big dog

Not at all, but I don’t see either of these players as having much chance. I hope we get to see a young reliever, that’s the only upside for me.

This trade feels a lot more like a salary dump than a building block for the future, but what do I know.

and Polanco took the wrong freaking supplement

I thought Reed was the best signing of the offseason, but he's certainly having some miserable moments so far.

Outfield motto: Nothing drops but rain. Expanded version: Nothing drops but rain, and Twins players.

I was at the Kernels game yesterday. I got too relaxed up 6-0 in the third- my bad. Watson looked bad- wasn't hitting his spots, and when he was in the zone he got rocked. Even before Kane County scored in the fifth, they had a bunch of runners on. Not a good performance at all. Moran threw really well in the sixth but got lit up in the seventh. Faucher looked really sharp. Lewis looked good, overall. He had a two-strike hit where he basically took a half-swing, hit a chopper to short, and beat it out. Looked completely intentional. Then he stole second on the first pitch to Kiriloff and beat the throw easily. He had one really nice fielding play, diving up the middle to snag a grounder and then making a good overhand throw to second, with enough time to complete the double play. I didn't get to see much batting from Kiriloff with two walks- I missed his hit for family-related reasons. Good approach at the plate- took a couple close pitches during his two walks. His steal was pretty neat- he had a delayed steal. Took a couple of steps, stopped, then went again. The catcher made a decent throw but the second baseman had fallen asleep and had to run just to catch the ball. The throw looked high and late anyway. Cabbage hit a foul that was nearly a home run, then a couple of pitches later he just crushed one down the right field line, just killed it. Not one of those high majestic HRs, a laser that left a vapor trail. Hit the back railing of the seating in that area. When he came back to the dugout he gave a huge hug to someone who I believe was the pitching coach. I'm guessing he got a tip about the pitcher. Arias had an interesting day. He tripled, and then scored on a bad throw. He later had two singles. However, he tried to steal after each single and was called out both times. The first time he was definitely out but the second looked close. On the triple, it looked like he was running to third all the way, and I thought the throw was going to get him but when he slid it hit is helmet (at least it hit something on him) and ricocheted into the dugout, letting him score. In other words, he was really close to getting a double and two singles and being thrown out trying to advance on all three. He might want to think that over a little bit. Reporting from the field, big dog

Here in Chicago if I am feeling a little down, I just have to tune in for the opening of a Cubs broadcast so that I can hear Pat Hughes (who is phenomenal) introduce his radio partner "the All-Star Ron Coomer". Never fails to get a giggle.

I've told this story before, but I was watching Romero pitch in 2016 when Cedar Rapids came to Beloit. We were sitting next to the Beloit pitchers who were using the gun and charting pitches. They were just drooling about his stuff. At one point a pitch was thrown and the guy charting was silent for a second and then said. "Changeup at 91. That's just sick." If it's only 5-6 mph below his fastball that doesn't seem like enough, but batters definitely seem to be out in front on it so far. Hopefully that holds up! Loving it so far, obviously. Must-See TV.

Hmmm...good news...hey, Castro pulled his OPS over .500! OK, seriously, I got nuthin'. Wait, I know! We just went 1-9, but we're only 5 back in the Wild Card race! OK, yeah, nuthin'.

Span's OPS is .738 right now, with Ramos at .564 and Gomez at .524. Hu has a WHIP of 1.5 and an ERA of Yikes! I wish them all the best and hope they have successful seasons, beginning next week.

I'm not arguing to never take a pitcher, and perhaps you didn't mean that I suggested it. I would love to have drafted Appel, for example, and we see how that appears to have worked out. I would certainly suggest that in this particular case, it worked out better not to have done so. Tough luck for Prior and the Cubs, no question. Whether that is good luck for the Twins, or good luck in avoiding bad luck...above my philosophy pay grade. Perhaps the second installment of the series will argue that the Twins would still have been better off to pick Prior. I am looking forward to reading it.

I have a great friend who is a diehard Cubs fan. He spent two years laughing at how cheap the Twins were for taking the second-best player to save money. Then he spent two years being worried that maybe it was the better choice. Then he told me how smart the Twins had been. Smart or lucky to dodge a bullet, either way it worked out.

Slipping on by on LSD. . . discuss.

The sweetest words that ever have been: White Sox lose, Twins win. - big dog

Please...make it stop...

all right boys, remember- "This Shall Not Stand"

Let's stop with all this walking off other hitters, please. - big dog

Word.

Let's go Mauer clap clap clapclapclap

Frazier reaches up and finds a ball in his glove. &$^#^@

Wow. That was a fun popup for our side.

True, but one got netting in front of the right field stands and the other hit the center field wall, so...come on.

He was only off by inches, I mean feet, ok a couple of yards.

I like this team...