Hudson Addition Fills Two Massive Holes for Twins

There's real reason for optimism, as the Twins sign Orlando Hudson to file huge holes at both 2nd base, and the 2nd position in the batting order between Span and Mauer. In one move they instantly got significantly better in two critical areas.

The bad news? Our friend Nicky Punto and his .200 batting average is finally out of the picture as a full time second baseman. We're not completely out of the woods yet, though, as he'll be in the mix for 3rd base until (hopefully) we sign an additional player.

This is a huge move, and gives us lots of reasons to be optimistic this season. If our pitching can hold, this lineup should be able to put up some good runs.

Man, is spring here yet?

A Cry for Help from Haiti - Part Two

For the background on this situation, please check out the first installment of A Cry for Help from Haiti

Father Gasner writes a follow up to my brother-in-law below:

Thank you so much for your concern in looking for a way to help us in this catastrophic situation. Everyday it’s death, horror, mourning and lamentation everywhere in Port-au-Prince. What you saw, what you heard on the news is nothing compared to what we are really experiencing: loss of beloved people, loss of courage, loss of control, loss of houses, properties and belongings acquired after unending years of work and suffering… How many others will dye in the aftermaths?

I was in Port-au-Prince when it happened. From my desk I saw the annex of our house (the provincial administration office) collapse after being shaken violently. And seconds after, we were homeless like almost all the people living in Port-au-Prince. Yes, our main residence resisted the earthquake, but it is seriously damaged and it seems there are still many more to come. Thus, the great majority choose to sleep under the open sky, as it is advised. May God have mercy on us!

For some of us, the members of our families are OK, others count some dead or injured. And our congregation in Haiti registered the loss of a scholastic killed under the rubble of what was the Center of Theology for Religious. Many young men and women of other congregations were killed, many old members too.. Many churches, schools, and public buildings collapsed, as you know well.

As I wrote to others, this is an occasion to look at life with new eyes and to better appreciate God’s gifts to us. This is an occasion of a stronger solidarity between us. And to hear from our friends and confreres from all over the world, to know there are willing to support us in this situation is already a tremendous relief!

While we pray to God for those who passed away, thanking Him for the life he gave to them, we also realize that our mission has become wider. More people than ever now depend on us for food, clothing, medicine, and even water. We cannot only concentrate on our own problem, even if they are many. We have to share the little we had been able to save with our most deprived brothers and sisters. And as the day go by, we expect to be solicited by more and more people.

So if you can obtain us some support from the Pontifical Missions, it will help us keep for some time again the social and humanitarian dimension of our work as Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate.

May God bless you!

Gasner.

We can't imagine the devistation, suffering, and death.

Like before, I'm asking you to give if you haven't already. Here's a link to the Oblates. It takes about a minute of your time, and your money can't go to a better cause.

I've said it before, but as Fr. Gasner tells us, the suffering is immeasurable. Please give, and pray.

Breaking News: 2010 Gopher Football Recruiting Class Mediocre. Again.

Rivals.com ranks the Gophers as #50 in the nation with the latest recruiting class. That puts us at 5th overall in terms of ranking for the Big Ten.

I guess the good news is that we're better than average. Slightly. But this is just another indication that Gopher football will continue its mediocrity for another couple of years, and likely in perpetuity.

The bottom line is that it is impossible to recruit to Minnesota for a number of reasons:

• We don't cheat (booster support of cars or payments, academic looks of the other way, etc.) and when we do, we always get caught.
• Our weather flat stinks. How do you convince a top prospect from Florida or Texas that playing outside in 30 degree temperatures and living six months in a frozen wasteland is good?
• Gopher football means nothing here, unlike "only show in town" venues like Iowa, Nebraska, or Oregon. Coming here does not make you BMOC with all the requisite benefits. You're just another in a long line of losing football players.

All of the above is endemic and permanent. We can't change any of it. And that means we'll forever be resigned to be challenging for the Motor City Bowl.

Go Gophers...

Minnesota Spring Turkey Hunting Lottery Results Are In

And the Yellow Dog Patrol has been drawn!

We're on for late April. We'll need warm weather, a flock of birds, and some luck, but we've had all three before.

To check your own results, click here.

Now I just need an effective way to break it to my wife...

Southern Comforts and Sleep Deprivation

The Yellow Dog team (minus any yellow dogs) made its annual trip south to visit the Black Dog Division of the Yellow Dog Patrol. We've returned with memories of many successful hunts, bags full of Louisiana boudin (thanks Doug), about five extra pounds, and my first duck band in over 10 years.

Six years ago I was lucky enough to find a whole new line of my family. Through my engagements with them over these years I've found some incredible hunting, more laughs than one would think possible, and most importantly a whole new slough of people I love, and that love me back.

It is said that God never closes a door without opening another, and the relationships I've been able to establish with my southern kin, all completed through my Dad's illness and death, proves that saying correct.

They'll be more reporting on this trip, including a Louisiana duck hunting report, but right now the YDP is sleep deprived and behind on work. Look for more soon.

Chris Matthews "Forgot Obama is Black"

Simply astonishing.

Finally the elite Left reveals, warts and all, their infactuation with the President.

They see him as "black."



I've never seen anything like this ever before. Matthews either is a racist, dinosaur, or has a physical/mental issue. Either way, he needs to resign. Immediately.

Twins Sign Thome!

The hot stove league is abuzz about the Twins’ interest in and ultimate signing of Jim Thome. Most “experts” seem to feel that the signing the slugger is an abject waste of resources: Kubel broke out last year in the DH role, and the Twins are already too heavily loaded with left-handed bats.

Granted.

But consider the following reasons why Thome may make a lot of sense:

• He’s a natural fit for spotting Morneau's infrequent days off.
• With the loss of Gomez, any injury in the outfield will require Kubel take a spot in the field, thus opening up the DH spot. Without Thome, that spot goes to someone like Brendan Harris. Yuck.
• Thome is a Twins killer, where he has hit 57 home runs, 142 RBI, and a .628 slugging percentage against us during his career. Having him on our bench instead of a place like Detroit will save us a dozen or two runs.
• The Twins haven’t had a legit power hitter off the bench since, what, Don Baylor? Sheesh.
• Given his heath, age, and status, offering an incentive-laden contract akin to what was offered Crede last year mitigates risk.

The Twins needed to make a move other than standing pat, especially with the launch of the new ballpark. While he’s past his prime, signing Jim Thome is something that can get the fans energized. Hats off to this franchise for being creative and signing this slugger.

Favre Post is MinnPost.com's Blog of the Day

The day of my last post, I watched the traffic on my site absolutely explode. Using GoogleAnalytics, it was clearly evident where the traffic was originating - a site called MinnPost.com.

I headed out to their site and found that Yellow Dog Patrol had been recognized as the "Blog of the Day." Check it out on the right hand side:



In doing a post game search for a Minnesota based Vikings recap, one of their editors must have run across the site and felt the post worthy of being featured.

I've since established an affiliate relationship with them (you'll see their ad on my site, and they advertise YDP on their site), and have already been receiving additional traffic from this relationship.

It was nice to be recognized by someone that my rantings are worthy or broader distribution. I'll continue to work hard to make that recognition justified.