oh yeah… when you are buying a new house and moving, this is the kind of thing you think about… even when you don’t have kids yet.
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Does a Knuckleball Really Flutter?
I’m a little bit of a nut when it comes to physics and sports. I get intrigued by all the different TV shows that show “how things work” and slow motion photography in a way that statistical analysis can never really suck me in…. until now.
We here at Knuckleballs have a special spot in our hearts for our namesake (might be why we picked the name in the first place). And recently, the folk over at Baseball Prospectus have put up a physical analysis of the trajectory of a knuckleball pitch.. I think that this counts as a double link since they were linking Mr. Nathan as a guest author. But regardless of how many layers of recommendation you have to go through, it’s really worth giving it a read.
Baseball ProGUESTus
The Knuckleball Mystique: Using PITCHf/x to Distinguish Perception from Reality
TWINSFEST!
So Twinsfest starts tomorrow.. you can still get tickets if you haven’t indulged yourself yet. They have changed a few things up this year so reading the materials they provide is a good plan. Here’s the email then sent me yesterday:
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All fans must participate in this process for the chance to secure an autograph at these designated sessions; no exceptions. If you’re seeking an autograph from Joe Mauer or Justin Morneau, please familiarize yourself with the autograph station rules byclicking here. Jack Morris Limited Edition Baseball Booth Special Social Media Opportunities For tickets or more information, please visit twinsbaseball.com/twinsfest. We’ll see you this weekend! |
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I hear we have several attendees this year who don’t usually come up – including JC! Maybe you will see him if you stop by! Things to remember, even though they are working to solve the line issues, you still need to bring some cash along once you get there if you want to participate in a lot of the fun stuff. Hope you have a GREAT weekend!
Saints Sneak Peek
So this year will be the Minnesota Saints 20th season.. they’ll be announcing a new logo for the season later today but here’s your sneak peek:
The Saints have a lot going on this offseason. They are part of St. Paul’s request to the state legislature for building funds for a new stadium in lowertown… To be honest, I really don’t know how I feel about that because so much of the identity they have in my mind is wrapped up in their midway location and there are a lot of pros & cons for building a new park for a minor league team – not the least among them is timing. However, if YOU are interested in learning more from the team, they will be hosting a live chat on the facebook St. Paul Saints page from 4-5 pm.
Last but certainly not least is the best Hot Stove League Banquet I’ve ever attended – and it’s going on this Friday. It’s used as a fundraiser for the St. Paul little league although I’m sure that there will be a lot of Saints & Twins baseball discussion. I encourage you to check it out.
Sunday Morning Comic Relief
This appealed due to recent conversations about the roles of traditional sports reporting and sports blogs… Those conflicts are going to exist for a bit yet but I wonder how long it will take for the line between them to be so blurred as to be indistinguishable.
Sunday Morning Comic Relief
Ok, now that the Broncos are officially out of post-season play, I feel like I can address a modern myth in sports.. If God were TRULY going to intervene in sports, I think it would look something more like this…
Sunday Comic Relief
Even I can’t pretend this is anywhere near morning – but honestly, I was up & out early this morning for an event with the MN Swarm team. Yes, I do have other sport loves in the off-season when there is no baseball. Professional LaCrosse just happens to be one of them.
All that aside, I don’t know about you but it’s now Sunday afternoon and I could still use a little comic relief. This one struck me as awfully familiar to a few gamechats & twitter feeds we have during the baseball season – especially for us Twins fans.
New Year’s Sunday Morning Comic Relief
Happy New Year!
Bring on 2012!
So for all of us Twins Fans, 2011 was a year we’d rather forget (baseball speaking at least) so that leaves us looking forward to what 2012 can do to be different. Frankly, it would be so difficult to be worse that I’m optimistic just on principle! But from all of us here at Knuckleballs, we also wish you a wonderful 2012 in your personal lives as well. For me, 2011 was so momentous that it will be difficult to top so if my favorite baseball team can improve on their performance and I get to see a bit more baseball than I could squeeze in to everything I had going last year than I will count that as a big step up!
But since New Year’s Day is smack in the dead middle of the off-season, here’s a bit of a fun reminder of baseball season for us fans!
Christmas Sunday Morning Comic Relief
MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM KNUCKLEBALLS!
We hope you have a wonderful holiday and we wish you all the best for whatever comes in the next year for you! Our readers are a wonderful gift to us every day because we can’t imagine that people voluntarily want to just listen to us rant about baseball or whatever comes to mind. You guys are the BEST!
Now, I’m off to go celebrate Christmas with MY crazy family (already did Christmas Eve with the new in-laws last night) then off for yet another Christmas dinner with the new family tonight… if you don’t hear from me for awhile, I’m probably in a food coma!
Cuddyer says Thank You!
Dec21
2011
Written by CapitalBabs
2011
Written by CapitalBabs
No matter what your feelings were about his abilities on the field, his worth to the team at any particular point in the process, or his possible future with the Twins, it’s really hard to argue that he was perhaps one of the classiest individuals to ever wear a Twins uniform. He wrote one final blog entry for FSN and I thought that you guys might like to see it.
Cuddyer: Thank you … and you … and you
Michael Cuddyer played 11 seasons with the Twins, and his experiences in Minnesota have left him grateful as he leaves to continue his career with the Colorado Rockies.
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ARCHIVE | EMAIL Outfielder Michael Cuddyer will be writing an exclusive column for FOX Sports North this season, offering the inside perspective only an 11th-year player can provide. |
December 21, 2011
I wanted to write one last article for FOXSportsNorth.com conveying what it has meant to me to have played for the Minnesota Twins and lived in the Minneapolis area.As I sit down and reflect, words cannot express the relationships that my wife, Claudia, and I have developed. I could sit and think about which game I remember the most or pick out which moment of my Twins career is most memorable. However, it’s the people – not the events – who have made my time here so unique and special. In this final article, I wanted to make a list — a list of what I am grateful for and of the friendships and relationships I cherish.I guess it’s fitting for me to start with the media. If it weren’t for my relationship with them, I would not have a forum, such as this, to show my appreciation. I want to thank the local media, whom I have had my share of talks with over the years, for giving me a fair shake throughout my career. There were times when I didn’t agree with some of the things that were said, but I never was crossed, and I always felt like you treated me with respect. For that, I say thank you!To all of the charities Claudia and I have had the pleasure to work with: Thank you for all you do for the community. Your work never will cease to amaze me. You all truly define what it means to be a hero. Thank you for always treating my wife and me well, and we hope to continue to help your efforts in improving society as a whole.To all of the stadium workers: Thank you for always treating my family and me with the utmost respect. Whether it was to help my wife out in her section of seats or when my family was in town to watch a game, you always helped them with what they needed, no questions asked. You made it a joy to work at The Metrodome and Target Field as well as to watch a game there as well. Thank you!
To Cindy and all of the babysitters that do a wonderful job of taking care of our kids throughout the year: Thank you for always treating my son, Casey, like he was yours. You always made him feel special, and Claudia and I always felt at ease knowing that he was in great hands during the course of the games. Thank you for that!
To all of the clubhouse “kids” that I have had the opportunity to develop such great friendships with over the years: I hope I was able to treat you all with as much respect as you showed me. You are all some of the most important people in my life, and I thank you for always going above and beyond your call of duty in order to make life easier in our clubhouse! You guys are the best!
To the trainers: Thank you for always being there for me. No matter what it was that I needed, you always did your best to provide it for me. You all treated me as a friend, and I will always value our friendship. Thank you.
To Gardy and all the field staff, coaches and managers that I have had throughout my 15 years in the Twins organization: Thank you for teaching me how to play baseball at the professional level. Thank you for teaching me how to be a man at the professional level. If it were not for your knowledge, your caring, your tough love and your professionalism, I would not be the player or person I am today. I am in great debt to you, but I hope that the way I play the game and approach each and every day makes you proud and goes a little way toward repaying that debt. Words do not do justice, but thank you.
To all of the teammates I have had throughout the years: Thank you for having my back. There is no greater feeling than knowing that the guys you compete with are all in it for the same reason as you. I consider you all brothers and friends. I am honored to have worn the Twins uniform with you, and I hope I have been someone you are proud to have called a teammate. Thank you.
To Terry Ryan, Bill Smith, Dave St. Peter, The Pohlad Family and the entire Twins
front office: Thank you for giving me an opportunity to fulfill my dream of becoming a major league baseball player. Thank you for treating my family and me with respect and love. I have given everything I have to the Twins organization and its community. Thank you for giving me the same for the entire 15 years I was fortunate enough to be a part of this fantastic group.
Last but absolutely not least, thank you to the fans of Twins Territory. You have all accepted my family and me as one of your own since Day 1 of my career as a Twin. Whether you were a Cuddy Buddy, attended a Twins Unplugged event, supported one of my family’s causes or were just a casual fan who cheered at the game, thank you. I tried to play the game with you all in mind. I knew that the Twins or Minnesota inscription that was across my chest represented each and every one of you. I hope I did you proud in the 11 years I got to wear your uniform. You all always will be very dear to my family and me, and I thank you for being so supportive.
There are countless others who have helped make the last 15 years of my life so enjoyable, and I appreciate everyone’s impact on my experience here. As difficult as it is to leave, I am extremely excited to be a part of another wonderful organization in the Colorado Rockies. I am really looking forward to developing similarly substantive relationships and giving everything I have as a player and a person to them, just as I have with the Twins. Minnesota always will be a part of who I am and what I stand for. For that, I thank you.
Thank you, Michael Cuddyer. You make baseball fans proud.