Vanimal46

As a guy in my mid-20's I agree with you. I should be in the demographic that would love multiple bar options at a ball game, but it doesn't do anything for me. It has to be extremely frustrating for people with young families. What are their options? Finding TC Bear, getting food, that will last you until the 3rd inning if you're lucky. Then..... what exactly can they do? I was in MN recently, and tried rounding up a group of friends + my dad to go to a Twins game over Father's Day. Even found a row of seats available for dirt cheap. Didn't get a single yes from the group I asked, even from my dad. Turns out it was a better choice to go brewery hopping and watch the US Open instead of the Twins that day.

Outfield: LF - Veteran FA (Targets: Carlos Gomez, Angel Pagan, Peter Bourjos) CF- Buxton RF - Kepler Infield: C - Veteran FA (Targets: Wilson Ramos, Geo Soto) 1B - Mauer 2B - Polanco SS - Escobar 3B - Sano DH - Park Bench: OF Rosario OF Grossman IF Nunez C Murphy Pitching: Berrios Gibson Duffey ? ? Closer: Chargois or Burdi

I found a recent picture of Meyer... http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BOvu5D6U1ak/UO6tHZ17zpI/AAAAAAAAGvU/Tz-rufER2XU/s1600/bandaged-man.jpg After the first shoulder surgery, he decided why not get more procedures done?! Now he has 1/2 inch longer fingers, a brand new elbow, and is now able to grow out a beard!

Dropping hints about what you want for your birthday this year? http://i.ebayimg.com/03/!CC)DBtQBWk~$(KGrHqF,!hsE0FYse5uDBNMO0jHWCw~~_35.JPG

HA! Lester Oliveros.... Totally forgot about him and that dilemma of putting him in the rotation. Did we break him last season? Just looked him up and he doesn't have any stats this season.

That's the thing that annoys me about the Durant move as well. He could go to any up and coming team and improve them from a 45 win team to a 55-60 win team. Instead of doing that, he decides to join as the potential 3rd wheel on a stacked team already.

Well said, and stacking the deck is one of the reasons I'll never truly be an NBA fan. This league above all else loves their dynasties. Over the last 6 years since LeBron's "The Decision" it feels like these players are trying to manufacture their own dynasty team. Personally I was hoping Durant either stays in OKC to compete against the Spurs and Warriors, or find his way to the Eastern conference so any team LeBron is on doesn't get an automatic berth to the NBA Finals. Instead he decided he can't beat them, so why not join them.

Thoughts on Durant to the Warriors? It's going to be fun as a new T Wolves fan getting crushed by the Warriors in the 1st round next year!

I'd prefer to trade Nolasco over Santana, as I do think there's value in having a veteran who can be a mentor for the younger pitchers on staff. Personality wise Santana seems like a much better fit for the organization than Nolasco as well. However, if I can only get a team on the hook to take on Santana instead of Nolasco, I'd still pull the trigger on a trade and make it happen.

For sure in September it's going to be a ghost town. Perhaps even in August too when people are taking their last summer vacations before schools get back in session. It's not a good sign at all when it's the dog days of summer, only women's basketball to compete with for sporting events, and they're drawing ~20k in the stadium.

When it comes to trading the higher priced veterans on this team, I'd prefer to eat a percentage of their salary and just be done with it. If there needs to be throw in prospects, I suppose someone in the 20-25 range for our organization?

Plouffe IMO will be an August salary dump, or play more of a bench role until he's let go in the offseason. The time to trade him was last offseason. We'll never know if there was real or manufactured interest for him last December. I'd also add Milone to the pitching list. Though I would think the most likely scenario is a DFA/salary dump...

That's probably the type of offers they'll receive for Plouffe too. Since he's not healthy and not producing its going to be a difficult move to make by July 31 deadline. Perhaps he could be an August deadline dump some where.

Looking forward to seeing how Vargas in MN again, and Sano playing 3B more often. For Plouffe, guy needs to get healthy soon. The clock's ticking towards the trade deadline...

I was saying in the offseason if Desmond needed a multi-year deal, it wasn't going to happen with the Twins. But if he wanted a 1 year prove it deal, bring him in to talk. I probably would have been hesitant to give up the 1st round pick to sign him... Also, who knows if his production is circumstance of being in a loaded Rangers lineup, or if he'd be hitting this good in any lineup.

Pohlad's the first to admit he's not a strong baseball mind. There's a direct quote about it in the interview that Loosey linked. He still is the owner of this organization, and he's going to be the one who will have to make these changes we're all clamoring for.

That'd be a-okay to me. Let him find the bat first and worry about fielding in a couple of games.

Per Lavelle E Neal: "Miguel Sano has been called up to join the Twins in time for their weekend series against the Rangers, according to a source. Byung Ho Park, who has 12 home runs but has also become a part-time player because of a prolonged slump, has been sent to Class AAA Rochester. Sano is NOT swinging a hot bat. He was 1-for-6 during a doubleheader on Thursday and was batting .160 during his rehab stint at Rochester." Source: http://www.startribune.com/sano-returns-to-twins/385214121/

I was thinking about that too. Couldn't recall any other season where we've heard more than a peep from Pohlad, especially during the season. Now that he's taken a step back from blind loyalty to TR and admitting they may have to look at alternatives, I'm starting to become more optimistic about the whole situation.

A bill called the "Save America's Pastime Act" was recently disavowed by the Congresswoman who created it. This bill aimed to lock in poverty-level wages for minor league baseball players by formally amending the Fair Labor Standards Act and creating a specific exemption that barred minor league baseball players—who earn between $1,100 and $2,150 per month for a five-month season—from receiving minimum wage or overtime pay. Now the MLB released a press release of their own yesterday in relation to the bill: Major League Baseball issued the following statement this afternoon regarding the bipartisan legislation introduced in the United States House of Representatives: "There are approximately 7,500 players in Minor League Baseball. MLB pays over a half a billion dollars to Minor League players in signing bonuses and salary each year. Minor League clubs could not afford these massive player costs. MLB heavily subsidizes Minor League Baseball by providing Minor League clubs with its players, allowing professional baseball to be played in many communities in the United States that cannot support a Major League franchise. Moreover, for the overwhelming majority of individuals, being a Minor League Baseball player is not a career but a short-term seasonal apprenticeship in which the player either advances to the Major Leagues or pursues another career. "Minor League Baseball players always have been salaried employees similar to artists, musicians and other creative professionals who are exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act. Like those professionals, it is simply impractical to treat professional athletes as hourly employees whose pay may be determined by such things as how long their games last, when they choose to arrive at the ballpark, how much they practice or condition to stay in shape, and how many promotional or charitable appearances they make." Source: http://m.mlb.com/news/article/187167466 Your thoughts?

NBA Free Agency is HOT and HEAVY already... http://parareir.com/wp-content/uploads/Joker.jpg

I also forgot today is National Bobby Bonilla Day! One of the best days of the year for him, until 2035 when it's all over for him.

Happy Bobby Bonilla day, everybody!

Mark it 8, Dude. http://www.barefootandprogressive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/smokey2.jpg

IMO it's a step in the right direction that Pohlad took a slight step back when asked about TR's status going into next season. I suppose his opinion could change again in the next 3 months, but for now, I'm optimistic that there may actually be changes in the FO.