Last Night Was A Very Satisfying Appetizer

If you’re a resolute glass-is-half-full sort of character I suppose you could find something to bitch about from last night’s game. I’m not sure what, but I’d be delighted to hear from you all the same.

I’m always delighted to hear from crackpots.

Another entertaining and efficient Ramon Ortiz performance (fifteen ground balls). How often do you see a game with twenty-five hits, four walks, and thirteen runs that clocks in at 2:27? Not very often.

It was an entertaining game all around, really. Of the Twins’ fifteen hits, ten were for extra bases (including eight doubles, three from Joe Mauer). There was Hunter’s grand slam, of course, following an intentional walk to Justin Morneau. There was the satisfaction of seeing the Twins beat-up on the petulant (and grossly overpaid) Jeff Weaver. Minnesota also came up with some big two-out hits, played error-less defense, and turned three double plays.

Tonight should be fun. I’m looking forward to seeing 21-year-old phenom Felix Hernandez. The kid has pitched seventeen scoreless innings so far this season (four hits, four walks, and eighteen strikeouts). Hernandez struck out twelve batters and out-dueled Oakland’s Dan Haren on opening day, and then pitched a one-hitter to spoil Daisuke Matsuzaka’s Fenway Park debut. The Twins should get some idea of what opposing teams felt like facing Francisco Liriano last year.