GameChat – Twins @ Blue Jays #3, 12:07

It’s another early-afternoon game north of the border.

But the big Twins news since Saturday’s game is that Glen Perkins will be joining Joe Mauer at the MLB All-Star Game next week. Perkins was named to the team by manager Jim Leyland to replace White Sox pitcher (and former Twin) Jesse Crain.

Mauer, from St. Paul, and Perkins, from Stillwater, have known one another since Little League and now they’re going to the Big Apple to play in the Big League All-Star Game. How can these players possibly describe that?

“It’s an awesome deal,” said Mauer.

“It’s pretty neat,” said Perkins.

Are these guys from Minnesota or what?

OK, so those aren’t the ONLY words the players used to describe their feelings, but I think those excerpts pretty much said it all in perfectly concise Minnesotan language.

It will be fun to see the two friends represent the Twins at Citi Field in New York. It will also be fun to see some other former Twins, such as Michael Cuddyer and Carlos Gomez, participate in the game.

But, for now, we’ve got this little matter of the Blue Jays. Scott Diamond is on the hill for the Twins.

I won’t be around to join the chat today. My family tells me there’s a birthday in the family this week, so we’re getting together to celebrate that this afternoon. – JC

TWINS

@

BLUE JAYS
Dozier, 2B Reyes, SS
Mauer, 1B Bautista, RF
Doumit, C Encarnacion, 1B
Morneau, DH Lind, DH
Plouffe, 3B DeRosa, 3B
Parmelee, RF Davis, R, LF
Thomas, C, LF Rasmus, C, CF
Hicks, CF Arencibia, C
Florimon, SS Izturis, M, 2B
  _Diamond, P   _Redmond, P
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Minnesota 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 2 0 5 5 0
Toronto 0 0 0 2 4 1 4 0 x 11 13 2

I have no idea what happened in this game beyond what I see in the boxscore. Diamond wasn’t good. His relief wasn’t any better (at least until Casey Fien finished up in the 9th) and Justin Morneau was pulled for a pinch-hitter in the 8th inning. Not sure what that’s all about. – JC