MauerMorneau and Hunter each with loooooooooooooooooooong home runs. A beautiful play by Castillo and things are off to a good start.

Is it me, or is that Ford ad with Mr. American Idol just about the most annoying ever?

Isn't it Morneau, not Mauer, that hits the first home run?

Even more annoying than the Ford TV spot with that guy is the full-page newspaper ad that has his mug filling up way too much of the top half.

Yep, Morneau. My mistake.

Terry Tiffee hits an upper-deck two-run homer. Wait. Did I really just type that?

Terry Tiffee with a home run after a Kubel double. Tiffee nearly hit another home run earlier. What the heck? Is he trying to join the young studs?

I'd like to see Tiffee get more time at 3B. I understand sticking with Punto most of the time since he's getting on base, but why not find out if Tiffee can at least fill the Ruben Sierra role next year. He definitely has more pop in his bat than Punto. Maybe go with a 2/3 Punto, 1/3 Tiffee rotation.

Ooh, bad move by Jenkins to try for the low-percentage dive. Nice job of Castillo to stop loafing in time to get to third. Too many Guzman flashbacks.

I'm feeling a head-first slide coming on.

I think this is a repeat from the last time the Twins faced the Brewers, but the right side of their infield might be worse at fielding than the Dictator Duo was for the Twins.

Of course, their right side can hit.

I was a little uneasy about this game, but our guys have come through again.

Christ, that guy was out by plenty. Nice dig by Morneau on an in-between hop.

Another fantastic outing by Radke and the Twins' defense

What a great outing by Radke.

Jinx.

Juan Castro must be enjoying his happier environment--he hit a HR tonight.

Now, I have been watching this blog for a long time, and I see a lot of teasing about the head first dives into first, but I don't understand why. If it is timed right, is it not faster to extend your body out (assuming you were already at full speed)? I mean, as long as your hand touches the base before your body touches the ground it should be faster. From what I have seen from Punto about 30 percent of the time he times the dive to where it would appear he definately improved his time to first... Unfortunately the other 70 percent of the time he hits his chest to the ground half a foot before touching first, which is obviously a slowdown. But if done perfectly it is faster and if you know you WILL be thrown out anyway, why not try? Or am I overlooking something... It brings to mind how sprinters jut their heads out at the finish.

Actually I am having trouble understanding why he doesn't time it right every time.. It is quite pathetic really. I bet he knocks the wind out of himself half the time

Mauer gets a double, driving in two to keep Barreiro off his back for a day.

Here's the best response that I could find to explain why it is not faster:

Look at it this way: your torso is moving at a certain pace, X, in the direction parallel to the basepath. Sliding will not impart any force in that direction; in fact and it will increase the friction and cost you the force your legs would have imparted. People often say that you gain the length of your body and so it could actually help and but this is not true; your torso is still moving at the same speed and all you do is move the top of your torso forwards at that speed while rotating the rest of your body back a little. There is no way at all that a slide could cause one to reach the base more quickly.

By sliding you are giving up the thrust in your legs, which will slow you down, not to mention the friction caused by sliding. And landing arm first is a good way to find yourself on the DL.

If Barreiro is still less than glowing on Mauer, I can't imagine that anything will stop him from complaining.

It brings to mind how sprinters jut their heads out at the finish.

They don't fall to the ground, though, do they?

I suggest going out to a ballpark on a nice day, bringing a buddy and a stopwatch, and experimenting. Running through the base is faster. Plus, exercise is good.

It brings to mind how sprinters jut their heads out at the finish.

They dip their heads or push out their chests, because their goal is to cross an imaginary plane extending above the finish line, not necessarily to step across the line first. Note that you hardly ever see track athletes diving or leaving their feet at the finish. In the rare times it happens, it's an act of desperation.

I've never seen Ichiro, king of the infield single, do it, either.

If Punto ever appears to reach the base faster because he dove, I think it's an optical illusion that happens because the play unfolds so quickly.

How does a runner gain velocity? By pushing against the ground with each step. In a sprint, with each step the runner should gain more speed by adding one more push to the momentum already built up. As soon as Punto starts to dive, it's like cutting his engine. He loses velocity just by being airborne, but also by redistributing his energy downwards to a fixed point rather than aiming to run through the base. So even before Punto hits the ground, his body is already slowing and preparing to stop.

The other reason it's stupid is that it's a good way to get hurt.

Maybe go with a 2/3 Punto, 1/3 Tiffee rotation.

I'd go with less Punto. For all Punto has done this year, he's still been a meager 5 runs above replacement level hitting, and this is as good as it gets for Punto. Tiffee, on the other hand, could turn into someone like Casey Blake, who gives you a couple of good years in his prime.

Either solution's not really a good one, but I'd like to see Tiffee get more of the at-bats and maybe let LNP get most of his time in as a defensive replacement.

ubelmann -- I think you will enjoy this.

Through the first three games of this trip through the rotation, the Twins defensive efficiency is an amazing .827 when the starters are on the mound.

In the last 13 games, the defensive efficiency is .757 when the starters are on the mound. Their collective FIP is 2.66 and their ERA is 2.16.

Put me in with the "give Tiffee a chance" crowd. I agree, ubelmann. Punto has been a decent fill-in, but we know his limits. I'd like to see if Tiffee could be another Casey Blake, or at least a reliable lefty bat off the bench next season, too.

Holy crap. As much as I'm a fan of DIPS, I think that's what they like to call in the business pitching AND defense.

Good responses on the sliding into first thing. I hadn't thought of it that way. I understand now.
Maybe now we can send Punto some mail and make him understand. Good example in that Ichiro never does it, and you can bet that had it been faster he would be doing it...

The frustration that I have on the sliding thing is that someone on the coaching staff hasn't said what I say... you get fined $5000 every time you do it unless there's a tag play.

ESPN has their picks for All-Star starters on their main page and they picked Mauer for AL Catcher, and under his name it said the following:

Others receiving votes:
None. Mauer won unanimously.

They also picked Liriano and Santana to start. Do you think Liriano will get selected?

Oops. I meant one person picked Johan to start and another picked Liriano to start.

I think they have to pick Liriano. Ozzie will want to win to assure home field since his team has a decent chance of representing the AL in the World Series. Liriano gives you a better chance of winning the All Star game.

SBG:

The frustration that I have on the sliding thing is that someone on the coaching staff hasn’t said what I say… you get fined $5000 every time you do it unless there’s a tag play.

Has Punto done it since that time you yelled loud enough to get heard on TV? I didn't see tonight's game, but he had at least a couple more chances to do his thing in the Dodgers series--and he ran through the base, instead.

I am not sure. I was stunned when he ran through the base. Maybe someone did talk to him.

My White Sox buddy and I think Ozzie should start Papelbon in the All-Star game. Then leave him in for about 5 innings or so. Then let Mariano finish off the game.

We also thought it would be a great idea to show the world that Jeter can also play catcher.

That should teach the YankSox a lesson...

It's too bad that the All-Star game has become a joke. I used to really enjoy it even though my team (the AL) never won -- I don't even watch it anymore.

Jeter as a catcher. That would cut down on his range problem.

Dlars01,
Absolutely love the idea. LOL.

The Brewers PS is in such desperate need of Sheets an Ohka to come back it's scary. With them losing their #1 and #3 pitchers for 1/2 a season, I'm shocked they are even sniffing around .500. Gotta groan through humps like Villanueva taking the mound. Going to the game tonight, Brewers have to win tonight as there's about a 0 to 0% chance of them beating Liriano on Sunday.