O.k., this makes it official. Jason Bartlett is my Temporary Boyfriend While Torii Is Gone. And he's so good at it!

Oh, and does ONE GAME BACK sound good to anyone?

I love that he was kinda unsure of what to do when he got to 1st....Way to go Twins...and Nathanest of Joes....you make me SO nervous...I am not sure why though...you always pull through!

Well deserved. Go Barty!

I would like to mention, though, Cuddy's game-saving catch in the bottom of the ninth, when Nathan decided to go all Guardado-esque on us. In that moment, I would have offered Cuddles my firstborn in gratitude.

That halt at first was great.

Man, Bart was smokin' today - that throw? Holy hell. First dinger of the season? Hot damn.

What a fun game to watch.

Wow, what a game! This was by far the most tense, yet satisfying win of the season. We are really taking it to the Sox! We can really win this wild card! I honestly can't recall a time when the twins played this well for this long. It's beyond a streak, we're excellent in pitching, defense, and well above average offensively.

If it sounds like I'm excited, you're damn right I am. kudos to this team from rescuing itself from mediocrity. I can't wait to see how this plays out.

That said, it'll still take a small miracle for the chief to win tomorrow

So move your body if you've got the notion,
Front to back in a rock-like motion.
Now that you've got it, if you think you can,
Do it to the music -- that's the Barman.

That was awesome!
Twitchy had my blood pressure WAY up there, but he did it. Bartlett was supernatural. I Love all this.

Tonight's only injustice was that Bartlett's defensive play was only No. 2 among ESPN's web gems. But, like, so what.

I'm still puzzled at why Castillo's scoop-toss of the ball with his glove to Morneau the other day did't make the web gems, goshdarnit.

This game made me so happy, but it was nervewracking. Hooray for the Jasons and other J's!

is anyone else worried about nathan's twitching? i realize he is getting paid to do a job but i don't think his kids should have to have basket case for a dad. is he sleeping at all at night? are his jitters causing any problem between him and his wife? it's nearly unbearable to watch and it seems worse every time he pitches.

just concerned.

Bartlett's hold up at first was hysterical. But more funny was all the Sox fans thinking they had a chance in the 9th with Joe on the mound. Sillyness.

My wife's uncle likened Nathan's breathing habit to that of a horse.

A twitchy, overcaffeinated horse that nearly gives you a heart attack, but who comes through in the end.

Let this series show notice to the rest of the AL that not only are the twins unbelievably hot (33 of 41!!!!) but they also have learned what it takes to play effectively on the road.

Amazing HR by Bartlett tonight, and some pretty damn good defense as well all around.

I was at a meeting and when we got done we went to the bar and only got to see the last out. I DVR games so if I can't get to the TV at the start it's ok. I don't usually watch a game after it's over but the way you guys make it sound I should watch this one.

I still have the picture of George Steinbrenner crying, that BG painted this morning, stuck in my brain. Thanks BG, the whole Hercules story was great but GS in tears put me over the edge and it is beautiful.

Play Ball!

That game probably shortened my lifespan by about a week or so. :tense: :jumpy: :twitchy:
Better to have that happen because of a win than a loss, though.

...and the winner of the "Best caption ever" contest. Is Batgirl !

Go Bartlett!

And it sounds like Michael's catch and his throw out of Iguchi at third were amazing! :curses not having a TV:

Bartlett held up because he had to. Tyner was planning on tagging up if Ozuna caught it, so he was standing on first when Bartlett got there. If Bartlett touches the bag while Tyner is still standing on it, he's out.

I remember a similar play in 91 when Shane Mack nearly passed Chili Davis at first base on a monster home run in Boston. The first base coach at the time (I forget who that was) nearly tackled Mack before he passed Chilli. They were both watching the flight of the ball and not paying attention to who else was in the base line and Chili for some reason was just standing on the bag even though the ball was long gone. This play was tougher to read because Ozuna had a play on the ball, he just missed it.

I actually got to watch a couple of innings tonight, and the last pitch i could stay for was the Bartlett HR. Both my brothers and I were running around the basement yelling and high-fiving, sleeping 6-year-old upstairs be damned. Brilliant game, and the series win is huge.

Thome struck first
Scared Shelley a bit
No need to fear
Barty is here.

That last half inning nearly gave me a heart attack. Twitchy McGee likes to get our hearts beating pretty hard.

Happy ending! One more, boys.

Kris--

that would be because he IS a horse. think about it. long face, breathing like he does.....a kinda pretty horse (and a very twitchy nervous horse.....sort of like a thouroughbred), but a horse none-the-less.

and i have a terrible habit of mimicking him whenever i see him warming up.....and then repeatedly while he's pitching

Hats off to Nathan. That last inning is what the game is all about. Pressure. You saw the pressure and kicked it's ass!

Go Twins!

ah... Twins baseball - not for the faint of heart.

and Nathan ALWAYS raises my blood pressure *wiggles eyebrows* so putting a couple guys on base before the 3rd out doesn't truly change my demeanor in any noticeable fashion.

I'm pretty much always hyperventilating when I watch the boys play a game!! (especially lately)

When Crede was up in the 9th, did you all notice that it was a 3-way battle of the Joes? Joe Nathan pitching to backstop Joe Mauer versus 3B Joe Crede. If only Joe Brinkman was calling the balls and strikes.

When Punto went crashing into the wall and through that opening in the tarp, around the 7th? 8th innning? Anyway, John Gordon actually said, "Punto just sort of disappeared into some...tiny little opening in the wall!" And I HOWLED with laughter.

Yep, he sure can get into places other people cannot!

first base coach at the time...Terwilliger.

Last night I’m leaving Chuck E Cheese at about 9:40, so I flip on 830 to see if I can catch the Twins game (I live in St. Louis, MO). Sure enough, it’s on, clear as crystal. I hear cheering in the background. John Gordon mentions something about the Twins wishing White were not in LF because if a ball is hit out there, his arm is likely not good enough to throw out a runner at home. (Okay, that means it’s close anyway, but what’s the score?)

Gordon comments that Nathan winds up for the pitch. (Okay, Nathan is in, it’s near the end of the game, and it’s close, but what’s the darn score?) Is it tied, are we in the lead, I don’t know! Someone help me!

A.J. is up. He hits a fly ball to left field… Cuddyer coming on… still coming on…he catches it! Gordon says there’s two outs. Tying run on second, winning run on first (YES we’re winning). We pull into Wal-Mart, my wife gets out and takes my son with her so that he can go potty (he’s 3). My daughter sees them leave and starts to cry (she’s 1). I’m focused solely on the game on the radio. “I’ll see you inside honey, I’ll only be a minute.”

Cintron is up. Gordon reminds us of Bartlett’s homer that put the Twins up 4-1. Crede hit a two-run shot in the bottom of the seventh to make it a one run game. Strike one. Daughter is still sad, but getting over it. Foul ball. 0-2. Wife is probably halfway through the store now. Ball one… way high. Mauer had to leap to get that one. I’m tapping the steering wheel in excitement and anticipation. Ball two in the dirt. Come on… just one more strike. Close it out Joe! Here’s the pitch. Ground ball to Bartlett, and this one is over!

YES! (maybe a little too loudly) My daughter and I head on in to meet mommy and brother, singing “We’re gonna win Twins” in the parking lot on the way in. Absolutely awesome. Twins win game, win series. One game out of wild card. 4-1 on road trip (so far). Again, absolutely awesome!

Nokomikon,

It looked like LNP realized he wouldn't be able to reach the pop fly and thought to himself, "I'm a tiny superhero, I can leap infield tarps in a single bound!" And then realized that he forgot his cape or something as he tumbled over the tarp into the stands.

All in all, it was pure comedy.

Bart, with offense, defense, leadership, and general awesomeness, is totally deserving of this.

:hats off to Bart:

Anyone else find it incredibly amusing that all but 1 of the 18 runs scored so far this series have come on home runs?

And a certain right-fielder made an amazing throw and an amazing catch. I was ever so proud.

However, listening to the f'ing Hawk whine like an 8-year-old all night was nauseating enough to spoil my evening Twins-wise. I just hate him. "Why has that high strike only been a strike to *our* hitters tonight?" Waaah, waaah WAAAH. "C'mon JD, how about a base hit here? We really need a hit!" He never stops. I'd die of embarrassment if the Mets or Twins announcers behaved like this.

Bartlett's homerun was clutch and Nathan's save was dramatically awesome. But my favorite part of the night was shown later on KARE 11 - after a called 3rd strike, Jermain Dye walks back to the dug out telling the ump that "he (Johan Santana) doesn't need any help". That's right he just sits bitches down.

Has anyone else noticed how much like "Winnie" our little Jason Bartlett looks? The Winnie from "The Wonder Years"? Think about it! :)

"listening to the f'ing Hawk whine like an 8-year-old all night was nauseating enough..."

Laurie--he gets on my nerves too--but give him credit for saying Cuddles has stepped it up this year and made a "helluva throw"--of course then he whined about the tag call--I do think the Bitch Sox got screwed on the call. Hawk also gave lots of credit to the Jasons...

I never saw the play at first on Bartletts homer cause the Hawk and his crew didnt show that--they kept showing the fact that it barely cleared the fence.

Outstanding game--if the Jackal gets the win today we sweep and tie the Bitch Sox.

DAM

omg, Neal. Yes, J.B. DOES resemble Winnie. Perhaps they are separated at birth twins? good eye.
And I had been a thinkin'..who does he remind me of?

I am in Twins walkin' on clouds land. What a great victory. Bartlett, Winnie's bro, getting it done.
Leadership potential indeed!

Go you incredible Twins, you

kal

p.s. I'm not sure we even need to buy a big gun before the trade deadline. These guys are rockin'--each and every one of them.

"Bartlett held up because he had to. Tyner was planning on tagging up if Ozuna caught it, so he was standing on first when Bartlett got there. If Bartlett touches the bag while Tyner is still standing on it, he's out."
------

Yeah, it is a nice credit to Bartlett for having the presence of mind to realize that, even while he must have been thrilled to watch his first home run of the season for the Twins fly over the wall.

Leadership, baby!

Also, a hat tip to Neal for making the Winnie Cooper connection. Spot on. LOL.