Nitschke gets sent to the minors, oh no - that's an expensive minor leaguer. I bet his translator is PO'ed because he went from jet setting across America to riding the bus around upstate New York now.

I bet Nitschke is about the only minor leaguer with a super model wife. He's got that going for him. I guess there might be a reason why most people can't name a famous Japanese infielder.

Don't think the marriage thing went well for him either, last I read he either is divorced now or the process is working its way through the Japanese courts.

Hmmm..... I wonder if he will go back to Japan. Now I really feel bad for him.

It's looking like Paymormee is going to start at 1st base. Liriano is looking like a 20 game winner. Mauer is healthy. Morneau looks like one of the highest paid DH's in the game. This is going to be exciting!

Twins send Butera (Sally) down to the minors. That I-67 batting average from last year will be hard to replace. Just one of many big bats that need replacing - Kubel, Thome, Cuddy, Sally, Nitchske.......

Dozier doesn't make the squad. I think anytime you have a Dozer or Dozier on the team it makes the team better.

Well, we gained a game back on the Tigers yesterday, but we've got our share of issues. Let's start with Willingham. Three home runs ... great. Actually the only three if I'm not mistaken. Great. Did you see the throw to the plate yesterday that allowed the first Angels run to score. Man on second, solid one hop line drive lands in Willingham's glove in left field, the runner hasn't even reached third base by the time Willingham is gathering himself to throw. But the Angels coach keeps waving his arm, and the guy heads for home. Willingham's throw travels a looping arch nearly 250 feet in the air, dribbled well short of catcher Mauerzie, who has to come 20 feet in front of home plate to pick up the ball that had nearly stopped rolling by the time he got there. Not exactly a major league arm. Then, Twins take their first lead of the SEASON, only the next half inning six runs score on an inside the park home run when WIllinham's attempt to catch a fly ball results in him jumping high and smashing himself against the wall and falling hard to his back. Meanwhile the ball bounces off the wall and rolls into centerfield, allowing the Angels runners to circle the bases ... twice.

Love the ninth inning. Spanzie, our veteran centerfielder who we so sorely missed last year, stands with his back to the fence as former Twin Torrii Hunter dribbles a 62 hopper up the middle. Instead of charging the ball Spanzie stands back and admires how smoothly the ball rolls on the Target Field outfield grass, and in the meantime Hunter runs hard, rounds first and slides into second with an easy slow roller double through the middle of the infield.

And this only hours after it was pronounced the Scott "Bake" Baker is out for six months needing elbow surgery. And that only about a week after new GM Terry Ryan said "we just can't find anything wrong with his elbow, we just need him to get out there and pitch through some pain." Huh? What the he!! is going on out there?

And despite all that, we're only three games back, and our 38-year-old shortstop had his first hits of the season last night. Man, when Valencia gets going this team is really going to playing the games on its schedule and require its opponents to play nine or eight-and-a-half innings to beat it.

Doormat in RF looks about as good Willy in left. I'm with you - jeepers. I think the plan at SS is to play Carolynn every day which at his age will cause his body to break down and then Dozier will come up.

Just wait until Marquis gets in the lineup as that will compliment Burnside quite well with another pitcher that 'pitches to contact'. Some exciting baseball right there.

Nice game by the Twins and if they can score 10 runs a game consistently this year they will win a lot of games. Willy is on pace to hit 108 home runs - nice signing there. Gray throws the heck out of the ball and has 2 wins already which means he is on pace to win 54 games this year. Could be a record setting year.

Hrbek's statue is unveiled tomorrow!

Big win in New York and expect Liriano to shut them down tonight. It looks like the Twins will win 3 of 4. (Although my sources tell me the Twins will average one win the first SEVEN series.)

The acquisition of Thomas from the Tigers was a solid improvement in RF. Plus it didn't cost the Twins anything. I think anytime you can get a player with the last name Thomas on your team it will improve things. Add in the first name Cletus and you really have something special - Cletus Thomas. (But as always, never trust a man with two first names.) Kind of rolls of the tongue - Cletus Thomas.