Speaking too soon...

Complete systemic failure. Absolute futility. Nothing is working.

I'm not talking about the Twins offense. Hell I'm not even talking about the Vikings "effort," against the Bucs last Sunday. I am speaking of my computer at home. After cleaning up the viruses and fixing a runtime error, the thing worked for two days before something terrible happened. I don't know if it's a power failure or the mother board is fried or what but the stupid thing won't turn on. The only action it seems able to perform is to blink feebly on the power button.

Needless to say, the entries to this site have and will continue to suffer until I can get this attended to. I'm sad because this is a great time of year to be observing baseball regardless of where your team is at. But it is not to be for me. I'll be around and making entries here either mobile or from work.

Thanks for stopping by.

This time...for sure

Hello and welcome back to this little blog. Since last we spoke my Internet Explorer was stricken by a runtime error-hence I could not go online. Hopefully the woes of this computer are over. (knocking on wood)

So back to baseball then.

Be advised all you who reside in Twins Territory that we are at a full Red Alert. This means that only a large miracle will give us a hope at a playoff spot. Otherwise, I see this season as an emminent failure. No, not a dissapointment...a failure.

Justin Morneaus performance, Jason Bartletts demotion and Cuddyers first half are dissapointing. Not reaching the playoffs with this pitching staff is a failure.

I am sorry to report that Kyle Lohse has appearently patched things up with 'tool. What sucks about that is that it probabally means he will get his next start which I wouldn't have been opposed to before his hissy fit this week. We have all seen glimpses of this Kyle...the crybaby, the prim madonna, the guy whos ego is not justified by his performance. If I was to guess I would suppose we don't see Lohse back in a Twins uniform next year. But who knows?

With TWins Territory at red alert of the TFAS, it's time for two things:

1. Gleen the call-ups and pretend to be excited that Jason Tyner is here (vs being excited about the division title is little consolation)
2. Decide who to root for now

I will address the second question today. I think ideally I'd love to see Oakland nail the wild card spot. It's been fun to see their surge this year and I think they deserve it. The problem is though...how much more Billy Bean worship can I stand? Not too much I tell ya. He's a genius and he deserves all the accolades but I just don't wanna hear it anymore. That leaves us with Cleveland IMO. It's hard to not like Cleveland when they're not playing us. They have built a good club much the same waythe Twins try to, drafting and developement with emphasis on pitching. I honestly could care less I suppose so long as someone puts out Chicago for me. I really don't like them. I really really have an unhealthy obsession with them.

Well, I'm gonna see if this here puter will keep working some other applications. Game starts at 6:00 and I'll be watching.

The Twins Fan Alert System

Washington D.C

Many Twins fans have been concerned over the last season. They unsure what to believe when it comes to their favorite team. With so many ups and downs and false hopes, George W. Shrub has decided to enact the Twins FAn Alert System (TFAS) The minister of fandom (MOF) in Twins Territory was appointed to Brian Nawrocki, Code name : Twinsluvver. Check daily for updates.

Todays Color: Burnt Cienna...what some of you would lazily call "Orange." When last my computer worked I would have had us at Yellow if not a yellowish green. Since then, well...we have been doughnutted 4 times against bad bad teams.

It's really time to prepare for the "fun," of watching Baker, Lariano and the others make their mark in September. There is going to be much speculation in the comming weeks about off season moves. My favorite so for was one Sid Hartmans observation that we should just trade for Jim Thome and make it so that Philly pays most his contract. How this guys is considered an expert or a journalist is beyond me.

For me, I think the Twins will mostly stand pat. Maybe we upgrade the bench a bit but thats about it.

On a side note, please keep the people affected by Katrina in your thoughts and hearts. As you may have read on this blog before, I love baseball but its not the most important thing. I really do think baseball should take a day off to honor those who lost everything or even their lives in the storm. Sundapples wood has some great links to sites where you can donate $$$$$. Please see that you pull together and help our brothers and sisters to the south.

Texas: 2 Twins:1

Allow me to summarize the game: The starting pitching was good. One run good. The defense was good. A Twins starting pitcher allowed 1 run over 8 innings. The Twins had many scoring chances not the least of which was in the first inning SP Young had loaded the bases with Matt Lecroy at the plate and 1 out. The Twins...would score one run, but not until the 8th inning.

This is starting to feel like Ground Hog Day...ya know, same thing happens over and over again. The Twins nearly got blanked twice in the same series. However, the funny part is; we had chances to pull a series win out of it. The difference today was...a fly ball. Maybe two of them.

The Twins of '05 seem less able to execute the small ball habbits that made them successful in the past. Evidence of this is Matt Lecroys at bat in the 1st. When Mike Ryan led off with a single and the next two walk, someone has to tell Matty "make sure it's there." There was no need for a grand slam yet. There was at least one run out there that needed to make it home. Instead Lecroy flails at the first pitch and pops up. Instead of taking one to a pitcher who was struggling to find the plate we gave him a gift.

If I weren't lazy right now I'd try and find something on the number of runs scored by sac fly this year VS last. I suspect it's less this year.

My buddy called me while watching the game. He says: "Man, the Twins a terrible in the clutch this year." To which I replied "no, we're just terrible."

This is the earmark of a great debate. There are those who suppose that some players do better in the clutch or WHISP than others do. I am of the camp that chooses to believe that it averages out. In other words, players that suck, suck even WHISP. Players that don't suck, also don't suck WHISP. There are statistical exceptions but not many. In general, players are the player they are regardless of WHISP. My point being, the Twins suck at the plate and there is no relief in sight.

All the more reason why it would be nice to have a team who could execute the little things (and a manager who could execute for that matter). We are now 5.5 back in the wild card. All the ground we gained two weeks ago seems for not. With the pitching going like it has for us I would have hoped we would have maximized oppritunities like today. Too bad.

Well, after the game I returned a rug doctor which I lost an attachment and had to pay the deposit. I came home and mowed the lawn upon which I steped in doggie poo. Lots of doggie poo. So I guess the Twins arent the only ones not executing. It really can be a bummer on your day man.

Stream of consciousness

Virus or no...I will dilever the mail!

The Twins pulled one out of ther asses today, which makes since considering their heads where already up there so it probabally mad it easy to find. I had all but grieved this game when J.J pinch hit for Cuddyer in the 9th and nailed a double off Texas close Cordero. He later scored on Nicky Puntos base hit. A few innings later the Twins managed 5 runs to earn a win against the Texas sluggers.

It was nessicary if we hoped to keep pace in the W.C race as New York put up 5 in the 9th to beat K.C and Oakland at the time has a 10-1 lead over Baltimore.

Interisting quote in the Star Tribune today.
A.J Pyzrienski was asked if he'd ever play for the Twins again when he became a free agent to which he replied (paraphrasing) "I will never play for Ron Gardenhire again." He failed to elaborate but I suspect it had something to do with Gardys refusal to bat A.J higher up in the order. Either that or A.J is a prick.

Super Bartlett
Jason had a heckuva game today going 4-5 with a RBI and a run scored. He still is bringing up the rear of the line-up which is fine...I am just glad he's playing.

For those of you wondering here are some of his stats:


.259/.321/ .364 for the season

.234/.294/.298 for the month of August

Granted the kid only has 143 AB's this year. One interisting side note though allow me to show you his stats against lefty pitching (33 ABs)

.303 /.343/ .545

For a team struggling against LHP that should be encouraging. Like I said, I'm glad he's here and learning to survive at this level. It may not pay dividends this year, but it will. His fielding has been impressive as of late as well.

Well, its nap time for bonzo. Working two jobs is sorta dumb. BTW, if anyone needs their winshield replaced I'd be glad to help you. Sigh...good night.

Episode II: The revenge of the Trojan

Yes, my computer is still sick. Microsoft tech support has actually assigned me a prioraty status and I believe Bill Gates himself will be calling me in a day or two. While my computer is usuable I have decided to shut 'er down until I can resolve this. Entries over the weekend will come from remote locations and therefore may be brief. On the fun side, they are telling me I may have a brand new virus they haven't seen before...I asked them if that means I get naming rights but they said "no."

Baseball topics:
Our Beloved Twins are also a sick little team it would appear. Like my computer they are suffering from a variety of "bugs" right now ranging from poor management, injuries and dysfunctional dynamics.

This week we saw Ron Gardenhires opinion Joe Mays waver from one extreme to the other. It appears for now that Baker will be called up for a start on Monday. Which is good. I guess that is the equivelant of me performing a quarenteen on an infected file; the problem isn't solved, but it should help a little. I have worked for companies that operate much the same way the Twins do right now. Ya know, the vets get to underperform and stick around because..heck, they've always been here. Meanwhile it falls on the new hires to pick up the slack or get canned.

On a related topic, Luis Rodriguez reportedly will get sent to AAA to make room for Jaun Castro when he is activated from the 15 day disabled list. In all honesty signing Castro to 1 million dollar contract is looking worse and worse as time goes by and the Twins appearantly feel obligated to use him.

Gardy got a case of "the spells," yesterday in the 6th inning and left the game to seek medical help. It is being reported as "hart palpatations," for now. What that means I don't know. If I were Gardenhire I would be feeling woozey too.

Shannon Stewart may be out for the weekend. The injury of Torrii Hunter is looking more significant as we push foreward. How many times in the Sox series did it look like the Twins might just pull a win off if there was only that one timely hit? Instead, we slipped to 3.5 back in the AL wild card race, our depleted roster is back to putting up bagels on the score board and the pitching (in general) is doing all it can to keep us in games.

There is time, there is hope. There is a month of baseball left. But it makes me wonder: "Did I really think we had a shot?" Where we fooling ourselves or can this roster of AAA kids and utility men pick up the slack for the ominously missing bats of Hunter and Stewart? We shall see. The posative thing to look foreward to is a Texas pitching staff which has been pretty bad. Plus we'll get to see Soriano play which I know many of you have been champing at the bit to see him play in a Twins game.

Well, I hope I you continue to stop bye and check us out. Also, please leave your pin on my guest map. For those of you trafficing here from DCTC or Scout.com, I encourage you to check out the fine links I provided on the Right of the page. Some of the smartest and best baseball minds in the state are over there.

Well, we'll see you tomorrow. Good day.

Patty cake patty cake: Where's Baker...man?

I am truly sorry for the title of the entry today...really I am.

Well, hours on the phone with tech support with has rendered me (i think) bug free on my puter. However, before I shower and go to bed I decided I couldn't wait to put my two cents on tonights game.

Shockingly, Joe Mays sucked tonight. Not so shockingly, in the Star Trib Gardenhire was quoted saying the this is not the time to start pulling guys lest they "get in their head." Um...what? Lemme get this right, Ron Gardenhire when asked about if he'd consider starting Baker instead of Mays his response was he didn't want Mays to "get in his head?" Hmm...

Joe Mays has a +8 ERA since the all-star break. Does THAT get in his head Ron? What about pulling the plug on the Bartlett experiment before the kid had a chance? Where you worried about getting into HIS head? We had no problem sending Rivas down when he sucked. How about when you called out Morneau publicly and questioned how hurt he was? Didn't you HOPE to get into his head?

Ron has been pretty open with his critique of many players this year ...most of them younger.

Look, I know tonights game wasn't the end of the season (probabally). Yet, I would have loved to pass on Joe Mays. I don't know if Baker would have pitched any better or if we would have won. But we might have. The fact remains that we are 2.5 back in the wild card and Ron is still trying to spare the feelings of a select few guys on the team.

In the post game Rick Anderson had these fine cliches to add:
"He gave it all he got," and "looked like he had a tired arm."

If "all he got," is 4 2/3 innings giving up 5 runs well...that sucks. Joe Mays looked horrible today. The sad part is I don't think you'll find a Twins fan alive who was suprised that he was so terrible. I don't even think it would be drastic to bring up Baker right now, it just makes sense.

From Twinsbaseball.com:
"Mays is 6-8 with a 5.16 ERA for the season, but spiraled to 1-6 with a 7.94 ERA in his last nine starts. Manager Ron Gardenhire told reporters after the game he planned to meet with Mays and general manager Terry Ryan to discuss their options"

Maybe there is hope.

The Game
It sure looked like another poor outing by the offense, granted there were alot of Red Wings playing tonight. Then the 9th inning when the wiggled three runs out of the Sox and actually had the tying run at the plate before Cuddyer stuck out to end the game.

Brent Abernathy joined the heroics in the outfield going nose first into the wall. There was some good defense again tonight and Bartlett looked pretty comfortable at SS. There were some posatives to the game I suppose.

Silva needs and I mean needs to step up tomorrow against Jon Garland who will probabally be a 20 game winner by seasons end. I'll be listening at work and sneaking a peak at the T.V when I can. Catch you all tomorrow with my takes.

Thanks for stopping bye.