Best Double Play tandem?

The fine folks broadcasting the Twins game today, Fox Sports North with Dick Bremer and Bert Blyleven have a little poll. What is the greatest double play tandem of all time? The choices were Trammel-Whitaker of the Tigers, which is certainly one of the most enduring duos ever, and Mark Belanger and Bobby Grich of the Orioles, the spine of that team when they were a powerhouse in the 70s. The third combo was Ryne Sandberg and Ivan DeJesus of the Cubs. Both good fielders, both stars in the 80s. And of course, they never played with each other. In fact, Ryne Sandberg (along with Larry Bowa (really? Sandberg is this old?!)) was traded to the Cubs FOR Ivan DeJesus.
Naturally, the classic Sandberg-DeJesus combo is second in voting right now. Excellent research.
I trust that you, Victoria Times readers, can find a better combo than that fictional one. Maybe Dunston-Sandberg, one that actually existed? Personally, I say any combo with Ozzie Smith, be it Tom Herr, Jose Oquendo or Luis Alicea. I mean, look at this form!
The Wizard indeed.

Links of the Day 5/23/08

Try explaining this giveaway to your kids if you go to the Saints game Sunday night.

Comparisons are always fun, like, say, which Indiana Jones character is what MLB player?

Bears?

Hockeytown...state

In December, in an event possibly mentioned here at the Victoria Times—or possibly ignored, St. Paul, Minnesota was named by Sports Illustrated as Hockeytown taking the title away from Detroit.

The Wild acknowledged the honor, but have stuck to their slogan, “State of Hockey”. It seems the legislature is in on the act. They had added to an education bill to make hockey the official state sport. It was removed because there are some parts of the state where hockey isn’t popular. Well, the Walleye is our state fish, and I don’t like fish, therefore, the walleye should be taken away. There are many people in the state who are lactose intolerant, and milk is still the official state drink (link). I’m not here to argue that legislature should get the bill back on the table.

I grew up in Minnesota, and had pretty much no exposure to hockey as a kid. I followed baseball exclusively, as can no doubt be noted in my posts. But I can’t deny the sheer number of children who are on the rinks playing hockey. I like to ice skate, which I’ve done since I was a wee child. No hockey was played on the outdoor rink down the block, so I was never tempted to try it. However, now whenever I got to local parks, it amazes me the number of kids with sticks and pucks who are out there. It doesn’t matter if there are only two kids, they’ll find a way to play a game. If there are 20 people of all ages, games still go on (although a distinct lack of goalies; the costs of equipment is prohibitive—once I saw the goals turned over, making a smaller target, and other times).

Maybe Minnesota is the State of Hockey. Why not? We can play it cheaper than some states (find a frozen pond, and your only expense is a snow shovel, skates, a punk, and a stick). In winter, outdoor choices are limited, and skating gives kids something to do that’s simply fun—but challenging. The number of schools—high school and college—with strong hockey programs is likely unmatched (Massachusetts and Michigan are up there). It’s not a pastime to hockey families, it’s a part of their lives.

Links of the Day 5/22/08

Albert Pujols is a human wrecking ball. Like the Padres needed any more problems.

The Sports Illustrated cover is what now?

This is the most depressing poll I've ever seen, as a Twins fan.

Enough with the slap hits

This is what Baseball Prospectus said about Joe Mauer last season:

Mauer is the best position player on the Twins, and one of the best in all of baseball. The scary thing is that he`s probably only going to get better from here: the 36 doubles and 13 home runs he hit last year are going to slowly morph into something more like 25/25 over the next few years, and that batting average is anything but a fluke. Oh yeah, and we haven`t even mentioned how good he is defensively. We`re guessing all that talk about the Twins making a mistake by taking the hometown boy over Mark Prior with the first pick of the 2001 draft has calmed down a bit.

This is a quote about Delmon Young:

In terms of hitting ability, at 6'3", 205 pounds, Delmon presents an intimidating and strong plate prescence, and his hitting ability has often been compared to that of Albert Belle.

25/25 and a comparison to Albert Belle seems to suggest that they should be hitting for some degree of power, right? Then why do new call up Alexi Casilla, Adam Everett, and David Eckstein all have more home runs than Young and Mauer combined? I would venture to say that it's no coincidence that both of these vaunted hitting prospects are essentially floundering in the same system that rejected David Ortiz.
The Twins system preaches a slap hitting, opposite field approach that will work out for fast guys like Carlos Gomez, and strong, patient guys like Justin Morneau. Mauer isn't particularly fast, and he seems to timid to pull the ball with any authority. Delmon Young is simply to impatient, and needs to be taught how to work a count and drive pitches. The fact is, the Twins need to start scoring more runs, especially if their pitching starts to deteriorate, which it appears likely to do.

Links of the Day 5/21/08

I think I'm back on track. Let's find out.

Pacifist Viking goes way over my head to tell us that the NFL is considering prohibiting long hair.

The second biggest single sporting event in the world gets the second spot on today's Links. The Champions League final saw one team from England beat another team from England.

On that thread, were you two run afoul of a Serbian who told you that he wished your wife to give birth to a centipede, so you could spend your life working for shoes, would you be devastated? You should be.

The what's in where now?

I love the Colts probably as much as any guy in the state of Minnesota. Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean that I am a fan of Indianapolis. I can't imagine why anyone really would be. Imagine my surprise, then, when the NFL decided that the city of Indianapolis would be hosting the 2012 Super Bowl. Wow.
Sure, the city hosts two huge sporting events a year, in the Indy 500 and the Brickyard 500, both auto racing events, and every once in a while, they have an NCAA Final Four. That being said, NFL fans are a bit more discriminating than NASCAR fans, and more voluminous than college basketball fans.
The downtown entertainment district nearest the stadium is impossibly small, and the next closest real place to have a good time is Broad Ripple on the northside. But don't go too far, because then you're just looking at a lot of corn. Not in February, I suppose, but the point holds true. The Indianapolis metro is small and without a whole lot to entertain the teeming masses for a week. You can only check out the Speedway so many times. And it won't help that everyone there will also be trying to visit the Speedway (which happens to be in a rough side of town. Speaking of, most of Indianapolis can be a rough part of town if the Pacers are around). I've often said that the best thing to do in Indianapolis is go to Chicago.
Then there is the other concern. The Colts are building this new stadium, to be used to host the Super Bowl. I had the opportunity to stay right across the street from the stadium and look into it this past weekend from my hotel room:
I can't tell exactly what that looks like, but I have a few ideas.
Williams Arena
A large indoor swimming pool
Stockyards
A huge F'in barn.
But I'm sure that's the image Indy is looking to project. We're completely rural hicks. Join us as we drink beer in a field and play football in our barn.

Links of the Day 5/20/08

I have been pretty much out of touch with the internet for 4 straight days, but I was happy to see that Kevin, J, and Beth did an excellent job maintaining the site. I daresay it's been more readable the past few days. Here's a few links in their honor.

BMR has a Stanley Cup Finals contest underway. I'm taking the Penguins, because I'm pulling for the Red Wings, and years of living in Minnesota have taught me that no matter who I cheer for, I will always be disappointed.

Boiled Sports continues a blogging tradition, but keeping an eye on what pretty girls are doing. Presently, they are driving very quickly.

And for Beth, who has fastidiously been monitoring the T-Wolves status in the draft lottery, we found out today that they have the 3rd pick in a two person draft this year. No doubt they will select someone awful.

Links of the Day 5/19/08

Stating the obvious, Part I: Last-place Tigers have issues.

Proving that even though they can't fly, they're still awesome, Penguins beat Flyers to head to the Stanley Cup Finals.

An umpire admits he made a mistake!

If anyone really cares, Russia came in first, Canada first and Finland third in the IIHF World Championship.

Links of the Day 5/18/08

Hey, you didn't think I'd forget about the Links, did you?

Here's a great rundown on the commercials we've been hit over the head with while watching the NHL Playoffs.

This one's from last week but it's good so it's here. Erin Andrews talks a bit about Internet pervy types. Heh, that's funny, Erin, but I know you mean other dudes and not me. You're my girlfriend after all. We even have pet names -- I call you sweetums and you call me Get Away Weirdo.

For a complete non-sequitor, here's a blogger I read on a regular basis whom I don't know personally, but who I've always found quite entertaining.

And finally, has Sean Avery gone completely around the bend? Maybe his ruptured spleen has made him decide to pursue other careers. But interning at Vogue magazine? Umm, well, okay. Maybe he thinks it'll get him some tail.

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Well, that's all for me, folks. Thanks for having me and a tip o' the cap to Ryan and Steve for inviting us to partake. Come on over and say hi sometime.

Sunday's Action

Some quick hits:

• The Boston Celtics held on this afternoon to eek out a Game 7 victory over the Cavaliers to move to the Eastern Finals. No team has ever begun the playoffs 0-6 on the road and won a title. The C's are eight wins away from doing that. However, I have to believe that Detroit is good enough to win one in Boston so the Celtics must figure this out, or else the 66-16 season goes down in flames, Doc Rivers is probably fired, and KG is cemented as a playoff non-performer.

• The Flyers rolled over and played dead this afternoon, as the Pens crushed them 6-0 to finish the Eastern Finals and move on to their first Stanley Cup Finals since 1992, if memory serves correctly. I believe this was the East's last chance to get the Penguins while they're still young and able to be rattled. They remind me so much of those early '80s Edmonton teams, it's scary. It's also scary to think how good they could get and for how long they might dominate. My Rangers missed their chance this year. (Also, one of my major pet peeves is lazy/stupid headline writing -- and ESPN.com is pissing me off greatly with "Penguins March To Finals." Like the movie, March of the Penguins? Get it? GET IT?? Yes, ESPN, we get it. It's f-cking stupid.)

• For a little local VT flavor, the Twinkies got bounced by the Rockies again this afternoon. Justin Morneau showed up but he wasnt enough to stop the Rockies onslaught led by Clint Barmes.

• I shot a 46-46-92 at my course this afternoon, compiling the best 18 I've had on this course yet.
  

Recapping Saturday's Stud Performances

At the Preakness yesterday, Big Brown -- a 1-5 freaking favorite -- won in dominating fashion and increased the fees his family will be able to charge for pimping his horsey-seed out to other ladies of the stable. And now, for the next few weeks leading up to the Belmont Stakes on June 7, sports personalities will actually talk about horse racing as though it's this awe-inspiring sport and the horses themselves as though they're actual athletes. Whichever side you come down on in this debate, I must refer back to Jerry Seinfeld's feelings on this, and that's that it's unlikely the winner is thinking "I won!" But more likely, he's thinking, "Oat bag! I get my oat bag now! Oat bag time for meeeeeeee."

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In Detroit, Marty Turco stood tall and continued his quest to get to play defenseman as he actually assisted on Joel Lundqvist's game-winning goal in the second period. The Stars held on to win 2-1 and send this series, which was once 3-0 Detroit, back to Dallas 3-2. That's Turcolicious.

Now Detroit's got to be a little nervous. They weren't able to close out the Stars in Hockeytown so now the Stars go home to a rocking building with nothing to lose. Win and you've pushed an 0-3 deficit back to a Game 7. Turco will surely lose that one, but it would still be cool to see Detroit frightened.

Philly tries to do the same thing today in Pittsburgh -- win on the Pens ice to force a Game 6 back in the city of brotherly love. Sidney Crosby, by the way, is not a stud in the facial hair department.

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Our final stud is Johan Santana, late of the Minnesota Twins, who beat the Yankees at the Stadium yesterday. Whatever, we Yankee fans didn't want him anyway.

Buckle Up, Kids -- Uncle J Is Here

Yes, that’s right. It’s your strange, aloof, pot-stirring – and a little pervy – favorite uncle here to take over VT for today. No, no, take it easy Vermont National Guard. At ease, boys, at ease! Go back to drinking maple syrup. I’m referring to here, Victoria Times, and I’m your guest-host for the day.

We’d like to say we at Boiled Sports were flattered to be asked to fill in today, but given that we don’t usually do much on our own site on the weekends, this was kind of like Bill Lumburgh coming over and telling us he needed us to, “go ahead and come in on Sunnndayyy. Ummm, yeeeeahhhh. Okay, greeeaaat.”

No, really, it’s always fun to help out a fellow blogger and we might even check the veracity of things we post, too!

As for Ryan and Steve, well, they’re off the reservation this weekend because of a wedding. Inside sources tell us it’s not to one another, but hey, the rules, they are a-changin’.

No, but seriously, folks, Steve is getting married this weekend and we wish him the best. Of course, none of us at BS actually know Steve personally – if we did, we’d probably be at his effing wedding instead of writing this claptrap. But I digress. All the best, Steve. Welcome to the dark side.

As for today, well, I’ve got the keys to VT and who knows where I’ll take us. Boilerdowd, one of my compatriots on BS, suggested that in keeping with the theme of our feature, Sideboob Friday, maybe we could do “Manboob Sunday” here at VT. You know, just to try out a new idea. I’m still thinking it over.

I like the opportunity because I know hockey is fair game around here, whereas when I try to talk about it on my own site, people nod off. Silly Midwesterners. For those of you who don’t know, Boiled Sports is a sports site that we like to call “Purdue-centric.” We are indeed obsessed with Purdue athletics but we also talk about all sorts of things in the world of sports.

And we like to stir the sh-t from time to time. I’m kind of a bigger a-hole that the nice guys (and gal) you’re used to reading here, so cover the kids’ eyes and get ready to roll.

It's Time for the Third Biggest Wagering Day in America!

Ladies and Gents, today we take a break from your normal Minnesota themed sports coverage to brings you something that has more, you know, horses in it. It's time for the ugly sibling of the triple crown, the Preakness! Everyone is in love with the pageantry of the Kentucky Derby and you can't have a triple crown winner with out the Belmont, so here we are today, stuck with the Preakness yet again. Sure, it's got some tradition. Yeah, it's important. But at the end of the day, it's just the ugly, overlooked middle child.

From 2002-04 three horses won both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness, only to suck wind and come up short in New York. The past three years, no horse has been able to take home even the first two legs. Today Big Brown, a heavy favorite, is racing against a field that resembles the episode of South Park where a bunch of kindergarten kids faced off against the Detroit Red Wings. If he doesn't become the first horse since Smarty Jones to win the first two legs then, well, horse racing can chalk up another year of not taking America's dreams by storm (but they do try so hard, what with all the touching story lines being shoved down our throats!). Instead, it will be a long year of PETA protests and negative publicity. Doesn't that sound fun?

Without any further ado, here are your betting lines for the 133rd Preakness Stakes. 133 years? Jeez. It amazes me more and more every year that somehow, a long time ago, horse racing and boxing were on top of the sporting world. Gotta love 'tradition'.

Oh and Big Brown is 1-2. Seriously. What the hell is going on?

I guess I have to give some sort of prediction at this point. I'm going to close my eyes, and point to a random spot on my computer screen. Really. And the pick is.... Racecare Rhapsody! Good luck everybody!

Credit: Yahoo!

PP Horse ML
-- ----- --

1 Macho Again 20-1

2 Tres Borrachos 30-1

3 Icabad Crane 30-1

4 Yankee Bravo 15-1

5 Behindatthebar SCR

6 Racecar Rhapsody 30-1

7 Big Brown 1-2

8 Kentucky Bear 15-1

9 Stevil 30-1

10 Riley Tucker 30-1

11 Giant Moon 30-1

12 Gayego 8-1

13 Hey Byrn 20-1

Twins Introduced to Coors Field, Carlos Gomez Introduced to Wall

AP Photo/David Zalubowski

Last night, the Twins made their first-ever trip to Coors Field. To their dismay, they were not showered in beer upon arriving. Somehow I though that was a custom over there, too. Apparently not -- but it should be. In all actuality, Coors Field turned out to be just like every other major league stadium except, you know, the whole altitude thing.

The game was close the whole way but the Twins did take a 4-2 lead into the bottom of the ninth. The play of the game was made at the last moment, as Rockies' catcher Yorvit Torrealba (is there a more random assortment of letters anywhere else?) hit one to deep center with a man on and two out. Being a naive and uninformed baseball fan, I would imagine the darned thing would leave the park and keep going with the thinner air and what not (you mean they can't hit the ball to the moon??). Suffice to say, Torii Hunter Jr. Carlos Gomez did not approve. He threw himself at the outfield wall, making a spectacular catch in the process. Remnants of the collision are posted above.

I can't find the video on YouTube, but head over to MLB.com and check it out. It's worth it and it really makes me appreciate outfielders. Seriously, the dude just hurled himself into the wall. It was like watching a bird fly into a glass window, except somehow premeditated. I'm just glad that Gomez came out of this collision more or less alright. Bruised, yes, but not of the Aaron Rowand wall smashing variety.

Twins center fielder Carlos Gomez had both wrists wrapped, a sore lip because he had just bit it and a slight headache.

...

"I run to the ball and when I see it, I said to myself, 'Jump,' " Gomez said.

He caught the ball, smacked into the wall and tumbled to the ground. Game over.

"When I catch it, I say, 'Oh, no way,' " Gomez said.

"Oh, no way."

When even you don't believe what you've just done, I'd say that's pretty impressive. Imagine LeBron James going 'oh, no way,' after dunking on Kevin Garnett as if all of a sudden awakening from a lucid dream. But to be fair, I have that same reaction every time I get half off imports during happy hour. It's that exciting.