Jordan Independent - baseball - Comments

I've been watching this kid

Mathias Baden — Mon, 19 May 2008 11:49:15 -0500

I've been watching this kid a little bit online. He's settled down and might be a good lefthanded option out of the bullpen later this year. His numbers: 2.36 earned-run average, 1-0, 26-2/3 innings, 19 strikeouts.

But the Twins have lots of good pitchers in Triple-A.

(Mathias Baden is the editor of the Jordan Independent. He can be reached at editor@jordannews.com.)

I feel young when I go into

Mathias Baden — Thu, 08 May 2008 13:52:06 -0500

I feel young when I go into candy store and use this age-old, never-fail trick: I pick out a type of candy that I want to sample, bring only one piece to the cash register, place it on the counter confidently, wallet in hand. The puzzled cashier gives it to me for free, because why would she hassle with ringing up a bill for 1 cent?

Yep, it's juvenile, but it always works.

(Mathias Baden is the editor of the Jordan Independent. He can be reached at editor@jordannews.com.)

Realizing that I was older

Brandon — Thu, 08 May 2008 13:10:34 -0500

Realizing that I was older than some of my favorite sports stars was a pretty crushing moment for my youthful spirit, too.

It’s better to look at the ways in which you’re still young, though. For instance, I still feel young because I watch cartoons, because I love to ride my bike downhill, and because I will always think it funny when someone says the word “duty.”

Many days, I creak and crack

Ruth Anne Maddox — Tue, 06 May 2008 16:57:50 -0500

Many days, I creak and crack as I stand up from my office chair and say, "Oh, I think I'm 100 years old today." (I'm not even halfway there).

I have unexplained ankle pain (sometimes) and occasional arthritic pains in various joints. I don't know why old people don't complain more often.

Speaking of feeling old: When I worked at a newspaper in Indiana and gathered the court news, I would feel old when I saw tickets being issued to new drivers (16-year-olds) who were born the year I graduated high school.

As time went on, I noticed that people being arrested for drunk driving (21-year-olds) were born the year I graduated high school.

Soon, people getting married, having babies, etc. were born the year I graduated high school. Then kids I used to babysit were getting married and having babies. Some of my high school classmates have grandchildren!!

Oh yeah, then there's my co-worker in the adjacent cubicle from me. Yep. She was born the year I graduated high school. Whippersnapper!

One word I don't like when

Tom Schardin — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 17:11:07 -0500

One word I don't like when to comes to baseball is potential. It's tossed around too easily. Sometimes, I think the Twins hide behind the word.

It bugs me. I'm bored with the word potential being used with Kubel. I'm bored with that word being used with our young pitchers. I'm bored with it being used with Cuddy in his potential to drive in runs in his spot in the batting order.

This is what I think about the word potential when it comes to baseball. In the words of the great Eric Clapton .... "It's in the way that you use it. Boy, don't you know."

Great song and video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7_Ldy1XDOU

That would be good. The

Tom Schardin — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 16:57:58 -0500

That would be good.

The Packers-Bears rivalry is certainly one of the top-5 in all sports.

The Michigan-Ohio State football game has to be in there too - probably No. 2 all-time.

Others long-time greats: Giants-Dodgers, Army-Navy, UNC-Duke, Cal-Stanford, Cowboys-Redskins, Cubs-Cards, N.Dame-USC, Lakers-Celtics, Nicklaus-Palmer, Bjorg-McEnroe, Frazier-Ali, M-Leafs-Canadians, Auburn-Alabama, Texas-Oklahoma ....

Anyone else have any?

How about after four games?

Mathias Baden — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 16:56:11 -0500

How about after four games? You two have convinced me. That, and the horrible ninth-inning at-bat yesterday.

(Mathias Baden is the editor of the Jordan Independent. He can be reached at editor@jordannews.com.)

The whole thing got me

Brandon — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 13:41:30 -0500

The whole thing got me thinking about what other great animal-related sports rivalry stories are out there waiting to happen. Here’s what I would love to see happen:

A meat packer is taking a hike through the woods on a long camping trip. Even though he’s been away from work for days, he still smells like raw meat (he’s been working at this meat plant for a long time, see). Well, off in the woods there’s a bear who smells raw meat walking through the woods. The bear rushes toward the packer, who is forced to rely on whatever stray parts from his backpack that he can rely on to defend himself. It all works out in the end, though, because while the bear is big and mean, it’s really only good at defending itself and has absolutely no ability when trying to take the offensive. The packer, meanwhile, does is merely OK on both offense and defense, but benefits from the lack of any actual competition on the Bear’s part.

Eventually the packer figures things out and gets the bear off of him. He makes a mad dash toward his car but trips in the parking lot. Somewhere in the distance, a Norwegian man cries because he's not strong or smart enough to compete with either the packer or the bear.

That would be a great story, but it would be even better if the guy made it to his car and retired, er, drove out of the park on top.

This is a great story. I'm

Tom Schardin — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 13:24:13 -0500

This is a great story. I'm glad the girl is OK.

It just goes to show you the Yanks-Red Sox rivalry is the best in all of sports. There is no equal.

Well, the guys on ESPN this

Brandon — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 11:48:22 -0500

Well, the guys on ESPN this morning said her nickname was A-Rod, so that's what I'm going with.

Her nickname isn't A-Rod,

Mathias Baden — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 11:32:21 -0500

Her nickname isn't A-Rod, really, is it? I mean, I'd call her that if I was in her class, but the story doesn't actually say so. Do you know her???

The lead of the story is funny. To the effect of "Another A-Rod gets a negative reception in Fenway Park ..." The writer just couldn't resist.

(Mathias Baden is the editor of the Jordan Independent. He can be reached at editor@jordannews.com.)

I think you have to give him

bhall09 — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 11:24:10 -0500

I think you have to give him more than three games, but I admit he isn't exactly instilling a lot of trust these days. The bouncer to short and third is getting kind of old., especially as a fantasy baseball owner who has Cuddyer as his 3rd/4th OF.

Maybe he is putting pressure on himself, hard to say. I know that was the case early in his career and he didn't look too good then. He has talked a lot about being a leader now that Torii is gone. Let's not worry about that and just go play ball huh? I know that might add to the pressure he might be feeling. But you never know now, he has grown up a lot as a player the last few years.

I wouldn't say his value is inflated. I think he is what he is: a .280 hitter, who might reach 20 HR, has a shot at 100 RBI, and is a great defensive OF. I don't think that is overshooting things, and I don't think the Twins are looking for anymore.

I do think his best spot would be No. 5 in this, or really any, order. The offense as a whole stunk against the Angels. I don't know what that was all about. I do think Kubel needs to be in there against ALL righthanders. Harris, Everett and Lamb aren't really firing me up, but again its three games.

Delmon is best suited for that No. 3 spot, but it might be a little premature for him as well. I think they are both best as No. 5s right now. Too bad, there isnt' a legit No. 3 on the team right now. Delmon eventually, but I don't think you can say right now.

I think it might be time for a change to Delmon, just because he has the attitude to take the spot maybe more so than Cuddyer. But its hard to make a change after just three games.

This is all you need to know

Tom Schardin — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 16:01:30 -0500

This is all you need to know about Cuddy in the No. 3 slot.

In the Twins' 5-4 loss today, they had the tying run at second base with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. Joe Mauer is up. The Angels intentionally walked Mauer and put the winning run on first base to get to our feared No. 3 hitter. Cuddy then struckout to go 0 for 5.

Get him out of the No. 3 hole now!

Three games is enough for

Tom Schardin — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 14:34:15 -0500

Three games is enough for Cuddy.

Again, with the Twins budget, you could do a lot worse than Cuddy. However, the 100 RBI season, has inflated his value a little.

Let's remember in 2005, Cuddy was hitting behind the AL batting champ (Mauer) and in front of the AL MVP (Morneau). Talk about a primo spot. I might have been able to produce about 70 RBIs in that situation.

I'd move Cuddy to the No. 6 slot, behind the DH (Monroe/Kubel). Take the pressure tp produce off him.

Go Delmon. I agree he should

Mathias Baden — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 12:29:35 -0500

Go Delmon. I agree he should be the No. 3, but I don't mind giving Cuddy more than three games to prove he can do it. Truth is, the Twinks have left a lot of guys on base the last three games.

And no change in tune, Brian -- we're going all the way! I'm going to call it now, so that when everyone says in September that they were believers, I'll be the real Slim Shady. If they don't go to the Series, I can play it off by saying, "Well, I was right in 1987 and 1991. How many times have the Rockies won the Series in the last 21 years?"

If the Angels keep scoring at this pace, they'll score
648 runs. The Twins are on track for 216. Neither total is good, and neither team will score that few runs this season, but it's funny to think about the hometown team actually being that bad.

(Mathias Baden is the editor of the Jordan Independent. He can be reached at editor@jordannews.com.)