Take Me Out to the Ballgame

IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAY for a ball game
A balllll game today.
My friends are out to get a ticket or two
From Walla Walla Washington to Kalamazoo
IT'S a beautiful day for a ball game
A ballllll game today.


Yes, friends. It's finally here. The season. The only season that matters. Baseball season.

Most teams opened their seasons Monday and Tuesday. The Twins opened at home against former team member Torii Hunter and his new team the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. They won! 3-2. The Dodgers had three exhibition games this past weekend against the Red Sox. I went on Friday night. The Dodgers won! It's their 50th year in Los Angeles so that's the main schtick for the season. On Saturday the Dodgers played the Sox in the old Coliseum in LA, which turned out to be the most-watched baseball game in history. Unfortunately, Boston won. But the Dodgers have won both of their regular-season games so far against the San Francisco Giants (sans Barry Bonds). So, yay!

Johan Santana also kicked some major Marlins butt in Florida in his Mets debut, allowing just 2 runs over 7 innings. Mets, those lucky dogs. Leaving the Twins behind with Boof Bonser to lose the second game to the Angels 9-1. Grr.

So there's my little FYI wrap-up of the first two days of the regular season. Expect more in-depth analysis etc etc as the season progresses. Until then, think SPRING!!!

Just Another Loss in Twins Territory

Yesterday the Minnesota Twins dealt their ace pitcher Johan Santana to the New York Mets for four prospects.

The deal hasn't been finalized yet, as the Mets and Santana are still negotiating a contract extension that will probably amount to 6 or 7 years and 150 million big ones. Santana also has a no-trade clause in his contract with Minnesota, so he'll have to officially waive that once they reach a deal.

So it goes.

Minnesota fans are no strangers to tearful goodbyes. Earlier this off-season we lost star center fielder and one of my personal favorite baseball players Torii Hunter to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. (That name bugs me.) Luckily for me, I'll be able to see Torii play here in California whenever I want to drive to Anaheim. Last year the Timberwolves star and arguably the best player in the NBA Kevin Garnett was traded to the Boston Celtics in a deal that made history.

New England. Pshh. We've seen many of Minnesota's greatest sports stars planted in New England in recent years, most notably David "Big Papi" Ortiz who went to the Red Sox after the 2002 season. Chuck Knoblauch, the 1991 MLB Rookie of the Year, went (thankfully, really) to the Yankees in 1997. Most relevant right now, of course, is the NFL. The New England Patriots will play in the Superbowl this Sunday, showcasing ex-Viking Randy Moss and ex-Gopher Laurence Maroney.

Johan Santana: Just another notch on the Metrodome.

Later this week, I'll examine the Twins' four new prospects. Meanwhile, I will be wishin', hopin', prayin' that Francisco Liriano is ready to win the Cy Young this season!