It sounds like four rolls may only be enough to envelop Mr. Batista; if he ends up heading to the WBC, what will the rest of our boys do for protection? Can we get some of those sumo wrestler suits that they use at NBA halftime shows and put Johan and Carlos and Joe in them? Not only will that protect them, but it'll make for an entertaining show as well. Bud will be thrilled.

I dont know about all you guys, but im going to be GLUED to my tv on thursday night...finally seeing the boys again playing BASEBALL!! Its been far too long. I dont think i could last another day.

- I'm not worried so much about the WBC, maybe because everyone else is worried for me. Johan will be fine, and sitting bitches down on opening day.
- I'm excited for the first hour or so of the spring training game on TV, but will have to switch over to channel 9 to see four hopefuls booted off Idol. Please send Brenna home, America!
- I just read a really fun book entitled The Shadow Thieves, and highly recommend it to Batlings. Best to buy it and read it NOW, so you're done before the season starts.

I'm actually excited for Johan to be pitching in the WBC, hopefully that'll help him catch fire at the beginning of the season, instead of waiting til after the All-Star break. Go Twins!

Kurtis, American Idol (Idiot) over baseball? Seriouslly! Heads up to bat community, another FSN Classis tonite @ 7. Twins vs Yankees from May 2, 2001. 42 MORE DAYS TILL HOME OPENER!!!!! Got to get back to class!

Here's an idea to keep anxious minds from wandering toward the potential for international competition injuries:

Head on down to your neighborhood Dairy Queen (apparently the only available Blizzard in the metro area this winter), and get some free passes to see some *live* baseball this weekend!

The Gopher baseball team hosts its annual Dairy Queen Classic Friday, Saturday & Sunday. While they no longer have the player with Kent H.-style misappropriated vowels (3B David Hrncirik), they are a fun team to watch. The only drawback: the ping of aluminum bats in the metrodome.

Gophers play Arizona Friday night, Notre Dame on Saturday night, and Nebraska at 3 pm Sunday.

My daughter and I will be watching some of the WBC games at Anaheim. I think it will be fun. If somebody strains a ligament sliding into third in the WBC, well, that's baseball. Do we outlaw sliding in spring training games? Or diving for a line drive? Or leaving the dugout?

On a whole different note: Jones jerseys are on deep discount at the Twins pro shops. Sniff.

Jim H.

Also, Fiesta is right. The college baseball tournament at the Dome is very enjoyable. When it was sponsored by Hormel, they gave away cool caps. I wore one at Yankee Stadium last year and was offered a pretty good price for it by a Yankee fan. He might have been drunk, though.

Jim H.

That was YOU? :)

YF

Any more word on Torii's ankle? Is it still hurting today? The report in yesterday's paper was scary!

I knew there was a reason I liked vodka.
Re: the bubble wrapping, I'm thinking that encasing all our players in those little inflatable plastic air cushions would save materials and time, although we'd have to make sure no one stuck a pin in them.
Re: the WBC. I'm nervous about the injuries, but at the same time I'm very excited to get to see the guys play for their home countries, and it sounds like they're excited, too!
Re: Shadow Thieves: picking up a copy on my way home!

Good thing BG sent that bubble wrap, eh?

I learned my lesson about getting drunk at Yankee Stadium. Thank god for the bleachers.

Re: The Shadow Thieves

Jealous.

"Alec had the luck of geography."
-Kevin, St. Elmo's Fire

Here's a good quote to get everyone's minds off possible injuries in the WBC.

From Charles Robinson's (Yahoo Sports) article about the college football combine:

USC tight end and former Minnesotan Dominique Byrd, on what has to be the strangest tattoo at this year's combine: "I have the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome right on my arm."

Eew! Eeeeeeeeew!

To move entirely off topic, I'm kind of surprised no story about Darth Thomas being thrown under the Bitch Sox bus has been posted yet.

If you click on my name, you will see something I thought at first was surely the work of Batgirl. To my horror, it is not.

How about we just strap some portable airbags on them? That should be entertaining.

Michelle...

OH MY EYES, MY EYES!

JCrik

...and on another totally unrelated note...

why didnt SOMEONE tell me that it was our new 2nd bagger who hit the famous "Bartman foul ball" that destroyed the spirit of every Cub fan in America????

I KNEW there was something I liked about this guy.

(On the other hand, if one of you DID post that during my winter hibernation, I apologize.)

Nice link Michelle. Sure looks like the new steroid testing in MLB is working wonders. Why you ask? Probably because Sourpuss Bonds fills out the top of that dress better than Paula herself would. And Paula is a well-endowed woman. Then again, she probably bought and paid for hers too.

Dear JCrik,

I too was surprised to read that. I think it's kinda cool.

k-bro

Dear Mr. Crikket,

BG just learned that herself in the paper this morning.

Regretfully,
BG

Is Bert pitching for the Netherlands?

For those of you just learning about the force of nature that is Luis Castillo, he also had a 35 game hitting streak a few years ago. I think it's the longest in the NL. That kind of hitting streak is only held by guys with names like Cobb, DiMaggio, and Rose.

- K.

I just figured that out too (about Luis C.)! It's kind of ironic, considering we play the Cubs this year. Same can be said about R. Serria palying for us kowning he had that big homer off Rincon in the ALDS. What makes it even more freaky is that both thoes things happend in the same year (2003).

I realized that about Castillo a while ago...I hppe that he gets to repeat the feat this year, denying the Cubs the world series title by scoring the run that wins the series for the Twins.

Actually, I believe Sierra's HR was in 2004.

Showing some love -damn some serious hotness too!
The Presidential wiggle and the Pujols wink -makes a girls heart flutter

Marquee matchup: Johan Santana, Venezuela vs. Albert Pujols, Dominican Republic. Arguably the best lefty starter on the planet against arguably the best right-handed slugger in the game. The 2004 American League Cy Young Award winner against the 2005 National League Most Valuable Player. It just doesn't get any better than this.

Much Love
Wonder Woman

The injury thing is so overblown. What if someone we all know and love and cheer for gets hurt in this silly game against Concordia College?

We don't worry when them in the All-Star game, do we?

During the 1st round, there's a 50-pitch pitch count.

Nothing great is risk-free. That's why it's great. The WBC has the potential to be a truly great event.