No Laughing Matter [Twins 5, Yanks 1]

As I sit and watch the pre-game for tonight's game, I realize I forgot to write a blog for yesterday's game.

My Saturday morning started out normally enough, I slept till 10-ish, when I was woken up by the ringing of my phone. Moneypenny had somehow scored tickets the days game-- in the 5th row to the right of home plate.

Obviously, the answer to "Do you want to go?" was yes.

As we drove to the dome and parked at our favorite lot, ridiculously excited about our amazing seats, it came to our attention that the parking attendant there knows us (due to a dysfunctional drivers side door). We were greeted with a "Welcome back", which I found a little bit hilarious.

Walking down the steps to our seats, counting the rows, was amazing. I had never been so close before. We could see everything.

Including Nick Blackburn's line drive to the face.

In my one moment of seriousness, I joke about taking line drives to the face a lot...

But after seeing Nick fall down onto the mound and flop down like he was dead, I will refrain from making such jokes. For a good few seconds, I really thought he wasn't getting up. If there is anything that could have ruined baseball for me, it would be Nick Blackburn dying on the mound.

I was pretty mad at Bobby Abreu, but after seeing his face on the TV replay, he looked like he felt pretty bad. I feel like he might have gone up to the mound to make sure all was well, but was too afraid that Justin would deck him...which I would have supported at the time.

Aside from that scary moment, we could see Gogo's swearing, Joe's twitching, and, after Justin's triple-with-an-error that I still refer to as an inside the park homerun, Alexi Casilla fanning him in the dugout.

On that note, Alexi Casilla is growing on me. I still wonder what happened to the Casilla of yesteryear, but I won't dwell on it.

I will upload my pictures from said game later tonight (I actually have Justin's swing from his not-technically inside the park homerun), where I will then reflect upon tonights game...which isn't going so well right now.

This Game Caused The Creation of A New Word [Twins 4, Landed Gentry 3]

Words cannot describe how I feel about this game.

It was crazy. It was ridiculous. It was completely unnecessary.

It was... cradiculoussary.

From Cuddy's foul ball that may have been fair (a call that I still have YET to make my mind up on), to the in the park homer, to Gogo's ridiculous fall-down at the plate, to Joe Nathan's blown save... I don't even know where to begin.

So let's start with the bad.

Joe Nathan's blown save and in the park homerun. Now this is not entirely Joe's fault...personally, I think the majority of the blame goes to Delmon Young. He needed to keep the ball in FRONT of him. Not back in the corner BEHIND him.

The look on Nick Blackburn's face when his shut-out got thrown out... it made me tear up (almost like the hug that Kevin Slowey gave him after he came into the dugout in the 9th). Words can't really describe how upset I was.

The bullpenm after that awful few minutes, was relatively solid, Joe struck the rest of the men he faced out, and with a few minor mishaps...we did alright.

Now the good.

Cuddy is clutch again.

Enough. Said.

Gogo drew another walk. I like patience at the plate.

Alexi Casilla successfully took out the Royals' 2nd baseman Esteban German in a spectacular slide.

And Finally... Nick Blackburn. Buddy, you may not officially get the shut out, but in our book here at OMGS, you most definitely did. Hands down, you get the B.O.D.

You'll get 'em next time, Blackie.

Also... Bert was cracking me up tonight.

"I've got a big toe with no toe nail, you wanna see it?"

Poor Dick.

The Night of Nicks [Twins 0, Angels 1]

Well, even though I didn't see most of the game, and even though we lost (on an unearned run, too!), I still think some B.O.D. honors need to be given out.

And quite obviously, those honors go to Nick Blackburn.














What. A. Stud.

I had my doubts about him being in the rotation, but I think it's safe to say he earned his spot. And he most definitely earned B.O.D. Six strike outs in your first Major League start?

Hot.

The other Nick that needs addressing is Nick Punto. When I found out he was in the line-up I sent Moneypenny a very excited text message (and then dubbed tonight 'The Night of Nicks'), and I have to say, I'm proud of him. I didn't see his hit, but I saw his flying in the 9th. I'm glad he's still got his superpowers.

I'm really sad that MLB TV doesn't let me watch the post game...I wanted to see them interview Torii and then to watch Bert makes plays in the field wearing dress pants... I was told Torii said that playing the Twins in front of people he loves is the hardest thing he's ever done, and that Nick Blackburn is "going to be something special".

It's hard for us, too, Torii. We (well, most of us) still love you, and appreciate everything you did for us while you were here. I was happy for you when you got your first hit tonight (and even happier nothing became of it) and I wish you the best of luck in Anaheim...except when you play the Twins, of course.