Tings And Times: A Few Random Observations From The Home Opener

This seems modestly interesting to me:

Last night’s starting lineup included five players (Castillo, White, Morneau, Batista, and Castro) that were not in the lineup for last year’s home opener against Chicago. The 2004 lineup on opening day had six guys who are no longer even with the team (Rivas, Mientkiewicz, Koskie, Jones, LeCroy, and Guzman).

In 2003 that number was seven, in 2002 it was eight (with Torii Hunter the lone carryover), and all nine of the 2001 opening day starters are no longer with the team.

Patrick Reusse’s column today pretty much nails the feeling in the clubhouse and around the batting cage. So far, at any rate, this is the quietest Twins team in years.

Still, it was a good ballgame, and demonstrated the sort of team this version of the Twins could be, or at least the sort of ball it needs to play to succeed: A hitting and baserunning clinic from Joe Mauer (who really does have a chance to be even better than advertised, which is, of course, saying something), stellar defense (most notably from new second baseman Luis Castillo), a shaky, then solid, workmanlike start from veteran inning-eater Brad Radke, and power when it came in most handy.

That last business is certainly the thing that’s been missing the last couple years, and the thing you’d most like to be able to depend on from the Twins this season. As Earl Weaver always understood, a three-run homer can work wonders for a baseball team, particularly a baseball team trying to dig its way out of a 4-0 hole.

I also thought this bit of information from the Twins media relations folks was interesting: Who do you think has thrown out the first pitch on opening day more times than any other person?

Think hard, and I’ll give you a little hint: Nobody else is even close.

I’ll also tell you that Rudy Perpich threw out the first pitch of the season three times. Rod Carew and Harmon Killebrew have each done it twice, as has Clem Haskins. Hal Greenwood shared the duties in 1973.

Give up?

Former Governor Wendell Anderson tossed out the first pitch for six straight seasons, from 1971 through 1976.

Finally, I didn’t even notice: Did they trot out Lee Greenwood for the seventh-inning stretch last night?