John Bonnes

I know this comes as a shock to a lot of you, but I like to eat. And drink. And I like baseball. And especially outdoor baseball. So when I find out there is a Food Preview at my favorite outdoor baseball park, there is roughly a 3050% chance the I'm going to be there, with or without access. That's how yesterday played out, but I was conscientious enough to at least tweet about it and take a bunch of pictures. Let's roll through them and you can pick out for yourself what you're craving this year at the ballpark... [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Buckle up kids! Its time for #Twins #TweetNEat! First up: BUFFALO MAN N CHEESE! Talk about a leadoff hitter! This was the dish I was most excited about at the ballpark and it ended up being the first one served. I loved it, however, The Voice Of Reason thought it was too oniony. I agree, actually, but I love onions, so it still ranked near the top of my list. New Hrbeks Sloppy Joe = Chris Parmelee. Not high end, but surprisingly good, solid. Download attachment: 002.jpg It turns out is was a BACON Sloppy Joe and it was, hand down on both our lists, the best new item at the ballpark. I can only hope for as much from Parmelee. The next picture and tweet speak for themselves: Have you ever seen anything so beautiful in all your life? #Surly Yes, Surly will now be served at Target Field. So will Fulton's Sweet Child of Vine. I'm thrilled by this, but for the record, this is still only ranks as "a good start." The Twin Cities has half a dozen great micro-breweries, and I would LOVE for the Twins to be a bit of an ambassador for them. Considering the sponsorships that major breweries can produce, that's probably a bit pie-in-the-sky. But this is a huge step in the right direction. BTW, they had Cynic and Bender on tap when I was there. I don't know what they'll have on tap during game - I just forgot to ask. That's my bad, because they NEED Furious on tap. For when you want to walk. But you also want a taco. Download attachment: 004.jpg That was for the "Walk A Taco." What can I say? It was good. If you're looking for authentic Mexican, it's probably not what you're looking for. But if you're looking for authentic Mexican, why the hell are you ordering something called a "Walk A Taco?" I anticipate I will have these again before the year is over. Again, Have you ever seen anything so beautiful.... Yeah, these Garlic Fries alienate the poor people sitting next to you, but I, for one, am not going to care. These were awesome. As in, better-than-the-State-Fair awesome. My second favorite food. Baked potatoes the size of a beef football. #Twins #TweetNEat http://pic.twitter.com/UXXUO4XL Somehow, I lost this picture so I can't show it to you here, but you can click on the link. That's like a 20 oz cup next to them. Suffice to say, you will not be disappointed in the size of the baked potatoes. By the way, my view of baked potatoes is that they're nothing more than a vehicle for the stuff you put on them. And the Twins have four varieties that include all kinds of bad stuff for you. I'm not a pickle guy, but I'm getting a big thumbs up on the new fried pickles Download attachment: 005.jpg The Voice of Reason is a pickle person, and loved them. But at $7.50 per, she's not sure she's going to be able to justify them. Mini donuts this year are from SuperMoms? I'm not sure I approve. #IWantHotNGreasy #notaeuphamism #MaybeALittle If they're just rebranding the mini-donuts, fine. But if this means I'm getting my mini-donuts out of some pre-baked kitchen, I'm going to go all Bruce Banner on this decision. New Minneapolis Millers shirts! #Approved Also good news for Washburn kids! A) I love these shirts. Just as one of the Minneapolis Public High Schools is rising like a Phoenix from the ashes, they also accidentally get a line of designer shirts? Go Millers! Download attachment: 006.jpg I sure hope @anneursu / @batgirl is getting some royalties for these. If you don't get this tweet, I'm sorry. You missed it. It was like Camelot. And you missed it. Vegetarians will want to check out the @LeeAnn Asian wok. (Carnivores too.) If you're a fan of the Asian Wok that has been at Target Field, don't despair. It's still there. It appears that it was just rebranded. If you aren't, you should try it, especially if you're looking for a little spice to your food. It's been sort of a secret go-to food of mine for the last couple of years. A 10 oz meatball stuffed with cheese. #NeedISayMore? Download attachment: 009.jpg OK, I'll say more. They're baseball-sized, meatloaf consistency and have a golf-ball of cheese in the middle. You won't go home hungry if you have one of these. They were basically the grand finale of the concourse tour and I heard a lot of raves about them. I liked it a lot, but it didn't end up in my top 5. Now THAT'S a party favor. #Twins pubs are becoming the @2gingerswhiskey pubs. Download attachment: 012.jpg I'm not a whiskey guy. But if you are, I would think you would like hanging out at what used to be the Twins Pubs. And I approve of anyone that gives me free alchohol. @fultonbeer Sweet Child Of Vine will be served in Townball Pub! #TweetNEat #Twins http://pic.twitter.com/nV120xoa I raved about this beer in Twitter just a couple of weeks ago when I was fortunate enough to find it at the Auto Show. It's another step in the right direction. It's called Ice Cream Lava "for Two." And if the "two" are both 3rd world nations, they're right. Download attachment: 014.jpg I don't know that this picture does justice to just how large this thing is. It's about the size of a volleyball. I don't know if that's actually going to be the size that they serve, but if it is.... ...and I mean this as a compliment.... I don't think I'll be able to eat one by myself. Nothing says "ballpark food" like calamari and panko crusted zucchini. #Twins #TweetNEat I don't know what panko is, but from now on I want all my zucchini to be crusted with it. #Twins #TweetNEat Download attachment: 016.jpg Twitter was kind enough to inform me that panko are tiny Japanese bread crumbs. Whatever. If they can make a gourd vegetable taste like that, they need a lot better name. In summary, I think you're going to like a fair amount of the new food (and beer) that Target Field has to offer. The baseball might just become a secondary offer. But probably not. Click here to view the article

Download attachment: Diamond_Scott_Sitting_US_720.jpg The Twins need to make some decisions about the back end of their bullpen. Those decisions might not be based on merit. To understand why, we need to talk about “options.” My favorite way to talk about technical baseball transactions is to compare them to my marriage, even if it means blatantly plagiarizing my own story. So let’s talk about… Options By the fourth year together, you better be ready for a commitment. At that point, you’re out of options. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] At 27 years old, this was explained to me subtly by my girlfriend …. OK, subtly might be a little generous. She is not known for her subtlety. To be fair, she is from Philly. And I’m a Minnesota guy. So subtlety was neither going to find the seed nor the fertile ground to thrive. And that works for us. Let’s try that sentence again. At 27 years old, this was explained to me demonstratively by my girlfriend in our fourth year together. During the first year we barely saw each other, both of us clumsily falling into a long-distance relationship. The second year I moved to Philly and we navigated those life-changing rapids. The third year we drifted lazily down life’s river. And then the fourth year came and all hell broke loose. Because I was out of options. A commitment needed to be made, or she was going to be gone. I had a decision to make. Baseball options work the same way. A team has three seasons to make up its mind. If it doesn’t commit by the fourth, the player is going to be gone. The Twins have a decision to make. Once a player is put on the 40-man roster (dating), the ballclub can only keep him off of the 25-man roster (marriage) for three seasons. It doesn’t matter how many times that person is added to or taken off of the 25-man roster during that season – the whole season is an option. So a player can be sent up and down multiple times during the season and it’s still one option. Or they can spend the entire season in the minors, and that’s also one option. The critical point is that they spend some time during that season not on the 25-man roster. Options are something that major league teams must consider as they break spring training. A player who doesn’t make the roster and is out of options can be claimed by another team which has space on its 25-man roster. She finds somebody else who is a little more willing to make a commitment. This year, options could mean bad news for some worthy relievers. The Bullpen Of the seven pitchers that will be in the bullpen, three guys are perfectly safe due to their performance and veteran status: closer Glen Perkins, right-handed reliever Jared Burton and Anthony Swarzak. At least one more, right-hander reliever Casey Fien is also a lock, though it’s worth at least noting that he has an option left. You’ll notice that we haven’t mentioned any left-handed setup men yet, and the two heavy favorites would be Brian Duensing (who also benefits from being guaranteed $2 million this year) and Caleb Thielbar. But it’s also worth mentioning that both of them have options years left too. And in an optionless world, the seventh would likely be right-hander Michael Tonkin, who sports a 95 mph fastball, struck out more than batter per inning in AAA and impressed in a few short stints with the team last year. Or else it might be right-hander Ryan Pressly, who posted a 3.87 ERA over 76.2 innings in the bullpen last year. Or maybe one of the other 13 able-bodied arms they have in camp. But it’s not an optionless world, and there are three other pitchers to whom the Twins will either need to make a commitment or lose to another team. Barring any injuries in spring training, Sam Deduno Scott Diamond and Vance Worley will all be competing for the 5th (and last) starting pitching spot, and none of them have options. So Tonkin, Pressly and Thielbar might not control their own fates. Any could be stashed in the minors while right-handers Deduno or Worley play long reliever or southpaw Scott Diamond takes the role of second left-hander. Not necessarily on merit, mind you, but because the Twins need to make a commitment or lose them. I also had to make a commitment or lose someone. So I went on a summer trip, had an experience that deserves its own column (where it can be used as an overreaching baseball analogy), and married that girl four years to the day after we met. Next month, The Voice of Reason™ and I will have been married twenty years. (And I’ve never wanted another option.) ~~~~~ If you’re ever looking for which players have options and which don’t, check out the bottom table in the Minnesota Twins Roster & Payroll page, which Jeremy Nygaard has generously created for Twins Daily. Click here to view the article

I started making a list of the top 10 things I hate about this trade for today’s Gleeman and the Geek podcast. I’m up to #28. Download attachment: BSO_10_Razones_Para_Odiarte_%u0025252810_Things_I_Hate_About_You%2529--Frontal.jpg (Kill me. Or better yet, add on in the comments section.) 1. I hate that after waiting out the market so Liriano was the best remaining rental, the Twins traded him after his one terrible start in the last two months and less than 24 hours before a possible redeeming start. 2. I hate that what the Twins got in return is SO much worse than what other rental pitchers brought back. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] 3. I hate that despite that evidence, people will defend Minnesota Twins GM Terry Ryan by saying “we don’t know what offers they had.” 4. I hate that neither player received was ranked in the top 10 of White Sox prospects by Baseball America, which relies heavily on what the organization thinks of their own prospects. 5. I hate that since those rankings, neither player has had a particularly strong year. 6. I hate that the Twins traded with an organization whose farm system is weaker than their own ravaged system. 7. I hate that the only way I could think this trade made sense was if the Twins knew Liriano was hurt and hiding an injury. 8. I hate that the Twins didn’t even attempt to negotiate with Liriano. 9. I hate the Twins traded a high-upside player to division rival without knowing if he was willing or maybe desperate to sign a long-term extension. 10. I hate that White Sox GM Kenny Williams first reaction must have been “How soon can I hang up this phone?” 11. I hate that Williams 2nd reaction was likely “Hold it – this is too good. Is there something wrong with Liriano? Is he hurt?” 12. I hate that Williams 3rd reaction was probably “Meh. Even if he is, who cares? All I’m giving up is Escobar and Hernandez!” 13. I hate that the last time we thought a trade was almost this bad was when the Twins traded Capps for Ramos. And even then it wasn’t this unanimous. And the Twins stubbornly kept overpaying and bringing Capps back for two years to justify it. 14. I hate that the last time we had this much complete unanimity on how bad a move by the Twins this is was back when they signed Nick Blackburn to a long-term deal, which also involved loving a low strikeout pitcher way too much. 15. I hate that Hernandez is such a stereo-typical Twins pitcher – low strikeouts, good control. I hate that the Twin still think this is really the way to go. 16. I hate that it makes me wonder if Scott Diamond - another low strikeout/great control pitcher with a lot of initial success - is going to end up like Blackburn/Carlos Silva/ Joe Mays sooner rather than later. 17. I hate that the Twins, rather than walking away with their winnings on guys like this, keep doubling-down until they lose. 18. I hate that the Twins acquired a middle infielder that can’t get on base. 19. I hate that the Twins acquired a middle infielder that likely won’t make the top 10 prospects in their own organization. 20. I hate that this trade reinforces that the Twins have failed to develop decent middle infielders – even when they trade for them. 21. I hate that this trade makes me wonder if the Twins inability to develop good middle infielders doesn’t have less to do with their farm system and more to do with their philosophy and scouting. 22. I hate the Liriano was my Gleeman and the Geek Pickpointz pick of the week, making it possibly the worst pick in the history of the game. 23. I hate that if this was the best offer, keeping Liriano wasn’t an option. 24. I hate that Ryan felt the need to dump Liriano for this package while simultaneously praising him for his character in the locker room, bringing into question why he didn’t keep him. 25. I hate that the most obvious answer to that question might be fiscal. And that implies thatcut-backs could make 2013 even more painful than last year. 26. I hate that Terry Ryan did exactly the opposite of what he said he was going to do: acquired low-upside players close to the major instead of high-upside players further from the majors. 27. I hate that this makes me doubt Terry Ryan’s leadership of the Twins. 28. I hate that I no longer want the Twins to trade for any more “prospects” at the trade deadline. Click here to view the article

Download attachment: Bbe9Ga3CIAAN1kW.jpg Aaron and John visit HammerHeart Brewing Company and talk about Jason Kubel's return to Minnesota, the insanity of a two-year offer to Mike Pelfrey, the challenges and rewards of starting a brewery, losing Liam Hendriks on waivers, a sold out Meltdown event, the bizarre roster decisions the Twins will face on Opening Day, Ron Coomer's new job, joining Stitcher, and the joys of having someone bring you beer. You can listen by clicking below, download us from iTunes or Stitcher or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Click here to view the article

Download attachment: sold-out.png Thank you everyone! The Twins Daily Winter Meltdown was sold out by noon today. We'll see you on January 25th. If we find a way to increase capacity, we'll be sure to publicize it here and on our @TwinsDaily Twitter account. ------ A limited number of Twins Daily Winter Meltdown tickets are now available. Here's the cheat sheet:[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] January 25th from 5:00-8:00, which coincides with the end of TwinsFest.Mason's Restaurant and Barre - which also coincides with TwinsFest, as it's just one block from Target Field Plaza.All attendees get a free Twins Daily Meltdown 2014 Pint Glass and two free craft brews.There will be talks and a Q&A session with Twins President Dave St. Peter and other Twins and baseball luminaries.Tickets are $25 at the door and $20 purchased in advance - and we expect to sell out well in advance. We only have 120 tickets and we've consistently had a similar turnout for smaller events.I'm sorry we couldn't make this bigger and allow more people, but consider this your warning - PLEASE try to get your tickets as early as you can find time. ------ Download attachment: StPeter_Dave.jpg Twins Daily's Winter Meltdown will feature Minnesota Twins President Dave St. Peter answering questions from attendees as part of the featured baseball panel presentation. St. Peter has served as President of the Twins since 2002, overseeing a decade of success, a move to Target Field and the recent struggles of the team. He has also made enormous efforts to engage Twins fans directly, including a very active (and popular) Twitter account. So it's not surprising that he's agreed to support Twins Daily and our members by participating in the Meltdown. We really appreciate his support. You can find more details about the event, which takes place one block from Target Field on the Saturday of TwinsFest, below. But there are two clarifications to the information listed below: 1. We've been asked if fans under 21 can (and should) attend. The answer is absolutely (and absolutely). Those members under 21 obviously can't get the free beer tickets, but Mason's has lots of other alternatives and great food. (And there will be nothing offensive about the baseball panel. It's likely my own kids will be there.) 2. I've received several requests to set aside tickets for people prior to the ticket launch on Friday Dec 13th at 8 AM, because people are worried it will be sold out. We understand, but if you can't be free at 8 AM to order tickets, you'll want to arrange someone else to order them for you. We're very sorry that the event is limited to 120 attendees. Again, for more information, see immediately below. We'll see you on January 25th! ------- Download attachment: winter-meltdown-pint.jpg The move to Twins Daily from our individual blogs was a move towards community. Ask any writer - it's a lot harder to build a community than to just write and click 'Publish.' Fortunately, it's also a lot more fun. Especially when it includes a couple of beers, a Twins Daily pint glass and speakers from the Minnesota Twins. Twins Daily is having our 1st Annual Winter Meltdown following TwinsFest this January 25th. Or maybe it's our second, seeing as last year upwards of 100 fans swamped Huberts to sip a keg of craft beer and connect in person, like, you know, real people. But I'm still going with "1st Annual" because that one was a lark, and this time we're getting serious. It will still be super-convenient if you're going to TwinsFest at Target Field. We're holding it at Mason's Restaurant and Barre just one block from Target Field Plaza, on 6th and Hennepin. It's the perfect place - close, nice and naive enough to not know what they're getting themselves into. It will be the Saturday of TwinsFest, January 25th, from 5:00 - 8:00, just as TwinsFest is winding down, just like last year. And like last year, it will feature craft beers, two free per attendee. But we're upping our game considerably. First, all attendees will receive a Twins Daily pint glass to keep. Second, we're hosting a baseball panel featuring members of the Twins organization, answering questions about the upcoming season. As we finalize the speakers this week, we'll let you know the names, but they'll be people Twins fans and geeks will want to hear from firsthand. And, of course, there will be the community. We'll all get a chance to meet in person those people we've talked to in the forums or on Twitter the other 364 days of the year. Tickets are limited, and cost $20 in advance or $25 at the door. However, given the interest in previous Twins Daily events that included far less, we expect to sell out early, possibly very soon, so we're giving you a heads up: Tickets are now available. We need to cut off the sale at 120 tickets, which is less than we had at Hubert's last year and darn near what we had for the #GrandDrunkRailroad event last August. We truly apologize if any of you are (literally) left in the cold - it's hard to find large venues close to Target Field that make sense. Each of us hope you all can make it. We would love to meet you and expect this is going to be an event to remember. This event has sold out. NOTE: For more updates, be sure to follow the event at Twins Daily's Facebook page. Click here to view the article

Download attachment: Perkins_Glenn_High5_US_600.jpg Catcher Joe Mauer and closer Glen Perkins will represent the Minnesota Twins at this year's All-Star game on July 16th. Mauer was the top vote-getter among fans and will start at catcher for the American League. It will be his sixth time he'll have been named an All-Star. Perkins will be attending the event for the first time. Mauer entered Sunday with a .314 batting average, a .395 on-base percentage and an OPS of .864 while playing the most demanding position. By comparison, the average OPS for a catcher this year is .706 in MLB, while the average on-base percentage is .312. This is the 10th year of his major league career and he has received MVP votes in five of them, including winning the award in 2009. Perkins entered today with a miniscule 1.99 ERA and has saved 20 games for the Twins. His other statistics give a better idea of just how dominant he has been: He has allowed just 18 hits in 31.2 inning. The average reliever allows a little less than one per inning.He has struck out 44 while walking just 7, a ratio of 6:1. The average reliever has a ratio of about 2.5 to 1.His WHIP (walks plus hits per inning pitched) is just .789. League-wide for relievers, that number is 1.29.Perkins converted to reliever in 2011 and was handed the job of closer - the relief pitcher whose main task is to hold a lead of three or fewer runs, generally, in the ninth inning - in the middle of last year. He has reportedly been coveted by several teams as the trade deadline approaches. The Twins have given no indication they plan on trading him. Click here to view the article

Download attachment: Revere_Fielding_uspw_6390748.jpg Aaron and John talk about the Minnesota Twins trading Ben Revere to the Phillies for Vance Worley and Trevor May, what it means for team's 2013 plans, how much everyone is counting on Aaron Hicks, what John and Aaron did after the last podcast, why Darrin Mastroianni suddenly has a big role, what the farm system looks like after back-to-back big trades, the Twins Rule 5 draft choice, whether Justin Morneau and Josh Willingham are next up on the trading block, and John's dog's digestive system. Here are: the podcaststhe rss feed if you want to subscribe and the podcast on iTunes.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Click here to view the article

Want to try your own Minnesota Twins (or movie or technology or whatever) podcast? Great. You can start with the video above. John walks Aaron through the same process we've used to record 70+ Gleeman and the Geek episodes, from the hardware through editing and to hosting. It's just a couple minutes long and at a high level, but hopefully it'll give you enough information to try it yourself. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] For reference, here are the basics: We record it all on an iPhone, using the FiRe app. On the video, I show how to record it on Aaron's Mac. You could also use any PC with a microphone plug in (and then you don't need the special "plug" I talk about in the video.) We use a special splitter that we plug into it that allows two mics to go into it and (most importantly) turns off the built-in iPhone mic. I bought that on the internet. We used two very basic radio shack mics. We used little foamy covers on them. Both of them also need an adaptor that allows them to plug into a 1/8th inch hole instead of 1/4 inch. There are an array of better mics you could use. You can also use the built-in mic, but that will pick up a lot of background noise and sound a little "cave-ish" in my opinion. You're best of experimenting. After we've recorded, I Download the audio from the iPhone onto my PC. Open it using Audacity (a free program). It works on PC or Mac. You can also use it to record the podcast if you're mic is plugged into your PC. Add the intro music and ender music. You can use Audacity to fade it in and out. I assume there are a ton of tutorials on how to do basic stuff in Audacity. I think it's the most widely used such program (probably because it's free.) Export it as an MP3 to my PC Upload it to libsyn.com, where we have an account that we pay for (though there are also free ones). They host the podcast (and our gleemanandthegeek.com page.) Libsyn gives us our statistics, too. I like libsyn.com, but there are plenty of other options and when people list them, I rarely hear libsyn mentioned. But they've worked great for us. Whoever you pick, once you get subscribers, you'll probably want to stick with them. In the past, we submitted the RSS of that Libsyn feed to iTunes, who approved it in a couple of days. (I don't know what their approval standards are, but I don't think they care if you are getting many downloads.) When someone downloads it (or subscribes) from them, it points to libsyn. There are lots of other ways to do this. If you're not doing it from bars, one of which I mention in the video. Also, if you and your friend need to talk remotely, one can also do it using Skype, though I'm not sure how exactly. There is also BlogTalkRadio.com, which Seth has used in the past. They allow you to essentially call into your show, and you can field calls, etc. (You can also upload files there if you want.) Hopefully, that's enough to get you started. If you have any questions, feel free to ask them below. I'll try to respond as best I can. Click here to view the article

Download attachment: Santana_Danny_Gardy_US_Orig.jpg Aaron and John unpack the MLB/iTunes fiasco, reflect on a jumbled Twins roster, examine Phil Hughes turnaround, play a lot of GATG intros, cast a skeptical eye towards Danny Santana and Chris Parmelee, ignore their mothers and debate the size of Aaron's ego. You can listen by downloading us from iTunes, Stitcher or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com. [/hr]The Twins took the series against the Tigers with a 4-3 win on Sunday, so on Monday you can take 50% off a large or extra-large pizza from PapaJohns.com by using the promo code 'twinswin'. Click here to view the article

Download attachment: top-prospects-09-lewis-thorpe.jpg A surprise top-notch Twins starting pitching prospect? Yes, please. Let's play five questions: Who? That’s exactly what I said when Lewis Thorpe’s name started popping up on national prospect lists this offseason. Shame on me - we’ve been tracking him here for months. But the rest of you are forgiven. Thorpe has only been with the Twins since the middle of last year and was signed as a 16-year-old from Melbourne, Australia. He's only had eight starts in the minors. He wasn’t on many folks' radar going into the season – until the southpaw sprouted into his current 6’2” frame and flashed…. What? …a 92 mph fastball that can be dialed up to 95 at times. That led to 64 K in 44 IP in the Gulf Coast Rookie League, a league in which he was playing as a 17-year-old. Add that he’s left-handed and still growing and you can see why even national evaluators are paying attention. Where? The next natural step would be Elizabethton in the short-season rookie Appalachian League, which is where top draft pick Kohl Stewart ended his season last year. That would be a fairly conservative approach – but Thorpe would still be younger than Stewart was in that league. And if the Twins are feeling aggressive, he could find himself just a few hours south of the Twin Cities in Cedar Rapids as an 18-year-old. When? That will be as close as he’ll get to Target Field for a while. Even if he doesn’t stumble at any level, he likely won’t make it to the majors as a starter until 2018. By then, even Ricky Nolasco’s 4-year deal will be finished. Thorpe would hopefully be filling out a rotation chock full of young high-end arms, including Stewart and JO Berrios. Why? He’s ranked #9 because players with this kind of upside are valuable. Clearly, everyone will feel a lot more comfortable if he starts climbing the minor league ladder – or even had a full season of pitching to evaluate. But a kid Thorpe’s age in the States would likely be entering his senior year in high school, and we would be debating exactly where he would fall in the first round of the MLB draft. Like any 17-year-old pitcher, he has a long way to go and the odds are stacked against him. But he’s already surprised us plenty. There's no longer an excuse to not be paying attention. Click here to view the article

Download attachment: Hall.jpg Aaron and John talk about Francisco Liriano's fluctuating trade value, whether Denard Span will also be on the move, why Aaron can't make friends, John's mid-life crisis, the Dark Knight Rises, Aaron Hicks' bounceback, and mailbag questions from Twitter. Here are: the podcaststhe rss feed if you want to subscribe andthe podcast on iTunes.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Click here to view the article

Download attachment: Dozier.jpg Aaron and John talk about the September callups that don't include Brian Dozier, Denard Span's prompt inclusion on the DL, Joe Mauer waiver wire silliness, why Anthony Slama may be rethinking his career choices, Arizona Fall League participants, Parmelee's outfield play, Las Vegas, Jacqueline Bisset and date night. Here are: the podcaststhe rss feed if you want to subscribe andthe podcast on iTunes. Click here to view the article

Sponsored by Ticket King [/hr]Download attachment: Morneau_Justin_Smiling_US_600.jpg The baseball world is coming to your door, Minnesota. Get out there and soak up your city. You’ll have lots of opportunities. The All-Star Weekend is packed with TONS of opportunities to meet ex-Twins. Hell, even Twins Daily is getting into the act with a Happy Hour on Monday. Here is a rundown of some of the higher profile events and their prices as seen at TicketKingOnline.com. All-Star Fan Fest Here is the most inclusive and probably fan-friendly event of the weekend. It runs from Friday through Tuesday and includes a ton of activities and chances to meet your favorite Twins alums and other MLB greats for autographs, clinics, photos and Q&A sessions. The schedule is overwhelming. Tickets are $35 apiece ($30 for kids) and as little as half of that at Ticket King. You’ll also have multiple opportunities to watch some Society of American Baseball Research (SABR) panel discussions there. They include the History of Baseball in Minnesota, Statistical Analysis, Official Scoring, Twin Cities Stadiums and Toni Stone, an African-American woman from St. Paul who played in the Negro Leagues between 1937 and 1954. I’ll be participating in the one on Minnesota Baseball History at Friday at 2:00. 2014 All Star Sunday The Futures Game, which showcases MLB’s top minor leaguers, starts at 4:00. The celebrity softball game starts at7:30. I’ll let others dwell on the latter….. Obviously, Twins Daily is maybe more excited about the Futures Game than most other events this weekend. Three players from the Twins organization should be participating; Alex Meyer – Meyer is the top pitching prospect in the Twins organization and has spent the year impressing in AAA. After a recent rough stretch, he has bounced back strong in his last two starts with 17 K in 12 IP with just 3 ER. With those kinds of numbers, this may not be his only appearance at Target Field this year. JO Berrios – Berrios was recently promoted to AA as a 20-year-old, making him the youngest player at that level. He’s already thrown 101.1 innings this year with a 2.31 ERA and 113K in 101.1 IP. He also looks like a strong contributor to the Twins future. Kennys Vargas – With Miguel Sano laid up this year, Vargas has become the Twins most talked about minor league slugger. As a 23-year-old in AA, he has been the complete (hitting) package, showing power (.474 slugging perecentage), patience (53K and 35 BB) and good contact (.291 batting average). It’s unclear if the lumbering switch-hitter will be able to stay at first base, but his bat should be a welcome addition to the Twins lineup in the next year or so. Tickets are very reasonable for many seats; they’re comparable to a Twins game. 2014 All Star Workout and Home Run Derby Now we’re getting into the heavy hitters – literally. Twins fans may well have a fan favorite on both the AL and NL rosters. Current Twin Brian Dozier is going to try and yank those high fastballs into the left field bleachers. (I see 50 tickets available there at Ticket King.) And there are lots of rumors that Justin Morneau may be added to the NL roster if he isn’t voted onto the All-Star roster by the fans. Tickets are significant, and in a twist, it looks like they’re pricier in the bleachers where you have a chance of catching a home run ball. (Bring your glove.) You can get lower level infield seats for less than $200 (which is quite a bit below the price MLB charged, I think.) And if you can’t go, why not join us Monday night at Mason’s to watch the action with the Twins Daily posse? 2014 All-Star Game Either this is on your bucket list or it isn’t. If it isn’t, you’re off the hook. But if it is something that you’re going to want to do, this is your chance to do it. Any other year, you can add travel costs and hotel costs, which are off the charts. This year, you have a ticket cost and not much more. It is what it is: an exhibition which happens to exhibit the game’s biggest stars. It’s going to include Miguel Cabrera, Mike Trout, David Price, Andrew McCutchen, Yasiel Puig and Clayton Kershaw. There is going to be a lot of pomp and circumstance. There will be an unbelievable amount of hype surrounding Derek Jeter’s last All-Star Game. There will be a ballgame with a tremendous number of substitutions. And there might be a "Is it dusty in here?" Justin Morneau moment. Either you want to pay for that or not. If you do, it’s going to cost you. I see All-Star tickets going for as little as $347. It looks like the markup in my section, section 102, is a couple of hundred dollars over face value. So it’s going to cost you as much as a short vacation. I think I’ll remember it longer than most vacations I’ve taken. I’ll be there. [/hr]You’ll find links to tickets for all the events in the above story and all are an even better deal if you use the promo code DAILYDOUBLE, which will get you 10% off and supports Twins Daily. Whatever your needs, your local ticket supplier,Ticket King, can help. Click here to view the article

Download attachment: 12.jpg Chris Parmelee (pictured) delivered a clutch hit against Philadelphia ace pitcher Roy Halladay on Wednesday, resulting in a 6-4 Minnesota Twins win. Parmelee played the whole game at first base, recording a walk and two hits, which included a three-run home run versus Halladay that gave the Twins a 5-4 lead. A number of impressive bullpen performances preserved the win. Twins starting pitcher Jason Marquis gave up four runs in the first four innings on eight hits. But for the second of his first three starts, his infield defense was at least partly to blame. Several of the hits came on ground balls that were playable but slipped through the porous infield of Alexi Casilla, Tsuyoshi Nishioka and Sean Burroughs. Third baseman Burroughs, in particular, was victimized by hard grounders to his right that led to several runs. The Twins did most of their damage in the third inning. Casilla and Denard Span each singled before Tsuyoshi Nishioka - curiously batting second in the lineup - struck out. (Incidentally, he also hit a pitch off his knee that traveled so far the Phillies' announcers couldn't imagine it actually hit his knee. There was a long stoppage of play, but he stayed in the game.) Willingham looked like his hit was sawed off, but his grounder found it's way into right field while Casilla found his way to home plate. With runners on the corners, Justin Morneau (who played DH) popped out, but Parmelee delivered as Halladay approached his 60 pitch limit. The lead was held by five relievers, and all except one added a strikeout to this spring's stat sheet. Jeff Manship pitched the fifth inning, recording two weak ground outs and a strikeout. Jeff Gray followed him, and while he didn't get a strikeout, he also didn't give up any hits. Sam Deduno, a 28-year-old minor league right-hander signed away from the Padres organization, demonstrated a nifty slider as well as a eratic fastball sure to strike fear in mascots throughout the International League. Casey Fien held things together in the eighth and Lester Oliveros got the save. Click here to view the article

Download attachment: Hill_of_Three_Oaks.jpg Aaron and John talk about the pleasure of dominating the White Sox, Yohan Pino's impressive debut, Aaron Hicks going back to switch-hitting, Kyle Gibson's good run, Joe Mauer showing signs of life, Oswaldo Arcia swinging "too hard," Tony Gwynn's lasting legacy, and how to have fun and injure yourself at a 25-year reunion. You can listen by downloading us from iTunes, Stitcher or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com. [/hr]Twins win and so do you. On Monday, get a half price large or extra-large pizza from PapaJohns.com by using the promo code 'TWINSWIN'. Click here to view the article

Download attachment: kansas_city_royals_wallpaper-29794.jpg Can any season for the Kansas City Royals, who have only finished above .500 once since strike-shortened 1994, really be considered a disappointment? Maybe not, but last year was close. Last year was supposed to be the year the the Royals perennial rebuilding efforts finally paid off. Vegas gave them an over/under of 80.5, giving them even odds at that elusive .500 year. It wasn't to be. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]Their offense was below average (20th in runs scored) and their pitching was worse (23rd in combined ERA). They won only 72 games. Their starting rotation was especially bad, posting an ERA of 5.01. That's the area they attacked this offseason. Last year's Opening Day starter, Bruce Chen, goes into the season and their fifth starter. A trade with the Rays netted them James Shields and Wade Davis. Another trade with the Angles brought them Ervin Santana. And they re-signed Jeremy Guthrie, who was outstanding for them after a midseason trade with the Rockies. Despite all those improvements, Vegas is cautious, giving them an over/under of 78.5, two games worse than they expected last year. It looks like those that bet the over last year may need a little reassuring to make the same bet this year. I don't blame them. The Royals were 11 games under .500 by April 24th last year. Five months is a long time to wonder why the hell you thought this year would be any different for the Royals. For the record, I think this year might just be different. If I had to choose one way or the other, I'd take the over on that 78.5, but .... there is just no way I'm laying money on that number. Let me rephrase that: there is no way I'm laying money on that franchise. I expect the good people of Missouri understand. After all, they are the "Show Me" state. Make sure you're heard, too. We'll review these at the end of the year. Click here to view the article

Download attachment: nola_aaron_pitching_LSU_Orig.jpg Aaron and John talk about Oswaldo Arcia and Josh Willingham being ready to return, what the Twins will do with the No. 5 overall pick in the draft, how much time Aaron Hicks has left to show something, Alex Meyer and Trevor May doing well at Triple-A, biting someone's ear off, Glen Perkins' underrated excellence, Pat Neshek bouncing back in St. Louis, back-to-back Tinder dates, not having good stories any longer, and scouting college and high school players with special guest Jeremy Nygaard. You can listen by downloading us from iTunes, Stitcher or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com. Click here to view the article

Download attachment: no-access.jpg Pioneer Press sports reporter Ben Goessling joins Aaron and John to talk about the Twins final roster decision and media access. Here are: the podcaststhe rss feed if you want to subscribe and the podcast on iTunes (where you can also subscribe and leave reviews). Click here to view the article

sponsored by Freehouse Download attachment: Beer.JPG When it comes to bars and restaurants around their ballpark, baseball fans like their institutions. There is something comforting about finding a place that fits them, a place they can share with their kids, both now and later, the same way they share their favorite game. In short, they’re looking for a sense of community. We’re proud to welcome Freehouse as a new entry to the pregame and postgame scene and sponsor of Twins Daily and Gleeman & the Geek. I’ll be shocked if they don’t become one of those institutions. Indeed, judging by the crowd on a recent Saturday when there wasn’t a Twins game, they may already be. Their name implies they get the community focus; a “free house” is a neighborhood pub in England that isn’t tied to the beers of just one brewery. (Freehouse, despite having a brewery on site, is a “free house.” They also serve other commercially available beers on tap, including locals like Summit.) The layout retains that focus; as you walk in the door, a large rectangular bar is the first area you encounter. However, there’s lots of room for lots of areas of focus, because it’s a big place. Behind the bar is a large dining area. Behind that is a large kitchen. On the side are the tanks where they brew their (as of a month ago) seven types of beers. This is the largest and most ambitious restaurant opened by Blue Plate Restaurant Company, which also owns The Lowry, Edina Grill and Groveland Tap. Aaron and I visited about a month ago for our “Baseball is Back!” episode and reviewed their food and beer “live” as it was placed in front of us by manager Dave Wohlforth. Admittedly, we're their target market. Freehouse’s tagline is “Breakfast to Beer” which could just as easily be the motto of a mashup of Aaron’s and my Twitter feeds. We mostly sampled pumped up traditional favorites. For brunch, Aaron ate the lion’s portion of the Ciabatta French Toast, which had a sweetness accentuated by a touch of cayenne. Their most popular item is the $1000 Burger made with short rib, brisket and duck fat. And my favorite was the Roto-Bird, which is “just” a perfectly prepared rotisserie chicken. When I go back, I want to bring some risk takers, so I can taste a few of their more adventurous offerings. Like Lobster Mac n Cheese that includes Cheez-its. Or the Bone Marrow or Oxtail appetizers. Or the entire section of their menu titled “Jars.” We also made our way through the beers. The four originals are solid examples of traditional styles: a kolsch, an IPA, a brown and a stout. The brown was my favorite. I’m partial to that style, but this went beyond my personal preferences; it was a smooth, rich, toasty draught without being too heavy. Beyond those, Freehouse is extending their range with a wheat, a hoppy amber, a west-coast IPA and a Bock, which wasn’t ready when I was there. I’m not a wheat guy, but I’d recommend the other two for someone who wants to be challenged beyond the basics. Freehouse opened back in December and has already demonstrated the ability to stick around and please a crowd, whether they happen to be near a ballpark or not. Fortunately for Twins fans, they are. And fortunately for Twins Daily members, they’re one of the first bars and restaurants, along with Mason’s to support Twins Daily’s efforts to build a community around the independent voices following Twins baseball. Please welcome them, follow them on Twitter and stop by before or after your next Twins game and thank them for their support of Twins Daily. Click here to view the article

Download attachment: AL+Central+2010+1.jpg Let's do our division picks, poll style. Today I'll post a poll for who will win the AL Central. Tomorrow we'll eliminate the winner and post a poll for who will finish second and we'll repeat on Thursday and Friday. Don't just vote - give your reasons. You can find the poll and the thread for comments here. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Click here to view the article

Download attachment: Fotolia_16304314_S.jpg You would think that when Twins Daily hits a milestone like one million views over a month, as we did yesterday, it would cause a elation. And usually you would be right. But this time, it was a little overwhelming. Because while I forget details about the beginnings of blogging I still vividly remember certain feelings. I remember the emptiness of hollering into the void. I remember the elation of finding an audience. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]I remember the backlash, the anger at cowardly throwaway attacks. The disbelief at shameful obstacles. The frustration. The hopelessness. The resignation. For the better part of a decade, the naysayers had the louder voice. They used it to tell you that nobody will listen. That your passion is of no interest. That your voice belongs in your mothers basement. To them I'll reply: 1,000,000. One million times per month people want to read your thoughts. One million times per month, people want to read your research. One million times per month, people want to share your passion. To me, that is a dream come true. To the naysayers, it is a fad or a lark or an insignificant detail. They are making the same mistake they made ten years ago: they underestimated you. They didn't think you were passionate enough to find us, kind enough to share, civil enough to discuss, or talented enough to write. And you are all those things and there are millions of you and now we know this, can show this. Which is a very long way of saying two words: Thank You. I don't pretend to know everyone's motivations for visiting Twins Daily, but whatever the reason, it feels like a miracle. Elation isn't enough. Click here to view the article

Well, that was brutal. Instead, let's focus on something else: tonight marked the start of the Twins second turn through the rotation, and their seventh spring training game. The roles for players are clearer as are the spring training battles. So what do several Twins positional hopefuls need to do to make it to Chicago for Opening Day?[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] THE LINEUP Joe Mauer, Josh Willingham, Brian Dozier, Trevor Plouffe, Kurt Suzuki, Alex Presley What they need to do: Stay healthy. Pedro Florimon What he needs to do: Get healthy. For what it's worth, he took grounders with the rest of the infielders today. He looks like he's getting close to returning. Jason Kubel What he needs to do: Stay healthy and show he's not completely done. He hasn't done the latter yet, but there's a lot of time. Oswaldo Arcia What he needs to do: Last week, I would have said just be normal. As in, don't struggle too much, don't get too angry, don't go too cray-cray. The job in right field is his job to lose, but he can lose it. (Boy, can he lose it.) That was last week. Today, I'm not so sure. If Arcia does NOT win that spot, he will not be on the bench. He'll be in AAA. That takes care of he starting nine. If the Twins carry 13 position players, which would seem likely, it leaves four spots. Interestingly, assistant GM Rob Antony wasn't committing to that yesterday, saying "it hasn't been determined." If they only carry three spots, those spots are going to a backup infielder, catcher and outfielder. More to the point - a backup shortstop, catcher and center fielder, since there is nobody in the starting nine that can back up those spots. Keeping that in mind, let's look at some other names: BACKUP INFIELDERS Eduardo Escobar What he needs to do: He's the default choice, because of his age and flexibility. Bartlett hasn't demonstrated that he can play third base, and the Twins haven't tried him there this year yet, either. Doug Bernier can play second base, shortstop and third base like Escobar, but he's also eight years older than him. Doug Bernier What he needs to do: Escobar would need to get hurt or do something else for the organization to completely lose confidence in him. Jason Bartlett What he needs to do: First, he needs the Twins to carry at least 13 position players because if he's the shortstop, the Twins are going to need to also bring up either Escobar, Bernier, Deibinson Romero or Brandon Waring to back up third base. However, He makes a somewhat intriguing 13th player in that he can be a backup infielder AND could theoretically be a bat off of the bench. It's not totally clear the 34-year-old can do either, but he might at least be able to get on base. He also looks pretty good as a possible substitution for Florimon late in the game. Chris Colabello What he needs to do: There might be a couple of ways he makes the team: At DH - He needs two of Kubel, Arcia and Parmelee to look very, very bad while he looks very, very good. Even then, I'm not sure it's enough. He likely needs two of them to be unable to play, frankly. He makes another interesting 13th man candidate. With as many left-handed bats as the Twins have, it makes sense to have a right-handed bat that they can plug in occasionally. To win that spot, he needs to look quite a bit more appetizing than Jason Bartlett and Wilkin Ramirez, who we'll get to in a second. James Beresford, Deibinson Romero, Brandon Waring, etc. What they need to do: There needs to be a series of small miracles. It was interesting that Bereford started tonight at second base when most of the other starters were going to be in the Opening Day lineup. Dozier got to sit because he made the long trip to Jupiter yesterday, but that doesn't explain why Escobar and Bernier weren't there. Beresford also played third base yesterday. He would likely be option C as the utility infielder. BACKUP OUTFIELDERS Darin Mastroianni What he needs to do: Ideally, he would show he still has the wheels, if not the instincts, to play center field. He would show he has the wheels to do something when he's on base. He would show that he can get on base. But he doesn't need to do any of these things. He just needs to play center field passably enough that nobody panics. The center field situation is petty dire until Hicks finds himself or Buxton charges up here. Mastroianni is the default fix for now. Wilkin Ramirez What he needs to do: Ramirez is an interesting contrast to Mastroianni. He's less of a center fielder, but more of a hitter. If Mastroianni can't outplay him defensively, he could theoretically be the backup "center fielder," though I'm not totally sure the Twins would want to do that to him. He did play several games there for the Twins last year. But Ramirez has another way to stick on the roster if Mastroianni beats him out. He could be the 13th man. He's right-handed, has some power and gives the Twins a fifth outfielder. His primary competition would be Colabello. Aaron Hicks What he needs to do: Defensively, he's superior to everyone on this list including the starter Alex Presley. But the Twins would need to be desperately worried about Mastroianni's and Ramirez' defense to limit Hicks' playing time to that of a backup (or short-side of the platoon) in the majors. They have to want him playing every day in AAA. Chris Parmelee What he needs to do: Parmelee's best chance to make this roster is probably to beat out Kubel or Arcia at a spot in the lineup. It's not as far-fetched as I might have thought. Gardenhire has batted Parmelee higher in the lineup than Arcia and Kubel a couple of times. Tonight, Parmelee started in right field while Arica came off the bench. It's clear that Gardenhire has confidence in Paremelee - provided Parmelee has confidence in himself. "I don't worry about where I put him in the lineup," Gardy said after a recent game. "If he's confident, he can hit. It's all about a confident thing with him and not getting too deep into his own head and just going up there and swinging. When he does that, he's got no problems. And right now, he's not worried about a thing. He's just up there swinging. If we can keep that, we've got a good player." Parmelee has one other thing going for him: he's out of options. If he doesn't make the roster the Twins could lose him to another team, especially if he has a nice spring. He can't play center field, so his only other option is to be the 13th man. Even being out of options, that's an uphill battle because he bats left-handed and a right-handed hitter makes a lot more sense with this lineup. Perhaps if Ramirez is the right-handed center fielder, then maybe Parmelee would be an option. But maybe not even then. BACKUP CATCHERS This comes down to the Twins deciding which of three values they want to embrace? Josmil Pinto Value = development. It's hard to tell if Pinto holds his own destiny in his hands this spring, but there is no doubt he does long-term. His goal right now is to show the Twins that he's ready, primarily defensively, or at least that he can continue to learn on the job from Suzuki. Even then they might want to keep him in AAA to play every day. I would think his odds go up if Kubel struggles, since Pinto could play there when he's not catching and learn defensively from Suzuki. If he does make it, he could also be the right-handed bench bat the Twins would like, which is a nice benefit. That might open a door for Bartlett (for another right-handed bat with defensive chops) or Parmelee (as a left-handed bat who is out of options) to be the 13th man. Eric Fryer Value = Veteran defense. On the one hand, they might think they already have this with Suzuki on the roster. On the other, I would never underestimate the Twins to value veterans who play strong defense. Chris Herrmann Value = Flexibility. If only he could also play center field. He can play first base or corner outfield, so keeping him opens the door to all kinds of mix and match possibilities with Bartlett, Colabello or Mastroianni and Ramirez as the 13th man. It would likely be bad news for Parmelee, because they would still need a right-handed bat. If I had to guess right now, I think I'd say that if Parmelee wins right field, the bench is Escobar, Mastroianni, Fryer and ... let's go with Bartlett. And if not, maybe they try to stash him as the 13th man. Click here to view the article

Download attachment: ST-PATRICKS-DAY2.jpg Aaron and John talk about Glen Perkins' contract extension, St. Patrick's Day craziness, what the plan is for Josmil Pinto and Aaron Hicks, unwanted apartment guests, drinking and eating at Mason's downtown, Ricky Nolasco starting Opening Day, running into KFAN producer Ryan Donaldson and his crew, waitresses in short shorts, out-of-options Twins, and getting too excited about spring training stats. You can listen by downloading us from iTunes, Stitcher or find it atGleemanAndTheGeek.com.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Click here to view the article

Download attachment: iPhone+015.jpg There are great rewards and great risks in doing something new. We know a thing or two about that at Twins Daily. We also know a thing or two about passion and experimentation and rejecting the limitations older corporate entities might embrace. (Or try to enforce.) I think these are core values with which our members empathize. If they didn't, I think they'd get their Twins fix someplace else. It has been harder to find local sponsors that embrace that same attitude. But today we welcome our first, and given their history, I wonder what took us so long to find each other. In 1986, Summit tackled a stodgy industry by trusting consumers to get past old habits by brewing new experimental products of exceptional quality. They took great risks and we've all received the great rewards. In the brewer’s interview for their new Unchained series beer, brewer Gabe Smoley talked about the impressive measures he took to make sure that his beer would really be 100% organic: I think that’s the DNA of Twins Daily too, and I think it’s the DNA or our community. So, please raise a glass and welcome Summit to Twins Daily. I'm glad we found each other. Click here to view the article

What was the fan reaction in Hammond Stadium following the gut-punching news about Miguel Sano? Honestly, it was smiles. Basking, wondrous smiles expressed with the eyes and shoulders moreso than the lips. Or at least that what I saw as I walked up to the Hammond Stadium gates. Yes, the Twins had received the worst possible news for one of their cornerstone prospects. But it was still a home opener, still 80 degrees and sunny, still a record-sized crowd watching a baseball game. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] The first couple innings helped the mood. The Twins lineup jumped all over Red Sox starter Allen Webster, who is fighting to keep his wildish mid-90s fastball out of Pawtucket this year, and being opposed by the Red Sox crowded rotation. The Twins didn't help his cause. If only you really could tell everything you wanted to know about a season by that first game, first at-bat, first pitch. If so, we'd know that Brian Dozier's power last year was real. His first at-bat concluded with a double off the left field gap's wall, missing a home run by a couple of feet. If so, Joe Mauer's move to first base would turn him into an RBI machine. He immediately drove Dozier home. If so, the concerns about the Twins offense this year would be baseless. They plated three and knocked Webster from the game before he could finish his second inning. That's not how it works, of course. The real omen of the day was the Sano news. It's another delay for a rebuild that's going into it's fourth year. It always hurts to lose a year of player development, but it's worth noting that Sano's important clocks haven't begun ticking. He's only 20, and this doesn't impact his "option" years, let alone his player service time. Historically, the Twins have seen much worse. The Twins lost Francisco Liriano for a year within months of him making the team. They lost Mauer for most of his first full year in his first game. And Jason Kubel in his first offseason. And Morneau when he was hit by Ron Villone.... Sigh. Talk about an angle that doesn't get enough talk. How come so many of the Twins top prospects have been injured just as they are reaching the majors? Does that happen to any other franchise? How different could the last decade have been? And how about we hunt down the White Sox fan with the little voodoo doll and beat the snot out of him. For that job, I nominate just about anyone except Tony Oliva. As I left Hammond stadium, I saw an older man tussling in the grass with a couple of toddlers. He stopped long enough for their Mom to take an photo with his head upside down on the short grass. He got up and laughed and told his friends it was time to go It was Oliva. The kids had no idea who he was. The dad didn't either. The mom suspected it was Oliva but admitted that when he stopped while he was walking past the kids, she thought he was going to scold them for wrestling and tearing up the grass on the concourse. Nope. Instead, a day that started out with incredibly depressing (and seemingly inevitable) news ended with an impromptu joyful moment between rugrats and a Twins legend on the walkway to Hammond. Short of finding the Sox voodoo guy, maybe this is how we shake ourselves from this Minnesota sports funk. If not, at least it uncovered some smiles. Click here to view the article