Brad Swanson

He hit .287/.394/.434 as a lefty in 2012. I think this is a great decision right now because it was his decision. Hicks has the talent to make it work.

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!

Honestly, those cards should be illegal. Plus, this one says "Major League Prospect" which makes no sense. Both guys together? Who's the top half? Do we combine their names? Robiburk? Sounds like a robot to me. Criminal.

I think it May be time to replace Correia too.

You can view the page at http://twinsdaily.com/content.php/2991-Monday-Morning-Madness-May-19-2014

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.

Honestly, you might want to get a third too.

You can view the page at http://twinsdaily.com/content.php/2896-5-Players-the-Twins-gave-up-on-waaaaaaay-too-early

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.

If I had more time, I'd look to see which players shared Hicks's pedigree (1st round pick, top 100 prospect, etc) because I think that pedigree still works in his favor, at least for a couple more seasons. Most of the guys on that list are not former high-round picks, I would guess. As for power, Hicks did slug .460 as a 22-year-old in AA in 2012. That's not superstar power, but it's really good for a would-be CF. His isolated power in a truly disappointing rookie season still ranked 149 out of 276 MLB players with 300 or more PAs. Again, not great, but power was actually one of the few things that I thought wasn't a complete negative for Hicks in 2013.

I can't compare the first 340 PAs of a player's career because Baseball Reference's play index is only so awesome. But... Here are 157 players who had a sub-.225 batting average as a rookie getting at least 250 PA. They are then sorted by their career OPS. Obviously, a .225 BA is much better than .192, but they are statistically comparable when you factor eras and BABIPs and other factors that a small sample cannot necessarily capture. http://www.baseball-reference.com/play-index/share.cgi?id=UUwfT There are some great names on this list, some not-so-great names and Dave McCarty. Hicks's start is not ideal, but he can pull out of it. Hicks's ceiling might be a .250 BA, but if he can bat .250/.340/.430 or something along those lines, he could be a really valuable player. I'm concerned, but I'd give him through May. The Twins are going to battle to be a .500 team this year, they should find out for certain if Hicks is worth reserving a roster spot for in 2015 when their aspirations are much higher.

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!

Did the Twins release Romy Jimenez? He was awful last year, but great in 2012.

I think the logic would be that Gardy didn't want to lose his backup catcher, put Kubel in against a lefty or use Bartlett in any situation where he needed to utilize a bat.