Merry Christmas!

It's been almost a month since I've last updated, and the only thing that's happened is the Yankees bought everyone. Mostly.

The Twins have just signed R.A. Dickey to a minor/major league contract with an invitation to big league spring training. I'm glad that they're trying to bolster the bullpen, but I feel the need to remind them that the last time the knuckleballer came to the Dome, he tied a major league record for most wild pitches in an inning.

Just putting that out there.

Also, the holiday season is upon us, so my gift to you is this excerpt from a Joe Nathan interview-

"MLB.com: All right, it's time to have a little fun. I'm going to have you play Secret Santa for the Twins. You get to pick three people on the team to buy gifts for and then tell me what you'd pick out for them.

Nathan: OK, let me think. Well, first off I'd see if I could find Cuddy [Michael Cuddyer] some of those Harry Caray glasses, because I'm sure he's going to be a broadcaster some day. And I think he needs some of those. Then for Matt Guerrier, he would probably get ... I mean, I could get him anything and he'd like it. I could get him a frosty mug and he'd be pumped. He'd walk into a room with it, carrying it and saying, "Yes, I got a frosty mug." And lastly, I'd get Brian Buscher a guitar. He's been teaching us all how to play and I'm sure he could always use another one. "

Can't you just picture Matty doing that?

Anyway, Happy Holidays everyone!

Gobble Gobble

Radio- *starts playing 'Sweet Caroline'

My Dad- Hey! This is the song they play at the Twins games!

Me- mmhm...*nods*

My Dad- And Justin sings to Joe!

Me- ...



Anyway, Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

The Good, The Bad, and the...Amazing?

The good news-

Gardy is signed till 2011

Joe won a Gold Glove AND a Silver Slugger

Justin also won a Silver Slugger

Joe Nathan was voted the best closer in baseball by the internal players poll

The bad news-

No Neshek in '09.

(How do you kill your elbow while your rehabbing it? Pat...you're breaking my heart)

And the Amazing, Make-Your-Week News?

NICK SWISHER IS A YANKEE!

Yay!

Haha

Umm yeah....so....GO RAYS!



It really frustrated me to think the Red Sox were going back to the World Series again, but those pesky Rays...

All I can say, Matt Garza, is thanks. I would only like you better if you were still a Twin.

As a commenter on SI.com so keenly pointed out, could this be the start of the Curse of Manny? I'm not really a Manny fan, but I sure hope so.

More post-season stories when I find the time.

I Lied

I said I wouldn't cry.

And, after Blacky gave up a Thome bomb, I didn't.

I said I wouldn't cry when we lost, and I didn't.

And then I read this-

"Thirty minutes after the Twins' 1-0 loss to the Chicago White Sox, manager Ron Gardenhire sat in his office, his mind still racing.
Should he have hit this guy for that guy? Made this move or that one?
Then young Jose Mijares walked in.

Mijares, 23, was called up from the minors in September and quickly became a trusted relief pitcher. He has overcome an awful lot of personal problems, including a terrible car accident in which he nearly ruined his pitching arm last winter.

But on Tuesday, with the season on the line, he was the first one summoned from the bullpen. He walked up to Gardenhire, held out his hand, and in his best, broken English said: "Thank you. Thank you. I wasn't scared."

Gardenhire hugged Mijares and told him: "I'm so proud of you."

The kid beamed."

And I did.

Win, or Die Trying

Whatever happens tonight, I have promised myself I will not destroy anything (in immense joy, or complete agony, it does not matter).

I will not cry.

Or scream.

Or go over the 'coulda shoula woulda's'.

I will, however, be extremely proud of them.

The never giving up, the always running things out, winning when it counts, and leading the world with hitting with runners in scoring position.

I will be proud of the new pirahanas, (I mean, um, rabbits?), being scrappy, and stealing bases and running till the other team can't see anything but the cloud of dust they leave behind when they finally notice they're gone.

I will be proud of our starting rotation, whose oldest pitcher is 27, despite the fact they all look like they're 12 years old. I will love their first pitch strikes, and fielding their positions, and even sacrificing their beautiful faces (Blacky, I'm looking at you).

No matter what happens, I will be proud, because either way, this season has been a success, and this is my state, this is my team, and I am a proud member of Twins Territory.

Bullseye!

Hey Matt Tolbert, hitting two triples in two consecutive innings is awesome. You should do it right now, while we're tied with the Tribe. It would make me love you. Like a lot.

Target Field- Where White Sox fans go with their crossbows for target practice.

(Personally, I'm not a fan.)