Don't Feed the Greed Guy

Thank Goodness I married a woman who loves/tolerates baseball! Here's the agenda: July 3: AAA Rochester at Buffalo Bisons July 5: Twins at Blue Jays July 7: Pawtucket at Rochester July 10: AA East/West All-Star Game, New Britain, CT July 11: Trenton at New Britain July 12: Twins at Yankees July 13: Mets at Pirates July 15: Home. Plenty of stuff for the family to do, and two Frank Lloyd Wright tours (Buffalo, NY, and Fallingwater, PA) to keep the wife happy. I'll blog on the games, or reply to the articles.

Thank Goodness I married a woman who loves/tolerates baseball! Here's the agenda: July 3: AAA Rochester at Buffalo Bisons July 5: Twins at Blue Jays July 7: Pawtucket at Rochester July 10: AA East/West All-Star Game, New Britain, CT July 11: Trenton at New Britain July 12: Twins at Yankees July 13: Mets at Pirates July 15: Home. Plenty of stuff for the family to do, and two Frank Lloyd Wright tours (Buffalo, NY, and Fallingwater, PA) to keep the wife happy. I'll blog on the games, or reply to the articles.

The old adage is that a baseball season can be broken into three columns. All teams win one third of their games--even the lousyteams. All teams lose one third of their games--even the best teams. It is the other third that makes the difference. The series with Washington is a perfect example. Minnesota took game one on the strength of their bullpen and a hot backup catcher/dh. The Nats blew out the Twins in game two. Then, in that all-important third game, our Twinkies lost by one run as the pesky Nats poked away at the lead. A 4-1 Twins advantage slowly went "pear-shaped" from 4-2, 4-3, 4-4, into a 4-5 final. Can the prospects coming up, if they raise production at 2nd base (Rosario vs. Dozier), 3rd base (Sano vs. Escobar/Plouffe/Carroll), andcenter field (Can we already say Buxton vs. Hicks?) raise the Twins production to the point where they win two out of three? (NOTE: also posted as a response to the article "PROSPECTS ON THE MOVE" by Rick Nelson)

The old adage is that a baseball season can be broken into three columns. All teams win one third of their games--even the lousyteams. All teams lose one third of their games--even the best teams. It is the other third that makes the difference. The series with Washington is a perfect example. Minnesota took game one on the strength of their bullpen and a hot backup catcher/dh. The Nats blew out the Twins in game two. Then, in that all-important third game, our Twinkies lost by one run as the pesky Nats poked away at the lead. A 4-1 Twins advantage slowly went "pear-shaped" from 4-2, 4-3, 4-4, into a 4-5 final. Can the prospects coming up, if they raise production at 2nd base (Rosario vs. Dozier), 3rd base (Sano vs. Escobar/Plouffe/Carroll), andcenter field (Can we already say Buxton vs. Hicks?) raise the Twins production to the point where they win two out of three? (NOTE: also posted as a response to the article "PROSPECTS ON THE MOVE" by Rick Nelson)

The key, as you propose, is the starting pitching--and the possibility that Gibson, Deduno, Devries or another arm could bolster the rotation. I would love to see Hernandez convert to a lefty option out of the bullpen. Worley needs some time in AAA, it appears. As for the offense, I could see an uptick in production. Just to use the 8th spot in AL runs scored as an example, I could see the Twins move up two or three spots here, especially when Hicks, Willingham, and Doumit and Plouffe are tied for 3-5 in runs scored. They haven't exactly been filling the bases. We could easily see more production here.

These are the managerial moves that will define Gardy's final contract year. Are the young players progressing? Is the current manager building up the organization? Too soon to tell, but woudln't it be nice if a ballgame at Fenway in early May 2013 will be remembered as a turning point in Aaron Hick's long career as a Twin? Gardy has had this impact in the past, as Justin Morneau credits his turnaround, not on a fight with Torii Hunter in Kansas City, but with a sit-down heart-to-heart with his manager, early in his 2006 MVP season. JockBio: Justin Morneau Biography I'm hoping Uncle Gardy takes the kid aside when the cameras aren't rolling, debriefs the situation, and puts "Hicksie" back in center field tonight. I would love to see the kid get his first multi-hit game of the season on the backside of this incident.

Before there was a Winfield, a Molitor, or a Mauer, there was a Bender. Charles Albert "Chief" Bender was born in Crow Wing County on May 5th, 1884. He bounced between his home on the White Earth Reservation, and various boarding schools. At a teenager, Bender was recruited by the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Carlisle Pennsylvania, the first of many off-reservation boarding schools. Carlisle is perhaps most known for it's resident coach, Pop Warner, and his star player, Jim Thorpe. Bender attended Dickinson College, also in Carlisle, before turning pro. He pitched for Connie Mack's Philadephia Athletics from 1903 to 1917. Bender pitched during an era of entrenched prejudice, and open racism. The definitive biography, that chronicles Bender's early years and his big break, was written by Tom Swift. It is aptly titled, Chief Bender's BurdenThe Silent Struggle of a Baseball Star. Chief Bender's Burden - University of Nebraska Press Swift has a wonderful short biography on Charles "Chief" Bender on the SABR website: Chief Bender | SABR A nugget from Swift's bio: "Bender is known foremost for a rare ability to pitch under pressure. 'If I had all the men I’ve ever handled, and they were in their prime, and there was one game I wanted to win above all others,' said Philadelphia Athletics icon Connie Mack, who managed fellow all-time pitching greats Lefty Grove, Herb Pennock, Eddie Plank, and Rube Waddell, 'Albert would be my man.'" Albert Bender is also credited by some as inventing the slider. He won 212 games over his Hall of Fame career. Again, from Swift's biography: "Bender’s life partner was Marie (Clement) Bender, whom he married in 1904. The couple’s marriage, which lasted nearly 50 years, did not produce any children. In 1953, Bender became the first Minnesota-born player enshrined in the Hall of Fame, and he remained the only one until Dave Winfield joined him in 2001. On May 22, 1954, the year following the vote, Bender died, a few weeks shy of his 71st birthday and a few weeks before his induction ceremony."

Before there was a Winfield, a Molitor, or a Mauer, there was a Bender. Charles Albert "Chief" Bender was born in Crow Wing County on May 5th, 1884. He bounced between his home on the White Earth Reservation, and various boarding schools. At a teenager, Bender was recruited by the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Carlisle Pennsylvania, the first of many off-reservation boarding schools. Carlisle is perhaps most known for it's resident coach, Pop Warner, and his star player, Jim Thorpe. Bender attended Dickinson College, also in Carlisle, before turning pro. He pitched for Connie Mack's Philadephia Athletics from 1903 to 1917. Bender pitched during an era of entrenched prejudice, and open racism. The definitive biography, that chronicles Bender's early years and his big break, was written by Tom Swift. It is aptly titled, Chief Bender's BurdenThe Silent Struggle of a Baseball Star. Chief Bender's Burden - University of Nebraska Press Swift has a wonderful short biography on Charles "Chief" Bender on the SABR website: Chief Bender | SABR A nugget from Swift's bio: "Bender is known foremost for a rare ability to pitch under pressure. 'If I had all the men I’ve ever handled, and they were in their prime, and there was one game I wanted to win above all others,' said Philadelphia Athletics icon Connie Mack, who managed fellow all-time pitching greats Lefty Grove, Herb Pennock, Eddie Plank, and Rube Waddell, 'Albert would be my man.'" Albert Bender is also credited by some as inventing the slider. He won 212 games over his Hall of Fame career. Again, from Swift's biography: "Bender’s life partner was Marie (Clement) Bender, whom he married in 1904. The couple’s marriage, which lasted nearly 50 years, did not produce any children. In 1953, Bender became the first Minnesota-born player enshrined in the Hall of Fame, and he remained the only one until Dave Winfield joined him in 2001. On May 22, 1954, the year following the vote, Bender died, a few weeks shy of his 71st birthday and a few weeks before his induction ceremony."

Guillen's comments on illegal aliens as workaholics might fit too, for those who spend too much time in front of a computer screen, blogging about baseball: "There are a lot of people from this country who are lazy. We're not. Prove me wrong. A lot of people in this country want to be on the computer and send e-mails to people. We do the hard work. We're the ones who go out and work in the sun to make this country better."

Play Escobar, Carroll, Dozier and Florimon. Let Plouffe ride the pine. Call it "Pirhanas II: It's Not Safe to Go Back in the Water--or overlook the bottom of the batting order."

Hey all, This is a crazy idea, but why not? Ron Gardenhire's contract is up at the end of this year, and if the Twins Way winds up producing another 90 loss season, it may be time to shake up the culture of Twins Nation. Ozzie Guillen would do that in a flash. Consider the wave of Latino talent moving up through the Twins system. Ozzie might fit in well with a changing clubhouse. He is popular with the local media, who ate up his Pirhanna quotes: "All those piranhas -- blooper here, blooper here, beat out a ground ball, hit a home run, they're up by four. They get up by four with that bullpen? See you at the national anthem tomorrow. When I sit down and look at the lineup, give me the New York Yankees. Give me those guys because they've got holes. You can pitch around them, you can pitch to them. These little guys? Castillo and all of them? People worry about the catcher, what's his name, Mauer? Fine, yeah, a good hitter, but worry about the little [guys], they're on base all the time." How much fun would it be to watch Ozzie manage the Twins at the Cell? Can you imagine the postgame interview? I blush at the thought...

Hey all, This is a crazy idea, but why not? Ron Gardenhire's contract is up at the end of this year, and if the Twins Way winds up producing another 90 loss season, it may be time to shake up the culture of Twins Nation. Ozzie Guillen would do that in a flash. Consider the wave of Latino talent moving up through the Twins system. Ozzie might fit in well with a changing clubhouse. He is popular with the local media, who ate up his Pirhanna quotes: "All those piranhas -- blooper here, blooper here, beat out a ground ball, hit a home run, they're up by four. They get up by four with that bullpen? See you at the national anthem tomorrow. When I sit down and look at the lineup, give me the New York Yankees. Give me those guys because they've got holes. You can pitch around them, you can pitch to them. These little guys? Castillo and all of them? People worry about the catcher, what's his name, Mauer? Fine, yeah, a good hitter, but worry about the little [guys], they're on base all the time." How much fun would it be to watch Ozzie manage the Twins at the Cell? Can you imagine the postgame interview? I blush at the thought...

Hey all, I just got done watching the Twins-White Sox matinee, and stumbled upon Cody Christie's post on best baseball movies. It's kind of hidden in a larger link post, so I thought I'd draw the conversation out a little. Cody posts a link to the IMBB Top Ten Baseball Movies: http://www.imdb.com/list/x9dmZYfeX4w/ Their list draws quite a bit of criticism on the IMBB site, with movies like "Mr 3000" and "Fever Pitch" in the top ten. Cody's top five: Bull Durham Sandlot Major League A League Of Their Own Field of Dreams Here's my top ten: 1. Field of Dreams 2. Sandlot 3. Eight Men Out 4. Bang the Drum Slowly 5. Fear Strikes Out 6. A League of Their Own 7. #42 8. Bull Durham 9. Major League 10. For the Love of the Game Honorable Mention: 11. Bad News Bears 12. The Rookie Other thoughts?

Hey all, I just got done watching the Twins-White Sox matinee, and stumbled upon Cody Christie's post on best baseball movies. It's kind of hidden in a larger link post, so I thought I'd draw the conversation out a little. Cody posts a link to the IMBB Top Ten Baseball Movies: http://www.imdb.com/list/x9dmZYfeX4w/ Their list draws quite a bit of criticism on the IMBB site, with movies like "Mr 3000" and "Fever Pitch" in the top ten. Cody's top five: Bull Durham Sandlot Major League A League Of Their Own Field of Dreams Here's my top ten: 1. Field of Dreams 2. Sandlot 3. Eight Men Out 4. Bang the Drum Slowly 5. Fear Strikes Out 6. A League of Their Own 7. #42 8. Bull Durham 9. Major League 10. For the Love of the Game Honorable Mention: 11. Bad News Bears 12. The Rookie Other thoughts?

Hey all, I was captivated by the story of Jackie Robinson. His contributions to American society outweigh his accomplishments on the field. But could the same be said for Roberto Clemente and his influence on behalf of Latino ballplayers, and the manner in which he lived and died, off the field? If any jersey number is worthy of the honor bestowed on #42, it is #21. I have studied Clemente's influence over the years, and would recommend the following title to any serious fan of the game, and it's influence on the human community. Clemente: The Passion and Grace of Baseball's Last Hero: David Maraniss: 9780743299992: Amazon.com: Books Roberto Clemente's story deserves to be told, alongside the amazing life of Jackie Robinson. It's unfortunate that a biographer of Roger Kahn's talent has not told the story of #21.The Boys of Summer: Roger Kahn: 9780060883966: Amazon.com: Books Someday, I hope Roberto Clemente's story appears on the silver screen, and #21 is enshrined in every ballpark across America.

Hey all, I was captivated by the story of Jackie Robinson. His contributions to American society outweigh his accomplishments on the field. But could the same be said for Roberto Clemente and his influence on behalf of Latino ballplayers, and the manner in which he lived and died, off the field? If any jersey number is worthy of the honor bestowed on #42, it is #21. I have studied Clemente's influence over the years, and would recommend the following title to any serious fan of the game, and it's influence on the human community. Clemente: The Passion and Grace of Baseball's Last Hero: David Maraniss: 9780743299992: Amazon.com: Books Roberto Clemente's story deserves to be told, alongside the amazing life of Jackie Robinson. It's unfortunate that a biographer of Roger Kahn's talent has not told the story of #21.The Boys of Summer: Roger Kahn: 9780060883966: Amazon.com: Books Someday, I hope Roberto Clemente's story appears on the silver screen, and #21 is enshrined in every ballpark across America.

Mercy, An Associated Press article reveals plans for major revisions at the "The Friendly Confines." http://www.startribune.com/sports/twins/mlb/202993011.html This is dreadful. I was at the first night game at Target Field, and sat in the upper deck behind home plate, when Scotty Baker outdueled Zack Greinke, and Willie Bloomquist's defense, under the lights. http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MIN/MIN201004160.shtml I will remember the game forever--and the feeling of overstimulation. All the electronics made the Metrodome feel subdued, in comparison. It was loud, it was bright, and I think there was a baseball game being played down below our perch in the nosebleeds--where many of the flashing lights were at eye-level. This is modern baseball, I guess. I just thought that the hand-operated scoreboards of Fenway, and the relative expanse of grass and ivy at Wrigley accentuated the game. Electronics are for video games, not America's Pastime. I am depressed. This is an apocolyptic sign, of biblical proportions. Say it aint' so...

Mercy, An Associated Press article reveals plans for major revisions at the "The Friendly Confines." http://www.startribune.com/sports/twins/mlb/202993011.html This is dreadful. I was at the first night game at Target Field, and sat in the upper deck behind home plate, when Scotty Baker outdueled Zack Greinke, and Willie Bloomquist's defense, under the lights. http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MIN/MIN201004160.shtml I will remember the game forever--and the feeling of overstimulation. All the electronics made the Metrodome feel subdued, in comparison. It was loud, it was bright, and I think there was a baseball game being played down below our perch in the nosebleeds--where many of the flashing lights were at eye-level. This is modern baseball, I guess. I just thought that the hand-operated scoreboards of Fenway, and the relative expanse of grass and ivy at Wrigley accentuated the game. Electronics are for video games, not America's Pastime. I am depressed. This is an apocolyptic sign, of biblical proportions. Say it aint' so...

Heart. The game is methodical. It is a study in average, statistics, leverage, and productivity. I say Morneau is as much of a bridge to the future as Mauer. It just makes sense, unless Toronto trumps Minnesota heart with Canadian heart. I often wear a Canadian 2006 WBC jersey with #27 Morneau on the back. Morneau has made a point of talking with me during Spring Training, away games, and signing baseballs for my two sons. He always asks, "Are you from Canada?" I admit that I spent a few years guiding out of Ft. Francis, but I'm not Canadian." He would love to be a Twin, but Toronto is noble, too. It's about the heart. BTW: The crowds tend to ask, "Why #27?" when they see the Morneau jersey from 2006. The quick answer is that Larry Walker had #33 before Mornie. I like to say, "#27 is #33, according to the metric system."

Hey friends, I am willing to admit that it's way too early to get our hopes up regarding Eddie Rosario and his 5 for 8 outburst against AA to AAA level pitchers. Some of the heavy hitters on this site have commented that it's absurd to believe that we could hear--once again--chants of "Eddie, Eddie" as early as this spring in Minnie. I get it. But don't tell me it can never happen. http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=carew-001rod Calvin Griffith took a flyer on a kid named Rodney Cline Carew, who jumped from Singe A ball, in 1966, all the way to Met Stadium, in 1967. The Denver Bears (AAA) and Charlotte Hornets (AA) never knew Carew. So, how did he do in his first season in a Twins uniform? How about an All Star invitation, and Rookie of the Year? Carew had more experience at second than Rosario. That's a major reason why Eddie will stay on pace to join the parent club in late 2014, with a chance to be in the starting lineup on Opening Day, 2015. The other reason? Delaying the start of Rosario's MLB "Years of Service" clock. All I'm saying, Seth and Co, is that stranger things have happened. That is all.

Hey friends, I am willing to admit that it's way too early to get our hopes up regarding Eddie Rosario and his 5 for 8 outburst against AA to AAA level pitchers. Some of the heavy hitters on this site have commented that it's absurd to believe that we could hear--once again--chants of "Eddie, Eddie" as early as this spring in Minnie. I get it. But don't tell me it can never happen. http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=carew-001rod Calvin Griffith took a flyer on a kid named Rodney Cline Carew, who jumped from Singe A ball, in 1966, all the way to Met Stadium, in 1967. The Denver Bears (AAA) and Charlotte Hornets (AA) never knew Carew. So, how did he do in his first season in a Twins uniform? How about an All Star invitation, and Rookie of the Year? Carew had more experience at second than Rosario. That's a major reason why Eddie will stay on pace to join the parent club in late 2014, with a chance to be in the starting lineup on Opening Day, 2015. The other reason? Delaying the start of Rosario's MLB "Years of Service" clock. All I'm saying, Seth and Co, is that stranger things have happened. That is all.

Okay, This is out of left field:p, but worthy of a conspiracy buff’s amusing post: Are the Twins headed to the National League? 1) We are stocking up on NL pitchers. 2) Target Field is a pitcher’s park. It wasn’tnecessarily built for the NL game, but the fact is that the park plays more like an NL venue. You can’t rebuild the park for the AL game, but you could change leagues… 3) Financially, Milwaukee and Minneapolis could benefit by splitting 21 games a year. 21 games of full stands. Right now MN doesn’t have a state-to-state rival. Kinda makes sense, right… How long did it take for Milwaukee to switch leagues, and Houston? Okay, I am ready for the naysayers to have me for Monday lunch. What say you?

Okay, This is out of left field:p, but worthy of a conspiracy buff’s amusing post: Are the Twins headed to the National League? 1) We are stocking up on NL pitchers. 2) Target Field is a pitcher’s park. It wasn’tnecessarily built for the NL game, but the fact is that the park plays more like an NL venue. You can’t rebuild the park for the AL game, but you could change leagues… 3) Financially, Milwaukee and Minneapolis could benefit by splitting 21 games a year. 21 games of full stands. Right now MN doesn’t have a state-to-state rival. Kinda makes sense, right… How long did it take for Milwaukee to switch leagues, and Houston? Okay, I am ready for the naysayers to have me for Monday lunch. What say you?