More on the prospective ' 05 line-up from the Strib:
Here's the lineup Gardenhire has in mind: 1. Stewart, 2. Mauer, 3. Hunter, 4. Morneau, 5. Lew Ford, 6. Jacque Jones, 7. Michael Cuddyer, 8. a shortstop, 9. Luis Rivas."If we have all these guys in the lineup -- Morneau, Mauer, Hunter, Jones, Cuddyer, Lew Ford and Shannon -- we can have some fun," Gardenhire said.
Two things stand out about this batting order. One, Gardenhire prefers left-right balance. Two. Mauer and Hunter aren't prototypical hitters for the spots they're in.
Many guessed that Mauer would bat third and Morneau fourth, but Gardenhire wants to guard against opposing managers being able to use left-handed specialists late in games.
"The lineup sets up easy like that with some good hitters and some pretty good balance all the way through," Gardenhire said. "Any other way it looks like I'm bunching lefties up. I give the opposing manager an opportunity to bring someone in like [Chicago's] Damaso Marte and eat you up for an inning and a half. Innings are big toward the end. You don't want to give away an inning. And if you put the pressure on the other manager like they do on us to bring in one guy left-right-left out or right-left-right out, it makes a little difference. Make them make moves."
And, in the GET OVER IT department, Batgirl's intern sends this choice bit from the Chicago Tribune:
Many observers feel the Sox lost their swagger last season when Minnesota Twins outfielder Torii Hunter bowled over catcher Jamie Burke at home plate in a crucial series and the Sox failed to respond."In the Torii Hunter situation, if someone comes and does something like that, it can actually pump your team up," said Burke, who again is fighting for a roster spot. "We kind of went into a slide after that and they went on a roll. Maybe we should show guys after something like that that we are not backing down and come right at 'em.
"Being tougher means not backing down from anyone, to go out after things as hard as you can. When you need to break up a double play or something, go in there and do your job. It's not going out there and trying to cause fights."
...The White Sox acquired catcher A. J. Pierzynski at least in part to accentuate the toughness factor.
"I just think [Guillen] wants us to do the little things better and he wants us to play the game right," said Pierzynski, the former Giant and Twin. "We should take pride in what we do and play as hard as we can. … Be accountable and stand up and defend each other in this room. The winning from there takes over."
Sox catchers are expected to reflect the overall attitude of the team.
Batgirl thinks that instead of focusing so much energy on that one moment, the Bitch Sox should instead try to figure out why they're blaming their whole collapse on one single damned play. As Dr. Phil says, maybe, instead, they should look in the mirror.
Drills are starting at Spring Training, as Insider's pictures show.
Relief.
Starters.
Autographers.
Rehabilititors.
Meanwhile, the Twins wives are putting together a book of drawings for the Twins Community Fund and, ever willing to take one for the team, Insider went over to hang out with them. Here is a sundae, likely drawn by the new Mrs. Shannon Stewart:
And here we have Mrs. Tiffee and Mrs. Resto, creating a delicious dome dog.
Meanwhile, for the ladies, Insider gives this picture of Mr. Jacque Jones.
Oh, and I look good in those Nike shirts, too, Torii.
From the Strib:
Kicking around potential lineups on Saturday, manager Ron Gardenhire said he might go with Shannon Stewart, Mauer, Torii Hunter, Morneau, Lew Ford, Jacque Jones, Michael Cuddyer, the shortstop (perhaps switch-hitter Nick Punto) and Luis Rivas.
Batgirl was very intrigued by this Jim Souhan column in the Strib, in which Souhan discusses what the fate of a player like Randy Moss might be in the Twins clubhouse. According to Torii Hunter, he and one Mr. Jones would take care of that kind of 'tude very quickly.
"A lot of big-name guys, they go to another organization, then they find guys who are problems like that, so they put up a wall and act the same way," Hunter said. "We don't let that happen here. We keep talking to you until you start smiling and having fun. And if you don't, then we might have to fight."If you think you're bigger than the team, then you shouldn't be here. And they [the Twins] see that, and get rid of guys like that."
Careful drafting, minor league grooming and clubhouse vigilance -- not to mention payroll restrictions that prevent the pursuit of players like Sosa -- usually keeps problem players from the Twins' clubhouse.
Batgirl has every faith that this is true, but the Twins have always been very successful keeping jerks out of the clubhouse--they just can't afford it. And Batgirl wonders if the problems some of the former Twins have been having out in the world are due to this lack of mitigating influences. At least the Bitch Sox should be able to keep A.J. in check.
God Bless Insider and his marvelous camera. God bless spring training. And may god bless the Minnesota Twins.
Says Insider:
The Twins have a golf outing each spring raising money for Lee Cancer Care, (Lee County). Last year they raised $35,000 and hoped to top it this year. Today was the tourney, and it was a beautiful day for golf. Joe Mauer won the longest drive contest, JD Durban won the putting contest on his birthday being the only person to make a 69 foot putt. Mike Trombleys foursome won the tourney with a whopping 18 under 64. Here's a few pictures of some of the guys. I told Nathan this picture was for Batgirl and he wanted to know why he was vice, instead of pres.
Chairman.
Back-up Chairman
Secretary of Beer Bellies.
Vice-President.
Secretary of Lyle Koshe.
Real Deal.
One year deal.
SI's John Donovan picks the Twins to Four Peat this year, thanks to the big signing of one Mr. Johan Santana:
In the American League Central, payrolls are prim and proper and owners are skinflint-types reminiscent of the good old days. That's where the Twins are the champions, tops among the tightwads, first-class frugals....The sudden largesse is probably needed for the Twins to stay atop the division. The Indians are in the fourth year of a five-year rebuilding program and just missed the .500 mark last season after an exciting summer. The White Sox revamped a team that won 83 games in '04. They could challenge again. The Tigers are comers and they, too, broke open the checkbook, most notably with a $75 million deal to get former White Sox outfielder Magglio Ordonez. Only the struggling Royals seem out of chances in this division.
Meanwhile, AP sings the praises of our own LeRoy. Despite the fact that there's no actual position for him on the team, he's not going anywhere.
He began last spring as the full-time designated hitter, but a pulled muscle on the right side of his rib cage suffered in the first week of the season kept him out for a month. That opened the door at DH for Lew Ford - or Shannon Stewart if Ford was filling in for him in left field. Veteran Jose Offerman also got 33 starts at designated hitter.Now LeCroy will find himself giving Justin Morneau breaks at first, Ford at DH and perhaps Mauer - on occasion - at catcher. He knows his role is in relief, and as a leader.
"I think he's done very well for himself," Gardenhire said. "On the bench, you started seeing it. He was getting himself ready and other guys ready. I kind of look at it like that now. Guys look up to him. That's pretty neat. It's not every day you have guys looking up to you."
Batgirl is thoroughly enjoying BALL FOUR. BatBook Club begins in two weeks!
Freealonzo sends this delightful communique from Fort Meyers:
Ron Gardenhire is like a kid in a candy store, always smiling, laughing, giving everyone a hard time, clearly he loves what he is doing.It's pretty easy to understand why Matty Lacroix gets so much ribbing. He's easily the most vocal person out there, always giving teammates a hard time, and a lot of self-deprecating humor.
According to Freealonzo's wife, Michael Restovich would be her boyfriend. Freealonzo's mom was partial to Terry Tiffle. Cuddyer was sporting new facial hair which according to both Freealonzo's wife and mother, took away from his boyfriendness.
Speaking of boyfriends, there are a number of women at spring training looking to make a Twin or two their boyfriend.
Finally the Chairman's knee looked pretty good. He took part in all drills and to my eye didn't seem to limp, favor his knee, or look like he was in any pain.
Tell the Batlings who are heading to Fort Myers that if they want to see the pitchers, they have to get at the fields early (9:30 am) as they do their warmups and then they are in the club house. Also, the rumor was that Torii and Jacque were also already at camp but that they work out early and then they go inside.
Oh, the papers are so filled with good quotes and delightful tidbits, it's hard for Batgirl to contain herself. Like this:
The coaching staff was all over designated hitter Matthew LeCroy on Tuesday.During batting practice, LeCroy popped up a pitch, causing bench coach Steve Liddle to quip, "It's really hard for Matty to concentrate with that concession stand so close."
Then, when a reporter jokingly suggested that LeCroy bat leadoff, Gardenhire said: "It takes three singles and a homer to score him. If he scores from first in the first inning, he's done. I have to take him out."
Poor LeRoy, if people aren't careful, they're going to give him a complex.
And then, there's the shocking revelation that Little Nicky Punto has somehow injured himself:
Nick Punto has a back strain, creating doubts that he will be ready to battle for the starting shortstop's job when position players begin official workouts on Saturday.Punto told club officials he felt something while swinging a bat Monday during a voluntary workout on a back field at the Lee County Sports Complex.
...Now his back strain is causing concern about his durability at such a demanding position.
"That's going to be the issue, if he can stay healthy long enough to play," Gardenhire said. "He plays hard. Unfortunately for us, he's gotten hurt the last year. Now he's starting off in spring with a little tweak. Hopefully we can get him back on the field. We'll have answers sooner than later."
Honestly. It must be hard enough to go through that without Gardy calling him a "little tweak."
Meanwhile, just as the two major newspapers run stories about how our pitching staff is, like totally set, every single member of the bullpen injures himself...:
Relievers Jesse Crain and Terry Mulholland have joined other ailing players in camp.Crain strained his right hamstring Tuesday during a fielding drill and is considered day to day.
"He made a kind of an unusual reach for the ball and when he did, he tweaked his hammy," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said.
Mulholland, slowed by bronchitis, didn't work out Tuesday but is expected to be out a couple of days.
If you're keeping track, that makes three projected relievers who are sputtering out of the gate at camp. The third is Grant Balfour, who has a sore right forearm.
other than that, though, Terence John Mulholland in the twilight of his life has never felt better:
Terry Mulholland may be the oldest player in camp, but his pitching elbow doesn't look the part."I can feel a difference,'' said Mulholland, the left-hander who pitched last season with occasional discomfort in the elbow before having the joint surgically "cleaned out'' in November. "It moves normal now. No Rice Krispies or clicks or anything like that in there. And my extension is pretty much normal.''
More from Insider in Fort Myers. It doesn't seem to be snowing there.
Pitchers and catchers, reporting for duty.
"So, Boo, how much of that sugar cereal are you eating, anyway?"
Lew.
Balf.
Cy.
Terry Mulholland.
From the Strib:
Catcher Joe Mauer was being interviewed on Wednesday when former Twin Corey Koskie walked over to listen to his answers."I've been working with him on improving his interviewing," said Koskie, who signed with Toronto during the offseason. "I'm trying to get him off the Doug Mientkiewicz program."
Then, Koskie turned to Mauer and said: "And the next time you get a game ball, give it back."
That referred to Mientkiewicz keeping the ball used for the final out of last year's World Series, angering Red Sox officials and fans.
Koskie has a home in Fort Myers and worked out at the Twins' complex before heading to Dunedin, Fla., to report to Blue Jays camp. Former Twins A.J. Pierzynski, Dustan Mohr and Brian Buchanan also worked out at the Lee County Sports Complex during the week.
No, we never get tired of making really dumb Canada jokes. Also, check out this Cool Strib Multimedia Thingy where Jim Souhan interviews LaVelle E. Neal, who is fresh off the plane to Ft. Meyers. Neal believes this will be the best Twins line-up in years and is very optimistic about the entire starting ro' as well, because "Lohse can't possibly have a worse year than he did last year."
And, in other Canadian news, playing the role of Job this offseason was one Justin Morneau:
Manager Ron Gardenhire said that since last season ended, Morneau had appendicitis, chicken pox and a lung infection that led to pneumonia."He's been sicker than a dog all winter long," Gardenhire said. "He's got to be behind. There's no doubt in my mind."
The club wanted to fly Morneau into camp over the weekend, but he was too sick to travel. Not good for someone expected to start at first base and hit at least 30 homers.
"He's had a heck of a winter," Gardenhire said. "We have to see how he is."
History suggests that Morneau should consider freezing himself in November and thawing out in February. A viral infection during the 2002 offseason caused him to lose 20 pounds. He then suffered a broken toe just before camp in 2003, causing Gardenhire to nickname him "Mour-toe."
It seems the good Doctor could use a good doctor.
(Thank you! I'll be here all week!)
Insider sends these wonderful pictures from Spring Training! Batgirl is a wee jealous. Darned this secret government work!
Cuddy gets the brushback from one of Lew Ford's kids.
The pitch is a little tight.
Oh, yeah? Hit this, punk!
LeCory Butt
Rivas Butt
Jesse Crain Butt
Jason Bartlett Butt
In ESPN: The Magazine's baseball notebook section, Peter Gammons lists "the five biggest ifs this spring," and number one is Mr. Mauer.
"If Joe Mauer comes back to catch 140 games, he'll be the single most important addition to any team," says one AL GM. "He may be the best catcher in the game." The 21-year-old Mauer caught only 32 games for the Twins because of knee problems. There's been speculation he might not be able to catch again. "That's not what we, he or the doctors believe," says GM Terry Ryan. In his 107 ABs, Mauer had a .939 OPS and batted .308. Give Mauer and 1B Justin Morneau 1,200 plate appearances instead of 434, and the pitching-rich Twins may have the firepower to get to the Series.
(Thanks to the Commish for typing this out.)
Batgirl is on a secret government mission and will be unable to go to Spring Training, so she is hoping to send several Batlings as her operatives. Who's going? Please collect pictures, gossip, anecdotes, and, of course, butt shots.
Oh, my sweet darlings. Finally. Finally. Spring is here. Pitchers and catchers report (Are there four more glorious words in the language) Sunday, and the dark times will be past. Batgirl can barely contain herself. And the local media are actually running Twins stories! Yes, it's true. Like this preview, from the Strib
Gardenhire's take on Mays' pitching program, deemed to be a bit too accelerated by Twins coaches: "I know he's champing at the bit. I told him if he goes down there before we start this thing, and he gets hit with a ball throwing batting practice to hitters, that [pitching coach Rick Anderson] and I will take him into this office, put him over this desk and beat the snot out of him."
Or also check out the Strib for this Q&A with Gardy himself, who discourses on the state of various Joes, the great sucking sound in his infield, and the emotional tyranny of numbering your starters. Or handy guides to the Spring Training schedule (first game, March 3 against your World Series champion Boston Red Sox), the starting ro', offseason moves, and something rather obscurely called "Spring Questions," which are not actually questions to be asked of Spring, but rather, questions to be answered in Spring Training.
Or you can check on the PiPress for...well, nothing yet. Maybe they'll post something tomorrow. That'd be nice.
{EDIT} Chastened by Batgirl, the PiPress is up with a story....Mauer Watch Begins Anew.
Well, not so much a policy, really, as an opinion. For Batgirl feels she's been sending out conflicting messages on this whole stadium brouhaha and she would like to clarify.
1) In her previous entry, Batgirl implied the Metrodome was a shithole. This is not fair. The Metrodome is a shit heap.
2) Batgirl wants a new ballpark. She wants a retractable roof (sorry Twins Geek), seats that don't cause intense physical pain, and vegetarian food options. Preferably delicious ones.
3) Batgirl believes cities should invest in themselves. Art, education, business, entertainment, clean sidewalks, well-paid bloggers--all this makes for a better community, and a better community makes for a happy Batgirl.
4) All this would put Batgirl pro public financing, and indeed she is. But she despises the blackmail that is MLB's modus operandi. And even more than that, she despises the way ownership has treated the fans over the last decade, and all this build-one-or-else makes Batgirl throw up in her mouth a little.
So, where does that leave us? Now Batgirl sits at the Metrodome sundeprived, in need of major chiropractic attention, and extremely hungry while the Twins continue to play in a sh*theap/hole. Ownership needs to rebuild its relationship with the fans (she knows the Eloise Pohlad Ballpark isn't going to happen, but that's still Batgirl's favorite solution) and stop with the blackmail, and the community needs to lighten up a bit. Or else Batgirl needs to win the lottery and build the Corey Koskie Memorial Stadium. Either way.
el diablo sends this article from Yahoo! about the Kansas City stadium kerfuffle. It seems intrepid Kansas Cityopolitans wanted a new stadium in downtown KC, but ownership said no even though the people of KC were more than happy to pay for the darned thing. Or as the article says:
Now, we take a look at Kansas City's attempt for a downtown stadium.
1. Sports owner says he's perfectly content in his current stadium.2. Citizens scream and kick and shout, "You will have a stadium downtown, like it or not," and "You will take this money when we raise it, buster."
3. Owner plainly says he's satisfied where he is and he absolutely will not move team.
4. City angrily gives in and does not build new stadium.
What can you say? I cannot think of a single situation where a city wanted to build a new stadium and the sports owner did not. Not one.
But hey, you have to admire Kansas City for originality.
Batgirl would like to hear from some of her readers Down Under (down under Iowa that is...) on this issue. The author's thesis is that Kauffman Stadium is simply too nice; that if they wanted a new ballpark, the good people of KC should have built a real shithole, like the Dome.
Batgirl has a solution though: why don't they raise the money and build us a new park? That way, everyone wins.
Batgirl's Valentine Eric Neel shouts out to Dougie Baseball as, duh, The Best Defensive First Baseman. Maybe now that he's playing for one of those fancy east coast teams, he'll get one of them pretty Gold Gloves all the kids want these days.
On Aug. 16, 2004, first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz started a game for the Red Sox against Toronto. He played seven innings in the field, had four total chances, made two putouts, registered two assists and participated in one double play.Oh, by the way, he was playing second base at the time.
The man has skills.
Girls like boyfriends with skills.
This just in. Details as they come. From KFAN:
The FAN has learned the Twins and Johan Santana have agreed to a four-year deal. Terms of the contract are unknown at this time. The deal was confirmed by Santana's agent's office. Santana's representative is Peter Greenberg out of New York. Santana and the Twins were set for an arbitration hearing tomorrow.
Thanks to Sdave for the heads up!
EDIT: Here are some details from the Strib:
The truth is Santana is on the verge of signing the richest contract in team history: four years for about $40 million. And his $13.25 million salary in 2008 would be the highest single-season salary in team history. The deal could be finalized as soon as today.The deal is contingent on Santana passing a physical.
Santana, 25, will receive around $5.5 million this season, $9 million in 2006, $12 million in 2007 and then $13.25 million in 2008. Officials on both sides are reluctant to reveal exact details until Santana passes his physical.
"I'm happy that we've finally got something done," Santana said in Fort Myers, where he is having a home built. "We worked hard on it, and it works out for everybody. I'll be a Twin for four more years."
Jim Souhan send a big valentine to Terry Ryan in Sunday's Strib:
Can the Twins continue to win this way? "If we do what we're supposed to do, I don't see why it can't work," Ryan said. "If we stay relatively healthy and do our work in the draft and international scouting and make some decent trades when the need or occasion arises, we should be able to sustain."Look around town, and you see what overspending costs.
The Wolves are imploding because they put their faith in unreliable free agents. The Vikings made their most unreliable player their highest-paid player, and now they might trade him. The Wild play (or not) in a league that overspent its way to ruin.
Look around baseball and you see GMs abusing their checkbooks and overpaid stars abusing steroids.
The Twins? From a spartan office decorated with the names of players he can't afford, Ryan keeps finding Nathans and Silvas at the bottom of his big board, giving fans reason to believe.
Souhan's got a point. After El Presidente and Sweetcheeks, TR might just be the most popular guy associated with the Twins. Batgirl has no idea how long he's under contract for, but she hopes it's a very very very long time. Unless of course he's interested in a career change...TR for Senate, '08?
From the PiPress:
Pitcher Kyle Lohse defeated the Twins Friday in baseball's first arbitration hearing of the year.Lohse, eligible for arbitration for the first time in his career, will make $2.4 million this year after earning $395,000 in 2004. The Twins had offered the right-hander $2.15 million, but arbitrators Christine Knowlton, Robert Bailey and Elliott Shriftman decided in favor of Lohse, 26, one day after a hearing in Tampa, Fla.
"It feels good," said Lohse, 9-13 with a 5.34 earned-run average in 34 starts last season. "You feel justified about going in with the number that we did."
For lots of things. He's sorry for the distractions. For everything he put his team through. And his family. And the fans, oh yes, he's sorry for the fans. The steriods though? Not so much.
From the PiPress:
Jason Giambi apologized to the New York Yankees. He apologized to his teammates. He apologized to fans. He never said why he was apologizing. And not only did he never say whether he used steroids, he never even mentioned the word.Giambi came to Yankee Stadium to make his first public comments since it was reported in December that he'd told a federal grand jury in 2003 that he took steroids for at least three seasons.
"When I went into that grand jury, I told the truth," he said.
But that's about as far as he went, despite a lot of prodding.
"I know the fans might want more, but at this present time because of all the legal matters, I can't get into specifics," he said. "Someday, hopefully, I will be able to."
If you ask Batgirl, she thinks he should apologize for using "hopefully" in such a matter. What kind of an example is he setting for America's youth?
Batgirl's close personal friend Sid Hartman has this juicy tidbit from Sweetcheeks:
Twins outfielder Torii Hunter said he only can imagine his first time at the plate against the White Sox with former Twins catcher A.J. Pierzynski behind the plate. "I would expect A.J. to say, 'Torii watch out for that slider, Torii watch out for that fastball.' The only way to get A. J. taken care of is to take him out at the plate."
What else might AJ say to various Twins when he's behind the plate?
From the PiPress:
Santana's negotiations hit a snag late last week but have resumed. Neither side would discuss terms, but the Twins' latest offer is believed to be a four-year deal worth almost $40 million with a fifth-year option. It likely would take a contract comparable to the one Toronto's Roy Halladay signed after he won the AL Cy Young Award in 2003 — a four-year, $42 million deal.
BG's home PG lays out the Central:
The Twins already have what the industry considers the best organization in baseball, and despite losing three-quarters of the infield that started the 2004 season, they may be better than the team that won 92 games last year. The Indians have rebuilt their system and vision to the point where they got to within a game of being .500 last season, and this year could well jump into serious contention. Only the Royals, who must build with their young pitchers, will report to spring training next week knowing that the playoffs are more than just a shot away....The Twins easily won the division in 2004 because of their pitching, which had Cy Young-winner Johan Santana. They led the league in ERA. Their starters' 4.08 ERA was 0.69 better than anyone else in the division, and the bullpen, anchored by All-Star Joe Nathan, was 32-24 with a 3.93 ERA that was 0.38 better than any divisional rival. If, at age 26, Kyle Lohse figures out how good his stuff is and reduces his 5.34 ERA and Joe Mays comes back from arm surgery – and all early indications are good – the staff will be deeper. It's possible that J.D. Durbin, he of the golden arm, will be given every opportunity to make the bullpen and learn the ways of the big leagues in that role before his time comes to start.
Even though they lost so much of their infield, Twins general manager Terry Ryan is convinced the offense will be better if Mauer – who one AL GM says is the best catcher in the league – is recovered from knee surgery. "We have every indication that he will be fine and able to catch regularly," Ryan said. Morneau and Mauer give them two big bats in the middle of the lineup, and if Jason Kubel hadn't torn up his knee in the Arizona Fall League, there might be three kids in the heart of the order. Michael Cuddyer finally will get his full-time shot at his natural position, third base. Nick Punto, Jason Bartlett and Juan Castro will compete at shortstop.
More details on the Jackal deal from the Strib:
Twins righthander Carlos Silva has agreed to a two-year, 5.05 million contract, avoiding arbitration,Silva was 14-8 with a 4.21 ERA last season. He will be paid $1.75 this season and $3.2 million in 2006. He can earn up to $100,000 in bonuses for pitching up to 210 innings.
The deal includes a club option for 2007 that could be worth between $4 million and $5.75 million, depending on how many innings he pitches over the two previous years. It becomes a mutual option if he is traded, pitches 205 innings in 2006 or 410 over the two years. There is a $100,000 buyout.
"Silva was rewarded for a successful first season as a starter," Twins General Manager Terry Ryan said. "He's 25, he's strong and he has upside. He should be more comfortable.
From the Strib:
The Twins, unable to sign three pitchers, might have to spend the next week in Tampa, Fla., for arbitration hearings. The most notable of the trio is lefthander Johan Santana....Santana's arbitration hearing is scheduled for Feb. 15, one of three hearings the Twins have scheduled over the next week. Twins General Manager Terry Ryan, without getting specific about how far apart the sides are, said a deal could be worked out to avoid arbitration.
"We're trying to get something done," Ryan said. "I don't want you to think that D-day is coming. This is the stuff you go through to get something finalized."
ESPN.com's Hot Stove Heaters continues, with Torii Sweetcheeks Hunter as Best Wallbanger.
The box office success of Spiderman and Spiderman 2 undoubtedly has the producers thinking about yet another sequel. Should Tobey Maguire be unavailable for the third installment in the franchise, they could do a lot worse than cast Torii Hunter in the lead role.Hunter, after all, could do his own stunts. He could leap walls and scale fences. He could display startling athleticism and do things few others could.
In other words, he could do all the things that he already does as the center fielder for the Minnesota Twins.
Batgirl's e-mail box is full of links to this piece of mind-blowing wonderfulness. Batgirl's Korean is a little rusty, but it appears to be a cartoon guide to various baseball teams, discovered by the fine folk at Red Reporter. Here is the Twins version:
The question is, what on earth are the captions saying? Batlings, what do you think?
Apparently there's some sort of important football game today, Batgirl doesn't really know anything about it except that they sometimes run commercials about cat herding and you're totally not supposed to expose your boobies during the halftime show. All she knows for sure is when it's over we can all start talking about baseball again.
Oh, and one more thing:
Go Eagles!
That's right. Batgirl is starting her very own bookclub! Each month (at least during the off-season) we'll pick a baseball book and anyone who wants to join us has a few weeks to read the book. And for our very first "meeting," we shall read the baseball classic:
The Back Flap:
When Ball Four was first published in 1970, it hit the sports world like a lightning bolt. Commissioners, executives, players and sportswriters were thrown into a state of shock. Stunned. Scandalized. The controversy was front-page news.
Sportswriters called Bouton a Judas, a Benedict Arnold and a "social leper." Commissioner Bowie Kuhn tried to force the author to sign a statement saying that the book wasn't true. One team actually burned a copy of Ball Four in protest.And Bouton is still not invited to Oldtimers' Day at Yankee Stadium.Fans, however, loved Ball Four and serious critics called it an important document. It was also very popular among people who didn't ordinarily follow baseball, because Ball Four is not strictly a book about baseball, but one about people who happen to be baseball players. And it's hilariously funny.
For the twentieth-anniversary edition of this historic book, Bouton has written a new epilogue, detailing his career as an inventor, his battles with the Wrigley Company over bubble gum, his take on the Pete Rose controversy, and how baseball looks two decades after he changed its public image forever.
We will be discussing BALL FOUR online beginning March 8. Enjoy!
(Batgirl gets a cut from Amazon when you buy the book after clicking on the above link.)