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| Joe and Justin stop being polite and start getting real. Courtesy of SI. |
Oh, how I long for the days of Johan for eight innings and
Joe Nathan flappin’ his gums and slammin’ the door. How I pine for another year
with Francisco Liriano’s garbage-pail filthy slider. Really, how I would
tolerate a season of Brad Radke, Rick Reed, and Sweatin’ Out the Ninth with
Everyday Eddie.
For someone who purports to be a keen Minnesota sports
observer, I am grossly unqualified to write a Minnesota Twins preview this
year. I can name three pitchers on the current team: Ervin Santana, Trevor May,
and I Think We Still Have Glen Perkins. Is Ricky Nolasco still cashing checks
that feature the Twins watermark? (Yes, but he won’t be pitching for us; the Twins will pay $4m of his salary while he blows chunks for the Angels.) Is Carl
Pavano and his patented “Pav ‘Stache” still in the league? (Huh? No.) How about
“Fireball Phil” Hughes, is he still in the rotation? (Yes.) Do we have a
bullpen? (The physical structure? Yes. Pitchers to fill the structure?
Debatable.)
