Oh, the papers are so filled with good quotes and delightful tidbits, it's hard for Batgirl to contain herself. Like this:
The coaching staff was all over designated hitter Matthew LeCroy on Tuesday.During batting practice, LeCroy popped up a pitch, causing bench coach Steve Liddle to quip, "It's really hard for Matty to concentrate with that concession stand so close."
Then, when a reporter jokingly suggested that LeCroy bat leadoff, Gardenhire said: "It takes three singles and a homer to score him. If he scores from first in the first inning, he's done. I have to take him out."
Poor LeRoy, if people aren't careful, they're going to give him a complex.
And then, there's the shocking revelation that Little Nicky Punto has somehow injured himself:
Nick Punto has a back strain, creating doubts that he will be ready to battle for the starting shortstop's job when position players begin official workouts on Saturday.Punto told club officials he felt something while swinging a bat Monday during a voluntary workout on a back field at the Lee County Sports Complex.
...Now his back strain is causing concern about his durability at such a demanding position.
"That's going to be the issue, if he can stay healthy long enough to play," Gardenhire said. "He plays hard. Unfortunately for us, he's gotten hurt the last year. Now he's starting off in spring with a little tweak. Hopefully we can get him back on the field. We'll have answers sooner than later."
Honestly. It must be hard enough to go through that without Gardy calling him a "little tweak."
Meanwhile, just as the two major newspapers run stories about how our pitching staff is, like totally set, every single member of the bullpen injures himself...:
Relievers Jesse Crain and Terry Mulholland have joined other ailing players in camp.Crain strained his right hamstring Tuesday during a fielding drill and is considered day to day.
"He made a kind of an unusual reach for the ball and when he did, he tweaked his hammy," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said.
Mulholland, slowed by bronchitis, didn't work out Tuesday but is expected to be out a couple of days.
If you're keeping track, that makes three projected relievers who are sputtering out of the gate at camp. The third is Grant Balfour, who has a sore right forearm.
other than that, though, Terence John Mulholland in the twilight of his life has never felt better:
Terry Mulholland may be the oldest player in camp, but his pitching elbow doesn't look the part.Posted by Batgirl at February 22, 2005 10:16 PM"I can feel a difference,'' said Mulholland, the left-hander who pitched last season with occasional discomfort in the elbow before having the joint surgically "cleaned out'' in November. "It moves normal now. No Rice Krispies or clicks or anything like that in there. And my extension is pretty much normal.''
You don't think he's you know... stealing the life-force out of the others do you?
Not with a name like Terence...
..never...
...right?
Posted by: Mimiru at February 22, 2005 11:16 PMRice Krispies?
Posted by: Sam at February 22, 2005 11:23 PMSnap, Crackle & Pop.
Posted by: frightwig at February 22, 2005 11:57 PMI am guessing, at Terence John's age, Snap Crackle and Pop are familiar noises in other joints in his body!
But the man can still pitch!
Win Twins!
Posted by: talldrinkowater at February 23, 2005 12:23 AMafter seeing millon $$$ baby i can't hear spap,crackle,pop without laughing.
Posted by: Mike&Jane at February 23, 2005 12:29 AMDuring batting practice, LeCroy popped up a pitch, causing bench coach Steve Liddle to quip, "It's really hard for Matty to concentrate with that concession stand so close."
This quote made my morning!
Posted by: Say Rah! at February 23, 2005 08:27 AMMatthew LeCroy - "The coaching staff was all over designated hitter Matthew LeCroy on Tuesday."
It would take the entire coaching staff to be "all over" LeCroy, the fat $&#^@$&.
Nick Punto - "Little Nicky Punto has somehow injured himself"
He borrowed a shirt from Lew Ford and it needed to be ironed.
Jesse Crain - "Crain strained his right hamstring Tuesday "
He was in Fatthew LeCroy's way at the buffet table.
Terry Mullholand - "slowed by bronchitis"
Should that read "arthritis"?
I think if I were a professional ball player, I would be a lot like Matty LeCroy. In fact, oh wait, someone in my office is at the vending machine ....
Posted by: SoftballSuperstar at February 23, 2005 09:01 AMI'm really glad that everyone is getting injured again. *note the sarcasm there*
At least Mauer made it through 2 days. *Knocks on wood*
Dearest Me,
Your comments cracked me up!
Thanks,
Stacy
Well, this is good news for some of those other pitchers invited into camp. It's a good thing we've got some depth, right? Lot's of time to heal those injuries and get ready for the season.
Posted by: mmmarkiep at February 23, 2005 10:02 AMI suppose we wouldn't recognize our team if we didn't have some guys injured or sick. It makes for interesting speculation, that's for sure!
Just get it out of your system during Spring Training this year, boys. I wanna see you all on the field in April...and stay on the field until the end of October!
(Me--I loved your comments. Now *that* is an awkward sentence!)
Just Beth
Posted by: Just Beth at February 23, 2005 11:53 AMI have some bubble wrap around the house if little Nicky needs it -and he so promised me the he would not get hurt - sigh...
I will now and forever associate Rice Krispies with Mr. Mullholland
Much Peace
Wonder Woman
I don't care who you root for, you have to hate seeing this kind of story...
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=1996537
YankeeFan
Posted by: YankeeFan at February 23, 2005 02:26 PMBut leave it to El Guapo to bring some levity to a grim situation, eh?
"Rich Garces, the former Boston Red Sox reliever, was feared to have become a kidnap victim in January. It wasn't until after hearing about news reports that his family had filed a missing person's report that Garces finally surfaced at a police station in La Guaria, on the outskirts of Caracas, six days after he disappeared. Word soon spread that Garces 'wasn't dead, he was partying,' as online newspaper El Meridiano reported."
Man, just close your eyes and imagine El Guapo on a six-day bender!
Posted by: frightwig at February 23, 2005 06:53 PMSpeaking of levity...
My buddies and I used to call him (and I guess, still would recognize him as) El Gordo.
YankeeFan
Posted by: YankeeFan at February 24, 2005 07:44 AMYeah, I've wondered if his nickname was meant to be ironic.
Posted by: frightwig at February 24, 2005 03:21 PM