The Pinnacle: A Hiatus From My Hiatus

I've been a die hard Minnesota sports fan for 28 years. It's hard to remember a more euphoric day.

The "Super Freak" is coming home. Like many of you, I've had an empty feeling in my heart ever since Randy Moss left the Vikings. Minnesota's last blackout was the final game of the 1997 season. Moss' arrival in 1998 single-handedly rejuvenated the fan base, and the Vikings have sold out every game since. Randy was an outcast, but he was our outcast. He scored a ridiculous 90 touchdowns in his seven seasons in purple. He's one of the all-time greats, and at 33, he can still out-run and out-jump any secondary in the league. His return to Winter Park is surreal -- I've been pinching myself for the last 12 hours, and I'm still not waking up. It's like Randy Moss has returned from the dead. He'll join an offense that features the legendary Brett Favre, and dynamic playmakers Adrian Peterson, Percy Harvin, Visanthe Shiancoe, and eventually, Sidney Rice. Combine that with a topflight defense, and this may be the best 1-2 team in the history of the NFL. A destiny that just yesterday seemed derailed is now stronger than ever. Favre has been pining to play with Moss for years, and Zygi Wilf has made the stars align.

Impossibly overshadowed are our Central Division Champion Minnesota Twins, who welcome the New York Yankees to the playoff christening of Target Field in prime time tonight. The Bronx Bombers have been the pinstriped monkey on Minnesota's back, but this appears to be the Twins' best chance to overtake them in the Ron Gardenhire era. New York has chinks in their armor, and no past Gardenhire playoff roster has had this depth, firepower, or veteran savvy. It's our time to return to the Fall Classic.

To think, I was planning on being productive today.

Legends of the Fall

This past Monday morning started out like most other Monday mornings. After hitting the snooze a half dozen times and fending off a couple wicked elbows, I was up and at it, wiping the weekend out of my eyes. My wife had talked me into buying our two Pomeranians by committing to morning and winter dog duties. As I fumbled for my glasses, the pups waited anxiously for me at the door, a five-year routine we started five days after their adoption. I pick my battles. I'll cash in my super-husband points throughout the fantasy football season. After overfilling my cup of coffee, we were out the door.

I immediately noticed that something was different. To my delight, there was a cool bite to the air. I knew it all too well; I'd missed it. For a brief moment, I let my mind drift back a decade to the days of pep rallies and post routes. I quickly have to remind myself that, as a washed up 28-year old, my morning conditioning now consists of chasing my dog, who's chasing my other dog, who's chasing a rabbit through the woods. It's a pathetic existence. I'm sure you can relate. But I digress - back to that crisp morning chill. Like a double rainbow, it signifies something much bigger to me. What does it mean? Simple. It represents the culmination of a long baseball season intersecting with a promising new football season. Fellow sports fans, welcome to the most wonderful time of the year.

I'd be hard-pressed to recall an autumn that had more hope attached to it than the one we're entering. Our Twins are pulling away down the stretch, and for the first time under Ron Gardenhire's management, they have a realistic chance of advancing past the Yankees and making a serious World Series run. After losing 12 straight to the Bronx Bombers, they've split their last four, and this time around they have the offensive firepower to compete. Just down the road, the Vikings are returning all 22 starters from a final four squad. They're on the short list of Super Bowl contenders, and Brett Favre has reignited the locker room and the fan base. I can confidently say in mid-August that Minnesota has two legitimate title contenders, and their paths are overlapping right before us. But it's even more than that. It's the new stadium and the old quarterback. It's the hometown hero and the Metrodome magic. It's the unfamiliar national spotlight, and the seemingly never-ending optimism for "next year" giving way to "it's our time." Yes, the stars are aligning, and for once, other cities envy us. If just for one year, we're like... like... Boston.

Don't take this for granted, Minnesota. Make this fall about friends and family, beers and brats, and the teams that we love. Take some time to soak it in. Take some time to make some memories. Opportunities like this don't come often enough for us; we have to make them last. Sub-zero temperatures, and worse, mediocrity, are always right around the corner.

Random Thoughts From a Cluttered Mind

:: We've all seen the spike in his traditional statistics, but here's something for you sabermetric seamheads. Delmon Young's .895 OPS (On-Base% + Slugging%) is now 218 points higher than it was through 93 games last year (.677). He's putting together a memorable season, even if he still looks like a lost Boy Scout chasing butterflies in left field. ::

:: If anyone is actually buying the talk that Brett Favre is still considering retirement, shoot me an email. I've got some oceanfront property in Eagan I'll give you a great deal on. ::

:: Is J.J. Hardy Rob McElhenney's celebrity doppleganger, or is Rob McElhenney J.J. Hardy's celebrity doppleganger? Would you rather work at Target Field, or Paddy's Pub? Is Philadelphia really any sunnier than Minneapolis? These are just some of the things I ponder in the minutes between J.J. Hardy swinging and J.J. Hardy reaching first base. ::

:: Did anyone else squirm when Adrian Peterson made a cameo last week on Entourage, in the exact same episode that Ari Gold made a pitch to get an NFL team in Los Angeles? ::

:: It's been three whole paragraphs since I talked about Delmon Young. On a night where Matt Garza throws a no-hitter, all Delmon does is rack up another four hits, move into 6th in AL batting average, and 4th in AL RBI's. Call me crazy, but I'm not backing off my opinion that I still would not reverse that trade today. ::

:: The Timberwolves just traded for Delonte West. I guess that's the closest they were going to get to LeBron James. ::

:: David Kahn continues to provide refreshing comic relief for the train wreck at 600 1st Avenue. In a recent interview with NBA TV's Chris Webber, the Timberwolves VP of Basketball Operations came with his best stuff yet. When Webber asked Kahn about Darko Milicic, Kahn dropped back-to-back-to-back punchlines. Without ever coming up for air, he compared the colossal bust to "manna from heaven," compared his passing skills to Vlade Divac's, and compared his early career to Webber's. The former 5-time All Star and NBA Rookie of the Year was able to laugh off the first two, but he clearly did not appreciate being the butt of the third joke. In a subsequent interview on KSTP radio, Kahn responded to Webber's justified irritation by calling him a "schmuck." For an encore, the pretentious Kahn began the next sentence with "Methinks." As a child, I often wondered what it would be like if Mr. Rogers were to slick back his hair and ingest massive amounts of peyote. Methinks I've found my answer. ::

:: Playing in a lot of fantasy football leagues is one thing. But right now, I'm on the hook to be the commissioner of three. I need to reevaluate that decision. It's all fun and games until Robert Meachem puts you in the witness protection program (controversial scoring incident below). ::

3 Up, 3 Down: 6/27/10

TRENDING UP

Carl Pavano is quickly becoming the 'stached savior of your slumping Minnesota Twins. While his soup-strainer is all the rage amongst Hennepin Ave. hipsters, it's his right arm that's kept the sinking ship afloat in recent weeks. In his last two outings, Pavano has spun complete game gems, outdueling aces Roy Halladay and Johan Santana. With the Tigers lurking and the White Sox surging, Pavano gave up just one earned run in those 18 invaluable innings, keeping the bullpen fresh and the Twins in first place. His brilliance prevented a bad (3-6) road trip from turning disastrous. It's remarkable to think that, coming into the season, Pavano was the biggest question mark in the rotation. Closing in on the All Star break, Pavano has been the clear-cut MVP of the starting staff. He leads Twins' starters in Wins, Innings Pitched, Quality Starts, and WHIP. There's no glitz, just a rock steady 3.33 ERA and an appetite for innings. He's pitching deep into games, which is reflected in his unbelievable 15 decisions in 15 starts. In fact, he's gone at least seven innings in nine of his last ten starts. At 34, Pavano is having his best season since his 2004 breakout with the Marlins. That season set him up for his big payday with the Yankees, before injuries and a Tommy John surgery derailed his career. Finally healthy, Pavano is back on track and appears to have found a home in Minnesota. He's pitching on a one-year deal, and extending his contract has to be a growing priority for the Twins.

Justin Morneau is heating up again. No lengthy introduction necessary here. The perennial AL MVP candidate batted .412 on the 8-game road trip, including his first two home runs since June 4. Morneau can carry this team for weeks at a time, and getting him dialed in could be just what the doctor ordered for this slumping squad.

Between his own horrid start, and the emergence of fellow corner outfielder Delmon Young, Jason Kubel has flown under the radar. Slowly but surely, Kubel's finally hitting his stride. His June .542 Slugging Pct. leads the team, and he's hit .313 with 4 home runs for the month. Now that interleague play is over and the DH is back in play, expect even more at-bats for the Yankee killer.

TRENDING DOWN

Orlando Hudson's return to the lineup was supposed to reignite the offense. Batting .308 from the two-hole prior to his wrist injury, Hudson has been ice cold since his return from the Disabled List. The hope amongst Twins fans is that his .147 Batting Average and 11 strikeouts in the eight games since his return are a product of rust, not lingering injury. 

I featured Nick Blackburn in my 6/15/10 report, and while I'd prefer to see fresh blood with each installment of 3 Up, 3 Down, he's earned the dishonor of a repeat appearance. Blackburn's June has gone from putrid to downright unacceptable in his last two starts, where he's been shelled for 13 earned runs in just 5.1 innings. Where Pavano has saved the bullpen, Blackburn continues to deplete it. Trade speculation previously reserved for a closer or a third basemen is now focused squarely on Cliff Lee, or another starter, to replace Blackburn in the rotation. He's averaged just three innings in his five June starts, and his ERA for the month has climbed to over a dozen. 

Coming into the season, the Twins had three corner outfielders for two spots, and had signed Jim Thome for platoon DH work. Of the group, Michael Cuddyer was thought to be the only one who could expect regular at-bats. Fast forward to late June, and Cuddyer may now be an infielder. This is not a demotion, and to be fair, Cuddyer deserves a ton of credit for his willingness to help the team out by moving to third base. Nick Punto is terrible offensively, Brendan Harris is terrible in general, and Danny Valencia is terribly overhyped, so Cuddyer's selflessness in an era of Albert Haynesworth's is refreshing. With that said, Cuddyer continues to have an uninspiring year at the plate. Batting .259, he's well off last year's pace with just 7 Home Runs and 33 RBI's. I've been openly critical of Ron Gardenhire's insistence on keeping Cuddyer planted in the heart of the order as the right handed threat, seeing as how he isn't really a threat, and how Delmon Young has vastly outperformed him all season. It's becoming increasingly obvious that Gardenhire's insufferable loyalty to "his guys" is costing this team runs. At this point, I'm not overly concerned by Cuddyer's offensive performance, as much as I am annoyed.

Unfortunately, I had a much easier time finding "Downers" than "Uppers" this time around. That will happen after a .333 road trip. So 3 Down Honorable Mentions go out to Scott Baker, Kevin Slowey, Ron Gardenhire, and Joe Mauer. With an important 7-game home stand against Detroit and Tampa starting tomorrow, I'm hoping my next report will be more enjoyable.

3 Up, 3 Down: 6/15/10

TRENDING UP
I feel compelled to kick off my 3 Up, 3 Down series with a player who I’ve ripped more than anyone over the last two seasons. Delmon Young came to the Twins in November of 2007 with a ton of hype. He also brought with him a poor work ethic, a reputation for being uncoachable, the stigma of an epic bat toss, and a lot of baby fat. Watching Matt Garza and Jason Bartlett excel for the Rays over the last two seasons, while the key cog in our side of the deal inexplicably struggled, was beyond frustrating for Twins fans. Despite a surprisingly strong finish to 2009 and worlds of untapped potential, many fans were ready to cut their losses and move on without Young, like we did Carlos Gomez. Our power-swinging prospect had morphed into, at best, an undisciplined seeing-eye singles hitter. And, what was worse, he didn’t seem to care.

But something clicked last offseason. Young showed up for Spring Training 30 pounds lighter. He started showing dedication to improvement. He hustled. He listened. He cared. Yes, Delmon Young suddenly appeared to have become a professional. Building upon his late ’09 upswing and a newfound commitment, Young has emerged as the Twins’ most dangerous right handed bat throughout the first half of 2010. Batting .295 and slugging .500, he tops fellow right-handed masher Michael Cuddyer in both categories. In 45 less at bats, he also bests Cuddyer in Home Runs (8), Doubles (15), and RBI (41). It's worth noting that he trails only Justin Morneau in the RBI department (43). It doesn't end there. He's drastically cut down his strikeouts. He's having good at bats; he's already taken more walks than all of last year. He's hitting in the clutch. And while his fielding is still suspect, he's covering more ground this year since unhooking the plow. This is the player we thought we were getting in 2007, and as of right now, he's entrenched in a battle with Francisco Liriano and John Rauch for the best surprise of 2010.

After a shaky May, Liriano is dialed back in. In his two June starts, he's struck out 21 in 15 innings, with a 1.20 ERA. His 87 strikeouts currently rank 5th in the Majors, and he leads the four pitchers in front of him in K/9 and ERA.

John Rauch doesn't have Joe Nathan's stuff. Not even close. But he's done everything the Twins have asked of him. What he lacks in a dominant strikeout pitch, he more than makes up for with a perfect closer's mentality. He has poise, he's fearless, and he has a short memory. This is something for which I've been openly critical of Nathan, especially with last season's stretch-run tailspin that snowballed into the playoffs. So while murmurs of an "upgrade" via trade continue to swirl through Twins Territory, Rauch's 16 saves are tied for the league lead, and his 2.52 ERA remains stellar. He's getting the most out of limited talent, and for that I applaud him.

TRENDING DOWN
After a 5-0 May, Nick Blackburn has gone the other way. His three June starts have been 13.1 innings of batting practice (an 8.10 ERA). Gross, but not all that surprising. Blackburn is an average pitcher, and a pitch-to-contact type who can't strike anyone out, so there was bound to be a correction. It's just never pretty when it happens.

I know, it's too soon to be hard on Trevor Plouffe. But after two hits in his debut, he's gone 1 for 21, and has looked a bit lost at Shorstop filling in for the injured J.J. Hardy. A former first round draft pick, I guess my criticism is more a cumulation of failed expectations and disappoinments. Selected 20th overall in 2004, Plouffe has hovered around mediocrity every step of the way. I have an easier time picturing him as the classic Twins' fringe AAA/MLB middle infielder than I do as an everyday Shortstop. He certainly doesn't have the limitless upside of Miguel Angel Sano, who's replaced Plouffe as the organization's new "Shortstop of the Future."

I feel a little guilty mentioning Denard Span here. He's so solid and fundamentally sound in every facet of the game, which makes me think that this funk will be over soon. Good mechanics usually prevent long slumps, and his .204 June BA is surely a mirage. In fact, I'd have let it slide, if not for his more troubling .235 June OBP. With just 2 walks in 51 June plate appearances, the Twins simply need better from their table setter. I'm not worried.

You may have noticed that I omitted Jesse Crain from this list. It's just too easy. He's out of options, and I'm out of bourbon, so we're calling it a night. Check back in the coming weeks for more 3 Up, 3 Down Twins analysis.

Damn Yankees

This is what total domination looks like. So how big was tonight's win? By winning two of their last four against the Evil Empire, the Twins may have proven to their fans, and more importantly themselves, that they can compete with the Yankees in a 5-game playoff series. I have a gut feeling that when the season ends, we'll be looking back to this game as a major turning point. Not only in the standings, but between the ears.

Despite a terrible start to the season, I have to give a tip of the hat to Jason Kubel. He continues to redeem himself when it matters most: against the Yankees.