Tag Archives: Michael Cuddyer

Crikket in the Club! (A Day in Target Field’s Legends Club)

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Armed with tickets in Section C of the Legends Club at Target field, I took in my first regular season game of the year on Saturday. Sure, the game kind of sucked, with the Twins losing to the Orioles in game 1 of the split doubleheader, and the weather was on the chilly side (it has to be chilly for it to sleet, right?), but it was still a great time. I thought this off-day would be a good day to share a few pictures.

Walking up to the ballpark, we were greeted by the new Rod Carew statue (I’d seen the Killebrew and Puckett statues, but this was my first look at Carew’s).

The Rod Carew bronze statue outside Target Field

There are three lounges in the Legends Club.

The Killebrew Lounge is directly behind home plate…

The Killebrew mural inside the Killebrew Lounge

… the Carew lounge is on one side…

The wooden Carew mural above the bar

… and the Puckett Lounge is down the other side.

The wood mural behind the bar in the Puckett Lounge

A few pictures from inside the Legends Club:

Inside the Legends Club looking out toward the field
One of the Legends Club hallways
Inside the Legends Club
The Tony Oliva mural along one wall of the Legends Club
The Hot Chocolate line (mmmm with a little something added) and Hrbek mural
Nice pic above the condiments. (How many can you name?)

In the Puckett, Carew and Killebrew Lounges, there are several display cases filled with each player’s memorabilia (jerseys, shoes, bats and a number of more personal items, including various awards such as gold gloves, silver sluggers and even Puckett’s MVP and World Series rings). The picture of one of the Killebrew display cases below is just one example.

One of the display cases in the Killebrew Lounge (includes his contract below)

Yes, I did actually go sit outside and watch the game. To prove it, I’ll include a couple of pictures from Section C.

The view from row 6 of Section C
Cuddyer thought it was cold, too. Note the earflaps.
Morneau's HR was just about the only Twins highlight of the day.

Finally… can you identify all of these Twins Legends from their lifesize pictures adorning the Legends Club walls?

This Twins Legend served two tours with the club and is still hanging around
This lefty was a cornerstone of the Twins rotation in the 60s
This Twins Legend won an AL MVP award.
The Twins player who "exemplifies determination, hustle, tenacity, competitive spirit and leadership both on and off the field" wins an award named for this Twins Legend

I hope this helped feed your baseball addiction on the second off-day of the week. Tomorrow, the Twins take on the Evil Empire (aka the F’ing Yankees) on the road at the Death Star (aka F’ing Yankee Stadium). Let’s kick some F’ing Yankee butt! – JC

GameChat – Tigers @ Twins, 7:10 pm

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Wow, it’s really nice to have the feeling that your team is coming home from a great roadtrip and not that feeling of “holy crap we better win at home cause we keep losing on the road…”  Yes, I still want my team to win but now that new ballpark is almost like a roadtrip in itself because our team is still learning it’s quirks, I can relax a little for these home games because they are doing so well on the road!!
Detroit @ Minnesota
Jackson, A, CF   Span, CF
Damon, DH   Hudson, O, 2B
Ordonez, RF   Morneau, 1B
Cabrera, M, 1B   Thome, DH
Boesch, LF   Cuddyer, RF
Inge, 3B   Kubel, LF
Raburn, 2B   Hardy, SS
Laird, C   Ramos, W, C
Santiago, SS   Punto, 3B
  Scherzer, P     Baker, S, P

 

  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Detroit 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 1 4 9 0
Minnesota 4 3 0 0 3 0 0 0 x 10 12 1

 

THAT was a fun game to watch!!  Great start and just kept going!  For the second game in a row there are just so MANY options for BOD!  Consensus in the chat gives it to Cuddyer with an assortment of tasty pastries for Scott Baker and Wilson Ramos.  We have verbally agreed that we simply aren’t going to concern ourselves with the weight problem our fondness for baked goods might cause.

Michael Cuddyer is congratulated by Thome and Morneau following his HR vs the Rays.

GameChat – Cleveland @ Minnesota #2, 7:10pm

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Mike Redmond, how I miss you.  *holds a burning lighter in the air*

Cleveland @ Minnesota
Cabrera, A, SS   Span, CF
Sizemore, CF   Hudson, O, 2B
Choo, RF   Mauer, C
Kearns, LF   Morneau, 1B
Hafner, DH   Cuddyer, RF
Grudzielanek, 2B   Kubel, DH
Peralta, J, 3B   Young, D, LF
LaPorta, 1B   Hardy, SS
Redmond, M, C   Harris, B, 3B
  Huff, D, P     Liriano, P

 

  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Cleveland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 0
Minnesota 0 3 0 0 0 1 0 2 x 6 6 0

 

Chat consens gives BOD to Francisco Liriano and shares assorted baked goods with Michael Cuddyer and Brendan Harris for completing the successful game circle of pitching, hitting and defense!  (maybe they’ll even share a cookie with RedDawg for old time’s sake!)

Spring Training Vacation Wrap Up

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I’m heading out bright and early Thursday morning, but before I call it a night, I wanted to post one final “Spring Training Report.” (OK, it might not be the final one published, depending on whether a final ‘Jim Crikket Report’ makes an appearance in Howard Sinker’s “A Fan’s View From Section 219″ blog Thursday).

I can’t recommend highly enough this kind of spring vacation, if you’re a Twins fan or a fan of Major League Baseball at all. I’m sure Target Field will be terrific, but you don’t get opportunities to watch talent of this level as “up close and personal” anywhere but during spring training. And the opportunity to check out the Twins’ “future stars” on the minor league complex is a huge bonus, in my opinion.

With that, I’ll leave you with a few images from my last day at Twins 2010 Spring Training.

Outside Hammond Stadium, Spring Training home of your Minnesota Twins!
2008 first round pick Carlos Gutierrez gets some help with his change-up grip
Michael Cuddyer doing his Nick Punto impression... and he's SAFE!
Jim Thome and Jerry White doing... something... I don't think I wanna know what.
Anthony Slama... closer of the future?
Ben Revere. His time is coming... soon.
Hammond Stadium Mens Room... with "Take Me Out to The Ball Game" murals
TC Bear with a SuperSoaker... coming soon to an outdoor stadium near you!

Just another walk in the (ball)park

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Spending the day at the Twins’ spring training complex, for me, involves spending a good bit of the morning on the minor league complex. I enjoy watching the coaches put the younger players through their drills and give a bit of instruction along the way. I thought this would be a good time to share a couple of pictures from my Sunday morning.

Twins pitching prospect David Bromberg gets some instruction.
Terry Ryan discusses the "Twins way" with prospect Ramon Santana... who tucked his jersey back in his pants.
Twins teen aged Dominican prospect Miguel Angel Sano gets in some work at 3B.

On the way back over to the Hammond Stadium, this familiar face was spotted on Field 5 (next to the stadium).

Joe Nathan signs autograph after a workout on the day he and the team announced he'll undergo TJ surgery.

Finally, a few shots taken during the Sunday afternoon game with the Rays. (No story today… nothing I could come up with would top the “story” of Joe Mauer signing a contract that will keep him a Twin for the next 9 years!)

Orlando Hudson turns a base hit in to an out vs. the Rays.
1B coach Jerry White congratulates Joe Mauer on his single vs. the Rays... or was it on the new contract?
Michael Cuddyer is congratulated by Thome and Morneau following his HR vs the Rays.

St. Patty’s day during Spring Training!

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Submitted by fellow reader, Corey, who’s down enjoying Spring Training.
 
So, for my first day of Vacation, I headed over to the Cru Restaurant in Fort Myers to meet my friends Omar and Jeri-Lynn. (I went to art school with Omar in New Jersey back in the day.) The plan was to stay anchored at the bar at Cru and celebrate St. Patty’s Day.
 
I met Jeri at about 5:15 and we proceeded to enjoy the evening. Omar arrived about 30 minutes later and rapidly the bar was filling with other patrons. At about 8:30 or so, the bar was PACKED, shoulder to shoulder and I happened to notice three gentlemen walk (squeeze is a better word) past us all at the same time. I recognized the third one almost immediately, but I wasn’t totally sure (I was fairly “happy” at that point).
 
The three men took up a spot not 20 feet from where I was with my friends, and I just studied the their faces, knowing that I knew who they had to be…and it hit me. They were: Denard Span, Delmon Young, and Orlando Hudson of the Minnesota Twins. So I walked over, quickly introduced myself, shook their hands, gave them their props and politely asked for a photo.
 
About an hour later, three other men squeezed into the bar going the opposite direction. I knew exactly who they were, since they were a foot away: Joe Nathan, Michael Cuddyer, and Nick Punto. I acknowledged each of them, shook each of their hands, gave `em their props and they kept on a movin’, so I had no chance for a photo. They were polite, but curt. Of the three, Nick Punto seemed the one most genuinely happy about meeting a fan from Minnesota.
 
Thirty minutes later…former Twin (and current non-roster invitee to Spring Training) Jacque Jones walked in with another person I did not know. Again, I introduced myself as being a fan from Minny and gave Jacque his props and unfortunately again, no chance for a photo.
 
To randomly meet SEVEN Twins players in one hip bar in Fort Myers on St. Patty’s Day was quite unusual. But, memorable!!
Corey with Orlando Hudson, Delmon Young and Denard Span

Spring Training 2009, remembered

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Michael Cuddyer
Cuddyer waits for a pitch

Just because it’s that time of year again and seeing a Twin in home white unform with the sun shining down on him is almost enough to make me forget the foot of snow still on the ground around here.

Just thought I’d post a picture (or two) from last year’s Spring Training.

Tom Kelly and Paul Molitor on the Minor League fields