Feeling Minnesota...

Here are some random thoughts on some random topics:

* Why doesn't Justin Morneau have any Gold Glove Awards in his possession right now? The problem is Mark Teixeira's move to the New York Yankees has morphed him into Don Mattingly. He has already locked up this award at first base for the forseeable future. He starts off the year chalked up as the winner and the only way he can lose this award is by missing significant time due to injury. Teixeira is really solid by all means...but, Morneau deserves this award at least once in his career...and this should be the year he claims it. Morneau simply does more for his team in the field than what is expected out of Teixeira who is playing with at least two future Hall of Famers. By the way, have the baseball stat geeks figured out a formula for how many bad balls/throws that first basemen encounters throughout the year and their success rate for picking/scooping these bouncers to still get the out at first? My bet is no...otherwise, I believe Morneau would be killing this category thus raising some national attention for his defensive prowess.

* If you're African-American and your last name is Williams'...please come to Minnesota because our courts will have your back! Not only does the Williams' Wall (Kevin and Pat) benefit from our state courts delaying their suspensions/pay for almost two years now (and granting them an appeal to delay it even more)...but, we also have Jimmy Williams who wins a lawsuit against Tubby Smith and the University of Minnesota for $1.25 million over a verbal discussion over a phone conversation.

Shame on Tubby for not doing more research on Jimmy Williams, specifically the incidents during the Musselman/Dutcher era at our very own University of Minnesota. However, Jimmy Williams doesn't deserve any pity. He claims that since the verbal hiring scandal, that he has been blackballed from the coaching scene. I don't think he was blackballed, but now I'm for certain he sealed the deal with that one all by himself. I'm sure suing a coach/university for $1.25 million will only enhance your resume even more to others while deciding to hire you...along with all the cheating infractions on it as well. Not to mention...his worst offense of all is that the Timberwolves was one of his stopping grounds.

* I'm so tired of hearing complaints about the lack of home runs the home team has hit while playing at Target Field. We are the freakin' Minnesota Twins. We don't knock the ball out of the park on a consistent basis. It took us a gazillion years for one of our players to hit 30 home runs in one season...keep in mind that steroids were prevalent throughout the game during this stretch...and we still didn't conquer that feat until Morneau did it in 2006.

Which brings me to my next rant...Gardy...start managing the game. We sit on our hands way too much during the games, especially in the early innings. Let's put some runners in motion and see if we can manufacture some runs by playing some small ball here and there (not all the time, but pick a time here and there). There are so many missed opportunities due to poor to piss poor at bats by our hitters. It doesn't matter who is up either...it could be Butera to Mauer to Cuddy to Hudson. The only exception is usually Morneau...because they're always walking his ass so he doesn't even really count.

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NBA Lottery Misery...Again

I've come to hate Evan Turner (watching him play/trash talk in the Big Ten) and I don't believe John Wall has an all-around game (no consistent outside jumper). But, even with that said...I still know this is only a two player draft, and the two I mentioned above are the ones to grab. So when you have the second worst record in the NBA, and the lottery Gods decide that your awful franchise will be picking number 4...it stings, even if you knew it was going to play out this way all along. Here are some other random thoughts pertaining the NBA Draft Lottery and our Timberwolves:

* With the Timberwolves picking at number 4, they are officially in the "DeMarcus Cousins Territory". He grades out to be picked right around this area. Personally, I think this guy is a flat out bust. A big man with huge potential, but no work ethic and doesn't play defense (he's compared to Al Jefferson and Derrick Coleman on draftexpress.com)...add money into the equation and he'll float around the league several years until he's most popular as an "expiring contract" asset.

* Before the lottery unfolded it was well known that this was just a two player draft. Well, David Kahn leaked to the media (Star Tribune) that he thought there were three players (he wouldn't name them though) that he thought were top of their class. Ironically, the Timberwolves land the fourth pick. Whomever the team drafts without trading up, Kahn will claim that this was one of their initial targets all along.

* Speaking of trading up...I don't see this happening. I know Kahn likes to think we have assets, but I just don't see the rest of league thinking that what we have to offer will improve their own team by any significant measures.

* It's hard to say how Kahn plans on reconstructing this roster. But, it seems that either way the team is need of some wing players. So, I was doing some research on Wesley Johnson from Syracuse and I came across this tid bit on http://www.nbadraft.net/players/wesley-johnson: "Regardless, his smile can light up an arena and make him an immediate fan favorite." Let me rant...first off, we already got a mediocre player from Syracuse that has a great smile. His name is Jonny Flynn. Second, I'm offically done with anything that comes out of Syracuse basketball wise. They play zone under Boeheim so they have horrible defensive habits. ESPN hypes up the Big East as if this is the only quality basketball being played on the collegiate level. Here are your NBA busts from Syracuse in recent years: Derrick Coleman, Billy Owens, Hakim Warrick, Etan Thomas, John Wallce, and Lawerence Moten. I won't label Carmelo Anthony a bust, but he hasn't exactly been a franchise savior either. I'm officially anti-Wesley Johnson from this point on.

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Target Field Review #2...Section 117

I was a last minute fill-in to take my little brother-in-law (sophomore in high school) to the Twins second game of a double header against the Orioles on Saturday night. Here are some of my random observations throughout the game:

* We were located in Section 117, Row 19 in seats 1 and 2. Excellent view of everything...we were slightly under the overhang of the Legends Club and lined up behind the left side of the netting behind the backstop. My brother-in-law was excited about getting a foul ball...I told him he must not be good at geometry...I love being old and bitter.

* Twins screw up the "around the horn" in the 3rd inning. Orlando Hudson misfires to Nick Punto and the ball sails into third base foul territory. Nick Punto doesn't want anything to do with a ball that can't endure a simple "around the horn" routine. Baker had to get an additional ball from the home plate umpire. Never seen this happen before in person...kind of a weird moment for the "professional" players on the field.

* I noticed that on some of the introductions to Twins players stepping up to the batters' box, they'll do a simulated video game highlight of said player on the big scoreboard. Do you know Nick Punto's "highlight" was an infield single on this video game production? I'm not saying that they should have had Nick Punto unleashing a home run, but couldn't they at least given him a nice legit outfield single...I thought it was a little harsh, but also hilarious at the same time.

* I know Dick and Bert bring this up all the time, but Cuddyer's stance is odd. When Bert brings this topic up, I used to roll my eyes...but, his hands start at his waist in his batting stance. I don't think you can appreciate this until you watch this from behind. I know it's an attempt to quicken his swing...but, it just looks uncomfortable.

* Bottom of 8th, was pretty memorable just because of all the irony involved. Twins have runners on 2nd and 3rd with one out and the bottom third of the lineup due up (Punto, Casilla and Butera). To create a possible double play scenario...Orioles decide to intentionally walk Nick Punto to load up the bases (weird, but I get the reasoning behind it). Gardenhire pulls a slick and unexpected move by pinch hitting Mauer in place of Casilla. The crowd erupts and goes crazy for 5-10 minutes...it was goosebump zone loud...and what does Mauer do...strikeouts swinging. So, we have two outs and our third string catcher, who can't hit comes to the plate...he ends up hitting a clutch two out single to left that drives in two more runs. So to recap: the crowd giggled when Punto was walked...erupted when Mauer took the on-deck circle...then settled into their seats after Mauer K's and eventual out (Butera) walks up to the plate....then erupts again as Drew Butera shockingly singles in two more runs.

* I strictly had a beer diet during the game, however I did pick up a $5 bag of Kettle Korn. I consider this as the best buy so far in the new stadium. The bag is huge and the Kettle Korn was really good...and the price is perfect.

* Scott Baker rolls into the fourth with a perfect game going...and I'm not saying this would've continued by any means...but, Span and Cuddyer allow the first hit to be a routine fly ball that both thought the other would catch easily. It look like our D leage softball team going after a fly ball (or should I say not going after a fly ball).

SBG

Target Field Review...from the Left Field Bleachers

My wife and I took our three year old twins to Target Field to watch the high-powered Twins pound on one of the worse teams in all of baseball...the Baltimore Orioles. Well, it didn't exactly unfold as I thought it would...but, at least the game was quick and painless (especially, when you're toting kids that are asking to go home after the top of the 1st inning because they sense the break in action and assume it's time.) Here are my thoughts on the stadium and the game in general from the left-field bleachers:

* It pretty much drizzled the whole game. We didn't get a drop. We had the upper deck overhang as our built-in umbrella.

* I thought the view of the field from the left field bleachers was excellent. I didn't think we were too far away, and you could still tell what kind of pitches Pavano was throwing (off-speed versus fastball) without looking at the scoreboard for the MPH on the pitches. However, I was kind of bummed out that you could barely see the Minneapolis skyline, can't see the Minnie and Paul sign, plus you can't see the big scoreboard out in Left Center in the upper deck. They had several TV's above us hanging off the bottom of the second deck that showed us what was going on the big scoreboard...but, it's just not the same visual.

* It wouldn't be a Twins game without a head first dive into first base by none other than...Nick Punto.

* How sad is it that the biggest offensive play for the Twins during the game was an Alexi Casilla bunt single that hugged the third base line...? I could probably envision this in a day game when Gardy plays all the reserves...but, we had a lineup that's supposed to do some damage...especially, against a struggling Baltimore Orioles' pitching staff.

* We all shared a Murray's Steak Sandwich, a Cheeseburger with Fries, Cheese Curds, Peanuts, Cracker Jacks and obviously beer (the kids didn't partake in the beer). Only regret is the peanuts...my three old son can't crack the shell...but, on top of that he doesn't like the skin around the peanut either. So, I would crack the shell and dump the peanuts into his hand. He would then try to rub and peel the skin off the peanuts before he would eat them. This resulted in him dropping one of every two peanuts onto the floor. It was a no-win proposition based on how we were operating as a team. Even if I overachieved on my end and cracked a whole bunch of peanuts and dumped them into his hands...his small hands would get overwhelmed and still drop half the peanuts (if not more) because he was so consumed with trying to perfect one of them at a time.

* A bases loaded situation with two outs and Jim Thome is up to bat in the bottom of the 7th inning...and the crowd starts a "Thome" chant. He's already won us over...even if he fails from time to time.

* Jason Kubel has an underground following. Obviously, he's not as popular or clean cut as Baby Jesus or The Canadian...but, I think that's what makes him popular amongst the younger generation of underachievers. Plus, when your stats are down and slowly coming around...it doesn't hurt that your competition is the unlikeable Delmon Young.

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