Assorted Curious Crap

• At 4:33 am last Thursday morning, Justin Morneau gave birth to his first child—Evelyn Audra Sheryl Morneau. Justin will most likely continue his maternity leave through the end of the post season.
• You've probably heard about this week’s Sports Illustrated featuring a cover story on Jim Thome and Target Field. Weird part for me while reading this? Realizing that author Joe Posnanski was quoting both my boyfriend (“Home run, Jim!”) and my mom (“double play or a homerun”)! Apparently, Joe used my YouTube video for help when recounting Jim Thome’s walk-off homerun against the Sox back in August. Nothing like reading about a sports moment in Sports Illustrated told through the exact perspective you actually had of the moment… Great article Joe!
  
• Good thing Ben Revere was called up in time to take part in Twins rookie dress up day (although I can’t figure out what he is supposed to be dressed up as [EDIT: Thank you to the anonymous commenter, apparently Ben Revere is supposed to be this]). Thanks for the pictures Pat!
• Although this has already gotten attention on many other Twins blogs, I wanted to mention this Open Letter to the Minnesota Twins and their Fans (written by a White Sox fan). Basically, it's a White Sox fan explaining why he still hates the Twins, why the Twins suck, and why the White Sox are still better than the Twins. My question is--why are Twins fans offended by this? Were you really expecting White Sox fans to like the Twins after the Twins swept their team and dreams of reaching the postseason? They are White Sox fans. This is exactly what they are supposed to do. Just compliment their team, keep playing Minnesota Nice, and it will piss them off even more.
• Except, er, extremely obnoxious Chicago White Sox TV broadcaster Ken "Hawk" Harrleson is apparently now pulling for the Twins to win the World Series. You can... put it on the board? I'm not even sure what to think about this.
• Ozzie Guillen--normally Twins fan number 1--however, now thinks the Yankees or Rays have a better chance at clinching the AL than the Twins.
  
• Ron Gardenhire missed Saturday's game after Alexi Casilla threw a ball at his head during batting practice. Luckily, Gardenhire passed a concussion test and won't have to take maternity through the end of the post season.
  

This blog post is dedicated to my biggest fan--Target Field, of Facebook fame. I am glad you enjoy my assorted curious crap, Mr. Target Field!

Can the Twins play the Royals/Orioles everyday?

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Best road trip ever!

Okay, maybe not technically but it sure feels like it. Over the past 7 days on the road, the Twins have outscored their opponents 60-16! The highest point of the trip was on Monday, when the Twins all padded their stats by beating the Royals 19-1! That score deficit apparently tied the Royals’ worst loss ever—but one poster on the Kansas City Star website made a pretty strong argument as to why it was actually the worst Royals’ loss ever.

Which is why I like the Royals, and their fans. They really love baseball. They also have blog headlines like this:

“Avoiding The Shutout: Royals Lose 19-1 To Twins”
“Game 99 Open Thread - Twins at Royals: I guess it really can't get much worse on the field tonight compared to last night's game.”
“Royals Make It Interesting, Lose Nevertheless: A 6-4 loss is like a win, right?”

See? Finding the positives! No temper-tantrums!

So kudos to Royals Fans!


Some other things worth noting:

• The Twins have had the second highest T.V. ratings out of all MLB teams so far this year.
• Despite also being Canadian, it looks like Morneau isn’t going to be the next Corey Koskie. He saw a concussion specialist last week who said he is making progress and by the end of the week he was working out at Target Field.
• Great News: Delmon Young shows no signs of ending the “Proving Jim Souhan is an Idiot Campaign of 2010” anytime soon.
• Superstar Twins blogger Nick Nelson hypothesized in a blog post last week that Joe Mauer's performance has suffered this year because he's been playing through several nagging injuries. Others have been saying the same thing. Turns out, they were spot on.
  

Mike Redmond: "They should bring me back just to hang out."

With all of the excitement surrounding the Twins’ series win over the White Sox this weekend, I almost missed this gem, hiding at the bottom of the notes following a short Pioneer Press story on Mike Redmond from Saturday:

Former Twins catcher Mike Redmond, released by Cleveland, kidding, on the Twins: "They should bring me back just to hang out."

Yes! Please! Can Mike Redmond come hang out?

Just imagine: More naked batting practice. More smelling ‘em RBIs. More piggyback rides for Punto.






Morneau lamented to an FSN reporter a couple weeks ago about how much he missed Redmond, and felt it was affecting the team. "Not having (Mike) Redmond here has made a difference in the dugout," He said. "He didn't play every day, but he was involved every day. He was in there, yelling and just having fun. Keeping you loose in the dugout.

"Being positive is the most important thing. Sometimes this game can beat you up, it's so negative."

Prior to the series win over the White Sox this weekend, when the team slipped into third in the division, it seemed like all of Twins’ Territory had reached a Jim Souhan-level of negativity. It was so bad I even contemplated leaving this blogging business so I wouldn’t have to keep up with all the mean things big old meanies were saying on the internet—like “Fire Gardy!”, “Sit Mauer!”, and “It’s our job as fans to complain about the team!”

I just want to have some faith, keep watching, and scream like a banshee when our boys come through. Like this:





See? Isn't that more fun than just complaining about Nick Blackburn?

The Twins have good players, those players just need a spark.

So what do you say Twins? Can Redmond come back? Just to hang out?

Kirby the Kestrel IS Alive, and Other Homestand Notes

I don't have cable, but someone told me the other day that Bert Blyleven said that Kirby the Kestrel has not been back to Target Field since awesomely catching and eating a moth on live TV May 6th, 2010. That is not true. Apparently Bert is paying too much attention to the game, because I saw Kirby on Mother's Day and against the Brewers.

AND I saw Kirby the Kestrel circling above Target Field just before the first pitch on June 16th.

(Picture Courtesy of My Mom)

Speaking of birds, has anyone else noticed that a bunch of barn swallows freaking love to fly around Target Field at sunset just before games?? My Mom and I named them.






Peanut-Free Twins

The Twins announced today that they are reserving, for a couple games, a mostly standing room only area for people who are allergic to peanuts. Doesn't that give you the warm fuzzies?

You can see the Star Tribune report on it here. Note lehun14's comment:

Cool!!!

Can we please create several "double play free" games as well?

Walks Will Haunt

If you were trying to find the one thing that survived the trip from the Metrodome to Target Field, I found it. And it's awesome.

Before:


After:

The after picture wins because (a) it's outside, (b) the ghost doesn't look like he just took a pee bath, (c) it's more haunting, and (d) the disgruntled Twins O-Gram in the corner.





Morneau is MLB's Most Fan-Accessible Player

Before the Royals game on June 10th, some fans near the right field (where the Twins were warming up) kept yelling at Justin Morneau. Justin then came over to the Fans and signed autographs for about 15 minutes!


This was just before the game started. Very awesome on the part of Morneau. He must be trying to show up Mauer in the most fan-accessible player rankings.





Jon Rauch Will Eat You

All those complaining about how the Twins need to trade for a closer need to shut up. Look at this awesome intro the Twins made for Rauch.



Doesn't it feel like Jon Rauch is going to reach through the computer screen and punch you in the face?



Other Pictures From the Home stand:


Liriano, working the strikeout board.




Twins fans watching the game.




Downtown at rainy/humid.




C#$%R@$%c2134dx!@#$!!!!

Can We All Be a Little More Positive Now (and Nicer to Visting Fans)?

See? We can beat the Yankees.

I’m really hoping last night's win will help can the extreme pessimism floating around in the Twins blogosphere. Really, look at this stuff:

• Brian on Twinkie Town: “I am a diehard Twins fan but this team is just unwatchable.”

• Jason Kubel’s Beard on Twinkie Town: “I hate to say this gang, but you KNOW were are going to be swept tonight. I’m hoping for a win, of course, but deep down, at the deepest, darkest depth of human emotion, you KNOW we are about to be swept at home.”

• Fanatic Jack: “This team looks more and more like 'The little engine that can't.' ... The offense is terrible, our bullpen can't hold leads, and our manager is a moron."

Jesus!

Sure, we lost to the Yankees four times this season, we’ve been batting terribly with runners in scoring position, and we’re paying Brendan Harris $1.45 million this year. But look—there’s still plenty worth living for Twins fans: even New Yorkers are agreeing that Target Field is better than the new Yankee Stadium; Morneau is leading the majors with a .377 batting average; and if the season ended today, the Twins would be the American League Central Division champions.

Plus look at this:





Be Nice to the Visitors

We all know Yankee fans can be douches, but that doesn’t mean we have to be douches too.

I was very dismayed to see some Twins fans this week at Target Stadium chasing around Yankees fans in the concourse and giving them hell. Andrew over at Off the Mark also described seeing this 'let's-act-like-we’re-Yankee-fans-at-Yankee-Stadium' type behavior (Andrew's post is a good read too).


Ok, story time: 1987, Game 7 of the World Series between the Minnesota Twins and the Cardinals. My parents—the luckiest people on the face of the earth—were sitting behind home plate. Sitting next to the aisle in the same section was a loud Cardinals fan cheering on his team.

So what did Twins fans do? A Twins fan in the section bought him a beer, because “his team is going to lose.” Then other Twins fans bought him a beer. Then more Twins fans bought him a beer. Pretty soon the Cardinals fan had a whole row of full beers in the aisle next to him, waiting to be drank. Towards the end of the game, the fan was saying “I love you guys! I looove all you guys! Twins fans are the best!! The Twins have the best fans in the world!!!”


Story time part II: In early 2005, my Mom and I attended a Twins vs. White Sox game at the Metrodome. Sitting in a seat in front of us was a lone White Sox fan, cheering very loudly and consistently for his team. He was getting a lot of beef from the other Twins fans in the section. So when Mark the Beer Guy came by, my mom stood up and said, “Mark! I want to buy a beer for that guy!” and pointed at the White Sox fan. The fan looked at my Mom like she had Alexi Casilla’s facial hair. He was utterly shocked. He informed us that he didn’t drink, but thanked her.

The White Sox Fan was actually pretty friendly. He started buying the open seat next to ours when the White Sox were in town. Now he’s our friend—he’s the guy in my photos from the Twins-Yankees game earlier this week. He gives us rides to the games when we need them, and we’re slowly turning him into a Twins fan.



Moral of the story: Please don’t act like a douche to fans from the opposing team. They are spending money at our ballpark. Plus, it is a lot more fun to be friendly, see the look on their face when you buy them a beer, and joke around then it is to get into mindless, drunk scuffles and be kicked out of the stadium.

I mean really. How can you not like this guy?


See the Video here!!!

10 More Videos...

For the first time this season, the Twins have lost three in a row.

But I like to be optimistic over here at Kirby's Left Eye. So here are 10 more videos to entertain the Twins fan.

#1 Metrodome Time-lapse




#2 Joe Mauer Gets Sprayed with Champagne, Doesn't Care




#3 Bert Blyleven: Dick's Shirt




#4 Justin Morneau Opening Day 2007: MVP




#5 Cool Jobs: Twins Organist




#6 3-year-old Wins Game 163 with his Lucky Hat




#7 年11月13日 東京ドーム




#8 Justin Morneau and His Childhood Dream to Win the Stanley Cup




#9 Happy Birthday Orlando Hudson




#10 ESPN: Joe Mauer (and his Mom) Open Fan Mail