I stand in line anticipating for autographys myself
Michael Cuddyer and Mike Redmond signing autographs
My friend mistakenly calls Matt Redman another player-Michael Cuddhyer
A friend of mine with the Twins Bear
I was able to get off work during lunch break (12noon -1pm) to take one of the clients to see a couple of Twins players in town.
I stand in line anticipating for autographys myself
Michael Cuddyer and Mike Redmond signing autographs
My friend mistakenly calls Matt Redman another player-Michael Cuddhyer
A friend of mine with the Twins Bear
Highlights
Twins Games I Attended
Saturday, May 31st of 2008 vs. New York-Yankees at the Metrodome
Prior to the game, I served as a "volunteer" for the Special Olympics selling raffle tickets. I would find out later that we (Morris team) sold close to 500!
*see GoodnewsEverybody: Social-Physically Challenged
NY Yankees 0 0 3 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 7 11 0
Minnesota 1 1 1 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 6 13 1
Standings thru 5/31/08 | Recap: NYY | MIN | Gameday | Yankees stats | Twins stats
NY Yankees AB R H RBI BB SO LOB AVG
Damon, LF 5 2 2 1 1 0 1 .291
Jeter, SS 6 1 1 0 0 1 1 .269
Abreu, RF 5 1 2 2 1 2 0 .298
Rodriguez, 3B 5 0 1 2 1 1 3 .288
Matsui, DH 4 1 1 0 2 0 1 .337
Giambi, 1B 6 1 1 0 0 1 4 .240
Betemit, 1B 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .265
Cano, 2B 5 0 1 0 0 0 3 .219
Molina, C 5 1 1 1 0 1 1 .218
Cabrera, CF 4 0 1 1 0 1 1 .265
Totals 45 7 11 7 5 7 15
BATTING
2B: Matsui (12, Bonser), Abreu (12, Bonser), Molina (11, Crain).
TB: Damon 2; Jeter; Abreu 3; Rodriguez; Matsui 2; Giambi; Cano; Molina 2;
Cabrera.
RBI: Abreu 2 (36), Rodriguez 2 (21), Molina (6), Cabrera (24), Damon (25).
2-out RBI: Abreu; Rodriguez 2; Damon.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Cano; Matsui; Rodriguez; Giambi 2.
SF: Cabrera.
GIDP: Damon.
Team LOB: 8.
BASERUNNING
SB: Rodriguez 2 (6, 2nd base off Reyes/Mauer, 2nd base off Bonser/Mauer), Damon (8, 2nd base off Bonser/Mauer), Abreu (5, 2nd base off Bonser/Mauer).
CS: Rodriguez (1, 3rd base by Reyes/Mauer).
Minnesota AB R H RBI BB SO LOB AVG
Gomez, CF 6 0 1 1 0 2 4 .282
Casilla, 2B 3 2 1 1 3 0 1 .340
Mauer, C 5 0 1 0 1 1 4 .315
Morneau, 1B 6 0 1 1 0 1 4 .305
Cuddyer, RF 6 1 2 2 0 2 3 .232
Kubel, DH 6 0 0 0 0 3 4 .241
Young, LF 6 2 3 0 0 3 2 .264
Lamb, 3B 6 0 3 0 0 0 2 .255
Punto, SS 4 1 1 1 1 0 1 .264
Totals 48 6 13 6 5 12 25
BATTING
2B: Young (7, Wang), Lamb (8, Wang).
3B: Lamb (2, Ohlendorf).
HR: Cuddyer (2, 7th inning off Ramirez, 0 on, 1 out).
TB: Gomez; Casilla; Mauer; Morneau; Cuddyer 5; Young 4; Lamb 6; Punto.
RBI: Morneau (42), Punto (8), Cuddyer 2 (22), Gomez (23), Casilla (13).
2-out RBI: Morneau.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Young; Mauer; Gomez 2; Kubel.
SF: Punto.
Team LOB: 12.
BASERUNNING
SB: Punto (4, 2nd base off Wang/Molina), Casilla (2, 2nd base off Wang/Molina), Young (9, 3rd base off Wang/Molina).
FIELDING
E: Punto (2, fielding).
DP: (Punto-Morneau).
NY Yankees IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA
Wang 5.1 9 5 5 3 4 0 4.14
Ramirez (BS, 1) 1.1 1 1 1 0 0 1 0.56
Veras 1.1 1 0 0 0 1 0 3.86
Farnsworth 1.0 0 0 0 0 2 0 4.26
Ohlendorf (W, 1-1) 2.0 2 0 0 2 4 0 5.97
Rivera (S, 15) 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0.36
Minnesota IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA
Bonser 5.0 5 5 2 3 2 0 5.97
Crain 1.0 2 1 1 0 0 0 4.05
Breslow 1.2 0 0 0 0 3 0 2.70
Guerrier 0.1 0 0 0 0 1 0 3.16
Nathan 1.0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1.59
Reyes 1.0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2.55
Rincon (L, 2-2) 1.2 3 1 1 1 0 0 4.38
Bass 0.1 0 0 0 0 0 0 5.61
Bonser pitched to 2 batters in the 6th.
IBB: Punto (by Ohlendorf).
Pitches-strikes: Wang 92-58, Ramirez 16-11, Veras 20-13, Farnsworth 15-11, Ohlendorf 45-28, Rivera 10-7, Bonser 103-67, Crain 20-15, Breslow 26-20, Guerrier 3-3, Nathan 15-10, Reyes 12-5, Rincon 31-17, Bass 3-2.
Ground outs-fly outs: Wang 5-7, Ramirez 1-3, Veras 1-2, Farnsworth 1-0, Ohlendorf 0-2, Rivera 1-1, Bonser 7-6, Crain 1-2, Breslow 0-2, Guerrier 0-0, Nathan 2-0, Reyes 1-1, Rincon 3-2, Bass 0-1.
Batters faced: Wang 28, Ramirez 5, Veras 5, Farnsworth 3, Ohlendorf 10, Rivera 3, Bonser 24, Crain 5, Breslow 5, Guerrier 1, Nathan 3, Reyes 3, Rincon 9, Bass 1.
Inherited runners-scored: Ramirez 2-1, Crain 2-2, Bass 3-0.
Umpires: HP: Bill Miller. 1B: Chris Tiller. 2B: Gary Darling. 3B: Jerry Meals.
Weather: 68 degrees, dome.
Wind: Indoors.
T: 4:35.
Att: 36,441.
Minnesota falls in extra innings
Bonser has up-and-down start as Twins can't pick up big hit
By Mike Cook / Special to MLB.com 06/01/2008 1:36 AM ET
"MINNEAPOLIS -- Missed opportunities led to a defeat and possibly a demotion.
Minnesota was unable to get two key hits in extra innings, setting up Bobby Abreu's heroics, as the Twins fell to the Yankees, 7-6, on Saturday behind the right fielder's RBI single in the 12th.
Johnny Damon singled with one out and advanced to third on a single by Derek Jeter. Abreu then delivered the third straight single up the middle against Twins righty Juan Rincon (2-2), Minnesota's sixth reliever.
The Twins, who entered the game hitting a Major League-best .311 with runners in scoring position, had Mike Lamb at third base with two outs in the 10th and Alexi Casilla on second with no one out in the 11th, but they could not get the game-winning hit.
Minnesota starter Boof Bonser went five-plus innings in what is quite possibly his final start for some time.
Bonser allowed five runs (two earned), but it may not be enough to keep him in the starting rotation. Twins manager Ron Gardenhire wouldn't speculate on any changes, only saying that he and general manager Bill Smith will have discussions in the "next few days."
"I'd like to think I made it hard on them," Bonser said, who admitted the pending decision has been weighing heavily on his mind. "At the same time, every time they give me a chance to go out and start, I'm going to keep doing it. Hopefully, I'll get another start in five days."
In six May starts, Bonser went 0-2 with an 8.60 ERA. Last Saturday in Detroit, the right-hander allowed eight earned runs in three innings. He was 2-4 with a 3.75 ERA in six April starts.
Bonser was given an extra day of rest before Saturday's start, so Glen Perkins, who lost on Friday, could remain on his normal five-day rotation. It also put Bonser on the same schedule as Scott Baker, who is completing a rehabilitation assignment for a strained right groin at Class A Fort Myers.
Baker allowed seven hits and three earned runs, while striking out four on Saturday.
"Baker threw the ball fine down in the Minor Leagues," Gardenhire said. "His groin is fine."
Bonser, who threw 67 of his 103 pitches for strikes against patient New York hitters, left the contest after walking Hideki Matsui and allowing a single to Jason Giambi to open the sixth inning. Both later scored for a 5-3 Yankees lead.
"I never think I've done enough," Bonser said. "I'm just glad they ran me back out there with how many pitches I had. It just [stunk] that I couldn't get the first couple of guys out, and I had to be taken out."
A third-inning error by Nick Punto led to three unearned runs. Leading, 2-0, at the time, Bonser walked Damon on a 3-2 pitch and then Punto booted a ground ball, allowing Jeter to reach first. Abreu doubled to score Damon, and Alex Rodriguez singled on a 3-2 pitch to plate two more runs. A-Rod broke his bat on contact, but the ball just sailed over a leaping Punto.
"I threw it where I wanted -- a sinker in, a two-seamer in -- and he's just strong enough to get it over the infield," Bonser said.
Trailing, 6-3, in the sixth, Carlos Gomez singled home Delmon Young, and Punto scored on a groundout. Michael Cuddyer hit a seventh-inning solo home run off Yankees reliever Edwar Ramirez to tie the game at 6.
"Six runs is enough to win a lot of games," Young said.
Ross Ohlendorf (1-1) worked out of two extra-innings jams to earn his first big league win, and closer Mariano Rivera picked up his 15th save in 15 tries this season.
But Minnesota had two quality chances to avoid the New York closer.
Lamb, who had three hits, just missed putting the ball over the right-field baggy for a home run in the 10th.
"I thought it was a walk-off," said Young, who also had three hits.
In the 11th, Justin Morneau flied out, Cuddyer struck out and Jason Kubel flied out, with Casilla, who singled to open the frame, left stranded at second base.
Gardenhire said patience was not in full bloom during some crucial late-inning at-bats.
"We chased some pitches out of the zone, and I think a couple of our hitters got excited in those situations and we chased," Gardenshire said. "It's about staying in the zone, and we've talked about that a lot."
Mike Cook is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Wednesday, July 2nd of 2008 vs. Detroit-Tigers at the Metrodome
Detroit 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 1
Minnesota 0 0 5 0 1 1 0 0 X 7 14 1
Standings thru 7/2/08 | Recap: DET | MIN | Gameday | Tigers stats | Twins stats
Detroit AB R H RBI BB SO LOB AVG
Granderson, CF 3 0 1 0 1 1 0 .295
Polanco, 2B 4 0 2 0 0 0 2 .320
1-Hollimon, M, PR-2B 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .222
Guillen, 3B 3 0 0 0 0 1 2 .295
Raburn, 3B 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .225
Thames, 1B 4 0 0 0 0 1 4 .276
Joyce, RF 4 0 0 0 0 0 3 .194
Sheffield, DH 4 0 0 0 0 2 1 .227
Thomas, LF 4 0 1 0 0 1 0 .315
Renteria, SS 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 .268
Sardinha, C 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 .091
Totals 33 0 5 0 1 6 14
1-Ran for Polanco in the 8th.
BATTING
2B: Raburn (7, Crain).
TB: Granderson; Polanco 2; Raburn 2; Thomas.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Polanco; Joyce; Thames 2.
Team LOB: 7.
FIELDING
E: Guillen (11, fielding).
Outfield assists: Thomas (Punto at 2nd base).
DP: (Renteria-Thames).
Minnesota AB R H RBI BB SO LOB AVG
Gomez, CF 5 1 3 0 0 1 0 .274
Casilla, 2B 4 0 1 1 0 0 3 .325
Mauer, C 4 1 2 2 1 0 2 .326
Morneau, 1B 4 1 0 0 0 0 4 .310
Kubel, DH 4 1 1 1 0 1 0 .263
Young, LF 4 1 3 1 0 0 0 .284
Buscher, 3B 4 0 1 1 0 0 2 .339
Punto, SS 3 0 2 1 1 0 1 .278
Span, RF 4 2 1 0 0 0 4 .293
Totals 36 7 14 7 2 2 16
BATTING
2B: Gomez (14, Bonine), Young 2 (16, Fossum, Fossum), Span (3, Fossum).
TB: Gomez 4; Casilla; Mauer 2; Kubel; Young 5; Buscher; Punto 2; Span 2.
RBI: Mauer 2 (36), Kubel (43), Young (29), Buscher (16), Punto (9), Casilla (32).
2-out RBI: Mauer 2; Kubel; Young; Buscher; Punto.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Span 2; Morneau; Punto; Mauer.
S: Casilla.
GIDP: Morneau.
Team LOB: 8.
FIELDING
E: Buscher (2, throw).
Detroit IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA
Bonine (L, 2-1) 2.2 7 5 2 2 1 0 4.30
Fossum 4.1 6 2 2 0 0 0 8.71
Rodney 1.0 1 0 0 0 1 0 9.00
Minnesota IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA
Blackburn (W, 7-4) 7.0 3 0 0 1 4 0 3.78
Crain 1.0 2 0 0 0 1 0 2.88
Bonser 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 6.15
WP: Rodney.
Pitches-strikes: Bonine 52-31, Fossum 55-38, Rodney 19-13, Blackburn 104-69, Crain 17-12, Bonser 11-8.
Ground outs-fly outs: Bonine 4-3, Fossum 4-8, Rodney 1-1, Blackburn 6-11, Crain 0-2, Bonser 1-1.
Batters faced: Bonine 17, Fossum 18, Rodney 4, Blackburn 26, Crain 5, Bonser 3.
Inherited runners-scored: Fossum 3-0.
Umpires: HP: Tim Welke. 1B: Chuck Meriwether. 2B: James Hoye. 3B: Chris Guccione.
Weather: 68 degrees, dome.
Wind: Indoors.
T: 2:30.
Att: 30,102.
Box score official statistics approved by Major League Baseball Office of the Commissioner
Punto's dive ignites Twins' offense, win
Minnesota follows shortstop's grab with five-run onslaught
By Kelly Thesier / MLB.com 07/02/2008 6:50 PM ET
"MINNEAPOLIS -- A big offensive inning is often sparked by a key hit or key mistake.
But on Wednesday afternoon, it was a key defensive play by the Twins in the top half of the third inning that ignited them to a 7-0 victory over the Tigers at the Metrodome.
With two on and two out, shortstop Nick Punto made a jaw-dropping defensive snare: a diving stop behind second base, followed by the ensuing flip -- or, more accurately, roll -- of the ball from his glove to second baseman Alexi Casilla for the final out of the inning.
Casilla was running in the opposite direction and had to stretch away from the base to make the grab, while keeping his foot on the bag just long enough to record the out.
The Twins have long come to rely on Punto for highlight-reel plays. But it was the degree of difficulty in his latest maneuver that left some of his teammates, including starter Nick Blackburn, nearly speechless.
"That was unbelievable," Blackburn said. "I didn't think at any point that ball was going to be an out. Even Casilla made a great play to keep his foot on the bag. So, all around, it was one of the best plays I've ever seen."
Punto said that he just went with his instincts.
"My intent was to hit him in the chest," Punto said. "But I just had to get rid of it quick. He made a great play on the back end of that and it worked out for us."
In a still-scoreless game, Punto's nab helped prevent the Tigers from scoring the first run in that inning. And in the process, he sparked his team offensively, too.
"To make a play like that, he definitely pumped me up," said right fielder Denard Span. "I think it set the tone for the whole day."
The Twins carried the momentum into the third inning when they put together a five-run scoring drive off Tigers starter Eddie Bonine with two outs in the inning -- a rally that was largely helped by the club's speed.
With runners on second and third, catcher Joe Mauer got the two-out hitting started by lacing a single to center field. The liner up the middle might not have been able to score two had it not been for the runner on second base -- Carlos Gomez.
"I've never seen speed like this in the lineup," Mauer said of the club's trio of Span, Gomez and Casilla. "I'm not going to name any names, but somebody else out there might not have scored. But with Gomez on second, you are going to wave him more times than not."
A fielding error by Tigers third baseman Carlos Guillen one batter later gave the Twins a chance to extend the inning. And boy, did they take advantage: The error was followed by four consecutive singles by the Twins' Nos. 5-8 hitters, leading to three more runs and giving the Twins a 5-0 lead.
"They make a mistake and we're banging it through somewhere," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "When you do that, you have a chance, [and] you have to take advantage of it. With our lineup, we have so much speed, if we can put pressure on them and make contact, a lot of good things happen."
The big inning and Punto's key defensive play helped Blackburn ease through seven shutout innings
Coming off a difficult outing against Milwaukee in which he allowed six runs in fewer than five innings, Blackburn rebounded against a Tigers team that had proved tough against him this year. He held Detroit to just three hits and struck out four on Wednesday.
"One thing he threw real well was his curveball," Mauer said. "If he needed a strike, he could throw the curveball over. You need to do that against a team like this, change speeds and keep moving the ball around."
Of course, strong defense behind Blackburn (7-4) throughout the game didn't hurt either.
Punto's sprawl and flip was just one of a few impressive plays in the third inning. The shortstop also made a nice grab on a line drive hit by Dane Sardinha. But the real gem, on a Curtis Granderson single, may have gone unnoticed.
Most balls hit into the gaps by the speedy Granderson turn into doubles. But Span got a great read on the ball and whipped it back into the infield to hold Granderon at first.
"It happened so fast, but I just tried to pick up where my cutoff man was," Span said. "I just tried to use my peripherals and let the ball go as soon as possible and as accurately as possible."
Early on in the season, Gardenhire seemed puzzled by his team's ineffective defensive play and searched high and low for solutions. But the Twins' execution on Thursday was a sign that things finally have started to turn around.
"We struggled through it early, trying to figure out the right mix and fits with a lot of injuries," Gardenhire said. "We're better right now than we've been. ... We're not making as many silly mistakes throwing the ball to the wrong bases now. We're throwing the ball to the right bases now and keeping double plays in order. That's what we preached and talked about. When it starts happening, you start winning ballgames."
That's exactly what the Twins have done in their recent stretch, winning 15 of their last 18 games.
Kelly Thesier is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
All Star Game at Yankee Stadium
Anthony Castrovince is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs."
Testimonies
Scott Baker talking about his faith
"Scott Baker speaking at KTIS Faith and Family night."
Twins infielder Adam Everett - Christian Testimony
"Twins infielder Adam Everett talks about his faith and Christian walk during the KTIS/MLB "Faith and Family" day 9/6/08, prior to the Matthew West concert held after the game. Sorry for the poor picture/sound quality. Gotta get me a new digital camera... "
Kevin Slowey talking about his faith
"Kevin Slowey at KTIS Faith and Family night talking about his faith "