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Thursday, July 1, 2010

Newbie Fans and Ballpark Etiquette

The Summer of Target Field has been a great success so far. BUT.. I know that the Twins Cities baseball "hardcore" fans have come across the "new" Target Field audience. Im sure lots of small "incidents" have come up. So please head the following:

By Andy Behrens of Y! Sports

Consider this a public service announcement. If you just follow these six rules, the ballpark experience will improve for everyone:

1. It's not appropriate to boo when the home team's pitcher strikes out — especially not when he's pitching well, and it's the third inning, and no one's on base. Tom Gorzelanny(notes) is not paid to swing the bat, dude. Just shut up.

2. Don't ask someone to vacate your seat when there are no fewer than 15 open seats surrounding you, and you've arrived late. Again: Shut up.

3. Understand that no one will take you seriously if you're wearing a Kerry Wood(notes) jersey in Chicago in 2010. This is very likely the case in Cleveland as well. (please dont wear a Guardado jersey in MN or Seattle for that matter)

4. Don't cheer excitedly every time a player on your team hits a medium-depth flyball. Not everything is going to clear the fence. Idiot.

5. No, a lineup full of Mike Fontenots would not be awesome. Shut. Up. (in MN a lineup of Cuddy's wont work either)

6. You should really NEVER speak to high school age girls anymore, ever. This has probably been true for the last 20 years. It was probably true when you were in high school. Just … ick.

Monday, May 31, 2010

The Old School Baby Blues are in...!

Represent your Twins in style with these old school baby blues.  Hit us up on jerseybuzz@gmail.com if you're interested.  

The MLB Replica jersey is an exact replica of the uniforms worn on the field by the players. Each jersey is made of polyester double-knit and features a full button up front with a sewn-on team crest.  For only $45 !

Majestic Athletic Replica jersey featuring official team colors and logos 100% polyester All Replica MLB jerseys feature one color tackle-twill lettering. Made in the China.

These replica MLB jerseys are detailed to look just like the actual game jerseys worn by Major League players!

All Names & Numbers are Sewn On!!

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Baseball, Race and Immigration.


The Denver Post 

Baseball is political — again.
Arizona's controversial new immigration law has unleashed a firestorm across the majors, prompting many to call for a boycott of the 2011 All-Star Game in Phoenix if the law is not modified or repealed. Protesters already have showed up at Diamondbacks games.
Of course, it should come as no surprise that America's pastime should mix with the hot-button issue of race. When Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in 1947, it was one of the most significant events of the 20th century. Baseball has long been a playing field for social issues.
Now the game, with more than 25-percent of its big-league players of Latin decent, finds itself smack dab in the middle of the immigration
Post Poll -- MLB Immigration
Should Major League Baseball consider moving the 2011 All-Star Game out of Arizona because of the new immigration law?
 Yes. It's an issue that transends sports and baseball needs to make a statement
 No. I agree with the law and a boycott would be misguided
 No. Because baseball shouldn't be getting involved with politics
battle.
Last week, Michael Weiner, executive director of the the Major League Baseball Players Association, issued this statement: "We hope the law is repealed or modified promptly. If the current law goes into effect, the MLBPA will consider additional steps necessary to protect the rights and interests of our members."
White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, never one to hold his tongue, says he would boycott next year's All-Star Game.
Padres all-star first baseman Adrian Gonzalez told Tom Krasovic of AOL Fanhouse that he will not play in next year's All-Star Game if the law is in effect, and suggests that major-league teams boycott spring training in Arizona.

"I'll support the players association 100 percent," said Gonzalez, who grew up in Tijuana and Chula Vista, a suburb south of San Diego. "If they leave it up to the players and the law is still there, I'll probably not play in the All-Star Game. Because it's a discriminating law. I know it can't be done, but they should take spring training out of (Arizona) if it's possible."
Venezuelan-born Yorvit Torrealba, the former Rockies catcher who plays for the Padres, told the San Diego Union Tribune, "Why do I want to go play in a place where every time I go to a restaurant and they don't understand what I'm trying to order, they're going to ask me for ID first? That's bull. I come from a crazy country. Now Arizona seems a little bit more crazy."
"An 18-year-old from Venezuela playing in the rookie league jumps in a friend's car to head to the grocery store. The friend rolls through a stop sign. A police officer witnesses the infraction. The law, signed last week by Gov. Jan Brewer, requires that 'where reasonable suspicion exists a reasonable attempt shall be made to determine the immigration status of the person.' The Venezuelan player, accordingly, is asked to furnish paperwork proving his legal residence, a new burden of proof under SB 1070. If he happens to have forgotten his passport and work visa at home, his friend would get a traffic ticket and the player would get significantly more.
'Under that scenario,' said Mike Philipsen, the communications advisor for the Arizona Senate Republicans, who drew up the bill, 'he could be detained.'
In other words, hauled off to jail, even though he is in the United States legally."
However, Brewer and other backers say the Arizona law is necessary because of the federal government's failure to secure the border and because of growing anxiety over violent crimes related to illegal immigration. They also say the law has been misunderstood and unfairly characterized by the media. They say articles such as Passan's are fear mongering.
A Gallup Poll released last week showed that 39 percent of Americans support the Arizona law, 30 percent oppose it, and 31 percent had not heard of it or have no opinion of the measure.
Dennis Brennan, a lawyer who writes a column for examiner.com, takes issue the Arizona boycott movement, saying "baseball and silliness have taken center stage in the illegal immigration debate." He says, basically, that a lot of players don't know what they are talking about regarding the immigration law.
He also notes that Athletics reliever Brad Ziegler questions whether a baseball game was the proper venue to address the issue.
"Do people really think that boycotting baseball games in Arizona is going to eventually lead to removal of the new immigration law?" Ziegler wrote in a series of entries on Twitter.com. "The players get punished, having to play in an empty stadium, for something that we have nothing to do with."
But immigration is a debate that's only going to get hotter. But no matter which side you come down on, it's naïve to think that baseball won't remain embroiled in the issue.

Friday, April 23, 2010

New Yankee Stadium and Minnesota's Target Field Have Some Striking Similarities

While the new Yankee Stadium is an absolutely picturesque structure, it is also known to be generic in the architectural world. This has never been more evident than in a photo making the rounds on the web, showcasing the upper deck of Minnesota's brand new Target Field:

(hat tip to NYY Fans "Out Of Play" Forum)

Hmmmm... Does that photo look familiar? Here is a similar photo of the new Yankee Stadium:


Hardcore baseball stadium aficionados have long despised HOK Sport Venue Event (now apparently known as Populous architecture) because of their generic seating design. It just so happens that this company worked on the design of Yankee Stadium and Target Field.

Upon our first trip to the new Yankee Stadium, it was immediately reminiscent of Citizen's Bank Park (another HOKventure), but it didn't really bother us too much. In fact, this is probably the only way to design an upper tier so it can accommodate wide concourses throughout.

Still, we have a feeling that hardcore Yankee traditionalists aren't going to be pleased when they catch wind of the similarities between Target Field in Minnesota and the mystique and aura-filled Yankee Stadium in the Bronx.

original article can be read here

Monday, April 5, 2010

Opening Day 2010! Finally Winter is over...

The World Champions Yankees opened up the season on Sunday against their bitter rivals the Redsox. And after a very long night, the Boston proves they're no schmucks as they take down NY.

Monday Day Games Highlights: Albert proves he is king, with two homers. Braves rookie Hayward homers in first at-bat ever. And Cubs' Zabmrano lays a big dud.

Twinkies on the west coast taking on Torii Hunter, Hideki Matsui and the Angels tonight!

Monday, February 8, 2010

The Blog is on Hiatus...

you can still follow on twitter.com/mytwinscities

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Welcome Jim Thome

A double play of Jim Thome YouTube vids. Enjoy!

Twins GM explains the Thome acquisition:


Classic Thome Hits his 500 HR:

Monday, January 25, 2010

Boxee: One box to rule them all....

Friday, January 22, 2010

Prince is #Vikings biggest fan, wrote a song about it

It would seem that Prince's love of all things purple and gold extends to his sporting preferences. The Purple One is a big fan of his hometown football team, The Minnesota Vikings. And after watching the team murderize the Dallas Cowboys in a game last week, Prince has been inspired by the team -- and their most superfunkycalifragisexy of team colours -- to write a new fight song as the Vikings go into a conference championship game Sunday.

A clip of the song, "Purple and Gold," was posted on the website for a Minneapolis Fox TV station. Just don't expect anything of "Purple Rain" calibre -- or even "Batdance." Think something more along the lines of a high school pep rally cheer set to Casio keyboard.

As for the rah-rah-ziz-boom-bah lyrics:

the veil of the sky draws open

the roar of the chariots touch down

we r the ones who have now come again

and walk upon water like solid ground

as we approach the throne we won't bow down

this time we won't b denied

raise every voice and let it b known

in the name of the purple and gold

we come in the name of the purple and gold

all of the odds r in r favor

no prediction 2 bold

we r the truth if the truth can b told

long reign the purple and gold


Wednesday, January 20, 2010

In non-Twins News: NY Mets HOF

Darryl Strawberry, Dwight Gooden to join New York Mets Hall of Fame with Frank Cashen, Davey Johnson

Originally Published:Tuesday, January 19th 2010, 4:18 PM


Updated: Tuesday, January 19th 2010, 4:33 PM
Former Mets Dwight Gooden and Darryl Strawberry (pictured at Shea in 2008) both played for the Yankees but said Tuesday their hearts have always been in Queens.
Al Bello
Former Mets Dwight Gooden and Darryl Strawberry (pictured at Shea in 2008) both played for the Yankees but said Tuesday their hearts have always been in Queens.

Darryl Strawberry and Dwight Gooden, who once became Met pariahs because of their struggles with addiction and tours in the Bronx, "came full circle" Tuesday, as Gooden put it. Both men were announced as part of a four-person class headed for the newly-revived Mets Hall of Fame, along with two of the bigwigs of the Mets' last World Series champion in 1986, GM Frank Cashen and manager Davey Johnson.

If anyone ever wonders whether the two former stars should be considered Mets or Yankees, they both answered the question Tuesday. "For me, I was always a Met at heart," Gooden said. He called his inclusion as one of 25 in the Met Hall of Fame "overwhelming."

"For me, it's always been the Mets," added Strawberry. "That's where I started, being drafted No. 1, coming to the big leagues, having all the success in a Met uniform. It's always been home to me.

"I am always grateful for the opportunity to play with the Yankees and I'll never forget that. But the Mets is the place I always believed in, and this is where our dreams always came through, the success we had as a team."


Read the complete NY Daily News Article HERE

As a relocated New Yorker the news of this actually makes me very happy.  The 1986 Mets are the reason I am a baseball fan.  I was 11 years old when the Amazing Mets baseball fever took hold of NYC.  Darryl, Doc and Davey  (along with Gary Carter and Keith Hernandez) all played major parts in the success of that team.  Its great for the CitiField to show praise to a great time in Mets history.  

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