My wondeful fiancee found an ad on Craigslist last week for a new sports blog in the Twin Cities that was looking for writers to contribute to their website. Thinking this would be a good way to try to get my name out in the blogosphere, Laura encouraged me to contact them and possibly write for them. I sent them this blog and even though I hadn't written in over a month, they liked what they saw and offered me the possibility of writing a weekly column for their website. I finsihed my first article today and it was posted on the website Twinsmix.com for all to read. It was pretty exciting to see something I wrote be on a website not controlled by myself. I should be writing for the Twinsmix site once a week and I might contribute to their Gopher and T-Wolves websites. Maybe something will come of this and maybe not, but it is great fun for me to write about something I love and perhaps a few people will enjoy my words.
Because I will be consistently writing for the other blog, I'm hoping it will get me in a routine where I will not only blog for Twinsmix but also for this wonderful, spicy blog. I will try not to be redundant and only talk about the Twins on the other site. I will try to get back to writing about movies, restaurants, and any other sports that I see fit. I could write five hundred words right now about the current Premier League season but I think a large chunk of my readership (Karl, father) will be bored to tears. Prehaps I will channel my inner Simmons and do a running dialogue this Saturday morning during the four hours I plan on watching the Premier League. Yes, I will be sitting in our living room from 9 until 1:30 watching soccer on Saturday. Laura is wonderful for putting up with this soccer loving bum. She even bought bacon over the weekend so maybe I'll have some of that to go with my soccer. Start liking soccer everyone so I can write about it!
Thank you all who read this blog and I hope you will check out my work at the other website. Even if you don't care about baseball, just skim through it and support the site. Maybe you will be the start of the fan base that grows Twinsmix into a mammoth sports blog and brings me to prominence in sports journalism! Keep reading, I will be back for more on this blog.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Walking Out
Going to the movie theater is usually a risk. There are very few movies that you know unequivocally will be good. Other than The Dark Knight, I can't think of another movie in the last six months that I had no doubt about. Even Iron Man, one of the best movies of the year, had me a little worried that it wouldn't live up to expectations. This risk has reduced the number of trips we've made to the movie theater significantly over the past couple years. When we do head out to the theater it is often to Riverview Theater, which plays second run movies for three dollars, or St. Anthony Main, which has a student rate of $5.50. St. Anthony Main is one of the main reasons I've held onto my student ID. The last movie I recall paying full price for was The Strangers at the Mall of America. Since dropping twenty-one dollars to see a movie less frightening than the Care Bears, we have not paid full price for a movie other than The Dark Knight. It is much easier to sit through Baby Mama when you pay a total of twelve dollars for two tickets, a large soda, and a medium popcorn. I used to think Riverview's prices made it easy to sit through any piece of garbage Hollywood churned out. This notion was challenged one Saturday night when Laura and I took the risk and and saw Step Brothers at Riverview.
Step Brothers had some promise. It was written and directed by the same man who wrote and directed Anchorman, one of the funniest movies of the last five years. The two stars, Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly, have starred in numerous hilarious movies, most recently the little seen Walk Hard. The concept of two grown men being forced to co-exist under one roof as step brothers was something new that would present the actors with funny situations. All this promise never materialized on screen as humor was non-existent and the characters were excruciatingly annoying. The movie seemed to think the audience would find two forty year old men acting like juveniles funny. It wasn't. We weren't the only ones not laughing in the theater. It was fairly silent except for a couple of meat heads who laughed at every misguided, moronic joke. After forty-five minutes of one of the most painful movie viewing experiences I have had, I asked Laura if she wanted to leave. A quick "Yes" was all I needed as we stood up and walked out halfway through the movie. It was the first time I had ever walked out of a movie before it was finished, and I couldn't have been happier.
A movie has to be pretty unenjoyable for me to walk out on it. I've watched so many awful movies throughout my life yet I've always sat through until the very end. I don't know what it was about Step Brothers that I couldn't handle. Perhaps my tolerance for dick and fart jokes is starting to wear thin. Perhaps I was expecting to much and should have gone into the movie with lesser expectations. It was late on a Saturday night, so maybe I felt like sleeping was a better alternative. Whatever the reason, I will never forget Step Brothers for being my first walk out. I can't help but be a little angry that I wasted my money on less than an hour of entertainment that was by no means entertaining. Paying to see a movie is a risk. It's a risk I used to take a couple times a month. With Netflix, the internet, and cable providing ample amounts of movies, it's a risk I might only take on special occasions. I'll use my twenty dollars to buy a case of Premium and watch whats on one of the ten HBO's we get.
Step Brothers had some promise. It was written and directed by the same man who wrote and directed Anchorman, one of the funniest movies of the last five years. The two stars, Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly, have starred in numerous hilarious movies, most recently the little seen Walk Hard. The concept of two grown men being forced to co-exist under one roof as step brothers was something new that would present the actors with funny situations. All this promise never materialized on screen as humor was non-existent and the characters were excruciatingly annoying. The movie seemed to think the audience would find two forty year old men acting like juveniles funny. It wasn't. We weren't the only ones not laughing in the theater. It was fairly silent except for a couple of meat heads who laughed at every misguided, moronic joke. After forty-five minutes of one of the most painful movie viewing experiences I have had, I asked Laura if she wanted to leave. A quick "Yes" was all I needed as we stood up and walked out halfway through the movie. It was the first time I had ever walked out of a movie before it was finished, and I couldn't have been happier.
A movie has to be pretty unenjoyable for me to walk out on it. I've watched so many awful movies throughout my life yet I've always sat through until the very end. I don't know what it was about Step Brothers that I couldn't handle. Perhaps my tolerance for dick and fart jokes is starting to wear thin. Perhaps I was expecting to much and should have gone into the movie with lesser expectations. It was late on a Saturday night, so maybe I felt like sleeping was a better alternative. Whatever the reason, I will never forget Step Brothers for being my first walk out. I can't help but be a little angry that I wasted my money on less than an hour of entertainment that was by no means entertaining. Paying to see a movie is a risk. It's a risk I used to take a couple times a month. With Netflix, the internet, and cable providing ample amounts of movies, it's a risk I might only take on special occasions. I'll use my twenty dollars to buy a case of Premium and watch whats on one of the ten HBO's we get.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Baseball Is Over
What's a man to do when his two favorite sports teams are eliminated from the postseason in the span of a week? Sob uncontrollably. Drink heavily. Eat continuously. It was a rough week. At least the Brewers made it to October and won a game. Its much better being a Brewers fan today than a Cubs fan. The Cubs have lost nine straight playoff games dating back to the infamous Steve Bartman series in 2003. Give it up Cub fans, they will never win the World Series. Be happy you can go to numerous day games at a classic ballpark that serves one of the finest beers on tap, Old Style. Teams should schedule more day games. Cutting out of work or class to go to a ballgame is a staple of summer. Throw in a few beers and some sunny seventy degree weather and you have a perfect day. I envy you Cub fans. For the day games. Not the hundred years of losing. I'll pass on that.
It's been more than two weeks since the Twins lost the one game playoff to the White Sox and it still drives me into fits of mumbling and under-breath talking. If theres one team in sports I despise over all others it's the Packers. That will never change. Stems from my childhood. Irrevocable damage. After the Packers, it's the Wisconsin Badgers. Raised a Michigan fan, went to Minnesota, and Badger fans are often Packer fans. Guilty by association. After the Badgers, its any intramural softball team with a team name such as "Winning Team", "Champions", or "Future Title Holders". It's always sweet when they are ten run ruled by the third inning. After arrogant softball teams, it's the White Sox. This mainly stems from them winning the World Series in 2005, A.J. Pierzynski, a former Twin, being the cheating bastard that he is, and them being a thorn in the Twins side every single year. No team in the AL Central consistently challenges the Twins every year like the White Sox do. The Royals haven't been good in years. The Tigers had one good season recently and look to be on the decline again. The Indians are up and down seemingly every year. Only the White Sox seem to hang around every year and make a pest of themselves. Losing 1-0 to them in the playoff was soul crushing. The Twins barely put up a fight. Thankfully the Rays made us feel better by beating the Sox in Chicago. Watching A.J. stare out of the dugout at the Rays celebrating their victory was a perfect way for the White Sox season to end.
I'll watch some of the remaining playoff games and root for the Rays to pull off one of the most unlikely seasons in recent baseball memory. Ten straight seasons of losing followed by a World Series win would be pretty astonishing. Much of the luster, though, is gone. I love baseball and will be interested to see what happens. Just not that interested. Now comes five months of offseason wheeling and dealing. 2008 was a good year for the Twins and Brewers. 2009 should be even better. Time to hibernate. Wake me when it's March.
It's been more than two weeks since the Twins lost the one game playoff to the White Sox and it still drives me into fits of mumbling and under-breath talking. If theres one team in sports I despise over all others it's the Packers. That will never change. Stems from my childhood. Irrevocable damage. After the Packers, it's the Wisconsin Badgers. Raised a Michigan fan, went to Minnesota, and Badger fans are often Packer fans. Guilty by association. After the Badgers, its any intramural softball team with a team name such as "Winning Team", "Champions", or "Future Title Holders". It's always sweet when they are ten run ruled by the third inning. After arrogant softball teams, it's the White Sox. This mainly stems from them winning the World Series in 2005, A.J. Pierzynski, a former Twin, being the cheating bastard that he is, and them being a thorn in the Twins side every single year. No team in the AL Central consistently challenges the Twins every year like the White Sox do. The Royals haven't been good in years. The Tigers had one good season recently and look to be on the decline again. The Indians are up and down seemingly every year. Only the White Sox seem to hang around every year and make a pest of themselves. Losing 1-0 to them in the playoff was soul crushing. The Twins barely put up a fight. Thankfully the Rays made us feel better by beating the Sox in Chicago. Watching A.J. stare out of the dugout at the Rays celebrating their victory was a perfect way for the White Sox season to end.
I'll watch some of the remaining playoff games and root for the Rays to pull off one of the most unlikely seasons in recent baseball memory. Ten straight seasons of losing followed by a World Series win would be pretty astonishing. Much of the luster, though, is gone. I love baseball and will be interested to see what happens. Just not that interested. Now comes five months of offseason wheeling and dealing. 2008 was a good year for the Twins and Brewers. 2009 should be even better. Time to hibernate. Wake me when it's March.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
The Whole Enchilada
After 162 games, the AL Central Division title is still up in the air. The White Sox beat Detroit yesterday to pull even with the Twins and force a one game playoff tonight in Chicago. The odds are against the Twins as playing away from the Metrodome has been difficult. The Twins went 2-7 against the Sox at U.S. Cellular Field. All of those games occurred during the first half of the season when the Twins were a different baseball team. Livan Hernandez was still in the rotation giving up seven hits an inning. Our designated hitter was Craig Monroe. He compiled a robust .202 average and .274 OBP before being cut. Mike Lamb was playing third base. He will be best remembered for the great lumberjack beard he grew while riding the pine. Carlos Gomez was the leadoff hitter while Denard Span and Alexi Casilla were down in the minors. It's a new team walking into The Cell that walked out in June after a four game sweep. Those games are a distant memory and the Twins only need to think about the sweep they just pulled off last week against the Sox. Expect a dramatic, wild night in the Windy City. Hopefully Ozzie Guillen will have some new expletive filled quotes in the paper tomorrow. Good things happen when Ozzie's drops some f-bombs.
CC Sabathia is the best pitcher in baseball. 26 years of agony are over because of his left arm. For the first time in my life I get to watch the Brewers in the playoffs. 2:00 tomorrow afternoon, Game 1 vs. the Phillies in Philadelphia. Sit in front of a TV, grab a beer, a sausage, and enjoy the ride. It might not happen for another quarter of a century.
CC Sabathia is the best pitcher in baseball. 26 years of agony are over because of his left arm. For the first time in my life I get to watch the Brewers in the playoffs. 2:00 tomorrow afternoon, Game 1 vs. the Phillies in Philadelphia. Sit in front of a TV, grab a beer, a sausage, and enjoy the ride. It might not happen for another quarter of a century.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Inner City Pressure
Getting away from the Twin Cities for a weekend is glorious. Between the constant noise, stifling traffic, and shear number of narcissistic, self-centered people roaming the streets, its nice to get a break from it all. It's even better when that break involves golfing at one of the premier courses in Wisconsin. Just outside of Hayward, a quaint little city with only two thousand residents, lies a superb course nestled in the beautiful Wisconsin countryside. Designed by Pete Dye, one of the best course designers in golf history, Big Fish Golf Club is the best golfing experience to be found in Northern Wisconsin and one of the best bargains in the Midwest. Golf is horribly expensive. There are numerous items one has to pony up some money for. Clubs, balls, tees, gloves, green fees, cart rentals, beer, novelty club covers, goofy hats that come with a free bowl of soup, etc. Playing a decent course can easily cost someone near a hundred dollars for eighteen holes. Big Fish is of the quality that it could charge that much. If Big Fish was in a suburb of the Cities, it could easily cost near a hundred dollars. Thankfully it is instead situated near Hayward where things move a little slower and cost a little less. Eighteen holes and a cart costs a man only fifty nine dollars. If I was in better shape, wasn't lazy, and didn't want to drink, I could have paid forty two dollars and hoofed it all afternoon. Getting to play one of the top new golf courses in America for that rate seems almost criminal. That's why after our round on Friday we went back for seconds the next day instead of playing nearby Hayward National. We could have saved some money and played a lesser course, but when high quality golf is available at a cheap price you have to take the opportunity. I surprisingly didn't embarrass myself on the course with nine hole scores of 49, 51, 51, and 50. For the first and probably only time playing a serious round of golf in 2008, I was pretty satisfied. Big Fish, I hope to be seeing you again next year. I'll be ready to get the hell out of this concrete jungle and relax myself on the fairways, watching the colors of the Wisconsin wilderness slowly changing.
-Baseball Update: Twins stand 1.5 games back of the White Sox with five remaining. Tonight and tomorrow will make or break the season as the two teams square off in the Dome. Laura and I will be there tonight for our last Twins game of the season. Lets end on a high note.
The Brewers stand one game back of the Wild Card leading Mets with five games to play. After a dramatic win against the Pirates last night, the momentum should be with the Brewers. All they can do is win out and hope for the Mets to falter. It's been a tough September for the Brewers but they can erase the bad memories with a solid final week. It's hard to do but we all have to be Cubs fans tonight and tomorrow. And then never again.
-I'm a sucker for cheesy horror movies. Some people like romantic comedies. Others like slapstick comedies. I like horror movies. With that said, I thoroughly enjoyed Prom Night, the recent remake of the 1980's slasher movie. It has cheesy dialogue, bad acting, and the characters do everything a smart person wouldn't do. Yet it is entertaining as hell. If you like horror movies, check it out. If you like Made of Honor, you have awful taste in movies. I am a movie snob and elitist. I make no apologies for it.
-Take that Europe! We are better than you at golf! A southern boy named Boo who did the Happy Gilmore dance shellacked some of your top players. He can't even speak proper English. Beating the British, a great American past time.
-Arsenal top of the Premier League by one point over Chelsea and Liverpool. That was specifically for you Karl.
-Baseball Update: Twins stand 1.5 games back of the White Sox with five remaining. Tonight and tomorrow will make or break the season as the two teams square off in the Dome. Laura and I will be there tonight for our last Twins game of the season. Lets end on a high note.
The Brewers stand one game back of the Wild Card leading Mets with five games to play. After a dramatic win against the Pirates last night, the momentum should be with the Brewers. All they can do is win out and hope for the Mets to falter. It's been a tough September for the Brewers but they can erase the bad memories with a solid final week. It's hard to do but we all have to be Cubs fans tonight and tomorrow. And then never again.
-I'm a sucker for cheesy horror movies. Some people like romantic comedies. Others like slapstick comedies. I like horror movies. With that said, I thoroughly enjoyed Prom Night, the recent remake of the 1980's slasher movie. It has cheesy dialogue, bad acting, and the characters do everything a smart person wouldn't do. Yet it is entertaining as hell. If you like horror movies, check it out. If you like Made of Honor, you have awful taste in movies. I am a movie snob and elitist. I make no apologies for it.
-Take that Europe! We are better than you at golf! A southern boy named Boo who did the Happy Gilmore dance shellacked some of your top players. He can't even speak proper English. Beating the British, a great American past time.
-Arsenal top of the Premier League by one point over Chelsea and Liverpool. That was specifically for you Karl.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Optimism Waning, Pessimism Rising
Who fires their manager with only twelve games remaining in the season? Only the 2008 Milwaukee Brewers in the history of baseball. After starting September by losing eleven of fourteen games and falling into a tie for the Wild Card with the Phillies, the Brewers decided to relieve Ned Yost of his managing duties. After managing the Brewers through 150 games to a 83-67 record, the Brewers didn't trust him to lead the team for twelve more games. Once again, Yost managed 150 games! ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY. With so little left in the season, Yost should have gotten the opportunity to motivate his team, finish the season strong, and hopefully take the Wild Card. It will be interesting to see how the players react to the firing. Perhaps Yost was well liked by his players and his firing will motivate the players to go on and make the postseason for their fallen manager. Or the firing will completely demoralize the players and the team will crumble with out their beloved manager. I'm hoping that the team did not have a strong liking for Yost and his sacking will enable the team to finish strong. If the Brewers fail to make the playoffs, the firing of Yost will be questioned for a long time. It will not be easy for the Brew Crew as they play the Cubs six more times. CC steps onto the mound tonight and needs to have the best outing of his short Brewers career. The Brewers have never made the playoffs during my life. End the collective misery of Brewers fans everywhere and finish the job that Ned Yost won't be allowed to do.
That other baseball team I like is still hanging around the AL playoff race but also find themselves in a precarious position. The Twins trail the White Sox by a game and a half having played an extra game. If we give the Sox a win in that extra game, the Twins stand two games back with twelve remaining for both teams. As I've written before, the Twins can't be farther back than two games when the Sox come to town on September 23rd. Therefore we all need to be Yankees and Royals fans this week as the Sox visit both teams. The Sox are ripe for a losing streak. After having games postponed on Friday and Saturday due to rain, the Sox played a doubleheader on Sunday. They immediately had to fly out to New York to play last night and lost. The Yankees are in the midst of their final homestand at Yankee Stadium. They will play their hearts out to close out the stadium on a positive note. They do not have a day game on Thursday so they will not leave New York until late Thursday night, hopefully making them tired for their opener in Kansas City on Friday. The White Sox also have the headache of figuring out when to makeup a game against the Tigers. All of these issues could compound and cause the White Sox to crumble and be ripe for a sweep when they visit the Metrodome. Optimism, it's a wonderful thing. I can delude myself into thinking crazy things.
One of these teams has to make the playoffs. It has been the best baseball season of my life and it would be heartbreaking and bad for my mental health if neither team makes it to October. If you don't want to see me in pain throughout October, you will cheer for the Brewers and Twins. The joyfulness I will feel if both teams make the playoffs will be so powerful that it will radiate out in waves and make all the people within a mile radius happier. Cheering for my teams won't just help me. It will help all mankind.
That other baseball team I like is still hanging around the AL playoff race but also find themselves in a precarious position. The Twins trail the White Sox by a game and a half having played an extra game. If we give the Sox a win in that extra game, the Twins stand two games back with twelve remaining for both teams. As I've written before, the Twins can't be farther back than two games when the Sox come to town on September 23rd. Therefore we all need to be Yankees and Royals fans this week as the Sox visit both teams. The Sox are ripe for a losing streak. After having games postponed on Friday and Saturday due to rain, the Sox played a doubleheader on Sunday. They immediately had to fly out to New York to play last night and lost. The Yankees are in the midst of their final homestand at Yankee Stadium. They will play their hearts out to close out the stadium on a positive note. They do not have a day game on Thursday so they will not leave New York until late Thursday night, hopefully making them tired for their opener in Kansas City on Friday. The White Sox also have the headache of figuring out when to makeup a game against the Tigers. All of these issues could compound and cause the White Sox to crumble and be ripe for a sweep when they visit the Metrodome. Optimism, it's a wonderful thing. I can delude myself into thinking crazy things.
One of these teams has to make the playoffs. It has been the best baseball season of my life and it would be heartbreaking and bad for my mental health if neither team makes it to October. If you don't want to see me in pain throughout October, you will cheer for the Brewers and Twins. The joyfulness I will feel if both teams make the playoffs will be so powerful that it will radiate out in waves and make all the people within a mile radius happier. Cheering for my teams won't just help me. It will help all mankind.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Slowly Slipping Away
Over the past week, the Twins finished their arduous fourteen game roadtrip with a shellacking in Toronto. The Twins needed to win two of three in Toronto to finish five hundred on the road trip. They were swept and finished 5-9 on their travels. Somehow the Twins found themselves only a game and a half out of first after the roadtrip. Coming home to play the underachieving Tigers and the always awful Royals, the Twins were primed for a good homestand and a chance to regain first in the central. The homestand started well with a win on Friday night. It turned out to be the highpoint of a painful weekend for Twins fans.
Saturday afternoon was going splendidly. Laura and I found a new couch for our living room, we rented a U-haul for Sunday to pick it up, and our rearranging of the apartment was going smoothly. We took a break to watch The Wire (Best. Show. Ever.) and the last couple innings of the Twins game. When we switched the Twins game on, Scott Baker was throwing a gem, allowing only two runs through seven innings with a low pitch count. Going into the eighth inning, the Twins held a 4-2 lead. Not an insurmountable lead, but one I felt confident in handing over to the bullpen. Baker came out for the beginning of the eighth and left after recording one out and putting a man on first. Dennys Reyes, the lefty specialist, came in to face Curtis Granderson. His only job was to get Granderson out and his day would be done. His third pitch to Granderson was hit over the baggy in right field for a two run homerun. With the game tied 4-4, Matt Guerrier came in and preceded to give up another two run homerun. By the time Jessie Crain finished off the Tigers in the eighth, the Twins were losing 6-4. The game ended that way as the Twins couldn't muster any runs in the eighth or ninth. The weak bullpen was on display again wasting a quality outing by a starting pitcher. It was a bad loss, but the Twins had a Sunday matinee date with the Tigers to win the series.
Sunday afternoon was stressful. The new furniture we bought wouldn't fit through our doorway. We took the door off it's hinges and pushed with all our might until the couch slid into our apartment. It was quite the battle and there are scars on the walls to commemorate the struggle. After dropping off the U-Haul we needed to sit down, relax, and crack open a beer. We made it back home at the beginning of the sixth inning. The Twins were leading 4-2 and Glen Perkins was still pitching. As soon as we sat down and got comfortable, things went to hell. Perkins was knocked around and the Tigers scored three runs to take the lead 5-4. Organizing the apartment seemed like a better idea than watching more of the game. I'm still a terrible jinx and I figured not watching the rest of the game would work in the Twins favor. My optimism was soon crushed as the Tigers added on two more runs in the top of the seventh. My optimism was finally put out of its misery in the bottom of the seventh when Morneau and Kubel drove in only one run with men on base. I knew not to expect a comeback with the feeble bats of Punto and Gomez coming up. The Twins lost the game 7-5 and lost the series, a poor homecoming after such an ugly roadtrip.
The Twins stand two and a half games behind the White Sox for the division title going into tonights game with the Royals. The Wild Card is out of the question as the Red Sox have been white hot lately and hold a sizable cushion over the Twins. After the three game set versus the Royals the Twins hit the road once again for a ten game road trip. They play winnable games against the Orioles and Indians, but face a tough test with four games against the Rays. After the roadtrip the Twins return home to face the White Sox and Royals for three games each to end the season. When the White Sox come to town, the Twins can not be more than two games back in the standings. It is hard to demand a sweep of the White Sox, but that will be necessary if the Twins are more than two games back. I have faith in the Twins and will continue to be optimistic. It has been a great season that has gone above and beyond my expectations for this team. If they make the playoffs, it will be a great achievement for a young team and a great sign for the future. If they don't, we'll run Jessie Crain and Matt Guerrier out of town with pitchforks and torches. We'll run Crain all the way back to Canada.
Saturday afternoon was going splendidly. Laura and I found a new couch for our living room, we rented a U-haul for Sunday to pick it up, and our rearranging of the apartment was going smoothly. We took a break to watch The Wire (Best. Show. Ever.) and the last couple innings of the Twins game. When we switched the Twins game on, Scott Baker was throwing a gem, allowing only two runs through seven innings with a low pitch count. Going into the eighth inning, the Twins held a 4-2 lead. Not an insurmountable lead, but one I felt confident in handing over to the bullpen. Baker came out for the beginning of the eighth and left after recording one out and putting a man on first. Dennys Reyes, the lefty specialist, came in to face Curtis Granderson. His only job was to get Granderson out and his day would be done. His third pitch to Granderson was hit over the baggy in right field for a two run homerun. With the game tied 4-4, Matt Guerrier came in and preceded to give up another two run homerun. By the time Jessie Crain finished off the Tigers in the eighth, the Twins were losing 6-4. The game ended that way as the Twins couldn't muster any runs in the eighth or ninth. The weak bullpen was on display again wasting a quality outing by a starting pitcher. It was a bad loss, but the Twins had a Sunday matinee date with the Tigers to win the series.
Sunday afternoon was stressful. The new furniture we bought wouldn't fit through our doorway. We took the door off it's hinges and pushed with all our might until the couch slid into our apartment. It was quite the battle and there are scars on the walls to commemorate the struggle. After dropping off the U-Haul we needed to sit down, relax, and crack open a beer. We made it back home at the beginning of the sixth inning. The Twins were leading 4-2 and Glen Perkins was still pitching. As soon as we sat down and got comfortable, things went to hell. Perkins was knocked around and the Tigers scored three runs to take the lead 5-4. Organizing the apartment seemed like a better idea than watching more of the game. I'm still a terrible jinx and I figured not watching the rest of the game would work in the Twins favor. My optimism was soon crushed as the Tigers added on two more runs in the top of the seventh. My optimism was finally put out of its misery in the bottom of the seventh when Morneau and Kubel drove in only one run with men on base. I knew not to expect a comeback with the feeble bats of Punto and Gomez coming up. The Twins lost the game 7-5 and lost the series, a poor homecoming after such an ugly roadtrip.
The Twins stand two and a half games behind the White Sox for the division title going into tonights game with the Royals. The Wild Card is out of the question as the Red Sox have been white hot lately and hold a sizable cushion over the Twins. After the three game set versus the Royals the Twins hit the road once again for a ten game road trip. They play winnable games against the Orioles and Indians, but face a tough test with four games against the Rays. After the roadtrip the Twins return home to face the White Sox and Royals for three games each to end the season. When the White Sox come to town, the Twins can not be more than two games back in the standings. It is hard to demand a sweep of the White Sox, but that will be necessary if the Twins are more than two games back. I have faith in the Twins and will continue to be optimistic. It has been a great season that has gone above and beyond my expectations for this team. If they make the playoffs, it will be a great achievement for a young team and a great sign for the future. If they don't, we'll run Jessie Crain and Matt Guerrier out of town with pitchforks and torches. We'll run Crain all the way back to Canada.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
CC's Near No-No
Any chance I have of watching the Brewers on television is one I jump at. I love them as much as I love the Twins and wish I could have both teams every game at my disposal. Alas, I can't justify spending more money on sports television when I already pay extra for the Fox Soccer Channel. Being able to watch nearly 14o of the Twins games is pretty good. On Sunday, Laura and I went to Menomonie to do some preparing for our upcoming nuptials. If you didn't know, now you know. We are engaged. After checking out the church and possible reception areas, I stopped at a computer on the UW-Stout campus to check the Brewers game. It was in the bottom of the sixth and CC Sabathia was throwing a one hitter. Laura graciously let me check out of further wedding planning and return to her parents house to watch CC pitch against the Pirates. He ended up pitching a gem. A complete game shutout with eleven strikeouts and one measly hit. Or was it a hit?
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Andy LaRoche led off the inning with a little dribbler back to CC. What should have been a routine play for CC ended with him missing the ball as he went to barehand it. LaRoche made it to first and the decision was now up to the official scorer to call it a hit or an error. Not surprisingly, the play was called a hit and CC lost his no-hitter in the fifth inning. The home team almost always gets the benefit of the doubt on close plays. After extensive replays showed CC most likely would have been able to throw out LaRoche if he had fielded the ball cleanly, the announcers became increasingly agitated throughout the game as CC finished off his complete game without allowing another hit. The cameras even showed the official scorer in his booth while the announcers lambasted him. I felt a little bit bad for the scorer as everyone makes mistakes, especially in baseball scoring. Thankfully CC took it all in stride during his post game interview as he was just happy to win the game for his team.
In hindsight, yes, the play probably should have been ruled an error. The replays seem to show that LaRoche was a long ways away from first base when CC was attempting to pick up the ball. If the pick was made cleanly, CC would have thrown him out. The Brewers are attempting to have the ruling overturned and give CC a retroactive no-hitter. This would be the wrong decision. The problem with going back and giving him a no-hitter is when the play in question occurred. The bottom of the fifth is only half way through a ballgame. Who knows how the Pirates would have approached late inning at bats if they knew CC was on a no-hitter. By the final two innings, the Pirates were well out of the game. With a hit on the board, they didn't have much to play for. Everything would have been different in the last two innings if CC had a no-hitter going. No team wants to be no-hit. The Pirates could have easily put forth extra effort in those last two innings just to deny the Brewers having only their second no-hitter in their existence.
It would be the wrong decision for MLB to award CC with a no-hitter. CC was phenomenal on Sunday and it would have been a great exclamation point to add to this already wonderful Brewers season. A retroactive no-hitter would seem hollow and make the Brewers out to be whiners. Milwaukee should take the disappointment in stride and focus on making the playoffs for the first time in 25 years. That would be the ultimate exclamation point to finish the season.
Twins Update: 5-6 so far on 14 game road trip. Starting the final leg tonight in Toronto, the Twins need to win two of three to finish 7-7 on the trip, exactly what I hoped for. Currently tied with the Sox for first in the Central, the last month is going to be a nail biter. Every game is crucial.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Andy LaRoche led off the inning with a little dribbler back to CC. What should have been a routine play for CC ended with him missing the ball as he went to barehand it. LaRoche made it to first and the decision was now up to the official scorer to call it a hit or an error. Not surprisingly, the play was called a hit and CC lost his no-hitter in the fifth inning. The home team almost always gets the benefit of the doubt on close plays. After extensive replays showed CC most likely would have been able to throw out LaRoche if he had fielded the ball cleanly, the announcers became increasingly agitated throughout the game as CC finished off his complete game without allowing another hit. The cameras even showed the official scorer in his booth while the announcers lambasted him. I felt a little bit bad for the scorer as everyone makes mistakes, especially in baseball scoring. Thankfully CC took it all in stride during his post game interview as he was just happy to win the game for his team.
In hindsight, yes, the play probably should have been ruled an error. The replays seem to show that LaRoche was a long ways away from first base when CC was attempting to pick up the ball. If the pick was made cleanly, CC would have thrown him out. The Brewers are attempting to have the ruling overturned and give CC a retroactive no-hitter. This would be the wrong decision. The problem with going back and giving him a no-hitter is when the play in question occurred. The bottom of the fifth is only half way through a ballgame. Who knows how the Pirates would have approached late inning at bats if they knew CC was on a no-hitter. By the final two innings, the Pirates were well out of the game. With a hit on the board, they didn't have much to play for. Everything would have been different in the last two innings if CC had a no-hitter going. No team wants to be no-hit. The Pirates could have easily put forth extra effort in those last two innings just to deny the Brewers having only their second no-hitter in their existence.
It would be the wrong decision for MLB to award CC with a no-hitter. CC was phenomenal on Sunday and it would have been a great exclamation point to add to this already wonderful Brewers season. A retroactive no-hitter would seem hollow and make the Brewers out to be whiners. Milwaukee should take the disappointment in stride and focus on making the playoffs for the first time in 25 years. That would be the ultimate exclamation point to finish the season.
Twins Update: 5-6 so far on 14 game road trip. Starting the final leg tonight in Toronto, the Twins need to win two of three to finish 7-7 on the trip, exactly what I hoped for. Currently tied with the Sox for first in the Central, the last month is going to be a nail biter. Every game is crucial.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Republicans Invade!
Over the glorious Labor Day weekend the Twin Cities was awash with humanity. Three separate events drew in thousands of people to congest our fair streets and test the metro's collective patience. The least aggravating of the three events was move in at the U of M. Having moved in or out of housing seven times over the last five years, I understand the difficulties a move causes and the stress it puts on the participants. It's not much fun when the basement of your new house has just flooded and you have nowhere to put all your roommates possessions that he left for you to move in while he was studying abroad. My own moving experiences gave me patience on Labor Day when I was maneuvering around trailers and trucks parked in the middle of streets in Dinkytown. College students and parents, I know your pain. Continue moving your futon and mini-fridges. Patiently managing the streets of the Como neighborhood was better than hitting the highways and running into the always fun State Fair traffic.
I enjoy the Minnesota State Fair. The food is greasy, fatty, and delicious. Can't get hot dish on a stick anywhere else. There is no better place to sit and watch people. Much better than the mall. Some quality music acts grace the main stage. Sculptures made out of butter are on display. And you can watch a live birth. An animal live birth. Which is equally as disturbing. Sure, it may cost an arm and a leg for admission and the food. You just have to know going in that you will drop forty dollars on food and leave ten pounds heavier. But you will still feel good about yourself as there is always some four hundred pound man with a turkey leg in one hand and a deep fried Oreo in the other. Thank you Billy Ray from Pine City (Greden shoutout!) for gorging yourself at the fair. You always make me feel better. I have nothing against the State Fair except for the traffic it causes. The highways are busy at all times of the day. The exits nearest the fairgrounds are backed up onto the highway. Around the fairgrounds traffic is slow and congested as people search for that perfect parking spot. Clovis and Raylenne from Brainerd are intimidated by the big city and drive fifteen miles under the speed limit. Thank god for Metro Transit that has numerous free park and rides shuttling people to and from the fair. They make all the difference in keeping the roads drivable, if not enjoyable. It was nice to have you State Fair goers, you weren't the worst visitors. Now hit the treadmill before you come back next year.
Of all the visitors to the Twin Cities over the weekend, the worst were the thousands of Republicans converging on our quiet little metro for the Republican National Convention. There are three reasons why they are the worst of all the visitors. One: they are Republicans. Were a pretty liberal area and we'd like to keep it that way. Two: they're here until Thursday. It's not like the State Fair visitors or parents moving in their kids who hang around maybe for one night. The Republicans have been here for a couple days and they're going to be here for a couple more. Kind of like relatives that overstay their visit but you have to be nice and let them stay. Three: They rushed the 35W bridge completion for the RNC to make traveling easier for all the incoming Republicans. The bridge is not complete. They decided not to put a lightrail on the bridge as it would take longer. The lightrail will now be built on Washington Ave. in the heart of the U of M. This will cause horrible traffic around the U of M. Laura works at the U of M and we still go to places in that area frequently. We are not looking forward to the future of driving around the U. Indirectly, I blame this on the Republicans. That may not be fair, but I don't care. I will be thrilled when the RNC is over on Thursday night and the city will be purged of all its visitors. I know it will be good for the economy of the Twin Cities as all the old, white people go out and paint the town red. Just don't expect me out and about till Friday.
Hold on, there is one positive thing about the Republicans invading: The bars are open until four in the morning. I can get up at 2:30, shower and shave, dress for work, and go to a bar for a little pre-work pick me up. Work would probably be a hell of a lot more fun that way.
I'm voting for Obama. It's time for some new blood. And someone without tiny dinosaur arms.
I enjoy the Minnesota State Fair. The food is greasy, fatty, and delicious. Can't get hot dish on a stick anywhere else. There is no better place to sit and watch people. Much better than the mall. Some quality music acts grace the main stage. Sculptures made out of butter are on display. And you can watch a live birth. An animal live birth. Which is equally as disturbing. Sure, it may cost an arm and a leg for admission and the food. You just have to know going in that you will drop forty dollars on food and leave ten pounds heavier. But you will still feel good about yourself as there is always some four hundred pound man with a turkey leg in one hand and a deep fried Oreo in the other. Thank you Billy Ray from Pine City (Greden shoutout!) for gorging yourself at the fair. You always make me feel better. I have nothing against the State Fair except for the traffic it causes. The highways are busy at all times of the day. The exits nearest the fairgrounds are backed up onto the highway. Around the fairgrounds traffic is slow and congested as people search for that perfect parking spot. Clovis and Raylenne from Brainerd are intimidated by the big city and drive fifteen miles under the speed limit. Thank god for Metro Transit that has numerous free park and rides shuttling people to and from the fair. They make all the difference in keeping the roads drivable, if not enjoyable. It was nice to have you State Fair goers, you weren't the worst visitors. Now hit the treadmill before you come back next year.
Of all the visitors to the Twin Cities over the weekend, the worst were the thousands of Republicans converging on our quiet little metro for the Republican National Convention. There are three reasons why they are the worst of all the visitors. One: they are Republicans. Were a pretty liberal area and we'd like to keep it that way. Two: they're here until Thursday. It's not like the State Fair visitors or parents moving in their kids who hang around maybe for one night. The Republicans have been here for a couple days and they're going to be here for a couple more. Kind of like relatives that overstay their visit but you have to be nice and let them stay. Three: They rushed the 35W bridge completion for the RNC to make traveling easier for all the incoming Republicans. The bridge is not complete. They decided not to put a lightrail on the bridge as it would take longer. The lightrail will now be built on Washington Ave. in the heart of the U of M. This will cause horrible traffic around the U of M. Laura works at the U of M and we still go to places in that area frequently. We are not looking forward to the future of driving around the U. Indirectly, I blame this on the Republicans. That may not be fair, but I don't care. I will be thrilled when the RNC is over on Thursday night and the city will be purged of all its visitors. I know it will be good for the economy of the Twin Cities as all the old, white people go out and paint the town red. Just don't expect me out and about till Friday.
Hold on, there is one positive thing about the Republicans invading: The bars are open until four in the morning. I can get up at 2:30, shower and shave, dress for work, and go to a bar for a little pre-work pick me up. Work would probably be a hell of a lot more fun that way.
I'm voting for Obama. It's time for some new blood. And someone without tiny dinosaur arms.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Go Away Football
Unfortunately for me, the college football season starts this weekend. Even worse, the NFL will begin the following week. This means that ESPN will start filling ninety percent of their lineup with football. Actually, they've been doing that since the Favre saga. The start of the season changes nothing. It does mean the return of Sean Salisbury, Lee Corso, and all the other great football minds to fill us with oodles of inside information. Instead of seeing comprehensive highlights of the Brewers taking on the Cardinals, ESPN will show us Jessica Simpson in a skybox and hold a ten minute, round-table debate with five analysts on whether or not her attendance causes Tony Romo to wet his pants in nervousness. I'll probably end up watching a lot of the British sports news this fall that I get on Fox Soccer Channel. I don't understand a lick of cricket or care to watch highlights from the dog track, but at least it's not filled with talking heads regurgitating the same information over and over. I know I'm in the minority, but football bores me. Other than the occasional great tackle or spectacular catch, it's painfully repetitive. I dread the day baseball ends and all I'm left with is soccer until the spring when basketball and hockey heat up. If the Gophers play well (which won't happen) or the Bears contend (which won't happen with bearded, drunk Orton at the helm), I'll watch a little football. Most likely you'll find me on Saturday and Sunday watching some top class soccer or a hotly contested pennant race. Or I could go outside and enjoy the beautiful fall weather with its changing foliage. We'll see how comfortable our new couch is. That will be a major factor. Now feel free to make fun of soccer. I know all you football lovers are itching to.
Now for some quick thoughts...
-After taking the first two from the Angels in Anaheim, the Twins have dropped their last four, two of them coming in Seattle against the lowly Mariners. They've lost even though their starting rotation has pitched adequately. Once again the bullpen has blown some leads, but the real fault is with the hitting who have not come through against the poor Mariners rotation. It's on Tim Pawlenty if the Twins have a bad roadtrip and miss the playoffs. Boo RNC!
-Pineapple Express is an entertaining, funny movie mostly because of James Franco. Hilarious in the under appreciated Freaks and Geeks as the stoner burnout Daniel Desario, Franco is able to show off his comedic talent again as the perpetually stoned pot dealer who finds himself on the run when one of his customers witnesses a murder and drags him into the ordeal. Franco's character will go down with Matthew McConaughey in Dazed and Confused and Sean Penn in Fastimes at Ridgemont High as one of the greatest movie stoners.
-Who's excited for the English Premier League? Arsenal! Chelsea! Man Utd! Hull City! After two weeks the table is already screwed up. Hull City, a team in the top flight for the first time in their existence, is undefeated with a win and a tie. They were expected to challenge Derby County (big shoutout to Derby, Mr. Fyfe's number one team) as the worst team in Premier League history. Tottenham is looking more like Derby after losing at home to Sunderland and at Middlesborough, two middle of the road teams. When you spend nearly fifty million pounds on players, I don't think you should be at the foot of the table. It should be an exciting season as there will be many teams vying for European spots and many trying to save themselves from relegation.
-Did anybody understand the last paragraph?
-All you can eat chicken tenders is a great idea. Thank you Applebee's. Not only were they delicious, but the waitress gave me a second order without asking and a box for me to take home the extras. Olive Garden never lets me have a to go box during the never ending pasta bowl. I want five bowls of pasta and five to go boxes please.
Now for some quick thoughts...
-After taking the first two from the Angels in Anaheim, the Twins have dropped their last four, two of them coming in Seattle against the lowly Mariners. They've lost even though their starting rotation has pitched adequately. Once again the bullpen has blown some leads, but the real fault is with the hitting who have not come through against the poor Mariners rotation. It's on Tim Pawlenty if the Twins have a bad roadtrip and miss the playoffs. Boo RNC!
-Pineapple Express is an entertaining, funny movie mostly because of James Franco. Hilarious in the under appreciated Freaks and Geeks as the stoner burnout Daniel Desario, Franco is able to show off his comedic talent again as the perpetually stoned pot dealer who finds himself on the run when one of his customers witnesses a murder and drags him into the ordeal. Franco's character will go down with Matthew McConaughey in Dazed and Confused and Sean Penn in Fastimes at Ridgemont High as one of the greatest movie stoners.
-Who's excited for the English Premier League? Arsenal! Chelsea! Man Utd! Hull City! After two weeks the table is already screwed up. Hull City, a team in the top flight for the first time in their existence, is undefeated with a win and a tie. They were expected to challenge Derby County (big shoutout to Derby, Mr. Fyfe's number one team) as the worst team in Premier League history. Tottenham is looking more like Derby after losing at home to Sunderland and at Middlesborough, two middle of the road teams. When you spend nearly fifty million pounds on players, I don't think you should be at the foot of the table. It should be an exciting season as there will be many teams vying for European spots and many trying to save themselves from relegation.
-Did anybody understand the last paragraph?
-All you can eat chicken tenders is a great idea. Thank you Applebee's. Not only were they delicious, but the waitress gave me a second order without asking and a box for me to take home the extras. Olive Garden never lets me have a to go box during the never ending pasta bowl. I want five bowls of pasta and five to go boxes please.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
The Long and Winding Road Trip
Here are some of the home/road splits for the Twins pitching staff this season. Scary stuff.
Home ERA - 3.28, 3rd in AL
Road ERA - 5.43, 13th in AL
Home BAA - .256, 7th in AL
Road BAA - .299, 14th in AL
Home WHIP - 1.23, 4th in AL
Road WHIP - 1.52, 11th in AL
Home Win/Loss - 46-23
Road Win/Loss - 26-31
The Twins play 24 of their next 30 games on the road. The opposition includes the two best teams in the AL, the Tampa Bay Rays and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Just call yourself the California Angels, it would be easier. Thankfully there are teams like the Mariners, A's, and Indians on upcoming trips. The Twins are in the midst of playing seventeen games in seventeen days with the last eleven on the road. Beginning tonight in Anaheim, the next eleven games will be a huge indication of the Twins staying power in the playoff race. If the Twins are able to win five or six of these upcoming games, it will be a success. Hopefully the White Sox won't role off a ten game winning streak over the next two weeks.
Winning on the road is doable. The Twins hitters have been consistently good in all ballparks this season. They have the second best road batting average in the American League and the fifth best on-base percentage. Only teams with monster lineups like the Red Sox and Rangers have hit better on the road. The pressure all falls squarely on the pitching staff. A 5.43 earned run average on the road is pitiful. It would be easy and fun to blame Livan Hernandez for the poor road numbers. He was awful. But every pitcher in the rotation has worse numbers on the road. Glen Perkins has the highest home ERA in the rotation at 3.91. The best road ERA in the rotation is 4.40, belonging to Kevin Slowey. You know you have problems on the road when every pitchers road ERA is worse than the fifth starters home ERA. The bullpen has been poor on the road as well. All you need to do is Google Matt Guerrier and look at his splits. Where's Latroy Hawkins when you need him?
Tonight Scott Baker takes the mound against one of the best pitchers in the game, John Lackey. A victory would be a great surprise in the morning and the perfect way to start off the road trip. A seven inning outing from Baker would be the right tone to set for the rest of the rotation. The Twins season hangs in the balance on this road trip, and winning on the road boils down to the pitching. If the pitching chokes, the White Sox might watch the Twins fade in their rear view mirror. If the pitching kills, the Twins will be gaining on the White Sox faster than T. Rex gained on Jeff Goldblum. This time, T. Rex will eat Jeff Goldblum.
Home ERA - 3.28, 3rd in AL
Road ERA - 5.43, 13th in AL
Home BAA - .256, 7th in AL
Road BAA - .299, 14th in AL
Home WHIP - 1.23, 4th in AL
Road WHIP - 1.52, 11th in AL
Home Win/Loss - 46-23
Road Win/Loss - 26-31
The Twins play 24 of their next 30 games on the road. The opposition includes the two best teams in the AL, the Tampa Bay Rays and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Just call yourself the California Angels, it would be easier. Thankfully there are teams like the Mariners, A's, and Indians on upcoming trips. The Twins are in the midst of playing seventeen games in seventeen days with the last eleven on the road. Beginning tonight in Anaheim, the next eleven games will be a huge indication of the Twins staying power in the playoff race. If the Twins are able to win five or six of these upcoming games, it will be a success. Hopefully the White Sox won't role off a ten game winning streak over the next two weeks.
Winning on the road is doable. The Twins hitters have been consistently good in all ballparks this season. They have the second best road batting average in the American League and the fifth best on-base percentage. Only teams with monster lineups like the Red Sox and Rangers have hit better on the road. The pressure all falls squarely on the pitching staff. A 5.43 earned run average on the road is pitiful. It would be easy and fun to blame Livan Hernandez for the poor road numbers. He was awful. But every pitcher in the rotation has worse numbers on the road. Glen Perkins has the highest home ERA in the rotation at 3.91. The best road ERA in the rotation is 4.40, belonging to Kevin Slowey. You know you have problems on the road when every pitchers road ERA is worse than the fifth starters home ERA. The bullpen has been poor on the road as well. All you need to do is Google Matt Guerrier and look at his splits. Where's Latroy Hawkins when you need him?
Tonight Scott Baker takes the mound against one of the best pitchers in the game, John Lackey. A victory would be a great surprise in the morning and the perfect way to start off the road trip. A seven inning outing from Baker would be the right tone to set for the rest of the rotation. The Twins season hangs in the balance on this road trip, and winning on the road boils down to the pitching. If the pitching chokes, the White Sox might watch the Twins fade in their rear view mirror. If the pitching kills, the Twins will be gaining on the White Sox faster than T. Rex gained on Jeff Goldblum. This time, T. Rex will eat Jeff Goldblum.
Monday, August 18, 2008
One Vantage Point Will Suffice
The last movie I saw in the theater was Kung Fu Panda for the second time. Yes, it's that good. Eventually I'm going to see Pineapple Express and Tropic Thunder in theaters. Until then, Netflix will have to fulfill my movie needs. Sometimes it does its job well. Lately, not so much. I shouldn't blame Netflix as I'm the one who sets up the queue. I'm much more liberal with our Netflix selections as it's free (thank you Wendy) and unlimited in the number of rentals. The last two movies we watched were ones I would never pay to see in the theaters. But for free when it's mailed to my house? I'll kill a couple hours watching a questionable movie. I usually never regret watching a movie. Dude, Where's My Car? and Wing Commander are two that I regret, but that's because I paid good money to see them in theaters. Ah, the foolishness of youth. The only movie I regretted watching from Netflix was Saw III. I knew it was going to be terrible when I put it in, and it did not disappoint. Now there are two movies I regret watching from Netflix. Guess which one it is from these two reviews!
Stop-Loss - Ryan Phillipe and the exceptional Joseph Gordon-Levitt star in this debate stirring film about American soldiers returning from Iraq and their attempts to return to a normal life back home. Ryan Phillipe's character is ready to leave the army and begin a new life in Texas when he is stop-lossed, a loophole the U.S. government uses to extend a soldier's service past their end of service date. Enraged, Phillipe goes a-wall in an attempt to find a way out of the army. While he's on the run, the other soldiers he returned home with our having problems of their own readjusting to life outside the military. The soldiers can't escape the things they did and saw in Iraq and the memories affect their current mindset. It's a decent movie that doesn't try to force any message upon the viewer. The characters are forced to make many difficult decisions throughout the film and you can agree with their choices or not. It's a bit long and drawn out at some points with some questionable acting. I know the ladies love him, but Channing Tatum is a poor actor. Phillipe is decent, even with the funny Texas accent. Gordon-Levitt once again shines above the other actors. If you haven't seen Brick or The Lookout, check them out. You will understand why I rave about Gordon-Levitt. While it has some flaws, Stop-Loss is a decent, thought-provoking film that's worth checking out.
2.5/4 Chicken Nuggets
Vantage Point - I want an hour and a half of my life back. Well, make that an hour and fifteen minutes cause I didn't watch the last fifteen minutes. Does that sum up how engrossed I was by this movie? I was able to skip the climax and still know exactly how it finished. What a waste of money and good actors. Forest Whitaker, Dennis Quaid, and Matthew Fox are all decent actors who I enjoy in other roles. Whitaker has even won an Oscar for his superb work in The Last King of Scotland. How these three got roped into such a mundane, predictable, run-of-the mill thriller I will never know. The plot is nothing new: U.S. president is making speech, terrorists attack, president is in danger, secret service has to find the bad guys, there are some twists that make the plot more convoluted, yada yada yada. Supposedly the technique that makes this film unique is that it reveals the story through the eyes of five or six different characters. The viewer gets all these different "vantage points" of the incident that allows the audience to piece together the plot. There wasn't much to piece together. I expected the plot to be more intricate and elaborate, but it is all predictable and stale. The different "vantage points" add nothing and drag the movie out, even though its only an hour and a half! Awful dialogue, horrendous acting, and lame plot twists make Vantage Point a huge waste of time. I want my hour and fifteen minutes back! Oh, I'd only waste them anyway.
.5/4 Chicken Nuggets
The good news is that Netflix rents TV shows. This has allowed us to watch the first three seasons of one of the greatest television shows ever, The Wire. It's comforting knowing that after I watch a putrid pile of garbage like Vantage Point, Jimmy McNulty, Omar, and Avon Barksdale are there to reinforce my trust in the entertainment industry.
Stop-Loss - Ryan Phillipe and the exceptional Joseph Gordon-Levitt star in this debate stirring film about American soldiers returning from Iraq and their attempts to return to a normal life back home. Ryan Phillipe's character is ready to leave the army and begin a new life in Texas when he is stop-lossed, a loophole the U.S. government uses to extend a soldier's service past their end of service date. Enraged, Phillipe goes a-wall in an attempt to find a way out of the army. While he's on the run, the other soldiers he returned home with our having problems of their own readjusting to life outside the military. The soldiers can't escape the things they did and saw in Iraq and the memories affect their current mindset. It's a decent movie that doesn't try to force any message upon the viewer. The characters are forced to make many difficult decisions throughout the film and you can agree with their choices or not. It's a bit long and drawn out at some points with some questionable acting. I know the ladies love him, but Channing Tatum is a poor actor. Phillipe is decent, even with the funny Texas accent. Gordon-Levitt once again shines above the other actors. If you haven't seen Brick or The Lookout, check them out. You will understand why I rave about Gordon-Levitt. While it has some flaws, Stop-Loss is a decent, thought-provoking film that's worth checking out.
2.5/4 Chicken Nuggets
Vantage Point - I want an hour and a half of my life back. Well, make that an hour and fifteen minutes cause I didn't watch the last fifteen minutes. Does that sum up how engrossed I was by this movie? I was able to skip the climax and still know exactly how it finished. What a waste of money and good actors. Forest Whitaker, Dennis Quaid, and Matthew Fox are all decent actors who I enjoy in other roles. Whitaker has even won an Oscar for his superb work in The Last King of Scotland. How these three got roped into such a mundane, predictable, run-of-the mill thriller I will never know. The plot is nothing new: U.S. president is making speech, terrorists attack, president is in danger, secret service has to find the bad guys, there are some twists that make the plot more convoluted, yada yada yada. Supposedly the technique that makes this film unique is that it reveals the story through the eyes of five or six different characters. The viewer gets all these different "vantage points" of the incident that allows the audience to piece together the plot. There wasn't much to piece together. I expected the plot to be more intricate and elaborate, but it is all predictable and stale. The different "vantage points" add nothing and drag the movie out, even though its only an hour and a half! Awful dialogue, horrendous acting, and lame plot twists make Vantage Point a huge waste of time. I want my hour and fifteen minutes back! Oh, I'd only waste them anyway.
.5/4 Chicken Nuggets
The good news is that Netflix rents TV shows. This has allowed us to watch the first three seasons of one of the greatest television shows ever, The Wire. It's comforting knowing that after I watch a putrid pile of garbage like Vantage Point, Jimmy McNulty, Omar, and Avon Barksdale are there to reinforce my trust in the entertainment industry.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Looking Good for 35
New ballparks are being built all the time. Since 2000, ten ballparks have opened. That's a whopping one third of all baseball stadiums. Next season two more ballparks will open up in the same city, New York. The Twins are getting their very own shiny new ballpark in 2010. How I wish they would add a retractable roof, but that's for another column. Three more teams, the Marlins, A's, and Rays, are looking into building new stadiums for the 2012 season. While it makes sense for both the Marlins and A's to get new ballparks as they both play in cavernous football stadiums, the Rays play in a park built in 1990 and renovated in '97 for the Rays inaugural season. It's only in its tenth season of hosting Major League Baseball. How can a park become outdated so quickly? With the increasing demand of having luxury boxes, restaurants, bars, and other revenue boosting amenities in your ballpark, old stadiums are going the way of the dinosaur. Yankee Stadium is the most obvious example of this as the Yankees chose to do away with history for a little extra money. Thankfully not all teams feel the need to do away with their acceptable older stadiums. Kansas City made a wise choice in keeping Kauffman Stadium, a thirty five year old stadium I thoroughly enjoyed.
Before praising the positive aspects of Kauffman Stadium, there are some negatives to shed some light on. All the stadiums I have visited have their negative aspects, except Safeco Field in Seattle. That place is flawless. New blog idea: Rank the ballparks I have visited. That would be a fun column to write. Back on topic, Kauffman has two negatives that annoyed me. The first is the location of the ballpark. It is off interstate 70 next to Arrowhead Stadium, the home of the Kansas City Chiefs. Besides that, there is nothing around it. No restaurants or bars to walk to before or after the game. There might be a hotel and a gas station nearby, but thats about it. With so many new parks being built in cities with eating and drinking options only a block or two away, Kauffman loses points for its isolation. Maybe they hope the isolation will force you to eat at the game giving them more revenue! It worked on us, as we drank our dinner on Friday and ate our dinner on Saturday at the stadium. That leads to the other major negative of Kauffman Stadium: the infamous small, cramped concourse. If you remember, this was my major complaint of Yankee Stadium. It is also one of my main complaints of the Metrodome. Maybe new parks like Safeco and Miller Park have spoiled me with their spacious concourses. Maybe everyone is fatter today than in the seventies and more space is needed. Whatever it is, cramped concourses are a pain when all you want to do is buy your sixth beer before the end of the seventh inning. At least the lines moved relatively quickly. Screw you, Yankee Stadium concession workers.
While those negatives knock Kauffman a few notches below the palaces that are Safeco Field and Miller Park, it has a couple of the coolest amenities I have seen in a ballpark. The best aspect of Kauffman Stadium is the new scoreboard that was added during the offseason. It is the largest jumbotron I have seen in my life. When I say jumbotron, I literally mean JUMBOtron. It is 84 ft wide and 105 ft tall, and during games it requires seventeen people to operate it. The video quality is amazing and it offers all the in game stats a fan would want in one place. Pitch count, pitch speed, lineups, updated statistics, defensive positions, etc. At most ballparks, you have to search all over the stadium to get all the information you want. In Kansas City, all you need to do is look in center field. For a big baseball fan like myself, it was a dream. No other stadium can match the jumbotron in KC, and that's a huge positive for Kauffman Stadium. Surrounding the jumbotron in left and right field are fountains that light up and shoot water into the air between innings. It's like watching the fountain show at the Bellagio on a lesser scale. It creates a beautiful background and could be more entertaining to watch than the team the Royals put on the field. When will the Royals be good again? Poor, poor Royals fans.
The food and drink was good standard ballpark fare. The Italian sausage I ate was humongous and piled high with cooked peppers and onions. It was delicious, but not as good as the spicy one I had in New York. The beer was decently priced, a twenty-four ounce brew for $6.75, the same price of beer at the Metrodome. From our seats on both the first and third base side there were no obstructions in viewing the field of play. The atmosphere was fabulous as a third of the fans were Twins. It turned into a quasi-home game as the Twins fans out cheered the Royals fans on occasions. Both nights were beautiful, not too warm with a cooling breeze if it got a little humid in the seats. Fans and workers were all friendly, with one even offering us his wife to get us a couple beers. Two Twins wins certainly didn't hurt my enjoyment of the stadium. Both nights I went home a little tipsy, really happy, and satisfied with Kauffman Stadium. Kauffman will be getting a face lift over the next year, one that has already been started. That face lift includes building wider concourses and some more restaurants. The Royals will be getting their extra revenue that all the teams desire without forfeiting their ballpark and all the history that goes with it. Hopefully we will make the trek down I35 again to check out the finished product. With wider concourses, Kauffman Stadium might creep up near the top of my list. All I need is some space to walk and a gargantuan jumbotron.
Before praising the positive aspects of Kauffman Stadium, there are some negatives to shed some light on. All the stadiums I have visited have their negative aspects, except Safeco Field in Seattle. That place is flawless. New blog idea: Rank the ballparks I have visited. That would be a fun column to write. Back on topic, Kauffman has two negatives that annoyed me. The first is the location of the ballpark. It is off interstate 70 next to Arrowhead Stadium, the home of the Kansas City Chiefs. Besides that, there is nothing around it. No restaurants or bars to walk to before or after the game. There might be a hotel and a gas station nearby, but thats about it. With so many new parks being built in cities with eating and drinking options only a block or two away, Kauffman loses points for its isolation. Maybe they hope the isolation will force you to eat at the game giving them more revenue! It worked on us, as we drank our dinner on Friday and ate our dinner on Saturday at the stadium. That leads to the other major negative of Kauffman Stadium: the infamous small, cramped concourse. If you remember, this was my major complaint of Yankee Stadium. It is also one of my main complaints of the Metrodome. Maybe new parks like Safeco and Miller Park have spoiled me with their spacious concourses. Maybe everyone is fatter today than in the seventies and more space is needed. Whatever it is, cramped concourses are a pain when all you want to do is buy your sixth beer before the end of the seventh inning. At least the lines moved relatively quickly. Screw you, Yankee Stadium concession workers.
While those negatives knock Kauffman a few notches below the palaces that are Safeco Field and Miller Park, it has a couple of the coolest amenities I have seen in a ballpark. The best aspect of Kauffman Stadium is the new scoreboard that was added during the offseason. It is the largest jumbotron I have seen in my life. When I say jumbotron, I literally mean JUMBOtron. It is 84 ft wide and 105 ft tall, and during games it requires seventeen people to operate it. The video quality is amazing and it offers all the in game stats a fan would want in one place. Pitch count, pitch speed, lineups, updated statistics, defensive positions, etc. At most ballparks, you have to search all over the stadium to get all the information you want. In Kansas City, all you need to do is look in center field. For a big baseball fan like myself, it was a dream. No other stadium can match the jumbotron in KC, and that's a huge positive for Kauffman Stadium. Surrounding the jumbotron in left and right field are fountains that light up and shoot water into the air between innings. It's like watching the fountain show at the Bellagio on a lesser scale. It creates a beautiful background and could be more entertaining to watch than the team the Royals put on the field. When will the Royals be good again? Poor, poor Royals fans.
The food and drink was good standard ballpark fare. The Italian sausage I ate was humongous and piled high with cooked peppers and onions. It was delicious, but not as good as the spicy one I had in New York. The beer was decently priced, a twenty-four ounce brew for $6.75, the same price of beer at the Metrodome. From our seats on both the first and third base side there were no obstructions in viewing the field of play. The atmosphere was fabulous as a third of the fans were Twins. It turned into a quasi-home game as the Twins fans out cheered the Royals fans on occasions. Both nights were beautiful, not too warm with a cooling breeze if it got a little humid in the seats. Fans and workers were all friendly, with one even offering us his wife to get us a couple beers. Two Twins wins certainly didn't hurt my enjoyment of the stadium. Both nights I went home a little tipsy, really happy, and satisfied with Kauffman Stadium. Kauffman will be getting a face lift over the next year, one that has already been started. That face lift includes building wider concourses and some more restaurants. The Royals will be getting their extra revenue that all the teams desire without forfeiting their ballpark and all the history that goes with it. Hopefully we will make the trek down I35 again to check out the finished product. With wider concourses, Kauffman Stadium might creep up near the top of my list. All I need is some space to walk and a gargantuan jumbotron.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Delmon Young is a Beast
On Saturday night in Kansas City, I saw what I thought was a rarity. Delmon Young stepped up to the plate and hit a two run homerun which helped the Twins take the second game of the three game series. It was only his fifth homerun of the year. The odds of seeing a Young homerun in person were not good going into the game on Saturday night. That's not the case anymore. After hitting only four homeruns in his first 104 games as a Twin, Young has hit three homeruns in his last five games. His last two have both been three-run shots in back to back games against the Yankees. The first one was in the bottom of the eight against the greatest closer of all-time, Mariano Rivera, to tie the game at sixes. Never would I have predicted that unlikely outcome. Today in the final game against the Yankees, Young hit another three run shot to give Kevin Slowey all the runs he needed to pick up the victory. Taking two of three from the Yankees and beginning a series against the hapless Mariners this weekend gives the Twins another chance to reclaim first place. If they do, lets hope they can keep it for more than one day.
Tomorrow I am guaranteeing a review of Kauffman Stadium, the Kansas City Royals ballpark. Seeing the Twins win both games definitely enhanced our experience, but it is a very impressive stadium for being thirty-five years old. Hopefully I won't sleep all day tomorrow and not blog like I did today. Working at 3:30 in the morning wasn't the smartest idea. At least I have a dental plan! Lisa needs braces! Dental Plan! Lisa needs braces! Dental Plan!
Tomorrow I am guaranteeing a review of Kauffman Stadium, the Kansas City Royals ballpark. Seeing the Twins win both games definitely enhanced our experience, but it is a very impressive stadium for being thirty-five years old. Hopefully I won't sleep all day tomorrow and not blog like I did today. Working at 3:30 in the morning wasn't the smartest idea. At least I have a dental plan! Lisa needs braces! Dental Plan! Lisa needs braces! Dental Plan!
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Twins Weekend
In a half hour, Laura and I will be hitting the road for Kansas City for a couple Twins games. Last week the Twins completed a stellar homestand, beating the White Sox three out of four games and finally gaining first place in the AL Central over the weekend. They proceded to lose first place the next day when they lost to the cellar dwelling Mariners. After salvaging the series in Seattle yesterday with a win, the Twins find themselves a half game back with an off day today. The Royals are a team the Twins need to beat to stay in the thick of the playoff race. Losing a series to a team of the Mariners caliber is inexcusable for a playoff contender. While the Royals aren't as awful as the Mariners, they are well behind the Twins in the standings. Two wins in KC is satisfactory, but I'm predicting a sweep. The Twins have been great against teams in their own division and I expect it to continue this weekend.
We have been greatly slacking on blogging and vow after Kansas City to post two or three items a week. After going to KC, there is nothing on the schedule until the middle of September. With the MLB season heating up and the Premier League starting in a week, there will be much to talk about in the sports world. And how funny is it that Favre ended up with the Jets? What a terrible team for him to end up with. I couldn't be happier. If only he had ended up with the Vikings. Then I would have laughed all season.
We have been greatly slacking on blogging and vow after Kansas City to post two or three items a week. After going to KC, there is nothing on the schedule until the middle of September. With the MLB season heating up and the Premier League starting in a week, there will be much to talk about in the sports world. And how funny is it that Favre ended up with the Jets? What a terrible team for him to end up with. I couldn't be happier. If only he had ended up with the Vikings. Then I would have laughed all season.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Movie Review: The Dark Knight
Christopher Nolan has been one of my favorite directors since he released his mind-bending thriller Memento. Starting at the end and ending at the beginning, Memento is an instant classic offering a different viewing experience than any other movie. When it was announced that Nolan would direct the new Batman movie in 2003, I knew the Batman franchise would be in good hands. He didn't disappoint as Batman Begins was an exceptional retelling of Batman's origin and offered the franchise new life after the debacle that was Batman & Robin. No more campiness and cheesy dialogue. No more nipples on the batsuit. No more Chris O'Donnell as Robin, thank god. Batman Begins returned Batman to the brooding, tormented man trying in vain to save Gotham City from the dark underbelly that ruined Bruce Wayne's life when he was a child. Christian Bale was perfect as Bruce Wayne as he could play both the angry, vengeful Bruce and the playboy Bruce believably. He also looked like Batman a lot more than Michael Keaton ever did. Batman Begins was instantly the best Batman movie ever made and showed great promise for future Batman movies.
Batman Begins was the best Batman movie. That title now belongs to The Dark Knight, a brilliant film that goes beyond just being a comic book movie. Once again, Nolan takes the audience to dark places, bringing up questions about society, morals, and violence. Batman does numerous good things for Gotham City, but he is a vigilante breaking the law. Should the people of Gotham reject his actions or accept them as necessary in a dangerous world? Batman never kills people when fighting crime, a line he chooses never to cross. But in the face of a villian as sinister and immoral as The Joker, should Batman consider crossing that line as it would put an ultimate end to one of Gotham's main threats? Batman has always been concerned with choosing between what is right and wrong. Bruce Wayne has struggled with his decisions, but has always ended up on what he believes is the right side morally.
The same can not be said for The Joker, played by Heath Ledger in what should be an Academy Award winning performance. Not once throughout the movie did I see Ledger on the screen. He is completely transformed into The Joker, a twisted, psychotic villain who only delights in creating mayhem. Ledger creates one of the greatest bad guys in movie history, a character you despise but can't stop watching when on screen. He can be funny and bone-chilling at the same time. The opening scene of the movie establishes who The Joker is and what one can expect from him throughout the movie. The Joker is robbing a bank with several accomplices and through manipulation gets all of them to kill one another, leaving The Joker by himself with all the money. He is a loner who cares about no one except himself. His complete disregard for life is seen throughout the film, as anyone aiding him is liable to be killed by the The Joker himself. It is a shame that Ledger passed away as The Joker could have been a great adversary for future Batman films.
Besides Ledger, the acting is once again superb. Christian Bale once again succeeds as both Bruce Wayne and Batman. Michael Caine provides much of the comic relief as the ever loyal Alfred. Aaron Eckhart plays District Attorney Harvey Dent, the "white knight" of Gotham in contrast to Batman being the "dark knight". Dent also deals with issues of right and wrong throughout the film as he wants as badly as Batman to save Gotham from its dark side. Certain circumstances challenge his beliefs and Eckhart plays the tormented D.A. well. Maggie Gyllenhaal plays Rachael Dawes, the love interest of both Bruce Wayne and Harvey Dent. She does well at questioning the actions of both men and the real reasons behind their moves. Gyllenhaal is much better than Katie Holmes was in the last movie. Gary Oldman returns as Jim Gordon, the police officer loyal to Batman in supporting his actions. Gordon is Batman's main ally, a role that puts him and his family in danger, causing even more distress for Bruce Wayne. Poor Batman has so many people to worry about that no matter what he does, someone always ends up getting hurt. And that's another example of why he is such a great, complicated character.
It has a great plot, well written characters, tremendous action scenes, and one of the greatest villains ever seen on screen. No other comic book movie is as good as The Dark Knight. No other movie this year might be as good as The Dark Knight. Christopher Nolan is a genius who reinvented a dying franchise for one of the greatest characters ever written. I can't wait to see what he has for us next time.
Batman Begins was the best Batman movie. That title now belongs to The Dark Knight, a brilliant film that goes beyond just being a comic book movie. Once again, Nolan takes the audience to dark places, bringing up questions about society, morals, and violence. Batman does numerous good things for Gotham City, but he is a vigilante breaking the law. Should the people of Gotham reject his actions or accept them as necessary in a dangerous world? Batman never kills people when fighting crime, a line he chooses never to cross. But in the face of a villian as sinister and immoral as The Joker, should Batman consider crossing that line as it would put an ultimate end to one of Gotham's main threats? Batman has always been concerned with choosing between what is right and wrong. Bruce Wayne has struggled with his decisions, but has always ended up on what he believes is the right side morally.
The same can not be said for The Joker, played by Heath Ledger in what should be an Academy Award winning performance. Not once throughout the movie did I see Ledger on the screen. He is completely transformed into The Joker, a twisted, psychotic villain who only delights in creating mayhem. Ledger creates one of the greatest bad guys in movie history, a character you despise but can't stop watching when on screen. He can be funny and bone-chilling at the same time. The opening scene of the movie establishes who The Joker is and what one can expect from him throughout the movie. The Joker is robbing a bank with several accomplices and through manipulation gets all of them to kill one another, leaving The Joker by himself with all the money. He is a loner who cares about no one except himself. His complete disregard for life is seen throughout the film, as anyone aiding him is liable to be killed by the The Joker himself. It is a shame that Ledger passed away as The Joker could have been a great adversary for future Batman films.
Besides Ledger, the acting is once again superb. Christian Bale once again succeeds as both Bruce Wayne and Batman. Michael Caine provides much of the comic relief as the ever loyal Alfred. Aaron Eckhart plays District Attorney Harvey Dent, the "white knight" of Gotham in contrast to Batman being the "dark knight". Dent also deals with issues of right and wrong throughout the film as he wants as badly as Batman to save Gotham from its dark side. Certain circumstances challenge his beliefs and Eckhart plays the tormented D.A. well. Maggie Gyllenhaal plays Rachael Dawes, the love interest of both Bruce Wayne and Harvey Dent. She does well at questioning the actions of both men and the real reasons behind their moves. Gyllenhaal is much better than Katie Holmes was in the last movie. Gary Oldman returns as Jim Gordon, the police officer loyal to Batman in supporting his actions. Gordon is Batman's main ally, a role that puts him and his family in danger, causing even more distress for Bruce Wayne. Poor Batman has so many people to worry about that no matter what he does, someone always ends up getting hurt. And that's another example of why he is such a great, complicated character.
It has a great plot, well written characters, tremendous action scenes, and one of the greatest villains ever seen on screen. No other comic book movie is as good as The Dark Knight. No other movie this year might be as good as The Dark Knight. Christopher Nolan is a genius who reinvented a dying franchise for one of the greatest characters ever written. I can't wait to see what he has for us next time.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Return of the Dynamic Duo
After its long hiatus, Spicy Minnesota Kisses has returned with a vengeance! Promises were made of a blog entry last week but were ultimately broken. We quickly hit the road the day after returning from NYC for A-Town that a worthy blog entry was not in the cards. Hopefully our faithful readers have stuck with us throughout this dry spell and are ready for loads of great stuff this week. We ate so much good food in NYC that it has to have its own column. Before leaving for NYC we were able to catch The Dark Knight. Truly amazing motion picture. That will get its own column. Baseball is heating up! Expect a column about the two epic showdowns of my favorite teams this week. The wonderful man who scheduled Twins vs. White Sox and Cubs vs. Brewers this week deserves a raise and an ice cold Grain Belt Premium. Job well done sir. It will be sports overload for us this week. Before touching on all these subjects, I feel obligated to write about the reason I wanted to visit NYC. Actually there were two reasons. Reason one was Yankee Stadium. Reason two was Shea Stadium. They did not disappoint.
Last Tuesday night we were fortunate enough to walk through the gates of Yankee Stadium and watch our favorite team take on the Bronx Bombers. We were thrilled to see loads of fans wearing Twins shirts at the game. Many people must of had the same idea we had of seeing Yankee Stadium before its demolished. New Yankee Stadium is next door to the old and looks the same if someone were to polish and buff the old stadium. We attempted to make it early enough to walk through Monument Park but were thwarted as the line was shut down right before we got there. Making our way up to our first row upper deck seats down the third base line, I started noticing how truly old Yankee Stadium is. The concourses are small and cramped. The paint job is drab and peeling. At our seats, there were no cup holders. The view of the field was obstructed. The seats faced the outfield and made my butt go numb. It is not a comfortable place to watch a ballgame. Through all these negatives, I sill had a great time watching the game. The initial walk through the tunnel to our seats was magical. After seeing highlights of games from Yankee Stadium, actually walking through the tunnel and seeing the field, the scoreboard, the white facade, and the short porch in right was a quintessential baseball experience for me. Helping to make the experience even better was the surprisingly friendly Yankee fans. Most likely due to Yankee dominance of the Twins over the years, Yankee fans were courteous and eager to talk baseball. The experience continued to improve when I ate one of the best ballpark foods I have ever had, a hot Italian Sausage. Topped with peppers, onions, and spicy mustard, it helped make the drubbing the Twins received go down a little better. By the end of the game, Laura and I were tipsy off of 9.50 beer, filled with sausage, and satisfied with our Yankee Stadium experience. Although the 9.50 beers were pretty hard to swallow. Yankee Stadium is a great historical ballpark, but an upgrade is certainly needed and Yankee fans should be happy with a more comfortable viewing experience.
The next night we jumped on the 7 train and rode it out to Queens to watch the Mets play the Phillies at Shea Stadium. I had read many unflattering things about Shea before going to the game. It was old, ugly, uncomfortable, and in Queens. When Shea came into sight, I could understand the ugly comments. It is a bright orange and blue stadium with no real character on the outside. Not the prettiest stadium, but not the worst I've seen. At least the colors of the stadium match the team. Walking into the stadium, it immediately had a leg up on Yankee Stadium as the concourses were bigger and easier to walk through. Not having to fight through tons of people in humid, claustrophobic corridors to get to our seats was nice. Another plus over Yankee stadium was the price of beer. Only eight dollars a beer! What a bargain for NYC! How a family can afford going to either ballpark more than once a year is beyond me. At our seats, we had an unobstructed view of the entire field with only fly balls being out of our view as the upper deck hung over and cut off our view of the sky. Another plus over Yankee Stadium. The final plus that made the game more enjoyable than the one at Yankee Stadium was the crowd. Mets fans are loud and wild. They are merciless with opposing team fans and yell from the first pitch to the last. The last time I heard a crowd so loud was at a Twins playoff game. The Mets won, the crowd went home happy, a homerun was hit so I was able to see the Homerun Apple come out of the hat, and the Nathan's Hot Dog was delicious. Shea blew away my expectations and is a ballpark I would visit again. They could certainly use an updated stadium, but I see no reason why Mets fans shouldn't be satisfied with the Shea experience.
Yankee Stadium turned out to be what I expected. A historical ballpark that I needed to visit once for a classic baseball experience. It was uncomfortable, hot, and poor for viewing the game. But it was Yankee Stadium, so it was completely worth it. Shea Stadium blew my expectations out of the water. We had a great view, an energetic crowd, and a comfortable time watching the game. I'll remember both games for a long time, but for all around enjoyment, Shea might stick out more. I'm as amazed as you that I wrote that sentence.
Last Tuesday night we were fortunate enough to walk through the gates of Yankee Stadium and watch our favorite team take on the Bronx Bombers. We were thrilled to see loads of fans wearing Twins shirts at the game. Many people must of had the same idea we had of seeing Yankee Stadium before its demolished. New Yankee Stadium is next door to the old and looks the same if someone were to polish and buff the old stadium. We attempted to make it early enough to walk through Monument Park but were thwarted as the line was shut down right before we got there. Making our way up to our first row upper deck seats down the third base line, I started noticing how truly old Yankee Stadium is. The concourses are small and cramped. The paint job is drab and peeling. At our seats, there were no cup holders. The view of the field was obstructed. The seats faced the outfield and made my butt go numb. It is not a comfortable place to watch a ballgame. Through all these negatives, I sill had a great time watching the game. The initial walk through the tunnel to our seats was magical. After seeing highlights of games from Yankee Stadium, actually walking through the tunnel and seeing the field, the scoreboard, the white facade, and the short porch in right was a quintessential baseball experience for me. Helping to make the experience even better was the surprisingly friendly Yankee fans. Most likely due to Yankee dominance of the Twins over the years, Yankee fans were courteous and eager to talk baseball. The experience continued to improve when I ate one of the best ballpark foods I have ever had, a hot Italian Sausage. Topped with peppers, onions, and spicy mustard, it helped make the drubbing the Twins received go down a little better. By the end of the game, Laura and I were tipsy off of 9.50 beer, filled with sausage, and satisfied with our Yankee Stadium experience. Although the 9.50 beers were pretty hard to swallow. Yankee Stadium is a great historical ballpark, but an upgrade is certainly needed and Yankee fans should be happy with a more comfortable viewing experience.
The next night we jumped on the 7 train and rode it out to Queens to watch the Mets play the Phillies at Shea Stadium. I had read many unflattering things about Shea before going to the game. It was old, ugly, uncomfortable, and in Queens. When Shea came into sight, I could understand the ugly comments. It is a bright orange and blue stadium with no real character on the outside. Not the prettiest stadium, but not the worst I've seen. At least the colors of the stadium match the team. Walking into the stadium, it immediately had a leg up on Yankee Stadium as the concourses were bigger and easier to walk through. Not having to fight through tons of people in humid, claustrophobic corridors to get to our seats was nice. Another plus over Yankee stadium was the price of beer. Only eight dollars a beer! What a bargain for NYC! How a family can afford going to either ballpark more than once a year is beyond me. At our seats, we had an unobstructed view of the entire field with only fly balls being out of our view as the upper deck hung over and cut off our view of the sky. Another plus over Yankee Stadium. The final plus that made the game more enjoyable than the one at Yankee Stadium was the crowd. Mets fans are loud and wild. They are merciless with opposing team fans and yell from the first pitch to the last. The last time I heard a crowd so loud was at a Twins playoff game. The Mets won, the crowd went home happy, a homerun was hit so I was able to see the Homerun Apple come out of the hat, and the Nathan's Hot Dog was delicious. Shea blew away my expectations and is a ballpark I would visit again. They could certainly use an updated stadium, but I see no reason why Mets fans shouldn't be satisfied with the Shea experience.
Yankee Stadium turned out to be what I expected. A historical ballpark that I needed to visit once for a classic baseball experience. It was uncomfortable, hot, and poor for viewing the game. But it was Yankee Stadium, so it was completely worth it. Shea Stadium blew my expectations out of the water. We had a great view, an energetic crowd, and a comfortable time watching the game. I'll remember both games for a long time, but for all around enjoyment, Shea might stick out more. I'm as amazed as you that I wrote that sentence.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Leaving on a Jet Plane
Tomorrow morning, bright and early, Laura and I will be heading off to New York City. We will be hitting up all the normal tourist destinations: Empire State Building, Ellis Island, an art museum, a play on Broadway. I'm excited for all of them. But I'm extremely excited for the back to back nights of baseball we will be watching in the Bronx and Queens. Tuesday night we are lucky enough to see a game at Yankee Stadium. And were not seeing some random team take on the Yanks. We are seeing our very own Minnesota Twins in the House that Ruth Built. Watch the game on Tuesday and you might see some Twin fans asking Bert to circle them. The next night we hop over to Shea Stadium to see the battle for first place in the NL East between the Mets and Phillies. I'm excited to cross off another stadium on my list of ballparks even though everyone says Shea is a dump. I've watched more than a hundred games at the Metrodome. How much worse can Shea be? We'll also get a look at the new stadiums the two teams are moving into next season. Once I see them I'll probably start planning my next trip to NYC.
Before we go to New York, Laura and I have important plans for tonight. As I'm sure everyone is aware of, The Dark Knight opened at midnight this morning. We are seeing it tonight no matter what happens. It will be a huge relief to finally see it as the wait has been excruciating. This week has been the most difficult as reviews, clips, and trailers are everywhere. I don't want to see or read any important information about the movie, but the temptation is hard to squash completely. I read one full review from City Pages, and thankfully they did not give much away. I'm ready to sit down in an air conditioned theater with some popcorn and soda and lose myself in Gotham City.
All this means that there will be no blogging until Thursday at the earliest when we return from New York. Look for a new entry to likely show up on Friday before we head out again on another trip, this time to the old homestead in Appleton. After the vacation, expect blogs about the food we ate in New York, the ballgames we saw, and our impressions of NYC. There will certainly be a review of The Dark Knight as well. NYC, here we come!
Before we go to New York, Laura and I have important plans for tonight. As I'm sure everyone is aware of, The Dark Knight opened at midnight this morning. We are seeing it tonight no matter what happens. It will be a huge relief to finally see it as the wait has been excruciating. This week has been the most difficult as reviews, clips, and trailers are everywhere. I don't want to see or read any important information about the movie, but the temptation is hard to squash completely. I read one full review from City Pages, and thankfully they did not give much away. I'm ready to sit down in an air conditioned theater with some popcorn and soda and lose myself in Gotham City.
All this means that there will be no blogging until Thursday at the earliest when we return from New York. Look for a new entry to likely show up on Friday before we head out again on another trip, this time to the old homestead in Appleton. After the vacation, expect blogs about the food we ate in New York, the ballgames we saw, and our impressions of NYC. There will certainly be a review of The Dark Knight as well. NYC, here we come!
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Worst Sports Day of the Year
Congratulations to the American League for stretching their unbeaten streak in the All-Star game to twelve. It's not a twelve game win streak thanks to Bud Selig. How he let the 2002 All-Star game end in a tie in his own backyard of Milwaukee is beyond me. I give Selig credit for making the game count toward something, because if it hadn't last night, I don't know if the players would have wanted to keep playing into the wee hours of the night. Surprisingly, I stayed up through the 10th inning. I succumbed to the night, but was pleasantly surprised to read that our very own Twin Justin Morneau scored the winning run in the 15th inning. Add that to his Homerun Derby trophy and it was a pretty productive trip to New York for the big Canuck. Although people outside of Minnesota won't remember his Derby win for long as it was second fiddle to the show Josh Hamilton put on. 28 homeruns in one round! Three blasts of over 500 ft.! Yeah, that will probably be remembered for awhile. It was an exciting couple of nights in the Bronx and a fitting send off to a historic ballpark. Next week Laura and I will be lucky enough to take in a game between the Twins and Yankees at Yankee Stadium. I have goosebumps already.
The only negative aspect of the All-Star game is the off day the day after the game. With no baseball, today is often the worst sports day of the year. Hockey and basketball are well into their off season. The top foreign soccer leagues don't start up until August. The British Open begins on Thursday. I would rather watch the Home and Garden channel all day than the Tour de France. I'm sure I could learn some great tips on how to utilize the space in my apartment more efficiently. There is no news of substance today except for the occasional free agent signing in the NBA, NHL, or Premier League. The Premier League is the best soccer league in the world for those not in the know. Even those aren't very noteworthy. The biggest free agent signing today is the Hornets luring James Posey away from the Celtics. Sure, its noteworthy, but it's nothing to get excited about and read the analysis of the move. I guess I'll just have to read all the stories about Brett Favre and his painful, emotional, exhausting inner debate about returning to football. What channel number is the Home and Garden network again?
Thankfully the second half of the MLB season starts tomorrow. There is much to look forward to here in the Midwest with the Twins and Brewers both alive in the playoff races. This is where a bold man would make predictions for the rest of the season. Being the jinx I am, I will slink away and hope for some meaningful baseball late into September. That and a delicious sub from Big Ten tonight for dinner. If the ratio of lettuce to everything else is 50-1, there will be hell to pay! Or I'll just fume inside as I devour the sub.
The only negative aspect of the All-Star game is the off day the day after the game. With no baseball, today is often the worst sports day of the year. Hockey and basketball are well into their off season. The top foreign soccer leagues don't start up until August. The British Open begins on Thursday. I would rather watch the Home and Garden channel all day than the Tour de France. I'm sure I could learn some great tips on how to utilize the space in my apartment more efficiently. There is no news of substance today except for the occasional free agent signing in the NBA, NHL, or Premier League. The Premier League is the best soccer league in the world for those not in the know. Even those aren't very noteworthy. The biggest free agent signing today is the Hornets luring James Posey away from the Celtics. Sure, its noteworthy, but it's nothing to get excited about and read the analysis of the move. I guess I'll just have to read all the stories about Brett Favre and his painful, emotional, exhausting inner debate about returning to football. What channel number is the Home and Garden network again?
Thankfully the second half of the MLB season starts tomorrow. There is much to look forward to here in the Midwest with the Twins and Brewers both alive in the playoff races. This is where a bold man would make predictions for the rest of the season. Being the jinx I am, I will slink away and hope for some meaningful baseball late into September. That and a delicious sub from Big Ten tonight for dinner. If the ratio of lettuce to everything else is 50-1, there will be hell to pay! Or I'll just fume inside as I devour the sub.
Friday, July 11, 2008
One More Week
I love movies. I love comic books. It is no surprise then that I can barely contain my excitement that The Dark Knight opens next Friday. There were three movies coming out this summer that I had to see during opening weekend. The first was Iron Man, a fantastic movie that finally made Robert Downey Jr. the superstar he deserves to be. He played Tony Stark perfectly. The sequels should only get better now that the origin story is out of the way. Sequels are often lambasted and rightfully so, but I find that sequels to comic book movies are often better. X-Men 2 is far superior to the original. Unfortunately, I can't think of anymore off the top of my head. I'm not good at supporting my claims. If you can think of other examples, post them in the comments. But don't bring up Spider-Man. Lame superhero and the awful Tobey Maguire? What a winning combination.
The second movie I was eager to see this summer was Indiana Jones 4. The original three Indy movies are in my top twenty five movies of all time. They were a staple of my childhood along with the original Star Wars trilogy. Harrison Ford is the man. It made me very happy that Ford was great in Indy 4 after so many years. The movie as a whole was entertaining, but not nearly as good as the originals. The large amount of CGI effects irked me. Shia LeBeouf swinging through the jungle on vines with monkeys was ridiculous. The plot is convoluted and has something to do with aliens. That's right, aliens in Indiana Jones. Give me the Ark, the Holy Grail, even those Hindu stones that get really hot a million times over aliens.
Neither Iron Man nor Indiana Jones got me as riled up as The Dark Knight has. I've been waiting to see The Dark Knight since last year when I saw the teaser trailer that showed nothing but the Batman symbol with dramatic music and dialogue. That's all I really need to get excited for Batman. The closer it comes to opening, the more trailers I see, which raises my excitement and impatience at the same time. Reviews are starting to come in, and every one has been exceptionally positive, praising the movie as more then just a superhero flick. Some have gone so far as calling it a masterpiece. It's unbearable! Thinking about Christian Bale's Batman taking on Heath Ledger's crazy, sadistic Joker gives me goosebumps. Friday night I will be in the theater watching possibly the greatest comic book movie ever. I'm willing to pay the excessive ten dollar admission price. I'm ready to sit back in a dark theater and watch director Christopher Nolan work has magic. Mark it down: The Dark Knight will be the best movie of the year. If it's not, I owe you a Coke.
The second movie I was eager to see this summer was Indiana Jones 4. The original three Indy movies are in my top twenty five movies of all time. They were a staple of my childhood along with the original Star Wars trilogy. Harrison Ford is the man. It made me very happy that Ford was great in Indy 4 after so many years. The movie as a whole was entertaining, but not nearly as good as the originals. The large amount of CGI effects irked me. Shia LeBeouf swinging through the jungle on vines with monkeys was ridiculous. The plot is convoluted and has something to do with aliens. That's right, aliens in Indiana Jones. Give me the Ark, the Holy Grail, even those Hindu stones that get really hot a million times over aliens.
Neither Iron Man nor Indiana Jones got me as riled up as The Dark Knight has. I've been waiting to see The Dark Knight since last year when I saw the teaser trailer that showed nothing but the Batman symbol with dramatic music and dialogue. That's all I really need to get excited for Batman. The closer it comes to opening, the more trailers I see, which raises my excitement and impatience at the same time. Reviews are starting to come in, and every one has been exceptionally positive, praising the movie as more then just a superhero flick. Some have gone so far as calling it a masterpiece. It's unbearable! Thinking about Christian Bale's Batman taking on Heath Ledger's crazy, sadistic Joker gives me goosebumps. Friday night I will be in the theater watching possibly the greatest comic book movie ever. I'm willing to pay the excessive ten dollar admission price. I'm ready to sit back in a dark theater and watch director Christopher Nolan work has magic. Mark it down: The Dark Knight will be the best movie of the year. If it's not, I owe you a Coke.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Mid Season Report Part Deux
Breaking news! The Brewers trade three minor league players and a player to be named later for C.C. Sabathia. Best. Trade. Ever. The Brewers instantly have the best 1-2 punch of any N.L. starting roatation. I'm as giddy as a school girl. The second half of the season should be phenomenal.
It is time for the Twins position players to be reviewed. The Twins have used so many infielders this season that it's hard to pick one player for short and third. Apologies to Adam Everett, Mike Lamb, and Matt Tolbert. Stay healthy or start hitting and maybe you'll get back in the mix. On to the players!
Joe Mauer C - Best catcher in baseball. Possibly the best hitter in baseball. Hometown boy from St. Paul. Face of the Twins. He's lived up to the hype and is going to start in the All-Star game next week, one of the few deserving starters. He is unquestionably the best Twin.
Justin Morneau 1b - The power source in the lineup, Morneau has continued to drive in runs and hit for average. Currently second in the A.L. with 65 RBI's and hitting a solid .307, Morneau has shown an improvement defensively as well. Morneau and Mauer combine to make a formidable heart of the order that any pitcher would have trouble dealing with.
Alexi Casilla 2b -Injuries to Matt Tolbert, Nick Punto, and Brendan Harris freed up space at second base for Casilla to be called up. Since his call up, Casilla has been outstanding. Last season in 56 games, Casilla batted .222, had a .256 OBP, hit zero homers, and drove in only nine runs. This season in 45 games, Casilla is batting .320, has an OBP of .364, driven in 35 runs, and hit four homers. Casilla has been instrumental in the Twins turnaround. His speed, defense, and hitting has been a great boost for a team that has suffered through many poor second baseman. All the calls for Luis Rivas can stop.
Brendan Harris SS - Acquired in the Matt Garza trade along with Delmon Young, Harris has been underwhelming. After hitting .286 with 12 homers, 35 doubles, and 59 RBI's for Tampa last year, Harris is on pace to finish with worse numbers this year. He's an adequate player for the bottom of the lineup, but raising that .250 average and .306 OBP would help the Twins in the second half. On the plus side, he can play second, short, or third. His versatility defensively is a great asset in case of injuries.
? 3b - The main trouble area for the Twins. Mike Lamb was signed to be the everyday third baseman. He stunk up the joint so much that he has only two starts since the middle of June. Matt Tolbert was playing decently until he landed on the injured list. Brian Buscher has been fantastic since being called up, but with only seventeen starts, it's hard to tell if this is a fluke or a sign of things to come. Nick Punto plays great defense and is hitting better this season. He also dives head first into first base instead of running it out. I hate Punto. Hopefully Buscher can continue his hot hitting and solidify his spot in the Twins lineup.
Michael Cuddyer RF - It's been a rough season for Cuddyer so far. Currently on the 15-day DL for the second time this season, his numbers don't come close to matching his great 2006 season. A big part of the '06 team that won the division, it would be a huge boost for the Twins if, upon his return, Cuddy starts driving in runs behind Morneau and continues his superior defense in right field.
Carlos Gomez CF - The prize in the Santana trade, Gomez has shown flashes of brilliance at the plate and in the field. He also frustrates the hell out of me with his terrible plate discipline. I continue to remind myself he's only 22 and in his first full MLB season. He should only get better. The potential is there for a future star. If he can learn to take pitches and draw some walks, he would be instantly better.
Delmon Young LF - I had numerous nasty, mean, hurtful things to write about Delmon Young for this mid season report. Then Young had to catch fire on the current homestand and all the negative things I had to say floated out of my mind. He is still a disappointment, especially since Garza has been great for Tampa. The extra base power has been dormant for most of the year. His plate discipline is nearly as awful as Gomez's. His defense is adequate, but if he doesn't start hitting for power and drawing more walks, someone else will be doing his Twin commercials.
Craig Monroe/Jason Kubel DH - Monroe was signed in the offseason to be the Twins DH, a move I never understood. Why waste money on a 31 year old with a career average of .254 and a career OBP of .302? Cause he can hit homers, something the Twins rarely do. Usually starting against left handed pitchers, Monroe has been a decent bench player, chipping in eight homeruns. I thought the Twins should have handed the DH role full time to Kubel, and his play has justified that view. Belting twelve homeruns and driving in forty-three runs, Kubel has picked up the slack for Cuddyer and Young. In the second half, he should continue to get the majority of starts at DH.
Nick Punto, Super Utility Player - I can write one nice thing about Punto. It pains me to do it but I will. His defense is unbelievable. The play he made last Wednesday against the Tigers was one of the best I've ever seen. The video is still on YouTube as of two minutes ago. Now if only he would run through first base.
It is time for the Twins position players to be reviewed. The Twins have used so many infielders this season that it's hard to pick one player for short and third. Apologies to Adam Everett, Mike Lamb, and Matt Tolbert. Stay healthy or start hitting and maybe you'll get back in the mix. On to the players!
Joe Mauer C - Best catcher in baseball. Possibly the best hitter in baseball. Hometown boy from St. Paul. Face of the Twins. He's lived up to the hype and is going to start in the All-Star game next week, one of the few deserving starters. He is unquestionably the best Twin.
Justin Morneau 1b - The power source in the lineup, Morneau has continued to drive in runs and hit for average. Currently second in the A.L. with 65 RBI's and hitting a solid .307, Morneau has shown an improvement defensively as well. Morneau and Mauer combine to make a formidable heart of the order that any pitcher would have trouble dealing with.
Alexi Casilla 2b -Injuries to Matt Tolbert, Nick Punto, and Brendan Harris freed up space at second base for Casilla to be called up. Since his call up, Casilla has been outstanding. Last season in 56 games, Casilla batted .222, had a .256 OBP, hit zero homers, and drove in only nine runs. This season in 45 games, Casilla is batting .320, has an OBP of .364, driven in 35 runs, and hit four homers. Casilla has been instrumental in the Twins turnaround. His speed, defense, and hitting has been a great boost for a team that has suffered through many poor second baseman. All the calls for Luis Rivas can stop.
Brendan Harris SS - Acquired in the Matt Garza trade along with Delmon Young, Harris has been underwhelming. After hitting .286 with 12 homers, 35 doubles, and 59 RBI's for Tampa last year, Harris is on pace to finish with worse numbers this year. He's an adequate player for the bottom of the lineup, but raising that .250 average and .306 OBP would help the Twins in the second half. On the plus side, he can play second, short, or third. His versatility defensively is a great asset in case of injuries.
? 3b - The main trouble area for the Twins. Mike Lamb was signed to be the everyday third baseman. He stunk up the joint so much that he has only two starts since the middle of June. Matt Tolbert was playing decently until he landed on the injured list. Brian Buscher has been fantastic since being called up, but with only seventeen starts, it's hard to tell if this is a fluke or a sign of things to come. Nick Punto plays great defense and is hitting better this season. He also dives head first into first base instead of running it out. I hate Punto. Hopefully Buscher can continue his hot hitting and solidify his spot in the Twins lineup.
Michael Cuddyer RF - It's been a rough season for Cuddyer so far. Currently on the 15-day DL for the second time this season, his numbers don't come close to matching his great 2006 season. A big part of the '06 team that won the division, it would be a huge boost for the Twins if, upon his return, Cuddy starts driving in runs behind Morneau and continues his superior defense in right field.
Carlos Gomez CF - The prize in the Santana trade, Gomez has shown flashes of brilliance at the plate and in the field. He also frustrates the hell out of me with his terrible plate discipline. I continue to remind myself he's only 22 and in his first full MLB season. He should only get better. The potential is there for a future star. If he can learn to take pitches and draw some walks, he would be instantly better.
Delmon Young LF - I had numerous nasty, mean, hurtful things to write about Delmon Young for this mid season report. Then Young had to catch fire on the current homestand and all the negative things I had to say floated out of my mind. He is still a disappointment, especially since Garza has been great for Tampa. The extra base power has been dormant for most of the year. His plate discipline is nearly as awful as Gomez's. His defense is adequate, but if he doesn't start hitting for power and drawing more walks, someone else will be doing his Twin commercials.
Craig Monroe/Jason Kubel DH - Monroe was signed in the offseason to be the Twins DH, a move I never understood. Why waste money on a 31 year old with a career average of .254 and a career OBP of .302? Cause he can hit homers, something the Twins rarely do. Usually starting against left handed pitchers, Monroe has been a decent bench player, chipping in eight homeruns. I thought the Twins should have handed the DH role full time to Kubel, and his play has justified that view. Belting twelve homeruns and driving in forty-three runs, Kubel has picked up the slack for Cuddyer and Young. In the second half, he should continue to get the majority of starts at DH.
Nick Punto, Super Utility Player - I can write one nice thing about Punto. It pains me to do it but I will. His defense is unbelievable. The play he made last Wednesday against the Tigers was one of the best I've ever seen. The video is still on YouTube as of two minutes ago. Now if only he would run through first base.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Mid Season Report
After whipping the Tigers yesterday, the Twins have played eighty five games this season, a couple games past the half way mark. It's time to look back at each player and see how they have done through the first half. Most have been good with a few clunkers in the bunch. We'll start with the starting pitchers and skip the bullpen. I don't really have much to say about Craig Breslow and I doubt many of you know who he is. On to the starters!
Livan Hernandez - Currently sporting a scary 5.22 ERA, Livan is what we thought he would be. He gives up loads of hits, gets rocked occasionally, and looks disinterested throughout most of the game. He also eats up innings, stays healthy, and keeps his team in the game most of the time. If he can keep his ERA around five, he should give us a few victories in the second half.
Nick Blackburn - I didn't know what to expect from Blackburn going into this season. For one, I had never heard of him before. But I trust the Twins organization and they wouldn't put a guy in the rotation if they weren't confident in his pitching. Currently sporting a 7-4 record with a 3.78 ERA, I know to always trust the Twins. He just pitched seven scoreless innings against the Tigers yesterday. His confidence continues to grow and he should be solid the rest of the year.
Glen Perkins - With Francisco Liriano struggling for his command and Boof Bonser distracted by cheeseburgers, Perkins was brought up in May as the fifth starter. He has been better than expected for a fifth starter, posting a 4.31 ERA and a 4-2 record. I have seen Perkins pitch in person more than any other pitcher this year. He always seems to pitch six innings, give up three runs, and strike out a few batters. I can live with that.
Kevin Slowey - Currently with a 3.47 ERA and a deceptive 5-6 record, Slowey is the perfect example of why the win/loss stat is a bad judgment for a pitcher. Since giving up eight runs in three innings against the Chi Sox on June 8th, Slowey has given up three runs over twenty-nine innings in his last four starts. Three runs in four starts! Ignore the win loss record. Slowey is on a roll and is quickly becoming the new Brad Radke. His accuracy is phenomenal. He should be one to enjoy in the years to come.
Scott Baker - I'm biased when assessing Baker. The greatest sporting event I ever attended was Baker's near perfect game last season against the Royals. He threw eight perfect innings. He threw 8 1/3 hitless innings. It was so close and a thrill to watch. With a 3.65 ERA, Baker completes the trifecta of Twins starters with an ERA under four. He consistently goes six innings or more, and gives up around three runs a game. His strikeouts are up and he recently struck out nine Brewers over six innings a couple weeks ago. Baker and Slowey have the look of a formidable one-two punch in the Twins rotation for years to come.
The rotation has been above and beyond what I had expected this season. After trading Santana and having Liriano coming off major arm surgery, I was very worried. Besides Baker, I wasn't sure if any of the pitchers would put together solid seasons. Boof and Livan proved me right. Blackburn, Slowey, and Perkins proved me very, very, very wrong. It has been a huge boost to the team that the young pitchers have succeeded with flying colors. Lets hope the pressures of a divisional race doesn't disrupt the superb season this rotation has put together so far.
Position player reviews coming later......
Livan Hernandez - Currently sporting a scary 5.22 ERA, Livan is what we thought he would be. He gives up loads of hits, gets rocked occasionally, and looks disinterested throughout most of the game. He also eats up innings, stays healthy, and keeps his team in the game most of the time. If he can keep his ERA around five, he should give us a few victories in the second half.
Nick Blackburn - I didn't know what to expect from Blackburn going into this season. For one, I had never heard of him before. But I trust the Twins organization and they wouldn't put a guy in the rotation if they weren't confident in his pitching. Currently sporting a 7-4 record with a 3.78 ERA, I know to always trust the Twins. He just pitched seven scoreless innings against the Tigers yesterday. His confidence continues to grow and he should be solid the rest of the year.
Glen Perkins - With Francisco Liriano struggling for his command and Boof Bonser distracted by cheeseburgers, Perkins was brought up in May as the fifth starter. He has been better than expected for a fifth starter, posting a 4.31 ERA and a 4-2 record. I have seen Perkins pitch in person more than any other pitcher this year. He always seems to pitch six innings, give up three runs, and strike out a few batters. I can live with that.
Kevin Slowey - Currently with a 3.47 ERA and a deceptive 5-6 record, Slowey is the perfect example of why the win/loss stat is a bad judgment for a pitcher. Since giving up eight runs in three innings against the Chi Sox on June 8th, Slowey has given up three runs over twenty-nine innings in his last four starts. Three runs in four starts! Ignore the win loss record. Slowey is on a roll and is quickly becoming the new Brad Radke. His accuracy is phenomenal. He should be one to enjoy in the years to come.
Scott Baker - I'm biased when assessing Baker. The greatest sporting event I ever attended was Baker's near perfect game last season against the Royals. He threw eight perfect innings. He threw 8 1/3 hitless innings. It was so close and a thrill to watch. With a 3.65 ERA, Baker completes the trifecta of Twins starters with an ERA under four. He consistently goes six innings or more, and gives up around three runs a game. His strikeouts are up and he recently struck out nine Brewers over six innings a couple weeks ago. Baker and Slowey have the look of a formidable one-two punch in the Twins rotation for years to come.
The rotation has been above and beyond what I had expected this season. After trading Santana and having Liriano coming off major arm surgery, I was very worried. Besides Baker, I wasn't sure if any of the pitchers would put together solid seasons. Boof and Livan proved me right. Blackburn, Slowey, and Perkins proved me very, very, very wrong. It has been a huge boost to the team that the young pitchers have succeeded with flying colors. Lets hope the pressures of a divisional race doesn't disrupt the superb season this rotation has put together so far.
Position player reviews coming later......
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
More Movie Reviews
Last week we saw three movies. Here are some quick thoughts on each of them.
Baby Mama - Buddy comedy/Romantic comedy starring Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and Greg Kinnear. I'm a fan of Tina Fey as 30 Rock is the best comedy on TV besides The Office. She also wrote and starred in Mean Girls, a very good movie, surprisingly. Amy Poehler is funny occasionally and along with Fey had a good run on SNL. The movie had the potential to be funny so Laura and I paid two dollars to see it at the cheap seats. It was worth two dollars. Maybe I would have paid three. But I definitely wouldn't have paid four. That's too many chicken nuggets. It was a disappointment as the funny moments were few and far between. It had all the corny aspects of many romantic comedies and the humor was nothing like what I've come to expect from Fey. The biggest sign that I knew the movie wasn't working for me was that I found it long and tedious at times. And it only had a running time of 99 minutes. I'm looking forward to the new season of 30 Rock so Tina Fey can restore my confidence in her.
1.5/4 Chicken Nuggets
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly - Nominated for four Academy Awards and included on numerous top ten lists for 2007, The Diving Bell is based on the memoir of the same name by Jean-Dominique Bauby. Bauby, a French fashion magazine editor, suffered a stroke at the age of 43 which left him with a condition called locked-in syndrome. He was completely paralyzed except for his left eye, which he used to communicate with through blinking. The movie shows Bauby's struggle to cope with his condition, the strain it puts on his relationships, and his determination to write his memoir. It is a fantastic movie with great acting, directing, and cinematography. The story is incredible, an uplifting tale showcasing the determination and fight of the human spirit. As a warning, it is in French with English subtitles. If that's a problem for you, learn to read faster. Do not watch this movie dubbed. I believe it would lose much with goofy English voices not matching the moving lips. Always watch foreign movies with subtitles. I can't stress that point enough. Always subtitles! AHHH!
3.5/4 Nuggets
In Bruges - Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, and Ralph Fiennes star in this dark comedy about two hitmen hiding out in the city of Bruges, Belgium. After botching a job in England, Ray (Farrell) and Ken (Gleeson) are sent by their boss Harry (Fiennes) to lay low in Belgium until he contacts them. Ken loves Bruges, taking in all the sights and historic architecture. Ray, morose after botching the hit in England, finds Bruges terribly boring and complains constantly. Ray eventually finds some enjoyment as he befriends a midget and falls in love with a local drug dealer. Things seem good for Ken and Ray until Harry calls with some troubling news that will test the growing friendship of the two hitmen. A fairly funny movie with good acting and a clever premise, In Bruges is worth checking out. Farrell has never been a good actor in my book, but he was funny and enjoyable to watch. Granted, he played an Irishman and he is an Irishman so it wasn't much of a stress. Gleeson is good in everything he does. If you don't know him, he plays Mad Eye Moody in the Harry Potter movies, a Scotsman in Braveheart, and a soon-to-be zombie in 28 Days Later. Fiennes is funny for his foul mouth and his undying love for Bruges. It is dark, so if that type of comedy is not your cup of tea, this may not be for you. Also, if you are a midget, are friends with a midget, or love a midget, be ready for lots of midget jokes. I found them pretty amusing.
3/4 Nuggets
Baby Mama - Buddy comedy/Romantic comedy starring Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and Greg Kinnear. I'm a fan of Tina Fey as 30 Rock is the best comedy on TV besides The Office. She also wrote and starred in Mean Girls, a very good movie, surprisingly. Amy Poehler is funny occasionally and along with Fey had a good run on SNL. The movie had the potential to be funny so Laura and I paid two dollars to see it at the cheap seats. It was worth two dollars. Maybe I would have paid three. But I definitely wouldn't have paid four. That's too many chicken nuggets. It was a disappointment as the funny moments were few and far between. It had all the corny aspects of many romantic comedies and the humor was nothing like what I've come to expect from Fey. The biggest sign that I knew the movie wasn't working for me was that I found it long and tedious at times. And it only had a running time of 99 minutes. I'm looking forward to the new season of 30 Rock so Tina Fey can restore my confidence in her.
1.5/4 Chicken Nuggets
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly - Nominated for four Academy Awards and included on numerous top ten lists for 2007, The Diving Bell is based on the memoir of the same name by Jean-Dominique Bauby. Bauby, a French fashion magazine editor, suffered a stroke at the age of 43 which left him with a condition called locked-in syndrome. He was completely paralyzed except for his left eye, which he used to communicate with through blinking. The movie shows Bauby's struggle to cope with his condition, the strain it puts on his relationships, and his determination to write his memoir. It is a fantastic movie with great acting, directing, and cinematography. The story is incredible, an uplifting tale showcasing the determination and fight of the human spirit. As a warning, it is in French with English subtitles. If that's a problem for you, learn to read faster. Do not watch this movie dubbed. I believe it would lose much with goofy English voices not matching the moving lips. Always watch foreign movies with subtitles. I can't stress that point enough. Always subtitles! AHHH!
3.5/4 Nuggets
In Bruges - Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, and Ralph Fiennes star in this dark comedy about two hitmen hiding out in the city of Bruges, Belgium. After botching a job in England, Ray (Farrell) and Ken (Gleeson) are sent by their boss Harry (Fiennes) to lay low in Belgium until he contacts them. Ken loves Bruges, taking in all the sights and historic architecture. Ray, morose after botching the hit in England, finds Bruges terribly boring and complains constantly. Ray eventually finds some enjoyment as he befriends a midget and falls in love with a local drug dealer. Things seem good for Ken and Ray until Harry calls with some troubling news that will test the growing friendship of the two hitmen. A fairly funny movie with good acting and a clever premise, In Bruges is worth checking out. Farrell has never been a good actor in my book, but he was funny and enjoyable to watch. Granted, he played an Irishman and he is an Irishman so it wasn't much of a stress. Gleeson is good in everything he does. If you don't know him, he plays Mad Eye Moody in the Harry Potter movies, a Scotsman in Braveheart, and a soon-to-be zombie in 28 Days Later. Fiennes is funny for his foul mouth and his undying love for Bruges. It is dark, so if that type of comedy is not your cup of tea, this may not be for you. Also, if you are a midget, are friends with a midget, or love a midget, be ready for lots of midget jokes. I found them pretty amusing.
3/4 Nuggets
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Reservations for 5:30pm please? Oh, the restaurant is empty......
I know that people eat dinner at different times. This might stem from when you ate dinner as you were growing up, it could depend on your schedule, maybe you are just hungry earlier or later? For most of my life, we ate dinner pretty regularly around 5:30. Sometimes it was later, depend on sports practice, but it was rarely after 6:00pm. This has stuck with me even now; 5-6 is the dinner hour. I would rather not eat after 6:30, for a few different reasons. Luckily, Ross is in the same camp as me - unlike our roommate Josh, he often makes his dinner around 8pm!
This habit of eating early probably saves us from waiting for a table at many restaurants, because for the most part we are beating the crowd. I take that back - when we go to Olive Garden at 5:00, we might have to wait - but when we go to Figlio's, we will likely be the only ones in the dining room! My friend sometimes asks me to dinner at Figlios.....at 9:00pm.....and I usually laugh because to me that is not dinner :)
This past Friday was our anniversary, so along with a day at the Zoo and a night in the downtown Hyatt, we planned to have dinner at Buca de Beppo's. I thought, being a Friday night, it might be smart to make reservations. I don't go out downtown too often, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I called and made reservations for 5:30pm. Due to a rainstorm that would bring a heavy downpour from about 5-6, we headed to Buca's at 4:45 for a before dinner drink. Getting there, we found that we were the second couple in the place. This didn't change much as it got closer to 5:30. When we were lead to our table, I think there were 3 other parties in the restaurant. I couldn't help but laugh that I had made a reservation. Better safe than sorry?
More on the food coming later....
This habit of eating early probably saves us from waiting for a table at many restaurants, because for the most part we are beating the crowd. I take that back - when we go to Olive Garden at 5:00, we might have to wait - but when we go to Figlio's, we will likely be the only ones in the dining room! My friend sometimes asks me to dinner at Figlios.....at 9:00pm.....and I usually laugh because to me that is not dinner :)
This past Friday was our anniversary, so along with a day at the Zoo and a night in the downtown Hyatt, we planned to have dinner at Buca de Beppo's. I thought, being a Friday night, it might be smart to make reservations. I don't go out downtown too often, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I called and made reservations for 5:30pm. Due to a rainstorm that would bring a heavy downpour from about 5-6, we headed to Buca's at 4:45 for a before dinner drink. Getting there, we found that we were the second couple in the place. This didn't change much as it got closer to 5:30. When we were lead to our table, I think there were 3 other parties in the restaurant. I couldn't help but laugh that I had made a reservation. Better safe than sorry?
More on the food coming later....
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Will They Ever Lose?
Eight wins in a row has brought the Twins within half a game of the Pale Hos. Let's extend interleague play for another month! The disparity between the two leagues is apparent when not only the Twins but the Royals dominate their NL opponents. Anybody interested in realignment? I know the Royals are. The Twins did what they needed to do. They beat up on the Nationals and D'Backs at home and they've taken two so far from the Padres in San Diego. The biggest reason for the win streak has been the starting rotation. After getting hammered in Chicago and Cleveland, the rotation has picked it up and shut down the opposing lineups. Since losing 4-2 to Milwaukee on June 15th, no team has scored more than three runs on the Twins pitching. Other than Reyes picking up the win on Tuesday, the starting rotation has recorded every victory. Winning begins with pitching and if the Twins keep this up, it could be an exciting September.
I love day games! The Padres series has been a nuisance as the games begin at 9pm. Since going to the game last Friday night, I have not seen a live pitch of a Twins game. I'm ashamed. Thankfully today is a day game with a local start time of 2:30. Scott Baker, future Cy Young candidate, will be on the mound going for the sweep. The Twins return home this weekend for another epic Minnesota vs. Wisconsin showdown. Last time, Minnesota came through winning two of three. It should be a great series as the Brew Crew have been on their own tear, winning eight of their last ten. The food certainly won't be as good at the ballpark for this series, but the beer will be better. The Metrodome just added Grain Belt Premium on tap, the greatest beer on earth, brewed right here in Minnesota. Much better than that urine drink called Miller Light. If only the Metrodome could offer me five different sausages. Then I'd be set.
Euro 2008 - Are You Watching Yet?
Watch the final on Sunday. The semifinal between Germany and Turkey yesterday was amazing, the perfect game for a non-fan to get excited for. Trailing 2-1 with five minutes left, Turkey scored to seemingly send the game to extra time. More drama ensued as in the 90th minute, Germany came through with a beautiful goal to wrap up their spot in the final. I can only imagine how entertaining the final will be after this thrilling match. If you don't know about soccer but want to give it a chance, tune in on Sunday at 1:45 on ABC. The Italians will not be in the final so the diving will be minimal, goals will be scored, and Luca Toni's mustache wont frighten women and children.
I love day games! The Padres series has been a nuisance as the games begin at 9pm. Since going to the game last Friday night, I have not seen a live pitch of a Twins game. I'm ashamed. Thankfully today is a day game with a local start time of 2:30. Scott Baker, future Cy Young candidate, will be on the mound going for the sweep. The Twins return home this weekend for another epic Minnesota vs. Wisconsin showdown. Last time, Minnesota came through winning two of three. It should be a great series as the Brew Crew have been on their own tear, winning eight of their last ten. The food certainly won't be as good at the ballpark for this series, but the beer will be better. The Metrodome just added Grain Belt Premium on tap, the greatest beer on earth, brewed right here in Minnesota. Much better than that urine drink called Miller Light. If only the Metrodome could offer me five different sausages. Then I'd be set.
Euro 2008 - Are You Watching Yet?
Watch the final on Sunday. The semifinal between Germany and Turkey yesterday was amazing, the perfect game for a non-fan to get excited for. Trailing 2-1 with five minutes left, Turkey scored to seemingly send the game to extra time. More drama ensued as in the 90th minute, Germany came through with a beautiful goal to wrap up their spot in the final. I can only imagine how entertaining the final will be after this thrilling match. If you don't know about soccer but want to give it a chance, tune in on Sunday at 1:45 on ABC. The Italians will not be in the final so the diving will be minimal, goals will be scored, and Luca Toni's mustache wont frighten women and children.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Movie Review: Kung Fu Panda
At long last, the third aspect of this blog is addressed. Much has been written about sports, a little bit about food, and now the first movie review. After watching a couple movies not worth writing one word about, Laura and I took our little brother Edgar to see Kung Fu Panda. The plot revolves around a panda named Po who idolizes a group of kung fu fighters called the Furious Five. He dreams about being one of them, fighting evil forces and protecting his home, the Valley of Peace. Unfortunately, Po is no kung fu fighter. He is an overweight klutz who works at his Dad's restaurant serving noodles. When the time comes for a new Dragon Master to be chosen, an extravagant ceremony is held and Po is unwittingly chosen. After facing doubters and doubting himself, Po is able to unlock his hidden potential with the help of his master Shifu. He becomes a master kung fu artist and must help save his village from Tai Lung, a former student of Shifu who turned evil. Epic fights ensue and Po learns to believe in himself and his ability to do what makes him truly happy.
Kung Fu Panda is simply a great movie. It is possibly the best movie of the summer so far. I had no complaints about it like I did for Indy 4. The action scenes are more exciting than the ones in Ironman. I have no doubt it is funnier than either Adam Sandler's or Mike Myers' summer efforts. The animation is beautiful, creating landscapes that could not be matched with live footage. The audience is transported to ancient China populated with talking animals. I can't stress enough how visually appealing the movie is. If all computer animated movies looked this good, I wouldn't be too sad about old animation fading away.
The one worry I had going into the movie was about the actor providing the voice for Po, Jack Black. I have a love/hate relationship with Jack Black. In a movie like High Fidelity or Orange County, he is great as his characters don't overwhelm the movie. Too much of him can drive me crazy as his constant banter and over the top antics become repetitive and tiresome. I enjoy School of Rock, but after multiple viewings, I tire of Black's shtick. The kids are what make that movie work. It was a pleasant surprise then that his voice never bothered me throughout the movie. Black was much more subdued, and I give credit to the writers. They could have given Po more of a crazy personality, but they presented him as a lovable loser wanting to make something more of himself than a waiter. It is very satisfying to see Po succeeding at kung fu after all the nay sayers bring him close to quitting. I give Black credit for conveying Po's emotions well and getting me to care about the character.
It's always fun trying to guess the other actors doing character voices. I laughed when I heard David Cross doing the voice of a crane, a member of the Furious Five. I wonder if the crane is a never-nude. Or maybe a discipline daddy. They need to make the Arrested Development movie as soon as possible. The one voice I did not pick up on was Angelina Jolie as another member of the Furious Five, Tigress. Maybe she has a fairly mundane voice or the character wasn't given enough for her to make a stronger impression. Dustin Hoffman was great as Po's master Shifu, as his voice comes off as very wise and elderly, exactly what I would expect from a kung fu master.
The one aspect of the movie that blew me away and put it at the top of my summer movie list were the fight sequences. There are three lengthy fights in the movie that are all very different in their settings, making for distinctly different fighting. In particular, the scene involving the villian, Tai Lung, breaking out of prison is incredible to watch. The prison is in a mountain, buried deep below the earth with only one door for an exit. Tai Lung has to get past hundreds of guards and escape the cavern in the mountain. There's no more to explain. You just have to see how it's done. The other two great fights involve the Furious Five vs. Tai Lung on a rope bridge, similar to the one in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, and Po vs. Tai Lung in the climax encounter. They are all great and far superior to the action scenes of many live action movies.
Go see Kung Fu Panda. It has a great message about believing in yourself and doing what makes you happy. It has some funny scenes involving some slapstick comedy. The action is top notch. It looks beautiful. Sounds good, eh?
Kung Fu Panda is simply a great movie. It is possibly the best movie of the summer so far. I had no complaints about it like I did for Indy 4. The action scenes are more exciting than the ones in Ironman. I have no doubt it is funnier than either Adam Sandler's or Mike Myers' summer efforts. The animation is beautiful, creating landscapes that could not be matched with live footage. The audience is transported to ancient China populated with talking animals. I can't stress enough how visually appealing the movie is. If all computer animated movies looked this good, I wouldn't be too sad about old animation fading away.
The one worry I had going into the movie was about the actor providing the voice for Po, Jack Black. I have a love/hate relationship with Jack Black. In a movie like High Fidelity or Orange County, he is great as his characters don't overwhelm the movie. Too much of him can drive me crazy as his constant banter and over the top antics become repetitive and tiresome. I enjoy School of Rock, but after multiple viewings, I tire of Black's shtick. The kids are what make that movie work. It was a pleasant surprise then that his voice never bothered me throughout the movie. Black was much more subdued, and I give credit to the writers. They could have given Po more of a crazy personality, but they presented him as a lovable loser wanting to make something more of himself than a waiter. It is very satisfying to see Po succeeding at kung fu after all the nay sayers bring him close to quitting. I give Black credit for conveying Po's emotions well and getting me to care about the character.
It's always fun trying to guess the other actors doing character voices. I laughed when I heard David Cross doing the voice of a crane, a member of the Furious Five. I wonder if the crane is a never-nude. Or maybe a discipline daddy. They need to make the Arrested Development movie as soon as possible. The one voice I did not pick up on was Angelina Jolie as another member of the Furious Five, Tigress. Maybe she has a fairly mundane voice or the character wasn't given enough for her to make a stronger impression. Dustin Hoffman was great as Po's master Shifu, as his voice comes off as very wise and elderly, exactly what I would expect from a kung fu master.
The one aspect of the movie that blew me away and put it at the top of my summer movie list were the fight sequences. There are three lengthy fights in the movie that are all very different in their settings, making for distinctly different fighting. In particular, the scene involving the villian, Tai Lung, breaking out of prison is incredible to watch. The prison is in a mountain, buried deep below the earth with only one door for an exit. Tai Lung has to get past hundreds of guards and escape the cavern in the mountain. There's no more to explain. You just have to see how it's done. The other two great fights involve the Furious Five vs. Tai Lung on a rope bridge, similar to the one in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, and Po vs. Tai Lung in the climax encounter. They are all great and far superior to the action scenes of many live action movies.
Go see Kung Fu Panda. It has a great message about believing in yourself and doing what makes you happy. It has some funny scenes involving some slapstick comedy. The action is top notch. It looks beautiful. Sounds good, eh?
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
To Trade or Not to Trade
After walloping the Nationals last night, the Twins brought their record back to five hundred. The two wins against the Nationals begin a stretch of fourteen home games in their next seventeen. This is a critical period for the Twins season. The Twins perform far better at home than on the road, particularly the starting pitching. While watching Livan Hernandez and the bullpen wrap up the game on Tuesday night in less than two hours, FSN put up a graphic comparing the starting rotation's home ERA and its road ERA. I was disgusted with the numbers I saw. The road ERA is two whole runs higher than the home ERA. While it's good news that the rotation is exceptional at home, it is more worrying that the rotation has pitched so pitifully on the road. This makes it imperative that the Twins continue to win at the Dome. They have already won the series against the Nationals and must take two of three this weekend against the D'Backs. It will be tough as the Twins face the Big Unit on Friday and Brandon Webb on Sunday. The good news is Randy Johnson can't kill any birds on Friday cause he'll be inside.
Looking ahead to next week, the Twins take a long trip out west to San Diego for three games and return home to face the Brewers. San Diego is a pitchers park so hopefully the rotation won't get pounded and they can take two of three. I have full faith in them owning the Brewers as Minnesota is far superior than Wisconsin in all areas. Except maybe food. I have to give Wisconsin the nod in the food department strictly because of the Queen Bee and Joe Rouer's. Expect me to wax poetic on these amazing dining establishments sometime on this blog. If the Twins continue this winning form at home, when the All-Star break comes, they should be a few games above five hundred. This brings up a big question for the GM: Are you a seller or a buyer?
To be honest, I did not expect the Twins to be hovering around five hundred for the season and within shouting distance of first place. They have been a pleasant surprise and a joy to watch. Realistically, they have little shot at making the playoffs. Even though Detroit and Cleveland have underperformed, I still see one of them turning it around and jumping us in the standings. Detroit is starting to look like the world beaters everyone thought they would be and that lineup frightens me against Twins pitching. I believe the Twins have to listen to offers if other teams come calling. It seems inevitable that Livan Hernandez will get traded, and I think it is the right move for the Twins. With Liriano pitching well in triple A and Boof available for spot starts, getting something for Livan is the best option. We're building for 2010 when the new ballpark opens. Being competitive now is great, but worrying about the present and mortgaging our future is foolish. Bill Smith knows this and he will make smart decisions. Although signing Nathan for around eleven million a year wasn't the brightest idea. I'm excited for the rest of the season and the continued improvement of the team. In a couple years, in a new ballpark, a cool October night under the lights might be in the cards.
Looking ahead to next week, the Twins take a long trip out west to San Diego for three games and return home to face the Brewers. San Diego is a pitchers park so hopefully the rotation won't get pounded and they can take two of three. I have full faith in them owning the Brewers as Minnesota is far superior than Wisconsin in all areas. Except maybe food. I have to give Wisconsin the nod in the food department strictly because of the Queen Bee and Joe Rouer's. Expect me to wax poetic on these amazing dining establishments sometime on this blog. If the Twins continue this winning form at home, when the All-Star break comes, they should be a few games above five hundred. This brings up a big question for the GM: Are you a seller or a buyer?
To be honest, I did not expect the Twins to be hovering around five hundred for the season and within shouting distance of first place. They have been a pleasant surprise and a joy to watch. Realistically, they have little shot at making the playoffs. Even though Detroit and Cleveland have underperformed, I still see one of them turning it around and jumping us in the standings. Detroit is starting to look like the world beaters everyone thought they would be and that lineup frightens me against Twins pitching. I believe the Twins have to listen to offers if other teams come calling. It seems inevitable that Livan Hernandez will get traded, and I think it is the right move for the Twins. With Liriano pitching well in triple A and Boof available for spot starts, getting something for Livan is the best option. We're building for 2010 when the new ballpark opens. Being competitive now is great, but worrying about the present and mortgaging our future is foolish. Bill Smith knows this and he will make smart decisions. Although signing Nathan for around eleven million a year wasn't the brightest idea. I'm excited for the rest of the season and the continued improvement of the team. In a couple years, in a new ballpark, a cool October night under the lights might be in the cards.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Random Thoughts
-If you can't get excited for the Euro 2008 tournament, you must be dead. Even if you hate soccer, think it is the most dull, boring sport ever invented, you have to admit the drama is second to none. Take the Czech Republic vs. Turkey game yesterday. It was basically an elimination game as the winner went on to the quarter finals. Up 2-0 with twenty minutes left, the Czechs seemed secure with their lead and a place in the quarters beckoned. Turkey stormed back to score three goals, two in the last five minutes to win the game. I repeat, TWO GOALS IN THE LAST FIVE MINUTES! An unbelievable ending to an exhilarating game. If you can't get up for that, what kind of a sports fan are you?
-On the way back from Appleton yesterday, we stopped in Menomonie for a little fathers day dinner. I was lucky enough to watch the last six holes of the U.S. Open in HD and see Tiger sink the dramatic birdie on 18. Unbelievable viewing experience. I wish they had a sudden death playoff instead of the 18 hole nonsense. Thank you Bill and Wendy for having an HD TV. One more great time to cap off a fabulous weekend.
-Go out and buy Lil Wayne's new CD "Tha Carter III". Right before leaving Appleton, my step-brother gave us a copy and we listened to it all the way home. Possibly the best CD I have listened to in over a year. The last CD I enjoyed as much as it was the newest Killers CD. Thanks Pat, I'll be bumping it every morning on my way to work. It will certainly wake me up.
-Downtown Appleton was hopping on Saturday night. Probably because I lived there when I was under age and never went out downtown made me think A-town was fairly lame. But the streets were filled and the bar we went to while waiting for our pizza was pretty sweet. Large, clean, and spacious with good music and attractive bartenders, I had to give Appleton some credit. Also, the bar was next door to the pizza place with the delicious Spinach and Feta. Available late night food always helps.
-Stayed up and watched the fifth game of the NBA Finals. Even though it was close, it was a boring game. It always seemed that the Lakers would pull it out just so the series would seem respectable. I have no doubt the Celtics will finish the series on Tuesday. It will be great not having to hear Stephen A. Smith yell at me.
-On the way back from Appleton yesterday, we stopped in Menomonie for a little fathers day dinner. I was lucky enough to watch the last six holes of the U.S. Open in HD and see Tiger sink the dramatic birdie on 18. Unbelievable viewing experience. I wish they had a sudden death playoff instead of the 18 hole nonsense. Thank you Bill and Wendy for having an HD TV. One more great time to cap off a fabulous weekend.
-Go out and buy Lil Wayne's new CD "Tha Carter III". Right before leaving Appleton, my step-brother gave us a copy and we listened to it all the way home. Possibly the best CD I have listened to in over a year. The last CD I enjoyed as much as it was the newest Killers CD. Thanks Pat, I'll be bumping it every morning on my way to work. It will certainly wake me up.
-Downtown Appleton was hopping on Saturday night. Probably because I lived there when I was under age and never went out downtown made me think A-town was fairly lame. But the streets were filled and the bar we went to while waiting for our pizza was pretty sweet. Large, clean, and spacious with good music and attractive bartenders, I had to give Appleton some credit. Also, the bar was next door to the pizza place with the delicious Spinach and Feta. Available late night food always helps.
-Stayed up and watched the fifth game of the NBA Finals. Even though it was close, it was a boring game. It always seemed that the Lakers would pull it out just so the series would seem respectable. I have no doubt the Celtics will finish the series on Tuesday. It will be great not having to hear Stephen A. Smith yell at me.
Road Trip to Miller Park
This past weekend was one I had marked on the calender since Christmas. At Laura's family Christmas, baseball came up in conversation. Quinn, a cousin of Laura's mom, revealed that he had four season tickets to the Milwaukee Brewers. I was envious. He went on to explain that they were in the lower level only ten rows behind the visiting dugout. I became resentful. Than he gave us an impromptu Christmas gift of his four tickets to see the Twins play the Brewers at Miller Park. Quinn, what an outstanding man. After almost six months of waiting, June 13th arrived and we were on our way to Appleton and Miller Park the next day.
As much as I love the food at Miller Park, I wanted to eat at a nearby bar before the game. When I was younger, my father would take my brother and I to a couple Bucks games a year and we would usually eat dinner before the game. The Fourth Base was often the place we would eat at. My recollection was that the food was amazing, which always surprised me as it looks like a dive. Walking into the Fourth Base on Saturday was no different then ten years ago. It's still the dive bar with great food. Most importantly, the onion rings and french fries are the same as I remember. The onion rings are thinly sliced, lightly breaded, and topped with parmesan cheese and other spices. Between four people the basket of rings was gone in approximately 17.86 seconds. I regret not buying a couple baskets to take home with me. What amazes me most about the Fourth Base is the high quality food they serve. My father and step-mother split a portobello mushroom topped with blue cheese and crab meat. Not an item I would expect to see at most bars. It was also delicious, as was the chicken sandwich Laura and I split. It was a trip down memory lane and a perfect prelude to the baseball game.
Rolling into the game about forty five minutes before the first pitch, I was floored by the number of Twins fans at the game. Whether they made the trip from Minnesota or they were locals, I was pleased with the support shown at an opposing teams ballpark. Miller Park is a beautiful place to watch a game and it makes me hopeful that the new Twins ballpark will be equally as great. Unfortunately, the Twins weren't willing to add a retractable roof to their new ballpark. I plan on wearing a parka and snow pants to most of the games in April. The only bad part about the whole trip was that the ten percent chance of rain for the day showed up about fifteen minutes before the first pitch. I believe this is my fault, as my sports jinx came through once again. All day I had marveled at the beautiful weather and numerous times commented that I could not wait to watch a game outside. Once again, I need to talk less.
For the third game in a row, Laura and I saw Glen Perkins pitch in person for the Twins. Were planning on going to the Twins game this Friday and I think Perkins is pitching that game. If we see him pitch in New York City or Kansas City, something strange is certainly going on. He pitched a decent six innings and the game was close throughout. The seats were better than I had expected, a completely different vantage point from the top row of the upper deck at the Metrodome. I think were about two miles from the field when we sit up there. The Italian sausage with fried onions and secret stadium sauce was superb. Even the Miller Lite was tasty. I have a hard time finding any faults with Miller Park and it is a pleasure every time I go there. Perhaps the best part of the game was how pleasant all the fans around us were to each other. I saw no one come to blows, heard no one yelling obscenities at one another, and saw no beers spilled on any heads. How nice that Minnesotans and Wisconsinites can co-exist.
As usual, we headed out a little early and missed the late inning dramatics. After the top of the ninth, the Twins were winning 4-3. Having full faith in Joe Nathan, we took off to beat the traffic. Sure enough, Nathan blew the save. Thankfully, the Twins pulled it out in extras and we had the pleasure of listening to Bob Uecker calling the game on the ride home. Better stadium, better food, better radio announcer? The Brewers have the Twins beat in a lot of areas. But they don't have the witty banter and wisdom of Bert Blyleven. Advantage, Twins.
The Twins ended up taking two of the three games in Milwaukee, an important end to a brutal road trip. Currently two games under five hundred, the Twins have a favorable schedule with the Nationals and D'Backs coming to the Dome. Were planning on attending the Friday night game. It will be a great time, but I can't help but expect to be a little disappointed when I walk into the sterile hefty bag. No stadium sauce, no polish, chorizo, or italian sausage, no retractable roof, no seats ten rows behind the dugout. Miller Park, you always spoil me.
As much as I love the food at Miller Park, I wanted to eat at a nearby bar before the game. When I was younger, my father would take my brother and I to a couple Bucks games a year and we would usually eat dinner before the game. The Fourth Base was often the place we would eat at. My recollection was that the food was amazing, which always surprised me as it looks like a dive. Walking into the Fourth Base on Saturday was no different then ten years ago. It's still the dive bar with great food. Most importantly, the onion rings and french fries are the same as I remember. The onion rings are thinly sliced, lightly breaded, and topped with parmesan cheese and other spices. Between four people the basket of rings was gone in approximately 17.86 seconds. I regret not buying a couple baskets to take home with me. What amazes me most about the Fourth Base is the high quality food they serve. My father and step-mother split a portobello mushroom topped with blue cheese and crab meat. Not an item I would expect to see at most bars. It was also delicious, as was the chicken sandwich Laura and I split. It was a trip down memory lane and a perfect prelude to the baseball game.
Rolling into the game about forty five minutes before the first pitch, I was floored by the number of Twins fans at the game. Whether they made the trip from Minnesota or they were locals, I was pleased with the support shown at an opposing teams ballpark. Miller Park is a beautiful place to watch a game and it makes me hopeful that the new Twins ballpark will be equally as great. Unfortunately, the Twins weren't willing to add a retractable roof to their new ballpark. I plan on wearing a parka and snow pants to most of the games in April. The only bad part about the whole trip was that the ten percent chance of rain for the day showed up about fifteen minutes before the first pitch. I believe this is my fault, as my sports jinx came through once again. All day I had marveled at the beautiful weather and numerous times commented that I could not wait to watch a game outside. Once again, I need to talk less.
For the third game in a row, Laura and I saw Glen Perkins pitch in person for the Twins. Were planning on going to the Twins game this Friday and I think Perkins is pitching that game. If we see him pitch in New York City or Kansas City, something strange is certainly going on. He pitched a decent six innings and the game was close throughout. The seats were better than I had expected, a completely different vantage point from the top row of the upper deck at the Metrodome. I think were about two miles from the field when we sit up there. The Italian sausage with fried onions and secret stadium sauce was superb. Even the Miller Lite was tasty. I have a hard time finding any faults with Miller Park and it is a pleasure every time I go there. Perhaps the best part of the game was how pleasant all the fans around us were to each other. I saw no one come to blows, heard no one yelling obscenities at one another, and saw no beers spilled on any heads. How nice that Minnesotans and Wisconsinites can co-exist.
As usual, we headed out a little early and missed the late inning dramatics. After the top of the ninth, the Twins were winning 4-3. Having full faith in Joe Nathan, we took off to beat the traffic. Sure enough, Nathan blew the save. Thankfully, the Twins pulled it out in extras and we had the pleasure of listening to Bob Uecker calling the game on the ride home. Better stadium, better food, better radio announcer? The Brewers have the Twins beat in a lot of areas. But they don't have the witty banter and wisdom of Bert Blyleven. Advantage, Twins.
The Twins ended up taking two of the three games in Milwaukee, an important end to a brutal road trip. Currently two games under five hundred, the Twins have a favorable schedule with the Nationals and D'Backs coming to the Dome. Were planning on attending the Friday night game. It will be a great time, but I can't help but expect to be a little disappointed when I walk into the sterile hefty bag. No stadium sauce, no polish, chorizo, or italian sausage, no retractable roof, no seats ten rows behind the dugout. Miller Park, you always spoil me.
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