FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[finsleft]

Hello gang. What did I miss?














Really? Nothing? C'mon, there must've been something...

[BDB]

Well, well. The prodigal son has returned home. 

The Big Apple has some finsleft teeth marks in it, no doubt. 

[TC]

TC
I have been reluctant to get too fired up about this year's version of the Twins and have not watched them very much.  But, from the little I have seen, Slowey and Baker have pitched brilliantly at times, which has to be a good sign.  Have any of the other pitchers had similar outstanding games, so that one would hope with more experience we could have an outstanding staff some day?

I really, really, really, really, REALLY like Scotty Baker.  I mean, like he's a top-20 pitcher in the majors now and has room to improve over the next couple years.  He'll give you 6 innings every time out, strike out almost a guy an inning, and doesn't walk anyone.  If he ever finds a way to keep the ball in the park he'll really become a stud #1 starter.

For the most part, I think Slowey is on the same career path, only a year behind.  He's already an ML-average starter at 24 years old and has really cut his HR rate this year.  I think the limiting factor that will keep him from ever matching Baker's production might be his lack of "pure stuff".  Still, 6.5 K's per 9 innings is a healthy rate, certainly not Radke/Silva/Livan bad.

Speaking of not striking anyone out, I'm skeptical that Blackburn will ever be more than a back-of-the-rotation starter.  He's already 26, K's more than a batter and half per 9 innings less than even Slowey, and for a supposed groundball pitcher doesn't even really get that many groundballs.  His ERA is at 3.69 now, but I wouldn't be surprised to see it around 4.25-4.50 by the end of the year.  Of course, that makes him a very valuable commodity over the next 3 or 4 years before he get's expensive, and the Twins' ability to continually churn out pitchers like that (Mark Redman, Joe Mays, Kyle Lohse, Carlos Silva, etc., with a handful more on the horizon) SHOULD keep them from flushing resources down the toilet on pitchers like Sidney Ponson, Ramon Ortiz and Livan Hernandez.

I really had high hopes for Boof Bonser coming into the season.  25-year olds that strike out 7 guys per 9 innings and K twice as many guys as they walk typically turn out to be pretty damn good pitchers.  I wouldn't be surprised if he turns into a reliable starter in the next few years because the talent is certainly there.

I literally have no thoughts on Glen Perkins.  Sometimes I even forget he's in the rotation.  He's like the invisible man or something.  Maybe he would be more memorable if he stuck out more people and allowed fewer HRs.  Or if he moved to the bullpen to make room for Liriano.

Garza sure looks like a good one down in Tampa, but it was apparent he didn't see eye-to-eye with Twins management, and (warts and all) Delmon Young is starting to show that he has legit superstar potential.  It was a trade the Twins had to make.

I've already wasted most of my lunchhour, so I'm not even going to start with Liriano.

If the Twins go into 2009 with a rotation of Scott Baker, Francisco Liriano, Kevin Slowey, and some combination of Boof, Blackburn, and Perkins I would feel confident they are running a top-10 staff out there--for a total of about $4MM, or less than what they are paying Livan for this year.

[snoop dawg]

Shoulda, I was never picked on and I was never a bullie.  The correct name is yellowFIN.  We use yellow tail.  Does it make a difference?  Oz you are right the minnows we caught were in the 25-35 pound range.  I can assure you they taste the same as the 330 pounder.

We also caught one Dorado......anyone want to look that up and see if it is the correct name for me?

[finsleft]

I've been unable to post recently due to a computer virus. Be careful if you get a message entitled "Amish Computer Virus" which states:

By opening this email you have activated the Amish Virus. Since the Amish do not have computers, this virus will only work on the honor system. Please delete all your files.


I'm just now getting my computer reloaded.

The Big Apple got chewed on a bit. Great time, save for the outcome of those 3 games. I figured I was such a jinx that I had to go to last night's game to try to take off my hex. It worked. Have to go again tonight to keep it rolling. I'm still scratching my head about that Yanks series. It just seemed like the Twins were like most of the rest of the people at the stadium, they showed up to watch the Yankees play baseball.

[finsleft]

I may have an extra ticket or two for the game tonight. PM or call me ASAP if interested. Pretty good seats.

[DuffMan]

We also caught one Dorado......anyone want to look that up and see if it is the correct name for me?

aka Dolphin aka Mahi Mahi??? 

[janesvilleflash]

snoop?

[Rugman]

Strong moderate earthquake hits SoCal.  As Dusty would say.....still developing.....

[Touchdown Tommy]

Mayor: I can come tonite only if you let me purchase your beers...

[snoop dawg]

Jans...nice fish.  Mine was in the 20-25 lb range.  One of the other boats on the dock, who knew what they were doing, caught a 60 pounder. What are you doing on my boat?

As to the earthquake , I know you are all worried, but I am safe.  It was about 50-60 miles away but,the high rise building my office is in shook like hell.  I heard there was one casualty in XXXXXX, some guy who goes by OB, mysteriously fell into a large hole that opened beneath him. Imagine that.

(Modified to protect privacy. Haven't I had to do this to this piece of information before?)

[Johnnie Red]

Just got word from the Governor's office that he won't be able to throw out a pitch at the state amateur "town team" tournament.  I did send him an invite to make an appearance at the Johnnie-Bethel game on October 4 in Arden Hills. Since the First Lady Mary is on the board of trustees at Royaland, you would think this would be an easy sell. I also mentioned the Stiftungsfestivities that we will be hosting before the game. I will keep you posted once I hear something.

Then again, if Governor Tim is running for vice-president, he might have to be in some exotic place like Pella, Iowa or McMinnville, Oregon.

[finsleft]

Mayor: I can come tonite only if you let me purchase your beers...

Hmmm, let me think about that for a minu.....OK you're on!
Don"t forget to stop at the ATM.

[snoop dawg]

shoulda.........still developing is currently defined as...aftershocks.

[Just Bill]

Have you guys seen the blog?  This is beyond ridiculous...

Every year Princeton Review releases a set of rankings that colleges trumpet ("One of the Top Schools in the Country!") or down play ("Rankings, schmankings"). Here is a quick look at which Division III schools cracked the lists related to sports. I wouldn't take them too seriously after seeing who made the list of places where intercollegiate sports is supposedly unpopular. But they might help people pass the time through a slow offseason.

Intercollegiate sports unpopular or nonexistent
1. Eugene Lang College (NY)
2. St. John's (MN): Don't look at me! It's not my list.
14. University of Chicago
15. NYU
16. SUNY-Purchase
17. Harvey Mudd College (part of Claremont-Mudd-Scripps athletics)
20. Emerson College