Breaking News: Busted Buster Causes (me to) Panic

I know I am not alone in baseball nation when I say that I am a sad panda over the Buster Posey collision and broken leg from Wednesday. 

> watch video here (but be prepared to clench various body parts)

I have to say, this was really, really rough to watch. Not just because of the incredible pain you see poor Buster in as that leg goes a direction it is not meant to go before going full rag doll. And not just because you feel for Cousins as he immediately knows what just happened (he probably heard it break). And not just because it's Buster Posey and you have to love Buster Posey. Also because... as a Twins fan, doesn't this just strike fear straight into your soul?

You know where I'm going with this. Don't make me say it.


See, I've not before all that seriously entertained the chatter about moving Mauer from catcher, at least not in the immediate future. I know it's inevitable down the road, uh huh yeah yeah, but... I don't know, watching this, and hearing guttural wails of true pain coming from Giants fans, something has shifted in my thinking.

It was a clean hit, true; it's part of the game, absolutely. That is why I'm freaked out. Hits like that, in that position in particular, can and have been career-enders. There I said it.

I know I'm being dramatic and letting sentiment trump the game itself, but my god man, can you imagine? Joe Mauer is the pride of our state, one of its greatest treasures. And for good reason. I'm not sure we could handle it as a team, as a state. Okay, maybe I couldn't handle it and the rest of you guys would be fine, but I doubt that. I mean, we don't let people pollute our 10,000 lakes. We don't let Garrison Keilor do any national media. We don't send Sven out to chase tornadoes. I don't think we even let Prince leave his house.

OK, I kid. Kind of.

Ciao.
-cr.