Sports Illustrated named Kirby Puckett and Bert Blyleven the best baseball players to wear their respective numbers.

Puckett, No. 34, was in a class with the likes of David Ortiz (who wears the number as a tribute to Puck), Rollie Fingers, Nolan Ryan, Fernando Valenzuela. 

Blyleven, No. 28, was in a class with Sparky Lyle, Steve Blass, Tom Herr, Al Leiter, and Randy Myers. 

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/0804/mlb.best....

Man, I feel old.

I never remember my dreams unless they are really good, really bad, or important enough to tell someone. So that's why I'm telling you about this one.

One day last week, I woke up excited about an exceptional interest rate that I got. That makes me feel old, because interest rates really do lack excitement, even more so for a young person. 

Other things that I've realized that make me feel old:

- Four years ago, I messed up my checkbook to the tune of having an extra $1,000. My only purchase: a lawnmower.

That was a nice two-game sweep of the Chicago White Sox earlier this week. The Twins are getting close to a .500 winning percentage and -- believe it or not -- first place.

I think the Twins' schedule is fairly tough this month, but it seems the Twins are ready to respond to the pressure of playing their best foes.

Maybe they're ready to face Detroit, Chicago (again), Boston, Colorado, and New York, as well as Kansas City and Texas, teams with which they've had more of a difficult time than I thought they would. All of those teams play the Twins in May.

I knew the Minnesota Twins baseball team was young, but the proof was especially interesting.

Yesterday, Joe Christensen of the Strib noted that the Twins' starting lineup -- at an average age of 26.7 years old -- is the youngest in the American League and the second-youngest in baseball. Arizona's lineup is the youngest.

In the AL, the other teams with young lineups include the Oakland Athletics and the Tampa Bay Rays, which have average ages younger than 28.

The Minnesota Twins are facing the first-place Kansas City Royals this weekend. Whew, it's been a long time since I've said that.

Do you think the Twinks are intimidated?

I can't believe the Royals are in first, but the do have a slightly existing cast. Look for prospects Alex Gordon, Billy Butler, and Joey Gathright, among others, to keep the games at least somewhat interesting. 

When Minnesota Twins pitcher Boof Bonser reported to spring training, it was obvious he'd lost some weight -- 20 pounds, it was reported.

Then, a story in one of the big-city newspapers said 25 pounds. The next time I heard someone on the radio talking about it, Boofy had lost 30 pounds.

His rumored weight loss stayed somewhere around 25 pounds for the next few weeks, most of spring training.

A few things about the snow and opening day of baseball season:

- When was the last time it snowed on opening day? On the night of the home opener? This seems rare.

- Aren't traffic jams on the way to the game just lovely? I'm looking forward to seeing 45,000 at a game again, but I'm hoping they aren't all getting there when I do -- at 5:50 p.m. for the 6:05 p.m. game.

- Won't it be wonderful when we have an open-air stadium? 

- Maybe global warming will take care of these problems for us by 2010, when the Twins' new stadium opens up.

When the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (or some convolutedly named team like that) comes to the Metrodome next week to face my favorite professional sports team, the Minnesota Twins, the hometown team will honor one of its enemies.

Torii Hunter will receive his Gold Glove award prior to the opening-day baseball game against his former team.

Your Minnesota Twins made some interesting roster moves this past weekend.

Carlos Gomez is the starting center fielder. Denard Span and Jason Pridie, both of whom played well this spring, were optioned to Triple-A. Gomez led the three in slugging percentage (.510), swiped a team-high 10
bases, struck out a team-high 10 times, scored a team-high 12 runs,
tallied a team-high 25 total bases, and tied Michael Cuddyer for a
team-high 14 hits.

The Minnesota Twins made the right decision about Joe Nathan, locking him up through 2011. I, for one, am breathing a sigh of relief. The young rotation will need a solid bullpen behind it, including closer Nathan.

Although the terms of the contract weren't announced today, Nathan might just be the richest closer in baseball. 

See the story at http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080324&content_id=....