The Fergus Falls Daily Journal

How about those Twins

By Tom Grout

September 25, 2008

2 comments

-Hey how about those Twins? They look like they are on a mission, which of course, they should be. I thought Scott Baker looked great the first game and I think he will be in the rotation for a few more years to come. Nick Blackburn, after a few not so good starts, did what he had to do last night. He got some great double plays when he needed them most.

The bullpen has also looked good lately and it looks like they may have found their guy to pitch the 8th inning. This young Jose Majares comes in, throws hard, and throws strikes, what more can you ask from a reliever. He also doesn’t have any fear as last night he faced Jim Thome, Paul Konerko, and Ken Griffey Jr. and he just went at them.

I have also liked what I have seen in Boof Bonser lately. I have always said that he has great stuff and now he seems to be using it to his advantage. With these guys and hopefully a full recovery Pat Neshek, the Twins bullpen could be one of the best again next year.

It will be interesting if the Twins do make the playoffs if they will keep the young Majares on the playoff roster. Gardy seems to like to go with the guys that “got them there” as he likes to be loyal to his players. When you get into the playoffs its time to go with the players that give you the best chance to win, so it will be interesting to watch and see how this plays out.

Now I’m getting ahead of myself here because the Twins still haven’t won the division, but they are in the driver’s seat now. With just a half game behind they are literally tied with Chicago and all of the Twins games are at home so that should help especially the way the fans are turning out and making noise.

-I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge the passing of a former great Viking linebacker, Wally Hilgenberg. Along with Roy Winston and Lonnie Warwick and later Jeff Sieman, they were the linebackers behind the great Purple People Eaters. The Purple People Eaters could not have done their job without the back up of these fine linebackers and Wally was a great one. He was quite the character like most of the Vikings of that era and he was one of the hardest hitting linebackers in the game back then. It is always sad when one of your boyhood heroes or idols or whatever you want to call players you admired, pass on. It just makes you feel a little older and a little emptier.

-Here is a non sports related topic. I watched some of the Emmy Awards last Sunday night and I watched a little of Dancing with the Stars. What I found out is that I like the old comics or comic actors more than most of the ones out there today. Don Rickles was on the Emmy Awards and he was the best thing on the show. He had everyone laughing with the same humor he has used for over 50 years. It just never seems to get old. Cloris Leachman was on Dancing with the Stars and when she got done dancing she was hilarious.

Today’s comics can’t seem to do a routine without dropping the “F” word every time they say something. Now I’m no prude but I’m also not proud that I use the word myself, especially when I’m golfing. I’m also not saying the use of the word in a routine isn’t necessarily bad, but use it sparingly and when it fits, like if I was to describe my golf game. Today’s comics use it just to be funny, they think by using the word that it makes their jokes funnier, and with some of these lousy comics they may be right. The old comics never had to stoop so low to use the word. They were, or are, able to entertain without using the word. They have the talent to where they can say, act, or give you a look, or have that pause where you know what they are talking about without them actually coming out and saying it. Now I think that talent is not only amazing but very funny.