Ever get tired of watching baseball day after day after day? I mean, really focusing on what’s happening on the field? Last night was one of those games for me. I had the Twins on the inset box for a chunk of the game (Unfortunately, three runs in the tiny box counts the same as two on the big screen.) and decided that watching closely was a lose-lose proposition. Either they’d beat the Mariners (which they should have done) or they’d lose and I’d be grumpier than sports should make me be. So I watched a little Hillary and checked a little Facebook and prepared a little for my class that starts week after next.

And, this morning, instead of listening to XM’s Baseball This Morning, I let the alarm clock awaken me to the Good Neighbor and my colleague Sid. (I don’t think I’ll let that happen tomorrow.)

We all get a bit burned out with things, no matter how much we’re fond of them or how much we’ve mastered them. We all have a day or two at work where we don’t give 110 percent and, if we’re fortunate, we’re good enough to get by. That’s kind of what the Twins are looking like to me right now. Good enough to wear the uniforms, not good enough to be playing in October. (Losing 4 of 5 in Seattle?) The second “good enough” can be reversed.

The Twins are two games behind with 30 to play. And, yes, after last night, it may feel to you like they’re 12 out with 20 to play. It’s time to wake up from this dead-butt slumber.

I think it’s time for a shake-up day. Morneau is playing like a guy who flat out needs a day off. He hasn’t had one yet this season. Gomez is looking way too shaky at thew plate and in the field. Casilla is taking too many impatient hacks. Redmond should get a day behind the plate.

And the Mariners are starting Ryan Fierabend. I believe I could beat Ryan Fierabend with this lineup: Jason, cf; T, ss; Rotoblinders, 1b; Sane, dh; FIRE, 3b; gobbledygookguy, rf; JimCrikket, lf; Punto, 2b (for veteran leadership, you know); BC of ND; c. And pitching today is Plunkton, who isn’t afraid to work the inner half of the plate at the major-league level. (For first-time visitors, go back through the comments and you’ll quickly feel like you know the guys.)

That being said, here’s my shake-up lineup suggestion for this afternoon in Seattle: Span, cf; Everett, ss; Young, lf; Mauer, dh; Ruiz, 1b; Kubel, rf; Redmond, c; Harris, 3b; Punto, 2b. Perkins, p.

Get Morneau an entire day off and get a couple of guys to watch the action from the bench, and I think everyone’s better off for the pull ahead. Guys can get back to 110 percent, or even 100, while the Twins field a lineup that should handle the Mariners.

Sometimes you need to shake things up, even when it seems like you shouldn’t have to.

other people are here too

This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 27th, 2008 at 8:58 am and is filed under Thoughts. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.