Results tagged “Twins” from The Southpaw

This morning I sat with my wife in a pew of Bruton Parish in Colonial Williamsburg. It's the place where Thomas Jefferson - the father of the Declaration of Independence - and James Madison - the father of the Constitution - once went to religious services while they were in college.
I couldn't help but wonder what it had been like for them when they were idealistic college students. Would Jefferson have been mulling the questions of self-government? Was this where Madison first came up with the seeds of his theories of limited government?
Then another thought popped into my head: What's more important to me, a Yankees' loss or a Phillies' win?
Yes, you just can't break The Southpaw from thinking about the game, especially in October.
This weekend has brought three of my favorite passions together: baseball, American History and hating the British crown.
In case you were wondering, I have been able to mingle with re-enactors and keep up with the playoffs during our three days here in the Old Dominion.
At least as best as I could.
I missed all of the Cardinals-Dodgers finale.
And I didn't find out who won until I was watching the Yankees-Twins game tonight.
Sometimes you sacrifice things you love for the ones you love.
Anyway, I have a couple thoughts on how the playoffs have panned out so far.

Is Matt Holliday going to be a goat?
Momentum swings away from Philly.
The Yankees look to go 2-0.

Three teams are one win closer to the next round.
Three teams are one loss closer to tee time.
Are the Giants shopping for Prince Fielder?

The Minnesota Twins celebrate a thrilling victory that earned them the 2009 American League Central crown.

This column had better be in The Best Sports Writing of 2010:

By Jim Souhan
Star Tribune (Minneapolis)

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Dome would not go quietly. Our belittled bastion of baseball butterflies has never done anything quietly, or conventionally.
As one last sellout baseball crowd stood and shook Homer Hankies, the Metrodome, having insisted on one extra baseball game before the Twins leave for Target Field, now insisted on one extra inning after another.

In a building known for pop-ups that never come down, the Twins won their final game in typically improbable fashion, with two benched best friends finally producing the game-winning run to give the victory to a journeyman reliever who contemplated retirement last winter. When the Twins finally won, 6-5, in 12 innings, in this one-game playoff for the American League Central Division title, the identities of the Twins' protagonists were as improbable as the game itself.
"I've never been involved in anything like that," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "I started laughing. I'd go out there, talk to the guys on the mound, start giggling and say, 'OK, I'm out of here, boys. Good luck.'"
"This game is going to live forever. People are going to talk about this game forever."

Who would have ever thought they'd see Pedro Martinez in a Phillies jersey? Or that he'd be helping the Phillies win their third straight division title?
The Phillies clinch.
Streaks continue.
Promises for October.

We don't know what happened here. We just know it was bad. But that's been the case all season long for the Kansas City Royals who are not named Zack Greinke.
The Nats can get better. Really they can.
Who's going to close for the Phillies?

Bobby Cox makes an announcement.
Are teams going to find out they payed too much?
A quick rundown of the playoff races.

Tim Lincecum looks like he belongs in a pre-teen boy band. Don't tell that to the 11 batters he whiffed Monday.

The National League Cy Young race moves in The Freak's direction.
Mariano Rivera has 40 saves in a season for the first time since 2005. Amazingly, 11 pitchers have reached the 40 save barrier at least once in a season since then. Who are they?
You want magic numbers. We've got magic numbers.

The Closer gets long-winded in the Southpaw's defense of the National League.

The Royals are in their rightful position: last place. Miguel Cabrera is doing what he does: hit. And Ozzie Guillen is as inflammatory as ever.
But we have one question to ask.

Andre Ethier is clutch. Three walk-off home runs this season. Five walk-off hits. Word on the street has it he single-handedly saved Cash for Clunkers.
Break up the Yankees.
And while you're at it, the Nats too.

It can't be true. But it is. The Nationals have a four game winning streak.
And a New York scribe says the Yanks broadcasters had better watch what they say about David Ortiz.

The Pittsburgh Pirates are continuing to liquidate their assets.
Sure, they've shipped off some big stars. But they're not done yet.
Not by any means.
Just ask General Manager Neal Huntington, who's been wandering the streets of Pittsburgh trying to find buyers.
"Maybe we're mad. Maybe we're crazy," he said Wednesday in downtown Pittsburgh as he grabbed a former Pirates fan by the shoulders. "But you can't say we're not willing to sell. And sell low. That's our motto."
As the beleaguered Bucco Backer tried to scurry away, Huntington clutched at the man's Chico Lind throwback jersey.
"Where are you going, buddy? Have I got a deal for you."
Huntington's approach reminds one of John Travolta's character from "Primary Colors." It's the scene where Travolta, as Governor Jack Stanton, is walking down a busy New Hampshire street on primary night trying to get individual voters to pull the lever for him.
The fan, who would not give his name, screamed at Huntington.
"Don't touch me. We had a chance. We could have contended. But you shipped them all off. We could have been the next '92 Orioles."
That stopped Huntington in his tracks.
"But they didn't win anything," he said, perplexed.
"That's how bad it is right now. We don't even need a championship, just a season with more wins. You've ruined us."
Huntington didn't miss a beat.
"No, that was the guy before me. I'm trying to fix things. But before you go, want Matt Capps?"

Is someone about to hit .400?
It's certainly not Jimmy Rollins, who might need to take some batting tips from the Arizona pitching staff.

We take a look at one of the most underrated pitchers in baseball.
Cubs fans are fed up with Carlos Zambrano.

Another tragedy in Anaheim.
How is it possible a night in front of 4 TVs with 4 games could be bad for The Southpaw's health? They had the Nationals, Pirates, Orioles, and Orioles again on.
How is Jose Canseco helping Barry Bonds?

The Yanks are eyeing Pedro Martinez.
Patience is big right now in the Mid-Atlantic region.
And Trey Hillman says, "Be a man." And no, he's not talking to Chastity Bono.

Several pitchers have put up good numbers, but no one has been nearly as good as Zack Greinke.
At the end of April, the Royals, Mariners, Pirates and Marlins were some of the top performing teams.
That's nowhere near the case any longer.
So let's take a look at the Power Alley now that May has come to an end.

We here at The Southpaw hope you don't mind us sleeping in on Memorial Day.
Now, let's begin the weekend's roundup.
Which of course included Bobby Abreu taking your favorite southpaw deep.
Inside, we have a video about baseball and World War II