2 in a row!!!

I know it's only a 2-game series, but it's still a sweep. It may be the needed confidence booster before the "Showdown with Mo'town" this weekend. (I will be attending both the Friday and the Sunday game. For those who don't know, I'm a bobblehead collector and Sunday is the season premier in terms of bobbleheads with Ron Gardenhire.)

As for today's game, it wasn't televised. I watched the GameCast on ESPN which doesn't do it for me. Seeing Morneau hit a double to score the run that would amount as a winner is a whole lot different than reading "Morneau double to deep left. Gomez scores." But either way, I'll take the win.

Three Stars:
Carlos Gomez - 3 for 4, 2 R, RBI, SB, 2B, OF AST (threw Thome out at 3rd). Right when you think he's in over his head, he goes out and TOTALLY REDEEMS HIMSELF! Even if Gomez is in the lineup and isn't hitting well, the offense is still better. When he is hitting, even if nobody else is, the Twins have the potential to win. His batting average isn't terrible (.265), but his OBP is only .279. He's gotta learn to take some walks if the Twins offense is going to turn the page. (Heck, Delmon Young has taken 3 walks in the last 4 games... and he only took 26 all of last year.) So, in conclusion, that's my ONLY complaint with Go-Go: TAKE A BASE... you can still steal second. Oh, does anyone else want to see him try to steal home? Cause I do!

Check out this S-Trib article: http://www.startribune.com/sports/twins/18422239.html?page=1&c=y

Nick Blackburn - 7 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 88 pitches. I was skeptical about Blackburn being in the rotation before the season started. Yeah, he was BA's #1 organizational prospect, but he is 26. In comparison, both Bonser and Baker are 26, and Slowey is 24. So Blackburn isn't exactly "young" by rotation standards. Regardless of all of that, Blackburn is (usually) getting it done. In 6 games, he's really only had 1 bad start. Not all of the other 5 were good. But at least 3 were. That's at least reason for optimism.
Justin Morneau - 2 for 4, RBI, 2B. I didn't name Morneau a "star" after his last game-winner, so I'm going to pay him his dues right now. Nice work. Even though he's only hitting .268, he does have 22 RBI (which is tied for 3rd in the AL). How much of that has to do with the pitchers on the mound throwing to Morneau but thinking, "Gomez, Gomez"? Did anyone happen to read that quote earlier this spring? Well, Crazy Carlos might have been onto something... or not. Either way, the bats need to roll.

In other Twins news today:
Francisco Liriano pitched for Rochester today. To put it simply, he was BRUTAL. 4 1/3 IP, 5 H, 5 BB, 94 pitches, 51 strikes. At this point, I'm jumping off the Liriano-ship, cause it's not going anywhere. Part of me hopes he figures it out next week and can return to the big club. The other part of me hopes he stays down for the rest of the year regardless of when/if he figures it out. Right now, I'm in a "screw me/screw you" position with him. He screwed the Twins with his lack of rehab, so he can stay in the minors, miss arbitration and play for $410K again next year (instead of $1 million plus). That would be perfectly fine with me because at some point - whether '08, '09 or '10 - he'll figure it out.

The Twins announced that Adam Everett will be activated in time for Friday's game and that Brian Buscher will be optioned to Rochester. Although I hoped otherwise, I figured it was inevitable that Everett would get another shot. I just really thought it might be appealing to give Tolbert regular at-bats in Rochester and let Buscher pinch-hit. Speaking of Rochster, if you didn't know Alexi Casilla isn't hitting his weight, so don't expect him to be coming up anytime soon.

The Twins also made some other moves: They sold OF Jon Knott (Phillies) and release C Eli Whiteside. They will be replaced by Brian Buscher and C Ryan Jorgensen (activated from suspended list).


In American Idol news: Brooke White is going home. That leaves Syesha with the three guys. For some reason, I have to believe that this is neither the first nor last time that Syesha has been with three guys... JUST KIDDING! In all seriousness though, this is a two-horse race. And those horses are both named David. Smart money is on David Cook.

Later on!