Day: September 30, 2010

GameChat – Blue Jays @ Twins, 7:10

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The biggest news of the day is that Justin did a full workout with the team today AND with the media.  He is quite happy that he’s had so many days in a row symptom-free AND that while he says there is no chance he’ll be ready for the first round, he does think his preparations could have him hitting in the second round as long as his health maintains its stability. Just about everyone is going to have comments from him from this afternoon – interestingly, several seemed to feel the need to comment on the level of sweat he’d worked up – but I’ll give you one to get you started from Phil Mackey over at ESPN:  Morneau Optimistic…

Other good news is clear from tonight’s lineups.  You’ll notice that two names have returned!!  Both Joe Mauer and JJ Hardy finally show up which I find to be extremely good news.   I’m sure they are also both happy to be back and I hope this is just the motivation needed to make the final series of the regular season a spectacular set of winning games.  Considering the next four games are the preview of the 4 starting pitchers we currently have slated for our post-season rotation, I would like them all to do better than they each did in their previous starts.  That’s not too much to ask is it?

The only knock of the day is that Thome is still having trouble with his back and will need a bit more rest.  Honestly, at this point, I just want him healthy and able to bring his big stick to play against the big boys.

Toronto @ Minnesota
Snider, LF   Span, CF
Escobar, Y, SS   Hudson, O, 2B
Bautista, J, 1B   Mauer, DH
Wells, V, CF   Young, D, LF
Buck, J, DH   Kubel, RF
Hill, A, 2B   Cuddyer, 1B
Encarnacion, 3B   Valencia, 3B
Molina, J, C   Hardy, SS
McCoy, RF   Butera, C
  Hill, S, P     Liriano, P

 

  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Toronto 0 2 0 0 2 1 4 2 2 13 13 1
Minnesota 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 2 4 1

 

In the words of TC Bear tonight on Twitter:  Uff Da.

Basically, tonight was a bit of batting practice for the Blue Jays – no matter who was pitching – with a ridiculous number of homeruns.  Of course, somehow they seemed to have solved the supposed Target Field HR drought.  Let’s see our guys hit some of those tomorrow shall we?

The 2010 “Robert Goulet Memorial Mustached American of the Year”

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This seems more timely than the other random stuff I was pondering to ramble about so thanks for the heads up, Dewluca!  In our previous discussions about Carl Pavano’s now famous mustache, I have leaned heavily on the American Mustache Institute as a resource.  David over at 7th Inning Stache is leading the charge to nominate Carl as a leader in the fight against facial hair discrimination.

The American Mustache Institute (AMI) is now accepting nominations for the 2010 “Robert Goulet Memorial Mustached American of the Year,” the award Time magazine, the NBC Nightly News, physicist Stephen Hawking, and High Times magazine said is on par with the Nobel Prize for Peace.

The 2009 winner was Arizona Diamondbacks standout relief pitcher Clay Zavada, and the first recipient of the award in 2008 was retired New York City police detective Tim Galvin, who had received three medals of valor and retiring as a captain after being shot twice – in the face and leg – while working undercover.

The “Goulet” is an award for the everyman: the teacher, the community leader, the celebrity, the dwarf, the politician, the psychotic Florida minister. It recognizes the person who has best represented or contributed to the Mustached American community during the past year.

Nominations will be accepted until Friday, Oct. 8, and on Oct. 11 the pool will be streamlined to a worthy group of finalists selected by AMI’s certified mustacheologists for voting.

So I’m asking all our readers to step up and assist the effort by nominating Carl Pavano for the 2010 Mustached American of the Year.  Just click on the nomination form and submit your name, your favorite photo of the Carlstache and why you think he should honored.  I will do my best to continue to follow this topic and provide all the appropriate information for the next level which will be VOTING.  But first we have to get him on the list – here is the text I used when I submitted my own nomination:

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 Major League Baseball has a long tradition of facial hair discrimination to varying degrees and while the MN Twins have not prohibited the growth of mustaches, most players don’t pursue it. But Carl Pavano not only pursued, he persisted in the face of genuine criticism that it wasn’t flattering.  And then, by leading his team to double-digit wins as the most veteran starting pitcher, he also brought along his teammates and many fans. In fact, popular culture (including the media, blogs, Facebook, Twitter, and other forums) has even granted independent personality and credit to the now famous mustache amongst baseball fans.  In fact, many credit the power of his singular facial hair with success of the MN Twins in their pennant race including being the first team to clinch a playoff position for the postseason.  While that may or may not be true, Pavano’s success is not just as a man with a mustache but specifically highlights the mustache as a crucial part of his successful identity. That is why Carl Pavano should be the 2010 “Robert Goulet Memorial Mustached American of the Year”

  

Please spread the word!!