to a broad range of people, from me to Aaron Gleeman. This week, the going gets a little weirder. Some of you will hate the entire heck out of it. But the ones who dig it? We can hang out.

So. Friday is normally when I do jokes about Mickey Hatcher and we all have a good time until someone smarter at baseball than I am posts about Max Kepler’s launch angle or Lewis Thorpe’s demotion. It’s incredibly hard to do that right now.

When FM station 102.9 The Wolf acquired the rights to simulcast Minnesota baseball games, it seemed like a win for radio listeners and the team. A tragic misunderstanding leaves many wondering if it’s worth it.

I just asked my wife if my Twins Zubaz still existed.

I have to ask. They’ve seen better days. Their greatest wound is an inch and a half ripped seam in the crotch, rendering them useless for anything public. I’ve thought about mending the tear, but the rest of the Zubaz are worn so thin I imagine they’d tear in ten other places like ice crackling during a spring thaw.

With YouTubeTV and Sinclair at odds, the options for cord-cutting Twins fans appeared to be dwindling. Enter Duane.

When news broke on Thursday that a longtime MLB star had convinced a young Houston Astros team to break the rules, many were stunned. Only Twins Daily reached out to that "very veteran star player." We present that interview now.

You've made a mistake. You need to make amends. Let the Houston Astros help you navigate the fraught, tricky waters of a public apology.

This weekend, Thomas Nicholas who played Henry Rowengartner in the 1993 baseball movie Rookie of the Year (and Kevin Myers in the American Pie movies) will be performing in Minnesota and you can see him and even meet him. I had the chance to chat with the actor, producer and musician about his career. (ticket information near the bottom)

Unlikable Chaska man shares his plan for the upcoming Twins transaction, or lack thereof.

We already have Killebrew Drive, Carew Drive, and Puckett Place. But why stop there? We need to think outside the box when naming our state’s roads. We need Junior Ortiz Boulevard.