I know, I know.

I've been a bad, bad blogger. I know! But I've been busy.

Seriously, do you know how time-consuming it is to build yourself a life-sized Justin Morneau out of Molson Ice cans, grizzly bear fur, and maple syrup? Well it's goddamn time consuming.

Anyway. Pitchers and catchers report in a month.

the deal:

pitchers & catchers : February 16full squad report s: February 21
first ST game : February 28
regular season opener : April 2 @ Chicago
home opener : April 7 v. Oakland
all-star game @ Target Field : July 15
Maren & Emily Mauer's birthdays : July 24
home closer : September 24
season closer: September 28

Ciao, buddies.
-christine

WAITING FOR THE PHONE NOT TO RING.

The MLB trade deadline: that special time when all we seem to talk about are potential scenarios involving telephonic speculation and best guesses, possible three-ways, and sometimes things actually called "considerations." There are always one or two big move stories, but mostly it's a lot more talk than action (and there are very few three-ways -- settle down).

I watch it all with a casual curiosity, never too much anticipation either way since the Twins are rarely players on either end of the market. But this year is different; this year all eyes are on our big, beautiful, wry-witted, big-swinging, Canadian, MVP first baseman.

Hey, that's me.

I really only have one eye on it because I can hardly bear to watch. I get it. We all get it. Now it's this big game between agents and owners and stat heads and on-paper this and building for the future that... I'm not going to run through it all here (it's certainly all broken down smartly on Aaron Gleeman's blog) other than to say: This is one of those rare times I don't care so much about the numbers and that I just really, really want Justin to stay.

I want him to stay for me, for all of us, because, I, we, just fucking like him so much. He's a legacy player. He's a great presence in the clubhouse, on the field, in the Twin Cities. He could be really good again. There's no one right in line behind him who is better. And he wants to stay. He's always said that wants to retire here and I believe him because, come on.

I  also want him to stay for him. One of the things I hate the most to watch is when formerly (even very recently formerly) great players go down the free-agent rabbit hole, hopping from team to team and filling in where they need a thing (maybe offensive spark, maybe defensive leadership) more than they need a player. So many great players end up as basically well-meaning mercenaries for hire or trade for a season here, half a season there, until they just sort of disappear. That is the wrong ending for Justin Morneau.

We all know this in our baseball souls.

But we also know in our baseball minds that what's right is rarely the lead player in this game. I won't be shocked if tonight's is Justin's last game as a Twin, but I won't be happy either.

So, stay, Justin. Just, stay.

Ciao, buddies.
-christine

  

Just a Quick Question

Read this and then tell me...

is it weird that I find the imagery of Morneau and Muffinbutt cutting fresh produce together kind of totally hot?

Bro, I picked up this organic kale at the co-op before bp today.  You'll die for it.  I'm serious, you'll just die.

I thought so.

Thanks, buddies.
-cr.

The Art of Writing. Er... Blogging

Yeah, I know.  I'm sorry.

I think I'm having some kind of strange blog fatigue thing and it's all my fault. It has to do with social media + sports punditry overload, as well as a crazy-business + a general exhaustion of being a Twins fan these days... but I'm not blaming anyone but myself.

Lately, every time I've sat myself down to write something I've had this feeling that it's all been said, tweeted, posted, sound-bite(ed) to death already.

I seem to have forgotten how this blog thing works and, actually, how writing works, which is like this : that I have my own, unique perspective because I am me, not you, not Phil Mackey, not La Velle E. Neal, not TwitterFace33. And what I write because it occurs to me (thank you William Stafford) might just be something you've never heard before or that makes you think or that makes you mad or that moves you.

So, I'm considering this post as a writing exercise of sorts, a reset to remember what it is I do here.

So there.


OK, here we go!
Here are five random thoughts on the Twins right now:

• I'm really surprised that base-running genius, all around little cutie-pie, Mastroianni's first name is Darin. Really? Darin?

• I still call Justin Morneau "Porno." When he first came up we all called him 'more-NO' (remember?), which I remembered by thinking 'like bordeaux.' Then he corrected us and we were all embarrassed and my new trick became 'like porno.'  I guess it stuck.

• It turns out I have no opinion on the Liriano trade. I just don't really care (who knew?).

• It would be awesome if the Twins had a dugout cat. Maybe a grouchy looking persian named TK who just paces and looks disappointed for no reason. 

• It will be incredibly sad when Denard Span is no longer a Twin, which I'm guessing will happen in the offseason. What a great player; what a great guy. 

Thanks, buddies. As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts (especially on dugout cat).
-christine

Grapefruit League Action: Justin, Frankie and Danny

Hey, let's check in on three of the boys with the most spring training buzz. This will be fun.


Justin Morneau -- he's hitting the ball hard, he's moving well, he's skinny, and he's not really playing any first bast at all. Are we seeing his inevitable move to DH this early?

Francisco Liriano -- Frankie is really looking good thus far. But! What a good spring training means or doesn't mean when we're talking about such a stunningly inconsistent ballplayer, I do not know. Even if there was some statistical evidence directly forecasting his performance trend at spring training with that of the season to come (there is not such evidence that I am aware of, for any player), I doubt anyone would believe it. Because even when he is on fire, throwing his nastiest business and for several outings in a row, which he does often, it is impossible to wipe from the brain the too-familiar image of his big sweaty face when he's suddenly in one of those classic Liriano, five-run first innings. You know the face I mean.

Danny Valencia -- first, score one for Danny, the runner-up for "Mr. Manuary" on the MyTalk 107 January brackets. But! He did lose to a weather man, so maybe we don't score one for Danny.

Second, he's killing it right now. Again, spring training doesn't mean much, but it sounds like people are seeing a refreshingly different player out there, both in mechanics (especially defensively) and in attitude and effort, both elements u.g.l.y. last season. I'm really happy to hear this, maybe even more than you are.

See, I love me a hot third baseman. Hey. Girl.
And I believe a team with a hole at third (yes, absolutely including the offensive performance that is downright mandatory in the position) is doing it wrong. The flashes of real baseball chops we saw from 2010 Danny V gave me hope at third for the first time since poor, beautiful Corey Koskie. So, last season's badDanny, who sucked plus seemed to not give two shits that he sucked, drove me craaaaazy. Remember the valuable lesson from Mr. Manuary, Danny-- being hot is not enough. Step it up. Don't get beat by a weather guy.

Baseball!

Ciao, buddies.
-christine