Kirsten Brown

Originally posted at k-bro's baseball blog The Twins have completed two series now, and after completely embarrassing themselves from the gate, they've rallied to make their record somewhat more respectable. I'm going to ignore the Orioles series because, frankly, I was unable to pay a lot of attention to it. I had to watch the three games in bits-and-pieces. Apparently, I didn't miss much. I was lucky enough to attend the Twins home opener. I was happy to be back at Target Field, even though I didn't partake in any of the new food items (I stuck with a good old reliable brat). I did partake in some delightful hot chocolate. Twice. Because it was damn cold. Here's a picture I took from our new season ticket seats. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Gigi7wSwmw8/T4d-nq13jOI/AAAAAAAAB1I/0s6H4bWTb40/s400/openingday.PNG It was fun to see the 2006 Division Champ Twins throwing out the first pitch, especially Brad Radke, but as you can tell from the picture, I didn't really get a good look. I did, however, get enough of a look at the actual game. It wasn't my favorite. What is my favorite? Twins wins, of course. And, I was beginning to get a nagging feeling that that they didn't remember how to do that. I'm so glad that they didn't forget. Notes From the Series: I'm glad to see Justin and Joey finally hitting. Things are exciting when they're both in the lineup and hitting well. I think Josh Willingham wants me to love him; that's why he keeps hitting all those huge homeruns. I'm also not too worried about his defense; I think he'll get better at that. I also think that Glen Perkins wants me to love him. Did you see how he made a fool out of Albert Pujols? O...M...G... I wish that Matt Capps wanted me to love him. I'm trying as hard as I can to give him a chance, but he's making it really hard. He's serving up way too much interesting. I can't think of anything bad to say about Chris Parmelee. Not that I want to or anything, but I just thought I'd note that. Keep it up, rook. ~~~ Jeff Gray Knows How to Win Right-handed reliever Jeff Gray leads the club in wins. In fact, he has all of them.Well, both of them. And the amazing fact is that his combined pitch count for his two wins is ... three. He earned the win on Wednesday after recording an out with a single pitch. On Thursday, it took him twice as many pitches to complete the same feat. Obviously, the Twins batters sitting in the dugout while he's on the mound are so inspired by his efficient pitching that when they finally come to the plate, they are compelled to take the lead and not let go. Or, it could be that the pitchers' win stat is really dumb. ~~~ Injury Update http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JP9ifkSkaOs/T3pgPBNhhiI/AAAAAAAABzc/rDA0OIYtfSc/s320/bakerarm12.PNG Scott Baker announced that he will have surgery to repair his flexor pronator tendon, an injury that has been bothering him since last season. This is not the same injury that requires Tommy John surgery. That is a ligament replacement. This is a tendon. Ligaments connect bone to bone; tendons connect bone to muscle. Also, tendons communicate with the brain causing the muscles to react. This particular tendon allows the forearm to rotate while the arm is flexed (imagine flexing your arm, keeping your shoulder and elbow still, and rotating your palm). The recovery time for this is likely to be six months, so his season is over. And his tenure with the Twins is likely over too. The Twins have a team option on his contract for 2013, but it's for $9.25 million, which is probably too spendy for a guy just coming off a significant injury. So he'll be a free agent trying to convince teams he's fine. Bummer.

Originally posted at k-bro's baseball blog The Twins have completed two series now, and after completely embarrassing themselves from the gate, they've rallied to make their record somewhat more respectable. I'm going to ignore the Orioles series because, frankly, I was unable to pay a lot of attention to it. I had to watch the three games in bits-and-pieces. Apparently, I didn't miss much. I was lucky enough to attend the Twins home opener. I was happy to be back at Target Field, even though I didn't partake in any of the new food items (I stuck with a good old reliable brat). I did partake in some delightful hot chocolate. Twice. Because it was damn cold. Here's a picture I took from our new season ticket seats. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Gigi7wSwmw8/T4d-nq13jOI/AAAAAAAAB1I/0s6H4bWTb40/s400/openingday.PNG It was fun to see the 2006 Division Champ Twins throwing out the first pitch, especially Brad Radke, but as you can tell from the picture, I didn't really get a good look. I did, however, get enough of a look at the actual game. It wasn't my favorite. What is my favorite? Twins wins, of course. And, I was beginning to get a nagging feeling that that they didn't remember how to do that. I'm so glad that they didn't forget. Notes From the Series: I'm glad to see Justin and Joey finally hitting. Things are exciting when they're both in the lineup and hitting well. I think Josh Willingham wants me to love him; that's why he keeps hitting all those huge homeruns. I'm also not too worried about his defense; I think he'll get better at that. I also think that Glen Perkins wants me to love him. Did you see how he made a fool out of Albert Pujols? O...M...G... I wish that Matt Capps wanted me to love him. I'm trying as hard as I can to give him a chance, but he's making it really hard. He's serving up way too much interesting. I can't think of anything bad to say about Chris Parmelee. Not that I want to or anything, but I just thought I'd note that. Keep it up, rook. ~~~ Jeff Gray Knows How to Win Right-handed reliever Jeff Gray leads the club in wins. In fact, he has all of them.Well, both of them. And the amazing fact is that his combined pitch count for his two wins is ... three. He earned the win on Wednesday after recording an out with a single pitch. On Thursday, it took him twice as many pitches to complete the same feat. Obviously, the Twins batters sitting in the dugout while he's on the mound are so inspired by his efficient pitching that when they finally come to the plate, they are compelled to take the lead and not let go. Or, it could be that the pitchers' win stat is really dumb. ~~~ Injury Update http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JP9ifkSkaOs/T3pgPBNhhiI/AAAAAAAABzc/rDA0OIYtfSc/s320/bakerarm12.PNG Scott Baker announced that he will have surgery to repair his flexor pronator tendon, an injury that has been bothering him since last season. This is not the same injury that requires Tommy John surgery. That is a ligament replacement. This is a tendon. Ligaments connect bone to bone; tendons connect bone to muscle. Also, tendons communicate with the brain causing the muscles to react. This particular tendon allows the forearm to rotate while the arm is flexed (imagine flexing your arm, keeping your shoulder and elbow still, and rotating your palm). The recovery time for this is likely to be six months, so his season is over. And his tenure with the Twins is likely over too. The Twins have a team option on his contract for 2013, but it's for $9.25 million, which is probably too spendy for a guy just coming off a significant injury. So he'll be a free agent trying to convince teams he's fine. Bummer.

Originally posted at k-bro's baseball blog http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WuqEJmvcnRs/T4Td2E-4CiI/AAAAAAAAB04/GZ7P4vkCcJQ/s320/keepcalm.PNG So, the Twins have had a bit of a tough go of the start of the 2012 season, huh? And, apparently, there's nothing like going winless for the first four games to divide the fans. The optimists insist that four games is too small a sample size to get too worked up about yet, and the pessimists see that all the flaws aren't being fixed. And each side keeps insisting that the other is nuts. Who's right? Well, both. After suffering through a despicable 99-loss season, fans are understandably eager to see signs of improvement. Spring Training may have had some glimmers of promise, but many of those glimmers have snuffed out now that the season is here. Batters are still banging the ball into the ground for outs. Defenders are still fumbling about. Pitchers are still serving cookies. It's hard to find anything to hope for. However, with 158 games left in the season, there is still plenty of time to make adjustments and improvements. The health is better. Certain positions are better. It won't take much for a few key guys to find their groove. The luck is certain to change soon. I guess the real picture is somewhere in the middle. It's important to remember that, while the mess of 2011 won't likely be completely solved in one year, the playoff teams aren't so far away that there's no going back.

Originally posted at k-bro's baseball blog http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WuqEJmvcnRs/T4Td2E-4CiI/AAAAAAAAB04/GZ7P4vkCcJQ/s320/keepcalm.PNG So, the Twins have had a bit of a tough go of the start of the 2012 season, huh? And, apparently, there's nothing like going winless for the first four games to divide the fans. The optimists insist that four games is too small a sample size to get too worked up about yet, and the pessimists see that all the flaws aren't being fixed. And each side keeps insisting that the other is nuts. Who's right? Well, both. After suffering through a despicable 99-loss season, fans are understandably eager to see signs of improvement. Spring Training may have had some glimmers of promise, but many of those glimmers have snuffed out now that the season is here. Batters are still banging the ball into the ground for outs. Defenders are still fumbling about. Pitchers are still serving cookies. It's hard to find anything to hope for. However, with 158 games left in the season, there is still plenty of time to make adjustments and improvements. The health is better. Certain positions are better. It won't take much for a few key guys to find their groove. The luck is certain to change soon. I guess the real picture is somewhere in the middle. It's important to remember that, while the mess of 2011 won't likely be completely solved in one year, the playoff teams aren't so far away that there's no going back.

Originally posted at k-bro's baseball blog http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EdUmS4y5E6M/T35GUj_6A_I/AAAAAAAAB0M/6aPUzXGiHmQ/s200/happy.PNG Happy New Years' Eve, Twins Fans! Tomorrow at 2pm Twins Territory time, Denard Span will dig in the batters' box at Orioles Park at Camden Yard against RHP Jake Arrietta and begin the 2012 Twins season. And it's been a looong time coming. We all endured a long, cold off-season trying to remove the stench of the 2011 season from our collective memories. But now that's over. Now, ... today, ... none of that matters. We get to be excited. We get to be optimistic. We get to be confident. Today, we don't worry about records, or injuries, or errors. We don't fret about bobbles or blunders. We don't even consider that our hearts may get broken. Today, we think that anything can happen. We dream of great things.We hope for the best. Today, it doesn't matter that the experts don't expect much of this team. Today, ... we believe.

Originally posted at k-bro's baseball blog http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EdUmS4y5E6M/T35GUj_6A_I/AAAAAAAAB0M/6aPUzXGiHmQ/s200/happy.PNG Happy New Years' Eve, Twins Fans! Tomorrow at 2pm Twins Territory time, Denard Span will dig in the batters' box at Orioles Park at Camden Yard against RHP Jake Arrietta and begin the 2012 Twins season. And it's been a looong time coming. We all endured a long, cold off-season trying to remove the stench of the 2011 season from our collective memories. But now that's over. Now, ... today, ... none of that matters. We get to be excited. We get to be optimistic. We get to be confident. Today, we don't worry about records, or injuries, or errors. We don't fret about bobbles or blunders. We don't even consider that our hearts may get broken. Today, we think that anything can happen. We dream of great things.We hope for the best. Today, it doesn't matter that the experts don't expect much of this team. Today, ... we believe.

Very scary story, and I certainly hope young Miss Marquis makes a full recovery. I kind of wish that MLB had better Family and Medical Leave rules. The Bereavement List lasts, at most, 7 days. If this had happened during the season, what would the Twins have been able to do? I suppose the same thing -- option him down. But that just seems dumb. I was glad to read that she's doing better, and I'm happy that Jason and Twins were able to create a way for him to be near her.

I think I need a shirt that says "I'm a Genuine Hipster Seamhead." Good stuff, Parker.

While I love timely, game-winning hits for the good guys, I don't really believe in "clutch." Yes, we all experience moments of heightened focus, but it's not something we can turn on when we want it. Those moments come when they want and leave quickly. It seemed like Danny Valencia had a lot of "clutch hits" during a stretch last season. It was great to root for, but it was just luck and good timing.

Originally posted at k-bro's baseball blog The Twins 25-man roster has been set, and I'm pretty excited about it. However, there are some surprises (at least for me) on it. Namely: There are only two catchers on the roster and neither of them are named Drew Butera. We all know that Gardy loves having three catchers on hand in the miniscule chance that one of them gets hurt while the other one is the DH, or something like that. But no more of that. Joe Mauer needs to stay healthy and Ryan Doumit will get his at bats as a bench catcher, first baseman, and outfielder. The Rochester Red Wings will enjoy the talents of Drew Butera. Justin Morneau is not the Opening Day first baseman. After what I'm sure was much thought, reflection, and deliberation, Justin decided that it would be in his and the team's best interests for him to be a full-time designated hitter, at least for awhile. And it looks like Chris Parmelee will be up to the task to be a decent first baseman, jumping up from AA last season and sticking. It looks like Jason Marquis will start the season on the Bereavement List (3 to 7 days). He's been away from the team for a couple of weeks to see to his daughter who was seriously hurt in a bicycle accident. Fortunately, her condition is improving and he will be able to rejoin the team in time to break camp. However, since he's been away a pretty long time, he's probably not stretched out enough to start a game for awhile. A combo of adding Liam Hendriks and using a four-man rotation for awhile should allow Marquis enough time to catch up. A couple of non-roster invitees actually made the roster: infielder Sean Burroughs and RHP Jared Burton. That had to be cool for them. And the Twins have already invoked the Disabled List. Maybe this is a good thing -- last year, the Twins proudly didn't use the DL coming out Spring Training, only to use it eleventy-billion times during the season. Maybe using it a little before the season will be a good sacrifice for the actual season. Or something. And since I brought up the DL, you know what that means... http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JP9ifkSkaOs/T3pgPBNhhiI/AAAAAAAABzc/rDA0OIYtfSc/s400/bakerarm12.PNG RHP Scott Baker has been placed on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to March 26th, with tendonitis of his right elbow. Baker's elbow has been troublesome for awhile now. He missed 58 days last season with a forearm flexor strain. I don't know if this tendonitis is related, but I wouldn't doubt it. It sounds like he may back as soon as he is eligible and that the Twins are being cautious. They have the luxury early in the season, with a lot of off days, to do without him for a little while. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4xSglVHl2s8/T3poFJXQH4I/AAAAAAAABzo/C4yHk8VayCw/s400/waldropelbow.PNG RHP Kyle Waldrop has been placed on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to March 30th, with a right elbow strain. This must have been crushing news to Waldrop, who was having an excellent Spring Training and was set to break camp in the majors. His injury doesn't sound serious, and again, it seems as if the Twins are being extra cautious with him. It's unclear whether he'll be added to the 25-man roster once he's healthy, but there's no reason to believe he won't be.

Originally posted at k-bro's baseball blog The Twins 25-man roster has been set, and I'm pretty excited about it. However, there are some surprises (at least for me) on it. Namely: There are only two catchers on the roster and neither of them are named Drew Butera. We all know that Gardy loves having three catchers on hand in the miniscule chance that one of them gets hurt while the other one is the DH, or something like that. But no more of that. Joe Mauer needs to stay healthy and Ryan Doumit will get his at bats as a bench catcher, first baseman, and outfielder. The Rochester Red Wings will enjoy the talents of Drew Butera. Justin Morneau is not the Opening Day first baseman. After what I'm sure was much thought, reflection, and deliberation, Justin decided that it would be in his and the team's best interests for him to be a full-time designated hitter, at least for awhile. And it looks like Chris Parmelee will be up to the task to be a decent first baseman, jumping up from AA last season and sticking. It looks like Jason Marquis will start the season on the Bereavement List (3 to 7 days). He's been away from the team for a couple of weeks to see to his daughter who was seriously hurt in a bicycle accident. Fortunately, her condition is improving and he will be able to rejoin the team in time to break camp. However, since he's been away a pretty long time, he's probably not stretched out enough to start a game for awhile. A combo of adding Liam Hendriks and using a four-man rotation for awhile should allow Marquis enough time to catch up. A couple of non-roster invitees actually made the roster: infielder Sean Burroughs and RHP Jared Burton. That had to be cool for them. And the Twins have already invoked the Disabled List. Maybe this is a good thing -- last year, the Twins proudly didn't use the DL coming out Spring Training, only to use it eleventy-billion times during the season. Maybe using it a little before the season will be a good sacrifice for the actual season. Or something. And since I brought up the DL, you know what that means... http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JP9ifkSkaOs/T3pgPBNhhiI/AAAAAAAABzc/rDA0OIYtfSc/s400/bakerarm12.PNG RHP Scott Baker has been placed on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to March 26th, with tendonitis of his right elbow. Baker's elbow has been troublesome for awhile now. He missed 58 days last season with a forearm flexor strain. I don't know if this tendonitis is related, but I wouldn't doubt it. It sounds like he may back as soon as he is eligible and that the Twins are being cautious. They have the luxury early in the season, with a lot of off days, to do without him for a little while. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4xSglVHl2s8/T3poFJXQH4I/AAAAAAAABzo/C4yHk8VayCw/s400/waldropelbow.PNG RHP Kyle Waldrop has been placed on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to March 30th, with a right elbow strain. This must have been crushing news to Waldrop, who was having an excellent Spring Training and was set to break camp in the majors. His injury doesn't sound serious, and again, it seems as if the Twins are being extra cautious with him. It's unclear whether he'll be added to the 25-man roster once he's healthy, but there's no reason to believe he won't be.

Well, since it's my question, I suppose I should add my 2¢. Generally, I like Gardy and how he manages. However, if I were to ask him to change something, I'd ask that he'd forget about "pitcher wins." It bugs me when he pulls a starting pitcher in the 6th inning as soon as a go-ahead run gets to the plate, seemingly with the mindset of "you might not win this game, but now you won't lose it." Let him clean up his own mess, and pull him when he really begins to stink. Although, this issue is pretty much baseball-wide. I'd still like to see Gardy buck this tradition.

As an avid reader of both mainstream media articles (Mackey among them) and fan blogs (TwinsCentric writers among them), I do so with differing expectations of each. And that's not a bad thing. I choose wisely and stop reading anything I don't like. I expect the mainstream media to do what they do -- game recaps, quotes, and maybe some rumors or speculation. The ones I read do a good job, but they also have their limitations (usually restricted by a deadline, can't rock the boat too much, can neither be fan nor hater, etc.). If they were to begin pretending to be the GM (the tweet that started this whole brouhaha), I would lose respect quickly because they'd be breaking their own rules. I expect the bloggers to do what they do -- opinions, shared fandom, and some independent research. The ones I read do a good job, but they also have their limitations (usually the facts come from secondary sources, don't really know what goes on behind the scenes, a little bit harder to be truly objective, etc.). I actually want them to pretend to be GM if they want so that I can decide whether I agree or disagree and cement my own feelings about whatever's happening. True, some of the lines are becoming less clear: some blogs are doing interviews with players, and some mainstream media folks are writing opinion pieces. But good writing is still good writing, and it all lends to a great pool of information I can pull from and enjoy. So, to me, all of this is like arguing the merits of listening to Patsy Cline or Aerosmith. I enjoy them both very much, but expect completely different things out them. It would be silly if either would feel threatened by the other. It is the readers' responsibility to understand the difference and to take away what's intended.

Originally posted at k-bro's baseball blog http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UgStkr25J7A/T2_BFHR57QI/AAAAAAAAByo/b7FqkhfNkxk/s200/filing.PNGIt's been a while since I've kept up with the Twins news. I figured I'd go back and see what I missed and file the info away as needed. File under: Recognizing a Good Thing While You Have It Glen Perkins signed a 3-year, $10.3 million extension with an option for 2016. Twins fans remember that things weren't always so rosy between the Twins and Perkins, dating back to 2009 and 2010. In fact, I'm guilty of losing my fandom of him, too -- regrettably. He's matured and proven himself. The Twins have allowed the ugly past to stay there. And I've changed my mind. Everyone's cool now. File under: I Didn't Really Think They Would The Twins optioned Tsyoshi Nishioka to AAA Rochester. Last fall, I asked that the Twins admit their mistake regarding Nishioka, but I kind of figured they wouldn't listen to little ol' me. He's been in the MLB for a year now; the adjustment period has been more than generous. While it's true that he had a tough go with a new country and a broken leg and all, it's alarming that during his second spring training with the Twins he still didn't know fundamental stuff such as where to position himself to be the cut-off man. According to several writers and baseball analysts, he's been lost and the plate and lost-er in the field -- literally out of his league. He has bigger baseball problems to solve than some culture shock and a (should be healed by now) fractured fibula. File under: On The L Back To Chicago The Twins sent Rule 5 draftee, RHP Terry Doyle back to the White Sox. The deal with Rule 5 drafts is that if the drafted player can't make the 25-man roster for the whole season, the drafting team must return the player to the original team or work out a trade. The Twins claim that they couldn't find common ground with the White Sox, so they sent him packing. He made a memorable first impression with me -- memorable for all the wrong reasons. He was largely responsible for a10-run first inning for the Pirates. Doyle couldn't find the strike zone, and when he did, he grooved the ball in the heart of the plate. File under: Better Luck Next Year, Kid The Twins are beginning to cull their Spring Training roster. They've optioned several players to the minor leagues: Arcia, Oswaldo (OF) Diamond, Scott (LHP) Guerra, Deolis (RHP) Gutierrez, Carlos (RHP) Mastrionni, Darin (LF) Nishioka, Tsuyoshi (IF) Oliveros, Lester (RHP) Robertson, Tyler (LHP) Tosoni, Rene (OF)

Originally posted at k-bro's baseball blog http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UgStkr25J7A/T2_BFHR57QI/AAAAAAAAByo/b7FqkhfNkxk/s200/filing.PNGIt's been a while since I've kept up with the Twins news. I figured I'd go back and see what I missed and file the info away as needed. File under: Recognizing a Good Thing While You Have It Glen Perkins signed a 3-year, $10.3 million extension with an option for 2016. Twins fans remember that things weren't always so rosy between the Twins and Perkins, dating back to 2009 and 2010. In fact, I'm guilty of losing my fandom of him, too -- regrettably. He's matured and proven himself. The Twins have allowed the ugly past to stay there. And I've changed my mind. Everyone's cool now. File under: I Didn't Really Think They Would The Twins optioned Tsyoshi Nishioka to AAA Rochester. Last fall, I asked that the Twins admit their mistake regarding Nishioka, but I kind of figured they wouldn't listen to little ol' me. He's been in the MLB for a year now; the adjustment period has been more than generous. While it's true that he had a tough go with a new country and a broken leg and all, it's alarming that during his second spring training with the Twins he still didn't know fundamental stuff such as where to position himself to be the cut-off man. According to several writers and baseball analysts, he's been lost and the plate and lost-er in the field -- literally out of his league. He has bigger baseball problems to solve than some culture shock and a (should be healed by now) fractured fibula. File under: On The L Back To Chicago The Twins sent Rule 5 draftee, RHP Terry Doyle back to the White Sox. The deal with Rule 5 drafts is that if the drafted player can't make the 25-man roster for the whole season, the drafting team must return the player to the original team or work out a trade. The Twins claim that they couldn't find common ground with the White Sox, so they sent him packing. He made a memorable first impression with me -- memorable for all the wrong reasons. He was largely responsible for a10-run first inning for the Pirates. Doyle couldn't find the strike zone, and when he did, he grooved the ball in the heart of the plate. File under: Better Luck Next Year, Kid The Twins are beginning to cull their Spring Training roster. They've optioned several players to the minor leagues: Arcia, Oswaldo (OF) Diamond, Scott (LHP) Guerra, Deolis (RHP) Gutierrez, Carlos (RHP) Mastrionni, Darin (LF) Nishioka, Tsuyoshi (IF) Oliveros, Lester (RHP) Robertson, Tyler (LHP) Tosoni, Rene (OF)

Yep. Indeed.

originally posted at k-bro's baseball blog ~~~ You may have noticed that every time I talk about attending Spring Training games, I mention that I like to visit with the other fans, especially the retirees. I like the retirees because they always seem so happy. Since the game doesn't matter so much, it's pretty easy to develop a great, interesting conversation. Such was the case on Thursday the 15th, during that 15-7 debacle against the Pirates. My husband and I, along with our friends Mr. and Mrs. P, sat in the shade down the third-base line, while our kids sat in another section. Behind us was a pair of retired couples who clearly lived in Florida (they were happy and tan). As we took our seats, always the goofballs, Mr. P and Hubby started apologizing ahead of time for the other's behavior, and our game-neighbors laughed and the guys' lame joke. The four of us had hit it off with the four of them right away. We got the small talk stuff out of the way -- "are you from Minnesota?" "yeah, you?" "yeah, where abouts?"...etc. After a very short time of this, one of the fellows noticed my Radke jersey and asked if I was a fan of his. I confirmed that he's my favorite all-time player, and my new friend dug out a piece of paper and a pencil and asked me to write down my address. He wanted to send me a Brad Radke bobblehead. I tried to politely decline; I couldn't accept such a nice gift. He insisted, and eventually his wife plead with me because it would really be doing her a favor. Well, in that case... I did, however, have to earn my prize. I had to demonstrate some Twins knowledge. His first question was "Who's #8?" I knew who he meant, but I wanted to play along. Jamey Carroll just happened to be running sprints in front of us, so I pointed to him. He said, "No, before that." "Nick Punto" I said with a wink. "No...Before that." Of course he meant Gary Gaetti; I was just showing off. He asked me several other questions, mostly about the off-season moves, and I answered to his satisfaction. However, he did cheat -- he had a team roster that he printed off at home. But I did all right with the top of my head. Throughout the rest of the game, we all chatted about all of life's important stuff -- baseball, Florida, Minnesota, food, beer, kids, knitting, Brian Dinkelman, etc. What a delightful distraction from the disaster on the field. When we parted ways, I really didn't expect to receive the bobblehead. I wanted to give him the opportunity to change his mind (or not be able to find it, or forget) without being bummed out. Silly me. Look what came in the mail today: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hNJ6XB8sbKE/T2vOjTgnoVI/AAAAAAAABx4/P4I-YWULFuk/s320/295151_3488443179820_1533682127_33103494_1501863060_n.jpg Amazing. He also included a very nice note that made me smile. Yes. I put a handwritten thank you note in the mail -- thanking him not only for the bobblehead, but also for the happy memories.

originally posted at k-bro's baseball blog ~~~ You may have noticed that every time I talk about attending Spring Training games, I mention that I like to visit with the other fans, especially the retirees. I like the retirees because they always seem so happy. Since the game doesn't matter so much, it's pretty easy to develop a great, interesting conversation. Such was the case on Thursday the 15th, during that 15-7 debacle against the Pirates. My husband and I, along with our friends Mr. and Mrs. P, sat in the shade down the third-base line, while our kids sat in another section. Behind us was a pair of retired couples who clearly lived in Florida (they were happy and tan). As we took our seats, always the goofballs, Mr. P and Hubby started apologizing ahead of time for the other's behavior, and our game-neighbors laughed and the guys' lame joke. The four of us had hit it off with the four of them right away. We got the small talk stuff out of the way -- "are you from Minnesota?" "yeah, you?" "yeah, where abouts?"...etc. After a very short time of this, one of the fellows noticed my Radke jersey and asked if I was a fan of his. I confirmed that he's my favorite all-time player, and my new friend dug out a piece of paper and a pencil and asked me to write down my address. He wanted to send me a Brad Radke bobblehead. I tried to politely decline; I couldn't accept such a nice gift. He insisted, and eventually his wife plead with me because it would really be doing her a favor. Well, in that case... I did, however, have to earn my prize. I had to demonstrate some Twins knowledge. His first question was "Who's #8?" I knew who he meant, but I wanted to play along. Jamey Carroll just happened to be running sprints in front of us, so I pointed to him. He said, "No, before that." "Nick Punto" I said with a wink. "No...Before that." Of course he meant Gary Gaetti; I was just showing off. He asked me several other questions, mostly about the off-season moves, and I answered to his satisfaction. However, he did cheat -- he had a team roster that he printed off at home. But I did all right with the top of my head. Throughout the rest of the game, we all chatted about all of life's important stuff -- baseball, Florida, Minnesota, food, beer, kids, knitting, Brian Dinkelman, etc. What a delightful distraction from the disaster on the field. When we parted ways, I really didn't expect to receive the bobblehead. I wanted to give him the opportunity to change his mind (or not be able to find it, or forget) without being bummed out. Silly me. Look what came in the mail today: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hNJ6XB8sbKE/T2vOjTgnoVI/AAAAAAAABx4/P4I-YWULFuk/s320/295151_3488443179820_1533682127_33103494_1501863060_n.jpg Amazing. He also included a very nice note that made me smile. Yes. I put a handwritten thank you note in the mail -- thanking him not only for the bobblehead, but also for the happy memories.

[continuation of Part 1] Tuesday: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7061/6848285264_8779f2d796.jpg Nice seats for the Blue Jays game. http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7192/6994409011_31c20545b8.jpg This is the "Richard Simmons Burger": a cheeseburger topped with a bratwurst, a chicken breast, and bacon. Probably could have fed the whole row. $10.50 http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7058/6994409901_af9712b2ac.jpg TC being TC. http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7202/6994410307_f5108dca03.jpg Francisco Liriano pitching. http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7206/6848287862_93e749d37f.jpg Joe Mauer batting. Thursday: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7059/6994430981_2638c6bd95.jpg Tony O working with Danny Valencia in the cage. [/url] http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7049/6994433069_4fcd635835.jpg A gaggle of pitchers waiting their turns to do their pitchers' fielding practice drills. http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7053/6848309812_8c59129817.jpg I don't think Gardy liked what he saw. http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7069/6994434423_56a3e1ed72.jpg The kids couldn't get any Twins' autographs, but they did get Andrew McCutchen from the Pirates. And with that, I didn't take any pictures of the game on Thursday. It's just as well; it wasn't really worth the pixels. The baseball was fun, but I have to admit that I enjoyed this just as much: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7180/6994404533_9bdbdf4d6b.jpg I miss it already.

[continuation of Part 1] Tuesday: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7061/6848285264_8779f2d796.jpg Nice seats for the Blue Jays game. http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7192/6994409011_31c20545b8.jpg This is the "Richard Simmons Burger": a cheeseburger topped with a bratwurst, a chicken breast, and bacon. Probably could have fed the whole row. $10.50 http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7058/6994409901_af9712b2ac.jpg TC being TC. http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7202/6994410307_f5108dca03.jpg Francisco Liriano pitching. http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7206/6848287862_93e749d37f.jpg Joe Mauer batting. Thursday: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7059/6994430981_2638c6bd95.jpg Tony O working with Danny Valencia in the cage. [/url] http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7049/6994433069_4fcd635835.jpg A gaggle of pitchers waiting their turns to do their pitchers' fielding practice drills. http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7053/6848309812_8c59129817.jpg I don't think Gardy liked what he saw. http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7069/6994434423_56a3e1ed72.jpg The kids couldn't get any Twins' autographs, but they did get Andrew McCutchen from the Pirates. And with that, I didn't take any pictures of the game on Thursday. It's just as well; it wasn't really worth the pixels. The baseball was fun, but I have to admit that I enjoyed this just as much: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7180/6994404533_9bdbdf4d6b.jpg I miss it already.

Originally posted on k-bro's baseball blog To be clear, the word "lame" in the title modifies "report" and not "Spring Training." Spring Training is always cool. If you follow me on Twitter or Facebook, you may have noticed that I took a nice vacation in beautiful Fort Myers, Florida. It was an amazing trip, and I had a great time. I was lucky enough to attend three Twins Spring Training games -- against the Yankee, the Blue Jays, and the Pirates. And here's the lame part. I don't really have a scouting report for you. I didn't keep a scorebook. I'm not sure who pitched. I didn't even manage to get to the ballpark as early as I wanted to. I only accomplished to take a few crappy pictures with my phone. But that's not to say that I didn't enjoy the baseball -- everything except that 10-run first inning by the Pirates on Thursday. I really enjoyed sitting in the Florida sun and visiting with other fans -- especially the retirees because they're all so happy. The phrase of the games was "give me the book." As soon as the lineup started turning over to the rookies, I'd dig out Seth Stohs's MN Twins Prospect Handbook and look up the replacement guys. The fans around me wanted to borrow it and pretty soon, it was being passed around faster than a church basket. Anyway, here are some of the pictures I took. Sunday: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7036/6848262240_9ec9d069a4.jpg Hammond Stadium is beautiful on the outside. http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7178/6994388441_474c1426a2.jpg The Twins take the field to face the Yankees. I think it's Nick Blackburn pitching, but I don't really remember. http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7182/6848266012_abe73ca705.jpg The bullpen. I'm not really sure why the banner behind it is advertising MLB '11 The Show. MLB '12 The Show has been out for a couple of weeks now. Besides, the Twins should know that 2011 baseball season never really existed.* *Delusional Twins fan talking. http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7052/6848266578_586fe8bcb4.jpg A win over the Yankees! Whee! [due to limitations for images, the rest of this post is continued in Part 2]

Originally posted on k-bro's baseball blog To be clear, the word "lame" in the title modifies "report" and not "Spring Training." Spring Training is always cool. If you follow me on Twitter or Facebook, you may have noticed that I took a nice vacation in beautiful Fort Myers, Florida. It was an amazing trip, and I had a great time. I was lucky enough to attend three Twins Spring Training games -- against the Yankee, the Blue Jays, and the Pirates. And here's the lame part. I don't really have a scouting report for you. I didn't keep a scorebook. I'm not sure who pitched. I didn't even manage to get to the ballpark as early as I wanted to. I only accomplished to take a few crappy pictures with my phone. But that's not to say that I didn't enjoy the baseball -- everything except that 10-run first inning by the Pirates on Thursday. I really enjoyed sitting in the Florida sun and visiting with other fans -- especially the retirees because they're all so happy. The phrase of the games was "give me the book." As soon as the lineup started turning over to the rookies, I'd dig out Seth Stohs's MN Twins Prospect Handbook and look up the replacement guys. The fans around me wanted to borrow it and pretty soon, it was being passed around faster than a church basket. Anyway, here are some of the pictures I took. Sunday: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7036/6848262240_9ec9d069a4.jpg Hammond Stadium is beautiful on the outside. http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7178/6994388441_474c1426a2.jpg The Twins take the field to face the Yankees. I think it's Nick Blackburn pitching, but I don't really remember. http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7182/6848266012_abe73ca705.jpg The bullpen. I'm not really sure why the banner behind it is advertising MLB '11 The Show. MLB '12 The Show has been out for a couple of weeks now. Besides, the Twins should know that 2011 baseball season never really existed.* *Delusional Twins fan talking. http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7052/6848266578_586fe8bcb4.jpg A win over the Yankees! Whee! [due to limitations for images, the rest of this post is continued in Part 2]

I'm a new season ticket holder this year! Last year we were in the "On Deck Circle," and prior to that my kids were in so many sports that it wasn't really worth it to go to many games. Besides, my husband refused to go to the Dome. 20-games, package C, section 227

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GHxgYs4H5Z0/T1bJD0Y3RcI/AAAAAAAABwE/eATs_4llk6E/s200/bucketofballs.png Originally posted at k-bro's baseball blog If I think of my brain as a bucket, I sometimes imagine that it begins to overflow and I have to intentionally get some of my thoughts out of there before they just spill over and are gone forever. Here are some baseball-related bucket thoughts: Denard Falls Down During Saturday's Spring Training game, Denard Span fell down twice while making fly-ball catches in the outfield. If this had been a year ago, everyone would be thinking "ha ha, at least he made the catch" and had gone on with the game. This year, however, I have to admit, every time he falls down, crashes into a fence, or makes a diving catch, I worry. Why did he fall? Is he dizzy? Can he see alright? Did he bang his head? Did he whip his neck? Is he ok? True, I'm especially prone to worrying, and that's fine. It's no big deal if I sit here and think all these things. But, unfortunately, I'm not the only one; the media asked him about it all the time. And that has to be annoying for him. It's not the writers' fault for asking him questions that everyone wants answers to, but it must be difficult to have to make the same assurances all the time. Yes, having to address the media comes with the territory, but I bet he's looking forward to when he can simply talk about the game and not his head. I'm hoping, for both his and the fans' sake, that very soon, he won't have to address these issues every time he has a tiny stumble or makes a difficult play. I'm sure he hopes so too. Your New Voice of Summer I had a chance to listen to the Twins new play-by-play announcer Cory Provus a couple of time, and he made a very nice first impression. His voice is rich, smooth, and easy to listen to, and he calls the game well. If he's telling a story or anecdote while the play is going on, he'll interrupt himself to call the play -- like he should. He's well prepared for the games, and he doesn't give the impression of being the new guy at all (not bad for calling Spring Training games when it's likely there'll be guys coming to bat that even Gardy doesn't know). He already sounds comfortable, as if he's always been here. I'm not sure that it's really possible, but I think he even makes Dan Gladden better. Well done, Cory, well done. The Zumaya Decision After thinking about his situation a few days, JoelZumaya decided to go ahead and have Tommy John surgery and attempt a comeback. Right after his elbow blew, it sounded like he was leaning heavily toward retiring. I imagine this decision came with much thought, prayers, and even tears. This will be his sixth surgery, and the rehab that will come with it will most likely be the most difficult. Plus, there's no guarantee on the other side that he'll even be able to pitch again in the Major Leagues (he'll be a free agent when he's ready to come back, and he'll need to convince a team to sign him). No one would have blamed him if he had just wanted to forget it all and walk away. Instead, he'll take a huge leap of faith and go for it. And I'm kind of happy for him. I certainly wish him all the best.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GHxgYs4H5Z0/T1bJD0Y3RcI/AAAAAAAABwE/eATs_4llk6E/s200/bucketofballs.png Originally posted at k-bro's baseball blog If I think of my brain as a bucket, I sometimes imagine that it begins to overflow and I have to intentionally get some of my thoughts out of there before they just spill over and are gone forever. Here are some baseball-related bucket thoughts: Denard Falls Down During Saturday's Spring Training game, Denard Span fell down twice while making fly-ball catches in the outfield. If this had been a year ago, everyone would be thinking "ha ha, at least he made the catch" and had gone on with the game. This year, however, I have to admit, every time he falls down, crashes into a fence, or makes a diving catch, I worry. Why did he fall? Is he dizzy? Can he see alright? Did he bang his head? Did he whip his neck? Is he ok? True, I'm especially prone to worrying, and that's fine. It's no big deal if I sit here and think all these things. But, unfortunately, I'm not the only one; the media asked him about it all the time. And that has to be annoying for him. It's not the writers' fault for asking him questions that everyone wants answers to, but it must be difficult to have to make the same assurances all the time. Yes, having to address the media comes with the territory, but I bet he's looking forward to when he can simply talk about the game and not his head. I'm hoping, for both his and the fans' sake, that very soon, he won't have to address these issues every time he has a tiny stumble or makes a difficult play. I'm sure he hopes so too. Your New Voice of Summer I had a chance to listen to the Twins new play-by-play announcer Cory Provus a couple of time, and he made a very nice first impression. His voice is rich, smooth, and easy to listen to, and he calls the game well. If he's telling a story or anecdote while the play is going on, he'll interrupt himself to call the play -- like he should. He's well prepared for the games, and he doesn't give the impression of being the new guy at all (not bad for calling Spring Training games when it's likely there'll be guys coming to bat that even Gardy doesn't know). He already sounds comfortable, as if he's always been here. I'm not sure that it's really possible, but I think he even makes Dan Gladden better. Well done, Cory, well done. The Zumaya Decision After thinking about his situation a few days, JoelZumaya decided to go ahead and have Tommy John surgery and attempt a comeback. Right after his elbow blew, it sounded like he was leaning heavily toward retiring. I imagine this decision came with much thought, prayers, and even tears. This will be his sixth surgery, and the rehab that will come with it will most likely be the most difficult. Plus, there's no guarantee on the other side that he'll even be able to pitch again in the Major Leagues (he'll be a free agent when he's ready to come back, and he'll need to convince a team to sign him). No one would have blamed him if he had just wanted to forget it all and walk away. Instead, he'll take a huge leap of faith and go for it. And I'm kind of happy for him. I certainly wish him all the best.