Playing lots of music.

Caribbean vacation in January or February.

Copious amounts of alcohol.

Lots of kitty cuddling.

Here's the take of baseball great Rogers Hornsby:

"People ask me what I do during the winter when there is no baseball. I tell them: "I stare out the window and wait for spring."

one word: HOCKEY!

Oh, yeah, and working extra hours to cover my "Dollars for Dingers" pledge...

Dear Ms. Blues:
Many animals have been showing us the way for years, if only we'd notice. Hibernation until spring is the only answer.

Thanks for writing!
JustBeth

I like your method BG. THat's what I do. Well, that and watch Georgetown play basketball. Sometimes both.

Lacrosse! support those pro athletes who actually work real jobs during the week!

http://www.mnswarm.com
http://www.nll.com/

I also dig the Swarm. I only made it to one game last year, but it was a blast. I just hope the return of the Wild doesn't hurt the Swarm too much.

I also watch the Wolves (I will sorely miss my Hoiberg this year), eat a lot of cereal, and spend more time with my friends and family. In that order. A girl's gotta have her priorities.

Arizona Fall League-where prospective Twins and Yankees dress in the same clubhouse, put on the same uniform and compete as one...as Grand Canyon Rafters!

I'm going to spend the winter hoping that the Mariners get their act together enough that I can actually root for them next year -- in case the Twins continue to lead the league in ass-battery.

Four things will carry me to the date pitchers and catchers report. In order:
Hockey
Football
Alcohol
School

Numbers 1-3 are very, very close to one another, it was hard to seperate them until I remembered that hockey and football can be thuroughly enjoyed without alcohol, though it does help sometimes (Queens this year, thank god for the Patriots).

I live in England, so we have Football (soccer) and Rugby. I have to rely on the internet to watch baseball suring hours that make working during the day so much harder anyway.

I also must agree with hockey!! Whether it's college, juniors, pro, high school...it's awesome! :)

Alcohol definitely helps the cause as well ;)

Why of course hockey! Why of course beer! Why of course wine! Why of course, oh wait I've run out winter activities. Oh well that usually burns up my October to April.

Hang in there.

Mary

The day the season ends, I count the days until pitchers and catchers report, everyone else reports, the 1st ST game, the season opener, and/or home opener.

And post them.

Dang it, I HATE the offseason.

I plan to carry a baby to term, give birth sometime late-February and be all healed up and ready to cheer by April. At last, I will have enough people in my family to purchase and fulfill the "Family Four-pack".

Do I win?

Other sports, complaining about the cold weather (West Coast last winter - 0" of snow, never fell below 20), baseball video games, and possibly moving.

Ms. Blues -

I suggest spending one month focusing intently on remembering only the positives from this season. For me, that would be led off by the trouncing our boys gave Boston - and the Fordwalker heroics displayed in center field - back in August. Once that has sunk in, write to your Boyfriend (or non-sexual man-crush, for our "Mr. Blues" readers) each and every day doing your best Chris Farley impression. For instance -

---

Dear Lewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww,

Remember when you were out in center field and made not one, not two, but THREE Puckett-esque catches against the WORLD CHAMPION Red Sox, and then went on to hit the ball around a couple times?

That was AWESOME!!!

Sincerely,
imprvyz

---

Because if we can start focusing on the times when our boys played, you know, "baseball," maybe they'll start focusing on that, too. And then they'll start to remember HOW to play, you know, "baseball." And next year when they come back up to the plate, they'll have forgotten how to swing an ass-bat, and all will be right and well in the world.

But, in case the drowning of sorrows is still necessary, I suggest choosing whatever bar my band "Vinyl Bridge" is playing at (click my name to go to our website).

Shortly after the World Series is over, I plan to set my alarm clock for my birthday (February 25) and settle in for a long winter's nap. By the time my birthday comes around, I will be well-rested and ready for another year of Twins baseball.

um, just sayin' that you need to set your alarm for February 19th kid... I fully expect you to celebrate with me.

I plan on, um, well, I don't know really. Crap. I need help.

This is exactly how I spend the off season:

Monday: Work all day, Drink, Monday Night football
Tuesday: Work all Day, Quarter Draws at Harpo's, Pass out
Wednesday: Work all Day, $2 Import Night at Charlie Hoopers, Pass Out
Thursday: Work all Day, $1 Domestic Beers at America's Pub, Pass out
Friday: Work all day, get my party on all night
Saturday: Pass out, wake up, drink Mimosas with the girls @ breakfast, Watch sports at Granfalloon w' friends til 7pm, shower, get my party on all night
Sunday Funday: pass out, 11am Kona Grill for Bloddy marys or red beer, Football all day long in bed with sexy lover of choice, order in pizza, have a few beers, snooze a bit between romps, go home and sleep so I'm prepared for Monday.

Throw some needed Hockey, College Basketball, and The Holiday party season... which lasts from Halloween and culminates at New Year's around here... and I'm set until Next season.

Oh, and if you decide to go the alcohol route, I highly recommend a mojito bucket. I hear they're sold at Super Target.

Two years ago I had to break down in December and start watching basketball. It's kept my attention for the most part. Go Mad Dog!

Without baseball I will discover that there really *is* nothing to watch on tv.
I will try and spend time with the kids (I am pretty sure there are two at home, one in college, but I will let you know at the end of the season).
I will spend countless hours staring at the bobbleheads, caps, hankees, and my Cuddyer poster hoping that the Twins trade well, rest up, work out, stay away from all banned substances, and work on their hitting.

I am also trying to work on getting to a few spring training games.

Oh, and I will faithfully check in with Batgirl hoping for something new and inspirational.

And I will be at the home opener.

Good luck with the baby MRG!

Drunk sounds good.

Oh wait. That's how I'm surviving the SEASON.

*Sigh*

I enjoy Vikings football, Hawkeye football, and Hawkeye basketball.

Wait a minute... did I say "enjoy"?

Anyway, suffering through those seasons (tho Hawk football hasnt been so tough to enjoy lately) gets my by until spring training starts and I head to Florida for... business ;)

Hockey, knitting, hockey, fiction, hockey, laughing at the Vikings, hockey, swearing at sportscasters who cut the hockey report short to talk about basketball, hockey, going to extreme lengths to avoid sullying my ears with crappy Xmas music, hockey, following the Twins "Hot Stove" reports...and maybe a little hockey.

Oooh.

And the hotstove league.

MLB.com, every day.

*SIGH*

I was kinda hoping Batgirl would re-instate baseball-book-of-the-month club. At least reading about baseball is something better than nothing.

Football seems to be out, at least until the Vikings win. I like hockey, but I have a hard time watching it on TV (can't follow the puck). Basketball doesn't really do it for me.

Planning on going to spring training will help. Otherwise, just sit and stare.

k-bro

Anybody that is going to spring training... I'm planning on going too. Please e-mail, maybe we can all mae some kind of plans....

I follow Infield's Off-Season Survival Guide, as long as by "knitting" you mean "drinking."

First I will cry - when the Twins are done - I have been spoiled the last three years -
then I cry some more when the whole season officially ends

Around November - I will begin a secret plan on ways to get a trip to spring training paid for -by my lovely and wonderful parents =) Hi Mom- Hi Dad!!

Other then that - I sulk a lot - count the days to my birthday - Twins Fest - go to some Wild Games - Wolves games if my parents don't go - get into March Madness (Go DUKE - yeah throw things at me later)-wonder if I can get to Vegas this year for NYE - eat chocolate - make stuff - wonder if JC Romero will ever win the arguements he has with himself on the mound - if The Chairman's sideburns will get longer - pray that the Good Doctor stays healthy in the winter months - contact toy companies to get a line of LNP action figures made - ponder the mysteries of the universe - wonder what colour to dye my hair - wait for my favourite band's new CD to come out -watch '24' - LOST - the Law and Order series -Supernatural - go shopping - laugh at myself when I try on swimsuits cuz it's pretty freakin' funny - read - find a table for my little home - uh yeah - I think that should just about do it -

I don't drink so that's how I have to keep myself busy =)

Good Luck Ms Blues and MRG congrats!!

Much Love
Wonder Woman

Oh yeah check in with batgirl to make sure she's all right and wait patiently for her close personal friend's new literary masterpiece

Oooh! I totally forgot my new off-season mission to bring the Doctor over from the dark side. (click me)

Wildchild - thanks
Wohooo - I'll have to dig out my Cam Neely jersey - the Good Doctor has good taste in corner men - he was my favourite

Much Love
Wonder Woman

The Doctor picked Jarome Iginla for something :-D

As for what I do in the offseason? Hockey, basketball and football. While I try to enjoy these....it doesn't fill the void left by the Twins...and I try to just plod through the offseason. Then TwinsFest rolls around, as does the Winter Caravan and I get all excited.

I'll make it through...I just don't know how yet....

I dread the offseason every year...but...this is what I do to pass the time until another glorious season of Twins baseball is upon us:
-Find a scandalous Halloween costume
-Party Hardy from Halloween right on through New Year's
-Get ready for Twins Fest; plot out my schedule of which games I need to buy tickets for
-Pray that three days of Twins Fest is enough to hold me another month until Spring Training, because that's when baseball starts again for me.
I have to keep reminding myself, there's only really three months without it...

Come over to the darkside and join the world of soccer (futbol). In our world there is no offseason. Most leagues in the world only shut down for about 2 1/2 months, but some do that in the winter and others in the summer so there is always games being played. Mixed in are fun things like the World Cup and other National team tournaments and Jr. tournaments. (Imagine seeing a Venezualen team playing a Canadian team) The US under 17 team is currently playing in the U-17 world championships and doing well. Soccer is always in season!

I will survive the winter by resurecting my MVP '05 franchise on my Xbox. It's so hard to play during the real season, but I figure now I can get "my" Twins into the playoffs in the new ballpark I built for them and then the summer will never end. And in case I get too engrossed in the game I can always look to Luis Rivas' 85+ contact rating to remind me that it's just a video game.

My friend Bella (not to be confused with BeLLaTheBaLL) and I have already started thinking about our next Spring Training trip. It's amazing how much time you can spend shopping for the best airfares, deciding on a hotel, buying tickets, etc. Last year it took me three weeks of dedicated eBay haunting to score a couple of tickets for the Twins/Red Sox game at City of Palms Park. You can also fill many an empty winter hour just dreaming about the beach, the palm trees at Hammond Stadium, memories of watching Johan throwing and Torii taking swings in the underground batting area, and so forth. That should just about take me through to March; then the actual trip, eight days of Florida sunshine and Twins baseball; and then, what do you know, Opening Day will be just around the corner.

YES, THE WINTER CARAVAN AND TWINSFEST!!

*gets giddy*

RD is blessed by the following off-season diversions:

*YoungRD is a high school basketball player and, as a 10th grader, may suit up for both JV and varsity games this season. Go Mustangs!

*RD's Sweet-N-Sassy likes hockey and he is commited to giving that sport a try out of respect for her.

*RD and Sweet-N-Sassy are very good at movie dates. We can go to 7 o'clock shows during the off-season and, if we're lucky, get one of the loveseats at the Hopkins Theater.

*RD will construct and reconstruct the 2006 Twins in his head (Ex: Rotation-Johan, JohanJr, Silva, Bradke, BakerBoy. Bullpen--Twitchy, Boo, Bowyer and 3 lefties to be determined. Outfield--HealthyShannon in LF, HealedTorii in CF, SomeoneNewWithPower in RF, Lewwwwww as the backup, etc.).

*The exploits of the Sassyettes, the wonderful children of S-n-S who have taken my concession shifts at YoungRD's games and are also a joy to know.

*Counting the days to the 2006 opener.

I have kept myself motivated by the hope that the Twins will at least finish over .500, so that we can at least say there's been five straight winning seasons. But is that even going to happen? They are 76-74 with 12 left. They have to win five games to go .500. Four games are against the Bitch Sox. Hmmm.

Hard-core reality TV therapy.

Offseason agenda: Gophers hockey and dirty diapers.

When Koskie used to play for the Twins and their season was over, I envisioned him cramming all of his gear in an Army issued duffel bag, throwing it over his shoulder, and hitch hiking to Canada. I pictured him looking like Sylvester Stallone at the beginning of Rambo I, with a dirty jacket and one-week stubble, walking across a rickety steel bridge into some little logging town. Koskie and the local Mounty don't see eye-to-eye, and after a lot of bloodshed and secret ninja moves banned by the government, Gardy has to talk Corey out of the woods over a cb radio. Corey says to Gardy "They drew first blood, not me." I can waste a whole workday thinking about stuff like that. I don't think we have any players like that anymore. Maybe Redmond? Morneau is Canadian, but not really "lumberjack" Canadian. In my opinion, Koskie was pretty cool.

Anyways, go Twins.

NIH

Dear Batgirl

This is a bit off topic, but I was wondering. Now that the Vikings are getting a brand spanking new stadium in a place called Blaine (how close to the Twin Cities is this place ?) Does that mean that the people of Minneapolis will finally give you a new baseball park ?

I think I like the sound Sir Rodney Stadium or Puckett Field at Bat-girl Park.

mike

I fill my time in the offseason by writing phony, frustratingly wholesome letters to Penthouse Forum. Here's one I sent last February...

Dear Penthouse Forum - I never thought it would happen to me. I always thought the letters people sent in were fake, but now I know they can come true.

Last week I was at the grocery store and I noticed this grade-A hottie giving me the eye. I first saw her thumping melons while I was in the meat department picking out a beef tongue for stew that week. I gave her a smile, and her gorgeous doe-eyes returned a wink. We proceeded to continue flirting wordlessly up and down the aisles while we filled our carts. Finally, when each of our carts couldn't hold any more foodstuffs we made our way to the checkout. I pulled in behind her, and as she slowly glanced over her shoulder, giving me an inviting smile I pulled her long chestnut hair away from her ear and whispered...

"Will you go to the evening mass with me tonight at St Luke's? It's about 3 blocks west down 5th street, across from that Burger King that started on fire last week. It starts at 7."

We haven't stopped holding hands since!

Skorch

mike,

Blaine is TOO CLOSE to me! stupid Vikings. stupid traffic.

kafumbly

I tend to go through the 5 stages of grief in the off-season

1-Denial- Friend: "So HooliganKat what are you doing tonight?"
Me: "I'm going to the Twins game"
Friend: "But HooliganKat, the season is over."
Me: "I'm going to get a Dome dog, probably with mustard and ketchup. . ."

2-Anger- "Why do they need a bleeping-blargin off season? What a load of crap!" (as I pretend, cause I never really could, kick the cat) "Why haven't they gotten rid of that bleepin blargin Romero yet!?!"

3-Bargaining-"If I promise to go to 60 games instead of 55 next year can we extend the season to November? If we extend to December I promise to go to 75. "

4-Depression- This is the time between Halloween and the week before pitchers and catchers report. Day envolves: Get out of bed, go to work, come home, consume coma inducing amounts of whiskey, pass out. Repeat next day.

5-Acceptance-This happens about a week before pitchers and catchers report. I tell myself that the off-season isn't all that bad, which brings me back to step 1. It's a nasty cycle.

kafumbly

Time to move

mike

I must be the only Twins fan that tapes the games (I only keep the ones we win)! To get me through the off season, I can watch any game from the last 3 seasons. Especially nice to see the way we normally/should play and forget about the last month or two of this one. Been pretty hard to watch our guys playing so bad.

I also will go to Spring Training in March, but have to wait til December to pick the games. Except for the traffic, Fort Myers is a blast!

Well -- all the usuals, I suppose: work, family, friends, college basketball (although that never really fills the void), shoveling (depending on the winter).

But for the first non-baseball night, I'm going to curl up with a beer and a book -- Steve Kluger's The Last Days of Summer -- perfect re-reading material to get me through those dark hours. Wearing my Santana/Nathan shirt, of course.

Make my final decision for college. And then count down until baseball returns to E-town.

9 months and counting...

Mike,

The Vikings stadium is not a done deal, only a plan that has to get legislative approval. Problem is, our governor, who I call "Timmy", has not called a special session to deal with stadium issues, and we don't know whether he will or not. If he does, the Twins & Gophers should have priority.

bubblemint

As I read these offseason plans, I find myself concerned about some of you and your planned alcohol consumption.
For my offseason plans, I think perhaps I should begin planning interventions for a large number of Batlings. ;-)

I cannot drown my sorrows in alcohol, since I am not of age, but I quite enjoy Mountain Dew, and lots of it, mmmm acid.

I go to the Twins site everyday just to see if there is possibly anything new (which is usually a no, but just seeing the pretty logo and possibly the faces of a few players makes me smile)... I read the paper for any possible baseball news. And best of all, I look forward to Twinsfest, the first siting of the team!! and the season ahead and 0-0 records!! Yay.

Best of luck to the Twins the rest of the season and to all of the batlings getting through the terribly long offseason. We'll get through and all be back next season to cheer the Twins to the playoffs. =)

Sorry off topic -

we have LNP in centre field today -

and DJ Cuddles hit a homer - wohoooo - I'll never get to Vegas if he keeps launching them over the fence!

Much Love
Wonder Woman

Ok -back to regularly scheduled programming =)

Mike-

Blaine is about a half hour north of the Twin Cities.

It's turning into a sports mecca. Obviously there's the Vikings stadium, but there's also the National Sports Center, which has 50 some soccer fields and annually hosts the USA Cup, the largest youth sporting event in the western hemisphere. There's also the SuperRink right next to that, which is the only place in the world to have 4 Olympic sheets of ice under one roof. And then there's the new TPC golf course they built a few years back.

For someone that grew up here when all Blaine had, almost literally, was the NSC, it's kinda cool to see it taking off as it has.

Hmm, HOCKEY, homework, HOCKEY, decide on a college, HOCKEY, college aps, HOCKEY, violin, HOCKEY,softball practice, HOCKEY...maybe I'll remember that baseball exists...
WC, don't you dare forget your mission! Photos of progress/reports would be nice too.

~CJF

maybe over the offseason i'll actually do some homework for college since i'm not distracted by twins games... or maybe not

How I usually spend the offseason:

For a while, it started with a parade... But recently, the toughest part has been the first 2 weeks, you know, until Thanksgiving.

In all seriousness, it is not fair to go cold turkey from a season that plays 6 of 7 days for 6 months straight to 0 games. I'm working on this problem -- so far, the most feasible solution involves TiVo, kidnapping Batgirl, and isolation from all mainstream media...

...details (probably not) to follow.

YankeeFan

If I don't hate the teams who make the play-offs, then the Gopher basketball season starts just at the right time (Grier should be amazing this year)and college basketball wraps up just in time for the Twins. The perfect bookends of my life - I have season tickets for both. The Barn is a fabulous place to watch a BB game (perhaps we'll get to see young RD someday), and maybe someday we'll get a great place at which to watch a baseball game.

Plenty of room of late up here on the White Sox bandwagon for Twins fans who want to extend the season. By about a week, from the looks of things.

O. T.

A charging A.J. Pierzynski, rounding third. A prostrate Aaron Boone in the basebath. Impediment? Hardly. Opportunity. And there was much rejoicing.

ESPN's video (w/ annoying commercial) linked at my name. Sensitive viewers may wish to hit 'pause' before Crede's walk-off and Hawkeroo's accompaniment, ad alta voce.

I second k-bro's hope for a renewal of the book of the month club. That would be a perfect way to spend the winter, curled up with a kitty and a book.

And hrunting mentioned a great baseball/coming-of-age book -- The Last Days of Summer -- I love, love, love that book.

I totally support the drunk and oblivious program. So much so, in fact, that I started last week.

I will also periodically try to focus long enough to witness the normal off-season milestones....the changing of the leaves, the collapse of the Vikings (came early this year but they will eventually win some games, create some excitement and then fail miserably again), the collapse of the Gopher football and basketball teams (could happen in the same week this year), the collapse of the Timberwolves (could happen before the season starts this year), the first snow flake, the day when the snow if finally deep enough to hide the yard that I refuse to mow one last time, the first time I kick my snow blower when I can’t get it started, the first network showing of Christmas Vacation for the year and then the NCAA basketball tourney and the Master’s golf tourney. The last two are my favorite – they are great in their own right but, more importantly, they signal the start of the baseball season!

I think I can make it - as long as the scotch holds out.

HOCKEY FOR SURE!! I will also you dream about how good the Twins will be next year!! GO WILD!!!

You could always sign up for mlb radio for about 12 bucks I think, and listen to archived baseball games during the winter months.
Pick the best Twins game (since you already know who won) light the Christmas tree and listen with your family as the boys kick some butt!

to all-

I am so happy (well sort of) to hear that most of you also mourn the season's passing. I too scan the paper and net for any baseballnews. I have a few games taped that I could watch if I miss the game too much. Hmmm, game audio archived--good idea.
I go to more live theatre, a few concerts, do some friends and family stuff, of course. And grit my teeth and make it through the holidays (not a big fan of the holidays--they never live up to cherished memories of my childhood--my favorite day of the year, OTHER THAN opening day, is Jan. 1 because I can relax-IT is over). I do like watching it snow when I don't have to drive anywhere. I've got a stack of books I want to read. I usually clean out a closet or two and rearrange the living room. Baking bread...
and circle the date on the calendar for the start of spring training, opening day, home opener and wait for my ticket box to arrive for another hopeful season.

-kal

Hating my life. Come back Torii!!!

Survive on my own athletic endeavors (running and diving) and then flee to Italy and get caught up in soccer until June...of course I will miss the first two months of the season (and spring training!) but in Rome I will avoid the January depression that is all-NFL, all the time.

Flitcraft,

no can do. but thanks for the suggestion.

kafumbly

As a Mariners fan I will

1) follow every trade rumor.

2) scream, yell and worry about that trade

3) finally, comfort myself with friends and family

4) when that doesn't work. I will go back to porn.

Before you know it; it will be Spring again!

...oh yeah, and there are books I need to read...

Supersonics season tickets. :-D That'll get me to Spring Training ... family visits, a trip to Vegas, Mariners Fanfest in January ...

After this second dismal Mariners season in a row, I'm going to be happy to have a break. But about Nov 1 I'll be ready to start scouring the news for moves.

And the rest of my time I'll spend looking forward to seeing King Felix pitch again ...