Still would like a 3rd Baseman. Poor Dougie. They nevergive him a moment's rest, do they?

Give it up Doug. It's not yours. The Red Sox deserve it.

Nah, don't give it up Doug... fight to the end. Anything that irritates the Red Sox and their fans that much is worth the effort. Every dollar they spend on lawyers over something that goofy is a dollar they don't have to spend on talent.

LOL - I'm hearing some Star Wars music right now and picturing our own Lew Skywalker in his little jedi outfit.

Much Love
Wonder Woman

Keep it Dougie...
Do not give in to them.
If they want to display it, fine...then continue to loan it to them, but don't ever give up the ultimate ownership of the ball.

History is on your side.

Click my name for an interesting article on the whereabouts of other final out World Series balls from 1990 through 2004.

I like the prospect of a deal for Castillo, for any of Romero/Rincon/Crain/Bowyer (but only one), provided two things:

(1) He hits leadoff next year and Shannon Stewart goes to #2 or bottom of the order.
(2) This isn't the only acquisition the Twins make. It won't be near enough to get out of third place on its own.

And finally, Juan "Boo" Rincon is auctioning off items to help buy baseball equipment for kids in Venezuela. If that helps produce future Juan Rincon or El Presidente, I say no bid is too high.

Or the next Ozzie Guillen, for that matter.

BitchSoxPride (and Happy Holidays),
Ilk

Dear Tony Gwynn in Heaven! The Strib is reporting that the Twins have interest in (cue music) Darth Thomas! Please say it ain't so!

Interesting legal sidenote, the case in which the fight over the Bonds HR ball could possibly be used as precedent in determining the outcome of this affair.

But having read that case, it appears the stronger argument sides with Doug retaining ownership.

Heh, hang onto it, Dougie. I'm too amused by the whole thing for you to give in.

Y'know, I think Doug deserves it. No one knows what happened to the 1991 World Series ball because no one cared. Until Doug joked about selling it, no one in Boston even thought about it--had he just dropped it and let it roll around the infield, it's possible no one would ever have it because it would just get lost in the shuffle. Doug cared, so he made a point to keep it. If other people cared, they would've asked about it that night, the next day, or within the next week. No one ever did. If Doug has to give that ball back, then every player who's kept a ball for sentimental reasons will have to give it back. And if balls are really owned by Major League Baseball/the home team/etc., then each one of us fans should have to give back any baseballs we've caught at the game. (Thanks for the link, Bubblemint!)

Re: Castillo, I heard the Real Deal is one guy that's possibly part of the trade. As much as I like him, he's not a top prospect for us anymore, in my opinion, and would be one we could probably grudgingly give up.

Dear Santa,

Please bring me the following items. It's for a good cause, and both the Venezuelan kids and I will be really, REALLY thankful:

Joe Mauer Autographed Game Used Ball from the first game Mauer Homered (http://twins.auction.mlb.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=64945582&prmenbr=33306854&aunbr=65292292)

Johan Santana Autographed Hat
(http://twins.auction.mlb.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=64888092&prmenbr=33306854&aunbr=65234802)

Joe Nathan Autographed Bobble Head Doll
(http://twins.auction.mlb.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=64888094&prmenbr=33306854&aunbr=65234804)

And, especially:

Torii Hunter Autographed Game Worn Shoes
(http://twins.auction.mlb.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=64888102&prmenbr=33306854&aunbr=65234812)

Thanks!
--TG

Frank Thomas a potential Twin? OMG, please?! I could actually stop hiding my secret crush??? FT was my first, first, first baseball boyfriend.

Precedent would seem to plop down heavily on the side of the Mink. I'll bet you thirty five cents that Doug "loaned" them a different ball anyway. The best story is about the ball being still in the glove.

It would make total sense for Darth Thomas to become a Twin. Everybody knows that at the end of Jedi, as his "career" is in its waning moments, he renounces the dark side and finds the good left inside of him. This is the perfect moment for him to start fighting for good rather than evil.

And if he throws Kenny Williams down a big hole before he leaves Chicago, all the better.

I don't have anything witty to add, but I do think Dougie Fresh should keep the ball. I agree with Just Beth -- He showed he cared enough to make a point of keeping it.

If the ECBS want the ball so bad - then make a cash offer that satisfies both parties.

Why is the ball so important to the Red Sox?
They have the trophy don't they? Isn't that the important thing? Why hasn't this ever been an issue in the past?

RD's batting order, complete with options so that SantaRyan doesn't feel like he's being backed into a corner...

Stewart, lf
Castillo/Graffanino, 2b
Mauer, c
Thomas/Piazza, DH
Hunter, cf
Nomah/Mueller/Blaylock, 3b
Morneau, 1b
Cuddyer, rf
Bartlett, ss

Bench: Lew, Tiffee, Redmond, Kubel, Castro.

I'd buy tickets

I'd get behind RD's lineup in a heartbeat. That's way better than last year's version, and it doesn't even take into account whatever the team can get for Lohse/Romero, who would both probably have to go to clear up salary room (unless you're talking those two for Blalock).

I'm a little uncertain that they can fill all of the DH, 2B and 3B holes with Carl's budgetary constraints, but I'd say 2 of 3 is a good possibility.

Mientkiewicz should be allowed to keep the ball. That whole "he was an employee" argument is a load of bollocks. Let's say they won at home on a play during which an errant throw wound up in the Cards' dugout, allowing the winning run to score- what of the ball then? It's freaking lost. All those years of bitching about not having a trophy, now they're bitching because they can't have the ball as well.

The ball they should REALLY care about is the one that split Buckner's wickets so they could bring him to Fenway for every home opener and rub his nose in it while swatting him on the ass with a rolled-up newspaper and yelling "You see this? This is NO!" Course that's a moot issue now, as he's pretty much off the hook. Point is, give it up, Boston.

Re: Cuddyer... "It might be a misnomer"... define "It" and then tell me of what is "It" a misnomer. Because the way I read that statement, I must quote Inigo Montoya: "I do not think it means what you think it means."

The bit from that article I liked most, though, was that they're not trying to move Torii.

What surprises me is that nobody here has recoiled in horror over the notion that if Jacque signs with KC, you'll have to endure the sight of him in a pixie vest ;-)

What crime did JJ comitt that he is being banished to KC ? Surely that is cruel and usually punishment

Apparently JJ's agent thinks he's from Missouri, since the Cards are the other big bidders.

Cuddyer at 2nd base? Welcome to last year Twins. Glad to see you caught up with the rest of us ;)

LetsGoMets: What surprises me is that nobody here has recoiled in horror over the notion that if Jacque signs with KC, you'll have to endure the sight of him in a pixie vest ;-)

Since the Twins are wearing the damn things this year too, it's pretty much a moot point.

I can't imagine JJ signing with KC for any amount of money. St Louis, yes.

I like RD's lineup, although I'd like it better with Jones still in RF as long as we're asking AND I would probably look for another lead-off hitter (maybe flip flop the 1-2 spots?).

We really should give the RedSox a break here. It's not like any of their fans will ever again see another WS championship in their lifetimes. When you only win one every millineum or so, things like the baseball from the last out take on "holy grail" status.

If I were Doug and I got the ball back for even 10 minutes, I'd probably douse it with lighter fluid and burn it. (Although I do like the idea of giving them a fake, too.)

BREAKING NEWS

Twins get Castillo from Florida for Travis Bowyer and Scott Tyler. Discuss.

YAY!!!!!!!!!!!(...)!!!!!!

I'm all for Doug keeping it. Not only is it tradition, but Boston just seems to be trying to foster this aura about it, that "Sawks transcend everything!" attitude. Team pride should be a bottom up movement, players working together to build a team, not a top-down movement, where the team dictates how the players should appreciate the team. In the past two years the Sawks went from cursed losers to glorious winners, and between the thousands of books, Queer Eye, and trophy presentations galore, it seems like they're trying to foster brand image more than Coke or Disney. Everything that happens in Boston is ipso facto sacred, and everyone must bow to Fenway in prayer five times a day.

I see Dougie as Indiana Jones, and the Sawks as Belloq. "There is nothing you can find that I cannot take away."

So after a long rambling post, all I'll say is Go Dougie.

I think that's sort of good news. I'm still questioning whether the Twins are reloading for 2006, or building for 2007/8. If it's one step on the way to reloading (signing Frank Thomas would be another huge step, giving them a veteran power bat to complement the young power hitters Mauer/Morneau), then I think the Centril WILL prove to be a pretty good 3 team race next season, with a chance of being, dare I say, the best division in baseball. Just, ignoring that team out in Missouri, anyway.

But yeah, a high BA guy with (potential, he's not run much of late) speed is something the Twins could use. .300 hitters on the Twins were scarce last year, if things come together, I could see 4 .300 hitters pretty easily next season in Jones (who regains his 2002-4 hitting), Castillo, Mauer, and Morneau.

But yeah, it'll be hard given the Twin's relatively constrained budget to get Washburn or Thomas, and pretty much impossible to go after Burnett (if he'd even be interested, he seems like he wants to follow Pavano to the high-rollers out east), but get another #2 starter, hope for a solid spring from Liriano, and I could see this move being the catalyst for a 87-94 win season.

Dear Mr Crikket

The evil doers in Boston won 5 world series titles between 1903 and 1918. It just took 86 years to regain. Evil doers in Boston get no pity. The ball belongs to Doug.

p.e.m.

My mistake. Once every century-ish. If they didn't like the curse of the Bambino, wait until the see the curse of the Manny once they trade him. Easily another 200 years before the next championship. That ball will have more visitors walking past it than Lenin's tomb.

As for the trade. I like it. i don't know much about Tyler though, can someone give a brief synopsis of what kind of prospect he is/was? Castillo not only is an instant upgrade offensively and defensively (I'm not giving him high grades for speed any more though), but it also just sends the message that the Twins are going to try SOMETHING to fix things that didn't work in 2005.

Add a strong DH or 3B and I'd say TR has done his job. Add BOTH and he can put on a red suit and rightfully claim to be Santa Claus.

"the curse of the Manny"??!?

Dude.

Manny's well above-average and all, probably even HOF-worthy but to ascribe him powers of Ruthian greatness is unbelievably short-sighted. I'm praying you're just sassing because the Red Sox probably could have ridden GH Ruth to a few more titles but they'll never actually ride Manny to anything other than other-ran status.

Don't get me wrong, Manny's a stud hitter, even at his advanced baseball age, but without other baseball heroes in his lineup, he's just another extremely well-paid and occasionally overrated bat.

HUGE kudos re: Castillo, though. On-base machine plus run-scorer... if the Twins are to be truly competitive vs. the reigning champs and the potentially-challenging Cleveland Visigoths, Castillo and his MANY 2006 BOD wins will be key.

For the sake of you, my true-believing kinsfolk, I hope you sign Piazza, so that we can all have a very exciting October.

Um lets go mets, the Royals have renounced their pixie vest wearing ways (along with the color black) for this upcoming season. So JJ might be leaving to get OUT of wearing a pixie vest :P

My mistake- I thought next year was to be the last year with the vests but apparently it is to be the first year without them.

As for black, I've read that they'll still wear black alternates on the road.