Twins Autograph Party

Last Saturday was the Twins autograph party. The current players were scheduled to start signing at 12:30. I arrived at 10:00 and found the lines for Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, and Carlos Gomez to be huge. I learned people started arriving for Mauer and Mourneau at 5 in the morning.

Luckily, I was not interested in any of those players. This year my goal was to get some baseball cards signed by some of the less famous players. Things worked out great.

First I got Craig Monroe, Jason Kubel, and first base coach and former player Jerry White. Craig and Jerry put their numbers on their cards as well as signing them. I always like when players add their uniform numbers to their signatures on items. It just seems to make them look better.

I then went and got Alexi Casilla, Matt Guerrier, and Kevin Slowey. Casilla signed his rookie card – adding his number. Slowey also added his number. I like Casilla a lot as a player and hope he will continue to perform well. He has Gomez like speed, but unlike Gomez, Casilla is more willing to work his way on base via the walk.

I moved on to pitching coach Rick Anderson, Brendan Harris, and Livan Hernandez. I was hoping to get the former World Series MVP Hernandez as I don’t think he will be around next season. The Twins will probably go with a younger, less expensive, pitcher next year. All three gentlemen included their numbers on their cards.

I ended with Jesse Crain, Mike Redmond, and Pat Neshek next. All included their numbers. Neshek also draws a little baseball using the P in Pat as the outline of the ball.

That made 12 current players and coaches’ cards signed. I could have had 14 as I still had time and there was not waiting at the Glen Perkins, Adam Everett station, but I did not bring their cards with. Oh well, Perkins should be around for a while with Twins, so I will likely be able to get him in the future.

The Twins alumni players started signing at 2:30. I got in the Rick Aguerlia, Al Newman, and Terry Steinbach line. Things looked good till Al Newman did not show. I needed Newman for the 87 Twins collection, so I was not happy when he did not show. Still I got Aguerlia, who does not usually come to these events, to sign an 8 x 10 picture and Steinbach signed a card.

I had almost an hour left, so I got in the Harmon Killebrew line, but the line moved too slowly and I did not get through. I did get a sun burn in the process as I forgot to put sun tan lotion on before heading out, and they did not bring any around until it was to late for me.

Disappoints aside, I still got 14 different players / coaches to sign for me adding to my collection. I also meet several interesting people. I also enjoy these events and look forward to the next one.

Twins Game Plus a Bobblehead

A friend wanted to go to last Friday’s Twins game. When he found out it was Dan Gladden bobble head night, he wanted to go even more. He actually did not want the bobble head for himself; he wanted to sell it on Ebay to off-set the price of his ticket.

I assumed there would be a big line for the bobble heads as has been the case in the past. However, to our surprise, there was not any line only 10 minutes after the gates opened, and we both got bobble heads. I will be keeping mine as I already have a couple of others including one of Gary Gaetti who I consider one of my favorite players.

I got to see a big Twins win over Arizonia and future Hall of Fame pitcher Randy Johnson. I always enjoy Twins games, especially wins.

Twins Live Unplugged

I attended Twins Live Unplugged last Thursday. Twins Live Unplugged is basically three or so Twins players showing up at a sport bar / restaurant and taking questions from fans and signing a few autographs. Joe Mauer, Mike Redmond, and Kevin Slowey were the official attendees with surprise guests Matt Tolbert and Brendan Harris making appearances.

Mauer’s presence ensured a large crowd, but I was most impressed with Slowey. He seems quite intelligent and witty. Mauer also seemed a little more animated than usual. I learned that he could rap, though he decline to do so when asked by female fan.

I was hoping to get Joe Mauer to sign an 8 x10 picture I had created of him. However, Mauer, Redmond, and Slowey would only sign an 11 x 17 picture that all three were on. Since I am not one to turn down free Twins autographed stuff, I took it. Actually, it looks quite nice making it a welcome addition to my autographed items collection.

I enjoyed the evening; and I would go to another one if the opportunity arrives.

Running the Table at the CMA & ACM

I have been doing some research on who wins CMA and ACM awards. What I have found offers some surprises

Amazingly only six Country Music artists can claim to have won both CMA & ACM Entertainer of Year and both CMA & AMC Vocalist (Male or Female) of the Year. They are:

George Strait, Reba McEntire, Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Merle Haggard, and Barbra Mandrell

I thought there would be more people. What happened to the others? Here are some notable near misses and what award or awards they are missing:

- Garth Brooks & Kenny Chesney have never won CMA Male Vocalist of the Year

- Alan Jackson, Vince Gill, Tim McGraw, Kenny Rogers, Glen Campbell, and Keith Urban have never won ACM Entertainer of the Year

- Toby Keith has never won CMA Entertainer of the Year

- Willie Nelson & Hank Williams Jr. have never won a Male Vocalist of Year Award from either the CMA or ACM

- Shania Twain has never won a Female Vocalist of the Year Award from either the CMA or ACM

- Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings have never won ACM Entertainer or ACM Male Vocalist of the Year.

- Tammy Wynette, Randy Travis, Faith Hill, and George Jones have never won Entertainer of the Year from either the CMA or ACM

- LeAnn Rimes, John Michael Montgomery, Travis Tritt, Billy Ray Cyrus, Dwight Yoakam, Roasanne Cash, have never won a vocalist or entertainer of the year award.

- I did not include groups or duos in my research.

I think it shows how hard it really is to win awards. While it seems like the same people always win that is not necessarily the case.

Six Country Songs Run the Table

What is the greatest country music song? For 40 years the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM) have given awards for Single and Song of the Year. However, only 12 times have they awarded Single of the Year to the same song. Those songs are:

Friends in Low Places – Garth Brooks
Chattahoochee – Alan Jackson
Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning) – Alan Jackson
Check Yes or No – George Strait
I Swear – John Michael Montgomery
I Hope You Dance – Lee Ann Womack
Okie From Muskogee – Merle Haggard
Behind Closed Doors – Charlie Rich
He Stopped Loving Her Today – George Jones
Always On My Mind – Willie Nelson
Forever and Ever, Amen – Randy Travis
Happiest Girl in the Whole USA – Donna Fargo
Eighteen Wheels & Dozen Roses – Kathy Maetta
Live Like You Were Dying – Tim McGraw

All of these are well known songs. However, only six of them have won both Single and Song of the Year from both the CMA and ACM. Those songs are:

Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning) – Alan Jackson
I Hope You Dance – Lee Ann Womack
Behind Closed Doors – Charlie Rich
He Stopped Loving Her Today – George Jones
Forever and Ever, Amen – Randy Travis
Live Like You Were Dying – Tim McGraw

So out of 40 years these are the only six songs who basically have run the table at the CMA and ACM shows. Is one of these six the greatest country music song? Maybe, maybe not, but one thing is for sure. Only one artist has taken home all four awards for the one song – Alan Jackson. Why? The CMA awards the artist for Single of the Year, and only the songwriters for Song of the Year. Of the above six songs, only Alan Jackson wrote his song.

Something Good Out of Injuries for the Twins?

Could something good come out of the Twins recent rash of injuries?

Brendan Harris proved incapable of handling second base. Manager Ron Gardenhire wanted to move Harris to third, but then Harris’ replacement Matt Tolbert broke his hand needlessly sliding into FIRST base.

Harris seemed stuck at second then starting shortstop Adam Everett developed a bad shoulder and had to be placed on the disabled list. With Everett’s backup Nick Punto also on the disabled list, the Twins called up Alexi Casilla to play short. Casilla though can also play second. So Gardenhire moved Harris to short and Casilla to second.

Casilla started hitting and now seems destined to stay. Harris proved more comfortable at short and he is playing better.

Batting behind lead off hitter Carlos Gomez, Casilla could give the Twins two base stealing threats at the top of the lineup. For a team having trouble hitting home runs, have a good running game is essential.

I looked for examples of center fielders and second baseman that batted one – two and were base-stealing threat. What I found offers hope for Twins fans.

In 1980 Montreal had Ron Leflore and Rodney Scott batting one – two. Leflore stole a league leading 97 bases while Scott stole 63. Montreal went 90-72 to finish second in their division.

In 1978 Mickey Rivers and Willie Randolph hit one –two. Rivers stole 25 bases while Randolph stole 36. The Yankees went 100-63 and won the World Series.

Finally the 1992 Toronto batted Devon White and Roberto Alomar one – two. White stole 37 bases while Alomar stole 49. Toronto won 96 games and the World Series.

Now I am not saying Gomez and Casilla are going to lead us to the World Series. However, I think Gomez is a potential super-star, and Casilla seems to be ready to start living to his billing as a good middle infielder. On a team looking for hope, that is is good news, and news they never would have gotten had there not been injuries.

ACM Awards

The 2008 Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards show was held Sunday night. Like most award shows there were good and bad performances; deserved and not deserved award winners.

The best news of the night was Miranda Lambert winning album of the year for “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.” In the past the ACM’s have favored commercial success instead of artistic quality in their album of the year winners. However, this year “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” beat out albums which have sold twice even three times as much as it did.

Here’s hoping the win boasts Miranda Lambert career. She has never had a top ten single which is a travesty, because she makes some of the best country music out there. That of course is her problem; country radio wants its female acts making poppy country instead of real country.

Of the performances I liked Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley’s rendition of “Make the World Go Away” which they did in tribute to the late Eddy Arnold. I also enjoyed Keith Urban and Miranda Lambert’s performances.

I did not feel Brooks & Dunn should have won duo of the year. Sugarland clearly had a better year. It looks really bad when you give Sugarland the single and song of year awards and then do not give them duo of the year.

Sugarland outsold Brooks & Dunn the last couple years and charted more hit songs.
The ACM’s have made some “interesting” award choices in the past. Brooks & Dunn over Sugarland for duo of the year is now one of them.

But you can’t stew over who won and who lost. I enjoyed the show despite some sound problems and look forward to the CMA Awards which come up in the fall. Hopefully, Alan Jackson will win some awards there for his great, new album “Good Time”.

Carlos Gomez Hits for the Cycle

Wednesday night Carlos Gomez became the 8th person in Minnesota Twins history to hit for the cycle (a cycle is hitting a home run, triple, double, and single in the same game). Gomez continues show super-star potential. He also continues to hack away at pitches outside the strike zone making for some ugly at bats.

Gomez’s fielding has been first rate. He has better range and a better arm than Torii Hunter did. However, Gomez lacks Hunter “feel” for playing defense. Hopefully with time and experience Gomez will pick up this “feel”.

Gomez is the best base stealer the Twins have had in long time, and is on pace to lead the American League in stolen bases.

A lot of people complained when the Twins traded Johan Santana for Gomez, Philip Humber, Kevin Mulvey, and Derlios Guerra. Now with Gomez off to good start not as many people are complaining.

People are starting to call Gomez the Latin Kirby Puckett. They point out that early in his career Puckett hacked away at pitches, bunted a lot, stole bases, and played with the same kind of enthusiasm as Gomez does.

I am not ready to call Gomez the Latin Kirby Puckett. Gomez has some similar traits to Puckett, but it is unfair to hold Gomez to such lofty expectations. I will say I always look forward to Gomez’s at bats just like I did Puckett’s, because Gomez like did Puckett has the potential to be a game changer.

Congratulation Carlos on hitting for the cycle; I hope this is just the beginning of brilliant career with the Twins. We need you.

Alan Jackson's single "Good Time"

Alan Jackson’s new single “Good Time” is not receiving “the love” from reviewers at some blogs. Their basic contention is that it just another formalistic song from Nashville and they expected better from Alan Jackson.

I like “Good Time”. Yes it is a bit simplistic, but so was Alan’s songs “Tall, Tall, Trees” (written by George Jones & Roger Miller) and “Little Bitty” (written by Tom T. Hall).I find “Good Time” to be a great song to listen to while riding in your car, or spending a day on the lake.

When I listen to songs, I first listen to melody. If I like the songs rhythm, beat, and tempo, then I like to focus in on the singer’s voice. If those two elements are appealing, I listen in to the songs’ words. If I don’t like those first two elements of a song, I don’t really care to listen to the words, as the song already has lost its appeal to me.

If fact, I love a lot of bluegrass songs that are just instrumentals, because I enjoy the melodies.

That may not be how other people judge songs, but it is how I judge them. I love “Good Time” rhythm, beat, and tempo. Alan Jackson vocals are great. The words? Like Brooks & Dunn’s “Boot Scootin Boogie” and numerous others party songs, they words to “Good Time” will not entered in a creative writing contest anytime soon.

Still, I like this song. Enjoy playing it. And I am not alone, as “Good Time” is rolling up the country single chart. In the end reviewers will get their say in, but the masses ended up deciding what a success is and what is not. After all history only remembers good artists if they were popular as well.

Graduate School Ends, Computer Crashes

I graduated with a Masters Degree in Technical Communication last week. I am the first person in my family to rise to this level of education. I have to say that the accomplishment of it all has yet to sink in.

I was lucky I like to work ahead on my school work. My computer crashed just days before the last paper was due in my last class. My computer was not fixed for two weeks. Luckily, I had e-mailed myself a copy of my almost finished last paper, so I was able to retrieve that copy with a computer at school and finish it up.

I would have hated to have to start all over with just a few days left to get it done. I was lucky and very happy.