Five Game Lead.

Home from the hospital and watching the end of the Twins game.  Might as well put some thoughts down on paper (as it were).  We're in the top of the seventh, Twins up 7-5 with a runner on first and one out. 

Just got a text from Snacks:  "Wow chris sale is fucking nasty, not looking forward to seeing him for the next 20 years."  Agree with the nasty part, and I'll assume 20 years in hyperbole.  Follow up text "Or he could be the next Mike MacDougal."  Also possible.  I don't know if he's projected to end up a starter someday, which is what I'd bet on, but let's hope the Sox ship him out in a trade for Manny Ramirez or something.  He made Joe Mauer look silly, and that doesn't happen often.

-  Jesse Crain is in, and man has he turned a corner for me.  It wasn't long ago I would cringed at him coming in here, but right now I'm pretty happy he's in for this high leverage situation.  Don't let me down Jesse.  Everybody I know named Jesse just ends up disappointing me or letting me down and I just don't like any of them.  If you know anybody named Jesse, they probably suck, am I right?  Don't be like that Crain, don't be like that. 

-  Strikes out Konerko who did not, in fact, Konork one.  Inning over. 

-  Justin Morneau commercial here, where he's drinking any size softdrink from McDonald's for just a buck while lifting weights with a bear.  Do McDonald's any size soft drinks for a dollar cause symptoms similar to a terrible concussion?  Dizziness?  Disorientation?  Bloating?  Who hasn't felt that after eating (and, presumably, drinking) at McDonald's?  Has anyone investigated this?

-  So I'm pretty happy with the Trevor Mbakwe news (he's back on the Gopher squad) and you should be too assuming you're not an old white guy who hates any black player who has ever had a minor scrape with the law, deserved or not.  If nothing else this proves that Mbakwe is slippery enough to work his way out of an obvious frame job by some kind of anti-Minnesota cabal.  Something Royce White couldn't manage.  Worth mentioning.

-  Sale walks Kubel.  Guess he's not that good afterall.

-  Tall, throws 97+, and wild as hell. He could end up the next Randy Johnson.  Or the next Odalis Perez.

-  Knock for Cuddy (suck it Snacks).  He hit that ball as slow as one can and still get it through the SS/3B hole, but it's still a hit.  Guys a stud.

-  Strikes out Thome on 3 pitches and made him look silly.  If nothing else, Sale has a future as a LH specialist, although I suspect he's going to embarrass some Twins as a starter for years to come. 

-  Wait, Brett Favre is coming back to QB the Vikes?  How do I not know this?  Why isn't there any media coverage of something this big?  An embarrassment of epic proportions for the media here.  Like when Torii Hunter dove for that ball Mark Kotsay hit.

-  Scott Linebrink in.  So the Sox bullpen has Linebrink, Santos, Putz, Thornton, and Sale?  Holy god does that sound good.  Too bad they suck.

-  Delmon with a hard hit ball to first for an out which moves the runners up.  I'm stunned right now that Bert isn't extolling his virtue for "sacrifing" himself to move the runners along.

-  One thing I would post about if I was doing a 6 things post tonight is how BYU is leaving the Mountain West.  Having Boise move in seemed to legitimize the conference (football wise), but then having Utah leave neutralized that move, so I guess BYU figured they weren't ever going to get a BCS bid this way (note:  try being good first) so they are taking this step.  Although this means the rest of their sports are apparently moving to the WAC, which kills their basketball team.  Now I understand football makes the money, but BYU in hoops could basically pencil themselves in for an NCAA bid every single year, and now they are moving to a conference where it takes an absolute incredible season to get a bid (ask Utah State).  About the only upside I see here is that when I attend my semi-annual USU game I get a shot at seeing BYU.  Although I fail to see how that helps the Cougars.  Maybe they feel pretty good about throwing off the shackles on a conference affiliation.  Next is throwing off the shackles of an oppressive religion.  Baby steps, I suppose.

-    Quentin (who I still thinks looks like a retarded Cartman) laces a hit to center.  AJ now up with nobody down.  And you know what?  I have no idea why people boo A.J. when he comes to Minnesota.  The guy played his heart out when he was here, has nothing but good things to say about the Twins organization if you listen to him when he's on KFAN, and is just a gamer, which white people seem to love.  The alleged Delmon Young play which isn't a controversy although people seem to be trying to make it one?  When asked about it AJ said, "He had no other play and it's part of the game" or something similar.  You want me to say it?  Fine.  I love A.J. Pierzinski.  And I love him even more now because he hit into a double play.

-  We might be heading towards a Capps appearance here.  That makes me far more nervous than bringing in an acquired at the trade deadline closer should.  Oh and I saw earlier today on Twitter (follow me @downwithgoldy) that the Nationals called up Wilson Ramos after he had a solid few weeks at AAA.  Man, if he ends up becoming a star, I won't care at all because the Twins are winning the World Series this year.

-  First and third now after Hudson and Mauer hits.  Makes Mauer 4-5, with a HR and a double.  Pretty good night.  He's been about as hot as anybody since the break.  Do you realize how good this lineup would be if Morneau hadn't gotten whacked in the head?  Or how good it is without him?  Snacks made an interested point last time he was drunk and rambling;  getting Morneau back basically just takes Thome out of the lineup.  Do ou want Thome out of the lineup?  I sure as hell don't.  Maybe Morneau will clear waivers and they can trade him for Dan Haren.

-  Kubel grounds out because he sucks and that's why I traded him.  Capps in.  Breath being held.

-  Text from Snacks:  "I feel like Capps blwing saves now will benefit the Twins so Crain is doing it in October."  I don't even know what to say here.  Poor kid has an obsession with Jesse Crain that borders on the creepy.  Also, I'd assume he means "doing it in October" as saving games, but really.  Jesse Crain in the 9th in a one run game against the Yankees in the playoffs?  I can't imagine anybody likes that idea, not even Crain lover #1.

-  It's the Final Countdown.  Bu-du dah dah, buh-dah dah dah dah, dah-du dah dah dah, the Final Countdown!

-  One out.  Easy.  Omar Vizquel should retire.

-  Jason Repko in right to replace Kubel.  Good.  Game needs more Repko.

-  Double by Beckham.  Terribel terrible terrible pitch.  Right down the middle.  Seriously, if we rate Rauch as say a 7.0, Capps is a 7.1.  Ugh.

-  Base hit by Pierre.  One run game.  Ugh.

-  Ramirez somehow misses on an absolute meatball and grounds out to third base.  Tying run on second, two away.  I really really really hope nobody was expecting Joe Nathan when they traded for Capps.  If you were you are an idiot and should stop watching baseball.  Giving up Ramos for him was just terrible. 

-  Konerko grounds out to first, Twins win and are now up 5 games.  Wrap this one up, it's over.  Looking forward to getting swept by the Yankees.  Good night everybody.