FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[janesvilleflash]

I don't understand why they thought this was newsworthy, sounds normal to me.

http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSSYD22265820080715

[OzJohnnie]

625 bottles a week - 89 bottles a day - for five years.  Yup.  Sounds about normal for most the yahoos I work with.

I don't understand why they thought this was newsworthy, sounds normal to me.

http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSSYD22265820080715

[BDB]

From: http://hotchickswithdouchebags.com/

[DuffMan]

BDB, you must be listening to KQRS.

[BDB]

BDB, you must be listening to KQRS.

Yessir. Just thought I'd share. 

[TC]

We haven't talked Twins baseball in a while, and the current Liriano/Livan kerfuffle provides an opening.  In my attempts to turn this board into my own personal Twins blog, here's what I wrote elsewhere last evening:

Isn't the most reasonable solution: Liriano --> rotation, Perkins --> long relief, Bass --> (Profit!)?

It's clear that Liriano is back to being healthy and effective, but it's not clear for how long. Might as well have him throw those innings at the ML level. Perkins certainly doesn't have the track record to be immune to a move to the bullpen and has pitched well out of the pen in the past. If the Twins are really that concerned with losing Bass, maybe Breslow takes the bullet as Perkins can be the second lefty. If/when Blackburn comes back to earth or Livan is finally shown the door, Perkins slots back in as the #5 starter.

The whole reason the Twins have Livan in the first place is not because they expected any kind of world beating performance from him, but rather they expected a bunch of non-historically-bad innings.  Well, one out of two ain't bad...   But really, he provides something that no other starting pitcher in the organization can provide:  the ability to taking a heaping helping of abuse to his arm for the betterment of the team.  I'm certainly not in the business of defending Livan, but he does provide an insurance policy against sending out an unprepared and injury-prone young pitcher (and there were injury or performance concerns about Baker, Slowey, Liriano, Perkins, and Blackburn, plus all the other options in the deeper minors, coming into the season--the least risky non-Livan pitcher entering the season was Boof and we saw how that turned out).

The real issue is this:  Livan only provides value to a team that does not consider itself a competitor and therefore is prepared to accept his more-than-occasional horrible outings in exchange for knowing that he will give them 7 potentially bland innings every time out.  In that role, he provides value by taking up a rotation spot AND sparing the bullpen--both lessening the burden on the organization's young, unproven pitchers. 

Are the Twins still that team?  I'm still not convinced they are serious contenders this year (I mean, c'mon--they have a starting pitcher on pace to give up 300+ hits and their leadoff hitter's pitch recognition falls somewhere between Delmon Young's and Helen Keller's, and their entire offensive gameplan is based on playing above their proven ability with runners in scoring position).  I am convinced, though, that there are at least 6 pitchers--Baker, Slowey, Liriano, Perkins, Blackburn, Bonser--who all figure to play a meaningful role in the Twins' future plans and all can be reasonably expected to outperform Livan going forward.

All told, I'd probably just take Livan out behind the shed and put him out of his misery, consequences be damn.  Still, once you ring that bell it can't be unrung, and I understand why the Twins are skeptical that their luck with health and performance of their young starters will continue.  If the Twins are truly commited to building towards 2010, I can see the argument for keeping Livan around.

Plus, he provides a hell of an anchor for their Competitive Eating relay team.  That kind of clubhouse pressence cannot be overlooked.

[finsleft]

Nice post, TC.
I agree with you on all things Livan. He has got the team through enough games this year to keep them in surprising contention, and it has been said that his presence on the team has much to do with the better-than-average performance of the rest of the young staff.
Unfortunately, Liriano seems to be getting bad advice, and the recent hijinks by his agent perhaps will do more to delay his being called up, than to hasten it.
As I prepare to head east on Monday to catch the series in the Big Apple next week, it will be very interesting to see how/if the squad can maintain their competetiveness as the schedule will be getting considerably tougher and with several strong teams still in contention. The road schedule from here out is tough and we may see some moves in the next couple of weeks.
It all makes for some great watching and discussing though and, to me at least, a welcome distraction to the Vikings/Farve/Packers fiasco, gas prices, war, election, etc. Glad the Twinks are back on the tube tonight, it's been a long 4 days.

[BDB]

a welcome distraction to the Vikings/Farve/Packers fiasco,

Finally someone spells it right! 

fins, make sure you take a Circle Me Jerk sign to Yankee Stadium.   

[bulk19]

PTI-
Hello MIACers, a WIACer here, the one who likes to rib you guys for not always talking football on this forum. I admit, I do skim your posts every day, but will never confess to saying that some of them are quite silly and funny. 

That being said, when I was a youngster, about this time of the year, mid July, I'd be mowing lawns to earn a few bucks to buy my Packer yearbook. I'd anxiously wait for football cards to come out, too. And then, when preseason games started in August, I'd have the bug for NFL football to begin again.

So, when do you guys start to get fired up for the new D3 season? Seeings there isn't a preseason for us D3ers, does it happen when players report for practice? Or when school starts? Or the week the first game is played?

Any MIACer can feel free to chip in on this, but I am especially interested to know about you SJU backers, seeings you guys bleed Johnnies blood and have such a successful, winning program.

I'd guess most of you SJU fans are anxious for a new season to start, to continue that rich tradition as soon as possible? Or do we need about another month to get you guys going? (I'm a baseball fan, so D3 football fever really doesn't kick in for me until the first week's game.)

How many of you would be anxious for them to strap on their gear tomorrow?

I'll hang up now and listen to your reponses. Ha.

[sju56321]

Ok, first, I e-mailed Veek and asked him about the golf and told him I would be up in that area (well a little North in Bemidji) and to let me know about the time and location. He e-mailed me back and said that since I was going to have limited computer access, he would have TDT call me, as TDT has my number. Guess what, no call! I figure (incorrectly) that TDT would actually call me-what was I thinking?
I would appreciate if you guys could work out a simple phone tree and prevent this sort of tragedy in the future.
Thank you-Polish King.

[finsleft]

First game, there needs to be a sausage slap-off between Zip and TDT.

[Kilted Rat]

First game, there needs to be a sausage slap-off between Zip and TDT.

That's like having a duel between a guy with a squirt gun and a guy with a rubber band gun; neither is properly equipped for the planned challenge!

[Retired Old Rat]

TC,

I go back and forth on Livan.

Bonser, you're nuts.  He's finished.  Less going on between his ears than TDT.
(I'm working on moving up in the TDT hater ratings)

bulk19,

I wasn't that fired up about football season until Fins proposed the sausage slap off.

Zip,

Hockey camp?  I like the phone tree idea.

[tmerton]

Just got back from a 36 hour visit to KR territory - San Diego.  Seems my cousin decided to get married on a Thursday - and I've yet to find anyone else who has even heard of having a wedding on Thursday, much less gone to one.  Maybe it's because they had the reception at the Thursday Club - a nice little place out on Point Loma (for KR and anyone else who knows the area).  I don't think KR will be going to any wetting-down parties there, though, as it's in a residential neighborhood and they have to have the sidewalks rolled up by 10pm! )  Terrific views, though.  (Note: No sighting of T Woods or any professional baseball or football players either, so star quality was low.)  Oh, yes - and as a bit of travel advice, avoid the Town & Country Hotel.  It's a wonderfully old and somewhat quaint and nostalgic place right out of the 30s and 40s; it should really be in Beverly Hills.  But it has the smallest and darkest rooms I've ever stayed in - there was not even room in the room to open up the luggage rack! - and its very poorly run.  It could be a neat place if fixed up and run properly - but it hasn't been and isn't.

Tuesday we do a late night landing at MSP and then head north to Ely for our canoeing and fishing trip up on the Canadian side.  There should be bugs and fish galore - eh?  I'll be sure to bring back some fish pictures.

[retagent]

Back from a few days out of pocket. Had a death in the family - My freaking Dell got zapped by lightning Thursday night. You know what I'm talking about flash. I am now trying to learn the nuances of Microsoft Vista. I'm no Luddite, but I do have some challenges in the technical field.

Boof really looked finished tonight. Good game.