Calling all blogs! Calling all blogs!
Posted on August 8th, 2008 – 12:06 AMBy La Velle
I just posted a link to Brian Duensing’s Olympic blog to my blogroll. It got me thinking: What am I missing here?
So I need suggestions from you on which web sites I should include on my blogroll down the right side if this page.
Post here ASAP, because I want to drop a power blog about Denard Span’s development as a hitter - which I sense may be very interesting to all of you!
A side note: The Red Sox are in Chicago to play the White Sox in a four-game series. Last season, Boston outscored the Sox 33-12 in a four-game series at Fenway, then 46-7 in four games at The Cell. That’s 79-19 in eight games bewteen the clubs.
123 Responses to "Calling all blogs! Calling all blogs!"
Seth Speaks is my favorite twins website.
I also like Twins Territory and Taylor’s Twins Talk.
get rid of Gleeman’s, he’s the biggest waste of space in blogging. the guy thinks he knows it all, but his lack of knowledge is ridiculous, and the press he gets around the twin cities is appalling.
i hate the red sox, but…
…GO RED SOX
p.s. lavelle
last years red sox were better than this years, and last years white sox were FAR worse than this years.
http://www.rotowire.com/blogs/blog.htm?sp=mlb
RotoWire is headed up by a Twins fan, so there are lots of Twins posts.
For a little relief, a few laughs and assurance that’s it’s not only Twins fans who wring their hands and bemoan their fates, visit “It is High, It is Far, It is … caught” at http://www.johnsterling.blogspot.com.
It’s a Yankees-oriented blog, but in name only.
We have a daily Yankee Terror Alert (today’s it red) and YES Network listings (today it’s “TONIGHT ON YES
8 p.m.: Mythbusters Can a human being really be injured as often as Carl Pavano?”
and other fun stuff. Not for the type of reader who enjoys debating OBP, OPS or AARP.
Wailin’ Suzyn
I’m not going to beg.
This place has some decent discussion.
He hasn’t had much to say lately with the Twins exceeding all expectations, but when he posts it is very very interesting!!!
twinscast.com
firegardy.com
the latter isn’t as incidiary as you might think, but does offer constructive criticism while supporting the team. Thanks.
Let’s Go Miracle!
YADOT
I’ve always liked http://www.twinkietown.com .
Len3 why do you want to list other blogs for people you want on your blog?
Twinshotspot.blogspot.com is solid, but that’s my blog, so OF COURSE I’ll think that.
I kind of agree with Nico that Gleeman isn’t really worth reading (who needs to hear more about his fantasy girls? Fat guy links to cheesecake photos. Wonder what he does in his sparet time) but it is a popular blog site so it should be linked.
Unique baseball takes on:
Sometimes, when I’m really sad over a Twins loss (see Monday and Tuesday at Seattle), I head over to Batgirl’s website and check out the Lego-vision archives, or when Sir Sid beats us I like to check out the Sidney Ponson’s Diary posts. It always makes me laugh - especially the time the lego’s went on strike! Beautiful stuff… Will we ever get another blogger that good? *sigh*
Keep Joe and Howard.
Keep Mandelaro. Just for something stupid.
Here’s a pitch for the Stick and the musings of Ubelmann. Feature rich and the best gamelogs in the biz.
I can’t believe you don’t have a link to the Twins Geek.
http://twinsgeek.blogspot.com/
He doesn’t update as much as he used to but he is one of the Minnesota Twins Founding Bloggers.
Perhaps you don’t link to him because you were one of the folks who were pissed off that he got work for the Strib without being in your union. Maybe you think he is a scab.
If that is true, shame on you.
If that is not true, you should add him.
Alright Hamilton! is hilarious. Not always about the Twins, though.
Pat Neshek’s blog, On the Road with Pat Neshek is a must. http://www.eteamz.com/patneshek/index.cfm
SBG.
http://www.twinkietown.com, one of the best out there, great game threads, lots of discussion
twinsgeek.blogspot, one of the founding twins bloggers, heads up GameDay Magazine
http://gctwins.blogspot.com/, some great minor league stuff
http://blogs.suntimes.com/whitesox/ often has an AL Central Watch feature; one of the main contributors spends the off-season in the Cities.
Keep up with the enemy:
http://www.minnytownsports.blogspot.com
brief takes on all the minnesota sports teams
unrelated to the subject of bloggage, but there is word out of Frisco that Huston Street has been claimed by ’several’ teams.
do you think?
I would mine Howard’s blog list links. I’m a little biased, but I think TwinkieTown should be a daily read for ardent fans. http://www.twinkietown.com/
Seth
Gleeman
SBG
are the three I go to every day (in addition to the three here).
I’d suggest you add links to non-Twins blogs that you enjoy, if you are allowed.
from the red wings blog: maybe len3 can drum up some help, give uncle carl a call after saving livan’s failed salary.
The Red Wings are holding an auction tonight to raise money for Brian Duensing’s wife, Lisa. Brian is with the U.S. Olympic team in Beijing, and it will cost $500 per night for Lisa to stay at a hotel there. Some of the items are great, such as bats autographed by Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau.
I’m not sure why the Red Wings organization paid for Lisa’s flight and not the Twins, but I guess that’s their business. And perhaps a little financial contribution from some of the higher-paid Twins would help as well. (And maybe they have, privately. I hope so).
Lisa can pay for her own $500.00 a night hotel or stay home.
gobble,
you are telling me that the Twins did not take care of that already? What a disgrace. Last time I checked, it was an honor to represent your country in the Olympics and as the Twins’ representative, Duensing should be taken care by the team. They can afford fifteen grand from the spare change box. Now this is cheap.
twinsballpark2010.com
More of a forum than a blog, but it’s where many of the Twins bloggers already mentioned got their first exposure.
Of course, my Twin Fan spouse’s blog is a must…
When Terry Ryan was GM, he and Bill Smith would travel together. Ryan would insist they share a hotel room. He felt it was not right to waste the money on separate rooms.
GM Smith, and senior advisor Ryan, aren’t about to shell out $500 a night for Lisa to go to the Olympics.
Excellent history blog at the ever great http://www.TwinsCards.com site…
sounds like we’re back to the old craig?
a little less caring and compassionate than the new craig!
LaVelle –
Gleeman’s is and always will be the best Twins blog. You and Joe C do a great job, and surprisingly, Phil Miller has a pretty good blog over at the Pioneer Press (although I don’t think they send him or Kelsie on the road much, it’s often un-updated during road trips).
As for non-Twins blogs, as long as you keep Joe Posnanski’s on the roll, you’ve got the only must-read site covered.
gobble,
Why should the Twins care if Lisa goes to the Olympics? Why should I care?
I don’t even care if Brian Duensing goes or doesn’t.
The Twins are generous just to allow Duensing to leave the Rochester team.
Maybe Lisa should have got an extra job and saved up for it, instead of looking for a hand-out.
Again off the subject, but Gleeman mentions this in his blog. How in holy hell do the Twins not claim Bradford of waivers before the Rays? He is exactly what they needed and relatively cheap for next year? I guess the #1 ground ball pitcher in baseball with a 2.45 era isn’t something we could use….
Nice work BS. It’s very hard to like this teams management sometimes.
The only other Twins related blog worth reading is Seths.
The Twins aren’t generous allowing Duensing to go to the Olympics, they’re doing the right thing. To not allow him to go would hurt the organization’s standing.
The Twins don’t have to pay for Lisa. The Red Wings are paying for her flight, and the auction should pay for the rest.
I don’t care if you don’t care if Duensing goes or not. I care that he goes. It’s an honor to represent your country.
Lisa isn’t looking for a handout. The Red Wings have offered to pay for her flight, and the organization is helping by putting on an auction.
i like nick & nicks, seth stohs, and josh’s thoughts.
BC of ND,
You don’t read any Twins blogs, do you? Seth is great, he’s one of my favorites, but there are a lot of good ones out there.
SBG = Stick and Ball Guy = the best game logs + ubelmann with ubelanalysis + great tunes + beer and wine reviews + grilling tips.
Passionate Twins fans in a grown up atmosphere.
rghrbek - this is a great question. I don’t for one moment think this team is trying to get better for the present by adding players from outside their own system. It isn’t their style.
At least bring up Korecky and dump Bass so he can waste space somewhere else… it’s not THAT hard is it?
I need to start a blog. LaPantarugblog.com hmmmmmm….. The possibilities. I heard the Queen’s are on tonight. That means Seasonal affective disorder season is nearing. Time for 9 months of being a hermit again. Go Twins!!!!
rghrbek,
“I guess the #1 ground ball pitcher in baseball with a 2.45 era isn’t something we could use….”
It IS hard to understand!
But every other team in the AL passed on Bradford also including Detroit, Cleveland, the Yankees - all bullpen disasters.
And THAT’S hard to understand!
The Twins FO or field staff must see something in Brian Bass that the rest of us can’t see.
And THAT’S hard to understand!
So I don’t know wtf happened either.
I wish someone would ask someone who knows and tell the rest of us wtf happened.
mike wants wins: It’s the classic thing with Twins management talking out of their mouths in saying, “yeah were are checking the waiver wire.” They don’t want to spend or take a chance giving up end of the rotation prospects to get better NOW. The division is down, they have a chance to win it this year, yet they won’t make a move, so as not to cripple their future (so they think). It baffles me. Do they want to be 80 to 85 wins good every year, never really “going for it”? Probably. That would keep interest there and sell tickets.
I think, if you have a chance to win your division, you go for it hard…show your players and the fans that this is a win first organization. Ugh!
This Bradford guy made sense. He’s signed thru next year for 3.5 (remember we wasted the last two years on Rincon for 5.5 million). This guy is a legit late in the game guy. The Twins have become so predictable it’s beyond funny now. It’s sad.
sane,
Detroit and Cleveland are out of it and the Yankees do not have room in their bullpen for anyone right now (remember they DFA’d LaTroy when they got Marte)
Jesse i’m sure there are other but i think between the stribs three blogs and Seths i get all the Twins info i need. I will be checking out jimmybees new blog though i need some hair care tips.
sane: I emailed the two beat writers last night, asking them to let us know via blog or whatever, why the Twins would pass. Maybe there is some inside info here. With numbers like that though, who cares?
sane
Hate New York City
It’s cold and it’s damp
And all the people dressed like monkeys
Let’s leave Chicago to the Eskimos
That town’s a little bit too rugged
For you and me, babe
Rollin’ down Imperial Highway
With a big nasty redhead at my side
Santa Ana winds blowin’ hot from the north
And we was born to ride
Roll down the window, put down the top
Crank up the Beach Boys, baby
Don’t let the music stop
We’re gonna ride it ’til we just can’t ride it no more
From the South Bay to the Valley
From the West Side to the East Side
Everybody’s very happy
‘Cause the sun is shining all the time
Looks like another perfect day
I love L.A. (We love it)
I love L.A. (We love it)
We love it
Look at that mountain
Look at those trees
Look at that bum over there, man
He’s down on his knees
Look at these women
There ain’t nothin’ like em nowhere
Century Boulevard (We love it)
Victory Boulevard (We love it)
Santa Monica Boulevard (We love it)
Sixth Street (We love it, we love it, we love it)
We love L.A.
I love L.A. (We love it)
I Love L.A. (We love it)
I Love L.A. (We love it)
BC I could do very creative work in photoshop & with a simple pic of a squirrel and a pic of LaPanta I could have a pretty good banner.
sorry to get you so worked up new craig!!
i know punto is your favorite player do you think he could pitch relief?
i need to find a Binghamton song, maybe Randy Newman can sing one….
i like his last song, “Left foot, right foot….”
Shawn in Binghamton I like the Short people song
Somebody already nailed why the Twins haven’t picked up anybody. Spending the extra money will not sell more tickets. The Twins have always been content with being “contenders”, and hoping that will sell enough tickets, generate enough interest. And if they happen to win it all, like in ‘87 and ‘91, well, that’s just a bonus. With the new stadium coming the Twins know they will sell out games. So what is the incentive, from a financial point, of picking up more players or raising the team salary? They could not be happier that they lowered payroll and still, somehow, are contending. As a Twins fan, this is all we can hope for.
thrylos,
Detroit is NOT out of it.
A bullpen repair would save the Tigers with THAT lineup.
They just gave up a HOF catcher for bullpen help (Farnsworth). That’s not a YOUTH movement.
They have blown 19 leads after the 7th inning this year, for “the closer is overrated” theorists.
The Twins do draw better post winning year. I beleieve their best 2 attendance years were 88 and 92…. so, they could try to win it all this year and get a bump in the dome’s last year.
I’m not so sure we saved any money… as I think we will still owe Livan some money if he meets his incentives (innings pitched this year) I dont think the Rockies have to pay that part… we lost the rest of Monroe’s contract and still owe him… I can’t recall, but we may even owe Rincon some cash too… all in all, the financial gain of making the playoffs vs NOT making the playoffs is huge and it’s not a guarantee the Twins are making anything this year, so upgrading the bullpen by shelling out $1M-2M right now I dont think is the issue… if it is, we have serious problems with money management.
rghrbek,
“Maybe there is some inside info here. With numbers like that though, who cares?”
Maybe Bradford is terminal and only has one month to live!
Inquiring minds……..
More winning = more profit.
Winning championships = still more profit.
Everyone knows those formulas - including the Twins!
Sane, when it comes to closers, I do hate the name/label that’s been put on them, but as you said:
“They have blown 19 leads after the 7th inning this year…”
Meaning the game could have been blown in the 7th, 8th, OR 9th inning… so a far inferior relief pitcher probably blew many of those games before the 9th inning ever arrived… that’s why saving your “closer” for the 9th may not always be the wisest of choices.
Regardless, the Twins refusal to give up 4th or 5th rotation prospects (and we have a ton), in the bigs (if they even make it), for players that will make them better (even if they are rental players for the rest of the year), is terribly frustrating.
In Bradford they had a guy whom they would’ve had for next year too as insurance, if Neshek comes back and struggles from surgery.
stickandballguy featuring ubelmann, Pale Hose 8 (the best baseball cartooning on the planet), John Sickels’ site, and a roundup of blogs for other teams: e.g., Sox Machine.
Korecky/Breslow, Reyes, Bradford, Crain, Guerier, Nathan
doesn’t look too bad for the rest of the year…
MarkW I only see one problem with your MR and closer proposition. Do you plan on taking the money out of CP’s wallet while he sleeps or takes a shower. He is thrifty and they never stood a chance at getting Bradford.
JB: He was only owed $1.2M the rest of this year… how is that robbing anyone when we wasted over $12M on the likes of Monroe, Livan, Everett, and Rincon this season? We’ve wasted more money than I care to think about… adding a much needed reliever to the pen for just over $1 mil should have been in their plans… at this point, if it doesn’t work out… what are you really losing?
Are there any pitchers in Rochester that could help the Twins BP now? La Velle? Anyone?
By the way, even if Bradford was terminal and had a month to live–that would be one month without Bass in the 8th inning of a close game…sounds good to me…and if Bradford did pass–it would be a toss up between his corpse and Bass…
Yes, I forgot about Sickel’s - I’d add that one for sure (plus it is darn close to my last name, and he’s a Twins fan).
Maybe you can’t link to BA because they are “competitors”, but Baseball America is a great site also.
MarkW,
Detroit’s closer WAS Todd Jones.
Bass, Boof, Breslow/Rincon, Reyes, Crain, Guerrier
is no better than:
Zumaya, Rodney, Seay, Lopez, Miner, Dolsi
Only the closers, (Joe Nathan instead of Todd Jones) separated the Twins bullpen from the Tigers bullpen.
SBG should be on your list. It’s a great community. Lots of good stuff over at Twinkie Town as well.
Is CP going to go in the same direction as Ted Williams and will go to the cryogenics lab and that is why he is saving his money for the year 2020. MarkW I think if Bradford were a thousand dollars that would be more then the Twins would want to spend
Korecky would be an immediate upgrade, as I’ve mentioned previously… but really, just about anyone could supplant Bass right now…
I keep suggesting that we get John Grabow of Pittsburgh.
Sane: True, it can’t get worse than that I guess…
JB: also true, if they won’t spend 1 mil, they wouldn’t spend 100 bucks to get him… just plain stupid if you ask me.
Get BatGirl to come out of retirement.
Bradford is also owed 3.4 mill next year
which they probably took into account, right or wrong
Build within. through the farm system. Then when other Teams want those players we give em up for a can of corn and start over again and again and again……
Shawn, yeah, and that’s what probably did it, but you can always find a way to get out of it, trade, release… i mean, MY problem is we paid Monroe almost $4M, Livan $6M and released both of them…
waste, waste, waste… they dont want to spend money, but when they do, it’s completely the wrong thing to buy.
Normally I would say championship teams brings more profit over “just contending teams”. However, in the Twins situation, they are moving to a new 40 thousand seat outdoor stadium. I think they sell out each game for several years with a “just contending team”. If that team wins a championship, it’s not like you can sell 50 thousand seats in a 40 thousand seat stadium. It’s all about return on investment, and I believe the Pohlad’s believe they are at the perfect “supply and demand” for their dollar.
Macleod that is why I think when the stadium opens the payroll will actually be less then now. CP will sell the ballpark and not the team as the new concept.
Sad but true Jimmy, sad but true. We will keep 2-3 “star players” and the outdoor park for selling power. And the team will perhaps contend for the division every few years, but mostly come up short of the miracle years of ‘87 and ‘91. But oh, the memories from those years…..
Most of the people whom will be attending the games at the new park won’t even know what a double play is. Sad. Lets go sit outside in the new park and who cares who’s on the field. I for one will be noticing a conspiracy that will errupt.
sethspeaks! sethspeaks! great site!
I wouldn’t have such a problem with FO for not making a move if they actually made produtive moves in the offseason. I can understand not wanting to part with one of the young starters or Span before the 7/31 deadline…and who knows, maybe there is a good reason for not wanting to target Bradford (though it would be nice to hear this reason from some person in the organization–has leprosy?, right arm fell off?, “trains” with Clemens in offseason?)…but I think fans get frustrated b/c there are obvious holes and if the FO refuses to make key signings in offseason, the fans want to see a trade…or anything that will help fix clear problems like the BP.
In terms of horrific offseason signings, my personal fave was Tony Bautista in 06.
Macleod,
“If that team wins a championship, it’s not like you can sell 50 thousand seats in a 40 thousand seat stadium”
But there is also marketing of team gear (jerseys-caps), TV rights (stick it to FSN, make them replace Telly with Angelina Jolie), sponsorships (Hooters instead of Menards) and JACK UP ALL PRICES! (something that doesn’t wash with a losing team).
I repeat:
More winning = more profit.
Winning championships = still more profit.
Everyone knows those formulas - Just ask the Yankees and Red Sox.
For sure.
Sounds like Kip Wells is going to be released today by the Rockies to make room for Livan. Would he be somebody Smith would have interest in?
Josh’s Thoughts! 
But I agree, SBG and Twinkie Town are also great sites.
cawww.blogspot.com
Sane, we’re not talking about a losing team v. championship team. It’s very obvious to me that the Twins are content with “contending” v. “going for it”. Comparing us to the Red Sox or Yankees is silly. Much different markets. All the prices will be jacked up come 2010 anyway. This team has a goal of just contending for the cheapest price possible. I don’t know how MLB sets their prices for merchandise or who negotiates TV rights and rates. I’m sure the Twins don’t set individual prices for caps, jerseys, etc. I know the NFL must share profits for merchandise but I don’t know about MLB.
Kip Wells has 5.27 ERA and 1.756 WHIP (in NL) His away ERA is 2.45 but his WHIP is still high 1.414.
The Twins have 2 mopup pitchers, they do not need a third.
Here is the problem:
the Twins are content with “contending” v. “going for it”.
Not only the team, but the fans as well…
Only a few percentage of the fans is viewing Gardy (and his 6-15 postseason record) as a failure, for example. I strongly believe that unless the fans and the press start to care about winning, the team will do nothing.
How many days would Gardy last after the 2006 postseason loss to the As if he was managing in New York, Chicago or Boston?
thrylos98 Hoow bout’ this one the “Squeaky Twins” cause they squeak on in and squeak on by.
Mac,
“Comparing us to the Red Sox or Yankees is silly. Much different markets”
The formula says “MORE” profits and still “MORE” profits. (than for the SAME team previously)
That applies to Twins as well as anyone else.
MORE profits! (not GINORMOUS profits like the Red Sox and Yankees)
If the Twins are AGAINST more profits, then I guess wins are NOT important. But THAT is ridiculous!
The Twins ARE in it for MORE profits, just like everyone else.
“This team has a goal of just contending for the cheapest price possible.”
That is your opinion, not mine.
Of course, it is unsubstantiated, because even in the unlikely possibility that it was true, who would admit it?
I don’t think it is part of the Twins Mission Statement and anyone who said it out loud at a meeting or conference would get canned.
I absolutely don’t believe that its true.
sane that last statement was hilarious. LOL. 2 points.
Jimmy
What is your opinion on Tolbert and his return?
The Twins Mission Statement was stolen from WalMart “We give you more for less” or maybe it’s Morneau for less i can’t remember.
mnsportsshot.com
http://hightowershindsight.blogspot.com
I just started this blog on Minnesota sports a few weeks ago. I’m not claiming it’s the best around. But any traffic I can get would be appreciated.
Judd Spicer’s work at citypages.com should be linked here, no doubt.
RandBall!!
(And, by extension, Kirschtopia.)
Click on the link above to see a comprehensive list of Minnesota sports blogs. I’ve got 91 total blogs and 33 Twins blogs listed.
Keep up the good work, Wobble.
I like Josh’s Thoughts myself
BTW, whats SBG?
nick punto and carlos gomez are not major league hitters, plain and simple.
Thanks,
John
