Thursday Thinkings

I'm not really in a huge mood to post anything, mainly because I'm a bit wiped out from a long week culminating in a presentation to our Executive Vice President of Global Sales (which I nailed), partially because I am sleepy from a great meal (Calamari, Caesar Salad, peppercorn encrusted swordfish with fennel and some sort of really good bean mash but I unfortunately don't remember the kind of bean), and partially because I hate all of you, but there are a couple of minor things that need to be mentioned here. Not the Adrian Peterson speeding thing or the Tiger Woods thing, because who really gives a crap, seriously?

- Please note: Despite being a Gopher Basketball blog there will be no gopher basketball talk in this post. Mainly because there seems to be some sort of bizarre lustful longing for Travis Busch infecting this fan base and I don't trust myself to write about this rationally after three Ketel One & Tonics and now another vodka & diet coke (with lime). I just can't do it. People pining for him like Screech for Lisa really hurts my soul. How dare you people let me down like that. And after all I do for you. This is just like the Fashion Show episode.

- First off, a bit of Twins hot-stove talk, or more accurately, other teams crushing my dreams. If you remember, I was very high on the Twins grabbing Placido Polanco to play second base next year but was a bit bummed when he was designated a Type-A free agent, figuring the Twins would never sign him because they would never give up a draft pick. Then the Tigers declined to offer him arbitration, thus removing that draft pick consideration and making him more attractive to the Twins and making me excited. But then I was once again rendered flaccid when I read earlier today that Polanco was stolen away by the hated Phillies. They picked him up for 3-years, $18 million, which is pretty close to what I was hoping the Twins would get him for (I was hoping for 2 years, $10 million but I would have been fine with this).  Talk about playing with my emotions.  Consider me fully bummed.  First Iwamura, now Polanco - it's time to turn my affections to Adrian Beltre I guess, but it sounds more and more like he mind end up back with the M's.  

-  In other Twins news the team did a bit of roster reshuffling regarding the upcoming rule-5 draft.  That is an event where any player not on a team's 40-man roster and meeting certain eligibility requirements that I have neither the time, inclination, or understanding to get into can be plucked off that team's roster as long as the picking team keeps him on the major league roster for the entire next season (this is how the Twins got Johan - sorry Marlins).  There were a few moves, all of which are detailed over at Aarongleeman.com, but the one that stands out to me is that Brian Buscher is not on the 40-man roster.  And he's eligible to be picked.  Do you understand?  Any team can grab Buscher right off the Twins roster for basically free.  I don't think I have to tell you how awesome that would be.

-  In case you're wondering if there's anybody interesting that other teams have made available, I don't really know.  There are some interesting cases, such as White Sox 2006 first round pick Kyle McCulloch or the Astros' Koby Clemens (yes, Roger's kid) who led the minor leagues in RBI last season.  I don't much feel like digging up minor league stats right now, but feel free to do your own research on who might be available and why they are interesting and then email me.  I probably won't credit you or anything, but I'll post it and deep down inside you'll know you did the research - and isn't that the best feeling of all?


-  Hey, there's a Donkey Kong Kill Screen coming up here, if you're interested.