Tonight’s comeback win reminded me of good ol’ fashioned Twins baseball, at least regarding the offense. Granted, they were given many free passes. But the thing is, this time they took advantage!

I’m just gonna rattle off some random thoughts:

Jose Mijarez is pitching his nuts off.

Delmon Young finally looks like he isn’t trying to solve calculus problems every time he steps up to the dish.

I’d venture a guess that 50% of Justin Morneau‘s home runs are off pitches that are out of the strike zone.

Mijares is a combination of Dennys Reyes and J.C. Romero.

Philip Humber can be an effective major league pitcher … in some sort of role.

If Young keeps it up, he needs to play LF everyday, thus giving the Twins two cannons in the corner OF spots … and costing Carlos Gomez some playing time.

For the first time all season, Joe Mauer‘s bat looked tired all night.

Randy Ruiz is hitting .320 with 4 HRs in 13 games for Toronto.

Let’s go Blacky!

This is a really good article by Boston Globe writer Dan Shaughnessy. It’s refreshing to see such candor from a Boston hometown writer.

As a Twins fan, this is bittersweet. I watched David Ortiz grow into a big league hitter, but he was never as good as he seemed in Boston. Like the article says, he used to hit the occasional homer, but his body was always ailing.

I guess we now know how he fixed that ailing body problem. And I think now we know just how dramatic a difference performance-enhancing drugs can make.

This has major ramifications, for Chicago has made the biggest move out of the top three teams in the AL Central. While they currently sit in third place, bringing in a staff ace like Peavy could change the entire dynamic of the division. But is he healthy?

Peavy is owed $56 million through 2012, or $74 million through 2013 if the Sox exercise his option. That’s a lot of guaranteed money for a guy that hasn’t pitched in a game since June 8.  There are major questions to be answered about his health, but I’m assuming Kenny Williams did his homework before giving up four pretty good young pitchers for a health-concerned pitcher.

While Mr. Williams did have to give up quite a bit — four young pitchers: Clayton Richard, Aaron Poreda, Dexter Carter and Adam Russell — being able to add an impact player like Peavy is incredible at such a late hour on trade day if in fact he is healthy.

I wonder if the recent sweep at the Dome made K-Williams a tad more ambitious in trade negotiations.

Orlando Cabrera

Cabrera has a current OPS of .683 with an OBP of .318.  Brendan Harris, a current high sock-wearing member of the Twins, has an OPS of .676 with an OBP of .305.  Harris has played a very solid SS this season.

This move does nothing for me, but apparently O-Cab, Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau were all buddy-buddy last week in Oakland.

According to Cabrera, when the A’s played Minnesota last week, every time Mauer or Morneau got on base, they’d say, ” ‘We’re trying to get you! We want to get you here!’ ” Cabrera told the SF Gate.

If Mauer and Morneau are happy with this, I’m happy with this. Tyler Ladendorf is an average 2B prospect with some upside, but he probably wouldn’t crack the current top-20 Twins prospect list.

Apparently the Twins are also getting cash with the deal, which makes it even sweeter. While by no means is this a blockbuster deal, it could provide a much needed spark and assuage the fans and players who were screaming for a move.

So how will this affect the current Twins?

I’m guessing O-Cab will be promptly inserted into the lineup tonight if he can make it to Minnesota and probably slide right inbetween Mauer and Denard Span in the two hole. Then, instead of shuffling 2B, SS and 3B like the Twins have been doing, they’ll probably only shuffle 2B and 3B. I’m assuming Alexi Casilla will get sent down, and Punto and Harris will split time at 2B. Joe Crede will continue manning 3B whenever he is healthy with help from Brian Buscher and Harris when he is not.

Jarrod Washburn

You’re telling me the Twins couldn’t have beat an offer of Luke French and Class-A’er Mauricio Robles for a solid southpaw like Jarrod Washburn (who in the past has said he would love to pitch for Minnesota because he is from central Wisconsin)? French is CRAP. This is kind of getting ridiculous.

Bill Smith, phone home?

Bill Smith

Unfortunately, one other stark similarity is apparent — the fact both Toronto and Minnesota demanded an incredibly insane return on their prized possession while perfectly reasonable deals sat on the table.

When it became clear that the Twins and Santana would inevitably part ways, the Red Sox and Yankees naturally came calling. Boston was reportedly offering two separate packages. One included pitcher Jon Lester, outfielder Coco Crisp, shortstop Jed Lowrie and a minor league pitcher. The other package was centered around Jacoby Ellsbury and supposedly included then-minor league pitcher Justin Masterson.

J.P. Ricciardi

Brian Cashman, on the other hand, briefly offered Phil Hughes, Melky Cabrera and a third minor league prospect. What the Twins eventually got in return for their two-time Cy Young Award winner was a package from the Mets, a team many viewed as not having enough talent at the time to acquire Santana unless they were willing to part with Jose Reyes. The package from the Mets didn’t even include their top prospect Fernando Martinez.

While the Twins can look back with regret at what could have been, the Blue Jays have a chance to learn from the Twins outlandish trade demands. Instead, the Blue Jays are asking for Rick Porcello, Ryan Perry, and Casey Crosby from the Tigers. From the Angels? Joe Saunders, Erick Aybar and Brandon Wood. They’ve already missed out on a potential package of Phillies prospects … prospects much better than anything they’ll receive. The Phillies arguably had the most to give, but J.P. Ricciardi refused to deal Halladay without getting Kyle Drabek in return, even though Michael Taylor or Dominic Brown would probably be available (along with a few other nice pieces) and Jason Knapp, who has since been dealt to the Indians.

Although the Blue Jays will have Halladay for another season, his value will continue to diminish each day Toronto holds onto him. Value is only what someone is willing to pay, not what you think it may be. If Toronto continues their current trend of following the Bill Smith Guide To Trading, the team and their fans will pay a hefty price.

Papi's power numbers surged in Boston

UPDATE: And it’s confirmed, from none other than Big Papi himself.

From the NY Times:

Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz, the sluggers who propelled the Boston Red Sox to end an 86-year World Series championship drought and to capture another title three years later, were among the roughly 100 Major League Baseball players to test positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003, according to lawyers with knowledge of the results.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/31/sports/baseball/31doping.html?_r=1

Papi with the Twins in early 2000s

This has long been rumored, and Papi’s monstrous struggles to begin this season raised even more questions. This report seems to provide accurate facts and sources. Apparently the Red Sox never actually broke their curse, they just used illegal drugs to circumvent it. Can you say tainted?

And yes, I believe this vindicates the Twins for not pursuing Ortiz harder after the 2002 season. He had a perpetually ailing body and it seems he needed something illegal to make it perform. Now maybe the critics can get off the Twins’ back!

Remember when Bostonians did this?

Do you think the ever growing numbers of arrogant assholes that are Boston fans will reciprocate the candor for their vaunted, lovable and now-shamed Boston hero that they so eagerly gave A-Rod?