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.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
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
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)