Brad Swanson

Originally posted at Kevin Slowey was Framed! Weekend Recap The best thing I can say about the Giants series is that the Twins did not lose more games than they played. If they had done that, I would have been really upset/confused. The Twins didn't put up much of a fight this weekend, but the Giants are one of the best teams in baseball. Plus, San Francisco is windy. Wind is nature's biggest bully. I'm just glad the Twins escaped with their calculators. Does Kyle Gibson have the Radke Syndrome? Everyone remembers the odd affinity that Brad Radke had for giving up first inning runs. In fact, why weren't Brad Radke brand peanuts more popular? Because if you got to the game after the first inning, they'd already be shelled. Radke was an excellent pitcher, despite this odd quirk. Kyle Gibson is a promising pitcher and I think he's going to be good, but his first inning troubles are starting to become a trend. Actually, he has troubles in all of the early innings. Here's an ERA breakdown by inning in 2014: [TABLE=class: grid, width: 500] [TD=align: left]Split[/TD] [TD=align: center]G[/TD] [TD=align: center]IP[/TD] [TD=align: center]ER[/TD] [TD=align: center]ERA[/TD] [TD=align: center]PA[/TD] [TD=align: center]AB[/TD] [TD=align: center]R[/TD] [TD=align: center]H[/TD] [TD=align: center]HR[/TD] [TD=align: center]BB[/TD] [TD=align: center]SO[/TD] [TD=align: center]SO/W[/TD] [TD=align: center]BA[/TD] [TD=align: center]OBP[/TD] [TD=align: center]SLG[/TD] [TD=align: center]OPS[/TD] [TD=align: center]TB[/TD] 1st inning[TD=align: right]9[/TD] [TD=align: right]9.0[/TD] [TD=align: right]7[/TD] [TD=align: right]7.00[/TD] [TD=align: right]48[/TD] [TD=align: right]40[/TD] [TD=align: right]7[/TD] [TD=align: right]13[/TD] [TD=align: right]1[/TD] [TD=align: right]8[/TD] [TD=align: right]8[/TD] [TD=align: right]1.00[/TD] [TD=align: right].325[/TD] [TD=align: right].438[/TD] [TD=align: right].450[/TD] [TD=align: right].888[/TD] [TD=align: right]18[/TD] 2nd inning[TD=align: right]9[/TD] [TD=align: right]9.0[/TD] [TD=align: right]6[/TD] [TD=align: right]6.00[/TD] [TD=align: right]38[/TD] [TD=align: right]38[/TD] [TD=align: right]6[/TD] [TD=align: right]11[/TD] [TD=align: right]1[/TD] [TD=align: right]0[/TD] [TD=align: right]3[/TD] [TD=align: right][/TD] [TD=align: right].289[/TD] [TD=align: right].289[/TD] [TD=align: right].474[/TD] [TD=align: right].763[/TD] [TD=align: right]18[/TD] 3rd inning[TD=align: right]8[/TD] [TD=align: right]8.0[/TD] [TD=align: right]6[/TD] [TD=align: right]6.75[/TD] [TD=align: right]37[/TD] [TD=align: right]33[/TD] [TD=align: right]6[/TD] [TD=align: right]9[/TD] [TD=align: right]0[/TD] [TD=align: right]4[/TD] [TD=align: right]4[/TD] [TD=align: right]1.00[/TD] [TD=align: right].273[/TD] [TD=align: right].351[/TD] [TD=align: right].394[/TD] [TD=align: right].745[/TD] [TD=align: right]13[/TD] 4th inning[TD=align: right]8[/TD] [TD=align: right]7.0[/TD] [TD=align: right]3[/TD] [TD=align: right]3.86[/TD] [TD=align: right]29[/TD] [TD=align: right]28[/TD] [TD=align: right]1[/TD] [TD=align: right]6[/TD] [TD=align: right]1[/TD] [TD=align: right]1[/TD] [TD=align: right]3[/TD] [TD=align: right]3.00[/TD] [TD=align: right].214[/TD] [TD=align: right].241[/TD] [TD=align: right].321[/TD] [TD=align: right].563[/TD] [TD=align: right]9[/TD] 5th inning[TD=align: right]7[/TD] [TD=align: right]7.0[/TD] [TD=align: right]1[/TD] [TD=align: right]1.29[/TD] [TD=align: right]28[/TD] [TD=align: right]24[/TD] [TD=align: right]1[/TD] [TD=align: right]5[/TD] [TD=align: right]0[/TD] [TD=align: right]4[/TD] [TD=align: right]2[/TD] [TD=align: right]0.50[/TD] [TD=align: right].208[/TD] [TD=align: right].321[/TD] [TD=align: right].250[/TD] [TD=align: right].571[/TD] [TD=align: right]6[/TD] 6th inning[TD=align: right]6[/TD] [TD=align: right]5.0[/TD] [TD=align: right]0[/TD] [TD=align: right]0.00[/TD] [TD=align: right]17[/TD] [TD=align: right]15[/TD] [TD=align: right]0[/TD] [TD=align: right]0[/TD] [TD=align: right]0[/TD] [TD=align: right]2[/TD] [TD=align: right]2[/TD] [TD=align: right]1.00[/TD] [TD=align: right].000[/TD] [TD=align: right].118[/TD] [TD=align: right].000[/TD] [TD=align: right].118[/TD] [TD=align: right]0[/TD] 7th inning[TD=align: right]5[/TD] [TD=align: right]4.0[/TD] [TD=align: right]3[/TD] [TD=align: right]6.75[/TD] [TD=align: right]19[/TD] [TD=align: right]18[/TD] [TD=align: right]1[/TD] [TD=align: right]6[/TD] [TD=align: right]0[/TD] [TD=align: right]1[/TD] [TD=align: right]3[/TD] [TD=align: right]3.00[/TD] [TD=align: right].333[/TD] [TD=align: right].368[/TD] [TD=align: right].389[/TD] [TD=align: right].757[/TD] [TD=align: right]7[/TD] 8th inning[TD=align: right]1[/TD] [TD=align: right]1.0[/TD] [TD=align: right]0[/TD] [TD=align: right]0.00[/TD] [TD=align: right]3[/TD] [TD=align: right]3[/TD] [TD=align: right]0[/TD] [TD=align: right]1[/TD] [TD=align: right]0[/TD] [TD=align: right]0[/TD] [TD=align: right]0[/TD] [TD=align: right][/TD] [TD=align: right].333[/TD] [TD=align: right].333[/TD] [TD=align: right].333[/TD] [TD=align: right].667[/TD] [TD=align: right]1[/TD] Innings 1-3[TD=align: right]9[/TD] [TD=align: right]26.0[/TD] [TD=align: right]19[/TD] [TD=align: right]6.58[/TD] [TD=align: right]123[/TD] [TD=align: right]111[/TD] [TD=align: right]19[/TD] [TD=align: right]33[/TD] [TD=align: right]2[/TD] [TD=align: right]12[/TD] [TD=align: right]15[/TD] [TD=align: right]1.25[/TD] [TD=align: right].297[/TD] [TD=align: right].366[/TD] [TD=align: right].441[/TD] [TD=align: right].807[/TD] [TD=align: right]49[/TD] Innings 4-6[TD=align: right]8[/TD] [TD=align: right]19.0[/TD] [TD=align: right]4[/TD] [TD=align: right]1.89[/TD] [TD=align: right]74[/TD] [TD=align: right]67[/TD] [TD=align: right]2[/TD] [TD=align: right]11[/TD] [TD=align: right]1[/TD] [TD=align: right]7[/TD] [TD=align: right]7[/TD] [TD=align: right]1.00[/TD] [TD=align: right].164[/TD] [TD=align: right].243[/TD] [TD=align: right].224[/TD] [TD=align: right].467[/TD] [TD=align: right]15[/TD] Innings 7-9[TD=align: right]5[/TD] [TD=align: right]5.0[/TD] [TD=align: right]3[/TD] [TD=align: right]5.40[/TD] [TD=align: right]22[/TD] [TD=align: right]21[/TD] [TD=align: right]1[/TD] [TD=align: right]7[/TD] [TD=align: right]0[/TD] [TD=align: right]1[/TD] [TD=align: right]3[/TD] [TD=align: right]3.00[/TD] [TD=align: right].333[/TD] [TD=align: right].364[/TD] [TD=align: right].381[/TD] [TD=align: right].745[/TD] [TD=align: right]8[/TD] [/TABLE] Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table Generated 5/25/2014. Now, he also hits a wall around the 7th inning, but that is somewhat common. More troubling, his first three innings are terrible and the middle innings are great. Bert Blyleven posited that Gibson is too amped up when starting a game and it leads to the ball being up. When he fatigues, his pitches drop and he gets more ground balls and more outs. It makes sense, but then again, Blyleven got to about the 5th inning of Saturday's game before he stopped calling Pablo Sandoval "Sandsobal" so who really knows. Whatever the issue, Gibson and his coaches need to iron it out because he doesn't have Brad Radke's command and therefore, his ability to overcome a bad first inning. Sam Deduno There should be a term for the last guy who joins the bandwagon. Mr. Last Jerk or something. Mrs. Last Jerk if it's a female. Well, we can work on that nickname later. If the Sam Deduno bandwagon is rolling along down the street, I'm running my little heart out alongside trying to decide if I should risk my health to jump aboard. Deduno appears to be a perfectly acceptable back-end starter. I certainly prefer him to Mike Pelfrey or Kevin Correia. He looked fine on Saturday, not great, but good enough to keep the Twins in the game. I still worry about how many walks he issues, but he seems to have the ability to induce double plays because he induces so many ground balls. As a reliever, his ground ball rate had declined, but since moving back into the rotation, that rate is starting to climb back to elite levels. Plus, he's generating more strikeouts this season. I fully believe in jinxes and I fully believe that I am a massive jinx. If I decide to run alongside the bandwagon for a few more months, there is a completely scientific reason why. Josmil Pinto I don't curse a lot. I am a teacher. I try to be mindful of the fact that my students may read this if they are extremely bored. Therefore, I try to keep this part of the web clean. That said, doggone it to heck, why is Josmil Pinto rotting on the bench?!? Pinto had one hit last week. One. That would be a troubling number if he hadn't gotten only six at-bats and one start. That one hit was Pinto's seventh home run, good for second on the team with ease. Kurt Suzuki has continued to be great, but keeping Pinto on the bench 80% of the time in favor of Suzuki is just crazy. Pinto is too young and too talented. He should have been alternating starts with Suzuki on the road trip. I worry that with Oswaldo Arcia and Josh Willingham coming back and Chris Herrmann sent back to AAA, Pinto will continue to sit more than he starts. If that happens, you can expect the darn cursing to increase. Beans. Madness Former Twin Update - Liam Hendriks He's back! Liam Hendriks was added to the Blue Jays' active roster when they outrighted Esmil Rogers (a player I advocated the Twins trading for, thank you very much) to AAA. Hendriks made his 2014 debut on Friday and threw 5.2 innings, giving up just 3 hits, 3 walks, 1 earned run, all while striking out 3 (well, not while, he just struck out three guys, the other stuff happened around those strikeouts). I liked Hendriks even though he was never good with the Twins. It would be cool if he found some success in Toronto. I just love people. Random Link - McCovey Chronicles My beloved Grant Brisbee wrote about the Twins-Giants rivalry that doesn't exist. He posted this prior to the weekend series and I read it on Friday, but it's still worth reading even though the Twins and Giants likely won't play each other again for a long time. It's always fun to rehash the A.J. Pierzynski trade, but this time it's from the perspective of the losing fan base. Here's the link. Random Top 17 List Top 17 lists are so popular right now. Joe Mauer happens to have the 17th worst isolated power among all qualified MLB players. Isolated power basically measures a hitter's raw power. Mauer's is currently 0.081, which rates just above "awful" on this chart. Somehow, Mauer has an above-average OPS+, even with awful power. I was shocked on Saturday when Mauer hit a double and the graphic stated that he had hit just his 5th double of the season. I hope Mauer's extra-base power starts to come back because he's basically an average hitter without it. Here's the top 5 on this top 17 list that I never actually provided (through Saturday's games): Ben Revere - .034 Derek Jeter - .043 DJ LeMahieu - .047 Martin Prado - .058 Norichika Aoki - .059 #Eddie400 Update This is by far my most successful half-hearted campaign. Eduardo Escobar is still on fire. When I proposed the Eddie 400 back in January, it was more a "why not" idea based on the idea that Pedro Florimon wasn't very good and Escobar was a couple years younger. Escobar has made me famous beyond my wildest dreams (I have very depressing dreams). He is still hitting like a champ and still getting regular plate appearances. In fact, he is currently on pace for about 350 at-bats, but with his recent uptick in playing time, he should plow past the 400 ABs that I requested for him. I am so great. I take full credit for all of his successes. Random Idea to Change Baseball I love baseball, but I admit that it is not a perfect game. Thus, from time to time, I have some craaaaaazy ideas to make the game better. Here's one. What if one baseball per game was made of like really hard cake. This would take some engineering, but the weight and feel would have to be the same, so the pitcher doesn't realize the difference. The ump just has that cake ball in his bag and eventually it comes into the game. Once the ball is thrown, it would either explode with cake in the catcher's mitt, or better, off the batter's bat. Cake balls are really big right now, so why not capitalize? I'm not sure what the outcome would be, maybe it would just be a short comedy interlude, everyone cleans up and we just move on like it didn't happen. If a player had a flour allergy, it would be particularly compelling every time he came to the plate. It's just an idea, so obviously it needs some fine tuning. Just imagine how much old school ball guys would hate that cake ball. Parting Thought I am not an overly patriotic person, or an overly political person or really, an overly emotional person. I have many family members who have served in the U.S. military and I am fortunate enough to have never lost a loved one during service. As a social studies teacher, I felt an obligation to remind students why we had this long weekend in late May. For some, they knew all too well and for others, it gave them something to think about as they enjoyed one of the final weekends before summer. I don't feel that obligation as a Twins blogger or whatever, but I don't mind taking a few minutes away from the Twins to do as much as I can to reinforce the meaning of this holiday. To those who are remembering someone important on this very powerful holiday, my thoughts are with you. Have a great week, everyone!

You've heard of the MMPI? Well, here's the TMSFI! You haven't heard of the MMPI. Here: [B][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minnesota_Multiphasic_Personality_Inventory"]wikipedia[/URL]. [/B] I know, I know, this is supposed to be a Twins blog. Really, my blog is hardly that at this point, but you know what I'm generally trying to do. Thing is, with rain, days off and my own illness, I've only caught one Twins game since last weekend. I did analyze how the Twins players look in their caps, if you're really pining for some baseball. [B][URL="http://smartpitcher.blogspot.com/2014/04/minnesota-twins-rain-delay-special.html"]Read it, memorize it, recite it.[/URL][/B] There. Do you feel better? With the Minnesota Wild safely out of the first round and no possible jinxes available (I'm just pleased they beat the Avs), I thought it would be a perfect time to unveil my Tortured Minnesota Sports Fan Inventory. Since the Twins won the World Series in 1991, the Minnesota sports fan experience has been a repeated blow to the groin. If you don't believe me, just check Twitter for about, say 8 seconds. The collective fan base is so tortured and mopey, we kind of have a defeated, self-fulfilling prophecy thing going. It would be sad if it wasn't all we had and it didn't bind us together like a family. I guess that makes it even more sad, huh? Oh right, the test. It's quite simple. You are given 3 minutes (180 seconds to those who can't multiply) to list as many post-1991 World Series heartbreaking Minnesota sports events, games, happenings and players as you can. We're going honor system here, so if you feel the event or game or whatever is heartbreaking, then it counts. There is no answer key. Feel free to use any combination of Twins, Vikings, Wild/North Stars, Timberwolves and Gopher sports. I'd include the Lynx, but they've had a pretty nice history. I realize the Minnesota sports fan base has been tortured since before 1991, but come on, the Twins had won their second World Series in five years at that point. I feel like a reset button on sadness is in order after that. If you aren't a Twins fan, then I ask you two simple questions rolled into one: Why are you reading one of the worst Twins blogs in existence and how did you get here? You might need to re-examine some things. (Note to Twins Daily, that part was written in reference to my blog, not TD. I love TD. So much so, I refer to it as TD) Are you ready to take my test? The only rule is that you cannot use outside sources. A quick Google search would lead to endless results, so why put yourself through that? In addition, why would you want to cheat on a stupid test like this anyway? Are you finally ready to assess your heartbreak? Are you really ready for all these memories to come rushing back? Is it worth it if I tell you there are funny categories at the end? Probably not? Well, why not do it anyway? Find a timer, set it for three minutes and start typing/writing. You can do it all shorthand, just make sure you know what your scribbles mean. When the timer goes off, you are allowed to throw up into a bucket. Ready? BEGIN! (Why are you reading this? Start writing!) Time's Up! Now that you've taken the test, you can grade yourself! Just count up the number of items you have written or typed. Your personal level of heartbreak is determined by the following scale, with the levels named after prominent Minnesota Sports Goats: [LIST] [*]0-5 events: [B][URL="http://www.baseball-reference.com/player_search.cgi?results=gomezca01,gomez-006car&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-puckettspond.com"]Carlos Gomez[/URL][/B] referring to [B][URL="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/morneju01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-puckettspond.com"]Justin Morneau[/URL][/B] as "the first baseman" [*]6-10 events: [B][URL="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hockide01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-puckettspond.com"]Denny Hocking[/URL][/B]'s hand after the 2002 ALDS [*]11-15 events: [B][URL="http://www.baseball-reference.com/player_search.cgi?results=smithjo05,smithjo03&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-puckettspond.com"]Joe Smith[/URL][/B]'s under-the-table contract [*]16-20 events: Gary Anderson's missed field goal in the 1998 NFC title game [*]20-25 events: Norm Green savage heart punch to the collective North Stars fan base [*]26+ events: Brett Favre's decision to throw across his body for an INT in the 2009 NFC title game [/LIST] And there you have it. You thought the fan base was tortured, but now we can prove it. Which level did you fall into? Please respond in the comments and then log off the internet for a few minutes to softly weep. If you're further interested... I decided to take the assessment myself, just to see how I would do. Remember, this is all from memory. [B]My responses (again, spoilers if you haven't taken your own test). I did clean this up a bit/add context for the reader. My burned my actual list.[/B] [LIST] [*][I]Favre throws across his body in NFC championship game for an INT[/I] [*][I]Gary Anderson missed FG[/I] [*][I]Joe Smith contract[/I] [*][I]Stephon Marbury/Ray Allen trade[/I] [*][I]Kevin Garnett trade[/I] [*][I]Near contraction of Twins[/I] [*][I][B][URL="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/santajo02.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-puckettspond.com"]Johan Santana[/URL][/B] trade[/I] [*][I][B][URL="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/y/youngde03.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-puckettspond.com"]Delmon Young[/URL][/B] trade[/I] [*][I][B][URL="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/puckeki01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-puckettspond.com"]Kirby Puckett[/URL][/B] passes away[/I] [*][I]A-Rod homer off Nathan[/I] [*][I]North Stars move to Dallas[/I] [*][I]Freaking JS Giguere[/I] [*][I]41-donut[/I] [*][I]Josh McCown to Nate Poole[/I] [*][I]Second Randy Moss era[/I] [*][I]Doug Risebrough drafts[/I] [*][I]Metrodome collapses[/I] [*][I]Fans throw batteries, hot dogs and more at [B][URL="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/knoblch01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-puckettspond.com"]Chuck Knoblauch[/URL][/B][/I] [/LIST] 18 events total - Gary Anderson in the '98 NFC title game I'm shocked, but I'm just a Gary Anderson! I imagine that some of you met that 26-event threshold and then some. For me, I got about 10 events out in 30 seconds and then struggled to think of the rest. The timer makes it harder, but also makes it a true test. If something is truly heartbreaking, it shouldn't take more than 3 minutes to remember it. For the record, putting Kirby Puckett's passing with those other events really gives this list perspective. All things considered, I'd gladly take the other 17 if that one wasn't there. Although we may not agree that each of these events are heartbreaking, we all have our own hearts. Unless we combined hearts to create a super human. That would be awesome/devastating. Which events did I miss? I know of many more now that I have had some time to think, but I don't want to spoil the fun for others. If nothing else, this test proves that there are infinitely better ways to spend 3 minutes. [I]Originally posted at/developed for [URL="http://smartpitcher.blogspot.com"][B]Kevin Slowey was Framed![/B][/URL][/I] View full article

Originally posted at/developed for Kevin Slowey was Framed! You've heard of the MMPI? Well, here's the TMSFI! You haven't heard of the MMPI. Here: wikipedia. I know, I know, this is supposed to be a Twins blog. Really, my blog is hardly that at this point, but you know what I'm generally trying to do. Thing is, with rain, days off and my own illness, I've only caught one Twins game since last weekend. I did analyze how the Twins players look in their caps, if you're really pining for some baseball. Read it, memorize it, recite it. There. Do you feel better? With the Minnesota Wild safely out of the first round and no possible jinxes available (I'm just pleased they beat the Avs), I thought it would be a perfect time to unveil my Tortured Minnesota Sports Fan Inventory. Since the Twins won the World Series in 1991, the Minnesota sports fan experience has been a repeated blow to the groin. If you don't believe me, just check Twitter for about, say 8 seconds. The collective fan base is so tortured and mopey, we kind of have a defeated, self-fulfilling prophecy thing going. It would be sad if it wasn't all we had and it didn't bind us together like a family. I guess that makes it even more sad, huh? Oh right, the test. It's quite simple. You are given 3 minutes (180 seconds to those who can't multiply) to list as many post-1991 World Series heartbreaking Minnesota sports events, games, happenings and players as you can. We're going honor system here, so if you feel the event or game or whatever is heartbreaking, then it counts. There is no answer key. Feel free to use any combination of Twins, Vikings, Wild/North Stars, Timberwolves and Gopher sports. I'd include the Lynx, but they've had a pretty nice history. I realize the Minnesota sports fan base has been tortured since before 1991, but come on, the Twins had won their second World Series in five years at that point. I feel like a reset button on sadness is in order after that. If you aren't a Twins fan, then I ask you two simple questions rolled into one: why are you reading one of the worst Twins blogs in existence and how did you get here? You might need to re-examine some things. (Note to Twins Daily, that part was written in reference to my blog, not TD. I love TD. So much so, I refer to it as TD) Are you ready to take my test? The only rule is that you cannot use outside sources. A quick Google search would lead to endless results, so why put yourself through that? In addition, why would you want to cheat on a stupid test like this anyway? Are finally you ready to assess your heartbreak? Are you really ready for all these memories to come rushing back? Is it worth it if I tell you there are funny categories at the end? Probably not? Well, why not do it anyway? Find a timer, set it for three minutes and start typing/writing. You can do it all shorthand, just make sure you know what your scribbles mean. When the timer goes off, you are allowed to throw up into a bucket. Ready? BEGIN! (why are you reading this? start writing!) Time's Up! Now that you've taken the test, you can grade yourself! Just count up the number of items you have written or typed. Your personal level of heartbreak is determined by the following scale, with the levels named after prominent Minnesota Sports Goats: 0-5 events: Carlos Gomez referring to Justin Morneau as "the first baseman" 6-10 events: Denny Hocking's hand after the 2002 ALDS 11-15 events: Joe Smith's under-the-table contract 16-20 events: Gary Anderson's missed field goal in the 1998 NFC title game 20-25 events: Norm Green savage heart punch to the collective North Stars fan base 26+ events: Brett Favre's decision to throw across his body for an INT in the 2009 NFC title game And there you have it. You thought the fan base was tortured, but now we can prove it. Which level did you fall into? Please respond in the comments and then log off the internet for a few minutes to softly weep. If you're further interested... I decided to take the assessment myself, just to see how I would do. Remember, this is all from memory. My responses (again, spoilers if you haven't taken your own test). I did clean this up a bit/add context for the reader. My burned my actual list. Favre throws across his body in NFC championship game for an INT Gary Anderson missed FG Joe Smith contract Stephon Marbury/Ray Allen trade Kevin Garnett trade Near contraction of Twins Johan Santana trade Delmon Young trade Kirby Puckett passes away A-Rod homer off Nathan North Stars move to Dallas Freaking JS Giguere 41-donut Josh McCown to Nate Poole Second Randy Moss era Doug Risebrough drafts Metrodome collapses Fans throw batteries, hot dogs and more at Chuck Knoblauch 18 events total - Gary Anderson in the '98 NFC title game I'm shocked, but I'm just a Gary Anderson! I imagine that some of you met that 26-event threshold and then some. For me, I got about 10 events out in 30 seconds and then struggled to think of the rest. The timer makes it harder, but also makes it a true test. If something is truly heartbreaking, it shouldn't take more than 3 minutes to remember it. For the record, putting Kirby Puckett's passing with those other events really gives this list perspective. All things considered, I'd gladly take the other 17 if that one wasn't there. Although we may not agree that each of these events are heartbreaking, we all have our own hearts. Unless we combined hearts to create a super human. That would be awesome/devastating. Which events did I miss? I know of many more now that I have had some time to think, but I don't want to spoil the fun for others. If nothing else, this test proves that there are infinitely better ways to spend 3 minutes.

Thanks all! You certainly can fault the Twins for giving up on guys, but few come back to haunt you with disgusting fish.

Originally posted at Kevin Slowey was Framed! Pining for the past is something we're all guilty of. It's hard to see guys like Torii Hunter, David Ortiz and Carlos Gomez enjoying success with other franchises and not wonder what could have been. When those former players are breaking out or enjoying pseudo-Hall of Fame careers, it's hard to just look the other way. Heck, this one guy keeps writing about guys like Clete Thomas and continuously linking to it. Like this link, which you can click. Since Twins fans seem to be in this mode right now, I thought this would be a great time to catch up with some guys the Twins may have given up on too soon. I'll fill you in on what they're doing right now and how they could have helped in 2014 if the Twins' organization had just an ounce of foresight. Player - Brian Bass Year with Twins - 2008 Current Age - 32 What is he up to? Restaurateur Bass owns and operates Brian Bass' Bombastic and Bodacious Walleye Bistro. Since leaving baseball, Bass has used his trademark wildness to his favor, infusing delicious and bold spices into disgusting creatures that have been marinating in lake water and their own filth for their entire lives. It may surprise you, but this fish restaurant has a great meatball stew! Bass may have just one career MLB save, but he always saves the best for last at BBBBWB's with a delicious carrot cake that just dangles in front of the customer's taste buds, basically begging to be hit, I mean, eaten. Did the Twins give up too soon? It seems like it. Owning a restaurant requires a lot of time, perhaps indicating that the Twins and other teams had miscast Bass as a reliever. Had he been given a starter job, he may have used his skills to post an ERA lower than 5.18. In addition, his proclivity toward lean fish dishes could really help some of the more corpulent players on the roster (the fatties). Player - Jim Hoey Year with Twins - 2011 Current Age - 31 What is he up to? Math Teacher Now teaching math to 9th graders in New Jersey, Hoey uses his spare time to try to prove that 7.02 isn't a very high number at all. He's very generous with his students, handing out free passes to anyone who wants one. His height gives him great leverage and allows him to use every inch of the chalkboard. Lauded for his unpredictable style, his students report that they often have no idea where his math is going to go. Did the Twins give up too soon? Yes, and I can prove it using the Pythagorean theorem. With Hoey and his math skills in the fold, the Twins would be at the forefront of the now 10+-year-old sabermetric revolution. Plus, you don't know real pressure until you try to get a group of 14 and 15-year-olds to stop texting long enough to do just one freaking practice problem. Player - Luis Rivas Years with Twins - 2000-2005 Current Age - 34 (I know, it seems impossible, but he's just 34!) What is he up to? Real Estate Agent Ironically, Rivas is really great at making contact with potential buyers. His clients describe him as a having a "careful approach," an "attention to detail," and an "obscene unwillingness to make any mistakes." In addition, he's really fast so you could imagine him adding more sales as he matures. He just opened his own agency but some are worried that he may be too young for that responsibility. Time will tell. Did the Twins give up too soon? Obviously, yes. It took a long time, but Rivas owns his own business now! Who on the Twins owns their own business? Joe Mauer's brother? That doesn't count. His new real estate experience will help him actually find home plate from time to time too. If nothing else, he could help Aaron Hicks find a place in Rochester. Player - Rob Delaney Year with Twins - 2009 Current Age - 29 What is he up to? Abstract Artist Well, he's drawing and painting stuff. Honestly, it looks like a lot of colors but I can't really make heads or tails of it. I'm told it's really good, so I totally agree with that sentiment. If I had known that Delaney was so creative, I might have appreciated his one game with the Twins a bit more. He pitched that one game, popped up with Tampa Bay the following year for a gutsy and brave seven-walk in five innings performance and then disappeared into the art shadows. It was brilliant artistry. I think. Did the Twins give up too soon? You know, I'm not sure. I don't really understand art. One time, I thought some art was good and I later found out that the art was actually bad. It was really hard for me. If Delaney was on the active roster, he could always explain his performance as "artistic" and I'd pretty much have to take his word for it. I bet some of his teammates would be in the same boat. OH! Maybe we could get him to paint a picture of the whole team in a boat. An image like that could really tie the room together/unify the team. Player - Jeff Gray Year with Twins - 2012 Current Age - 32 What is he up to? Law Student Gray is currently studying law at Missouri State University. While he's early in his coursework and it really isn't going all that well, his advisors are confident that he will become a better law student as he gets older for "no particular reason whatsoever and based entirely on zero facts." The thick skin he grew while drawing the ire of every single Twins fan will help him as a law student as every single friend and family member will get immediately sick of the constant talk of law and law-related matters that all law students are legally required to engage in...at all times. Did the Twins give up too soon? It seems like it. His new knowledge will make it a lot easier to settle debates within the Clubhouse, keeping things loose. Who gets the corner locker? What type of non-walleye food to provide? Should everyone wear pants or should no one wear pants? Why not have Gray litigate? Plus, as an added bonus, Gray will create a unified sense of scorn as he explains the difference between libel and slander for the 500th time. Do you miss these former Twins? Do you wish just a couple were still around? Can you tell that I have a thing against law students? If you are a law student, I deeply apologize for this slander. As we can clearly see, these players could be providing value for the Twins right now. Instead, they are all off engaging in other pursuits. It's disappointing, but perhaps these five former Twins found their true callings. I'm happy for each of them. Except Jeff Gray.

Great post! I've been a fan since '87, so my foursome is more recent: Kirby, Frank Viola, Johan Santana and Joe Mauer.

It's actually quite easy to find worse 13-games stretches in Mauer's career. In fact, doing a really quick look at his game logs, I found a 13-game stretch where he hit .220/.264/.300. When was that? From July 5 to July 22 of 2009, his MVP season. Anyone can have a rough patch at any time. It's just easier to see at the beginning of a season. I think we've reached the point when it's useless to expect Joe Mauer to be anything more than or other than Joe Mauer. He's not going to fire up the troops, he's not going to swing 0-0 and he's not going to sacrifice contact for home runs. However, he will avoid outs at an elite level, he'll give the franchise a reliable form of quiet leadership and he'll challenge for batting titles nearly every year. I've written this before, but is it up to Joe Mauer to change who he is or for us to realize that our expectations aren't going to be met? Have you ever tried changing who you are? It's not easy.

OHHHHH man, the Madness has returned. Normally, a return of my madness would be concerning, but in this case, it's a good thing. Every Monday I'll recap the Twins' weekend series and throw in some silly stuff at the end for the kids. Come for the analysis, stay for some muted chuckles. Let's go! [B]Weekend Recap[/B] Hey cool, the Twins looked pretty good this weekend. After dropping two of three to a ratty White Sox team, they won two of three against a decent Cleveland team. How did it happen? Let's discuss. [B]Starting Pitching[/B] Twins starters managed just 14.1 innings against the Indians over the weekend. [B][URL="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/pelfrmi01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-"]Mike Pelfrey[/URL][/B] pitched well through five innings but got rocked by two home runs in the sixth. [B][URL="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/gibsoky01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-"]Kyle Gibson[/URL][/B] pitched well, earning the win, but he only made it through 5 innings. He walked four batters and needed 97 pitches to get through those five innings. [B][URL="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/n/nolasri01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-"]Ricky Nolasco[/URL][/B] was the worst of the three, getting staked to a 6-2 lead heading into the fourth. He gave up three in the bottom of the fourth and didn't return for the fifth. He needed 91 pitches to get through his four bad innings and he walked four batters as well. Twins starters walked 11 batters in those 14.1 innings against Cleveland, while striking out just 7. Not good. I fully expect the starting pitching to improve, but it's borderline shocking that the Twins are 3-3 when they've only received one good start ([B][URL="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/correke01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-"]Kevin Correia[/URL][/B] in game 2 of the season) and they lost that game. [B]Bullpen[/B] The short starts from the Twins' rotation lead to a lot of work from the Twins' bullpen. As a whole, they didn't perform well. [B][URL="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/duensbr01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-"]Brian Duensing[/URL][/B] was great on Saturday, [B][URL="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/burtoja01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-"]Jared Burton[/URL][/B] allowed runners but no runs and [B][URL="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/perkigl01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-"]Glen Perkins[/URL][/B] shut down Cleveland 1-2-3 in Sunday's game. However, [B][URL="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/f/fienca01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-"]Casey Fien[/URL][/B] got rocked on Friday and [B][URL="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/thielca01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-"]Caleb Thielbar[/URL][/B] wasn't much better. Perkins had a sloppy inning on Saturday in a non-save situation. [B][URL="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/swarzan01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-"]Anthony Swarzak[/URL][/B] gave up 5 hits in 1.1 innings on Sunday. His ERA sits at 20.25 after 2.2 innings this season. He did get the win on Sunday, so he must have done something right. I also expect the bullpen to be better. It makes you wonder if this team could actually be even better than they have looked so far. The pitching wasn't supposed to be their weakness. Of course, I have little to say about the offense because they played well. The Twins scored 19 runs in the Cleveland series after scoring 19 the White Sox series. In fact, the Twins lead the AL in runs scored. Of course, they also lead the AL in runs allowed. Their 0 run differential confirms their .500 record, right? Pythag! [B]The Gardy 1000[/B] Congratulations to Ron Gardenhire on his 1000th (and 1001st) career victory! Whether you think Gardenhire should be managing the Twins in 2014 or not, it's hard to not be happy for the Twins' long-time manager. He led our favorite team to six playoff appearances and who knows, maybe he's got a few more planned for the future. 1000 wins is no small feat, so way to go, Gardy! Here's to 1000 more. [B]Madness[/B] [B]Random Top 5 List - AL RBI Leaders[/B] [URL="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PxCKL4NHnA4/U0ILgB--u5I/AAAAAAAABWM/c83E3KCHqpM/s1600/colabelloleader.PNG"][IMG]http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PxCKL4NHnA4/U0ILgB--u5I/AAAAAAAABWM/c83E3KCHqpM/s1600/colabelloleader.PNG[/IMG][/URL] That looks pretty great, doesn't it? RBI is a passé stat, but it's still cool to see a Twins player at the top of the list. The choice to bring Colabello north was obviously the right choice. With injuries to [B][URL="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/arciaos01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-"]Oswaldo Arcia[/URL][/B] and [B][URL="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/willijo03.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-"]Josh Willingham[/URL][/B], I can't imagine Colabello gets a day off anytime soon. He earned his roster spot in spring training and now he's earning his spot in the lineup on an everyday basis. If he continues to hit, he'll stay in the lineup even longer. Could he top 100 RBI on the season? I think it's possible. [B]KWL - [B][URL="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bartlja01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-"]Jason Bartlett[/URL][/B] from the Twins fan perspective[/B] [URL="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NrW2cMHGfIY/U0ILtPFpK1I/AAAAAAAABWU/Pb3QowUjr0s/s1600/KWL+Bartlett.png"][IMG]http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NrW2cMHGfIY/U0ILtPFpK1I/AAAAAAAABWU/Pb3QowUjr0s/s1600/KWL+Bartlett.png[/IMG][/URL] [B]Question from a reader - [/B][B]Glen Perkins had a shaky spring, and hasn't been terribly sharp thus far in the young season. How concerned are you about this? - [URL="https://twitter.com/whitebear1883"]@whitebear1883[/URL] on Twitter[/B] I'm not very worried. This question was sent to me prior to the Sunday game and Perkins' performance in that game certainly put any worries I may have had to rest. All great relievers go through rough patches and Perkins will be no different. It would be great if he got the bad stuff out of the way and could just dominate from now until the end of the year. He's talented enough to do it. From what I've watched so far, his stuff still looks great and his velocity seems to be intact. I'll guess that he's sporting a sick 2.00ish ERA by June. [B]Former Twin Update - [B][URL="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/sloweke01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-"]Kevin Slowey[/URL][/B][/B] Hearken back to 2011; I'm going to tell you a tale... Are you in '11 mode yet? [I]Ok, Kevin Slowey will still be an effective MLB pitcher and [B][URL="http://www.baseball-reference.com/player_search.cgi?results=bakersc02,bakersc01&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-"]Scott Baker[/URL][/B] and Nick Blackburn will both essentially be jobless. Yep, the same Kevin Slowey who apparently bit the heads off of parakeets while pitching for the Twins. He's on the Marlins. Yes, they're still a team. I promise they are. Why would I lie? Yes, there is a giant colorful statue in the bleachers. [/I] Slowey made the team as a starter in 2013 but will work as the swingman in 2014. He's off to a good start too. Ok, he's only pitched in one game, but he did go four innings, giving up just three hits and no runs, while striking out five and walking two. For a guy who couldn't get loose in the Twins' bullpen, he's been pretty good in relief with the Marlins over the past two seasons. Maybe he just didn't like the trees at Target Field. [B]New Poll[/B] I get a little repetitive at times. I harp on things. I have my pet causes. I put up a new poll at [URL="http://smartpitcher.blogspot.com"][B]my blog[/B][/URL] to try to get out in front of my own repetition. Please vote in the poll that sits below Kevin Slowey's face as a baseball. It's important to democracy. [B]Link to Something I wrote - Mailbag[/B] I'm shameless when it comes to promoting things I've written in the past. Why, just recently I've promoted [B][URL="http://smartpitcher.blogspot.com/2014/03/inside-target-field-promotions-meeting.html"]my newest screenplay[/URL][/B], [B][URL="http://smartpitcher.blogspot.com/2014/03/remaking-and-analyzing-twins-1991.html"]an analysis of the 1991 Twins dancing video[/URL][/B] and [B][URL="http://smartpitcher.blogspot.com/p/14-to-watch-in-14.html"]some player profiles I wrote[/URL][/B] throughout the winter. Now, I'm not here to promote those items, I'm here to promote the fake mailbag I wrote last Friday. I answered some truly insightful questions and I think you just might enjoy it. [B][URL="http://smartpitcher.blogspot.com/2014/04/its-first-friday-of-month-so-its-time.html"]Here you go. [/URL][/B] [B]Parting Haiku[/B] Twins are .500 But it is a long season Still a happy fan Have a great week, everyone! [I]Originally posted at [/I][URL="https://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=A0LEVxQurEJTg0oA0y.l87UF;_ylc=X1MDOTU4MTA0NjkEX3IDMgRiY2sDNm1yNXNwdDduY3N0MyUyNmIlM0Q0JTI2ZCUzRHVuMmtpUDlwWUVMbnU0aXNpRmJKeFEtLSUyNnMlM0RnZCUyNmklM0Q2dlJMMDBVWnV1N2s1czlNbF9kYgRmcgNhbHRhdmlzdGEEZ3ByaWQDUHcxYk00QmJULkNaRkpSYXZWTFQuQQRtdGVzdGlkA251bGwEbl9yc2x0AzAEbl9zdWdnAzEEb3JpZ2luA3NlYXJjaC55YWhvby5jb20EcG9zAzAEcHFzdHIDBHBxc3RybAMEcXN0cmwDMjMEcXVlcnkDa2V2aW4gc2xvd2V5IHdhcyBmcmFtZWQEdF9zdG1wAzEzOTY4NzgzODY2MjUEdnRlc3RpZANudWxs?gprid=Pw1bM4BbT.CZFJRavVLT.A&pvid=u1G75jk4LjFrbLzPT3ZzowRqNjcuNFNCrC7_tJl4&p=kevin+slowey+was+framed&fr=altavista&fr2=sfp&iscqry="][I]Kevin Slowey was Framed![/I][/URL] View full article

Originally posted at Kevin Slowey was Framed! OHHHHH man, the Madness has returned. Normally, a return of my madness would be concerning, but in this case, it's a good thing. Every Monday I'll recap the Twins' weekend series and throw in some silly stuff at the end for the kids. Come for the analysis, stay for some muted chuckles. Let's go! Weekend Recap Hey cool, the Twins looked pretty good this weekend. After dropping two of three to a ratty White Sox team, they won two of three against a decent Cleveland team. How did it happen? Let's discuss. Starting Pitching Twins starters managed just 14.1 innings against the Indians over the weekend. Mike Pelfrey pitched well through five innings but got rocked by two home runs in the sixth. Kyle Gibson pitched well, earning the win, but he only made it through 5 innings. He walked four batters and needed 97 pitches to get through those five innings. Ricky Nolasco was the worst of the three, getting staked to a 6-2 lead heading into the fourth. He gave up three in the bottom of the fourth and didn't return for the fifth. He needed 91 pitches to get through his four bad innings and he walked four batters as well. Twins starters walked 11 batters in those 14.1 innings against Cleveland, while striking out just 7. Not good. I fully expect the starting pitching to improve, but it's borderline shocking that the Twins are 3-3 when they've only received one good start (Kevin Correia in game 2 of the season) and they lost that game. Bullpen The short starts from the Twins' rotation lead to a lot of work from the Twins' bullpen. As a whole, they didn't perform well. Brian Duensing was great on Saturday, Jared Burton allowed runners but no runs and Glen Perkins shut down Cleveland 1-2-3 in Sunday's game. However, Casey Fien got rocked on Friday and Caleb Thielbar wasn't much better. Perkins had a sloppy inning on Saturday in a non-save situation. Anthony Swarzak gave up 5 hits in 1.1 innings on Sunday. His ERA sits at 20.25 after 2.2 innings this season. He did get the win on Sunday, so he must have done something right. I also expect the bullpen to be better. It makes you wonder if this team could actually be even better than they have looked so far. The pitching wasn't supposed to be their weakness. Of course, I have little to say about the offense because they played well. The Twins scored 19 runs in the Cleveland series after scoring 19 the White Sox series. In fact, the Twins lead the AL in runs scored. Of course, they also lead the AL in runs allowed. Their 0 run differential confirms their .500 record, right? Pythag! The Gardy 1000 Congratulations to Ron Gardenhire on his 1000th (and 1001st) career victory! Whether you think Gardenhire should be managing the Twins in 2014 or not, it's hard to not be happy for the Twins' long-time manager. He led our favorite team to six playoff appearances and who knows, maybe he's got a few more planned for the future. 1000 wins is no small feat, so way to go, Gardy! Here's to 1000 more. Madness Random Top 5 List - AL RBI Leaders http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PxCKL4NHnA4/U0ILgB--u5I/AAAAAAAABWM/c83E3KCHqpM/s1600/colabelloleader.PNG That looks pretty great, doesn't it? RBI is a passé stat, but it's still cool to see a Twins player at the top of the list. The choice to bring Colabello North was obviously the right choice. With injuries to Oswaldo Arcia and Josh Willingham, I can't imagine that Colabello gets a day off anytime soon. He earned his roster spot in Spring and now he's earning his spot in the lineup on an everyday basis. If he continues to hit, he'll stay in the lineup even longer. Could he top 100 RBI on the season? I think it's possible. KWL - Jason Bartlett from the Twins fan perspective http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NrW2cMHGfIY/U0ILtPFpK1I/AAAAAAAABWU/Pb3QowUjr0s/s1600/KWL+Bartlett.png Question from a reader - Glen Perkins had a shaky Spring, and hasn't been terribly sharp thus far in the young season. How concerned are you about this? - @whitebear1883 on Twitter I'm not very worried. This question was sent to me prior to the Sunday game and Perkins' performance in that game certainly put any worries I may have had to ease. All great relievers go through rough patches and Perkins will be no different. It would be great if he got the bad stuff out of the way and could just dominate from now until the end of the year. He's talented enough to do it. From what I've watched so far, his stuff still looks great and his velocity seems to be intact. I'll guess that he's sporting a sick 2.00ish ERA by June. Former Twin Update - Kevin Slowey Hearken back to 2011; I'm going to tell you a tale... Are you in '11 mode yet? Ok, Kevin Slowey will still be an effective MLB pitcher and Scott Baker and Nick Blackburn will both essentially be jobless. Yep, the same Kevin Slowey who apparently bit the heads off of parakeets while pitching for the Twins. He's on the Marlins. Yes, they're still a team. I promise they are. Why would I lie? Yes, there is a giant colorful statue in the bleachers. Slowey made the team as a starter in 2013 but will work as the swingman in 2014. He's off to a good start too. Ok, he's only pitched in one game, but he did go four innings, giving up just three hits and no runs, while striking out five and walking two. For a guy who couldn't get loose in the Twins' bullpen, he's been pretty good in relief with the Marlins over the past two seasons. Maybe he just didn't like the trees at Target Field. New Poll I get a little repetitive at times. I harp on things. I have my pet causes. I put up a new poll at my blog to try to get out in front of my own repetition. Please vote in the poll that sits below Kevin Slowey's face as a baseball. It's important to democracy. Link to Something I wrote - Mailbag I'm shameless when it comes to promoting things I've written in the past. Why, just recently I've promoted my newest screenplay, an analysis of the 1991 Twins dancing video and some player profiles I wrote throughout the Winter. Now, I'm not here to promote those items, I'm here to promote the fake mailbag I wrote last Friday. I answered some truly insightful questions and I think you just might enjoy it. Here you go. Parting Haiku Twins are .500 But it is a long season Still a happy fan Have a great week, everyone!

Holy crap, we're on the same wavelength. I originally had Blalock in the Francoeur spot, but I couldn't resist ripping Frenchy. Blalock was out of baseball by 30. How odd.

Prediction 12 - Jason Bartlett will destroy us all.

When I was originally thinking of 2014 predictions, I thought Sano would hit more home runs than Willingham. Colabello is a much bolder choice and I do believe in the prediction. But yes, having Sano on the team would have made my outlook even rosier.

Originally posted at Kevin Slowey was Framed! Prior to the 2013 season, I made ten Minnesota Twins predictions. Of those ten, I nailed six. Honestly, that's a pretty good success rate. However, two of the ten that I missed, I missed badly. Here's a very quick recap on my predictions from last year: Good: Justin Morneau will be traded. Josh Willingham will not be traded. Rich Harden will not be good. Joe Mauer will not win the AL batting title. Oswaldo Arcia, Aaron Hicks and Kyle Gibson will make their MLB debuts. Trevor May, Eddie Rosario and Alex Meyer will not make their MLB debuts (all correct, long live the King). Not quite: Joe Mauer will win the OBP crown (he finished third). Bad: Kevin Correia will be bad (he was not bad). Bad and slow-working: Mike Pelfrey will be good (he was not good). The "Vance Worley of predictions": Vance Worley will be good (he was...ugh). So, 6 of 10, but the Worley debacle takes a billion points from my slate, leaving me with nearly negative one billion prediction points. Can I do better in 2014? I'm turning the volume to 11 with 11 Twins predictions, each one more bombastic and brash than the next. I'll start with the easy ones and move to the tough calls. Let's roll: Prediction #1 - Sam Deduno will be voted King of Minnesota This could be tricky because Minnesota is part of a sovereign nation and a democratic nation at that. If one man on the Twins can win the hearts of the fans and earn the right to rule over the masses, it is clearly Magic Sam. Prediction #2 - Kevin Correia will be traded by the end of the season The Twins actually have five competent starters right now. It's shocking, I know. If you count King Magic Sam, you get to six. Kyle Gibson needs to be on the active roster for most of this season and Alex Meyer is lurking (see prediction #4). The Twins will need to open up a rotation spot at some point and Correia is in the final year of his contract. Correia was 5,000 times better than I thought he would be, but if the Twins can flip him for a younger piece while opening a spot in the rotation, they'll wisely make that move. Prediction #3 - Eddie Rosario and Trevor May will not make their MLB debuts I don't think May will do enough at AAA to earn a spot, especially with a better and more talented prospect in Alex Meyer (see prediction #4 again) ahead of him on the depth chart. Kris Johnson, Brooks Raley, Sean Gilmartin and Logan Darnell could all be used in a spot start as well. There are too many guys ahead of him. Rosario is an obvious call, as he will miss the first two months and then need time to continue his transition to second base. Prediction #4 - Bryon Buxton, Alex Meyer and Danny Santana will make their MLB debuts These three seem to have relatively clear paths to the Majors. Santana has actual upside, making him an attractive candidate for when Pedro Florimon is hitting .210 in June. Meyer could easily replace Correia when he gets traded. Buxton is just too exciting to keep the Minors for a full season. I envision Buxton getting a September call-up and never going back to the Minors. Prediction #5 - Pedro Florimon out, Eduardo Escobar in Do you like predictions that contradict each other? When Pedro Florimon is hitting .210 in June, I actually think Eduardo Escobar will get the first crack at the shortstop job. However, even though everyone in the World seems to love Escobar, he'll get replaced shortly thereafter. It will be kind of like when Yokozuna beat Bret Hart at Wrestlemania 9, but Hulk Hogan just came in after the match and beat Yokozuna for the title. The diminutive Escobar is the 500-lb Yokozuna in this analogy. Escobar won't get a long leash and he'll relinquish the job to the more promising Santana. I'll lose my mind before eventually admitting that it's the right move. Prediction #6 - Josmil Pinto will replace Kurt Suzuki as the full-time catcher by June Two major reasons. Kurt Suzuki is the same guy who has hit .235/.290/.353 since 2011, his age 27, 28 and 29 seasons. Josmil Pinto is going to hit extremely well in his part-time role. The combination of those two reasons will be too much for the Twins' brass to ignore. When the offense is sputtering as we all expect in June, the allure of better offense from an exciting, young player will be impossible to deny. Pinto will replace Suzuki because he's better and it won't take long to figure that out (some may have already figured that out). Prediction #7 - Phil Hughes will be better than Ricky Nolasco Upside, baby! Nolasco is going to be who he is. He'll throw around 200 innings, post an ERA around 4 and generally be worth his $12 million. Hughes is going to be better than his $8 million. I've explored all the avenues and come to the conclusion that Hughes has been really unlucky in his career. He's been a better pitcher away from Yankee Stadium, but only because he's surrendered fewer home runs. His fielding-independent stats were actually a bit better at home, but all the home runs really ruined his work. The shift from a short porch in right to a park that suppresses home runs will go a long way for Hughes and a long way for the Twins. When you also consider his age and the relative lack of innings on his arm, his upside is a 200-inning, 3.50 ERA pitcher and that would be better than steady Ricky Nolasco. Going a step further, I think Hughes gets an even bigger boost in 2015 when Byron Buxton and Aaron Hicks combine to catch all of the fly balls. Of course, that's a prediction for next season, isn't it? Prediction #8 - Oswaldo Arcia will finish the season with 55+ extra-base hits I'm all-in on Arcia in 2014. I've predicted him as my AL breakout player and I think he's going to become the Twins' second-best hitter by season's end. Now, that's like being the second-best something at a something convention, but it's still something. Right? I envision about 30-35 doubles and 20-25 home runs. Too many? He was on pace for 26 doubles and 22 home runs as a 22-year-old rookie last year (had he played 150 games instead of 97). It seems conceivable that he will get better in his second season and play a lot more games. Not impressed with 55 extra-base hits? Here's a list of players 23 or younger who have accomplished that feat in the last ten years: The List! Lots of great players on that list and Jeff Francoeur. It works out to just fewer than five instances per year. It will be impressive when Arcia joins that group in 2014. Prediction #9 - Joe Mauer will win his 4th batting title Mauer! Mauer! MAUER! With the tools of ignorance no longer in his possession, Mauer will be freed up to prey on the ignorance of opposing pitchers. They'll scoff when "Old Man Mauer" struts to the plate. They won't be scoffing when their caps are knocked clean off their heads by repeated line drives up the middle. I predict that Mauer will get into prolonged "grooves" that will no longer be squelched by day games after night games or "general soreness." Now, Mauer will be able to find his swing and keep it going every day. This will lead to hitting streaks, 5-5 evenings and a batting title at the end of the season. This ignores the fact that there is research that I refuse to cite that proves that catchers do not hit better when they move to a new position. Joe Mauer transcends science, research, stats, nerds, Nerds, and my inability to quickly find something on Google. Prediction #10 - Chris Colabello will hit more home runs for the Twins than Josh Willingham Yeah, that's right, I'm going bold! I actually think Willingham will bounce back to an extent, but I don't think he gets through the year on the Twins, at least not as a successful player. If he does find his power stroke, he becomes trade bait. If he doesn't find his power stroke, he won't hit home runs. It's simple as that. Colabello has been one of the Twins' best hitters during Spring Training and he earned a spot on the team last summer with a great AAA season. Jason Kubel has been disappointing this Spring (if you expected anything from him) and I can see no reason to believe that he'll be able to keep his roster spot for the entire season. That leaves Colabello as the Twins' DH and I think he'll hit 20-25 home runs, more than Willingham will have time to hit in his 4-5 months on the team. I don't even care if Colabello is sent to AAA to start the season (he still hasn't technically made the team). He'll force his way onto the MLB roster just like he did last season. He's really big. Like, strong big. Prediction #11 - The Twins will win at least 75 games EVEN BOLDER! A nine-win improvement would seem like a bounty of wins for this win-deprived fan base. However, I think the Twins have done enough with their rotation and have enough young players on the upswing to see this kind of improvement in 2014. 75 wins is still probably good for 4th in the Central and the Twins still have more building to do in order to get to an actual exciting win total in the future, but a nine-win improvement is a step in the right direction. My butt is officially on the line! You're out of order! What do you think of my predictions? I'm going big this year, no holding back. What do you predict for 2014? Are you and I on the same wavelength, or do you see things differently? I have some lemon juice in my eye, so please keep that in mind. See you in the regular season! If you looooooove predictions, do I have a treat for you. I predicted award winners and league champions, free of charge! Here's the National League and the American League, for the lovers. If you hate predictions, why not read my latest screenplay? Or read about my obsession with a 23-year-old dancing video? If you wrote those things, I'd read them. If you wrote those things, we'd be sharing a brain. Think about it. Take care.

It's weird to find so many holes (or potential holes) in a three-time defending division champion, but there they are. I agree with your assessment on Verlander. He didn't look as dominant last year and his numbers validate that statement.

Content originally posted at Kevin Slowey was Framed! I wrote a preview for each AL Central team this week. The Tigers preview appears in full below this section. If you are interested in the other four teams, just click on the team name below: 1. Tigers 2. Royals 3. Indians 4. Twins 5. White Sox That's how I think the teams will finish as well. You can read why if you'd like. Here's my Tigers preview: The Tigers have won three consecutive AL Central titles and look like the heavy favorites to win their 4th in a row. They have the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner in Max Scherzer. They have the reigning AL MVP and current best hitter in the World in Miguel Cabrera. They have one of the best starters of this generation in Justin Verlander. They have a potent offense, a loaded rotation and a respected front office. However, they have a new manager with an aging roster and they made some questionable moves in the offseason. Some visible cracks are starting to appear. Are they good enough to hold off the rest of the division for at least one more year? Key Acquisitions Ian Kinsler, Robbie Ray and Joe Nathan "Key" Acquisitions Ronny Paulino, Duane Below, Rajai Davis, and Joba Chamberlain Notable Losses Joaquin Benoit, Octavio Dotel, Omar Infante, Brayan Pena, Jhonny Peralta, Darin Downs, Jose Veras, Prince Fielder and Doug Fister My favorite offseason move? I guess it was the Kinsler trade. They had to make room for Nick Castellanos and moving him to the outfield would take away one of his biggest assets, his defense at third base. Thus, someone had to move and Fielder was the guy. They saved a bunch of money too. More importantly, are they better than last year? I don't think they are. They barely won the division last year and I think they got worse. They traded Doug Fister for players who won't really help in 2014 and they replaced an elite closer with another elite closer, but one who is approaching 40. There's a path to an 81-win season for this team, although I don't think that will happen. Awesome Name from the Organization Warwick Saupold Former Twin Alert! Torii Hunter and Joe Nathan, combined age = 77. Depth Chart [TABLE=class: grid, width: 500] C Alex Avila SP1 Justin Verlander 1B Miguel Cabrera SP2 Max Scherzer 2B Ian Kinsler SP3 Anibal Sanchez 3B Nick Castellanos SP4 Rick Porcello SS Eugenio Suarez SP5 Drew Smyly LF Don Kelly SU Joba Chamberlain CF Austin Jackson SU Bruce Rondon RF Torii Hunter CL Joe Nathan DH Victor Martinez [/TD][TD] [/TABLE] Lineup The Tigers have an excellent lineup. Baseball Prospectus' PECOTA projections has their lineup projected for the fourth most runs in the American League. Fourth, huh? I would have thought higher without looking. Pecota has the Tigers projected for roughly 50 more runs scored than the Twins, which seems really low. The Tigers scored 182 more runs than the Twins in 2013. It doesn't really add up. Then, I look at their lineup and I can see why BP would be just a bit skeptical. Prince Fielder is gone. Ian Kinsler may be a better overall player due to speed, body type, position and defense, but he can't hit like Fielder. Jhonny Peralta is gone, replaced initially by Jose Iglesias and now potentially with Eugenio Suarez. Those two may field better than Peralta but they aren't in his neighborhood on offense. Nick Castellanos is a rookie. Torii Hunter is 38, Victor Martinez is 35 and even Miguel Cabrera is 31. It's possible that their lineup is significantly worse than last year as three of their five best hitters are on different teams. Defense The Tigers are clearly putting more emphasis on defense. They traded Prince Fielder to open first base for Miguel Cabrera. That helps their defense. They plan to use Nick Castellanos at third. That helps their defense. They had intended to use Jose Iglesias and his weak bat at short. That would have helped their defense but he has major shin splints and will miss a bunch of time. Now, an unproven rookie with good, but not great defensive skills will play short. Ian Kinsler is just ok. Torii Hunter is a shell of his former defensive self. Austin Jackson and Alex Avila do a fine job, but they aren't plusses. They addressed their defense, but bad luck and older players may undermine everything. Rotation There is no way to spin the Tigers' rotation in a negative direction, right? They have the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner (Max Scherzer), another worthy candidate from 2013 (Anibal Sanchez) and one of the best starters from the past decade (Justin Verlander). However, they did trade away a fourth good starter (Doug Fister) to free up money to spend on a closer (more on that later). Drew Smyly will slide into the rotation in 2013. He's just 25 and has great promise as a left-handed starter. However, he wasn't great in that role in 2012 and he was great as a reliever in 2013. He'll also have to build arm strength as he only threw 76 innings in 2013. Rick Porcello rounds out the rotation and he's a statistical darling who hasn't put it all together just yet. He's an elite ground ball pitcher with a good strikeout rate and a better walk rate. That said, his career ERA is 4.51. He should be better than that, but he hasn't been. Can he be relied upon to finally break out in 2014? Fister had a 115 ERA+ in 2013. I doubt that Porcello or Smyly achieve that number, which means the rotation could be worse than last year. This does not even address the fact that both Scherzer and Sanchez pitched better than they ever had before in 2013. Will they be able to match their career-best seasons in 2014? Oh, and Justin Verlander's strikeout rate has dropped in each of the past three seasons, while his walk rate has increased. Bullpen The Tigers replaced Joaquin Benoit with Joe Nathan. Nathan is four years older, $5 million more expensive and equally productive. Nathan does have a lot more career saves though. Nothing against Nathan, but the perception was that the Tigers traded Fister to free up money to sign Nathan. If that's true, it's a downgrade when you consider everything involved. Bruce Rondon is sitting there, ready to take over as closer. If given the opportunity, he could be at least 80% of Nathan at 5% of the cost. Rondon and Fister or Nathan and Smyly? Which pair would you rather have? Now consider that the bullpen was weakened with Smyly's move to the rotation. And, that move might not even work. I would try it too, as a 4th starter is more valuable to me than a set-up man, but it's not without risk. The rest of the bullpen is shaky. Phil Coke is a character. Al Alburquerque can be dominant, but he can walk the universe too. The Tigers did sign Joba Chamberlain and he's never been mysterious or inconsistent. Nathan and Rondon are good, so the bullpen can be solid. The cost of building that solid bullpen might have been too high though. World Series aspirations? They have them, but I don't see it. I think Boston is better. I think Tampa Bay is better. I think Oakland is better. I think Kansas City might be better. That said, if everything clicks, they could easily compete for the World Series in 2014. Their top three starters are as good as any top three in the Majors and Miguel Cabrera is still in his prime. Can the Twins finish ahead of them? It would be very unlikely and require a massive collapse from the Tigers' older players. The Twins can't match up with the Tigers, especially in the rotation, where the Tigers have a massive and almost unfair advantage (from the perspective of a whiny Twins fan). Even if things fall apart for the Tigers in 2014, it would be more relative to their expectations and I doubt they would collapse to the point of a losing season. Projected AL Central finish - 1st My head still puts the Tigers at the top of the division. I hold no ill-will toward the Tigers. I watched them lose 119 games in 2003 and their fans deserve some success after such a pathetic stretch of seasons. There's just something about this team that I don't like. In past years, it has been their defense. While they have addressed their defense, they've mostly gone from bad to not bad and I'm not sure that's enough. Their offense is slightly worse and their rotation isn't the lock that it appears to be. Their bullpen is just fine and they don't have a lot in the system to fill needs as they arise. The Royals are a legitimate threat to the Tigers in 2014 and Father Time is a legitimate threat to the Tigers in 2015 and going forward.

Originally posted at Kevin Slowey was Framed! My wife is a colorful character. Seriously, here is a picture of her: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-noPQ18WsoV4/UxkqHGlBFwI/AAAAAAAABSQ/oyQLjr2n_l4/s1600/dora_the_explorer_31709-200x316.jpg No, wait, that's Dora the Explorer. My wife does have a lot of pizazz and a curious nature though. Why not put her inquisitive nature to good use? I thought, "hey, I can get a blog post out of this." If nothing else, this will be give you wonderful insight into her thoughts/our marriage/my transcription skills. These are real questions, I assure you. By the way, I asked for questions related to the new season and I have no clue what she will ask as of the time I am typing this sentence. Q: Who is going to have a baby during the season? Like a player or just anyone in the World? If anyone in the World, I'll say lots of people. If you're referring to a current Twins player, let me do a crude Google search really quick. Nothing. Well shoot. It won't be Joe Mauer as his wife just had twins and I'm sure they are cool for now. Wait, I have another Google idea. IS JOE MAUER THE ONLY PLAYER ON THE TWINS? Google is failing me. I'll just throw a dart and say Kyle Gibson. He's like 26, so sure. Note - Gibson's wife literally just had a baby earlier this week. This proves two things - 1. I don't Google well. 2. I don't pay attention to anything. Q: Ok, this one requires a link. The link. My question is are you kidding me, the food in the stadium isn't that great... So, I guess the question is are you kidding me? And my answer is no, I'm not kidding you. However, I completely agree with you. The notion that Target Field has this amazing cuisine is a very overrated notion. Most of the food at Target Field is pretty mediocre. I much prefer a Dome Dog to whatever hog parts are in the hot dogs at Target Field. Some of the specialty food is good, but it's not good enough to justify a food truck. Plus, how are Minnie and Paul going to make delicious food with just a spatula and some mustard. I don't buy it. Q: Who's on 'roids? You are obsessed with steroids. You think that everyone is on "'roids." If I put on any weight at all, I'd guess you'd think I was on steroids too. I don't think any Twins player is on steroids because the testing has gotten a lot better. If someone on the Twins is doing steroids, they're doing them wrong. Q: Will the Twins be any good (like any) this year? Wait, why is the "like any" part necessary. You're going to tune me out before I finish answering this, but we'll see how far we can get. Yes, I do think the Twins will be "any" good this year. I think their rotation is better and they have guys who will throw enough innings to keep the AAA guys out of the rotation. I think that moving Mauer to first is better for his health and should help him hit well in more games. You're bored. I can tell. You're texting. A lot of the young guys will get better and as they get better the team will get better. Some guys won't get better, but those guys are replaceable because the Twins have a lot of young talent ready to take spots from guys who aren't cutting it. Ok, I lost you. I suppose he does look a little like my brother. I have no idea, maybe sixty? Follow-up statement - I don't want to wait for talent to develop. I'm all about the here and now. Q: Will the interviews with "street people" in Dick and Bert's box still be as awkward? This might need a slight amount of explanation, but we joke about this a lot at home. You know when Dick and Bert have some family or fans in the booth with them and they just sit there awkwardly while Dick and Bert ask them questions? Well, those fans are never mic'd, so you can't really hear their answers. You basically get a one-way conversation that wouldn't be interesting if you actually could hear both ends. Role play! Dick: So, I see you brought a sign to cheer for Kevin Correia. Fan: (Unintelligible, not on mic) Dick: Well, he's not that big. Bert: F*** End scene. So yes, those interviews will continue to be awkward and it's not the fans' fault. Q: Mauer at first, your thoughts? I addressed this earlier, but you weren't listening. I still like it a half hour later. I think that Mauer is too valuable to the lineup to be on the bench for 30-35 games. With his concussion problems, removing some of the risk of another concussion just makes sense to me. He could still get a concussion at first, but it's less likely. I don't expect a power surge or anything like that, but I do think that Mauer will be as steady, consistent and productive as he has always been. Now, he'll just play more games. Q: Why does the website (note - not sure which website this refers to) list players' DOB instead of age? Um, I don't know. Maybe they trust your math skills? Q: Who will be my new BF now that JM is gone? I'll translate - BF is boyfriend and JM is Justin Morneau. You loved Morneau even though he had that weird forehead. (she nods) Well, we certainly have different taste in men. The only way to do this properly is for me to show you the pictures of the guys I think you might find attractive. Here are a few: Chris Herrmann? - I feel like you tried to talk me into him before and it's not working. Brian Dozier? - No. (no additional information provided) Alex Presley? - Too much facial hair. It's a shame, I had heard that some found Presley attractive. Plus, he was traded for JM, so it would have made for great symmetry. Oh well, I guess we'll all just have to stay tuned to this blog to find out who she chooses. It's like the Bachelor, except I've never seen that show. Q: Another link, this one with a video. The link. Why does "the U" trump the Twins? So you're upset that the Twins are using a University of Minnesota moving truck? It's just weird that the pro team is using a college truck. You don't think that's weird at all? Do you think the Twins should have their own trucks? Well, it just seems weird. Like, they can't afford it? If we moved, we might borrow a truck even though we could afford to buy one. Let's move on. Final Q: Walk-up songs. What will they be? Which will you like? What would your song be? That's an excellent question to end with. In my experience, professional athletes have terrible taste in music. They love a lot of radio rock and hip hop and I don't listen to any of that. I did like Trevor Plouffe's "When the Levee Breaks" last year, but I heard he is changing that. He's a Pearl Jam fan, so maybe he'll pick one of their songs and I would respect that. That means I would like about 1 of 15 walk-up songs. Ooh, I also liked Ryan Doumit's Danzig song, so maybe 2 of 15. As for what I would use, that really depends which avenue I want to go down. I could pick a song I really like or a song that pumps me up, or both. If that's the case, I'm walking up to "Quick and to the Pointless" by Queens of the Stone Age. I'd really drag out my pre-at bat routine to hear the whole song. The other route would be to walk up to something silly. A bunch of players walked up to "Call Me Maybe" and songs like those, but that's kind of tired. If you're going the silly route, you have to be original. So, I would walk up to me singing "Love is in the Air." If you get that last reference, you can be my friend. And that's the end of this experiment. We had a lot of fun with this, but some of the best moments didn't translate to the page very well. For that reason, we're going to start a podcast, even if we only record it just once. Keep an eye out for that. For now, have a great weekend!

Originally posted at Ligaments are stupid. The 12 people who follow me on Twitter already know that I feel this way. It's childish perhaps and it certainly ignores their important function in the human body, but I don't care; ligaments suck. A report came out this morning that super prospect and ultimate swagger-haver Miguel Sano needs Tommy John surgery, a surgery performed to replace the ulnar collateral ligament in an elbow. In this case, it's the right elbow of one of the more exciting prospects in recent Twins history. As I said, ligaments are stupid. Why can't they just be cool and stop fraying and ripping and tearing? For Sano, this means that he will almost certainly miss the entire season, a season that many felt would include his MLB debut. I had just written about Sano on Thursday and I listed him as the Twins' 5th most important player in 2014. I felt this way because of his massive power potential and the fact that he was nearly MLB-ready. Well, number 5 went down before the second Spring Training game. We're off to a great start in 2014, Twins fans! By the way, you can still read that post. Just replace all the 2014s with 2015s and add a sentence about Tommy John recovery. It's basically all the same, as this surgery shouldn't change anything I wrote, just his timeline. You'll be fine. Eat some breakfast, it's early. Wallowing aside, this isn't a huge deal in the long run. Sano will be just 21 in May and will resume his career just one year later. This shouldn't affect his power, it shouldn't affect his ability to hit and it shouldn't even affect his arm, should he make a full recovery. Basically, the Twins lose Sano for a year and Twins' fans lose what could have been one of the biggest events of the Twins' 2014 season - Sano's MLB debut. In some ways, the Twins were lucky with the timing, since Sano will miss this season prior to being added to the active roster. Basically, they will get to keep his entire pre-free agency career, instead of losing a full season of team control (Francisco Liriano, for example). In addition, they found out early in the season and Sano can have his surgery soon and be ready in time for Spring Training in 2015. There's also no reason to believe that the Twins can't rely on Sano for 2015 in the same way they had planned for 2014. Although it does put in doubt his ability to make the 2015 Opening Day roster, seemingly a lock prior to this surgery. Of course, if he had surgery back in November, he'd be four months into recovery... Therefore, I'm sure we'll see a lot of smarmy quotes about the Twins' medical staff and how inept they are. I have to say, I can't blame them in this instance. This whole elbow fracas started in November, when Sano was shut down while playing in the Arizona Fall League. At that time, he was diagnosed with just an elbow strain and that diagnosis was confirmed by renowned surgeon Dr. James Andrews. If Dr. Andrews doesn't suggest surgery, you know that a guy doesn't need surgery. You could be shopping at the same mall as Dr. Andrews, turn your back for just one second, and BANG, your ACL has been repaired. I've seen it a hundred times. Then, Mike Berardino reported in January that Sano was confident that he didn't need surgery. Sano said that his elbow felt pretty good and that he was throwing again. There was no reason to sound the alarm. Well, January optimism has officially given way to February and March sadness. Sano barely started Spring Training before being shut down with elbow soreness. He had an MRI yesterday and today he's gone for a year. Although, if he recovers quickly, he might be able to play some Winter ball. Who knows at this point, it all depends on how his surgery and recovery goes. Yesterday, I preached overreaction. Today, I want everyone to chill. Sano will miss all of 2014 and that's a huge bummer. However, he's still the same prospect he was earlier this week and he should resume what could be a monster career in fewer than 365 days. That's just a shade over 31 million seconds, so start counting if that makes you feel better! You can complain about the Twins' medical staff, but I don't think they can save a ligament that is hell-bent on tearing. You can be upset that the Twins season is ruined, but that's just not true. Basically, Sano will be out of our lives for a year, but then he'll be back, just as smiley and promising as before (with a shiny replacement ligament that we can name and use as a mascot, if we want to). Ligaments suck, but what can you do? I hope that Sano's surgery and recovery go well and that he'll be ready to hit some dingers in 2015.