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Welcome Back

With Spring Training starting yesterday I feel like it's a good enough time to come back to this site and try to add some insight and info.

Francisco Liriano was in Fort Myers and really wants to pitch this year. It looks like his earlier predictions of pitching in October were a bit premature, but he will likely be pitching in the Dominican Winter league in November or December.
"We have a rehab schedule, and I think we're pretty much pointing toward winter ball," Ryan said. "He might be able to participate in some drills in the [fall] instructional league camp ... but we are not going to jeopardize anything with this young man's future."

It looks like Pat Neshek will be updating his blog on a semi regular basis from spring training. He always has some good stories, even if alot of them have to do with "graphing" and metal bands.

Ramon Ortiz won't be in camp until Thursday at the earliest. He's still in the Dominican Republic dealing with visa problems. The team doesn't seem too worried about it.

New numbers were given to the new players yesterday as well. Put em in the books.
Sidney Ponson #19
Ortiz wearing #44
Jeff Cirillo #27

Buy Pat Neshek's Dress

Pat Neshek is auctioning off his "Game Worn" Rookie Hazing witch outfit on Ebay. All the proceeds go to an Pets in Distress in South Florida where he adopted his dog. You'll also get an autographed picture of him in the outfit. Too bad it won't be here for halloween. I was hoping to go as Pat Neshek dressed up like a witch for rooking hazing day in Cleveland. Damn, back to the drawing board.

Santana Named Player of the Year

Baseball America is expected to name Johan Santana their Player of the Year tomorrow.
Pedro Martinez is the only other pitcher to be given the award before.
Hopefully this is just the start of awards and accolades given to the Twins in the off season.

We're gonna win Twins.

Download 13_win_twins.mp3

Here's a copy of the funkified We're Gonna Win Twins MP3.

Central Division Champs

Zito  vs  Santana tuesday.

Buster Olney breaks down some of the ALDS matchups.

2. The Oakland bullpen vs. Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau
Mauer batted 23 points higher against right-handed pitchers this year, and Morneau's OPS against right-handers was 42 points higher. Oakland could use a great matchup left-hander in this series, but the Athletics don't really have that -- left-handers have batted .321 against Ron Flores, .333 against Joe Kennedy and .317 against Brad Halsey. The Athletics will just have to trust their best right-handers -- Justin Duchscherer and Huston Street, in particular -- against the Minnesota lefties.

7. Johan Santana vs. Barry Zito
Santana is widely considered to be baseball's best pitcher, the front-runner to win the AL Cy Young Award. Zito, a Cy Young winner himself, was perhaps the AL's best left-hander before Santana arrived and he's poised to make a whole lot of money this offseason as a free agent.

But Zito could drive the bidders into a frenzy if he were to go toe-to-toe against Santana and win in this series. He has pitched pretty well in the Metrodome, allowing just 10 hits and striking out 27 in 24 innings there since the start of 2003, while losing two of three decisions. Watch to see, in the first few innings, how well Zito is able to command his fastball; that is usually a telling sign.

8. The Oakland defense vs. the Metrodome turf
The Athletics have had one of baseball's best defensive teams this year, from their superlative outfield to third baseman Eric Chavez to the ability of second baseman Mark Ellis to turn double plays; Oakland finished in a tie for third for fewest errors, and ranked sixth in double plays. But in this series, the A's will play on baseball's version of a pool table -- the Metrodome's artificial surface -- and the outfielders must combat the effects of the light-colored ceiling on fly balls. It's a whole new ballgame.

Rally Monday

The Twins released info on the Rally that is planned for this monday on Peavey Plaza from 5pm-8:30pm on Monday October 2. Ice Cream, Soda, Beer and Pizza will be provided.

The BoDeans and GB Leighton will be performing and 500 Homer Hankies will be given out to the first 500. There is no word yet if Papa Johns, who is a sponser of the Rally, has a problem with GB Leighton (who does the new Pizza Hut theme song) performing.
I'm glad to have the Homer Hanky back. I hope that they Star Tribune goes back to the old school design for the Hanky as opposed to a newer version.
Peavy Plaza is on  11th Street and the Nicollet Mall

Rally Monday set for Peavey Plaza in Downtown Mpls.

Playoff bound

Torii hits #30.
MVP hits #34.
Boof is awesome.

Radke could pitch this week

Bradke, who had another bullpen session on Monday said he feels better than the last time he threw the ball. If he feels good when he shows up on Tuesday it's quite possible he could pitch on Thursday.

   "I know that if you have Brad Radke and he goes out and pitches before the playoffs and throws the living fire out of the baseball, I think you'd want to really look at that to see if he could help you out," Gardenhire said. "Chances are he probably could, just knowing Brad Radke."

If he does pitch well, Radke could have a place in the rotation for the playoffs.
Bradke feels good.

Rep the Ghost

Get your 33 and Puck's Ghost buttons over at the Boofda Cafe Press Store.

Puckett tribute

I thought this type of article would have started earlier. Better late then never I suppose. Now all we need is a return of the Homer Hanky.