Twins Off Season Commentary

[powerchord86]

Where ya been bucko? Still looking for those marbles you lost? I suppose hanging out with the special ed kids on the Fuxed up Sports boards will do that to a guy. There should be some sort of disclaimer on that page.

 

[Hauvster]

Much more realistic and interesting over there. Different points of view are what makes boards interesting. Otherwise, stagnant talk is all you get. This man's point of view.

 

[buckamania]

PC -I assume Bucko means me, if so, I do have a note from home for my absence but my excuse is kinda lame. I been busy as can be, that and enjoying the incredible weather we get in the Winter, when I'm free.

The Twins talk is really down as compared to last year at this time. I think we are all still shell-shocked by last year's melt-down, and then the boot to Cuddy and Kubel, I know I am. Change is inevitable, I understand this, so I'm waiting to see what the Twins will do next. Right now I got nothing really to say so I'm trying to read you guys for some new info. I see jrs has escaped again. I'm gettin' his picture back on milk cartons asap. That's the guy we need for some new ideas. Anyone who can sit in a deer-stand for days on end has plenty of time to think. Later!

 

[powerchord86]

You're right buck. Slow times right now. Almost time to start the countdown to pitchers and catchers reporting.

 

[jrs21]

Hey Boyz

I thought I better stop by to let you know that I'm still kickin'.
Obviously, the Twins haven't made a big splash in free agency, but it is good to know that Terry Ryan is back at the controls. Billy Smith seems like a good guy, but damn he made some bad decisions. I'm glad to see that we will not have to watch Butera suck the life out our lineup on a daily basis anymore.
This Spring Training will be very telling and I think one way or another we will finally have some resolution to the Morneau situation. I hope he can return to his old form, but if concussion symptoms continue to bother him, and as a result the Twins, it will be time to cut ties. I am a Morneau fan and hope for him and our favorite team that he can get back to .300/30/100, looking at our lineup we will need it.
I think the Twins will get back to fielding a decent team again this year. I'm not expecting much, but .500 seems possible at least. Hopefully they can find a solid relief pitcher, their bullpen still looks pretty rough. Maybe someone steps up this year the way Perkins did for us last year. I'm not sold on Capps as our closer, I'd rather see the Twins open it up to either him or Perkins to battle it out in S.T. for the spot rather than just pencil Capps in.
It sounded like Capps had some arm issues he was dealing with last year, which they are saying are better this year. I give him props though, he fought through it and took his lumps on the hill last year when he could have folded his hand and joined the rest of his team on the DL.
Its a catch-22 for pro athletes when they are hurt. Suck it up and play through it GOOD OR BAD at less than 100%, or take the quick route to D.L. Its a no win deal, either they are are branded as a big pansy that should be playing through it because they are paid so much or it is said that they are not playing well so they suck and need to be cut, traded, or sent down.

.............by the way as someone pointed out, a difference of opinion is a good thing and makes for a good board. The difference being that here a different opinion can be tossed around and debated rather than mocked and ridiculed along with some sort of bullshit about how a poster is not true Twins fan or hearing about how "See I told you so", "I am right once again", or any other snyde puff my chest out comment.

With that I wish you all a Happy New Year! Maybe this year we win 99 instead of, well....never mind I won't say it.

 

[buckamania]

jrs. -I swear you do this disappearing / reappearing thing just to drive me nuts. I just got done getting your picture put back on the milk cartons and then you reappear. (Some people's kids!)

I'm with you on your Twins analysis, but I am not gonna get worked up this year as it can't really be a good one without a miracle, or two. They're coming to Tampa in April this year so I'll go to those games plus a lot of Spring Training games too. That'll tide me over for a while.

How was the hunting and fishing this year? As long as it's slow right now write us a tale, or two. I always like reading about the outdoors, give it a go.

 

[jrs21]

Hey Buck

Disappearing / reappearing - just keeping you on the edge of your seat man. I haven't been home much lately, work keeps getting in the way. I drop in when I can though.

Fishing - Its been so warm in MN at the end of fall / early winter that we really don't have very good ice yet, so we are limited to wheelers and portables for ice fishing. I've been on Gull twice ice fishing. first time I caught 5 really nice walleyes, then went back the following day: same spot, same time, same setup and caught 2 little ones.
I've been talking to buddy's who are tearing it up on Mille Lacs. Another guy I know made a run up to one of your favorites in Lake of the Woods last week he had 3 days where he caught over 100 walleyes and the 4th day he said he caught 25. If I didn't know him any better I would have called bullshit on that one, but I have never known him to lie in the past. That would have been a good trip to be on. I know if i'd have been there the story would've been "shoulda' been here last week".

jrs. -I swear you do this disappearing / reappearing thing just to drive me nuts. I just got done getting your picture put back on the milk cartons and then you reappear. (Some people's kids!)

I'm with you on your Twins analysis, but I am not gonna get worked up this year as it can't really be a good one without a miracle, or two. They're coming to Tampa in April this year so I'll go to those games plus a lot of Spring Training games too. That'll tide me over for a while.

How was the hunting and fishing this year? As long as it's slow right now write us a tale, or two. I always like reading about the outdoors, give it a go.

 

[buckamania]

jrs. - Great report! I do miss that ice-fishing on Mille Lacs, even though I knew it wound up to really be mostly, ice drinking. We liked staying around Garrison to be closer to the Blue Goose and the Casino. I always wanted to ice-fish Lake of the Woods but never got around to it.

That big lake has got a ton of fish in it. I'd love to hit it again in early June for them big "eyes" and really nice, big crappies at night. I knew that lake pretty good. That is, the Canadian side out of Morson, Ont. Lots of islands, shoals, reefs, & sand bars....all the good stuff you could ask for. Yeah, I know...what did I leave that for Florida for? I often wonder, but no snow is a big lure and I bit it!

Supposed to go on a 36hr. trip out in the Gulf in a week, or so, with my neighbor on his charter boat. He really produces the fish! I'm trying to make it work but that's a long time to leave my beautiful bride Lena all alone. Especially since that Greek, Laryingitis, is back in town! He's always hanging around here in the Winter.....

Later!

 

[jrs21]

A wife with laryingitis! What more could a guy ask for.........well maybe one with a flat head and no teeth. :squeeze:


between Garrison and the Casino is right where those guys have been catching those walleyes I was talking about. Good luck fishing!

jrs. - Great report! I do miss that ice-fishing on Mille Lacs, even though I knew it wound up to really be mostly, ice drinking. We liked staying around Garrison to be closer to the Blue Goose and the Casino. I always wanted to ice-fish Lake of the Woods but never got around to it.

That big lake has got a ton of fish in it. I'd love to hit it again in early June for them big "eyes" and really nice, big crappies at night. I knew that lake pretty good. That is, the Canadian side out of Morson, Ont. Lots of islands, shoals, reefs, & sand bars....all the good stuff you could ask for. Yeah, I know...what did I leave that for Florida for? I often wonder, but no snow is a big lure and I bit it!

Supposed to go on a 36hr. trip out in the Gulf in a week, or so, with my neighbor on his charter boat. He really produces the fish! I'm trying to make it work but that's a long time to leave my beautiful bride Lena all alone. Especially since that Greek, Laryingitis, is back in town! He's always hanging around here in the Winter.....

Later!

 

[buckamania]

Yup, a flat head to rest your beer on! Before I chose my beautiful bride Lena, I gave her the final test: I Put a hard-boiled egg on her skull to see if it would stay put, it did so I married her! On our wedding night she looked at me and said, "Who you gonna satisfy with that!" I said, "ME!" and that's just what I did!

 

[powerchord86]

Hey Boyz

I thought I better stop by to let you know that I'm still kickin'.
Obviously, the Twins haven't made a big splash in free agency, but it is good to know that Terry Ryan is back at the controls. Billy Smith seems like a good guy, but damn he made some bad decisions. I'm glad to see that we will not have to watch Butera suck the life out our lineup on a daily basis anymore.
This Spring Training will be very telling and I think one way or another we will finally have some resolution to the Morneau situation. I hope he can return to his old form, but if concussion symptoms continue to bother him, and as a result the Twins, it will be time to cut ties. I am a Morneau fan and hope for him and our favorite team that he can get back to .300/30/100, looking at our lineup we will need it.
I think the Twins will get back to fielding a decent team again this year. I'm not expecting much, but .500 seems possible at least. Hopefully they can find a solid relief pitcher, their bullpen still looks pretty rough. Maybe someone steps up this year the way Perkins did for us last year. I'm not sold on Capps as our closer, I'd rather see the Twins open it up to either him or Perkins to battle it out in S.T. for the spot rather than just pencil Capps in.
It sounded like Capps had some arm issues he was dealing with last year, which they are saying are better this year. I give him props though, he fought through it and took his lumps on the hill last year when he could have folded his hand and joined the rest of his team on the DL.
Its a catch-22 for pro athletes when they are hurt. Suck it up and play through it GOOD OR BAD at less than 100%, or take the quick route to D.L. Its a no win deal, either they are are branded as a big pansy that should be playing through it because they are paid so much or it is said that they are not playing well so they suck and need to be cut, traded, or sent down.

.............by the way as someone pointed out, a difference of opinion is a good thing and makes for a good board. The difference being that here a different opinion can be tossed around and debated rather than mocked and ridiculed along with some sort of bullshit about how a poster is not true Twins fan or hearing about how "See I told you so", "I am right once again", or any other snyde puff my chest out comment.

With that I wish you all a Happy New Year! Maybe this year we win 99 instead of, well....never mind I won't say it.

Great post jrs. I have missed reading that stuff. I think the best we can possibly hope for is .500 this year. Maybe someone steps up like you said but I just don't see the Twins as a dominant team in the division right now. Tigers seem to be having their time to shine and it may be that way for a while. Royals and Indians are even coming around now too. I could see the Twins and White Sox as the bottom feeders this season.

 

[powerchord86]

Yeah people have been crazy out here with the ice fishing lately. Not that it is more than usual but that they are trying to bring icehouses out there and they are falling in left and right. Read a termometer! Check the forecast! Look out a damn window! It was over 50 degrees here the day after Christmas. Just have not had enough cold weather yet to get the ice good and thick. But I guess some hicks out here figure, hey we did last year at this time and it was ok...

I don't plan to go out until sometime in late January or February probably. By that time of year there usually is no worry of the ice thickness to even give thought to. That is when that tournament should be again that I participated in last year. Didn't catch a damn thing but a solid buzz. Who knows maybe this year I will land a little bluegill!

 

[buckamania]

Ah, yes, PC...the infamous "Buzz-Fish," I've landed many of them, plenty in ice-fishing shacks! Ain't they fun?!! Don't let a little thin ice worry you. Send out the fattest guy in your posse, if he doesn't crash through the ice is fine.

In Mille Lacs lurk giant, man-eating eelpout that are fond of hanging around shacks waiting for someone to blunder into an unattended fishing hole. These denizens of the Mille Lacs deep seize the unfortunate victim by his leg and try to pull him through the hole to be devoured in a most unpleasant fashion. We nearly lost one one our compadres, "Goatface," to one of these monsters a few years ago. I grabbed him by his beard while someone else pulled on his ears. We overcame the eelpout but Goat was tragically disfigured as a result of our pulling on his beard and ears. He never went ice-fishing with us again and soon disappeared. Someone said he went deep into North Dakota where there is little water. Scared witless...he was!

 

[powerchord86]

 

[buckamania]

Yup, poor Goat! He already was homely as a bull dogs arse but the tug-of-war with the giant eelpout made it worse.... plluuuss....we filled the shack with shocks of Goat's beard during the struggle and the Resort owner got pis_ed at us to boot! Maybe one day I will return to Mille Lacs to settle an old score with that giant eelpout. The Goat was rumored to have a son, maybe I could use him as bait........

 

[powerchord86]

Twins are loading up on mediocre relievers. That should be fun. :help:

 

[buckamania]

Doesn't look good. The Mauer and Morneau contracts have the ownership filling their undies with fear. Don't look for any big moves until it's determined if those two are back to form, or not. It's too soon to panic also, but I can understand those who do.

 

[powerchord86]

The moves have been made. Only moves coming soon will be for players whos agents name is Scott Boras. Twins have very little cash left to play with let alone the kind of money to appease Boras. They may just have to maximize run production to keep up with runs given up by pitching.

I like the sounds of Willingham to make up for some of the power lost in Cuddy and Kubel. I also like the sounds of Doumit backing up Mauer. Not big splash moves but more middle of the road moves yes, however it is the best they could do with what they had. Gotta put that moneyball team together and get out there.

 

[buckamania]

Now that's good, sound reasoning, PC!

Think of this as a Nascar race that just started and you got caught in traffic and slipped way back in the field. You are not out of it by any means but you got no wiggle-room left either. A couple more good pickups for the pitching staff and a healthy Maurer & Morneau and we may be right there in September being that this "is" just the AL Central.

Can't panic yet, I'm being serious for once about this too. (I know, I know, why would anyone believe me!)

 

[powerchord86]

Too bad Jack Morris didn't get the nod... maybe next time?