5/18/05: Blue Jays/Twins

[Steak]

Twins have lost five of seven heading to tonight's game. They really need to start turning it around. They need to play with a sense of urgency. They need to start playing better. These last few games have been tough to watch and I find myself bored watching them. What they are doing now is not acceptable and things need to start changing. With the Whiney Sux winning again this afternoon, there has to be a sense of urgency for the next two games. Things really need to turn around or else this season could be a very long season.

The task is tough for the Twins tonight because Kyle Lohse is on the mound. I am not very happy he is pitching at all. He should have had another start skipped. He did not help his cause by whining to Gardenhire about why his start is being skipped. This guy has the gall to whine about him being skipped never find that he has stole money from the team not to mention he stinks. I have zero tolerance for this crap. Kyle better pitch a very good game after the stunt he pulled. If he stinks it up here, he needs to go to the bullpen permanently and then have Scott Baker or Terry Mullholland on the rotation. I am at wits end with this guy.

I expect another loss tonight with Kyle on the hill. I hope he proves me wrong. At this point, I have a better shot of winning the lottery than him pitching well.

Bush vs. Lohse

[Steak]

Big win, folks. The Twins needed this one in the worse way. This was a very important game with She-ca-go winning their game in the afternoon. This was a good performance tonight. The Twins got the big hits, big plays by the defense, and fantastic work from the bullpen tonight. That is my kind of win.

What a performance by Michael Cuddyer tonight. 3 hits (two singles and the GW HR) tonight. He has played well the last three games. Is it a sign that he has turned it around? We will see. He seems like he is in a groove. That HR in the bottom of the fourth was so huge after Kyle got out of a bases loaded jam in which he had the game tied at 2.

Jacque had a good night as he homered to give the Twins the lead at 1-0.

Luis Rivas had a great game. He had an big RBI that scored Michael home. It's good to see Luis produce as he is making the most of his playing time with Nick Punto out with an injury.

It was just great to get the big hits out there.

How about Juan Castro? He caught a liner and made a good throw in the sixth. He did the same in the eighth inning. He was great defensively. The way he is playing defensively and offensively right now, Jason Bartlett will have to earn his way back in the lineup.

Kyle did okay. Okay is great for his standards. He had that one bad inning in the fourth, but to his credit, he got out of a bases loaded jam. He did a very good job in the fifth and sixth. He was solid out there. I will take it.

How about the bullpen? They were awesome. Jesse was fantastic in the seventh. Juan was brillant in the eighth and you know what the Nathanator did.

I got a chance to hear Al Newman as he was miked up for FSN North. Al is a character. This guy was so animated as he made funny noises. The hilarious part came when Al bowed down to Juan Castro after he made that play in the eighth inning. I was hoping that he would say something interesting, but all he did was make noises and etc

Great win! For one night, I will enjoy this one.