Well, we won one for Harmon. Let's win several more for him.
Monthly Archives: May 2011
Happy Birthday–May 18
Babe Adams (1882)
Arndt Jorgens (1905)
Gil Coan (1922)
Jack Sanford (1929)
Carroll Hardy (1933)
Brooks Robinson (1937)
Reggie Jackson (1946)
Osamu Higashio (1950)
Dennis Leonard (1951)
Eric Gregg (1951)
Jim Sundberg (1951)
Andre David (1958)
Jim Bowden (1961)
Erik Hanson (1965)
Eric Young (1967)
Rich Garces (1971)
Joakim Soria (1984)
Two players who share a name with Minnesota Twins players, Scott Baker (1970) and Roy Smith (1976), were also born on this day.
Today is also the birthday of Twins’ farmhand Randy Rosario (1994).
NBA Lottery Alternatives
There's something about tweaking the rules of sports leagues that really appeals to me. It's probably because I'm a control freak, but there could be other factors.
No one seems all that happy about the NBA's lottery process. If I understand correctly, it used to be evenly weighted amongst non-playoff teams, which would reduce the incentive for tanking at the end of the season. Under that system, some didn't feel the worst teams were getting enough help. Fair enough. Now there's a weighted lottery, but some teams clearly play to lose "improve their draft position" at the end of the season. The system opens itself up to conspiracy theories, and it doesn't seem to be all that fair to fans of some of the most terrible teams in the league. Is there a better way?
I'm not really sure that there's an absolute better way, but I like exploring alternatives.
Neil Young – Cortez The Killer
I wanted the title to read like this " Harmon Cortez The Killer" but wordpress wouldn't let me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GDIkb5CDUY
Rest In Peace, Killer.
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Loading... 2011 Game Logs: Game 40 Minnesota @ Seattle
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I was kind of hoping to make this game log a eulogy for Harmon. There are plenty of people out there who could do a better job than me though. I thought maybe I'd write a clever story about the Killer looking down from the big Diamond in the sky, talking with Kirby, Lyman, and Delmon Young's zone judgment but thought better of it. I thought about writing about the game itself but it somehow seems insignificant.
Tonight, you have two pretty good young pitchers. If you have the chance, watch the game with your fathers, your sons, your mothers, or your daughters. Watch it with your grandparents, your brothers, sisters, or spouses. Life is a fickle thing. It takes away people who are by all accounts are amazing to everyone with little or no explanation. So raise your glass, thank those around you for the good times and hope that maybe, just maybe there might be a couple of people in Heaven rooting for Minnesota tonight.
Harmon Killebrew, 1936-2011
image by Flickr user BaseballBacks, used under a Creative Commons license
Harmon Killebrew, the first Minnesota Twin inducted into the Hall of Fame, passed away today at home in the same manner in which he lived his life, quietly and with exceptional dignity. Esophageal cancer claimed the gentle giant at age 74. At his side was his wife, Nita, and their family. For perspective on Harmon and his accomplishments, I direct you to Joe Posnanski's piece, "The Gentleman Called Killer", published just yesterday.
There's much which can be said about Harmon Killebrew, and what he meant to Twins fans, either as a great player, a matchless ambassador of the game and representative of the Twins, or as a Minnesota icon. Feel free to pay your respects below, either by relating a story about Harmon, by sharing some thoughts on his accomplishments, or any other way you see fit.
Minor Details: Games of 5/13 – 5/16
ROCHESTER
Friday—Charlotte 6, Rochester 4 in Charlotte. Ray Chang had three hits.
Saturday—Charlotte 2, Rochester 0 in Charlotte (5 innings). Rene Tosoni and Jeff Bailey each doubled for the only Red Wings hits.
Sunday—Charlotte 8, Rochester 4 in Charlotte. Aaron Bates had three doubles. Chuck James struck out four in 2.2 scoreless innings.
Monday—Rochester at Charlotte. Postponed.
NEW BRITAIN
Friday—New Britain 2, Portland 0 in New Britain. Bobby Lanigan gave up three hits and no walks in eight innings. Steve Singleton doubled and homered.
Saturday—New Britain 6, Portland 3 in New Britain (Game 1—Scheduled 7 innings). Deolis Guerra gave up one run on two hits and now walks in five innings.
New Britain 4, Portland 0 in New Britain (Game 2—Scheduled 7 innings). Brett Jacobson and Ryan Mullins each threw three scoreless innings. Chris Herrmann hit a two-run homer.
Sunday—Portland at New Britain. Postponed
Monday—No games scheduled.
FT. MYERS
Friday—Dunedin 3, Ft. Myers 2 in Ft. Myers (Game 1—Scheduled 7 innings). Ramon Santana’s double was the only extra base hit.
Dunedin 7, Ft. Myers 1 in Ft. Myers (Game 2—Scheduled 7 innings). Nick Romero had two hits.
Saturday—Ft. Myers 4, Daytona 1 in Daytona. Matt Schuld struck out nine in six innings, giving up one run on three hits and a walk. Blake Martin struck out four in two shutout innings and Bruce Pugh struck out the side in the ninth.
Sunday—Daytona 8, Ft. Myers 3 in Daytona. Brian Dozier had three hits. Brad Tippett gave up one run on three hits in five innings of relief.
Monday—Daytona 6, Ft. Myers 4 in Daytona. Anderson Hidalgo had three hits. Steve Liddle had two doubles.
BELOIT
Friday—Quad Cities at Beloit. Postponed.
Saturday—Beloit 6, Quad Cities 4 in Beloit (Game 1—Scheduled 7 innings). The Snappers scored all six runs in the third inning. They got four of their five hits that inning.
Quad Cities 6, Beloit 2 in Beloit. (Game 2—Scheduled 7 innings). Wang-Wei Lin had two hits. Jose Gonzalez struck out three in two scoreless innings.
Sunday—Quad Cities 5, Beloit 4 in Beloit. Daniel Ortiz had two doubles.
Monday—No games scheduled.
2011 Game 39: Mariners 5, Twins 2
Weather: "indoors"
Attendance: 14,859
Time: 2:31
Twins record: 12-27 (last in AL Central, 13.5 GB)
Fangraphs boxscore | MLB Game Wrap
"Highlights":
- Highest WPA, hitter: Morneau .038 (1-4, SO) | Highest WPA, pitcher: Some band-aid whose name I've already forgotten .003 (1.1 IP, ER, 2 BB)
Lowlights:
- Lowest WPA, hitter: Cuddyer, -.138 (1-4, R) | Lowest WPA, pitcher: Baker, -.172 (6.0 IP, 7 H, 2 BB, 8 SO, 4 ER)
- Pretty much all of it.
Last night Scott Baker had a very Scott Baker-y outing. The Twins lost.
What else can I say about the game? I fell asleep after Pineda came out, it's now 2:30am, and I'm going to bed. If I've missed something important, talk about it below.
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This week's View from the Ballpark might be too easy, but I like the history behind it too much to let it go.
Over the years at least two former Twins have managed here. | photo by Flickr user joshbousel
Remember, no embiggening.
May 17, 2011: Unfamiliar
Today I have an interview that could lead to me working for a different company for the first time in seven years. I don't feel nervous, exactly, but my rut hasn't been a particularly bad one.
Happy Birthday–May 17
Hal Carlson (1892)
Del Webb (1899)
Cool Papa Bell (1903)
Ace Parker (1912)
Billy Hoeft (1932)
Ozzie Virgil (1932)
Dan Monzon (1946)
Carlos May (1948)
Pascual Perez (1957)
Greg Mathews (1962)
Jose Guillen (1976)
Carlos Pena (1978)
Ace Parker is a member of both the College Football and Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was an infielder for the Philadelphia Athletics in 1937-1938.
Left-hander Greg Mathews was drafted by Minnesota in the ninth round of the January draft in 1982, but did not sign.