Thank you for chosing DJ Cuddles - I shed a few tears each time he comes up big in game - little crazy - but I have a reason

But geesh - Joe Nathan - you made me more then nervous!

Again- great pitching is SEXY!

Much love
Wonder Woman

Good choice. Hoping it not only earned him BOD, but signaled the end of the assbattery we've seen lately.

Don't forget the perfect double steal that allowed Mauer to score on Cuddyer's hit. Beautiful.

Dear Johan,

Don't worry. You're B.O.EveryD. to me.

Heart,
Aussie

ditto! anyone else see Johan's little wink from the dugout? ::swoon::

was anyone else terrified of johan's 3 would be HR balls that just stayed in the park? i know i was. sometimes you get the breaks, sometimes you don't.

No! missed that wink darnit.

Not to mention the lovely throw to second. How long is it going to take before folks learn not to run on Cuddyer?

Every time DicknBert talk about moving Morneau into the four hole during a game, it's like someone tells Cuddyer about it and he says, "No! I don't want to move!" and hits like that.

I saw Johan's wink! *big grin* Yes, Cuddles did one heck of a job tonight. I'm with Aussie though, El Presidente is B.O.D just about every day for me as well (esp tonight!) Anyone else get really, really nervous when Nathan walked the guy, then gave up a run? Why must he always make it so intense?!

Wow. Go figure. I assumed (yes Mr. Hines I know what you get when you assume) Santana would get a deserved BOD, even though in my heart of hearts, Michael should have gotten it. I read this twice to make sure I read it correctly. Your reasoning is flawless. Once again, the BOD Committee shows their genius. I bow to your wisdom.

Ass battery, schmass schmattery. Welcome back boys!

I think 32 days without a day off was the reason for some ass battery. That is a ridiculous amount of games without a day off. They are back now!

Well it was only 17 not sure where I got 32.

I missed the Johan wink, but I did catch Gardy's post-game media interviews. During a pause between questions, he looked right into the camera and said (hopefully to his wife watching at home), "Hi, honey. See you in the hot-tub."

Im sure it felt like 32 to them, Nora. But they'd better get used to it. Only 1 day off scheduled in Sept.

All those days off in April and May. Who needs time off in the early season? It is really unbalanced.

ha ha, Gardy's comment was hilarious.

I was expecting a B.O.D. for Johan as well, but way to go, Cuddy. I suppose it's only fitting that a player with a huge hit gets the honor after a string of games in which hits were scarce.

We got a baseball signed by Bert Blyleven and Jack Morris! Then the Twins won! And the tickets were FREE! And the Twins won! And Johan pitched 8 innings without anyone reaching SECOND BASE! And the Twins won! And both kinds of Sox lost, so the Twins picked up a game in the wild card race! Plus, they won!

Gardy's hot tub comment had me rolling as well. at first i thought he was talking to someone there in person! like, are you joining Santana in the hot tub in the clubhouse??

Hey Sandee, i had a teacher (Mr. Hinds) who said "never assume anything!" all the time. coincidence?

Oh man, great game. I hope Cleveland learned a little something about intentional walking. Johan was beautiful, and Cuddy was clutch.

But LNP was out with a sore knee, according to the Twins website (click my name for the link)? That makes me so sad! I got to the dome today and saw that L-Rod was playing 3rd and Jason Tyner was batting second, but i just assumed he got the day off. Then I get home and read this and it's just so sad. I hope he feels better in the next couple days and doesn't have to go on the DL. He's pretty much my favorite.

I know its not encouraged to question the BODsupreme beings, but in this case i will say, having just returned form the game, el presidente was everything you wish for and more and he is BACK and the reason he is not BOD is because these sorts of earthly acolydes mean nothing to him. Cuddyer needs them or his will to live and collect RBI's wears thin.
But if there was a reason for Cuddyer to earn BOD honors, it would be supported by his assist, a thing of beauty.

Watch L-Rod go on a tear now!

One gets off, two more get on. Go Cuddyer, but I have to disagree and say that this was all Johan tonight. Cuddyer was just the icing.

Everytime I get frustrated with Cuddles he comes back and gives me a gift. Lovely.

Plus double steals are hot.

Just got back from the game, and I'm only minimally horse. Way to go Cuddy, and Santana was awesome. Some how I knew Cuddy was going to get mad when they walked mauer, so fun.

As the old saying goes, "Don't get mad, get doubles."

Did I miss somewhere the comment that Gardy made? A few people have mentioned it here.

Yay for a great night of baseball. I'm glad Cuddles gets the BOD honors. Johan did great on the mound... Mauer got us the first run and had a good slide into home for the 3rd run and Jason Tyner saved 3 balls from going out of the park. Woohoo!

My aunt taught me a nice trick this weekend-listen to the games with no sound. Mute the TV. Then I can't hear Dick Jinx Bremer and Bert Blyleven argue about the Heidelberg writing on bats or talking about double plays while Kubel's at the plate. It also saves my mother's sanity, since I can't shout things like "I hate you Dick Bremer, you horrific jinx!" if I can't hear him. I think she thinks that I'm waiting for the TV to respond and it scares her.

My dad was real upset when Nathan took the mound in the ninth-he could've thrown a complete game and it could have very well been a shut out, Jeremy Sowers style. I couldn't hear Gardy during the post game show-something wrong with Johan's middle finger? Clearly, there was too much drunken birthday yelling going on at my house.

Yea for Dimples Cuddyer! My sister will be so happy.

I throw smack Cuddyer's way for being an easy K sometime, but he showed why he's earned the RF spot today. That was a double, by all rights. Right down the freaking line. My dialogue, replayed:
"S***, that's a double... Jesus, Cuddyer is flying! Nail him! *&@*)&(* what a play!"
Or something similar. That was the game, right there. Joe would've put 'em down in a 1-0 game. He just needed to bring the ERA up a notch in a meaningless inning. Good call on his part.

What a glorious game. Santana surged to a strong 1st in the Cy Young race tonight. It's a shame that either he or Radke will have to lose AL pitcher of the month to the other. Maybe they can tie.

From twinsbaseball.com...

"It was during that seventh inning Santana started to feel tired. Between half innings he let pitching coach Rick Anderson know to get another pitcher ready in case he couldn't make it through the eighth."

and...

"Even knowing what was at stake in terms of the postseason, Santana's outing was more impressive since the southpaw has been pitching with a blister and a split nail on his left middle finger for the past three weeks. It's something that has affected Santana's pitching, as seen by a diminished slider late in the game, but not enough to make him any less effective.

"'It's tough, but that's the way it is,' Santana said. 'You have to learn how to deal with it. It's painful, but when I'm out there I don't think about it.'

"Santana's nail has started to grow back, which has helped to limit the pain but not enough to erase it completely. But with the playoff push in the back of his head and knowing that quality starts are needed during the absence of Francisco Liriano, Santana definitely looks to be a man on a mission."

oh wow.. thanks HG! I am more and more impressed with Santana and his abilities the more I know. He's bueno

Herald Guy:

Thnx for the info on Santana. I wondered why Rincon was warming up in the 8th. I did notice a number of deep fly balls being caught by Tyner so maybe Gardy was just being careful...

Cuddles deserved BOD--his throw nailing a fast guy trying for what should have been a sure double down the RF line was a thing of beauty. And a HUGE play in a 1-0 game. Of course his clutch hit made sure it was not a 1-0 final.

DAM

So, Santana and Radke are playing through pain. Think this will encourage Liriano at all?

It truly was a great game. I wish I could have been there. I watched it on TV, and I got really mad at Dick for mentioning double plays and started shouting at him. I love talking to the television. I get it from my dad. Unfortunately, I missed Gardy's hot tub comment and Johan's wink. Oh, well. Anyway, I think DJ Cuddles deserved BOD honors because of his sucking streak.

Pun, do we really want Liriano pitching through pain when it seems this bad? They say he may be out for the rest of the season. I don't want to risk it, not yet anyway.

Good job Cuddles, though Santana pitching so well and through pain I probably would have picked him. Cheers for Mauer as well. Win Twins!!