That go ahead triple from the apparently very speedy, triple-happy Michael Cuddyer did the trick for the win and made him a H.O.W. in my book.

Season total: Mauer 9, Morneau 5, Blackburn 4, Crede 4,  Cuddy 4, Kubel 4, Nathan 4, Gomez 2, Slowey 2, Span 2, Baker 1, Casilla 1, Harris 1, Perkins 1, Swarzak 1, Tolbert 1, Young 1, Gardy 1

After a long weekend birthing class (yup, DCTF Jr. is on the way!) Mrs. DCTF and I went out for dinner on Sunday night.  We chose Ted’s Montana Grill, named for Ted Turner.  On the T.V. was the Sunday night ESPN game featuring Ted Turner’s Atlanta Braves.  It seemed appropriate.

As we were watching the Met’s pitcher came up in a critical situation – 2 runners on, 2 out.  I volunteered that this was exactly the problem with the National League.  The D.H. doesn’t create strategy, it just provides easy outs. 

“How’s that any different than facing Nick Punto?” asked Mrs. DCTF.
“Touche,” I said. And then continued, “Seriously though, even Nick Punto gets hits from time to time. Pitchers, not so much.”
“But some pitchers can hit too. Don’t forget Santana.”
“That’s true, but that’s really part of the problem. Those few pitcher who can hit give their team an almost unfair advantage once every time through the rotation. There is such a disparate level of hitting ability between those who can and can’t that it really affects the outcome of the game in a way that is difficult to control and predict. You put pitchers on your team because they pitch well, not because they hit well. There’s no amount of strategy that can make up for that. Good hitting pitchers become disproportionately valuable, meaning that good pitching is looked at in a different light. Or at least it would be by a GM who knew what they were doing. In the AL a pitcher can be appraised truly on their ability as a pitcher. Not so in the NL.”
I continued on my monologue, “Besides… you’re not really replacing a Nick Punto with a pitcher, since all of these NL teams have their Nick Puntos too. It’s taking Jason Kubel out of the lineup and replacing him with a .100 hitter. That’s huge. And it shortens the bench of the NL teams. They usually just don’t have a DH-caliber hitter, and they have to go to their bullpen more often just to avoid having pitchers bat. There’s a reason AL teams are generally better.”

As I was talking the pitcher came to bat, grounded out, and, to top it all off, managed to hurt himself running to first.
“Oh yeah, there’s that problem too. Pitcher injuries.”
I was about to continue when Mrs. DCTF interrupted me, “Oh look, the food is here. Shut up and eat.”

I always seem to forget to put these things up after weekend series… so, in quick fashion: Jason Kubel gets the H.O.W. for Friday and Scott Baker’s gritty performance gets him Saturday’s H.O.W.

Season total: Mauer 9, Morneau 5, Blackburn 4, Crede 4,  Kubel 4, Nathan 4, Cuddy 3, Gomez 2, Slowey 2, Span 2, Baker 1, Casilla 1, Harris 1, Perkins 1, Swarzak 1, Tolbert 1, Young 1, Gardy 1

I [heart] the All Star Game.  I don’t really have too many thoughts about this year’s particular game, just that I generally love it.  It was awesome to see Mauer and Nathan come through, and Morneau got robbed of a double.  A bit gritty for Nathan, but he didn’t disappoint.  There’s not much better than sitting down a big scary dude like Ryan Howard.

I also loved Obama being around.  Presidents and baseball go together so well.  I don’t want to get political here, but let me just say that that was one of the things I was able to appreciate about Bush; he was a great baseball president.  From throwing out the first pitch after 9/11, to his ties with the Rangers, to first pitching the Nats’ first game in the new stadium and then sitting in the booth and calling an inning for the TV broadcast… the man was good at that.  Obama, on the other hand… well, we’re all very disappointed in him for choosing the Bitch Sox as his favorite team.  I know, he’s from Chicago and all, but isn’t he supposed to be smarter than that?  So very very sad.

Bottom line of the night is of course that the A.L. wins again.  Which is as it should be.  They’re the dominant league, and it’s fun to be on top.  This stuff is all cyclical I suppose, so I’m enjoying it while it lasts. 

And now the Twins will get home field advantage in the World Series, which is nice.

Can I be indignant that Pujols made it into the swing off without actually hitting 5 home runs? I mean, that one caught by the kid wasn’t actually out…

Probably not, since Mauer wouldn’t have won the swing off anyway, what with his zero (0) total homers in that round. And Pujols is the hometown guy for this All Star game, so that makes it more O.K. too. But if I were Carlos Pena’s mother… you’d better believe I’d be upset.

Timely hitting from the best hitter in baseball won the game for the Twins on Friday night, so Joe Mauer gets that night’s H.O.W.

Go Go Gomez and his 5 RBI picked up the slack for Mauer on Sunday, making him the H.O.W. for that game.

Tonight, I watch the Home Run Derby.  Here’s hoping for a good showing from Joe Mauer and some fun T.V. interviews with Justin Morneau.

Season total: Mauer 9, Morneau 5, Blackburn 4, Crede 4,  Nathan 4, Cuddy 3, Kubel 3, Gomez 2, Slowey 2, Span 2, Casilla 1, Harris 1, Perkins 1, Swarzak 1, Tolbert 1, Young 1, Gardy 1

I’ll be honest, last night’s loss to the Yankees didn’t really hurt all that much for me.

The reason? Because I turned it off early and finally watched Wall-E for the first time. A much better use of my time.

Mrs. DCTF and I hosted her parents out here for the 4th of July.  It’s hard to top D.C. for the 4th of July.  Fireworks on the steps of the Lincoln…  oooh ahhh indeed. 

Of course, in order to get such primo seats I had to make my way to the Mall long before the end of the Twins’ game on Saturday.  My father-in-law (FIL) and I headed down, while Mrs. DCTF and MIL stayed back for a while.  When they arrived the first thing I did was ask Mrs. DCTF the score.  Sadly, she had left just after Detroit pulled ahead.  This spurred a conversation about whether or not Detroit could hold on.  I pointed out that the night before Detroit had showed some big time inability to put a game away.  They were up by 6 runs twice and couldn’t close the door.  They got a lead in extra-innings and let the Twins tie it up again.  And even when they got the three-run lead the Twinkies managed to get another one back.

So I had faith.  And after a wonderful night of fireworks and patriotism and cheering for Americana, it was great to see baseball come through too.  Even if the biggest catalyst on Saturday was some guy from Canada…  Ah well.  We’ll give Justin the Hero anyway.

And I felt so bad for Nick Blackburn losing his shut-out again that I’m going to give him Sunday’s award.  But I’m going to caution him that if he makes it to that situation again and fails, I won’t be so lenient.  Maybe he could talk to Nathan about door-shutting?

Season total: Mauer 8, Morneau 5, Blackburn 4, Crede 4,  Nathan 4, Cuddy 3, Kubel 3, Slowey 2, Span 2, Casilla 1, Gomez 1, Harris 1, Perkins 1, Swarzak 1, Tolbert 1, Young 1, Gardy 1

When Joe Nathan came in to nail down the game on Tuesday it was a tremendous relief for me.  That kind of confidence is exactly what a fan likes to have.  So Nathan gets the H.O.W.

And man do I love me some Mauer getting 3 hits, and stepping up big time during the one game Morneau struggled.  Good stuff.  Good, good stuff.

Season total: Mauer 8, Crede 4, Nathan 3, Morneau 3, Blackburn 3, Cuddy 2, Kubel 3, Slowey 2, Span 2, Casilla 1, Gomez 1, Harris 1, Perkins 1, Swarzak 1, Tolbert 1, Young, Gardy 1

Michael Cuddyer was so frustrated that he didn’t get an RBI in his first at bat that he subsequently went up and got himself one on Friday evening, for Friday’s Hero.

And Justin Morneau staked the Twins to a big 3 run lead yesterday with a much-needed home run.  And for that he gets Sunday’s Hero.

Season total: Mauer 7, Crede 4, Morneau 3, Blackburn 3, Cuddy 2, Kubel 3, Nathan 3, Slowey 2, Span 2, Casilla 1, Gomez 1, Harris 1, Perkins 1, Swarzak 1, Tolbert 1, Young, Gardy 1