Monday, February 26, 2007
Monday Notes
Good morning everyone! Today I will be posting links to several articles from the weekend as well as some other thoughts. Tomorrow, I will be back with another Spring Training Q&A. (for a complete list of Q&As done on this site, click here.) Also, be sure to check back later in the week for a more time-consuming, thought-provoking article.
The Twin Cities Dugout has another Prospect Profile, for Joe Benson.
Our friend Roger wrote a great article contemplating who project as possibilities for Twins Minor League Player of the Year. Although his choice is questionable (or at least could be questioned by many), his statement of how the Twins need this player to take this big step is absolutely true.
Kelly Thesier writes that Kevin Slowey has already made a good impression on the coaching staff. I still don't expect him to make the team out of training camp, but making a positive impression in camp can only speed his arrival to the Twins.
Two of the new Twins advertisements can now be seen online. One is the previously talked about 'pirahnas' commercial with Nick Punto and Jason Bartlett. Then other stars Johan Santana and Joe Nathan.
Before writing for the Star-Tribune, Joe Christensen was the beat writer for the Baltimore Orioles for the Baltimore Sun. In that time, he was able to cover Sidney Ponson, who was invited to spring training as a non-roster invitee but has a chance to make the Twins rotation. Christensen wrote a very nice article discussing some of the issues Ponson has had in the past and how he has addressed them, and how he wants to start over. As much as I am not a Ponson fan and didn't really care for his signing, it is really a low risk, low reward deal. However, let's just say that he has battled and overcome some of his personal demons and can simply be a league-average pitcher in 2007, I would be thrilled, and I have to assume the Twins would be as well!
I don't know how many of you have XM Satellite radio and listen to the Home Plate Network much, but I do. I listened to it quite a bit on Saturday and I heard Dale Murphy's interview with Holden Kuschner. On Joe Christensen's great blog, Around the Majors, he links to some of the transcript of the interview, parts regarding Murphy and his thoughts on steroids and players even accused of using them.
John Sickels did a Prospect Retro on Ramon Ortiz.
La Velle E Neal III's blog, Twins Insider, was the first place I saw the news that Jose Mijares's brother, Jackson, was shot and killed on Friday night in Venezuela. Two of his other relatives were also hurt in the melee. As I wrote in his Comments, "Nothing like real life reminding us to put everything into proper perspective."
On Friday, Nick Nelson discussed some of the roster battles this spring and gave his thoughts on who would win them.
For those wondering about the snow in Minnesota, well, here are a couple of pictures from Sunday morning looking out from my garage. Last week, Aaron Gleeman was talking about possibly purchasing a house, and the specific benefit of not having to shovel in a townhouse. Weekends like this weekend remind me that a townhouse is not such a bad thing!
American Idol fans must be thrilled that Jennifer Hudson won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar last night for her role in Dreamgirls. Not bad for a 5th place finisher last year!
Who is the one Minnesota Twins player that you would most like to get to sit for an hour with and have a chat? Leave your thoughts in the Comments below. But for me, I really think that I would want to chat with Michael Cuddyer. I think that Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau might be a bit bland and you may not learn anything. From Cuddyer, you get an intellectual conversations who is incredibly well-spoken and genuine, and maybe you'll even get to see a couple of magic tricks. Why do I mention this? I just finished reading an article on Cuddyer by Jason Williams of the Pioneer Press that was absolutely incredible. It was a very complete, interesting and I learned more about Cuddyer by reading it. Williams is another guy that I don't write about or link to often enough. I just get in the habit of reading the great Twins coverage in the Strib. But it is an article like this that makes me realize that I need to start reading Williams more.
Each Sunday Josh Taylor will be updating the Twins 25 man roster, as he sees it that day. Here are his thoughts through yesterday.
That is going to be it for today. I will be back tomorrow with another Spring Training Q&A. Please send me an e-mail, or leave some Comments below. Have a great day!!
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