Friday, October 26, 2007
Friday Notes
And WEEK 8 PICKS
Happy Friday everyone! I thought I’d just point out some notes
today on the World Series games, the AFL and Venezuela. But I also have been scouring
the internet for articles on Twins, Twins farmhands and former Twins. Here are
just a few thoughts for you today:
·
Well, the Red Sox proved that they could win a
2-1 game a night after they showed they could slug their way to a 13-1 win.
Just a few questions about the series so far; Josh Beckett had a very good season. Of course, my vote for AL Cy Young Award would still go to CC Sabathia with John Lackey number two and Beckett probably #3. Until this season,
it seems as though Beckett has been a regular season disappointment, but in the
postseason, he is unbeatable. Why is that?
·
Matt
Holliday had four of the Rockies five hits in Game 2, all singles. But
will he also have his picture posted right next to that of Joel Skinner in a line of potential candidates for Goat of the
Postseason? When he was picked off with Todd
Helton at the plate in the 8th inning, it essentially ruined any
momentum that he had given the Rockies by getting on base against Jonathan Papelbon
in the first place.
·
Speaking of Skinner, many believe that he is the
favorite to become the new manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates. A good choice and
Skinner has big league managerial experience, but how tough of a sell is
Skinner to the real baseball fans in Pittsburgh who saw Skinner’s decision not
to send Kenny Lofton home? Real fans
will realize that first, that was a small sample of
Skinner’s baseball acumen. But secondly, being a 3B coach and being a good
manager are two very completely things. OK, I say that and yet, imagine if the
Twins decided to let Ron Gardenhire. Based on how things work, I have to think
that Scott Ullger
is the one being groomed to be the next manager. Not only is he a bad 3B
coach, but he is a bad hitting coach. So, would he be a good manager?
·
Heading down to Arizona, on Thursday, Trevor Plouffe
went 2-4 with his fourth double and two RBI. Matt Macri went 1-4 and is now hitting
.302 in the AFL. Nick Blackburn
started and earned the win to improve to 2-0. In four innings, he gave up no
runs on just one hit and one walk. Eddie
Morlan pitched the 6th and 7th
innings. He walked two and struck out none, but he also gave up no hits or
runs. On Wednesday, Plouffe went 1-3 with two walks. Macri hit his fifth double. Drew Butera went 1-3.
·
On Wednesday, Aragua lost to Caribes
down in Venezuela. Luis Maza went 3-4 with a double. Brian Buscher
went 1-4 with the team’s lone RBI. Jose
Mijares
gave up a hit in a scoreless inning. Frank
Mata gave up a run on two hits in two innings.
·
Michael
Cuddyer will be participating
in a
Home Run Derby on November 3 in Norfolk, Virginia. The Derby will also
include big leaguers David Wright (Mets), Ryan Zimmerman (Nationals), Mark
Reynolds (Diamondbacks), BJ Upton
(Devil Rays) and Justin Upton
(Diamondbacks).
·
Last Friday,
Torii Hunter was back in
Pine Bluff watching his alma mater’s football team lose. He stayed for the whole game and signed a lot of
autographs. I get tired of all the free agency stories surrounding Hunter
especially since he won’t even become a free agent until 15 days after the
World Series finishes. So, I like hearing other things going on in his and the
other Twins’ lives.
·
According to Jim Mandelaro,
Josh Rabe will not be back in the Twins
organization in 2008.
·
I don’t think it surprises any that the Twins signed Tommy
Watkins to a minor league contract.
·
I have my copy, do you? Johan Santana is on the
cover of the
Greater Minneapolis Verizon Yellow Pages!
·
Steve
Farley will be speaking at
the Minnesota High School Baseball Coaches Convention today (October
26-28). If you don’t recognize the name, he has been the head coach at Butler
University where he coached Twins reliever Pat
Neshek.
·
The Twins “Mr.
October” Steve Lombardozzi has a son that was
named a 3rd team preseason All-American baseball player. In 2008, he
is scheduled to attend St. Petersburg College in Florida.
·
From the Litchfield (MN) Independent Review: Five Reasons Santana Needs to
Go.
·
As you know, Brian Duensing will be playing for Team
USA in Taiwan next month. The Australian Team includes several Twins minor
leaguers. Tristan Crawford, Luke Hughes,
Trent Oeltjen
and Glenn Williams are all on the
team. So is former Twin Brad Thomas.
·
By the
way, I enjoy the stories of the Twins and their minor leaguers throughout the
offseason, so if you see any human interest stories on Twins players, minor
leaguers or former players, please e-mail
them to me and I will be happy to post them
WEEK
8
|
|
Seth Stohs |
Roger Dehring |
||||
|
|
SethSpeaks.net |
Twins Minor League Expert |
Reigning champ, and Twins pitching prospect |
Twins starting pitcher |
Twins Pitching Prospect |
Twins Outfield Prospect |
|
Cleveland @ St.
Louis |
Rams |
Browns |
Rams |
Rams |
Browns |
Browns |
|
Detroit @ Chicago |
Bears |
Bears |
Bears |
Bears |
Bears |
Bears |
|
Indianapolis @
Carolina |
Colts |
Colts |
Colts |
Panthers |
Colts |
Colts |
|
NY Giants @ Miami |
Giants |
Giants |
Giants |
Dolphins |
Giants |
Giants |
|
Oakland @ Tennessee |
Titans |
Titans |
Titans |
Titans |
Titans |
Titans |
|
Philadelphia @
Minnesota |
Vikings |
Vikings |
Eagles |
Vikings |
Vikings |
Vikings |
|
Pittsburgh @
Cincinnati |
Steelers |
Steelers |
Steelers |
Steelers |
Steelers |
Steelers |
|
Buffalo @ NY Jets |
Jets |
Bills |
Jets |
Jets |
Jets |
Bills |
|
Houston @ San Diego |
Chargers |
Chargers |
Chargers |
Chargers |
Chargers |
Chargers |
|
Jacksonville @ Tampa
Bay |
Buccs |
Buccs |
Buccs |
Buccs |
Jaguars |
Jaguars |
|
New Orleans @ San
Francisco |
Saints |
49ers |
49ers |
49ers |
49ers |
Saints |
|
Washington @ New
England |
Patriots |
Patriots |
Patriots |
Patriots |
Patriots |
Patriots |
|
Green Bay @ Denver |
Broncos |
Packers |
Packers |
Broncos |
Packers |
Packers |
|
John Bonnes |
Stick & Ball Guy |
Will Young |
Nick Nelson |
Josh Johnson |
Josh Taylor |
|
|
Cleveland @ St.
Louis |
Browns |
Rams |
Browns |
Browns |
Browns |
Browns |
|
Detroit @ Chicago |
Lions |
Bears |
Lions |
Bears |
Bears |
Lions |
|
Indianapolis @
Carolina |
Colts |
Colts |
Colts |
Colts |
Colts |
Colts |
|
NY Giants @ Miami |
Giants |
Giants |
Giants |
Giants |
Giants |
Giants |
|
Oakland @ Tennessee |
Titans |
Titans |
Titans |
Titans |
Titans |
Titans |
|
Philadelphia @
Minnesota |
Vikings |
Eagles |
Eagles |
Vikings |
Eagles |
Eagles |
|
Pittsburgh @
Cincinnati |
Steelers |
Steelers |
Steelers |
Steelers |
Steelers |
Steelers |
|
Buffalo @ NY Jets |
Jets |
Jets |
Jets |
Jets |
Bills |
Bills |
|
Houston @ San Diego |
Chargers |
Chargers |
Chargers |
Chargers |
Chargers |
Chargers |
|
Jacksonville @ Tampa
Bay |
Buccs |
Jaguars |
Buccs |
Buccs |
Buccs |
Jaguars |
|
New Orleans @ San
Francisco |
Saints |
Saints |
Saints |
Saints |
49ers |
49ers |
|
Washington @ New
England |
Patriots |
Patriots |
Patriots |
Patriots |
Patriots |
Patriots |
|
Green Bay @ Denver |
Broncos |
Packers |
Broncos |
Broncos |
Broncos |
Broncos |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Howard Sinker |
LaVelle E. Neal |
|||||
|
Cleveland @ St.
Louis |
Browns |
Browns |
Browns |
Rams |
Browns |
Browns |
|
Detroit @ Chicago |
Bears |
Bears |
Bears |
Bears |
Bears |
Bears |
|
Indianapolis @
Carolina |
Colts |
Colts |
Colts |
Colts |
Colts |
Colts |
|
NY Giants @ Miami |
Giants |
Giants |
Giants |
Giants |
Giants |
Giants |
|
Oakland @ Tennessee |
Titans |
Titans |
Titans |
Titans |
Titans |
Titans |
|
Philadelphia @
Minnesota |
Vikings |
Vikings |
Eagles |
Eagles |
Vikings |
Eagles |
|
Pittsburgh @
Cincinnati |
Steelers |
Bengals |
Steelers |
Steelers |
Steelers |
Steelers |
|
Buffalo @ NY Jets |
Jets |
Jets |
Bills |
Bills |
Jets |
Bills |
|
Houston @ San Diego |
Chargers |
Chargers |
Chargers |
Chargers |
Chargers |
Chargers |
|
Jacksonville @ Tampa
Bay |
Buccs |
Buccs |
Buccs |
Buccs |
Buccs |
Buccs |
|
New Orleans @ San
Francisco |
49ers |
49ers |
Saints |
49ers |
Saints |
49ers |
|
Washington @ New
England |
Patriots |
Patriots |
Patriots |
Patriots |
Patriots |
Patriots |
|
Green Bay @ Denver |
Broncos |
Broncos |
Packers |
Broncos |
Broncos |
Broncos |
|
Al Bethke |
Bill Ferris |
JD Arney |
Mike Brasel |
Melissa Lien |
Trevor Born |
|
|
SethSpeaks.net |
||||||
|
Cleveland @ St.
Louis |
Rams |
Browns |
Browns |
Browns |
Browns |
|
|
Detroit @ Chicago |
Bears |
Bears |
Bears |
Bears |
Bears |
|
|
Indianapolis @
Carolina |
Colts |
Colts |
Colts |
Colts |
Colts |
|
|
NY Giants @ Miami |
Giants |
Giants |
Giants |
Giants |
Giants |
|
|
Oakland @ Tennessee |
Titans |
Titans |
Titans |
Titans |
Titans |
|
|
Philadelphia @
Minnesota |
Vikings |
Eagles |
Vikings |
Vikings |
Eagles |
|
|
Pittsburgh @
Cincinnati |
Steelers |
Bengals |
Bengals |
Steelers |
Steelers |
|
|
Buffalo @ NY Jets |
Jets |
Bills |
Bills |
Bills |
Bills |
|
|
Houston @ San Diego |
Chargers |
Chargers |
Chargers |
Chargers |
Chargers |
|
|
Jacksonville @ Tampa
Bay |
Buccs |
Buccs |
Jaguars |
Buccs |
Buccs |
|
|
New Orleans @ San
Francisco |
49ers |
Saints |
Saints |
Saints |
Saints |
|
|
Washington @ New
England |
Patriots |
Patriots |
Patriots |
Patriots |
Patriots |
|
|
Green Bay @ Denver |
Broncos |
Packers |
Broncos |
Broncos |
Broncos |
|
Summary
Looking at the selections of the panelists, here is who the
collective "We" think will win each game:
Sunday –
Cleveland @ St. Louis – Browns 18-5
Detroit @ Chicago – Bears 20-3
Indianapolis @ Carolina – Colts 22-1
NY Giants @ Miami (in London) – Giants 22-1
Oakland @ Tennessee – Titans 23-0
Philadelphia @ Minnesota – Vikings 13-10
Pittsburgh @ Cincinnati – Steelers 20-3
Buffalo @ NY Jets – Jets 12-11
Houston @ San Diego – Chargers 23-0
Jacksonville @ Tampa Bay – Buccs 19-5
New Orleans @ San Francisco – Saints 12-11
Washington @ New England – Patriots 23-0
Monday –
Green Bay @ Denver – Broncos 17-6
Thanks again for stopping by this site. If you have any
questions, comments or ideas for future postings, please e-mail me.
Have a great weekend!