RAIN DELAY!!

But more importantly—DID YOU SEE THAT SQUIRREL?



As the announced crowd of 38,962 chanted “LETS-GO SQUIRR-EL,” the critter attempted to attack Brendan Harris (clearly a Twins fan).










Outdoor baseball is even better than I had ever imagined.



When the game started yesterday, the weather was beautiful. There had practically been not a cloud in the sky all day. But, as I have been a Minnesotan pretty much my whole life, I did still bring a poncho with me—which was good, because I needed it.

Watch below as the tarp is pulled out over Target Field for the first time:

(Sorry about my fingers getting in the way at times—I was trying to keep my camera from being soaked)

Many were upset about the rain delay (and even more about the following suspension, I’m sure). I was not one of those people (and no, I did not have tickets to the next game either). I’ve been to hundreds of baseball games and never seen a rain delay—and then my first one is the very first one ever at Target Field! How glorious! How historic! How magical!



So here’s what happens during a rain delay: you run to Hrbek’s and find out everyone else already had that idea and you can’t get in. So then you go up the escalators and get to the Metropolitan club in the nick of time.

Yes, the White Sox Fan is actually a friend of ours we met at the Metrodome.
Long story. I'll tell you another time.

(My Mom: "Why isn't everyone else as excited about this?!")

After that gets boring, you walk around the field and watch the people—like the guy in left field, dancing away in the rain:

(He must have just gotten out of Hrbek’s)

Then you walk around the ballpark some more and check out what the tarp looks like from different angles.



















After an hour and twenty-three minutes, they announce the game is suspended until the next day.



And then it immediately stops raining.

A Perfect Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day Morning: As always, I wake up and run to the computer to check on my Fantasy Baseball team, Kirby’s Left Eye. Good news—I’m back in first. Looks like I have three pitchers starting today: Tim Lincecum, Liván Hernández, and Dallas Braden. Lincecum is a no-brainer; might as well use Liván until he falls apart sometime in late June; and—oh—Braden has a 4.14 ERA and is starting against Tampa Bay today. I’ll sit Braden.

How the heck was I supposed to know?

Later that day, as I am sure all baseball fans are now aware, Dallas Braden pitched the 19th perfect game in baseball history. There were 12,228 fans in attendance (the Coliseum—America’s new worst baseball park. You’re Welcome!) Unfortunately, Dallas’ mother wasn’t one of the 12,228—she died of skin cancer while Dal was in high school.

That afternoon I watched this video, my new favorite of the moment:



Dallas cried. Blue Jays lefty Dana Eveland cried. I cried. My boyfriend cried.

One of the sweetest things I've ever seen.



As for my mother's day, it went pretty much perfect as well. My mom wanted to go out to brunch, so out to brunch we went:

(Hey--I am my mother's daughter)

The Metropolitan Club at Target Field features some nice views from right field and an all you can eat buffet. I recommend you go sometime if you (a) are a season ticket holder (or buy tickets from a season ticket holder); (b) have reservations; (c) get there 45 minutes before your seating time and wait in line for some sweet outside seats (yes, even if you have reservations) [unless you're Twins President Dave St. Peter, who got the best seats without waiting].

My only real complaint was that the food was so good and I got so full (I mean, really, really full) that I couldn't concentrate on the game.

Here’s a Rundown:

(Click to Enlarge)

Denard Span (3 for 4, 3 RBI, 2 R, 1 SB)—Awesome smoked sausage. Was replaced with spicy sausage when I went back for seconds, which was even more awesome. Everyone's favorite of the day.

Nick Blackburn (7 IP, 4 H, 0 SO, 0 R)—Not stale, fluffy, sweet, awesome.

Nick Punto (2 for 3, 2 RBI)—Asparagus. It’s good for you.

Joe Mauer (1 for 3, 1 BB)—Bloody Mary. Can't go wrong.

Wilson Ramos (0 for 4)—All over the place.

Justin Morneau (0 for 4, 4 SO)—Some cheesy eggs with chorizo sausage. Sounded good, but was a huge let down.

Michael Cuddyer (1-4)—Standard potatoes.

Alexi Casilla (2 for 4, 1 RBI, 2 R)—Random crap mixed together on my plate.

Delmon Young (0 for 4, 1 SO)—Eggs Benedict that didn’t quite live up to what I expected. Needed more Hollandaise sauce.

Brendan Harris (3 for 4, 2 R, 1 SO)—My boyfriend thought these eggs tasted fishy. I thought they were fine.

Matt Guerrier (1 IP, 1 SO, 0 H, 0 BB)—Strawberries. Tasted like strawberries.

Jon Rauch (1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER)—Dollop of sour cream in the eggs. Made things interesting.

Orlando Hudson—Missing from the lineup with a sore shoulder.





Kirby the Kestrel: "the most popular thing since Wilson Ramos"




The Star Tribune is reporting that Kirby the Kestrel won FSN’s “Name the Kestrel.” I don’t think the official winner has been announced yet, but according to his Twitter account, his name is Kirby the Kestrel.

I spotted Kirby very briefly on Mother’s day. He flew around in the sky behind the Budweiser Beer Deck in the 6th inning, but disappeared before I could get my camera out.

He later tweeted:

Remember to thank your mother today. After all, she chewed up moths and vomited them into your mouth when you were just a hatchling.

To My Mom: You're the Best Mom in the World! I love you!