Results tagged ‘ Cleveland Indians ’
Heirloom Memories: My Favorite Season
All photos by Randy Stern
What was my favorite season of baseball?
That’s a tough answer. It may take some thinking to get around to an answer…
I could go back to 1975, though I do not recall every moment of it. One instance did put up an argument for the entire year – Carlton Fisk’s home run in Game Six of the World Series. Other than that…that was it.
Perhaps 1979 would be a better answer. The “We Are Family” Pittsburgh Pirates was a team that caught my attention all season long. Add the “Yes We Can” California Angels and it was certainly a year to remember in terms of how baseball could be shaken up from all angles.
There’s probably a few more years to throw out there: 1987 for the first of the division title “Humm-Babe” San Francisco Giants. Maybe 1989 when it was great to live in the Bay Area to have both teams in the World Series – until Loma Prieta decided to change things forever. I could throw in 1991 with both League Champions coming from worst to first – with the Minnesota Twins winning in the end.
Since I’m recalling time era of The Heirloom – 2009 was a natural choice.
It was the year where I stretched my baseball legs more by visiting more ballparks than I usually do in a single season. I returned to Miller Park in Milwaukee after a six-year absence. Then, I made my way to new places, such as U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago, Yankee Stadium in The Bronx and Joe Faber Field in St. Cloud, Minnesota.
It wasn’t about where I went, as it was the experiences I had at these places. Though I was put off by some of the insecurity on the South Side, the ballgame was fine. Being in Milwaukee with an exciting ball club was something I never had to experience earlier in the decade when living in the same state. Even the down home feeling of ballplayers from afar making their home in Central Minnesota was an experience I’ve finally got to witness.
Trumping all of these road experiences would be enjoying an amazing day inside the New Cathedral. Having never been there and heard the horror stories of fans getting hassled inside and out of the old building. Once inside, I noticed a paradigm shift in the way the Yankees fused the old with the new. The new being the attention to customer service by the Yankees staff. Not to mention being around fans that would talk to you instead of threatening you. This new Yankee world was indeed strange, but welcoming at the same time.
But that was not the biggest highlight of 2009.
For the Twins’ fan, that year was a special one. On August 20, I told my fellow local fans to count the Twins out. I was wrong. They came back as they have done a few times over the past ten years.
As soon as everyone thought the Metrodome would become football-only by the end of the regular season, fate gave it an extension. I was there for Game 163 – perhaps the greatest game I ever witnessed in person. There was so much going on since the final day of the regular season that it was beyond amazing. The crescendo of Game 163 was more than any sporting ever experienced in person.
To recall the entire five-plus hours of extra innings baseball would be a waste of bandwidth. However, the only way to describe the resonance of this particular game was “life changing.”
There is another highlight from 2009 I want to add to all of this. However, I’ll save that for another posting…
The Timing’s Right…
Video courtesy of Major League Baseball via YouTube
This week, the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association kicked off their annual convention in Philadelphia. One of the break-out sessions was about the coverage of gays in sports, or, rather, the reaction of the sports community to gays and lesbians. Moderated by ESPN’s LZ Granderson, the panel included Steve Buckley of the Boston Herald, Jemelle Hill of ESPN, athlete Joanna Lohman, Jeff McMillan of the Associated Press, and former athletes Hudson Taylor, now of Athlete Ally and Brian Sims, now President of the board of Equality Pennsylvania.
Damnit, I wished I was there…but, I’m not a member…yet!
However, no one knew what would happen the same time Irene was about to hit landfall down the Atlantic coast as it had Philly in its sights. Somewhere down Broad Street – off Pattison Avenue – the Philadelphia Phillies uploaded their 30-second PSA supporting the It Gets Better project and along with the Trevor Project. It’s a quick run-through featuring some familiar members of the NL East leading Phils.
Coincidence? Perfect timing? Not just on the hurricane, but of the NLGJA convention and the most important discussion on this topic by the scribes and other LGBT participants.
Good for you, Phillies…but, damnit, I wished I was there!
…but, wait, there’s more!
MORE BILL SMITH: Last week, the Minnesota Twins put “Mr. 600 Home Runs” Jim Thome on the waiver wire. The result was, to say the least, interesting. Thome is now back where he started from – the Cleveland Indians. He was there through the World Series appearances for the Tribe and is seen as potentially the pivotal piece for September’s run towards the Detroit Tigers and a possible AL Central crown. Last Friday’s home return was an amazing tribute to a guy who helped plot the course for Mike Hargrove’s Tribe clubs in the 1990s. His new teammates hiked up their socks to where they truly should be – up on the lower leg.
Fine. The Tribe can have him. Bill Smith may think he’s smarter than the rest of us, but one wonders who else would be put on waivers before the deadline is up. Jason Kubel was rumored to be heading that way. We also heard Denard Span was also considered for the same fate.
Yeah, we’ll miss Thome. I hope he can be the difference between a division title and no postseason for Cleveland. Yet, there’s a gap of 6-1/2 games to close for Manny Acta’s first division title as manager can happen.
C’MON IRENE: First, an earthquake hits somewhere outside of the Washington area – now a supposedly huge hurricane is blowing through the Mid Atlantic and Northeast corridors. In all, five scheduled game shave been postponed in Philadelphia, Baltimore and in Queens. The Red Sox moved their Sunday game to this evening ahead of Irene’s potential arrival into New England.
All the teams are doing what they can to accommodate the extra games this weekend and into Monday. The Yankees were scheduled to play the Baltimore Orioles tonight at Camden Yards. That game has been moved to Sunday evening as part of a day-night doubleheader. Another game was squeezed onto a travel day on September 8, as the O’s and the Yanks travel together back down to Baltimore after their three games series in The Bronx. Them, the Yankees take off immediately for their six-game road trip on the West Coast.
Gotta love natural disasters…or, something like that.
SIXTH GEAR: Next week is September. I don’t believe it…do you? If you believe the hype, you’ll know what’s in store for the next few weeks.
For example, there will be six more games between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees to play for the entire season. You’d think there would be more, but that’s show the schedule shakes out. The Yanks’ finale at Fenway is this coming Tuesday with three games on the slate. They will not play each other until September 23 for a weekend series in The Bronx. For either team to win the division or take the Wild Card slot in the AL postseason, both the Red Sox and Yankees will have to play a slew of division rivals – Baltimore, Tampa Bay and Toronto.
However, there could be an open opportunity for the Red Sox to take advantage of the Yanks. As mentioned above, hurricane Irene forced a reschedule of a previous postponement between the Yankees and the Orioles in Baltimore the day after they finished a three-game home series in The Bronx. Then, there’s the West Coast trip with Anaheim and Seattle – scheduled right after the make-up game in Baltimore. The magic date is September 15 for the Yanks – a travel day before a three-game road series in Toronto.
One more thing to take in consideration for the AL East race: Neither team will finish the season at home.
JUSTIN VERLANDER… Before anyone gives him the AL’s Cy Young Award, the Tigers’ ace won his 20th game against the Twins at Target Field on Saturday. Congrats, Justin…well deserved.
Maybe, They Were Tired…
Before I go on, here’s a few words from the President of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Frank Coonelly, in a statement presented to the Commissioner’s Office today:
“The Pittsburgh Pirates organization is extremely disappointed by the way its 19-inning game against the Atlanta Braves ended earlier this morning. The game of baseball and this game in particular, filled with superlative performances by players on both clubs, deserved much better. We have filed a formal complaint with the Commissioner.
“While we cannot begin to understand how umpire Jerry Meals did not see the tag made by Michael McKenry three feet in front of home plate, we do not question the integrity of Mr. Meals. Instead, we know that Mr. Meals’ intention was to get the call right. Jerry Meals has been umpiring Major League games for 14 years and has always done so with integrity and professionalism. He got this one wrong.
“For Pirates fans, we may have lost a game in the standings as a result of a missed call but this game, and the gutsy performances by so many of our players, will make us stronger, more unified and more determined as we continue the battle for the National League Central Division.”
What happened? It was the bottom of the 19th inning at Turner Field last night with one out on the board. Scott Proctor of the Atlanta Braves hit off Daniel McCutchen of the Bucs, then slipped on the grass en route to first. Meanwhile, the Braves’ Julio Lugo was charging in from third towards home. The Bucs’ Pedro Alvarez threw to catcher McHenry just short of home plate, who swiped a tag on Lugo.
Meals called Lugo safe.
I can imagine the many post-game arguments that went on in light of this play – a mere six hours and 39 minutes after the first pitch. I know Clint Hurdle was beyond upset. I know the pundits have been chomping at a chance to pontificate on changes in instant replay or making excuses for either team. I can go on playing conspiracy theorist – but, why?
Though there is nothing Commissioner Selig or Joe Torre can do about the situation, Coonelly simply filed a complaint to the Commissioner’s Office on behalf of the Pirates.
Meals had his hands full already that evening tossing out the Braves’ Nate McLouth and Fredi Gonzalez.
No excuses, perhaps? None whatsoever. The game went too long and something had to give.
On a quick note, Ervin Santana of the Los Angeles Angels thew a quick and early no-hitter against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field this afternoon. Too bad those who attended had to go back to work in downtown Cleveland…
Photo of Jerry Meals (above) courtesy of Major League Baseball.
Plunkapalooza
Has this weekend’s series in The Bronx between the New York Yankees and the Cleveland Indians become a HBP contest?
It began on Friday night after the Yanks’ Curtis Granderson went deep on the Tribe’s Fausto Carmona. The next batter was Mark Teixeira. Carmona pitched a high fastball to Tex, who turned his back to protect his head. The pitch landed on the back of Tex’s shoulder bounding up to his helmet. Of course, Tex was hot. Carmona reacted by gesturing to Tex for what could be some pugilism. Next thing you know it, all the benches and bullpens cleared.
Tribe manager Manny Acta didn’t help things at all that night. He was arguing with the umpiring crew and somehow engaged Yanks’ skipper Joe Girardi into the conversation. The camera showed both Acta and Girardi jawing at each other to the edge of another potential round of fight club fisticuffs. Girardi was throw out of the way by one of his coaches – a smart move because this game would’ve gotten worse if anyone had a punch of several land on them.
The umpires gave both teams a warning of ejections of another plunking occurs in the game – retaliation or not.
That warning was in effect into Saturday’s game. Mitch Talbot was on the mound when Alex Rodriguez tapped him for a homer in the fourth inning. In the sixth, A-Rod was up again when Talbot threw a fastball inside on the batter. That pitch landed on A-Rod’s left thigh. With A-Rod in pain, Talbot was tossed from the game.
So, were the pitches intentionally thrown? Carmona denied he threw his pitch as retaliation on the Granderson home run. In fact, Carmona blames Tex for the way the batter used his body against a high-and-inside pitch. Talbot also denied that his pitch was intentional as well. But, in the court of public opinion would argue about coincidence, circumstance and timing.
What should not have happened was Carmona’s counter-reaction to Teixeira’s words to the Tribe pitcher. A pitcher should never throw more fuel on the fire when things are already hot, regardless who instigated the situation. Then again, how many times we’ve seen this scenario? How many times has the conflict become actual fisticuffs?
Perhaps we should be lucky that these both incidents did not get any uglier than they were this weekend. There is another game today in The Bronx – let’s hope some peace will prevail.
All images above courtesy of Major League Baseball
To Honor The Fallen, The Leaders and The Inappropriate
For the first time in a long time, I take this opportunity today to proudly salute those who have served to defend our great nation. I salute those who have lost their lives in the name of freedom and world peace. But, most of all, I salute those who served in silence knowing full well their lives were against the Uniform Code of Military Justice and of civilian laws of the past. Yet, they all fought for a nation and a cause they lived and died for.
There is some business to tend to, however…
OH, OZZIE (AGAIN): On Saturday, the Chicago White Sox endured a 14-inning loss courtesy of the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. At the end, White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen blistered a five-minute rant including expletives and frustrated critiques of his team. The next day, Oz tried to spin his rant by stating he was frustrated. We get the fact that Oz is passionate about his team and his job, but as this blog have covered – there are limits in doing so.
Or, should there be?
Of course, Oz finds solace in his Twitter. He tweeted against the press and their reaction to his rant – not in his best English, mind you. Then again, I understand what Oz says. Oz doesn’t care what he says and will back his own frustration. What you get from Oz is the real deal – like him or not.
As a coda to this weekend, I leave you with Oz’s last Tweet: “What a hell I going to say bad thing about white sox fan they are behind me all my carrer a less most of then.”
That is verbatim.
THE TRIBE – ON THE CLOCK: Jerry Remy said it best! Who would’ve thought that the Cleveland Indians would have a better record than the Boston Red Sox on May 30?
The Tribe has the best record in the American League – second best in the Majors. This is perhaps the best team Manny Acta has ever managed. The superlatives go on, but it resembles a familiar formula to Cleveland fans – a youth movement from a deep farm system developing into a nucleus of talent. For starters, you have the vortex of infielders Asdrubal Cabrera, Matt LaPorta, catcher Carlos Santana, outfielder Michael Brantley and pitcher Justin Masterson. Neither of them are setting the world on fire, but do they have to? Unlike previous Indians teams, this one is a true collective. One game, it will be LaPorta being the hero – the next, Asdrubal, and so forth.
Still, you have some veterans in the mix: Fausto Carmona, Grady Sizemore, Shin-Soo Choo, Orlando Cabrera and Travis Hafner. Tribe fans always expect their veterans o come through when the young fellas can’t. Adding journeyman Orlando to the mix will help this young team in the long run.
But, is it too early to heap all the praise of the world to Acta’s Indians? Maybe. But, remember Memorial Day is a barometer of how the pennant races will shape up in the bigs. The Tribe could cruise to the AL Central title, or get caught up on the back end of the pennant race. Ask the Detroit Tigers about the latter…
Speaking of which, the Red Sox are in first place in the AL East. Just sayin’…
THE HOT SAINTS: Coming into Amarillo tonight, the St. Paul Saints are on a five-game win streak. They capped the streak by sweeping the Kansas City T-Bones at CommunityAmerica Park (on the Kansas side) this weekend. The road trip continues in Amarillo for four, then three in Grand Prairie and three more in Shreveport before heading home to Midway Stadium on June 10.
That Was April…
Without further ado…here’s what went down last month….
THE SURPRISES: First off, look at the top of the American League Central. Then, look at the bottom. The Cleveland Indians share the best record in April with the Philadelphia Phillies – which comes as a surprise. I argue otherwise as the Tribe had been building a young core to replace its regulars from last decade, yet keeping Fausto Carmona and Shin-Soo Choo at its core. They also added journeyman Orlando Cabrera for that extra spark to this young team. It doesn’t surprise me that a Manny Acta team can be on top of a table this early in the going.
While the Tribe sit on top of the AL Central, the Kansas City Royals are right behind them, followed by the Detroit Tigers. However, at the bottom half sits the Chicago White Sox (along with Ozzie Guillen’s bilingual Twitter feeds) and the Minnesota Twins (with more problems than you see on the surface – even without Nishioka and Mauer in the lineup). Is something strange happening in this division? If so, please let me know…
The Colorado Rockies may not seem like a surprise, but having a commanding record in April is a sign that things may have stabilized in Denver. By building a core that began with the 2007 National League Championship team, a once young team has matured into a feared unit using their high-altitude ballpark as a major advantage. Well, not exactly…the Rox have a better record on the road than at home. In fact, it’s the best road record of any ballclub in the Majors – and, that’s a surprise!
Want a big surprise? The Boston Red Sox. All the hype over the deals they made in the off-season ran them into a string of bad luck in April. Now, they sit at the bottom of the AL East. It’s truly puzzling, but there is optimism at Fenway for a summer comeback. I hope so…
THE BENCHMARKS: Aren’t benchmarks fun? They make this game interesting as it is. And, we’re glad for that!
This past week, Chipper Jones of the Atlanta Braves tied with Mickey Mantle for second on the all-time RBI list – for switch hitters. Really? I never knew that made that distinction somehow. But, in this game, any benchmark will do? Who does Chipper need to beat to become the greatest of his kind? Not Hank Aaron! In case you’re wondering, Chipper needs 788 more to tie the RBI record owned by The Hammer. Chipper’s next mark will be Eddie Murray, the switch-hit RBI king. He needs bring in 408 more runners to match that mark. Could Chipper do it?
Also, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Andre Ethier attained the longest hitting streak – in the month of April. The mark was set for just 26 straight games. Sure, it matters to have a hit streak of some sort, but the talk shouldn’t be above mature conversation level unless he is closer to the ultimate hit streak of Joe DiMaggio’s. Sure, Ethier could safely hit in 33 more games – piece of cake! But, that’s not even easy. Many have tried and failed to match DiMaggio’s lofty benchmark. Perhaps owning a monthly record would be fine for Ethier.
MORE INDIVIDUAL AWESOMENESS: The Chicago Cubs’ Matt Garza has the most strikeouts in the Majors. You can say what you want about his attitude and the past with the Minnesota Twins organization and a few bouts with the Tampa Bay Rays, but Garza is for real at Wrigley. However, Garza’s 51 K’s is just two better than Jered Weaver’s 49 for the Los Angeles Angels. Not only that, Weaver had a perfect April: 6-0. That’s good news for Mike Scioscia’s ballclub.
The Cubs’ also own a monthly home run king along with their NL Central rival, the Milwaukee Brewers. Both Alfonso Soriano and Ryan Braun slammed 10 dingers last month. Braun also brought 23 runs in April as well. Ryan Howard had the most in the RBI column with 27, sandwiching Braun with Prince Fielder and Ben Zobrist. Zobrist got 10 of his 25 RBIs on Thursday during the day-night doubleheader at Target Field against the Twins. Is that a record somewhere?
Speaking of the Cubs, how about Matt Holliday’s batting average in April? The Cards’ outfielder has a .408 average coming into today – which may not stick if the reality of the season carries on. But, hey, we love .400 batters, do we? And, how about that NL Central?
Opening Day 2011: The Heirloom’s Guide to Friday’s Festivities
Cincinnati, The Bronx, Washington, Kansas City, St. Louis and Los Angeles – they kicked off Opening Day in their stylish ways. It also meant victories for the Yankees, Braves, Reds, Angela, Padres and Dodgers.
Friday’s slate of openers is nothing to sneeze at, either. There are eleven of them. I can’t go over each one – maybe the ones that intrigue me the most. (Times are Eastern)
1:05PM – PHILADELPHIA: The Phillies start off Friday’s openers being the first to the bell. The NL Cy Young winner Roy Halladay takes the mound against Brett Myers and the Houston Astros. Seriously, who needs a National Anthem or a ceremonial first pitch? Trot out Doc from the bullpen and it’s game on! That’s more than enough to fire up the crowd at Citizens Bank Park!
2:20PM – WRIGLEYVILLE: The Cubs may have improved over the off-season (including ridding themselves of chronic underachiever Carlos Silva), but there is one thing on everyone’s mind: This will be the first Opening Day without Ron Santo. The Cubs will entertain the Pirates – perennial spoilers of North Side fans – with Ryan Dempster getting the ball against Kevin Correia. Would you believe that Robert Redford – Roy Hobbs, himself – is throwing out the ceremonial first ball at Wrigley? Ron Santo, Jr. will do the seventh inning stretch honors. It should be crazy as usual at Clark and Addison – and Halsted, too!
3:05PM – CLEVELAND: While the North Side celebrates baseball, Ozzie Guillen will take his Twitterverse and the Southsiders to Cleveland with a classic match-up between Mark Buehrle and Fausto Carmona. That’s worth more than the price of admission, really. And, truly, with the pre-game tribute to Bob Feller – it would be appropriate to have a serious marquee match-up on the mound. As with the festivities in Philly, just showing up in time for Fausto’s first pitch is good enough to start the season.
4:05PM – ARLINGTON: The Rangers get their AL Championship rings while the Red Sox focus on taking them away in October/November. On the mound, C.J. Wilson meets Jon Lester to start a repeat campaign back to the Series. That’s a nice match-up already. Better still, Jeff Burroughs and Charlie Hough will throw out the ceremonial first pitches celebrating the 40th season of MLB in the Metroplex. MercyMe will sing the National Anthem.
7:07PM – TORONTO: The Twins begin their 51st season in a foreign land. They will fire up another AL Central run in the midst of a Federal election and Rob Ford’s reign as Mayor of Toronto. I’m sure fans will not only be welcomed by the Jays, but by campaigners for the Liberals, the NDP, the Greens and the Tories. Carl Pavano will start for the Twins against Ricky Romero – sponsored by Honda Canada, BTW! And, sold out, too! If you’re the lucky ticket holder at Rogers Centre, you might walk away with a new Honda! The stars of the Toronto production of Billy Elliott will sing the USA and Canadian National Anthems. What? No ceremonial first pitch? Can’t get Don Cherry to insult the fans for a few minutes? Can’t decide which party leader to put on the mound? Is Rob Ford too large to trot out in front of 50,000-plus at Rogers Centre?
7:10PM – SAINT PETERSBURG: After offing some key players from their postseason runs, the Rays come inside The Trop to meet the Baltimore Orioles and Buck Showalter’s big mouth to start 2011. The festivities begin with Florida Governor Rick Scott throwing out the ceremonial first pitch. After that, David Price will take the mound for the Rays against Jeremy Guthrie. It will be Price’s first Opening Day nod. I think that’s a good reason to show up at The Trop on Friday evening.
What To Do With This Stuff?
All photos by Randy Stern
I am not much of an autograph hound. Nor am I a memorabilia collector. I get these things as something that was a good idea at the time, but what use do I have of them? I have an autographed baseball by Ferguson Jenkins – I’ll keep that. A bobblehead from the Madison Mallards (a friend gave me that one) – I’ll keep that, too.
But, the photo above signed by Bob Feller at the 2008 TwinsFest? I gave up getting a frame for that one…
Then, I was working a trade show this past week when Jack Morris and Tim Laudner showed up to sign autographs. Everyone knows who Jack Morris is – or, I hope you do. Hall of Fame ballot every year, former Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins pitcher – two World Series championships! Currently on the radio side of the Twins broadcasts (though he bitched about being down to 20 broadcasts this season…poor baby!).
But, who’s Tim Laudner? Hey, I didn’t grow up in the Twin Cities! OK, Laudner was a long-time Twin, played in the 1987 World Series. He’s now with Fox Sports North doing commentary prior to Dick and Bert calling the game.
As a fool – I got them. When I got home, I realized one thing: “What do I do with them?!?”
So…they’re up for grabs! You can have ‘em! Comment or e-mail me (resedabear@yahoo.com) so you can have ‘em!
I’ll even throw in this one, too!
Bob Feller: 1918-2010
We lost yet another legend in this game this year. This one struck more at home this time. When you meet a baseball player – whether he is current or retired – the fan’s reverence takes over. Bob Feller was one of the few ballplayers I had a chance to meet and talk to. He was an honest gentleman – not exactly what you expect from a lot of ballplayers these days.
Meeting Bob Feller in 2008 was one of my highlights in my journey through baseball.
When I was younger, I heard of Bob Feller. His name was mentioned quite frequently in several contexts. At that time, Nolan Ryan was racking up No-Hitters as a California Angel and one of the first people he was compared to was Feller. The Iowa farm boy’s three no-no’s were legendary – including the 1940 Opening Day gem against the Chicago White Sox.
In fact, I consider Feller a benchmark in terms of starting pitching. To see him pitch with strength and endurance is an example of a genesis for other starters to follow. Argue otherwise, but just wtach a clip of a Bob Feller start and see the mechanics, pacing and pitch control he exhibited throughout his career.
Even my mom – more of a Tigers’ fan than an Indians’ one – spoke highly of Feller. He was right in the center of her era. Though I bet she cringed when her hero Hank Greenberg came up to bat against the righty. That was probably balanced out when Feller enlisted in the Navy the day after Pearl Harbor was attacked.
What impressed me about Feller was that he wasn’t a walking ego years after his retirement. He was still an Iowa farm boy – older and wiser to the world. He was certainly proud of his career – to the point of creating a museum and baseball history center in his home town on Van Meter, outside of Des Moines.
I am even grateful that he was still alive to be able to sign a photo of himself from the 1948 World Series. It was at TwinsFest in 2008 when I was able to afford a piece of history. And, there he was. There was still a spark in him – a spring in his step. His Hall of Fame staff were as respectful to his fans as he was – something you also don’t find in this game these days.
I still have the photo. However, I may have to part with it. I’m open to selling it, if an offer is available. It’s not worth like, say, a baseball he signed in 1948 or something he signed the year he was inducted into the Hall of Fame (1962). Who knows – I might get an appraisal this weekend. It’s better off in the hands of someone who has an even deeper appreciation of Bob’s career than I do.
Still, I honor Bob Feller’s accomplishments, his dedication to the game and his country – and the fact that he retained his values born on that farm in Van Meter, Iowa.
God bless you, Bob.
First to The Flag
How apropos that the Minnesota Twins would be the first to clinch their division – considering their history of division championships!
As long as I’ve been around the Twin Cities, either the Twins won the AL Central on or close to the final game of the regular season or had to play another game to get there. Let’s not forget that this division had to be won using the extra game these past two seasons.
Not so this year. With eleven games to go, the Twins won the AL Central with some help by the Oakland Athletics. The evening began with the Twins winning their 91st game of the 2010 season over the Cleveland Indians at Target Field.
You can say that they proverbially won the division in the eighth inning. Down by two runs, Delmon Young doubled off of Justin Masterson to bring in Trevor Plouffe, edging the Tribe’s lead to one. To tie the game, Jose Morales hits into a sacrifice fly to bring home Young.
With Danny Valencia representing the go-ahead run, Denard Span became the hero by breaking the tie with a base hit off of reliever Tony Sipp. Valencia slid into home putting the Twins ahead for good. For insurance, Orlando Hudson hits the inning’s second double scoring Span over from second.
Closing the game was indeed sweeter. It took Matt Capps 13 pitches to gain his 41st save of the year – the most important save of his career at this point.
The win gave them a magic number of one. To finish the job, they would have to look at the proceedings in Oakland with the visiting Chicago White Sox. This was simply not the night for Ozzie Guillen’s team committing three errors to close out their 2010 pennant chase. It didn’t help that Trevor Cahill simply owned the Southsiders from the mound.
You can imagine the slew of near-cursing Hawk-isms being spat out on CSN Chicago last night.
It was already late in the Twin Cities after the White Sox were embarrassed on the East Bay for the magic number to turn to zero. Sadly, I was asleep trying to ward off a headache. It took the flashing light of my message indicator on my smart phone to clue me in. I was heading to the restroom as it was. A few e-mails gave it away. I tried to get back to sleep, but I needed to look at MLB atBat before I do. Alas, I saw the scores! I needed to read more. Now, I’m writing about it.
This calls for a happier commute today. A happier day at work. A sunnier day amongst us Twins fans. A day a community sets aside its differences and come together as one.
However, the job isn’t really done. The Twins cannot afford to coast here. Owning the second-best record in the Majors comes with responsibility. If the New York Yankees hit a brick wall and drop a few games behind the Twins, Target Field could be the focal point of up to three rounds of Postseason action. There’s no slouching here. With a home day game today, six more on the road and four to close the season at home, the Twins need to heal any injuries of players eligible for Postseason play and get ready to reverse some history after October 3.
In the meantime, a little celebration won’t hurt around here. Congratulations, Twins!
Randy Stern
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