It's often been said that it's impossible to judge an off-season until 3 seasons have passed. In 2004 things looked to be heading up for the Vikings, They found themselves a steal of a draft pick in Kenechi Udeze at 20th overall and were the favorites in the NFC North.

Draft Choices:

1. Kenechi Udeze -DE- (20th overall)
2. Dontarrius Thomas -MLB- (48th overall)
3. Darrion Scott -DE- (88th Overall)
4a. Nat Dorsey -T- (115th Overall)
4b. Mewelde Moore -RB- (119th Overall)
5. Rod Davis -MLB- (155th Overall)
6. Deandre' Eiland -FS- (184th Overall)
7. Jeff Dugan -TE- (220th Overall)

Free Agent Signings:

Jermaine Wiggins -TE-
Antoine Winfield -CB-
Marcus Robinson -WR-
Keith Newman -LB-
Steve Martin -NT-
Darren Bennett -P-
Tyrone Carter -S-

Free Agent Losses:

Greg Biekert -LB- (Retired)
Denard Walker -CB- (Oakland)
Henri Crockett -LB- (Unsigned)
Fred Robbins -NT- (New York Giants)
Charles Stackhouse -FB- (Unsigned)
Hunter Goodwin -TE- (Atlanta)


The 2004 NFL Draft was very good to the Minnesota Vikings, not only are 6 of the 8 players drafted still on the roster, each of those players have found themselves a role on the team. Kenechi Udeze (when healthy) has started for the Vikings at defensive End. He hasn't lived up to the first round expectations, but he has still managed to hold down a starting job. Dontarrius Thomas has been a back-up in his time with the Vikings, plagued by physical talent too disproportionate to his mental ability, he has bounced his way around on special teams, but looks to be ready to compete for the starting MLB spot left vacant by Napoleon Harris. Third Round pick Darrion Scott has become a solid back-up at Defensive end and has played well in relief of the injured Erasmus James and Kenechi Udeze in the last few years. Nat Dorsey barely cracked the starting line-up and was cut before the 2006 Season. Mewelde Moore has become an excellent punt returner and third down back for the Vikings. He has shown versatility and an amazing knack for the big play in the new WCO. Fifth Round Pick Rod Davis has contributed strongly in special teams and has given the Vikings depth at Linebacker. Deandre Eiland never cracked the starting line-up and was cut soon after his drafting. Jeff Dugan has become a solid back-up TE and has recently received a contract extension.

The 2004 NFL draft was a solid draft for the Vikings, they provided themselves 1 Starter, depth at several positions, and have had 6/8 of their selections make the roster. I give this draft a C+/B-, with the potential to become an A if Udeze and Thomas live up to pre-draft expectations.


The Vikings also made several strong signings in free agency. Antoine Winfield has become a leader on the Vikings defense and has held down the #1 corner role since he became a Viking. His ability to support against the run and cover opposing receivers makes the Vikings defense much stronger. TE Jermaine Wiggins, although recently cut has given the Vikings some great production. He led the Vikings in receiving for 2 years, and strongly outperformed anyone's wildest expectations. He has yet to sign to a new team for the 2007 season. Marcus Robinson has been a solid contributor in the Red-zone for the Vikings offense. He never developed into the #2 receiver the Vikings hoped he would be, but has contributed to the offense. He was cut mid-season in a shocking move by Head Coach Brad Childress. Kieth Newman was a solid depth signing for the Vikings, he gave the Vikings defense production in spurts, but was cut before the 2006 season. Darren Bennett was brought in to give the Vikings stability at punter, but his performance resulted in the worst season of his career. Tyrone Carter was signed in 2004, but did not make the roster out of camp. Steve Martin provided the Vikings solid depth, but did not last long with the Vikings.

The offseason receives a grade of A because it found Starters Antoine Winfield and Jermaine Wiggins, and did not produce any busts who received large sums of money. This was a strong offseason by the Vikings.

The Free Agents who left the Vikings either retired, or were back-ups for the remainders of their careers with the exception of Fred Robbins. He has become a starter for the Giants, and has produced well on their defensive line.

Overall the 2004 offseason was a success in terms of personnel. They brought in several starters and gave themselves excellent depth Signings. Overall Grade B-/C+ (could become higher if Udeze and Thomas start to play better).

After the Gophers first Big 10 victory (probably the only one), Glen Mason must be feeling good about his program. Who wouldn't be proud of victories over Kent State, Temple, NDSU (barely) and Indiana? Glen Mason has "coached" this gopher program to 3 music city bowls, and a few other meaningless bowl games.

When his contract was set to expire, what does the U of M administration do? Reward mediocrity with a 1.6 million per year contract.

This season, Glen Mason has not only shown an incredible lack of coaching ability, admitted to being out-coached by NDSU (Div 1AA), but also a complete lack of class. He has resorted to calling our student section a bunch of drunks in the media, and shouted back at the chants of Fire Mason! at the end of the NDSU game.

I can't say I know enough about college head coaching vacancies to know whom could be an adequate replacement for Mason, but right now I'm fairly certain I could coach the Gophers to the same number of wins this season. (any of you reading this know who would be available?)

Miscellaneous:

-Liriano needs Tommy John Surgery. So No Cy 1A and 1B for the Twins this year, but all is not lost. The Twins still have Matt Garza and #### Bonser who proved they had the ability to play on the national stage last season. Twins will need to find themselves an adequate 5th starter in Free Agency or put their faith in rookie Glen Perkins.

-Carlos Silva was re-signed. Move makes a lot of sense with Liriano out for the year. He has a full off-season to find the sinkerball he lost this season. If he can go back to 04 and 05 Form, he has the potential to be an excellent #3 or #4 starter for the Twins.

-Vikings Offense Blows. This may be the league's worst 5-3 team if they manage to beat the Niners today. They have shown an ability to run the ball, but cannot pass. Brad Johnson is not an adequate NFL QB, and sadly the Vikings have no other legitimate option.

-Brian Rolston is a stud. Who else could score with a slapshot on a Penalty shot? The Minnesota Wild might be the best team in the Western Conference.

-Is anybody as deep as the Sabres? The team has 3 lines that can score, and lack a true superstar. If the Sabres can stay healthy, they will win the Stanley Cup this year.

Japanese pitching Phenom Daisuke Matsuzaka (one of the most highly touted japanese pitchers in years) has apparently signed with the Minnesota Twins.

 This hasn't been reported anywhere, but he is listed on the Twins roster at CBS sportsline.com

 

http://www.sportsline
.com/mlb/players/playerpage/1145060

 

^^ That is his player page, notice the Twins logo

 

http://www.sportsline.com/mlb/t
eams/roster/MIN

 ^^ There is the Twins roster, he is listed there as well...

 I won't believe he is actually a Twin until something pops up at twinsbaseball.com but this is very good news for twins fans, and a shocking move really  because of the price tag he is rumored to command...



 

Twins Fans... Baseball Fans... and Others reading this... I have seen the future, and it is good. 

 

In the aftermath of the Twins shocking sweep at the hands of the Athletics, I am forced to wonder what could have been.  What if Liriano doesn't go down with a mysterious elbow injury?  What if the Twins could learn to stop swinging at the first pitch against Zito, even as he consistantly proved he couldn't find the strike zone with both hands and a flashlight.  What if Johan hadn't hung a change-up to Thomas in game one?  What if?

 But I could sit and dwell on the worst series of baseball the Twins played in the last 3 months, or I can look at the future.  This Twins roster is full of young players who gained valuable (albeit a small amount) of playoff experience, a roster that I felt was a year away from playoff contention got a taste of the big show. 

 This experience I can relate back to college hockey.  Last season the Badgers were the national champions.  (Shocking, I know)  But the year before that, the Badger squad earned a surprise bid into the frozen four, their young squad, led by only 2 seniors gained valuable experience against the nations best talent.  The next year, they rolled through the competition and eventually won the title. 

Could this be the future for the Twins?  They have a young roster that will return as in-tact as GM Terry Ryan chooses.  Mauer and Morneau will both be offered long-term contracts in this offseason to avoid the gamble that is arbitration.  The Twins hold an option on Castillo, Bartlett has not reached arbitration eligibility, and Punto will be arbitration eligable.  Kubel is not aribtration eligble yet, Hunter is under contract, and Cuddyer will be offered arbitration.  The Twins could field a lineup nearly identical to the one presented now. 

 The Twins will be looking to add a power bat to their line-up by bringing in a legit DH threat.  Someone to take the pressure off of Morneau in the power game. 

 The Twins staff looks to be the league's most dominant for the next 3-4 years with Johan, Liriano, Bonser, Garza and Perkins all young, and with MLB experience.  The Twins may look to add a veteran pitcher to their roster, and slide Perkins into a bullpen role at the beginning of the season (similar to how Liriano was used initially this year)

 The Twins may look to trade one of their young bullpen studs for a LF bat or a DH.

 My prediction for the 2007 Roster:

 2b - Castillo

3b - Punto

C - Mauer

RF - Cuddyer

1B - Morneau

CF - Hunter

DH - (FA)

LF - Kubel

SS - Bartlett

 SP - Johan

SP - Bonser

SP - Liriano (Splitting Johan and Liriano is a good idea)

SP - Garza (proved he was MLB ready during the stretch run)

SP - FA

 Bullpen:

 Nathan

Rincon

Neshek

Reyes

Perkins

Guerrier>

 

(Crain = Traded)

 I don't know who the Twins will go out and get, but I believe the Twins will be bringing in a new DH (or better grooming Rondell White for the position)

 The Twins will look for a Veteran, innings eating pitcher to put at the bottom of the rotation.  The Twins have a lot of young pitchers who will put together solid performances, but throw too many pitches, resulting in exits after 6 innings.  The Twins need a guy who can come in and post an era of 4.5 and eat up 7-8 innings a start. This will take an actual investment by Terry Ryan, but this team has be considered a world series favorite.

 How will the Twins pay for my additions and the re-signings?  Simple... Radke is going to retire, 9 Million dollars off the books.  Stewart Will not return 6 million off the books.  Rondell White will not return 3 million off the books.  Lohse' 4 million no longer ont he books.  That is a combined 22 Million dollars of salary no longer affecting the Twins roster, this should allow the Twins to get long-term deals to the M&M boys, and sign two quality free agents without raising the payroll beyond 75 million dollars, a number pohlad should be able to stomach considering the new Stadium in the future. 











 

What a wild ride it has been for the Twins.  From 12 games back in the division, at a point where all hope seemed to be lost, to beating out the Tigers by one game. 

To be honest I never expected this.  When the Twins were 12 games back, I called for the Twins to dump their veterans, and start building for the future.  They were a team with little going for them, and I felt it was time to get the kids like Cassilla, Span etc. some playing time because the season was shot. 

My wish came true, Castro, Sierra, and Batista were dumped, and Punto, Bartlett, and Tyner were put into the starting line-up.  But something unexpected happened.  As the Twins committed to youth and speed, things began to turn around, and their season was ressurected.  At the time I was excited by the new-found talent on the roster, but still believed the playoffs to be out of the question.  I was determined to enjoy a taste of the future today, but still viewed the Twins 1 or 2 years away. 

 But the Twins kept winning, and they made the Division a three team race.  As the season progressed, the Red Sox and White Sox dropped out of the Wild card race, which left the Twins and Tigers alone to fight for the Division.  While it took a collosal collapse by the Tigers, the Unthinkable happened, The Royals swept the Tigers, and the Twins overtook them in the division on the final game.

Now the Twins prepare for their playoff series against the A's.  This is a series where I believe the Twins (despite losing Liriano) have a strong advantage.  I'm predicting a victory in 4 games for the following reasons.

Johan Santana pitches game one.  There isn't a better 2nd half pitcher in the game right now that Johan Santana.  Game one is the most important game of the series, with Johan on the mound the Twins will not need to bring in their best bats, 3 runs should be enough. 

 Brad Radke pitches game two.  There isn't a hungrier pitcher in all of baseball right now.  Radke is pitching like an iron man, despite a stress fracture and a torn rotator cuff, Radke has forced himself back on the mound and gotten by on grit and determination. 

M&M's (Mauer-Morneau) - The AL batting Champ Catcher, and the MVP himself Justin Morneau create a lot of punch in the Twins line-up.  Mauer's uncanny ability to find his way on the basepaths combined with Morneau's ability to rake the RBI's will create havoc for A's pitchers.

 Torii Hunter - Torii has found the perfect time to live up to his batting potential.  He has caught fire and has reached a career high in HR.  The Twins will need his bat if they want to score some runs against the A's strong pitching staff. 

The Twins are in an excellent position.  They are baseball's hottest team, and they will be heading to the postseason possibly getting a man who has anchored their rotation for many years (Brad Radke) back.  

 Despite a stress fracture and torn rotator cuff, Radke has battled back to give the Twins one final run.  It was evident before the season that this was Radke's farewell tour.  His shoulder slowly giving out as Radke said no more surguries.  His 9 million may be too much for his direct production, but he is the unquestioned leader of this pitching staff, and acts as a second pitching coach.  (It was Radke who taught Johan his devastating change-up).  If there was true justice there would be an award somewhere for Radke, but baseball doesn't have an AL "All Team Chemistry" award.  

Radke has shown more heart this season than most pitchers show in a career (see Carlos Silva leaving a 1 hitter with an upset stomach).  He is penciled in to start thursday.  It's a shame he doesn't have 3 starts left this season to get his pitch count up, but it looks as if he will be only built up to 80 pitches by the time the postseason comes around. 

 Thursday will be an emotional night for Twins fans everywhere.  His final regular season start in the metrodome.  Ending a career where he endeared himself to fans everywhere despite his propensity to give up first inning home runs. 

But this article is not about my borderline obsession with Radke, it's about the AL awards.  So without further adui, I bring to you the AL awards.

 AL MVP:  Justin Morneau.  I've been barking up this tree since the Twins run started, and my statement still stands.  Justin Morneau has been the biggest bat in the Twins line-up for the entire season.  His 30+ home runs are a first since '91, and his RBI totals are amongst the best in the league.  But Morneau is not just a HR hitter.  He is batting over .325 this season and played stellar defense over at first base. 

Other Candidates for this award include Ortiz, Dye and Jeter.   Ortiz and Dye are basically disqualified for failing to qualify for the playoffs.  Yes there is precident for an MVP from a non-playoff team (A-Rod).  But in a season where there are 4 candidates with similar qualifications, playoffs must be a prerequisite.  This leaves Jeter.  Yes Jeter has been a spark plug for the Yankees, and helped keep the Yankees winning even with Sheffield and Matsui injured.  But the Yankees losing two outfielders is barely a chink in the armor.  They still have A-Rod, Giambi, Posada, and Robinson Cano.

 AL Cy Young:  Johan Santana.  Johan had some stiff competition from his teammate Liriano before he went down with injury, and Halladay was on his heels up untill a few weeks ago.  But Johan has pulled away, and as he closes in on the pitching triple crown, It would be  a serious oversight if Johan doesn't win this award for the second time in his career.  (really, This should be a 3 peat, #### bartolo Colon)

AL ROY:   Justin Verlander.  Despite his recent starts, Verlander is one of the biggest reasons the Tigers have won the division.  This award lost it's competition as Liriano went down with injury, but there is not a more deserving candidate this year than Verlander.  (Despite a strong crop of rookies)

AL Manager of the Year:  Ron Gardenhire.  Call me a homer, I'm sure some of you already have with my Morneau pick, but no manager can claim what Gardenhire can.  He took a team that started out 25-33, 12 games out of first place.  He revived the career of Cuddyer (deemed a bust before this season's 100+ RBI performance). 

Ron saw 4 outfielders go down with injury in a matter of a few days.  (Kubel's knees worsened, Lew Ford out, Torii Hunter stress fracture, Shannon Stewart Plantar Faciatis (season)).  Mr. Gardenhire trotted out guys like Jason Tyner, Josh Rabe, Rondell White in the outfield and found production.  He turned Nick Punto from an often injured utility man, to a gold glove contending 3rd baseman (Chavez will win it rep alone though).  Jason Bartlett went from inept in the field to an adequate fielder and a .300+ hitter. 

Gardenhire saw his pitching staff disolve in front of him as Radke was injured, Liriano went down, #### Bonser, Scott Baker and Carlos Silva struggle.  Yet the Twins kept finding ways to win. 

AL Comeback player of the Year:  Frank Thomas.  Thomas was counted out long ago, yet his career has been revived in Oakland and has done it with little protection.  Thome makes a strong case as well, but his comeback comes being protected by Dye and Konerko, compared to (who the hell protects Thomas anyway?).

There they are folks, the awards the way I see em. 

Early Playoff predictions:

Twins - Yankees:  Twins win this series in 5.  In a 7 game series, it would unquestioningly be the Yankees, but in a 5 game series the Twins must only win 1 game that Johan does not pitch.  Personally the Yankees pitching staff doesn't scare me like it did at one point. 

A's - Tigers:  The Tigers are fading fast, but the A's are everyone's favorite postseason opponent.  The Tigers win this one in 4 en route to an all AL Central ALCS. 

Twins - Tigers:  I believe this is the Tigers year, had Liriano come back healthy the Twins would be unstoppable, but without him they lack a second dominant pitcher.  The Twins lose in 7.  (Johan undefeated in the playoffs)




 

www.pigskinheaven.com

Read it on The Website

As Week 3 comes to an end, fans everywhere have finally gotten a true picture of what their team is like. Some teams are elated that they find themselves a contender, others shift their focus to the 2007 draft.

The Vikings find themselves viewed in a state of purgatory. Quite unsure of how they truly stand. They beat two playoff teams from last season, albeit in unimpressive fashion. The Vikings lost to the Bears, a game the Vikings threw away with Bad late game play-calling, and costly turnovers. The opportunistic Bears made the Vikings pay for every mistake, and did not show any quit.

But that loss still leaves a sour taste in Viking fans and players alike. this was a game that the Vikings should have won. A botched hand-off lead to a Rex Grossman TD late in the 4th quarter as the Vikings were trying to run down the clock. Even after that TD, the Vikings still had a chance to come back, but Brad Childress' obsession with the unexpected backfired on him.

Interesting what a difference a week makes eh? The Vikings were praised for Childress innovative play calling when Ryan Longwell threw for a touchdown pass. But this week throwing deep on a 4th and 2, Brad proved to be too smart for his own good.

But these two plays are completely different situations. When Brad Childress called the Longwell play, he was behind and was in what looked to be a nothing to lose situation. But on this 4th and 2, the Vikings were down to their last play and Childress chose to throw it deep to Williamson. An unexpected play (no questioning that) which I'm sure surprised the Bears. But it was innefective for what seems to be an obvious reason. Brad Johnson is not a good QB. He is a good game manager, but not the QB anyone would want to be in a come from behind situation. Brad has been unable to throw a catchable deep-ball since the beginning of the season, and this toss was no different. Going deep to Williamson was as effective as Denny Green taking a knee in the '98 Championship game. With 2 time outs remaining and 1:30ish left on the clock, the Vikings could have ran the ball or thrown short to keep the drive moving, without taking an unnecessary risk. That deep ball showed a lack of faith in the Vikings offense to get it done without the aid of trick plays. It showed that Childress despite having McKinnie Hutch and Birk to run behind, refuses to let the Vikings continue a game-plan that worked all game in the waning seconds.

Now had this play worked, many of you may say that I would be praising Childress. You would probably be right, but that is because only when something fails, is the concept behind it examined. Brad Johnson, for everything he is, is not a deep ball passer. He does not have the zip necessary to throw a deep ball (especially against a defense like the bears). Brad's "deep" ball is basically leaning back and floating the ball as far as he can.

The Vikings play Buffalo next week. A team playing much better than I expected, but is still unlikely to be a playoff contender. The Vikings (like all teams) need to beat bad teams, and this is one of those situations.

Now onto the Controversy. Ever since Brad Johnson was given the starting job in Minnesota, the media has speculated on his contract. Every media outlet at one point or another had an article about an "impending holdout" from Brad Johnson, citing nothing more than the fact that he is the lowest paid starter. Ignoring statements by Brad Johnson that a holdout will not happen, the media has tried to stir controversy at every opportunity.

I guess I understand the "logic" behind the speculation. Brad is paid less than several back-ups which would cause some tension. He is also in a very interesting position of power considering the fact he is the only viable starter on the roster (Does anyone want to see Brooks Bollinger play?). All this considered, without looking to hard into it, one could speculate that Brad is unhappy with his contract. But at every opportunity, Brad has stated he will not hold out.

You might be asking why I choose to bring this tired story up again. Well SI.com has posted an article writing by Don Banks stating that Vikings fans should not be surprised when Brad begins his holdout mid-season. In the article he goes as far as stating "you can almost count on it" (referring to a Brad Johnson holdout).

This is yet another example of the media stirring up trouble. Their sole purpose seems to be creating controversy where it isn't. I've made similar complaints about the media's coverage of Randy Moss and Terrell Owens.

I thought when the preseason ended, the Brad Johnson contract coverage would stop, but as week 3 comes to an end we are still bombarded by the coverage of a controversy that doesn't exist.

One Half Game. That's all the Tigers lead over the Twins amounts to. The Twins were down by double digits at one point in the season, and now they are nipping at the heels of the sliding Tigers.

One might as how the hell are the Twins doing this? They have a rookie filled pitching staff and an inexperienced line-up. There is no way this team shouls have the league's best record since the all star break. Liriano's injury was supposed to break the Twins, but they have found a way to keep winning, and keep winning the series. The Twins produce from the top to the bottom. But the bats of 4 players have stood out. Mauer hitting in the 3 hole has slid a bit in his batting production (.380 down to a terrible .344 :) ). He has made a living off of getting on base for the big bats that follow.

Had you told me Cuddyer could would be a 100 RBI player last season, I would have laughed in your face, and called you stupid. Finally given a consistant position, Cuddyer has responded by knocking in over 100 runs. Following Cuddyer (Chants of MVP are heard in the background) Justin Morneau has developed into the slugger Twins fans everywhere have expected him to be. The first twin to hit 30 home runs since 91, and his 123 RBI's leads the team. He has given the Twins a legit power bat and has produced well in the line-up. Torii Hunter has had a late-season push, hitting several clutch HR's, and has an outside shot at 30 HR (he has 28 now).

Not to mention the play of Jason Bartlett, Nick Punto, Luis Castillo, and even Rondell White (to a point). The Twins line up is much better than it's being credited for.

But the biggest surprise is in the ability of the Twins pitching staff to stay alive despite serious injuries to Radke and Liriano. Johan has proven himself the true ace of the staff (despite the flavor of the month comments earlier about Liriano). If he doesn't win the AL Cy Young the award will officially become a joke. He is on pace to win the Pitching Triple Crown (Wins, ERA and K's). But beyond Johan, the Twins are getting production from a sinkerballer who lost his sinker (Silva whom has had 3 consecutive solid starts). A rookie Named ####, A rookie who began the season at Single A (Garza), And a mix of Scott "I've Never Shaved" Baker, Matt Guerrier and Brad Radke (when healthy).

This staff full of rookies has proven that the Twins pitching depth in the minors is no mirage like the Twins Outfield "Depth" (Cuddyer is the only one of Restovich, Mohr, Ford & Cuddyer to become anything). The Twins have the potential for a dominant rotation in the future, and the playoff experience they will gain this season as rookies could prove infinitely valuable for the future.

The Twins biggest strength has been the AL's best bullpen. The Twins have the luxury with Rincon, Reyes, Crain, Neshek and Nathan to effectively end games after the 6th inning. There isn't a team in baseball that can match-up with the Twins bullpen, and this dominating unit has been the biggest reason for the Twins success.

The Twins will likely face the Yankees in the playoffs. A team that has given the Twins much trouble over the years in the playoffs. Their line-up of superstars that makes Matsui a number 8 hitter will be a handfull for Twins pitchers. The Twins have a better chance to beat the Yankees in a short series than a long one, so they can trot out Johan Santana twice. The Twins will only need to win one game outside of Johan's starts to take the series. This is a mentality the Twins need to keep. Just win one because Johan is gonna bring his A game.

The Twins should be the feel good story of the playoffs. They are a team counted out at one point and now sit 1/2 game behind the Tigers. They have Brad Radke on his fairwell tour who has pitched with a torn labrum, and is attempting to come back with a stress fracture in the same shoulder. The Twins are a team full of kids, and they get it done the old fashioned way with pitching and defense.

Fear the Twins American League, because this team shouldn't even be here, so they have nothing to lose.


In case anyone was wondering where I went...Once again i have taken a month long sabbatical from the blog... I got caught up in college life and just couldn't find the time for it. I'm now a freshman at THE University of MInnesota.

So this post is dedicated to the realistic MVP candidates. Which may include some names you haven't thought of.

Earlier i made a post campaigning Radke for the MVP, obviously he will not get it, because the voters are all about sexy numbers, not intangible impact.

The AL MVP discussion is irrelevant without mentioning Ortiz. So I will get the obligatory... Ortiz is so damn clutch argument out of the way now. His late-game heroics have been well-publicized... and I mean WELL publicized. (ESPN should move their studios to fenway for easier access to Ortiz highlights).

His bat is incredible. But with the Sox slipping in the standings, his MVP that seemed to be a lock a week or so ago, is looking less secure.

A DH has an incredible hurdle in their path to the MVP. They are automatically lowered in the standings due to the fact they do not play defense. It's a fair criticism, because if their numbers are close to a position players, the defensive play could tip the scales away from the DH.

For a DH to win the award his numbers would have to be well above the rest, and Ortiz's are not far enough ahead at this point for him to deserve the award (although if I were a betting man, I'd put my money on Big Papi because of the support he has gathered from the media monster located in boston... I mean bristol.

If not Ortiz, who else?

Well there are several other candidates. Manny Ramirez is having a great season, and is quietly keeping pace with Ortiz, with much less fan-fare. Manny is a headcase, and a liability in the field, but it's his presence that forces opposing managers to pick their poi sen in late innings. (Walk ortiz to face manny?)

But neither Boston candidate deserves the award. One thing that must be considered is a player's impact on the team. The Red Sox have two MVP candidates, which means they could survive without one of those players IMO. They may not be a contender, but they would still be a winning team.

Of course a Yankee has to be mentioned in this conversation. The obvious candidate seems to be Jeter. In a year where everything went wrong for the Yankees in terms of injuries, Jeter was a rock and kept the Yankees close to the Bo-sox. But Jeter is also hurt by the team around him. MVP means most valuable, and Jeter's value to the Yankees is huge, but because he is surrounded by superstars, nobody can say that the Yankees would suck without him.

A couple more candidates at DH include Jim Thome and Travis Hafner, but their absence in the field, coupled with numbers that do not separate themselves from the rest of the candidates, make them unappealing candidates for the award. (also, in Hafner's case, the success of the Indians is also a factor)

So with all of these players undeserving... who the hell deserves it?

Joe Mauer has received some publicity for the MVP race. While his numbers are very nice, and surprising for a catcher with his defensive ability, his impact on the Twins is not greater than one of his teammates.

Justin Morneau. Morneau plays firstbase for the Twins, and has had the quietest spectacular season this year. His numbers are right behind Ortiz in terms of HR, RBI and is ahead in Average. He is the Twins first 30+ HR hitter since 1987. He leads the league in 2 out RBI (yes, ahead of Mr. Clutch Ortiz). And his glove has put him on baseball tonight's webgems several times this year.

SO I present to you, the AL's most deserving MVP candidate half of you never even considered before. Justin Morneau

Baseball is a beautiful thing. It's a timeless game that shows you don't need to be an athelete to be successful (Ex. Dennis Reyes). The sport is one of the few that can be accurately broken down statistically, which widens it's appeal to even the nerdiest among us :). But the game also contains many intangibles that don't show up in a stat-book, giving appeal to the purists.

But there are some things fundamentally wrong with the sport I have grown to love. Most of those problems come down to economics.

In every sport their is a gap between the large markets, and the small markets. Football is the best example of how that can be overcome. But in baseball the gap between the have's and Devil Rays has become nearly insurrmountable.

Many Yankee apologists claim that the Yankees luxury tax dollars are doing plenty shorten the gap. Which is partially true. The revenue sharing, which the Yankees are the greatest donor, has kept many franchises afloat in the past few years, including the bumbling Royals.

But the Luxury tax is not enough. The Yankees, Red Sox and other large market clubs will trade those millions for championships every day of the week becuase of the dollars they bring in.

My suggestion to fix this problem is nothing new. Baseball needs a salary cap.

The biggest reason baseball needs a salary cap is not the cummulative number that the Yankees and Red Sox reach in player contracts. Those numbers are well publicized, and beaten to death by people like me.

The reason the Yankees and Red Sox are bad for baseball are individual player contracts. I'll use Johnny Damon as the example.

Johnny Damon was plucked from the Red Sox by the Yankees. With that, came claims of evil empire from the Bo-sox faithfull who fail to realize they sold their souls when they bought a world series in 2004.

Damon's contract is greatly overvalued in terms of production, but the Yankees don't care... what's overpaying 5-10 million when you have a 200+ million dollar payroll? What Damon's contract did was effectively set the bar for contracts to come. Centerfielders like Hunter and Mathewe's Jr. will look at Damon's millions and demand comprable contracts.

Baseball contracts have little to do with what a player's production is worth, it has everything to do with what team is willing to overpay the most for said player's services. With the Yankees and Bo-sox continually setting the bar at this level for contracts, small market teams like the Twins face tough decisions. Can they afford to keep a veteran who has been the face of the franchise for years AND lock-up their emerging young talent? Or will they be forced to pick and choose which players they can afford to lose to keep their finances out of the red?

Should teams be forced to deficit spend to keep pace with the Brenner's? Of course not! Yet most Yankee and Red Sox apologists point to the rich owners and say "invest more in your team, and you can be just like us!" Well I don't think anyone in their right mind would want to be like them.

I propose a soft salary cap. The Maximum salary would be somewhere between 85-100 million dollars. But there would be ways for teams to keep their own talent together.

Free Agency would work like this:

Re-Signing/Arbitration period. Arbitration rules would remain in effect, no changes to that portion of the offseason. Teams have an unlimited payroll to re-sign their own players, They can exceed the cap to re-sign their own players granted that 65% of that roster has spent 3 or more years either on the team's roster, or in that team's minor league system.

This would encourage teams to build baseball teams the way it was intended. Through great minor league scouting, and building a franchise from the ground up.

Unrestricted Free Agency Period: at this point, any un-signed player would become a free agent, their former teams lose the right to re-sign them and exceed the cap at this point.

Teams over the cap can sign players to minor league contracts not to exceed 500K to fill out their roster.

This is a system very similar to the NBA style system, which I think would work much better than the Laisse-faire type of system currently used

It wasn't long ago, the AL Central was regarded as baseball's weakest division.  This year, the Tigers are baseball's best team, and the top two teams in the Wild Card race are the White Sox and the Twins.  

 The Al Central will send two teams to the ALCS.  And this blog will tell you exactly how that will work out. 

 Step one:  The Twins will beat out the White Sox for the Wild Card.  The Twins were beaten by the White sox only once out of the last 6 meetings.  The lone White Sox win was a result of uncharictalistically poor defensive play, including a gift double that castillo lost in the lights, a ball through the legs of Punto, and a bad throw by Bartlett.  The White Sox only mustered 2 earned runs in that game. 

 The Twins are winning games even without their pitching phenom Liriano.  His return is set for mid-september, and with that comes a late playoff push.  This race will likely come down to the final series of the season, which just happens to be between the White Sox and Twins.  And with a healthy Liriano, the Twins will be sure to send out Santana-Radke-Liriano for that final series, and I'll take my chances with those match-ups. 

 Step Two:  The Tigers will win the AL Central.  They have stumbled a bit, but no team can play at that pace forever.

Step three:  The Playoff matchups.  If the season ends the way I expect it to, The Twins will face the Yankees in a short series.  Meaning the Yankees will see Johan Twice, along with LIriano and Radke.  In a 7 game series, the match-up may slide ot the Yankees favor, but in a short series I think the Twins would beat any team in the majors. 

 That would leave the Tigers vs Whomever comes out of the AL West.  Whether it be the A's Angels or Rangers, the result will be the same.  Baseball's best team will cruise to victory.

 This could mean that two teams from the AL Central would play for the ALCS, a series that may not have the ratings of Yankees-Red Sox, but will be one of the best series of baseball we've seen in many years.  This will likely go 7 games, and it will all rely on the health of each teams' respective rookie pitcher.  Verlander's health, Vs Liriano's health will decide the series. 

 So take that Large Market baseball.  The Twins and Tigers are here to stay, and everybody's favorite cursed franchise will begin it's whining once again. 

 

Brad Radke may not have the numbers of a David Ortiz or a Justin Morneau, but his value to his team is so much greater than the runs the best sluggers have given their teams.  

 First I'll start with Brad Radke's stats.

 

12-8    4.43 ERA   76K's

 

Completely unimpressive eh?

 

But let's break it down a little further.  Brad Radke has a tear in his shoulder.  May 24th is the last start for Radke where he gave up more than 4 runs.  That date coincides with the date he got his first Cortisone injection in his battered shoulder.  Since then his ERA has been sub 3, and he has turned around his season.  He has battled for the Twins, using a shoulder that can best be described as throwing with a ten pound weight instead of a baseball. 

Brad Has nothing left in that arm.  His velocity is gone, and he is getting hitters out on pure deception.  While his velocity is not their, he has shown the ability to change speeds on his pitches. 

 Brad has been clutch.  He is literally pitching until his arm falls off.  He has stopped the Twins when they started to slide against the Blue Jays, shutting them down like he was 25 again. 

 Brad is also the best mentor the Twins have ever had in their pitching staff.  It was through his guidance that Johan and Silva learned change ups.  Without the change-up, Johan is largely an average pitcher.

 Brad has done so much for the Twins, It will be a sad day to see him retire, and when he does, so should his number.  Brad was with the Twins during the terrible years after the world series victory, and was a part of the group that brought the Twins back on the map in baseball. 

 

A recovering Alcoholic attempting to run from the police? Only in Minnesota folks... This article will focus on the developing Koren Robinson story and a re-cap of the Vikings first preseason game.


As you all know already, Koren Robinson has been arrested for DUI. Details have emerged, so I'll start off with a quick briefing on the details. At approximately 10:45 Tuesday night, Koren Robinson was arrested for su####ion of DUI and fleeing arrest in a motor vehicle. He led police on what was reported as a 13 Mile long police chase, involving 4 different departments. During this, he had speeds clocked in excess of 100 MPH. He was formally charged Wednesday afternoon with two counts of DWI and fleeing arrest in a motor vehicle. It has been released that his blood alcohol level was .09, .01 above the legal limit of .08.





This is not Koren's first offense. Koren's alcohol related transgressions have been well publicized over the years, and it has led to his outright release from the Seahawks, and a four game suspension.





He is currently on probation in the state of Washington for alcohol related offenses, and has a large list of charges in Carolina, where he went to college.





Koren Robinson's actions were relatively unnecessary. It's obvious he wasn't in a sound state of mind, but at the blood alcohol level of .09, it's highly likely he was aware of what he was doing, and the consequences of his actions. While the DWI is inexcusable, his high-speed getaway attempt is unexplainable. Once the lights were behind him, Koren had no chance. People don't evade police in this day and age. With helicopters and powerful police cars, Robinson had no chance. I don't understand how he could have run from the police.





Koren is innocent until proven guilty, but I'm going to examine the impact of his actions, if the worst case scenario plays out, which would include a season-long suspension.





Koren's contract likely has language that allows the Vikings to recoup their losses if Koren has alcohol related offenses. I do not know for sure if that is the case, but I vaguely remember hearing about this when his contract extension was released. This mistake could cost Koren millions on top of possible jail-time. The Vikings may have an opportunity to go after the bonus money already payed out. It will be interesting to see how this situation will play out.





Without Koren Robinson, the Vikings receiving questions are increased. He was the #1 receiver so far this season, and was reported to be picking up the offense well. In an earlier CURTain call, i raised a question about the Vikings lacking a true #1, well that question is even bigger now.





It's time for Troy to step up. Williamson will be the #1 receiver unless a move is made. He will be given a chance to live up to his 7th overall selection. Marcus Robinson will likely be the #2 receiver for the Vikings, he has a lot of talent that has gone untapped for most of his career, and has shown flashes in his short time as a Viking. Travis Taylor will remain in the slot, where he has been excelling. This leaves a gap at 4th Wide receiver. Billy McMullen and Ryan Hoag are not good enough to fill that void, and the Vikings will either need to make a trade, or pick up a free agent who is cut. Some receivers rumored to be cut include Robert Ferguson, Charles Rogers, and Josh Reed. I'd prefer any one of these guys over the likes of McMullen and Hoag, who are much better suited for a #5 role.





Some options the Vikings have in a trade could be Jerry Porter or Ashlie Lelie. Both are unhappy with their current situations, and would likely only take a 3rd round draft choice to get them. Neither are proven commodities in the NFL, and would be definite risks, but if the Vikings are uncomfortable with Marcus Robinson as their #2 receiver, they may be forced to make a move.





With Koren's act of stupidity, Hank Baskett rumblings will only increase. Hank Baskett was traded to the eagles for WR Billy McMullen. Baskett has moved up the depth chart (due to injuries) to the #2 WR. I will not criticize the trade until Baskett performs well in a regular season game, but this trade is beginning to look very bad for the Vikings.





Anyone think the Raiders might let us have Backsies on the Moss trade? I mean, he isn't happy in Oakland...:)





Nate Burleson for a 3rd round pick is looking less appealing than ever now. But we have to remember that the 3rd round pick was used to select Tarvaris Jackson, a player who is working out quite well in limited action. For this season, it's obvious I'd rather have Burleson, but for the long-run Jackson is starting to look much nicer.

Well, the trade deadline has come and gone... I effectively killed an hour of work checking cnnsi.com & listening to KFAN waiting on pins and needles for news. 

I had some ideas for the Twins pre-deadline, but I knew they were long-shots, mostly "pie in the sky" type of deals... And as I stated in Cuzzifer's blog, I did not expect any twins related notes, beyond Lohse being shipped off. 

Well that opinion proved to be true as my beloved Twins dumped Kyle Lohse on the Reds, obtaining a decent minor leaguer with a 7-0 record with a 2.5 ish ERA in Single A Durham.

In this deal I think the Twins come out smelling like roses, dumping a terrible clubhouse presence, with no future in the organization (and no production) for a minor leaguer with a chance to be something in the majors. 

Maybe Lohse's demotion to Four A (the NL) will allow him to find some confidence he has sorely lacked in the AL... but I doubt he does anything but implode for the Reds.  The Reds GM should have known better, he is a former Twins assistant GM and he knows what Kyle Lohse is, but like an alzheimer's patient he decides he would love to see what Kyle can do again. 

But enough Twins talk here, this blog is intended to branch out into all of the deals.  So without further adui, I bring to you Trade Deadline:  Winners and Losers. 

New York Yankees acquire OF Bobby Abreu and Corey Lidle from Phillies for Four Minor Leaguers.

The Yankees once again have proven themselves to be the evil empire.  Taking on outrageous contracts no other team in the league could take on.  Abreu's contract is ridiculously high, and the Yankees have no problems paying it because of how desperate they are in the outfield (Sheffield, Matsui down with injuries). 

The Bigger story on the Yankees side of this deal is starter Corey Lidle.  He may not look like much... 4.5 ish ERA, but he gives the Yankees definite consistency at the bottom of their rotation, and allow the Yankees to go 5 deep with starters who will give the Yankees chances to win games. 

Lidle's value at the deadline is a great illustration of how weak the pitching market was this year.  Everybody wanted pitching, but nobody had it to give because of the relative mediocrity of the NL, and the AL West. 

The Phillies do not come out very well in this deal... Smith is a good prospect, but SS CJ Henry has shown absolutely nothing so far in his career.   Monasterios also looks like a decent pitcher, but none of these players will make up for the talent lost in this deal. 

The only saving grace the Phillies have is the amount of money they will be saving by getting rid of Abreu.  The Phillies now have flexibility to make some additions to their roster to improve a couple of positions. 

The Winner:  Yankees

The Loser: Phillies

Yankees Trade SP Shawn Chacon to Pirates for OF/IF Craig Wilson.

The Yankees made another solid move, getting rid of a 5th starter who will be supplanted by Corey LIdle, and picked up a versatile player in Craig Wilson.  Craig Wilson is nothing to go crazy about, but will give the Yankees a solid first baseman.  But his acquisition is not all golden.  When Sheffield and Matsui comes back, there will be some serious problems about playing time, and in the end a good player is going to wind up on the bench. 

What are the Pirates thinking here?  Craig Wilson should be one of the players they try to keep around, and build a contender with.  In exchange they get Shawn Chacon.  Chacon's ERA is in the 7's.  The pirates have thrown in the towel for the next 2 or 3 years based on the moves they have made.

Winner:  Yankees

Loser:  Pirates

Pirates Trade SP Oliver Perez and RP Roberto Hernandez for OF Xavier Nady

The Mets have picked up a couple of solid pitchers for Nady in this deal.  Oliver Perez is having a terrible year, but has lots of potential, and has shown that potential in the past.  Given time Oliver Perez may make the Mets fans forget about the deadline deal that sent away Scott Kazmir for Victor Zambrano.  But the key component of this deal for 2006 is Robert Hernandez.  In 24 appearances for the Pirates, Herneandez has posted a sub 3 ERA and has earned a couple of saves.  He will step in and be an excellent set-up man for the Mets.

Nady Takes some of the Sting away from the Craig Wilson Deal, and will give the Pirates a good young outfielder for several years.  He has decent pop, but really won't turn many heads in the batters box.  I think the Pirates will regret this deal as well because they are sending off a quality young arm in Oliver Perez, who I believe given time will get back to his previous form and live up to potential. 

Winner:  Mets

Loser:  Pirates

Pirates trade SP Kip Wells to Rangers for Minor Leaguer Jesse Chavez.

The Pirates finally made a move that made some sense.  Kip Wells is a struggling, aging pitcher, and acquired a relief prospect that has recently made the jump to AAA.  Chavez is nothing spectacular as far as relief pitchers come, but in the future he could be a decent middle reliever for the Pirates. 

The Rangers made a smart move and added pitching.  Even the 1-5 6+ ERA Wells is an upgrade over the pathetic staff known as the Texas Rangers.  He should step into the rotation, and if he improves slightly keep the Rangers offense close enough to score some runs and get a win.  Kip is by no means a game changing player, but he gives the Rangers yet another boost to make a charge in the AL West. 

Winner:  Pirates (Bout time they came out better in a trade)

Loser: Rangers (Kip Wells is a good move, but likely wont' make much difference in the rotation.. this trade is close to even)

Rangers acquire OF Matt Stairs from Royals for Joselo Diaz. 

Matt Stairs will provide the Rangers with a good bench player, improving their depth.  The Rangers gave up two Outfielders to get Carlos Lee, leaving a gap for Stairs to fill. 

Joselo Diaz is another Rangers pitcher who has recently made the jump to AAA.  He is averaging over one strike out per inning, and has seen time as a starter and as a reliever giving the Royals a versatile Arm in their system. 

Winner:  Royals

Loser: Rangers

Royals Trade SP Affeldt and Bautista To Rockies for Shealy and Dohmann

The Royals made a smart move here building for the future.  It's obvious the Royals aren't contenders in the AL Central, and won't be for a considerable amount of time and the Royals are using the deadline to load up on prospects in hopes of a few panning out.  Shealy seems to be a legit prospect, with 15 HR in AAA so far this year he could see some time with the big league squad soon.  Dohmann hasn't pitched much this season, but has posted a 2ish ERA at both AAA and AA.  The Royals got a lot of value for a couple of players who really haven't performed well for them. 

The Rockies have traded for a couple of Royals pitchers with 5+ ERA's.  Nothing out of the ordinary considering the lack of talent on that royals roster, but the Rockies gave up a lot to get these two.  I think the Rockies will be disappointed in the talent they have received and will likely end up regretting this deal.

Winner:  Royals

Loser: Rockies

Padres receive IF Todd Walker and 350K from Cubs for Jose Ceda.

Walker is a versatile infielder who can play 3 infield positions (badly).  He is more known for his offensive #'s which haven't been up to par this year, but he should provide the Padres with a player who could hit #2 for them. 

Jose Ceda is a small price to give up for a veteran presence like Walker.  Ceda has posted a 5+ ERA in the minors, but averages over a strikeout per inning.  The Cubs are far from contenders at this point, even in the pathetic league we call the NL.  They are doing the smart thing and looking to the future. 

Winner:  Padres

Loser:  Cubs

 Dodgers Acquire Julio Lugo from D-Rays for Joel Guzman and Sergio Pedroza

This trade works out well for both squads.  The Dodgers are receiving a quality SS to replace Izturis.  This should improve the Dodgers lineup dramatically and they should make a strong push for the playoffs despite being 5 games out of the race. 

Joel Guzman and Sergio Pedroza are legit prospects in the Mets organization.  Pedroza has struggled in the advanced A league, but posted some solid #'s at the lower of the two A leagues.  Guzman is a great prospect for the D-rays he should be the 3rd baseman of the future for them. 

Both teams made out well in this deal.  The Dodgers have gotten themselves closer to a playoff appearance, and the D-rays bright future has gotten even brighter.  Both teams are Winners in this deal. 

Dodgers acquire SP Greg Maddux from Cubs for IF Cesar Izturis

Greg Maddux doesn't have much left in the tank, but he should give the Dodgers some help at the bottom of their rotation, and provide them with some veteran leadership.  Izturis is one of the more disappointing players in baseball, he was a player I thought would do big things in his career, but he hasn't panned out.  Izturis should provide an a replacement for Walker, and will help out the Cubs build for the future.  Another good deal for both teams. 

Both Teams are Winners

As the deadline approaches, normally rational and reasonable fans can often turn into extreme homers.  We see it everywhere, whether it be on blogs such as these, sports-themed message boards, or sports talk-radio.  Soon it becomes a perfectly reasonable proposal to offer Lew Ford, Kyle Lohse, Shannon Stewart and #### Bonser for Soriano.  I've listened to KFAN 8-4 every weekday since I started my new job, and lets just say I've heard it all.  From fans ripping Mauer, (yes, the .370+ hitting phenom), calling for Ryan's head for not making a move, praising Rondell White, and even suggesting the Twins trade for A-rod.  I listen because it often provides comic relief from a mind-numbingly boring job.  So this blog post will be focused on some ways to improve The Twins, if any can be made with reasonable offers.  So call my BS if that's how you see it, because everyone has a little Homer inside of them, and sometimes he creeps out. 

Minnesota has a couple directions they could go at the deadline.  Their name has been tossed around in relation to Soriano's name, but I believe Carlos Lee destroyed any chance the Twins had of trading for him when he turned down a 4 year 48 million dollar offer.  Why you ask?  Because Lee's contract refusal will set the bar much to high for the Twins to lock up Soriano long-term.  Without being able to keep Soriano beyond this season, TR will not mortgage the future to bring in anybody, even a guy with 40-40 club potential.  So with Lee traded, and Soriano priced to high, what can the Twins do to improve their hitting?  With so many teams considered contenders, it is hard to make a move to improve a line-up that is already scoring enough runs to win ballgames.  The Twins have one hole in their line-up as it stands now.  Jason Kubel's knees are not healthy enough to play left field on that hideous turf, and his nagging injuries are proof of that.  This makes him a full-time DH, meaning guys Rondell White, Jason Tyner and Josh Rabe will be seeing time at the position. 

The Solution?  The Twins need to go out and get a left fielder.  The second problem?  The market for outfielders is weak.  Some names that have been made available are Soriano and Abreu, but as I've stated before, Soriano will not come to the Twins, the asking price is too high for a rental player.  Abreu has an ugly contract, and the only way I'd consider going after this guy would be if the Phillies will eat the majority of that contract.  But the Phillies are only considering trading Abreu because of contract issues, so the Twins are far out of the running on this guy... scratch him off your list Twins fans.  Another outfielder rumored to be available is Willy Mo Pena, he is a young outfielder with some potential that the Red Sox are dangling on the market, but I don't believe this deal could be made either.  First, Pena is a Right Fielder, which isn't a deal killer, but it would come with a few rough patches in the field in the first few weeks.  The second, and more important reason is the fact that the Twins and Red Sox could be competing for the Wild Card by season's end, and I doubt either team would want to help fix a weakness of their opposition. 

Here is the player I'd like to see the Twins make a serious run at, Raul Ibanez  I do not know how available he is, if it all, but The M's are not in contention this year with the strong play from the Angels and A's, Even though they are only 4 games back.  The Twins have prospects to offer, and could make a deal that suits both teams well. 

Here is the offer: 

Twins get:  Raul Ibanez

M's Get:

P Kevin Slowey

OF Alex Romero

SP Glen Perkins

A prospect from the Brewers "A" team

The Brewers Get:

Kyle Lohse

The Brewers do this trade because they have shown a lot of interest in Kyle Lohse, and the Twins will likely give away Lohse.  The Brewers could be interchanged with several teams that have shown interest in the Twins Starter/Reliever. 

The Mariners get some quality young talent in exchange for the 34 year old Ibanez.  They acquire two pitchers that have risen quickly in the Twins organization, Perkins is a hard-throwing lefty, but has struggled a bit this season (but still posted a decent 4 ERA).  Slowey is one of the many great prospects on the Twins roster, and is rising quickly.  He has top of the rotation potential, but is expendable because of the several other prospects the Twins have.  Alex Romero is a great young outfielder that might be ready to make the jump to the Bigs.  If not this year, Next year will be Romero's first year in the majors. 

The Twins will do this because Ibanez allows them to keep Kubel DH'ing to keep his knees healthy this season, and it also allows the Twins to keep guys like Tyner, Ro White, and Rabe on the bench where they belong.  (Well... Rondell doesn't really belong on the bench either...but I digress). 

The only downside to this deal is Ibanez struggles vs lefties.  The best case scenario for the Twins would be to get a quality Left Fielder with a right handed bat, but the market is just not there.  Ibanez would likely bat clean-up when he is called up, shifting Cuddyer down the order where he would be much better suited. 

The Twins are one of the long list of teams in need of pitching.  This year's market is very weak, beyond Barry Zito who may not even be on the market, there are very few players who could make an impact at the bottom of the rotation.  Names that have been tossed around are Corey Lidle, Greg Maddux, Jon Lieber, Livan Hernandez.  This list is relatively unappealing, Hernandez and Maddux are at the tail end of their careers with velocity decreasing from an already low level.  These two pitchers would struggle against the power filled line-ups in the AL, and I doubt either could make the transition well.  Jon Lieber is coming off Tommy John surgery and would come with an inflated salary, so scratch him off the list as well.  This leaves Corey LIdle, he has good strike-out numbers and a respectable 4.5ish era.  He would fit in well as a 4th starter, allowing the Twins to send Baker back down. 

Here is an offer that the Twins could send the Phillies' way. 

Twins Get:  Corey Lidle

Phillies get:  #### Bonser, Lew Ford (PTBNL)

The Phillies do this because they are out of contention, and the 34 year old starter doesn't have many good years left in him.  #### Bonser is a player who could succeed if given the opportunity to learn how to pitch against major league hitting.  There is no better opportunity for him to do that than on a team that is not in the playoff race.  Lew Ford has some value for a NL squad because of his versatility.  He can play all 3 outfield positions well defensively, and can provide hits in spurts.  He would make a solid 4th outfielder for the Phillies. 

The Twins would then slide Baker back to AAA, and Silva to the 5th starter.  Silva would make a few more starts, and if he succeeds, he will keep his job, but if he cannot cut it in the rotation anymore, Garza will be given a shot and Silva will be moved to the pen, where he was pretty successful earlier in the year. 

I think these offers are fairly reasonable, some of the prospects can be tweaked (such as inserting Scott Baker for #### Bonser).  But I think all teams involved could come out of these trades happy with the way they went.  The biggest problem facing the deals may be the fact that mathematically both teams are in a good position to make the playoffs, but that math is deceiving, and those teams should recognize that they are sellers and do the right thing. 

Some Quick Thoughts:

- The Twins last night were ugly in the field, and it cost them at least two runs.  Castillo's mis-play in the first inning allowed the lead-runner on, Maggs would only have had 1 guy to knock in with that hit had the gold-glover played it correctly.  In the 10th Castillo had his second miss of the night, allowing another ball under his glove.  Punto had a chance to be the hero again with a hot-shot to 3rd base, and he to failed to pick up Rincon and get out of that inning. 

- But the bigger problem was the line-up the Twins had to trot out in the bottom of the 10th.  When the Twins 3-4-5 went down in order in the bottom of the 9th, the Twins were forced to send out Rodriguez - White - Tyner against the Tigers closer.  The Twins didn't have a chance at scoring a run in the 10th, let alone getting a batter on with that line-up.  The Twins really needed some clutch hitting in the 9th, and the Twins big 3 could not get it done.

-Training camp started today for the Vikings rookies.  Chad Greenway is already scoring #### points, showing up 45 minutes early for practice.  He has a great work-ethic due to his childhood on the farm, and I believe he could turn out to be a steal at the 17th pick.  I'm expecting him to win a starting job on the outside, and he could be a great play-maker for the Vikings. 

-Dontarrious Thomas or Nap Harris is going to be the starting MLB.  This camp battle is about equivalent to being asked if you want to be kicked in the balls by a soccer player or a kicker...either way you're coughing up your testicles...

-All Draft picks were signed before the first day of camp, this is something we did not see in the Tice or Denny Green Era, it's a good sign that the Vikings have gone out and signed some guys with good character and looking to get in and work hard.  This team may not be as flashy as previous years, but I think this team will be fundamentally sound and won't lose games with stupid penalties and mistakes.  If Childress does one thing for this team it will be providing disipline.