Kuzul

It's the $184 million question. Well, for the Twins, it's more like the $184 million gamble. It is too early to panic in the Twin Cities, but it's pretty close to that. With the Twins All-Star batting champ catcher Joe Mauer on the 15-day DL looking thin and not so MVP-ish, everyone in the state of Minnesota is starting to ask themselves the question only a brave few have raised before about their golden child: Should Joe Mauer stop catching? When this question was raised after the St. Paul native inked his monster contract, the largest the Twins have ever handed out, those who raised it were crucified. But the question is becoming more and more valid as the years pass. He's just in the second year of a deal that will keep "Baby Jesus" in a Twins uniform until the 2018 season, but Twins fans are sobering up from the hangover of securing ...

One of the many questions entering the 2011 season for the Twins was "Will Joe Nathan be ready?" Twins faithful got their answer and that answer is apparently no. The ball club announced that last seasons trade deadline acquisition Matt Capps will take over the closer role while Nathan tries to fully regain his composure. Nathan had two blown save opportunities on Thursday and then again on Saturday which prompted the move. "Until I start getting that back, and I know I will at some time, I don't want to put this team at any risk and cost them ballgames right now," Nathan said. "I just thought it was the right thing to do for the ballclub and myself. Give myself a chance to get out there and still pitch on a consistent basis. Obviously that's what I need to do. Getting away from where every pitch could cost us a game." Capps ...

This time, it's not Manny being Manny. The former Red Sox, Dodger and Indian is calling it quits after the Rays slow start.Major League Baseball made the announcement today.The move isn't all that surprising, considering his age and his recent lack of productivity, but it's still sad to see a character like Manny go.He began his in 1993, playing for the Cleveland Indians, a team he stayed with until 2000, when he made the famous switch to the Boston Red Sox, where he made his name.Manny had 546 career homers and 12 All-Star appearances.The move for Manny to retire may be motivated by him being contacted by MLB about a possible drug conduct violation. If Ramirez violated the policy, it would be the second time he has done so.Whether or not that had anything to do with Ramirez retiring will be determined in the coming days, but as we all know, Manny isn't going ...

This time, it's not Manny being Manny. The former Red Sox, Dodger and Indian is calling it quits after the Rays slow start. Major League Baseball made the announcement today. The move isn't all that surprising considering his age and his recent lack of productivity, but it's still sad to see a character like Manny go. He began his career in 1993, playing for the Cleveland Indians, a team he stayed with until 2000. Then he made the famous switch to the Boston Red Sox, where he made his name. Manny had 546 career homers and 12 All-Star appearances. The move for Manny to retire may be motivated by him being contacted by MLB about a possible drug conduct violation. If Ramirez violated the policy, it would be the second time he has done so. Whether or not that had anything to do with Ramirez retiring will be determined in the coming days. As we all know, Manny isn't going ...

The Cubs pulled off two miraculous comebacks in the first two games against the Diamondbacks. That wasn't the case in Wednesday's matchup. As amazing as the comebacks for the Cubbies were, they were still fighting from behind. In all three games of this series, and pretty much this season so far, the Cubs dug themselves a hole that they then had to climb out of. It skewers the comebacks and creates an illusion. It creates the illusion that the Cubs are a great "come-from-behind" team when, in reality, they're the same old Cubs. Starter Ryan Dempster went seven innings, but gave up five runs in the process. He gave Arizona the lead first and then gave them the lead back in the fifth when the D-Backs had a three run inning. "I made a lot of good pitches today," Dempster said. "For the most part, I like the way I was throwing the ball." "Dumpster" Dempster struck ...

The Cubs pulled off two miraculous comebacks in the first two games against the Diamondbacks. That wasn't the case in Wednesday's matchup. As amazing as the comebacks for the Cubbies were, they were still fighting from behind. In all three games of this series, and pretty much this season so far, the Cubs will dig themselves a hole they have to climb out of. It skewers the comebacks and creates an illusion; it creates the illusion that the Cubs are this come-from-behind team, when in reality they're the same old Cubs. Starter Ryan Dempster went seven innings, but gave up five runs in the process. He gave Arizona the lead first and then gave them the lead back in the fifth when the D-Backs had a three run inning. "I made a lot of good pitches today," Dempster said. "For the most part, I like the way I was throwing the ball." "Dumpster" Dempster struck out ...

The Minnesota Twins erased a four-run deficit in the eighth to beat the New York Yankees for the first time this season, with a final score of 5-4 in extra innings.  It was the second straight night the Twins mounted a late comeback, only this time it worked: they tied the Yankees' four-run lead in the eighth inning to bail out Brian Duensing. The Twins batted eight and had four runs in an eighth inning rally that damaged the Bombers' lead. The Twins picked up their first run on a bases loaded walk to Joe Mauer, which scored Danny Valencia. The real damage was done the very next batter, when Delmon Young gashed the Yankees' defense with a bases-clearing double to right. The Yankees would never match the lead, as the Twins dragged them into extras where Joe Mauer batted in Denard Span for the go-ahead run in the top half of the tenth. The pitching ...

What's up with the Cubs? They're actually on a hot streak and they now are in a position to realistically sweep the Diamondbacks at Wrigley. Again, it looked as though the Cubbies were going to fumble the game away late, they were able to contain themselves and bag their second straight win. The Cubs success started, and almost ended, with the quality start Andrew Cashner was putting in until he left midway through the fifth with tightness in his right shoulder. He appeared to be fine afterwards, but the Cubs are erring on the side of caution regarding his arm. Then in the seventh, the Cubs almost handed the game to Arizona. As soon as Cashner left after going 5 1/3 innings, reliever Jeff Samardzija gave up two runs in the top of the seventh when Gerardo Parra singled to right, scoring Chris Young and Juan Miranda. The very next batter, Willie Bloomquist, singled to center off of the ...

The curse of the Yankees continues.The Minnesota Twins began a four game death march in Yankee Stadium Monday by getting handed their third loss of the season. Yankees pitcher Ivan Nova went three scoreless innings before Jim Thome doubled to center scoring Justin Morneau and Delmon Young. Nova gave up a third run in the fifth when the Twins new import Tsuyoshi Niskioka also doubled to deep centerfield scoring Alexi Casilla.That was as close as the Twins would come to the Bombers who sent out their own personal Cerberus as Rafael Soriano, Joba Chamberlain and Mariano Rivera shut down the Twins each pitching a scoreless inning. The Twins pitching wasn't so lucky.It was another poor start by Scott Baker, the Twins Brad Radke 2.0. Baker gave up two big two run home runs to Alex Rodriguez (his 615th) in the first which scored Mark Teixeria, and one to Jorge Posada in ...

Well the game went a lot better than yesterday. Th Chicago Cubs sobered up from their late collapse against the Pirates on Sunday to bad a bounce back win in their series opener against the Arizona Diamondbacks.Cubs starter Randy Wells smoothed out a shaky start to go six full innings and fanning as many batters. He gave up a sole run which came on a lead off homer by Willie Bloomquist which made it appear as though the Cubbies were in for another long day.After the lead off homerun, Wells went on to only allow five more hits and he walked just four.Relief pitcher Kerry Wood saw action again, and it was him this time that almost blew the game for Chicago. Woods loaded the bases in the top half of the eighth, but escaped with no runs allowed. Carlos Marmol, the Cubs disgustingly good young closer picked up his second save of ...