First Monday Book Day

Books? What books? The Olympics are on!!!!1111one111!!!!

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It's been a long, hot summer, curiously bereft of book posts. The Natives are restless.

Ok, ok, ok. My bad, people.

Truth be told, I haven't finished a book in the last two months. Back in June, I started reading a book about the experiences of a first-year med student learning about human anatomy via dissecting cadavers (no, it was not Mary Roach's Stiff, which is said to be a very enjoyable and funny read). I got about three chapters in and realized that I was bored. The author was determined to convince me that this was all such a wondrous, magical, spiritual journey, but I was bored. So I set it aside.

I then ran across Vernor Vinge's The Children of the Sky, his long-awaited sequel to A Fire Upon the Deep and its sort-of-prequel, A Deepness in the Sky, both of which were absolutely awesome. Perhaps best known for his origination of the concept of a technological singularity, Vinge is a smart, sophisticated writer, equally impressive in his handling of complex technological concepts, inventing alien cultures, and writing compelling characters.

This one is engaging, but (life and) the quadrennial festival of bad television coverage of sports has intervened, preventing me from getting this thing done. Children stumbles a bit in the front end, with a somewhat unbelievable naivety affecting several characters, but the world Vinge created in Fire is thoroughly engaging. I am looking forward to re-focusing and finishing this one.

What are you reading, damnit?

2012 Twins Game Log

2012 Game 109: Twins at Indians

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First Pitch - 6:05 pm CDT
Television - FSN
Lineups - TBD

I don't have a lot of time for today's game log since I spent most of the day yesterday walking (3.25 miles on the Coon Rapids dam trails), shopping (Trader Joe's) and eating (chicken, black bean and corn quesadillas with guacamole) instead of working on the work work I probably should have been working on. What can I say, the doctors told me I have to be a little more selfish about taking time for my health from now on.

The Twins have been playing pretty good baseball lately. They've won seven of their last ten games and sit in fourth place, 12.5 games off the division lead and 3 games behind the third-place Indians. Cleveland, on the other hand, is in total collapse mode, riding a nine-game losing streak that started with a series sweep by the Twins at the end of July. We'd all like to see the Twins continue Cleveland's losing streak by sweeping this series, too. After all, now that the Cuyahoga Rivers doesn't start on fire when you toss a cigarette butt into it, we have to give the Indians something else to cry about. Extending their losing streak to an even dozen games and moving into a tie for third place ought to do it.

The Twins made an unexpected move over the weekend, trading Danny Valencia to the Red Sox for minor league outfielder Jeremias Pineda after a waiver claim. This looks like a move that will improve the Minnesota team immediately by subtraction and could pay off several years down the road by addition or ancillary transaction. Some four-cylinder import named Nishioka has been called up from Rochester to fill Juicy's roster spot, which was temporary anyway, but I expect Nishi will take a turn at shortstop and/or second as a September audition. Or maybe he'll just ride the pine for a week. It's not like the team is concerned about getting him regular at-bats like they are with Parmelee. Jamey Carroll will likely get all the duty at the hot corner until Babe Plouffe! returns from the 15-day disabled list, possibly by Friday.

On The Hill:
Tonight the Twins send ace-apparent Diamond out to face something called a McAllister. Diamond has a record of 9 wins and 3 losses, while McAllister has notched 4 wins and 3 losses. Diamond has an equal rights amendment of 2.93 and McAllister has an equal rights amendment of 3.42. All other pitching stats are made up and/or meaningless.

Play ball!

Keeping Track

Minor League Team Leaders: Fort Myers

The numbers are somewhat skewed in that most of their best players have moved on.  Also, Jairo Perez was released about a month ago despite being one of the better batters on the team.  Not that he was going to be a star--he's 24 and has never played above Class A--but it seems odd that they wouldn't have kept him around just for the sake of winning a few games, especially since their other third baseman is Andy Leer (.554 OPS).

Continue reading Minor League Team Leaders: Fort Myers →

Remodeled basement. Same half-baked taste.