what a great day!!! what a great canadian!!!

I'm ok with that =)
A little Love to Little Nicky Punto for insurance runs - and to Carlos for hanging in there!
Bummer about Pat giving up his first run - oh well - it had to happen sometime!

YIPPEEEEEEEEEE a sweep!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Much Love
Wonder Woman

I can only imagine the dinner conversations at Mauer Manor.
"I'm dating Miss USA."
"Well, I'm dating Pebbles."

Eventually someone claims to have invented dating. Or pants.

I don't think there's ever been a sweep that I've enjoyed more.

*happy sighes*

That was a fun road trip. Lets keep it going.

Oh, and I was looking at the standings...we're half a game back of the mets (they won today) and 2.5 back of the red sox (theyre losing as of this posting) for 2nd best record in the MLB

Neshek figured that since he had to give up a run sometime, he might as well do it today so Nathan could get another save opportunity.

I peeked in at the game from time to time, and it was just awesome to see this sweep. Twins need to just keep playing like this. I would love to see a sweep of the Tigers this weekend to make a dent on that division lead.

Go Twins!

stin Morneau walks up behind Mark Buehrle and gives him a big smile.

"Hey, feels pretty good up here, doesn't it, eh?" he says cheerfully.

Buehlre glares out into the darkness that is the White Sox clubhouse.

"Shut up," he mutters. "Just shut up. I can't take anymore of your arrogant lip."

Morneau shrugs and turns toward the horizon.

"Look," he says, pointing his finger towards a spot off in the distance. "There's Canada."

"I don't care," Beuhrle says tightly. "PLEASE shut up."

"Hey, come on," says Morneau. "You guys need to relax."

"JUST STOP BREATHING DOWN MY NECK!" Beuhrle screams.

Hurt, Morneau stares at him. "Fine," he sniffs, and hits a monster home run. "I'll stand beside you. Move over, bitch."

I guess the devil has finally come to collect on his transaction with Mr. Buerhle.

I love beating Mark Guehrle even more than Captain C, I think. You know he's going to bitch.

Oh, my. Just when you think it's not going to get better, it does. Just when we go into the All-Star break on a bit of a skid, and you think, "Well, gee, that was fun while it lasted", it picks right back up and keeps on rolling. And just when you think it'd be incredible if we could win two of three against the wonderful, deserving Defending World Champion Chicago White Sox (don't want to be accused of being disrespectful or anything), we sweep their well-toned, athletic butts right out of US Cellular Field (a lovely venue for a ballgame or for your next corporate outing). Oh, my.

SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!!!!!!!!!!! I SO enjoy saying that word!!!!!!!

there was no pitcher in the league I'd like to beat down more than buerhle. now he can take his sorry-ass 5 era and his .500 record and shut up about the twins.

Crap! I didn't realize it was an afternoon game. *hangs head sadly*

Anybody know if FSN is going to replay it tonight? I wanna see what Justin did to earn another BOD.

I can hardly contain myself. Woo!

On another note, workin' on a trip to Chicago end of August maybe.

Wildcard? Bah!

Ten games remaining versus the Tigers. How you say...fade, fade away?
Nine games remaining versus the White Sox. Crumpled up and broken.
Seven games remaining versus the Indians. You pound 'em bad drum.
Six games remaining versus the Red Sox/Yankees. You know, turns out salary isn't good for you.
Eleven games remaining versus the Royals. The gravy makes the feast.
Sixty-three games yet to be played in the regular season.

Twins = Rookie of the Year, Cy Young, Batting Champion, a 40 HR guy, two 100 RBI guys and the Nathanest of Joes.

I'm calling the Twins to win the division by two and go all the way.
MLB story of the year.

Nothing better thans a sweeeeep of the Bitchsox!!also nothing better than beating that cry-baby bitchsox buerhle!! giving up 7 earned!!! I love it!!

I can not get the words out. There stuck some where in my brain. Adidasman and Nature your entries are both sooooo wonderful to read. I am still not going to predict anything yet, I just want to enjoy it each day. One problem with the day game, I never know what to watch on TV if there is no baseball or hockey.

Justin is so lucky....Pebbles is HOT!

Today's game is scheduled to be replayed on FSN at 7:00 p.m. this evening, for those who didn't get to see it live. I don't usually watch game replays, but I'm all over this one. Enjoy. Oh, Canada!

That likeness of me is striking, even down to my little bone barrette! Although my hair is a little shorter now.

whoa there nature. let's see how we play detroit first. we don't want to burn out early like the sox might have. although props for going out on a limb

I listened to this game on the White Sox radio network. Through seven innings, the announcers whined about how the White Sox could still win the division. In the seventh, they finally admitted that the Twins were good. And, in the bottom of the 9th, with the Twins up 7-4 and the VP pitching, they continually said the Sox had a chance to win. Poor Bitch Sox in denial!

I love this baseball team. I LOVE THEM.

I love my pitchers, because they strike the shit out of everyone. I love my outfield (especially because it's just a revolving door of injuries and it doesn't even phase us.) I love my infield (and it's been a few years since I could say that and mean it.) And the lineup that (right now) can do no wrong.
I really love that we always build our teams from the ground up (mostly.) It feels so honest.
And I really, really love sweeping the Bitch Sox. Stick that in your pipe and smoke it, Ozzie.

Justin will be on baseball tonight.

Carmen- I agree with you, you just have to love the way the Twins don't buy good players but grow them on the farm.

I'm very eager to see how the Twins play the Tigers... I think the Tigers are for real but I think the Twins just won't give up until they get that W. At this rate they really could catch Detroit.

And I love the very subtle sarcasim from some posters today. Do you think our Bitch Sox fan is reading BG and crying in his soup? I ain't sorry about giving some lip. The Twins just swept the Bitch Sox.

Forward and onward boys, I smell a division to be won.

WIN TWINS!

Not me again. :)

So---------- Who is our MVP???
Could his name begin with J. and end with M.
or
Could his name begin with J. and end with M.?

nature: "Six games remaining versus the Red Sox/Yankees. You know, turns out salary isn't good for you."

HA! Very nice.

I watched the WGN broadcast today -- joy in the outer-broadcast territory. I finally got to see Neshek, Tyner, and Rabe play. We've got a good cabbage patch, if that's what it produces.

In fairness to the Chicago TV crew, Hawk and DJ were effusive about how good the Twins are and have been for the past five years. Hawk says: the Twins have the two best lefties in baseball; Gardenhire is as good a manager as anyone; he never got to play on a team with a bullpen this good; and the Twins have beaten themselves less than any other team over the last five years. Pretty nice.

But I still have to share my favorite Hawk quotation of the day:

"We have the best five starters in baseball. Does that mean they're going to BE the best five starters? No. But we've got 'em."

Wha-ha?

I'm so flippin' excited I could pee my pants!! Sorry, but this is so awesome!!

Carmen- I agree with you 100%. I luv how our pitchers sit the bitches down, the infield/outfield is also very good at sitting bitches down, and the offense closes all the sitting of bitches with hits and homeruns that say, "Don't bother getting up, in fact- just go home and cry until another series against a whole different team starts ok?"

Cal- I am also glad that you told that Bitch Sox bitch off, s/he has a lot of nerve to come on a TWINS site and tell us "we have a lot of lip". Ok, I won't say anything- just look at the scores of your last three games and who beat you. Eat that, Bitch Sox bitch.

One last thing, I think winning the division is a little out of reach at this point- not that it wouldn't be the most awesome thing ever, but the Tigers don't seem to be fading a whole lot. If we keep playing the way we are, it's possible- but maybe a little premature right now.

Sorry about the long post and ranting, but I just needed to get my thoughts out in the open. Thanks- GO TWINS!!

NOW THAT WAS FUN! BROOM!

Thank god I got the Twins feed today out here in SD. I could not stand one more day of the Hawk. Had to take today off to enjoy this one. Nature is right, and because of more than just the games we have left.

The Twins have a great shot to sweep the Tigers this weekend, on the strength of pitching matchups. Make no mistake, Verlander is nasty, and would be ROY any other year. We're lucky we don't have to face him. I hope it's Verlander/Franchise in the ALCS-that's the way it should be. Best two teams in MLB.

Anyway, it was brought up a couple weeks ago that the Twins were adopting an intentionally patient hitting strategy. No day more than today did that really come together. Tyner had the best 0-4 day ever, fouling off lots of pitches, as an example. The strategy is clearly to have long at bats, and use the best BP in baseball to close the game. We figure with the best 1-2-3 starters in the game right now, just try to outlast their guy, and we'll win. And with the M&M boys, and Cuddyer producing, it will continue to work.

The Jasons are solid. I thought Rondell might really give the squad a 2nd half boost, but now I'm thinking we might need to dangle him & put Tyner in LF. Spell Cuddles against the occasional dominant righty, even.

Whoever wins the Tigers/Twins series in the playoffs will be WS champion. I still keep coming back to 34-34...

Ok I feel rally stupid but I have been having a bit of discussion going with one of me relatives.
How is ERA calculated? I know it is earned run average, but what does that mean?
Thank you.

Trusty Justy.

He never lets McDimples get away with a dictator-like homerun presidency. He's all about democracy and vice-homeruns.

BTW Chicago, SPANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I will so be losing my voice at the game Friday.

Twin-X:
It's fairly simple. It's just the average amount of earned runs a pitcher allows per 9 innings. Set up a proportion, where ERs/IP = x/9. So today, for example:

Silva allowed 3 ERs in 5 IP. 3/5 = x/9, solve for x. To solve for x, just divide 3/5 & take it times 9.

.6 * 9 = 5.40 ERA for Carlos today. This may not help. I'm not a teacher. I'M A FAN OF THE BEST TEAM IN BASEBALL FOR THE LAST 7 WEEKS!!

Twin-X,

(Earned Runs/Innings Pitched) x 9 = ERA

Twins-Tigers LCS would be the best thing that could happen. Traipsing around MSU with my Santana shirt is already great fun. Usually I'd agree the tigers were untouchable, but this team has gone from rebuilding to powerhouse in six weeks and from here anything is possible.

Its hard to single out any Twin as team MVP. The heart of the order has been fantastic, and the twins have only lost 4 of the 30 games JKS and Cisco have started since the beginnning of May. All the guys have contributed to this amazing run, including CC and Buehrle.

Yay for the SWEEEEEEEEEP!

---

Seriously...Hawk is the ULITMATE homer and he always has been. He was no different all those years that they were bottom feeders.

Over the years I've learned to deal w/the HR call but I hateeeeeeeees when the other guy chimes in on the YES! Makes my skin crawl. I wonder if they practice that?

Did anyone catch Justin on BBTN? Just when you thought no one in the world could work "ya know" into a sentence more times than Joe...

Scott Kazmir says "ya KNow" a LOT.

Definitely my favorite sweep of the season. I didn't even gloat that much to my friend who is a Sox fan. I remember what it was like when I was out in Chitown in April and we were swept at US Cellular.

I would love to say that we are on our way to the division title... but I don't want to be disappointed if we don't reach that goal. I like being cautiously optimistic.

When we started that streak in June all I was hoping for was to close in on .500 and some better pitching. Goal reached. We barely gained any ground on Detroit or even the Bitchsox despite our winning.

Then we started winning again after the All-Star break but we still weren't doing well on the road. "If only we could win on the road," I thought, "We could be a contender in the Wild Card race." Six games on the road against our division rivals and *bam* we win all of them. We are tied for 2nd place in the WC race. Goal achieved!

But I'm starting to think like an ESPN analyist and throw around the word "BUT..." Like in the past: "Yeah the Twins have beat all these NL teams BUT they are still 3rd place in the ALC, and the NL isn't that good this season." "Yeah, the Twins have a great home record, BUT they can't win on the road." "Yeah, the Twins swept the Bitchsox BUT they've been in a slump since the break." "Yeah, the Twins swept Detroit, BUT it was at home."

I love being able to prove the critics wrong (Out of contention NO MORE, Jason Williams). I like that the Twins can stand up to any challenge that comes their way. I love this game... I LOVE THIS TEAM!

Just watching the Yankees and Rangers tonight... Neither team seems to have anyone in the bullpen who can get anyone out. Really makes you appreciate the talent the Twins can bring in late in the game (or even not so late).

Theeee Yankees win!

Which is an unfortunate occurrence for almost everyone here, not including me. The only team I like better than the Twins is the Yankees, so you can bet I'm a happy camper right now. Both the Twins and Yankees won - what more is there to ask?

Oh, yes, and the Red Sox lost, too. All in all, a pretty good day.

Anyways, I must say the Twins certainly stuck it to the White Sox there. Reeling off three straight wins against Chicago is no easy feat, although my favorite teams seem to be doing it an awful lot lately. Wonder how long that White Sox slump will last ... ?

Is anyone else really looking forward to the next time ESPN broadcasts a Twins game? I am.
Mainly because I love watching them stammer because they haven't really been paying attention to us all season (as though a team that isn't on the coastline isn't worth the trouble), and suddenly they have to pretend they know what they're talking about.

And they'll REALLY look stupid this time around, because we're the hottest thing going and they (once again) are Johnny-come-lately to the scene.

On second thought, forget ESPN. John Gordon forever!

I agree with you, Jim Crikket. The big spenders seem to have problems putting (and keeping) their pitching together. I think it's because building a sterling pitching staff takes awhile, if you do it properly, and lots of teams don't have the patience. They'd rather just spend a lot of money, toss a bunch of expensive (and often aging) arms together and hope for the best.

Give me Terry Ryan and the farm system ANY day.

This place gives me joy on a daily basis. I thank all the clever writers, poets, song writers and good natured fun folk here.

Oh Canada indeed!
I remember sitting at the Rogers Centre for Opening Day and feeling absolutely stupid that the only words I know of that song are the first line while I watched our wonderful Doctor singing along cheerfully. What was even better is that all the fans, being that we were in Canada and everything, would cheer good ol' Doc every time they mentioned his name. It's so nice to be loved by the hometown crowd, even if you're not playing for the hometown team. But dangit, Justin deserves it.
I said it about two weeks ago, but I'll say it again: Goober, you're totally gonna run away with this thing. I think I need to dump the Chairman and go with the Doctor, but I don't think I can find it in my heart to do. He'll settle for second. If only I was Canadian too...
Oh and get out the brooms, because it's time to SWEEP!!!

JJC,

i fail to comprehend how you can like both the twins and the yankees. it just seems so wrong and unnatural to me. however i am **shh, don't tell** a closet oakland fan(was born a twins fan during '87 playoffs, so they are obviously first in my heart) so i can understand the dual fan-ness. but the yankees?

oh well, to each his own i guess...

JJC--The Bitch Sox are the perennial KINGS of the second-half meltdown. While the Twins, I daresay, just get better and better after the break. I like the way the math shapes up.

iheartmntwins--Oakland is my 2nd fave team as well. They're like the SoCal version of the Twins--an emphasis on pitching, defense, and frugality, with a little more of the tanned-laid-back-surfer vibe. They're very fun to watch.

So, Shelly, I know your thought pattern.

Before this 9 game stretch against CLE-CWS-DET, I was thinking to myself, "Just get over .500, and we're still in this thing." They've just clinched .500, and now they can go for gravy. They've been doing that since June.

With one more game against the Bo Sox, I thought "If the Twins can just get to .500, that would be nice. I calculated it, they had to go 13-9 at that point. They went 17-5. I hoped that they would have taken 3 of 4 against the Tribe and Rays. They 1-uped me again.

After they won Tuesday's thriller, I started thinking, "Wow, that was a great game. We won the series at least." I fully expected a loss with Silva vs. Buerhle.

But then I thought, "Why can't we win? Why can't we sweep?" Screw the pitching matchup, it's not like Mauer and Morneau pay attention to the trend that Lefties don't hit lefties well.

Now I'm to the point where I'm going back and forth thinking we can get 2 out of 3 against Detroit, vs winning the whole damn series.

Why can't we? We've got our top 3 pitchers going out there. Our offense is doing well. We're at home. We beat Detroit 2 of 3 last time we played them at home, when we were bad. And besides that, we won with Silva on the mound, on the road, against the World Champs, and their best pitcher.

So why can't we seep them kitties?

Dear everybody:

I would like to make a nomination for a BOD of the future, or perhaps an honorary BOD... I know this sort of thing isn't something you just nominate, but I feel strongly enough to suggest it. SO BG, if you are reading, I hope you may feel the same way I do.

There is one man whose efforts who have gone mildly unnoticed this year, because most of his great qualities go unnoticed on the field of play. Yes, he only gets in the lineup once every week or so, but I sense his presence in everything our boys have been doing so far. I find it hard to believe they could have gone on their historic streak had it not been for this player, a man with a "nose" for fun, a positive outlook, an incredible sense of humor, and a passion for playing baseball. And playing it the Twins way.

This man, of course, is none other than NBP, Naked Batting Practice himself, Mike Redmond.

Anyone who watches a Twins game knows what I am talking about. When someone makes a play, who's on the top step? When someone gets the big hit, who's the biggest high five in the dugout? Remond. Who is filling in for the best hitter in the league, weekly, in the same lineup slot, and hitting over .300 with RBI's? Mike Redmond. Who started the "sniff 'em" campaign? Who pounds the Nathanest of Joes' chest the hardest after a save? Mr. NBP.

This club had an air of malaise about it after last year. After some off-season flops and a sub-.500 record, I really and truly believe this clubhouse would not have been the same without our friend Mike. He loves this team, he inspires this team. He does so enough that I would notice, and I am only watching from far-off. He's been a light in dark times, and you can tell he comes to the yard every day with the same amount of energy. You can't tell me that if you saw Mike Redmond walk through the door of the clubhouse each day, you wouldn't say to yourself: "Damn, that guy's right. Let's just go play some F-ing baseball."

I raise this glass to you, Mike Redmond. I believe you've had more to do with our recent joy than most people would recognize. Here's to you, NBP, and all those guys who toil and work their A#$@es off, leave it all at the yard, covet none of the glory, and keep the rest of the guys alight. Mr. Naked Batting Practice, I salute you.

Regards, Neil

Pun,

There is no reason why the Twins can't sweep the Tigers.

It warms my heart to think that maybe Mauer and Morneau aren't standing in the club house thinking the same thing.

M&M: why can't sweep them kitties? LNP?
LNP: I don't know b/c they have kidnapped our pets??
M&M: Noo... Silva?
Silva: B/c they muy bueno-er than us?
M&M: Nooo... Lew?
Lew: B/c they have a +4 battle axe and a ring of blinking?
M&M: ????

M&M: There's no reason we can't sweep those kitties! We're at home! We pitch muy bueno! and hit the crap outta that baseball! Now let's go get some beer and dome dogs and let's sweep those KITTIES!!!!

Lew: YEAH! but man a +4 battle axe would be swwweeet!

Man I love being a Twins fan

Thank you Clay jr and Twayn, very helpfull.
2 out of 3 would be nice in datroit (a sweep would be nicer, but...)GO, TWINS!

ERA for Twin-x. ERA=earned runs allowed by a pitcher per 9 innings. Runs that are the result of an error are not considered earned. Runs scored by baserunners left on base are charged against the pitcher that allowed them to reach un;ess they reached on an error. There are a few other rules but they very, very seldom have any effect on the scoring of runs. Hope this helps.
Broker

Neil-

Well said. I join you in a salute to our Mr. Redmond aka NBP. I, too, notice his passion, his earnestness, and his damn fine play.

Cheers to you Mike!

-kal, who loves each and every Mn. Twin very very much today. Sweeps are sweet indeed.

Neil, I have gotten that feeling too. NBP is a leader in that clubhouse and the team is following. He seems to have a great personality in the clubhouse and pumps the team up.

NBP just wants another ring.

Greedy like we all should be!!

Amen, neil, AMEN
and i just love to make the "redmond face" (you know which one im talking about) whenever he bats, or pretty much any time its appropropriate

Yay for the Doctor!

And, yes, the Twins are lucky to have the best catcher in the league. And even luckier to have the best back-up catcher in the league standing behind him.

Don't look now, but the Doctor is second in the AL in RBI. Okay, you can look now.

OK, this is creepin' me out, because yesterday I was just thinking, "Morneau...BamBam". They kinda look alike, no? Morneau Rocks!!!
And I wanna send some love to Castillo, too, as he is quietly amazing on the field, on the basepaths and at the plate. Sweet Luis!

Word, Neil, word. I too have been admiring NBP's tremendous team attitude, and i think he has had a lot to do with keeping these new kids (or even the newly awesome-playing older kids) on track. I mean, can you really imagine a better combination of catchers than we have right now?? short of Pudge (to split C/DH with Joe anyway), i can't think of another catcher i'd want on my team with the Chairman.

iheartmntwins: I completely agree. Twins and Yankees? I can't think of two more different teams. In every way! The way they win, the way they lose, their attitude, their fans. Its kinda like saying, "The only Senator I like more than Strom Thurmond is Barrak Obama." Meh, anyway... Any Twins fan is a friend of mine :)

I trust you batlings will be doing a great deal of cheering at the series against Detroit. I wish beyond wishing that I could be there, but alas, I'm stuck here. Lets go Twins!!

And oh yea, Thanks Batgirl for making my day, everyday. Best Baseball Blog Ever! (Sorry Will)