Happy New Year

Happy New Year Minnesota Twins Fans!!! Let’s hope 2008 will be a great Minnesota Twins season. Have a safe and fun New Year!!!

Is this Bert Blyleven’s year?

It seems every baseball fan holds their breath in anticipation this time of year…in anticipation for the Cooperstown nod that is. This Minnesota Twins fan joins Bert Blyleven in the old familiar wait and see mode. It is Bert’s 11th year on the Hall of Fame ballot and as MLB.com puts it: There are many people who have wondered why Blyleven has yet to receive enshrinement in Cooperstown. In a career that spanned from 1970-92 with the Twins, Rangers, Pirates, Indians and Angels, he's in the top end of almost every all-time pitching category. That includes 287 wins, which is 25th on the all-time list. Blyleven is fifth in career strikeouts with 3,701. He is ninth in games started with 685. His 60 shutouts are also ninth all-time. I guess we will just wait and see...

Carlos Silva to Mariners

There will be plenty of baseball players changing uniforms in the New Year and we can now add Carlos Silva to that list. Silva signed a four-year contract with the Seattle Mariners that will average $12 million a season. $48 million! Wow. Silva was 13-14 last season, but still managed to draw a high price tag from Seattle. The Twins reportedly offered him $18 million over three season or about $6 million a year – half of what Seattle paid. Half! I guess the market for free agent pitchers is crazy tight right now – wish I knew how to throw a good sinker!

The Twins will have to rely on the skills of Scott Baker, Boof Bonser, Francisco Liriano (finally back!) and Kevin Slowey to get them through next season. Is it spring yet? I am soooo tired of shoveling snow!

Merry Christmas Twins Fans

Merry Christmas Minnesota Twins Fans! I think I am getting a new blue Twins hoodie for Christmas…I also really hope Santa leaves me some baby blue Twins fleece mittens to match! Merry Christmas every one! God Bless!

Twins Infield is bulking up

Last Thursday, I made a shout out to Twins fans regarding the empty spot at third base, well looks like Ron Gardenhire and friends have found a warm body to fill the hole. The Twins signed free-agent third baseman Mike Lamb to a $6.5 million two-year contract. Lamb, 32, is a six-year veteran who played the past four years for the Houston Astros. Welcome to Minnesota, Lambo, welcome to Minnesota!

The Twins infield is looking like this:
1st base: Justin Morneau
2nd base: Brendan Harris, acquired last month from Tampa Bay
Shortstop: Adam Everett, acquired from Astros as well
3rd base: Mike Lamb, from Houston Astros

I hope all those southern boys are ready to play major league baseball in the north!

Twins Roster is Ever Changing 12/18

I guess it’s no secret that the MLB off-season is full of roster moves, but I have to admit I am sad to see some of my favorite Twins players departing. First it was Jason Bartlett (remember the Free Bartlett campaign?) and now we are saying good-bye to Jason Tyner and who knows what is going to happen to the Twins pitching roster? Well, I guess I will just sit back and see.

Rondell White makes the naughty list

I haven’t talked about George Mitchell's report on performance enhancing drugs in major league baseball, but it seems like everyone else is. Every baseball blog in America is fired up about this report and what it says about their favorite team.

For the Twins, Rondell White made the steroid use list and his $3,500 cancelled check was even published in the report. White is scheduled to retire this winter so it’s not that big of a deal and frankly he didn’t have a record breaking season or anything so he probably got ripped off anyway. Four other former Minnesota Twins players, including all-star second baseman Chuck Knoblauch, were linked to steroid use in the report. Knobbers allegedly bought steroids in 2001 while with the New York Yankees…I always knew he was a bad apple. I can say one thing for certain about this report, it is keeping the MLB front page news during the off-season – do you suppose they believe in the any press is good press philosophy?

Twins need a third baseman

There is a third base hole that the Minnesota Twins need to fill. The Joe Mauer move to third rumor has died out a bit and when I look around the league I see that Detroit Tiger Brandon Inge is on the market. Inge hits double digit homers every year and 70 plus RBI’s. He would be a great veteran in our young Twins dugout. Unfortunately, trades within a division are very rare, so I am not sure I see Inge in a Minnesota Twins uniform any time soon…any thoughts Twins fans?

Santana Still a Twin

The winter baseball meetings in Nashville are over and despite the million trade rumors and scenarios, Johan Santana is still a Minnesota Twin. I asked my magic eight ball the other day if Santana would be with the Twins in 2008 and the answer was “outlook not so good.” I figured the Magic Eight Ball was just as good at predicting where he would go as anyone else (no offense to all of the baseball aficionados that scour the stats and rumor mills to make “educated” predictions). I figure the Johan Santana drama will last at least until the middle of January.

Twins Spring Training Schedule 12/10

With all this snow piling up it is hard to think about baseball and Minnesota Twins Spring Training, but let’s face it February 17th, 2008 isn’t that far away. The Twins pitchers and catchers report first and then the full Twins team reports on the 22nd. My guess is I will still be shoveling mounds of snow from my driveway on February 22nd, 2008, but I will be wishing I was in Fort Myers, Florida with the boys in blue.

The Twins will face the New York Yankees at “home” in Florida and the Boston Red Sox so there should be bunch of baseball fans at those games. Click here for the complete Twins Spring Training Schedule. One of these years, I am going to get my taxes done early and head down there to see Spring Training. I am probably the only Twins blogger in the nation that hasn’t been there...oh how I wish for the palm trees and the warm Florida sun...

Twin Tickets make great Gifts part two

So I told my mom I bought my dad some Minnesota Twins baseball Tickets for Christmas and she thought it would be fun if just us girls went to a Twins game this year too. So my sister and my mom and I looked at the entire Twins schedule for hours...the three of us deciding on a game took an act of Congress! We finally decided on Sunday May 4th, Twins vs. Detroit Tigers. I told my sister that real baseball fans wait until they know who is pitching before deciding which game to attend, but then again we aren’t going to see the pitchers, we are going to see the first baseman (Justin Morneau) and my sister has the hots for the catcher (Joe Mauer) or should I say third baseman….ha ha.

Twin Tickets make great Gifts

I think the Twins and really the MLB announce the 2008 baseball schedule so early so they can get as many sales as possible, well it worked on me. I decided I would buy my dad some Twins Tickets for Christmas. I was looking at the Twins Schedule and I see the Twins are in Milwaukee over Fathers Day weekend, so that’s out – weren’t they at Miller Park last year for Fathers Day too? So I opted for the Twins vs. Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday June 22. Tickets between the bases were affordable and I know my dad will enjoy the game.

Santana

Where will Johan go??? Red Sox, Yankees . . . time will tell. Any comments Twins fans???

Big Move by Twins

Twins general manager Bill Smith made his first big move (of many I am sure) on Wednesday. The Twins dealt the Tampa Bay Devil Rays right-handed pitcher Matt Garza, shortstop Jason Bartlett and minor league pitcher Eduardo Morlan in exchange for outfielder Delmon Young, shortstop Brendan Harris and minor league outfielder Jason Pridie.

"Coming into the offseason it was critical that we improve our offense. We certainly lost a piece last week with Torii (Hunter) going to Anaheim," Smith said. "For the last month we've been discussing this deal, and (Young) was the bat out there that we felt was the best for this club.

This Twins fan hopes Young turns out to better than Torii so all of the whining Twins fans that thought Torii hung the moon will shut up and move on. Young finished second in the American League rookie of the year voting after appearing in all 162 games. He batted .288 with 13 home runs, 38 doubles, 93 runs batted in, a .316 on-base percentage. Young will be under the Twins' contractual control through 2012.

Twins start Wacky Season

I have to admit I am a huge NASCAR fan – I should probably start a Nascar blog! Anyway in Nascar we have something called Wacky Season where drivers switch teams and owners and sponsors and you never know who is going where and after the dust settles even the sharpest of Nascar fans have to buy a press guide in order to figure who went where. I feel like MLB has entered their wacky season and the Twins are in the thick of it. Trading players, thinking about trading players, planning on trading players you name it, but mark my words Torii Hunter was just the beginning of the Twins Wacky Season. Stay tuned Twins fans!

Torii at the Metrodome

I was just looking at the 2008 Minnesota Twins Schedule and realized that Torii Hunter will be on the Metrodome turf on opening day of the Twins season. Granted he will be in an Angels uniform and will be sitting in the visitors dug out, but Twins fans wanted Torii there on opening day and they will get him. I wonder what the reaction will be? I am pretty sure I am in the minority of Twins fans when I say that I don’t think Torii is all that and I certainly won’t be giving the greedy outfielder a standing ovation.

11/23 Torrii Hunter signs with the Angels

Minnesota Twins centerfielder Torii Hunter signed a five year deal with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. The Associated Press reported that the deal is worth $90 million.

"These guys shocked me," Hunter said of the Angels deal that came quickly together. I wanted to play with these guys. For me, they were one of the teams I was looking at, but I didn't know if they were looking at me. We shocked the world. Now I'm an Angel. I'm going to hopefully finish my career as a Halo, and hopefully get about three [World Series] rings out of this thing."

I have to admit I thought Hunter was destined for Chicago or Texas, not the sunny beaches of California. Hunter will be missed by Minnesota Twins fans. He was definitely one of the reasons to buy a Twins Ticket.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving Minnesota Twins fans! Things to be thankful for this year?? My family, my friends, my work and the fact that Justin Morneau will be back at the Metrodome next season.

Twins receive Craig Morgan

The Minnesota Twins acquired outfielder Craig Monroe from the Chicago Cubs for a player to be named. Monroe is coming off a disappointing season, during which he batted .219, hit 12 home runs and drove in 58 runs one season after batting .255, with 28 homers and 92 RBIs. New Twins GM Bill Smith thinks Monroe will bounce back and thinks Monroe will help the Twins lacking offense. The deal seems a little odd to me since Monroe was paid over 4 million last year and baseball rules only allow a 20 percent pay cut. I see the Twins redoing the contract or perhaps just releasing him if they can snag someone better. Perhaps Monroe is just the “safety net” for the Minnesota Twins once they kiss Hunter good-bye.

Torii Bidding War

Centerfielder Torii Hunter is sure to bring home a nice wage the next few years as several MLB teams are bidding for his commitment. The Chicago White Sox remain serious about acquiring the center fielder with a free-agent contract that could reach $80 million over five years. The New York Yankees, Texas Rangers and Kansas City Royals also are expected to be bidders. Hmmmm…I hope the release of Hunter and doesn’t turn out like the release of Kevin Garnett. The Boston Celtics are undefeated and the Timberwolves haven’t won a game yet. Ouch.

Mets looking at Carlos Silva

The Twins pitchers seem to be at the forefront of all Twins rumors (now that Torii is basically gone). It is rumored that the New York Mets are looking at Twins Pitcher Carlos Silva. The Twins probably won’t be able to afford him and it is rumored Silva could end up with a $40 million, four-year deal from the New York Mets or even the Chicago Cubs.

Twins Rumor Mill – Johan Santana

Word around the Twins baseball rumor mill is that the Twins will be forced to trade pitcher Johan Santana this winter because they can't afford the $140 million he would be expected to command over seven years as a free agent after next season. Johan has been the Twins “Ace” and has led the team in wins and strikeouts for several years – he will be irreplaceable for sure. I think I will have to scratch off the number 57 Twins jersey that’s on my Christmas list.

Twins New Ballpark Design

The Twins' new ballpark model was completed and reviewed by the Hennepin County board for approval yesterday. It was all over local news as the Twins try to keep the excitement over the project on the front burner. I think the Twins are worried about public support and frankly they should be after their disappointing season finish. Minnesota fans like a winning team and if millions of dollars are going to be spent, it better be worth it.

The ballpark reveal yesterday had a few changes from its original model including a few more left field seats, hanging a few rows of seats over the warning track in right field and making some room for family time beyond centerfield. But the field retains the signature architectural strokes revealed last April when the design was announced, such as its limestone exterior, the Norway pines behind the centerfield fence and a heated canopy over the upper deck.

The Hennepin County Board is slated to vote next week on the design. Groundbreaking on the 40,000-seat ballpark is already under way in the Minneapolis Warehouse District of restaurants and offices, it is scheduled to open in time for the 2010 season.

Twins Look Forward to Next Season – 10/30

Now that the Boston Red Sox have been officially crowned the 2007 World Series Champions, all of baseball will turn its focus to the '08 season and building competitive rosters without breaking the bank. The Minnesota Twins need to focus on one thing – OFFENSE and finding the players that can swing the bat. In order to compete in what now is an offense-laden division, more power and players who drive in runs must be added to the lineup.

Kelly Theiser from the Twins mailbag writes:

The hard part, of course, is figuring out just how the club will add those bats if it wants to keep other essential pieces in place -- i.e. Santana, Joe Nathan and possibly Hunter. With so many holes existing for the club right now, it undoubtedly seems like a tough task to try and fill them all this winter when no real solutions exist in the farm system. That's why it seems like trade rumors will be following the club all offseason.

This Minnesota Twins fan is open to trading players to better the team next year. Minnesota deserves another run at a pennant, but it won’t come without smart acquisitions and roster shuffling during the off-season. I hope the Gardy and the Twins pencil pushers have their working boots on! The Twins will need to come out strong if they have any chance of selling Twins Tickets to the average Minnesota baseball fan.

Twins keep Joe Nathan

The Minnesota Twins picked up the $6 million option for 2008 play in Joe Nathans contract. The star closer has done well for the Twins and fans are happy to see him stay. Nathan, who will turn 33 on Thanksgiving, has recorded 160 saves along with a 1.94 ERA over his four seasons with the Twins. He ranks second on the club's all-time saves list, trailing only Rick Aguilera (254), and became the first Twins pitcher to record 35 or more saves in four consecutive seasons.

"I don't think it's a surprise to anyone," Twins general manager Bill Smith said of the club's decision to pick up the option. "Joe Nathan has been a big part of this club for the last few years and hopefully for years to come."

By picking up the Joe Nathan option, the Twins now have seven players under contract for 2008, bringing their salary total as of now up to $30.9 million. That includes Johan Santana ($13.25 million), Joe Mauer ($6.25 million), Nick Punto ($2.4 million), Jesse Crain ($1.05 million), Dennys Reyes ($1 million) and Mike Redmond ($950,000).

Happy Birthday Coach

Happy 50th Birthday, Ron Gardenhire. I bet you wish you were getting ready for the World Series . . . sigh.

Torri Hunter counting the Days

Word on the street is that the Minnesota Twins have made no progress in negotiating a deal with outfielder Torii Hunter. Hunter rejected the Twins three-year, $45 million offer and will be a free agent after the World Series. I am sure Torii Hunter is nervous about testing the free agent waters, but only time will tell if it was a wise decision.

Joe Mauer won’t need Surgery

Joe Mauer, after receiving several opinions, will NOT need hernia surgery. Joe had the procedure done in 2004 and doctors agree that there’s no reason to go back in. Joe is resting for a couple weeks but is expected to swing into full offseason workout mode soon. The Minnesota Twins need Joe Mauer to be healthy, this Minnesota Twins fan is concerned that Mauer is in a pattern of rotating injuries. The vicious cycle needs to be broken, Joe, get healthy and stay healthy! Be the American Idol that we can count on!

Jake Mauer named Manager

Jake Mauer was named manager of the Twins’ rookie league team in the Gulf Coast League. He’s been a coach there the past two seasons. Congrats Jake and I hope you have a successful and healthy year (the same wish I have for your bro’).

Corey Koskie back in a Twins Uniform?

Former Minnesota Twins third baseman Corey Koskie, whose $6.5 million option was declined by the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday, hasn't played since July 2006 because of post concussion syndrome suffered while chasing a fly ball. Koskie, 34, who lives in Medina, said that he has made so much progress the past six weeks, he can see himself trying to play again next year. Koskie, who played for the Twins from 1998 to 2004, gets a $500,000 buyout from the Brewers and can file for free agency after the World Series. The Twins need a third baseman, and Koskie might be looking for a job.

Francisco Liriano, Where Are You?

New Twins General Manager Bill Smith said Friday that he expects lefthander Francisco Liriano to contribute next season, based on his successful rehabilitation in Fort Myers, following Tommy John elbow ligament replacement surgery. Smith this week watched Liriano throw a bullpen session and came away thinking that Liriano, barring any setbacks, is ready.

"He is healthy and he is strong," Smith said. "He has been given the go-ahead to prepare for spring training as he normally would."

Liriano, who turns 24 this month, was 12-3 with a 2.16 ERA for the Twins in 2006 before damaging his left elbow late in the season. Liriano spent most of the year rehabbing in Fort Myers under the watch of Twins rehabilitation coordinator Lanning Tucker. Smith said Liriano has gone home to the Dominican Republic for the offseason but will return to Fort Myers in January and will work out with staff ace Johan Santana in preparation for Twins spring training.


This Minnesota Twins fan is looking forward to seeing the number 47 jersey of Francisco Liriano back on the mound.

Twins Release 2008 Schedule

The Minnesota Twins released their 2008 Twins Schedule and the World Series hasn’t even started yet. I guess the baseball bosses truly believe in only looking forward, not looking back (and oh what an ugly season it was to look back at). Opening Day: March 31st vs the Los Angeles Angels at the Metrodome. Other key schedule notes . . . two visits by the New York Yankees, yes two! New York will play four games at the Dome from May 30-June 2 and then return for three more on Aug. 11-13…and the Twins will travel for the first time ever to the Rocky Mountains May 16-18 when they play the Colorado Rockies (could be the World Series Champion Colorado Rockies).

Click here for the complete 2008 Minnesota Twins Schedule. See ya at the Dome!

2007 Twins Team Leaders

With the Minnesota Twins Season over, it’s time to reflect on a few Twins stats. Now, let’s face it this Twins blog doesn’t have a lot of stats on it – it’s mostly fluff, but I just can’t resist posting this years leaders (and last years).

2007 Twins Team Leaders (2006)
BATTING AVERAGE: Joe Mauer, .293 (Joe Mauer, .347)
HOMERUNS: Justin Morneau, 31 (Justin Morneau, 34)
RBI’s: Justin Morneau, 111 (Justin Morneau, 130)
WINS: Johan Santana, 15 (Johan Santana, 19)
STRIKEOUTS: Johan Santana, 235 (Johan Santana, 245)

Twins Fans, notice that the names are the same only the numbers have changed…story of the 2007 Minnesota Twins Season!

Minnesota Twins Season Over

The 2007 Minnesota Twins season is finally over, but this Minnesota Twins fan is NOT over the disappointing numbers. The Twins finished below .500 for the first times since 2000 ending the season with a 79-83 record, third in the AL Central.

It was not what I expected from the Twins at all. The team won four division titles in the last five seasons and had a string of really solid hitters and pitchers, most of whom played on last years phenom team. I just don’t get it – where did the breakdown for the Minnesota Twins begin? The offensive run production was weak to very weak for much of the season particularly in the latter half. Then there are those pesky Cleveland Indians that swept us more than once and dashed all of our dreams of staying in the pennant race. Injuries to the team didn’t help either and I hope next year the Twins spend more time focusing on their health. Perhaps a new team doctor or nutritionist is needed because the injuries this year were enough to destroy any team.

Check back to this Twins blog over the off-season for trade and roster move information and Twins Spring Training notes!

Twins Finishing up the 2007 Season

The Twins did sweep the Rangers last week at the Metrodome, but then managed to lose two to the Chicago White Sox before ending their 2007 home season on a happy note with a 7-1 victory over the rival White Sox team. The Twins are on a 10 game streak with no break before the end of the season. I am pretty sure that I speak for most Minnesota Twins fans when I say I just don’t care – let’s just end the season and rebuild for next year.

Torii Hater

Am I the only Minnesota Twins fan that doesn’t think Torii Hunter hung the moon? Sure he can swing a bat and catch a few balls, but his attitude doesn’t rub me the right way. His constant whining and complaining about an outdoor stadium and his inability to play in the cold weather makes me want to buy him a turtleneck and tell him to keep his mouth shut to conserve body heat. His lack of team spirit and support for the city of Minneapolis and the entire state of Minnesota when he decided not to show up to the new stadium ground breaking was enough to make me want to cut him loose and now he is criticizing other players for being injured. Is Torii Hunter a doctor? Does he know if players are well enough to play? Come on, Minnesota Twins fans, Torii Hunter is not all that (as my teenagers say). I wish him well…anywhere other than with the Minnesota Twins.

Twins could Sweep Rangers

The Minnesota Twins may do something tonight that they haven’t done all month, sweep a series. The Twins have beat the Texas Rangers twice this week and with Garza on the mound tonight (he really needs a win, he’s due) this Minnesota Twins fan thinks the Twins can sweep the Rangers. Fans, bring your brooms to the dome tonight – I am certain it will be the last chance until next April. The Twins do have one more home series vs. the Chicago White Sox starting on Friday, but I doubt the Twins will win all three games. Calling all Twins fans, there are only four games left to see your Minnesota Twins live at the Metrodome Minneapolis. Buy your Twins Tickets now and get out to the ball field before they pack it up for the winter. Let’s go Twins!

Twins Need to Play Harder

It’s no secret that the Cleveland Indians are a better baseball team than the Minnesota Twins. The Indians swept the Twins last week at the Dome and deflated any possible hopes of the Twins making the playoffs. This Minnesota Twins fan was disgusted that not even one of the three games were even close. The Indians beat the Twins 0-5, 5-7, 2-6 in the three game series.

Following the depressing Indian series, the Twins traveled to U.S. Cellular Field to play the Chicago White Sox where they lost two of the three games in that series. The Chicago White Sox are at the bottom of the AL Central and the Twins should have been able to win at least two of the games. Word on the street is that Ron Gardenhire had a team meeting after the second White Sox loss that included a long lecture about playing tough baseball even if they aren’t making the playoffs. Gardy is known for his “you’re a professional baseball player so act like it” speeches and this verbal spanking must have worked because the Twins have won three games in a row including beating the Kansas City Royals two games this week and are predicted to beat them again this afternoon (see the fan poll below.) At over 50% odds, this Minnesota Twins fan will take any positive Minnesota Twins news she can get. Go Twins! Don’t quit on me yet! The Minnesota Twins Schedule goes until the very last day of September, ya know!

Twins vs. Indians

The Minnesota Twins are a whopping 10.5 games behind the Cleveland Indians in the AL Central and they hold their fate in their own hands. With the Indians at the HHH Metrodome for a 3 game series, the Minnesota Twins need to gain some ground before it’s too late.

Last night, the Indians beat Twins ace pitcher Johan Santana once more as he gave up six hits and four runs in six innings. Indians pitcher C.C. Sabathia threw eight shutout innings to lead the Indians past the Twins 5-0. Santana is clearly still one of baseball's most dominant pitchers, but the Indians have not been intimidated one bit.

Twins newbie Kevin Slowey will take the mound tonight against Indians pitcher Aaron Laffer. Slowet has been successful in his previous starts for the Twins, but the Indians will be his toughest challenge yet. Head out to the Metrodome Minneapolis tonight for a 7:10 p.m. game. Good Twins Tickets are still available for less than $20 per ticket.

Triple Play adds Insult to Twins Loss

The Cleveland Indians did something Monday night that they haven’t done since 1992. With Minnesota Twins catcher Mike Redmond up to bat with runners at first and second, Indians third baseman Casey Blake fielded a sharp ground ball, stepped on the bag, threw it to second where Asdrubal Cabrera forced out Jason Kubel before whipping it to first baseman Victor Martinez to retire the slow Redmond. It was the third triple play in the majors this season.

That play pretty much downed the Twins against the Indians on Monday night, a game the Twins were itching to win to bring them closer to the division lead. Now, the Twins are 6 ½ games back of the Tribe, and a series win is the best they can do. Boof Bonser will go Tuesday night and Johan Santana will face off with big lefty C.C. Sabathia on Wednesday.

Santana’s Sunday Performance a Pure Gem

Johan Santana still has plenty reason to pitch well for the Minnesota Twins this season. After publicly criticizing the Twins’ front office for trading Luis Castillo for minor league prospects, Santana had a poor outing against the Cleveland Indians, but proved he still has the stuff Sunday against the Texas Rangers. Whether Santana is still genuinely convince that his team can compete for a pennant this season, or he is simply eyeing up the big Yankees contract for next year, the Twins ace came out and carried his team on a day when his offense did the usual for him, one run off a solo home run. But Santana made sure it was all the team needed to win, striking out a club record 17 Rangers before removing himself from the game after the eighth inning. The major league record for strikeouts in a game is 20, and Santana had a shot at it if he had returned for the ninth inning, but winning the game was apparently more important to Santana, not even forcing manager Ron Gardenhire to make a decision.

Twins Continue Season-Long Flirt with .500 mark

The Minnesota Twins rollercoaster ride of a season continued last week, as the uphill climb only resulted in another downfall in the American League Central Division standings. The Twins were within 4 ½ games of first place last week, but after Monday night’s loss to the Seattle Mariners, the Twins are now a full seven games behind both the Detroit Tigers and the Cleveland Indians. The Twins are now two games below the .500 mark; if they are to have any chance at the playoffs, the Twins must climb above .500 and never look back. The Twins have one more game on the road and then have six straight games at the Metrodome. Let's hope the Twins can take advantage of the home field and win some games. If you are looking for Cheap Twins Tickets, it looks like Monday's game vs. the Seattle Mariners is your best bet. The Twins may be down, but they aren't out...yet.

Twins Run Production

One of the strangest aspects about the Minnesota Twins’ recent surge in the Central Division standings is the fact they are doing it without scoring many runs. In fact, the Twins are hardly scoring any runs: They have 71 since the All-Star break, the lowest total by far. The next lowest is the hapless Pittsburgh Pirates, who have a full 14 runs more than the Twins since the break. The Twins hurt their chances to catch up to the two teams in front of them again on Monday night, and the paltry run production was the main culprit.

I was at the game watching the goofy right hander Paul Byrd warm up for the Cleveland Indians. I was thinking back to a game where he owned the Twins last season, but I was also hoping the Twins might take advantage of the junk-balls he throws, as well as the fact that the Twins generally do better against right handers. But alas, Byrd mowed down the heart of the lineup again, and the trio of Michael Cuddyer, Justin Morneau and Torii Hunter went 1- for-10, making them 1-for-22 in their last two games. The Twins aren’t out of it yet, but those guys better start hitting before the Detroit Tigers start another hot streak.

Ticket King

Ticket King has moved!!! It's now easier than ever to pick up Minnesota Twins Tickets!

Twins Postpone Royals Game due to Tragedy

Today’s Minnesota Twins vs. Kansas City Royals afternoon game has been postponed in light of the tragic I-35W bridge collapse. The Twins also postponed tonight’s groundbreaking ceremony for the new ballpark. More games could possibly be postponed for the team's weekend series with the Cleveland Indians but information regarding those games is not yet available. Keep a watch on the Twins official site: http://www.twinsbaseball.com/

The Twins decided to play Wednesday nights game in an effort to help the traffic situation downtown. If the game had cancelled, it would have put another 20,000 fans back into the streets of downtown Minneapolis during the critical rescue hours. There was a moment of prayer held before the game and fans were encouraged to stay off of their cell phones and exit calmly if they were going to leave. The Twins lost to the Royals in overtime as Twins pitcher Juan Rincon gave up a two-run homer in the 10th inning.

This Minnesota Twins fan sends out prayers and peace to the people of Minneapolis and to those families directly impacted by this tragedy. I drove on that bridge the day prior to collapse and I frequently use that bridge to get to the Metrodome in Minneapolis. This tragedy definitely hits home. My hometown first responders were called in to assist with rescue and recovery and my prayers of safety go out to them as well. Be safe Twins fans, be safe!!

Twins Won't Fade

Somehow, improbably, astoundingly, the Minnesota Twins are still clawing and scrapping in the Central Division playoff hunt. I’m sure many were ready to write off the Twins after their crushing loss to the Cleveland Indians in that first game of last weekend’s series. But somehow, the resiliency of the Twins has shone through yet again, as they took the final two games on Saturday and Sunday from a charging Tribe.

Monday, the Twins had Luis Castillo listed as their leadoff hitter against the Kansas City Royals. Come game time, Castillo was likely packing his suitcase and heading to the Big Apple – Castillo was traded to the New York Mets a mere hours before the game. The Twins are giving up on the 2007 season, right? Well they might be planning for next season, but as long as they keep winning, they have no choice but to stay in contention, and that’s what’s happening to the club now. The Twins have dropped a few in a row and won a few in a row throughout the season and now they still have a chance down the stretch. If that one solid seven game winning streak can come this week, the Twins might find themselves in striking distance of either the Indians or the Detroit Tigers. It’s an exciting time to get some Twins tickets, let’s see if they can do it again to the Tigers this season.

Nathan’s ERA Great, But Closer Needs More Chances

Joe Nathan fantasy baseball owners have been frustrated all season long with the Minnesota Twins’ under use of their top-notch closer. It seems like Nathan doesn’t get as many opportunities to close out games when compared to other closers in the Central Division, partly because the Twins haven’t won as many games as the Detroit Tigers and the Cleveland Indians, but also partly because the save situations haven’t come up. Joe Borowski of the Indians isn’t anywhere near the caliber of pitcher Joe Nathan is, but somehow he has managed to gather eight more saves on the year. Todd Jones of the Tigers is another shaky closer, with an ERA near five, but he too is ahead of Nathan in saves with 27. Even Bobby Jenks, the Chicago White Sox bullish save man has six more saves than Nathan, and the White Sox are behind the Twins in the standings. Nathan is an extremely valuable player to the Twins, but his value can unfortunately only be measured by how much the Twins can use him. Joe Nathan is a definite fan favorite and the HHH Metrodome goes crazy when he takes the mound. Nathan can definitely help sell Minnesota Twins Tickets as long as he is in the game doing his job. Let's go Twins!

Twins Nine Back

The Pioneer Press put out a chart comparison of the Major League Baseball American League Central standings today vs the standings one year ago and the Twins are almost in the same catch-up boat they were in last year, but this year the competition is more fierce. Detroit is on top, Cleveland in second place and the Chicago White Sox in fourth and definitely not out of the hunt. To win the AL Central the Twins will need to create another last minute miracle like last year and to win a Wild Card will be just as difficult with four teams in the hunt. Come on Twins, pull it together and win a few games. Twins baseball fans will be keeping their eye on scores around the league to see if the Twins can gain any spots on the competition!

Twins vs. Athletics Game Review

The Minnesota Twins definitely looked like baseball superstars this weekend vs. the Oakland Athletics. Thursday night the Twins stomped the A’s winning 6 to 2. Pitcher Scott Baker had a strong outing in winning his fourth game this year and the boys played excellent offense as well. Michael Cuddyer, Jason Barlett, Luis Castillo, and Justin Morneau each had an RBI and Torii Hunter had two. Friday night, ace Twins pitcher Johan Santana took the mound and proved to all of the Metrodome fans why he’s an All-Star. Santana pitched seven shutout innings with a eight big strikeouts and a mere four hits. The Twins bats were armed and ready to support the star pitcher as the Twins pulled off a 5 to 3 victory.

Saturday was a close game and the Athletics were desperately hoping for a win, but Twins pitcher Carlos Silva was solid for over six innings as he held Oakland to three runs on just two hits. The Twins got just enough offensive strength from Michael Cuddyer, Jason Tyner and Joe Mauer who all batted in a total of four runs to win the game. Sunday was a real nail biter as the Athletics didn’t want to end the four game series with a Twins sweep. Mighty Mo’ (momentum) was definitely on the Twins side and they pulled off another 4 to 3 victory putting the Twins at a season-high six games above .500. Starting pitcher Boof Bonser had probably his best outing of the season allowing just three earned runs and struck out six Athletics batters. This Twins fan was a little nervous about Torii Hunter being out of the lineup due to a sore left hamstring, but Luis Castillo with his bum knee and all looked like he could play forever. He hit his second triple in just two days and came around to score the winning run in the bottom of the ninth. Morneau came through for the Twins ballclub as well when he pummeled his 25th home run of the season 406 feet into the upper deck.

Next up is the dangerous Detroit Tigers. The Detroit series will really show Minnesota what the Twins are made of. Let’s hope the momentum of sweeping the Athletics will allow the Twins to win the Detroit series at the Metrodome. Twins Tickets are hot right now so get out and see a game!

Twins in the All-Star game

The All-Star game was a fine midsummer outlet for our beloved Minnesota Twins baseball stars. Twins Pitcher Johan Santana pitched a perfect 1,2,3 seventh inning when he struck out Carlos Lee swinging, caught Alfonso Soriano looking on a third strike and got Jose Reyes to ground out. Santana threw ten pitches, nine of them for strikes. Johan Santana definitely showed off his dominance as a pitcher and made Minnesota Twins fans proud. Santana felt good about his performance as well and said, "It felt good. It's always good to have an opportunity to come in and perform and help out the team. I knew that I would pitch just the one inning, so I was giving it everything I had."

It was nice to see Twins first baseman Justin Morneau take the field when he entered the game in the bottom of the fourth inning replacing starting first baseman David Ortiz of the Red Sox, but it didn’t feel like Morneau gave it all he had at the plate. Morneau went 0 for 2 in his two at-bats. He flew out to Reds right fielder Ken Griffey Jr. and then he popped out in foul territory to Pirates third baseman Freddy Sanchez.

The Twins other powerhouse hitter didn’t fare any better. Torii Hunter also went 0 for 2 after replacing starter Ichiro Suzuki in center field in the bottom of the fifth inning. Hunter flew out to Soriano in left field and grounded out to Sanchez in the ninth.

Despite the poor offensive representation by the Minnesota Twins, the American League managed to pull off a dramatic 5-4 victory in the 78th All-Star Game at AT&T Park in San Francisco. This Minnesota Twins fan hopes to see even more Twins All-Stars next year and hopes the rest of this Twins season will be filled with All-Star moments.

Twins Players going to All-Star Baseball Game

The Minnesota Twins will not have a starter in this year’s MLB All-Star game in San Francisco. Of course, reigning AL MVP Justin Morneau didn't get voted to start by fans because there are a million more people in Boston to vote in their “first base” candidate, David Ortiz. Ortiz doesn’t even play first base as he is primarily a designated hitter. You have to hand Ortiz some credit though: Many players aren’t comfortable in the designated hitter position as they don’t feel like they are contributing to the team enough by not playing defense. Ortiz has thrived in the position, and that is admirable in itself.

So will the MVP go to this year’s All-Star game? Yes as the reserve chosen by the fans. Other Twins that made the midsummer classic are center fielder Torii Hunter and pitcher Johan Santana who made it based on managers choice. Joe Mauer missed out most likely due to the injury that caused him to miss precious at-bats. Congrats to our Twins players heading to the All-Star Game!

Twins Can’t Find Groove

Every time Roy Halladay pitches to the Minnesota Twins, the results usually aren’t too pleasant for the Twins. But miraculously, on Monday night, the Twins somehow got to Halladay for five runs, but it was more likely Halladay faltering then the Twins solving the Toronto Blue Jays’ ace. Evidence in point includes the fifth inning wild pitch that Halladay threw that helped the Twins tie the game as Luis Castillo scored with Jason Bartlett scoring on a Gregg Zaun error in the same play. Mike Redmond summed it up when he said, “Halladay was really grinding it out.” But yet the Twins were unable to keep the Blue Jays offense down, as Twins starter Kevin Slowey gave up 5 earned runs in his start.

But the poor pitching performances didn’t end there for Monday’s high-scoring affair. Matt Guerrier, who before Monday had a fourteen inning scoreless streak, gave up three runs in the eighth inning in Monday’s contest. The Twins bullpen might be tired right now, but its time to buckle down before the all-star break in hopes that the club can trim a six and a half game deficit in the Central Division. Twins Tickets for the Jays series are well worth it if you haven’t been to the Metrodome to see the Jays explosive offense yet.

Twins Offense Inconsistent

The Minnesota Twins offense continues to be extraordinarily inconsistent as they put up 10 runs in Sunday’s win over the Milwaukee Brewers but only one run against the New York Mets on Monday night. John Maine had another stellar outing for the Mets as he pitched against the hapless Twins hitters. The only runner who came around to score was Jason Tyner, who slapped a lead-off single and was driven in by a bloop Michael Cuddyer double. I can’t resist picking up Mets pitcher Jorge Sosa in my fantasy league to pitch against the Twins on Tuesday night. My current smack talk: “Well my shutout for the week is virtually secured with Jorge Sosa pitching against the Twins.” Sorry but come on piranhas.

Juan Rincon gave up another four earned runs or so Monday for the second straight game, and many feel like his trade value is plummeting. The Twins should have dumped him for something before these two disasters. Hopefully, "Roidcon" can come back to pitch a few solid innings before pulling a Dennys Reyes and complaining about shoulder stiffness. Amazingly, the Twins .500 play still has them only 6 ½ games back of the Cleveland Indians, who aren’t helping themselves pull away at the moment. The Detroit Tigers have been lukewarm as of late too, making it look as if the AL Wildcard might be hard pressed to come out of the Central after all. Why not pick up some Twins tickets and to see if they are able to gain ground during their next home stand?

Twins vs Nationals Series Overview

The Minnesota Twins vs. the Washington Nationals series at the Minneapolis Metrodome was definitely an odd weekend baseball series. The Twins have a better record than the Nationals and at the “Homerdome,” it should have been an easy series sweep for the Twins. Starting pitcher Carlos Silva couldn’t get his act together Friday night as the Twins lost 5-8. The righty allowed seven runs on nine hits in three-plus innings. Joe Mauer returned to the line-up after his release from the injured list and hit a triple in his third at-bat, but it wasn’t enough to get the Twins a victory.

Saturday was a rare loss for Twins star pitcher Johan Santana as the Twins fell 1-3. Santana gave up a three-run homer to Ryan Zimmerman in the third inning that proved costly in the Twins' loss to the Nationals. Justin Morneau hit a solo shot to center field in the second inning for the Twins' only run.

Sunday was a definite must win situation and the Twins pulled it off 6-3. Boof Bonser was on the mound and threw more pitches in the first few innings than a major league starter ever should. Bonser spent so much time on the mound that manager Ron Gardenhire thought it was actually detrimental to the offense. "Today, honestly, I felt that our offense was clicking and he took us out of our offense by having too many long innings out there," Gardenhire said. "We really had to battle through it." And battle, they did. In fact, five of the six runs the Twins earned were driven in by singles!

Next up for the Twins is a week long home stand. The Atlanta Braves come to town for 3 games starting on Tuesday and then the border battle between the Minnesota Twins and the first place NL Central Milwaukee Brewers really heats up over Fathers Day weekend. Get your dad and head to the Metrodome for a weekend of excellent baseball. There are still great Twins vs. Brewers tickets available! Go Twins!

Twins Get Timely Win

Thank goodness the Minnesota Twins were able to pull out an 8-5 win over the Anaheim Angels on Wednesday night to salvage an overall dismal West Coast road trip. The Twins enter interleague play this weekend, where they have traditionally dominated National League teams. Wednesday night’s win helped to gather momentum going into the series with the Washington Nationals, one of the National League’s worst. Hopefully the Twins will be inspired to go for a home-stand sweep against them before taking on some tougher National League foes.

It doesn’t feel like it, but the Twins finished 2-4 on the road trip, sandwiching four straight losses versus some uncanny opponent pitching. They would like to play .500 baseball on the road but after how bad the offense performed in the four losses, the Twins should feel lucky. The offense will most likely be bolstered this weekend, as manager Ron Gardenhire plans on activating Joe Mauer from the disabled list. Gardenhire wants to bat Mauer in the No. 2 spot in the order in hopes of getting greater production from the spot. The move also allows Michael Cuddyer and Justin Morneau to stay in their current batting spots.

Minnesota Twins Sweep White Sox

The start of the third Twins vs. Chicago White Sox home series looked a little rough. I almost felt bad for all of the Twins fans that brought their old straw brooms out the Metrodome. Pitcher Scott Baker turned in his first poor start of the season when he gave up 6 runs in three innings, putting the Twins at a 6-1 deficit in the third. Not only were his pitches all over the place, he made a mental error by forgetting to cover first base on a routine ground ball. That play cost him two runs! I am sure Ron Gardenhire will have a long talk with our friend Scott Baker and we should look for much improvement on his next outing. Luckily for Baker, lady luck reared her pretty head at the HHH Metrodome yesterday afternoon and the Minnesota Twins came back to beat the White Sox, 7-6, when reliever David Aardsma threw four straight balls to Torii Hunter in the bottom of the ninth to walk in the winning run. Hunter said he can't remember drawing a game-winning walk since playing in high school.

While the Twins' bats scored the runs to get them back into the game, it was the impressive six innings of scoreless, hitless work by the bullpen that made it all possible. Jason Miller, Matt Guerrier, Pat Neshek and Joe Nathan gave up no hits and just three walks to the Sox for the remainder of the game. Nathan, who has now thrown 11 consecutive scoreless innings, was rightly credited with the win. The Twins make shift bullpen has definitely been firing on all cylinders and should take most of the credit for the Twins recent success.

With the win, the Twins move into third place in the American League Central and sit five games behind the Indians. Up next is a game in Oakland when the Twins take on the Athletics. Kevin Slowey will make his major league debut for the Twins as he takes on the Oakland A’s mediocre Joe Kennedy. Let’s hope Slowey starts off his career with a bang and the Twins can keep on their winning streak! Go Twins!

Twins End Long Road Series

This Minnesota Twins Fan is happy to see the Twins nine game road series wrap up this afternoon. Starting pitcher Boof Bonser is trying for his third straight win against the Texas Rangers. So far so good as the Twins lead 5 -2 in the fourth and they are looking strong.

Since I last wrote (the Detroit Tigers Series) the Twins have managed to disappoint me and surprise me many times over. I knew the series in Cleveland was going to be tough, but I thought the Twins could come away with at least one win over the Indians, but no such luck. The Twins managed to lose all three games in Cleveland losing 7-15, 1-7 and 0-2. The Twins definitely rebounded in Milwaukee when they stunned the Brewers at Miller Park winning the first two games 8-1 and 5-2. The Twins lost to the Milwaukee Brewers by a hair on the third game of the series when they went down swinging losing 5-6. Monday was an embarrassment for the Twins as the Texas Rangers stomped them 4-14. Besides the tough loss, the Twins are also feeling the strain of losing some of its bullpen talent due to injury.

The club placed left-hander Glen Perkins on the 15-day disabled list yesterday after he left Monday night's game against the Texas Rangers in the eighth inning when he strained a muscle near the back of his left shoulder. Perkins is expected to miss two weeks. Also missing from the Twins relief corps is husky lefty Dennys Reyes, due to a sore left shoulder. Furthermore, right-hander Jesse Crain will have season-ending surgery next week to fix a right shoulder injury. The Twins pitching staff is scrambling to fill the gaping bullpen holes and without solid pitching, the Twins will be doomed.

Twins vs Tigers Series Review

The Minnesota Twins vs. Detroit Tigers baseball series was filled with headlines. Twins get spanked, Sidney Ponson gets fired, Justin Morneau breaks his nose and Torii hunter has a magic bat!

The first game vs. the Detroit Tigers was on Friday night and Johan Santana pitched a good game giving up only two earned runs on six hits in six innings. Despite the solid starting pitching, a Michael Cuddyer RBI single in the first inning and a Justin Morneau two-run homer to make it a two-run game in the eighth, the Twins fell short losing the game 3-7. Jesse Crain, Matt Guerrier, Juan Rincon just couldn’t hold the Tigers batters off and the Twins just couldn’t hit the ball when they really needed to.

The second game vs. the Tigers was Saturday afternoon. It’s odd for the Twins to have a 2:45pm game on a Saturday, but the schedule was changed by the power that be and the start time was only the beginning of odd things to happen. Justin Morneau broke his nose in the eighth inning after a Nick Punto throw from third base bounced off a seam in the turf and struck Morneau in the face. Morneau exited the game and the Twins lost 2-8. Sidney Ponson had pitching problems from the start, allowing each of the first four batters he faced to reach base. Two runs would score during that span on RBI singles by Gary Sheffield and Magglio Ordonez. Ponson managed to escape the first with just that damage, but more trouble was on the way and the game was definitely his season ender with the Minnesota Twins.

The third game of the series was Sunday May 13th, Mothers Day. The evening game was sure to be well attended by mothers from around the state and the Minnesota Twins did not want to disappoint. Boof Bonser pitched an OK game for the Twins, but the real stars of the game came at the plate. The Twins pulled in a season-high 22 hits and 16 runs. It was a night of banging the ball around like the Twins had not seen in some time. The Twins club knocked the Tigers around in a 16-4 victory at the Metrodome. A few of the Twins players used special pink bats in honor of Mothers Day and to support Breast Cancer Awareness. Perhaps the pink bats added enough magic to the moment, but most of the Twins victory had to do with Torii Hunter delivering some big hits. Just a few nights after Hunter made what he called one of the top five catches of his career, he followed it up with one of his best offensive career performances. Hunter delivered a career-high seven RBIs as part of a two-home run night. Torii has been hot at the plate and he has been key to keeping the Twins ballclub from sinking into oblivion.

Next up the Minnesota Twins face the Cleveland Indians on the road. The Indians are playing solid baseball and the Twins will be lucky to escape the road trip with a victory.

Twins need to put White Sox behind them

The Twins vs. White Sox series is always one of my favorite of the season. The teams are big rivals and the Sox always give the Twins a run for the money. This weeks’ series at the Metrodome was no exception. The White Sox caught the Twins sleeping at home. The White Sox won the series 2-1. It was a good thing the Twins won the first game or it would have been an easy White Sox sweep.

The first game on Tuesday May 8th went into overtime and after hitting a solo homer early in the game, Justin Morneau blasted a three-run walk-off homer to beat the White Sox in the 10th inning. Good thing my boy Justin was ready to go the extra mile to win a game for the Twins. Other stars of the game included Jason Bartlett, Luis Castillo and Torii Hunter as they led a three-run eighth inning that dug the Twins out of a three-run hole and forced the overtime innings. The Twins ended the game with a 7-4 victory.

On Wednesday night, the Twins couldn’t dig out of the hole set by pitcher Ramon Ortiz when he allowed four runs on four hits and two walks, including one with the bases loaded, in just the first inning! Ortiz dropped his third straight game and is now 3-3 for the season. Besides Torii Hunter extending his hitting streak to 23 games, the Minnesota Twins just couldn’t get moving offensively and lost the game 3-6.

Last night was a real downer when the Twins didn’t even get a run losing the game 0-3. The Twins weren’t even tackling baseball fundamentals with their usual prowess. Their hitting was terrible and the White Sox pitcher looked like he was on fire and hardly had to do any work. Poor baserunning caused an unnecessary out, an inability to lay down a bunt to move a runner over looked pathetic and the Twins made mistakes when trying to get an out on a steal attempt. "It was a frustrating game today," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "We made too many mistakes. We talked about this in our little meeting. You talk about being fundamentally sound, and doing this right and playing the game -- well, you have to do it out on the field. You can't just do it talking about it and talking about it in the press; we have to do it out on the field. Obviously we're making too many mistakes out there."

I have a message for my Minnesota Twins, put the White Sox series behind you and get back on track. I am sure if the Twins could just get one big hit or a super strong pitching performance they could get back to the kind of Minnesota Twins baseball us fans love and have to come to expect.

Santana is pitching on the mound tonight vs. the Detroit Tigers, maybe our ace can inspire the team to win the big ballgame! I try to get to as many Twins baseball games as I can and I especially like to go on Santana pitching nights! There are still great Twins Tickets out there for fans that want to make the trip to the Metrodome and if you go to the Dome on Mothers Day you get to see some Twins players using pink bats to support the breast cancer cause! Go Twins!

Sidney Ponson gets the Win

This Minnesota Twins Fan was starting to think Sidney Ponson was not a good fit for the Minnesota Twins. The Twins signed Ponson to bring a veteran presence to the rotation and to fill the void left by Brad Radke and Francisco Liriano. Yesterday was the first time that Ponson showed why the Twins took a chance on him, tossing seven strong innings in a 9-1 win over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. The strong showing was a do or die situation for Ponson and the win very well might have saved his job. The embattled veteran pitcher now has two victories this season, both coming against Tampa Bay. I am a big Matt Garza fan and I was half expecting him to switch out with Ponson in the next few weeks, but if Ponson can continue to prove himself, Matty may have to wait.

The pitching wasn’t only thing that looked great yesterday. The Minnesota Twins bats were swinging and the base running was solid. I am sure many Twins fans saw the Michael Cuddyer gymnastics roll as he caught a toe running to the base, but all in all the Twins looked like a very solid ball club getting a victory on the road. Torii Hunter's seventh-inning double extended his career-high hitting streak to 16 games and I know Torii will be gunning for another hit tonight when the Minnesota Twins face off against the Devil Rays again. St. Petersburg native Boof Bonser will be on the mound for the Twins as he tries to pitch his way to another Twins victory.

I heart Justin Morneau

Have I mentioned that I love Justin Morneau? Oh yeah about a dozen times! Check out this cool Justin Morneau site: http://www.justinmorneau.com/



I am going to buy my I heart 33 t-shirt today!

TWINS LOSE FOUR IN A ROW

The word is out; the Minnesota Twins are in their first slump since last June! Losing the last four games has been hard on the ball club, but I think Twins fans will start to see some changes pretty soon and not just with the pitching.

At the plate, the Twins have really been struggling. The big sluggers of the team, Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau, didn’t manage one single hit last night against the Royals! Manager Ron Gardenhire believes the team has been pressing a bit too much and rather than making the young pitchers they've faced work deep into the counts, the Twins have been chasing pitches. Hitting coach Joe Vavra has got to tell the boys to be more patient and make the pitchers work a little harder. The Twins need to wait for the pitchers to make mistakes and they will, but the Twins batters have got to be ready to capitalize on them.

The Twins finish up a four game home stand today with an afternoon game at the Metrodome vs. the Kansas City Royals. On the mound for the Twins is Boof Bonser. Boof has been average this season, but let’s hope he can keep the Royals bats quiet long enough for the Twins to slam some of their own balls over the fence. Go Twins!

Joe Nathan Loses the Game

I was shocked to see Joe Nathan fold under the pressure of yesterdays Minnesota Twins vs. Tampa Bay Devil Rays game. Do you suppose Mr. Nathan isn’t getting as much rest as he needs on this big home stand? He does have a newborn baby to tend to and perhaps the long sleepless nights finally caught up to our star closer. It was Joe Nathans first loss since September 6th, 2005. The loss allowed Tampa Bay to split the four-game series. I have to say this Minnesota Twins fan was wrong on her prediction that the Twins would only lose one of the games. More upsetting than my prediction being wrong was that Twins third baseman, Nick Punto, sprained his ankle and is out until further notice leaving the Twins without an experienced player at that position.

The Minnesota Twins now begin a six game road trip to play the Seattle Mariners and the Kansas City Royals. Let’s hope our hometown boys can remain healthy and strong and win a few baseball games!

Twins Early Season Home Stand

The Minnesota Twins took a few knocks on knees from the New York Yankess. Losing the first game 2-8 and the second game 1-10. It was nice to see the Twins pull a win out last night conquering the Yankees 5-1.

Next up on this week long home stand, is the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. The Twins should be able to win 3 of the 4 games for sure as long they don’t get caught with a Yankee hangover. My boy Justin Morneau says he is up for the Devil Rays series. He said, "They are dangerous. They have a lot of good young hitters and good young pitchers. If we don't come in ready to play and focused on this series, they can definitely beat you."

The task at hand in Game 1 of the series is to face left-hander Casey Fossum, who hasn't been seen very often by most of the Twins lineup. Fossum has a good breaking ball pitch and a few others that could sting the Twins. I know Torii Hunter can hit a few of those breaking balls let’s just hope they can make it over the fence.

Game 1 of the series is tonight and the pitching match-up looks like this:

MIN: RHP Carlos Silva (0-1, 1.80 ERA)
The concern regarding Silva in his first start was if the pitcher could get his sinker to do just that -- sink. But the big right-hander proved that he could shut down a strong White Sox lineup. In cold conditions, Silva held Chicago to just one run over five innings as he allowed five hits. Still, there will be lots of eyes watching Silva to see if that same motion can stay in his next outing against the Devil Rays. Silva is 1-1 with a 2.84 ERA in three career games against Tampa Bay.

TB: LHP Casey Fossum (0-1, 17.18)
Fossum experienced a rough outing in his first start of the season Saturday night against the Blue Jays, surrendering seven runs on eight hits, a walk and a hit batter in 3 2/3 innings. The big blow was a grand slam by Frank Thomas. Fossum has an 0-0 record with a 4.91 ERA in three career appearances against the Twins. He is 0-0 with a 2.84 ERA in one start at the Metrodome.

Game 2 is on Friday with Devil Rays (LHP Scott Kazmir, 0-1, 6.75) at Twins (LHP Johan Santana, 2-0, 2.77), 7:10 p.m.

Game 3 is on Saturday with Devil Rays (RHP Edwin Jackson, 0-1, 6.35) at Twins (RHP Sidney Ponson, 0-1, 12.71), 6:10 p.m.

Game 4 is on Sunday with Devil Rays (RHP Jae Seo, 0-1, 9.64) at Twins (RHP Boof Bonser, 0-1, 6.97), 1:10 p.m.

There are still great Twins Tickets out there so don’t just stay home this weekend, get out and see a good ball game.

Twin vs. Yankees

With the Chicago White Sox in the rear view mirror, the Minnesota Twins will set their sights on beating the New York Yankees at the Metrodome in Minneapolis. The Twins managed to split a short two game series with the White Sox last weekend. I saw the Sunday game and the Twins looked great. Pitcher Johan Santana was totally on his game and the bats swung just enough times to get the Twins another victory. My boy Justin looked great as ever and the defense pulled in some tough hits to make them look like easy outs.

Let’s hope I can use the same “another victory” term in the next few days as the Twins face the Yankees. The Twins are 17-30 against the Yankees over the past six seasons, but the Yankees will be missing one of their stars for the entire three-game series. Left fielder Hideki Matsui will be sitting the series out after he was placed on the 15-day disabled list Sunday with a strained left hamstring. Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said that you never want to see a player get hurt, but he admitted that missing out on Matsui for the series wasn't exactly bad news for him.

Still, Gardenhire said that the task of trying to beat the famed club won't be made any easier in Matsui's absence. With a lineup that includes plenty of power in Alex Rodriguez and Jason Giambi as well as consistent hitting in Derek Jeter and Robinson Cano, the Yankees have their fair share of talent to throw the Twins way. Let’s go Twins and let’s try to shut out those Yankees and prove that the Minnesota Twins ballclub can stack up against quality competition.

Twins Orioles Opening Series

The Minnesota Twins' first game of the season resulted in a fabulous 7-4 victory over the Baltimore Orioles thanks to a great display of power from the Twins talented young lineup. Justin Morneau, Joe Mauer, Nick Punto and all of the Twins key players were in high fashion and swung the bats when they needed to. The big opener win was just what the Twins needed to get the season started.

In the second game vs. the Orioles, it was all about speed. Orioles’ right-hander Daniel Cabrera threw extremely well and the Minnesota Twins had a hard time connecting, but the Twins proved there is more than one way to win a major league baseball game. The Twins focused on their ability to run. The Twins recorded a total of five stolen bases in the contest. The most entertaining of those five steals came as part of the Twins' game-winning run sequence in the seventh inning. Rondell White led off the inning with a walk and was replaced by pinch-runner Jason Tyner. After a strikeout by Jason Kubel, Tyner moved into scoring position by stealing second during Jason Bartlett's at-bat. It wasn't the prettiest of steals, as Tyner stumbled on a seam in the field turf during his run and had to crawl to the base to beat out the throw from O's catcher Alberto Castillo. The steal paid off, as Bartlett then delivered a broken-bat shot to left field, scoring Tyner and making it a 3-2 game.

It is so exciting to see the Minnesota Twins making big plays to score victories. Whether it’s the stellar pitching by Johan Santana, the strong bat of Justin Morneau or the fast legs of young Jason Tyner, the Minnesota Twins have weapons to win games and should be able to draw fans into the Metrodome to see the big games.

The Twins face the Orioles again tonight and there are still great tickets available for cheap prices! There are Minnesota Twins Tickets for as cheap as $24 to sit lower level by the Twins bullpen. That is cheaper than the Twins season ticket holders pay! Go Twins!

TWINS HOME OPENER

Opening Day has finally arrived for the 2007 Minnesota Twins. I hope all the hype surrounding the big game isn’t in vain. With many returning players, the Minnesota Twins hope to prove to its fans and MLB scholars that 2006 wasn’t a fluke and that the team can be more prepared for playoff competition in 2007.

The biggest hurdle the Twins will face in 2007 will be pitching. The Twins need to develop a solid rotation and each and every pitcher will need to make a strong showing. No pitching concerns tonight, though, as ace Johan Santana will take the mound to face off against the Baltimore Orioles. Go Johan, show us what you got!

2007 should be a great major league baseball season. The AL Central is ultra competitive and the Minnesota Twins hope to start the proverbial baseball marathon off sprinting!

OPENER IS ONE WEEK AWAY

Get Ready Minnesota Twins Fans because the MLB Minnesota Twins Home Opener is just one week away!!! Get your tickets now and see our Champions take the field next Monday April 2nd at 6:05 pm!!! Go Twins!!! www.minnesotatwinstickets.com

I WANT TO BE JOE MAUERS NURSE

Minnesota Twins golden boy, Joe Mauer, has been diagnosed with a stress reaction in his left leg that will sideline him for a few days. An MRI was taken of Mauer’s leg and revealed the stress reaction, which is considered a precursor to a stress fracture. Twins general manager, Terry Ryan, said that he's confident that Mauer should be able to return to the lineup sometime next week and be available for Opening Day against the Orioles. So buy your Twins Tickets today! The Opener is going to be FABULOUS!

PITCHING LINEUP IS TAKING SHAPE

Ron Gardenhire and the Minnesota Twins have been extra secretive regarding which pitchers will be in the starting rotation this year behind ace Johan Santana. But if the pitching schedule for the upcoming week is any indication, it appears that the rotation race is starting to take shape. Gardenhire has pretty much grouped Silva and Ortiz into that staff, and Bonser's recent strong outings have made him look like a lock, as well.

The upcoming schedule lists Glen Perkins on Tuesday, Sidney Ponson on Wednesday, Boof Bonser on Thursday, Johan Santana on Friday and Carlos Silva on Saturday. So the current pitching schedule appears to hint at a rotation that would look like this: Santana, Silva, Ortiz, Ponson and Bonser.

I don’t know if Ponson is truly a locked in spot, but the Twins have given the veteran every opportunity to show he deserves to be starting, but I would consider Perkins and Garza not far behind in winning the spot. I know Santana can’t carry this team alone so I am excited to build a solid roster of starting pitchers to help our ace out!

There is only 12 days of camp remaining! Go Twins!

TWINS SPRING TRAINING WIN

Sunday, March 11 - TWINS 8, BLUE JAYS 5 - Dunedin, Florida

The Twins looked strong at the plate on Sunday. The Minnesota Twins recorded four consecutive singles to open a three-run fifth inning against Toronto closer B.J. Ryan. Glenn Williams, Luis Rodriguez and Alexi Casilla each drove in runs in the frame. All three players are competing for solid starting rolls in 2007. Williams and Rodriguez also chipped in RBI singles in the seventh.

On the mound, Twins left handed pitcher Glen Perkins threw 47 pitches, 30 for strikes, and allowed one unearned run in his first start of Spring Training. The left-hander gave up two hits and struck out two in three innings. Matt Guerrier gave up one run on two hits and struck out two in two innings of relief.

The Twins have a 4-8-1 record in the Grapefruit League so far. The Twins host the Marlins today at noon at Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers, Florida. Right hander, Boof Bonser gets the start. I hope Boof can have a strong outing and prove he can be counted on in 2007.

Have I mentioned that:



Let’s go Twins!!! April 2nd, 2007 is almost here!!!

TWINS BREWERS

I love a good border battle and of course the Minnesota Twins play the Milwaukee Brewers the middle of June over Fathers Day weekend. Twins vs. Brewers June 15-17, 2007 at the Metrodome. Need a good present for Dad? Order Twins Tickets Now! June will come faster than you think!

My buddy is a huge Milwaukee Brewers fan and he started his own Brewers blog – you should check it out! J Bone is a total super fan! He knows the players inside and out. He gave me props for my Twins blog so here’s a shout back at ya Milwaukee's Own Brew Crew! Go Twins!

J Bone may know the most about the Brewers, but I have a bunch of buddies that love the Twins and baseball in general more than I do. As I peter out on ideas for my blog I rely on these guys to inspire a new post. So I want to do another shout out to baseball fan Bruce Zenner for all of your top notch baseball stories! I am trying to convince Bruce to do a guest appearance on MinnesotaTwinsFan.blogspot.com! Come on Bruce, the readers want to hear all about the time you dropped the F bomb so loud at the youth baseball game that it silenced the crowd!

TWINS GET BEAT-UP

The month of March has not been good for the Minnesota Twins. First, the Twins got beat-up by the Yankees, then Cincinnati (twice) and most recently they got knocked out by the Boston Red Sox. It would be nice if the Twins could pull themselves off the ropes and get a punch in on Tampa Bay today. I love Spring Training, but I am getting tire of hearing Mark Rosen with his Hawaiian shirt and tanned skin report another Twins loss. Come on Twins, win one for us cold and snow buried Minnesotans!

TWINS SPRING TRAINING OPENER

The Minnesota Twins opened spring training with a bang! The Twins tied the Boston Red Sox 4-4 after 10 hard fought innings in Ft Myers, Florida. The highlight of the game was when defending American League batting champion Joe Mauer belted a three-run homer in the fifth inning – go, Joe, go! I suppose Mauer wants to be sure that there are no doubts he is worth every cent the Twins are paying him and if he keeps swinging like that, there will be no worries. Rondell White also had a productive outing, going 2-for-3 with an RBI. White is trying to prove he is worth keeping. It would be nice if White could be more consistent than last year and be a solid hitter every game. Matt Garza was on the mound for the Twins and held the Red Sox hitless over two innings. Garza definitely put his best foot forward as he is trying to win a spot in the rotation. Scott Baker didn't fare as well, getting belted around for seven hits and four runs over 1 1/3 innings – ouch!

Up next: The Twins travel to Tampa for a 12:15 p.m. ET game against the Yankees on Thursday, March 8th. Right hander Carlos Silva is scheduled to start. Go Twins Go! I love Minnesota Twins Spring Training and wish I was in Florida to see my boys swing the bats…especially when I am shoveling 3 feet of snow off of my driveway.

TWINS SPRING TRAINING HAS JUST BEGUN

Spring Training has officially begun for the Minnesota Twins. Always the last club in the Majors to have its pitchers and catchers report, the Twins got their Spring Training started with a workout on Monday February 19th. The Twins are coming off a stellar season and there is plenty of excitement and anticipation for this years camp. Many of the returning players experienced the emotional highs and lows of last season and many haven’t forgotten the sting of being swept by the Athletics in the playoffs.

"Everyone is kind of on a mission," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "Everyone pretty much understands what we went through last year. We'll have a few new people who didn't have a chance to experience it with us, but most of the guys in the clubhouse did. We know how to get there; now, it's just about getting it done when you get there."

This year, the Twins will spend a lot of time working on the pitching staff and buckling down on a solid rotation. Without Brad Radke, who retired, and Francisco Liriano, who's recovering from elbow surgery, the Twins pitching staff looks a little different from last year. The competition will be tough to see who will fill out this years’ line up.

The club welcomes new faces, such as Ramon Ortiz and Sidney Ponson, as well as some of the young guns battling for their chance at a spot. Even one of the lone returnees, Carlos Silva, is a bit of a question mark. After struggling to an 11-15 record with a 5.94 ERA in '06, the hope is that Silva can return to the form he had in '05, when he went 9-8 with a 3.44 ERA. Boof Bonser is considered a lock for the rotation after earning the number two starting spot in the playoffs, and other young pitchers such as left-hander Glen Perkins and right-hander Matt Garza provide the team with some talented options. Scott Baker and top pitching prospect Kevin Slowey also will be in the mix. I can’t wait to see what is going to shake out in the next few weeks for the Twins starting pitchers!!!!

The bullpen looks pretty solid as All-Star closer Joe Nathan once again anchors the Twins that have are also pleased to have Dennys Reyes, Juan Rincon, Pat Neshek, Jesse Crain and Matt Guerrier return. There is an opening for another lefty to back up Reyes, with a few veterans in camp as non-roster invitees, including Randy Choate and Mike Venafro, battling for the spot.

A better look at just what might be in store for the Minnesota Twins this spring won't come until the rest of the club reports on Friday. The first full-team workout will take place on Saturday, February 24th! Twins Spring Training has finally begun! Let’s go Twins!

WHY I LOVE BASEBALL

On this Valentine's Day, I decided to list a few of the reasons
“Why I love baseball"

♥ Anyone can play - you don't have to be seven feet tall or have shoulders the size of Texas

♥ 76 million people - a record 76 million fans attended Major League Baseball games in 2006

♥ Spring Training – baseball in the sun during the dreary winter/spring months can’t be beat

♥ The Players - they are always changing, one day can be a slump, the next day a record

♥ Numbers - I love the stats, the percentages, the records I should have been an accountant

♥ Tradition/History – baseball is America’s game and let’s face it I am sentimental

♥ The 7th inning stretch – it’s predictable in a world that is not

♥ You can bring the kids – baseball is a definite family event

♥ The ballpark hot dogs – yum

♥ You can enjoy the game from cheap seats - Cheap Minnesota Twins Tickets

♥ On any given day anybody can win – it’s just how the ball bounces

Happy Valentines Day Everyone!!! May our love for each other and love for baseball continue to grow!!! Happy Valentines Day Everyone!!! Happy Valentines Day!!!

JOES A GO!!!

Joe Mauer is a go for the Minnesota Twins! Mauer agreed to a four year deal worth $33 million! Yowsers! That's a lot of change for the 23 year old catcher, but he was the first catcher to win an American League batting title and the first catcher to lead the Majors in hitting with a .347 average last season, along with 13 home runs and 84 RBIs. He is a definite super star in major league baseball and the Twins are happy to have him under their roof. Of course, the fact that he is a St Paul boy is a big plus. Perhaps the biggest hype regarding the long term deal is that Joe Mauer will be around when the Twins open the new stadium in 2010! Way to go Joe!

JUSTIN IS STILL MY BOY

On Friday, I was so thankful to hear that the Minnesota Twins signed my boy Justin Morneau! I was sad to hear it was only for a year, but I am just so happy the ink is on the paper! Reports are that American League MVP Justin Morneau agreed to a one-year, $4.5 million deal with the club. Wow - that's a pay raise! I think he was making like $300,000 last year! I guess being MVP, leading the club in home runs (34) and RBI's (130) helps the checking account!


The agreement between the club and the first baseman came at the midpoint between the $5 million Morneau sought and the $4 million the club had offered. "He's a talented young player, and he's given a good effort as far as working at his game," Twins general manager Terry Ryan said of Morneau. "I think there is a certain maturation that we've seen in Justin. He put up numbers, and consequently that earned him the MVP. When you do that, you're going to be rewarded, and he was." The Twins had made public their desire to try and sign Morneau to a multi-year deal and I made my desire public as well, but I guess when it came down to it, the two sides weren't able to agree on the terms. That doesn't mean that it's been ruled out from happening in the near future because I know Justin loves Minnesota Twins baseball and we love him - I am sure he will come around (-: Welcome Home Justin, Welcome Home!

Fun Justin Fact:
He was the first Twins player to earn MVP honors since Rod Carew in 1977.

TWINS PITCHING STATUS...AGAIN

With TwinsFest behind me, I feel the anticipation of Twins Spring Training creating a big knot in my stomach. It's not necessarily a bad knot, but I am definitely feeling anxious as we roll out of the winter rumors and into spring announcements and try-outs.

One of the topics weighing heavily on my mind is definitely the pitching staff of the Minnesota Twins. Now, I know we have one of the best pitchers in baseball with Santana, but I feel like the "Ace" is all we've got. The Twins starting rotation is faced with plenty of big scary question marks. With Radke retired and Liriano out hurt, the Twins need to find some "innings-eaters," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "Some pitchers to help fill the void left by Radke and Liriano." So far, the the Twins have signed former Orioles star Sidney Ponson to a Minor League deal and veteran Ramon Ortiz to a one-year deal and an opportunity to take one of the top spots in the rotation. Now, I am not a pitching expert, but I am not ready to put my faith into this Ortiz character. It's been a rough past two years in the National League for Ortiz, who has gone 20-27 with a 5.47 ERA - ouch, that's not necessarily a King to go with our Ace. I am not convinced that Ponson is any better, he is definitely a long shot. I think Twins pitching coach, Rick Anderson, is definitely going to have his work cut out for him!

Besides those two, Anderson will have to continue to work on Carlos Silva and Boof Bonser.
It was a difficult '06 season for Silva, who struggled to find his sinker and couldn't be the consistent arm the club needed him to be. For Boof, '06 was a season filled with a lot of ups and downs. He tried to make his mark in the big leagues, but it was a roller-coaster ride that finished on a high note. Boof was my fantasy pick last year and he proved to be a pretty solid guy - I hope this season is a more smooth ride, though!

Ron Gardenhire knows that pitching is going to be a challenge for the Twins this year. I hope Gardy takes the pitching voids seriously, because it's hard to win the baseball poker game when you only have one Ace...