mggopher

I don't follow the rest of MLB that closely, so somebody please answer me this: is there any other team who has lost so many key players for extended periods of time to post-concussion syndrome? We've now seen Morneau, Span, and Mauer miss significant time the past few years. Are we cursed? Take that back...we know we're cursed. But are other teams also struggling to deal with this somewhat new phenomenon?

I'm visiting my parents who don't live far from the Quad Cities, so I went to the game last night. Buxton led off with a HR, but that was his only hit (at least through the 8th, when we left). The HR was really impressive, and I was pumped to have been there for it. Fastball up and away, and he basically just reached out and swatted it to right-center field. You never would've thought the ball was going to leave the park, but it just kept carrying. His natural power is totally as advertised. He struck out in 2nd and 3rd plate appearances, both times on great offspeed pitches. The first was a changeup high and away, which was pretty much the same spot as the fastball he hit out in his first AB -- so a pretty good pitch, I thought. The second was a slider low and away. He grounded out to 3B in his 4th AB. It was a completely routine (pretty hard hit) grounder, and he almost beat it out. He popped up to 2B in his 5th AB. It was dropped, but clearly an error. He flashed the arm in the 2nd inning. Runner on first, hit and run (so he's almost to 2B by the time the ball is swung on), base hit right up the middle. Buxton charged the hit and was about to just throw it in the 2B, but the runner advancing to 3B slowed up just a little, so Buxton throws in the 3B instead. Literally looked like he wasn't even trying to throw it -- his motion was so easy -- but it was a belt-high strike which the runner BARELY slid under. Very impressive.

Never. He's too valuable as an interpreter for post game interviews with players who actually play.

I went to a game in Seattle two years ago when I was in town for business. Not only did they open the gates uber-early, they had specials on food and beer until something like 90 minutes before game time. I believe it was like $4 or $5 for a large draft beer until then. They had this cool area to chill with tables and stuff near a beer stand where people were almost like tailgating. I don't know if it's still like that in Seattle, but I was certainly impressed and felt like they had nailed it. I'd go to every game early if I lived there...it was amazingly shrewd. EDIT: Checked just now for the he** of it, and apparently nothing has changed. Tell me this isn't way more genius than charging $15: http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/sea/ballpark/the_pen.jsp

Many things need to happen...namely: 1) "Wild Thing" Rick Vaughn discovers his command and becomes a dominant starter. I suspect vision problems... 2) Veteran Jake Taylor returns to his "pre-Mexican league" form and provides a league-average season at C, as well as much needed leadership. 3) Pedro Cerrano finally figures out the curveball and becomes the right-handed masher we've been waiting for in the middle of the lineup. 4) Willie "Mays" Hays breaks the single-season stolen base record and provides the spark we need on the basepaths. 5) Veteran Roger Dorn sheds his prissy-boy image and regains the moxie he showed early in his career. The guy can play--just needs motivation. 6) Harris will really need to produce a 15-20 win season and stabilize the top of the rotation until Vaughn is ready. If ALL of this happens, I could see this team appearing in a Visa card commercial by August and making a serious run at a pennant.

It's Evolution Baby!!! How long can this silliness possibly last? Well, for at least a couple more sentences... Twins have taken the LONG ROAD to last place. Are the Royals hearing FOOTSTEPS behind them for 4th in the division? We need a bunch of control-type pitchers who can work the corners...really hit the BLACK. I could keep going, but it's getting stupid and I'm drunk.

OK..during the "takeover" there was an extremely hot chick interviewed on FSN (bottom of 6 maybe?). Was there a reason other than to point out her hotness?

I thought it was a hilarious BYTO hoax until I read this: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/report-leeds-england-soccer-fans-upset-minnesota-twins-214445178.html

Dropped the barrel of the bat...