Series Preview

Biggest series of the season thus far? 4 Games against the White Sox at home. I am pretty optimistic as here are the probable match ups as well as my predictions.

Kevin Slowey vs Mark Buehrle
Win. It really depends on if it's the Buerhle from May or the Buerhle from June. If it's the one from May we have this in the bag. If it's the one from June, were fucked. Luckily he is 3-5 away from the Cell.

Glen Perkins vs Clayton Richard
Win. This will be Clayton's second Major League Start. His first start was pretty shaky giving up 5 runs in 4 innings. I look to see the Twins knock this kid around at his debut in the Dome.

Livan Hernandez vs Gavin Floyd
Loss. I could be wrong. Livan could pitch another gem, but it seems unlikely. Especially with Floyd out there, he seems to have the Twins number this season.

Scott Baker vs John Danks
Win. With the White Sox giving up so many errors in the last week (9) let's hope the fast turf will make them commit some more.

It's easy to make a bigger deal about this series than it really is, but if the Twins don't split or win this series I don't see them coming back. God dammit, there I did it again. This is the most important baseball series of the Twins history. Ahhh, I can't stop doing it.

East Coast Baseball Today
I was listening to Baseball Today this morning and they were talking about how the the AL East is getting exciting and its interesting because while there are three teams in contention only two will make the playoffs. That kind of pissed me off a bit, but hopefully they are wrong. I'd like to see the Twins win the division and the Tigers take the wild card from any of the following teams, White Sox, Yankees or Red Sox. I wouldn't even mind for the Rays to falter down the stretch.

I Told You So
Remember when I said the Twins should pick up LaTroy Hawkins? Well. Looks like I was right.

MLS: What can be done?

As I am sure you all watched the big game last night. When I came in to work everyone was talking about it. Yep, that's right the MLS All-Star Game. (I always thought it was called the All-Star game because they 'all' the players were 'stars', if that's true why are they individually called 'All-Stars'?) Anyways, if you don't know about the MLS all-star game it differs from how the NBA and MLB do it. For the past five out of six years they have had all of the All-Stars on the same team and they play against another Club team from another country. So far they have played, Chivas De Guadalajara (MX), Fulham FC (England), Celtic FC (Scotland), Chelsea FC (England) and yesterday they played West Ham United FC from London England and beat them 3-2.

They have yet to lose one of these games. Which really, they never should. These are the best players from our entire league going up against a regular club team. Add to that the fact that the MLS teams are in the middle of their season, where all other leagues are just getting started. Eventually I see the MLS getting strong enough where these games will no longer happen, but for now it's a good way to show other countries the talent the MLS has as well as spreading the foreign teams to America and Canada. Since it's first season in 1996 the popularity of the league has fluctuated. During the years of the World Cup and other major tournaments it tends to grow, recently picking up big names like Beckham in LA and Blanco in Chicago has also helped boost attendance. But there is still a long, loooong way to go before the MLS can even compete with other leagues around the world, both on the level of talent and on economics.


If anyone is still reading, here are a few things that I think would help grow the league in the US.

1. Soccer only stadiums. About half of the teams have them currently or are building them. But for the league to be successful long term each team needs to have a good soccer stadium to watch a match at. In the short term, teams need to make it at least look like soccer is the only sport being played there that week, or at least that night. Nothing looks cheaper than seeing a bevy of colorful lines, representing football, lacrosse and lawn darts. It doesn't grow credibility to an international or domestic audience and not to mention it can be another barrier to the new fan that doesn't know which line is which.

2. Get rid of the conferences. Or at least make them less important. Right now there is the Western and Eastern conference and a vast majority of the games are played intra-conference. I get that this is in an attempt to build rivalries, but being able to see your team play all of the other teams would help keep things fresh. Conferences within leagues are an American development, they work for sports like basketball, football and baseball, but for some reason not soccer. Everyone should play everyone.

3. Get some more big names. Beckham is a good start. But there needs to be more stars in the MLS. Foreign and homegrown and not just European stars in the twilight of their careers. I realize you can't get stars without money and you can't really get money without stars, but what if teams could get money?

4. Sponsorships, Sponsorships, Sponsorships. Just recently the Chicago Fire finally put a sponsor on the front of their jersey. It was a ridiculously long time and it was foolish of them to wait. One of the major problems with soccer from a television and advertising standpoint is the game never stops. There for no convenient TV timeouts, pitching changes or official challenges. Therefore the MLS needs to be more creative (read: copy other leagues advertising models) instead of it being the MLS make it the Microsoft Soccer League or the AT&T Soccer League. Does this sound familiar? What other sport doesn't have any real breaks in the action yet is growing at an alarming rate and for most people is as boring as soccer? If you answered NASCAR you are correct! The MLS needs to look at NASCAR and other leagues (example: Barclay's English Premier League) for ideas on how to make the MLS more profitable.

5. System of relegation and promotion. Many people who are only familiar with American sports are really surprised when they hear about the promotional systems in Europe and around the world. In this system the worst team (or two) in the MLS gets relegated to the first division in the USL and the winner(s) of the the USL gets promoted to the MLS. This will make more games "count" and help develop a more traditional league setting.

6. Development of youth teams. Soccer teams around the world have youth development teams to do exactly what it sounds like. Groom young talented players to play for their side. There are no drafts in these leagues you develop homegrown talent or you go out and buy talent. MLS teams are embracing this but until they get rid of the draft it's kind of pointless.

7. More teams in Canada. As of right now only Toronto has a franchise. It sells out every game and is generally considered the best atmosphere in the league. The Phoenix Sun's Steve Nash is trying to get a franchise in Vancouver. But as of now there is no word on any more teams going north of the border. I think a fairly good Canadian presence is important to the longevity of the league (Think NHL).

As you can probably tell many of the MLS's failures is to try to make it more "American" from the team names (New York Metro Stars) to rule changes (Countdown clock, and 35 yd penalty shootouts). People in the US don't want those types of things, they work with baseball, football and basketball because that is part of the tradition and they have been perfected in these settings. Soccer has been around for many, many years and it has been popular all over the world and was also developed all over the world.

There are still some difficult questions concerning soccer in America. One of them is the dreaded tie. Tie games are a big part of soccer as it often gives both teams points in the standings and can make the end of the season actually even more exciting. Most of us are not used to ties and the worst way a game can end is in one of these draws. Unfortunately, going into overtime over and over again can really wear on the players and can actually make the games intense as the season goes on.

It is possible for it to be successful here, you don't need to make cheap changes to the game to dumb it down for us. We will get it, it just takes a bit of time. What would it take for you guys to actually flip the channel to an MLS game. Naked Girls? Money coming out of the TV?

Case of the Mundays

By TwinsWin83

*I’m going to assume without much doubt that most of you out there went at some point over the weekend to see The Dark Knight. Not only did the newest installment in the Batman saga have the biggest opening in history this weekend, racking up a tidy 155 mil, but it also received recommendations from 94% of the nation’s top critics, a rarity for a superhero flick. I was lucky enough to get tickets for a midnight showing Thursday evening and was glad I did. Since I am assuming most people out there saw the movie I am going to steer clear of the review angle and just give a couple of my thoughts on the movie instead. Those that haven’t seen it yet don’t worry, I won’t include any spoilers.

Before the movie’s release a lot was made in the press of Heath Ledgers portrayal of the iconic Joker. Now, I know that fans and critics alike can exaggerate the brilliance of a performance when the actor/actress has suffered an untimely death, but this is one case where all of the attention is not only warrented but also much deserved. The movie itself is solid on almost every level, from the engrossing storyline to the dark and ominous cinematography and even the overall message it tries to convey, but the one thing that pushes this film off the corner of being a good movie over the edge into a great one is simply Ledger’s performance.

There was almost an uneasiness among the crowd in the theatre every time Ledger appeared. Many laughed at lines I didn’t think were meant to be funny, but the figure he created is one that haunts the entire film. Even days after you’ve seen the movie his character stays with you. Now I’ll be the first to admit I’ve seen, and liked, a lot of movies in my time, but it might not be an overreaction when I say Heath Ledger's Joker is the most interesting, sinister, complex and memorable character I have seen in any film, superhero or not.

Aside from Ledgers performance the movie was impressive, leaving only a few questions to be asked by the well-versed Batman viewer, but ones that I won’t ask here in case someone reading this hasn’t seen it yet. I thought that Maggie Gyllenhaal was a much better choice for the role of Rachel Dawes then Katie Holmes was in Batman Begins. The Harvey Dent character was an intriguing addition as well. I’ll be interested to hear what the rest of you out there thought of The Dark Knight.


*As the Twins head to New York tonight for a series with the Yankees they remain a half game out of first place. I wonder if they do overtake the White Sox for the top spot in the AL Central if that will force the sports world out there to finally take a serious look at the Twins. The 2008 Twins are doing the whole more-with-less bit better than any of the previous division winners the organization has had this decade and it baffles me that more people aren’t taking notice. If they would all just go back and look at their preseason picks they would realize just how surprising and impressive this club has been so far.


*Did anyone watch the ESPY’s last night? For the second time in three years Blake Hoffarber was up for an award for Best Play of the Year. Here's the play. But unlike two years ago, when he was up for his amazing shot from his back in the Minnesota State title game, he didn’t win. Still though, that’s pretty impressive that the kid has made two bonkers shots like that in two game-ending situations in such a short period of time.


*Greg Norman is the anti-Tiger Woods. Every time the dude has a lead going into the final round he squirts the thing down his leg. You almost have to feel bad for the guy. I was actually hoping he could pull it off yesterday just so he could exercise some of those old demons, and because he’s almost old enough to be getting social security.


*Is anyone really looking forward to the Olympics? There are a few things in there I guess I am looking forward to seeing, like if the basketball team can finally win back some respect, but for the most part I am just dreading all of the ridiculous wall-to-wall coverage for two weeks. Especially at a time when I am going to want to be hearing more about baseballs pennant races.


*Speaking of which, I hope the Twins and White Sox are still neck-in-neck by the time Chicago comes to the Dome for that four-game set at the end of this month because if they are it’s going to be a crazy atmosphere at ol’ Triple-H. It was cool to see so many people turn out for a three game series with the Rangers this weekend. I guess that’s one thing that will always be true of Minnesotans: they support their teams when things are going well.


*Can we start an AH! pool for bets as to when Lariano will be called up?

Inside the Mind of Billy Smith

By Michael Haas

This whole Francisco Liriano debate is one of the biggest talkers among Twins fans, and it just got hotter. Liriano's agent, Greg Genske, requested an investigation by the players union into charges that the Twins are keeping the lefty in the minors for financial reasons. By limiting a players major league service time, their salary can be kept slightly lower. These allegations only fan the flames of the Big Question: When do we bring him up?

But to answer that question, we have to first answer Liriano's agents question: Why hasn't he been called up yet? Here's what I think Billy Smith and the Twins are thinking:

1. The F-bomb started the season with the big league club, and got shelled. TwinsGeek has mused that Genske helped put the pressure on the Twins to have him in the majors. In his three starts, Liriano pitched 10 innings and walked 13, and accumulated an era of 11.31. After that train wreck of an April, and especially after his year off due to surgery, the Twins have got to be absolutly positive that he gets all his work in, relearns his pitches, and gets a feel for the game. It might be counterproductive to put him the bullpen, where he would get sporadic work, and (hopefully) won't be his role on the Twins long-term.

2. But if we did put him in the bullpen, who would he replace? Guerrier, Crain, and Big Sweat aren't going anywhere.
Boof? Negatory, the Boof is out of options, so the Twins would probably lose him to another team if they tried to send him down. Now I know what you're sarcastically thinking: Oh no not Boof! But I don't think they're ready to give up on him just yet. Word is that they think he will be a much better pitcher once he drops another 20 pounds.

Breslow or Bass? They don't really count on these guys for much, but I don't see them getting booted. Both of them are out of options, so they're kind of stuck up here. Bass is the one most rumored to be out, but he's just a rookie and he's shown flashes. So how about the bullpen
There's Something About Livan

Obviously, the Twins love their veterans, even if they are historically terrible. Livan could set the record for most hits given up in a season, but he's still valuable. Hernandez was brought in as an innings-eater and veteran presence. The Twins view him as a necessary compliment to the young pitching staff. I mean, how many of those guys have thrown 200 innings? Baker, maybe once? Hell I don't know. And our bullpen could be considered 'over-worked' as well. So keeping Livan around makes sense in relation to the rest of the rotation. Does he make sense in relation to "winning games"? Some argue that he is a second half pitcher, a crafty vet who only get's better as the competition gets tough. We'll see.

Look, I love to criticize the Twins for their cheap ways and all, but I think this has more to do with circumstance than finance. So I really can't fault them for not bringing him up yet. But one thing is for sure: The Twins will be a better team when Liriano is wearing their uniform.

Home Run Derby Summed up in One Picture

Morneau won, you idiots.

By Michael Haas

Justin Morneau won the home run derby last night, hitting 5 homers to Josh Hamiltons 3 in the finals. Initially, I did not want Morneau to participate in the derby. Remember last year? Here's what Alright Hamilton said of Justins less than stellar 07 second half production:

The 2007 All-Star game Home Run Derby

Like Tom Brunansky before him, Justin Morneau's swing got all screwed up by the Home Run Derby.

Before the Derby: 24 homers, 73 rbi
Since the Derby (as of publication) 5 homers, 25 rbi

We'll see what happens to Morneau's swing as the season goes a long, but for now, I'm obviously happy he won. I think MLB is regretting inviting him - he has the fewest homers of the 8 participants and accepted the late invitation because guys like A-rod are too cool to have fun. Well look at him now. As soon as Justin Morneau won, ESPN interviewed Josh Hamilton, told his life story and made excuses for him. It was sickening. They couldn't even remember who won the thing. In fact, the guy who presented Morneau with the trophy called him 'Jason'

Here's how most sports writers wrote their story on the derby:

Hamilton Dazzles at Derby

New York - Josh Hamilton put on a show at Historic Yankee Stadium on Monday night, belting a record 28 homers in the first round. Hamilton, a first time all-star, crushed ball after ball into the short right porch at Historic Yankee Stadium. Hamilton is awesome, blah blah blah, past drug addictions, blah blah blah, historic yankee stadium, blah blah, youth coach pitching, blah blah, hey wait, who won?

It was Morneau, you idiots.




But anyway..

Are you watching the All-Star game tonight? Do you hate the Yankees? If you answered Yes to both these questions, get prepared to throw up tonight. It is going to be an over-the-top smooch fest for that old crumbly stadium in the bronx. Oh, but it's the house that ruth built, a baseball cathedral, home to some of sports most famous events. Wrong. It's a rat infested stinkhole.

Hey look, I like baseball history just as much as the next guy. I hate when they tear down historic buildings for no reason. I even like Mickey Mantle, Joe D, Lou and the Babe. But the stadium that was built in the 20's was destroyed in the 70's. In the 1976 remodel, they changed everything - the fences were moved, home plate was moved, the classy signature facade was ripped out.

So when they show you pitctures of Joe Louis, Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle and Knute Rockne, don't be fooled. It is not the same stadium.

MLB All-Star Game: The Skills Competition

By Soup

So today I was thinking that Minnesota should change its name to Brangelina. Then our favorite baseball team would be the Brangelina Twins. We would be so popular.

Wait, what the hell? Where has my mind gone? What has this all-star break done to me? I decided that the break needed more than the Home Run Derby. As entertaining as it is to listen to Chris Berman say the word "back" 894 times, we can do better. It's time we steal the most exciting part of NHL's all star break: the skills competition. Here are some proposed events:

Base running

The base runners would bunt, and the stopwatch would start as soon as the ball makes contact with the bat. The watch would stop timing when the base runner returns to home plate. To make the competition fair Carlos Gomez would do it wearing snow pants and clown shoes.

Pitching Accuracy

There would be four targets set up; one at the knees outside corner, one at the knees inside corner, one at the belt inside corner, and one at the belt outside corner. They would get something like 20 pitches. So it would be pretty similar to the NHL accuracy shooting event. Pitches also have to go at least 83mph. Daniel Cabrera also has to wear snow pants and clown shoes to make it fair.

Double Play

I think this one could be fun. Baseball purist would not approve. So this event would have to take place at 10 PM while they're all watching the news. The competition would have judges that would score a double play turned. The judges would score based on degree of difficulty, creativity, and style. Each mlb team would send up to 6 representatives to "perform" a double play. It could be any combination of outs (so it does not necessarily have to end at 1B). The teams would have 6 seconds (or whatever a realistic slow time to first is) from the crack of the bat to complete the second out. I'm expecting costumes and choreography.

Line Drive

The would be five large targets set up in the shallow part of the outfield: down the left field line, left center, center, right center, and right field line. The batter would have to hit the targets in order left to right. The ball would not have to hit the targets on the fly. Each missed target would be an out like in the homerun derby.

Outfield Accuracy

There would be targets at home and third. The outfielder's would all throw from the same spot and try to hit the targets on the fly or one hop. It would also operate on a homerun derby out system

Catcher Throwing Accuracy

Targets would be at each of the bases. The catchers would take balls from a pitching machine. It would be cool if the targets were on timers so they would be synchronized with the pitching machine and would pop up at random. They would also pop back down so the catcher has to throw with urgency. The winner would hit the most targets in the set time period.

Bunt

Ok, this might be boring for some people to watch, but I think it would be cool. The winner would be the batter that bunts the ball closest to first or third base (batter's choice) without it going foul. Each batter would get like 3 tries.

Ok, now let's gets ridiculous...

Pop Fly Hang time

Adam Dunn has been practicing all year for this.

Chop Off the Plate Hang Time

Is Luis Castillo still in the MLB?

Dugout Handshake

Two players from each team would have 30 seconds to show off their most extravagant handshakes. Judges would score on a 1-10 scale.

Pitching Velocity

Yeah, this would never happen. Trying to pitch as hard as you can is probably not recommended by physical trainers. But, what do they know? They're like J.V. doctors.

Wall Run High Jump

There would be one of those poles with the different planks that you jump and hit on the outfield wall. Then the player runs up the wall and tries to swat as high as possible. My money is on Loek Van Mil.

Who would be invited to each event? Who would win? Any other events I missed? Something for the infielders maybe? Best bat flip competition? limbo? a Lincoln/Douglas debate? Hungry, Hungry Hippos?

Milton Bradley, shortly after losing the All-star Limbo Showdown.