'God wants you to get in shape.'

It's so true Bat Girl.

And two home runs? Well, there goes that myth that the Twins have a weak offense.

That was just beautiful. Every second of it.

Not as significant, but also sweet, is the fact that Brenna was voted off of Idol. Hooray for Karma!

Perhaps Bert getting "Venezuela" right is a good omen for getting other things right this season?

Do you suppose... I mean, I don't want to get crazy speculative or anything, but... do you suppose he'll learn how to pronounce "Chicgao" as if it did not begin with the third person female subjective pronoun?

And dare we dream that Danny Gladden learns to use the pronunciation guide in team media guides? Bert at least had the excuse that an international pronunciation guide is unavailable in team materials. But if I have to hear Gladden refer to EYE-van Rodriguez catching for Detroit instead of Eee-VAHN, well I just might be forced to grumble about him again this season.

Best Thursday night I've had in a lonnnnnggg time. Three home runs--i did see those, right? And it was Twins baseball, Bert and Dick, I saw someone get circled, Johan, Silva, balls and bats, fresh green grass, nice weather (ok, not so great here yet).
It's back and the boys are back.

I have some patience, now, for the season opener. I'll be there--Spring break in Toronto. ANy one else?

I am so excited!! Wow, and three home runs was just stunning. I am still completely in awe. Baseball was on TV! I have been waiting so long to watch a new game. Oh, i love spring!

*CRACK* It's such a wonderful sound. Torii's back to his old self. First pitch of the year and BOOM! That was AWESOME!!!!!!! Especially after what happend to him @ Fenway last year. I was actually there visiting some family in Boston when that happend. We were actually comming back from Niagara Falls listening to it on the radio. My mom and I weren't in the car @ the time and my uncle told us what had hppend, but we didn't believe him (right away). He likes to play w/ our heads and talk trash. Sure enough, I watch the replay and it was true. Two days latter @ the Sun. game my mom and I would see Papelbon(?) make his major league debut anganst us. Kind of funny how thoes things work.

Wow, we hit 3 HRs? Can we do this every day? Please?

And the WBC is officially underway! Chinese Taipei vs. Korea right now!

Using a very complex formula, I've determined the best possible lineup for Team Korea:

1. Lee, Byung Kyu LF
2. Lee, Jong Beom CF
3. Lee, Seung-Yeop 1B
4. Kim, D. 3B
5. Lee, B. H. C
6. Lee, J. Y. RF
7. Kim, Tae Kyun DH
8. Kim, M. SS
9. Kim, J. K. 2B

Sunny Kim, SP

Only problem is that an IF has to play C...otherwise its perfect!

Forgot to add: this is actually very similar to the current lineup that Team Korea is using.

I can't resist:

Actual Korean line-up, from boxscore

Lee, B.K. LF
Lee, J.B. CF
Lee, S-Y 1B
Kim, D 3B
Kim, J.G. 1- PR-3B
Choi DH
Hong C
Jin 2- PR-C
Lee, J.Y. RF
Park, J SS
Kim, J.K. 2B
Seo P
Kim, B P
Koo P
Park, C P

Yay! Baseball is back!!

*too happy to say anything else*

From the ESPN story: "They did learn that second baseman Luis Castillo, who was originally going to play for the Dominican Republic, has decided to stick around."

Yay! Good for Bartlett!

Did anyone else notice that when Batista came up to bat they had him listed at 208lbs? 208, Please. I had heard that he was a little heavy coming into camp so I didn't expect to see a svelte player but he will have to do a LOT better then 15 pounds to get back into playing shape for a 3rd baseman. For crying out loud did he hang out with C.C. Sabathia in the off-season?

Can Joe Vavra be my new boyfriend?

My sweetie called me during the early innings of the game. He asked me how Batista looked, and I said, "Um... pudgy?"

And? I almost cried when Torii hit that homerun. Seriously.

ahhhh, the sweetness of baseball of TV again. I didn't do my job very well last night as I was glued to the tube!

welcome back!!!!!!!

Is it just me, or is BG's post time-stamped BEFORE the end of the game? Wow, she really is all-powerful and all-knowing. I mean, I always had a suspicion, but ...

Heck of a way to start the Spring, boys. Makes me all warm inside (if not outside).

E-9

So does Batgirl nominate Spring Training BODs? And if so, who would have won? Both Batgirl's and Jeb's boyfriends hit dingers. Or are there too many unknown players (who exactly is that Maza guy?) to make a fair determination?

k-bro

Dearest Ms. Bro,

Alas, no, for Spring Training are only exhibitions, and BOD is deadly serious.

Sincerely,
BG

Ah, the season's first "Lewwwwwwwwwwwwwww!" Life is soooo good.

Did I see LaVelle correctly this morning? Is Bradke now behind both Johan AND Silva as the team's "best pitchers?"

Fiesta,

May I start the first Batgirl dust-up of spring training with a question, in regard to the No. 2 starter?

Here goes:

In regard to Silva or Radke as the No. 2 starter, RD asks: Who would you rather have pitching with a 1-run lead in the seventh inning -- Senor Silva or Mr. Radke?

Speaking of Fatista... Did anyone see this (click my name) photo of Lil Sweetcheeks? Was he always that big or is it just his bad side?

Ron,

I'll take Radke with a 1-run lead in the 7th inning. But I'd prefer Silva on the mound with a 7-run lead in the 1st inning.

Aah, baseball!

The combination of Twins baseball, a victory, and companionship of some entertaining Batlings at the Bulldog did wonders for letting me forget some recent heartbreak for a bit. I needed that.

BTW, BG, there is no "c" in Gluek. Bert probably knows THAT. :)

--From someone who has lived too many years (and not one longer) in the home of the Gluek Brewing Co., Cold Spring, Minnesota

Ron,

Radke. Always.

Regards,

Chris

Carlos is brilliant, but Brad is Brad. Gimme Radke every time with one run in the seventh; if he makes it that far and has a one-run lead, he owns that game.

The real point is, what a wonderful dilemma -- as opposed to choosing, for example, between Bob Tewksbury and Rich Robertson.

Brad gave up 2 first inning runs today. Good to see he came to camp in mid-season form already!!! :)

For any who may be interested in how Fatista's predecessor as Twins burly man, the erstwhile Matty LeCroy, is faring with the Nationals, he apparently introduced Nats fans to the remarkable slowness with which he "runs" by racking up three RBI by hitting a bases clearing single! Now, that would be a remarkable achievement for any other major leaguer but we expect nothing less from Mr. LeCroy, bless him.

Tony really did look fat didn't he? I thought he was a coach the first time they showed him!

Maybe he couldn't handle all of the seafood in Japan, so he got back and couldn't resist the temptation to gorge on McDonald's and KFC.

Jacque does look kind of big in that Cubs picture too. Either hes been hanging out at those Wrigleyville pizzerias...

or...

he took over Sammy's locker and cleaned up on the leftover liquids/powders and syringes...

RD--I would still take Brad with a 1 run lead in the seventh. Probably even if he had already given up some runs in the first. The caveat, of course, being that the Radke Run Support Force Field™ were turned off, allowing his teammates to actuall score for him. The RRSFF™, I guess, is the clincher.

I was so checking out Carlos Silva last night. He's so sexy!!!!!

Hey why isn't Rivas on the D Rays 40 man.

Sob

Ahhh, Baseball is back! It's so nice to see the Twins already in the swing of things! Radke giving up that first inning home run, Hunter going deep, Al Newman back at third - looks like Al's put on a little weight though, what's that? It's not Newman, the new third baseman is Tony Batista? Looks more like Cecil Fielder... If he hits that way, I guess I don't care!

anyone see "the real deal" give up 5 runs in one inning? looks like jd isnt as much a real deal any more as real head case.