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Cup of Coffee: April 13, 2009

The Twins laid an Easter egg this weekend.

This entry was posted by SBG on Monday, April 13th, 2009 at 6:25 am and is filed under Cup of Coffee categories and tags. It is one of 3334 entries by the author. We are no longer accepting Letters to the Editor on this post.

66 LTEs in response to Cup of Coffee: April 13, 2009

  • Jeff A
    April 13, 2009 at 6:36 am

    Kind birthday wishes for:

    Herman Long (1866)
    Kid Elberfeld (1875)
    Claude Hendrix (1889)
    John Stephenson (1941)
    Jeff Bittiger (1962)
    Mark Leiter (1963)
    Ricardo Rincon (1970)
    Kevin Ohme (1971)

  • Rhubarb_Runner
    April 13, 2009 at 7:10 am

    Well, last night's explosion was a chemical plant that supposedly makes a component of insecticide. Anyway, one employee was hospitalized with burns 30% of his body. No news yet on home damage in the immediate vicinity, but if our house 1.55 Google Earth miles away felt like a car hit it, then those close up certainly felt it worse. One of Runner daughter's friends had windows blown in.

  • Jobu
    April 13, 2009 at 7:21 am

    some notes from nick's twins blog:

    The Twins have been held to one or zero runs in four of the seven games they've played up to this point, and unsurprisingly have gone 0-4 in those contests.

    For all the talking about his efforts to improve his plate discipline during the offseason in spring, Gomez has struck out nine times while drawing one walk in his first 23 plate appearances.

    Gomez, Crede, Mike Redmond and Delmon Young are all hitting below .200 thus far. Michael Cuddyer is hitting .231 and Justin Morneau is hitting .259. The only Twins regular with a batting average over .300 thus far is Nick Punto. Go figure.

    uh... go punto...?

  • Jeff A
    April 13, 2009 at 7:51 am

    I was in the car yesterday afternoon, and hit the scan button on the AM band. In about twenty minutes I heard the following:

    "It's Going to Take Some Time" by the Carpenters
    "Amy" by Pure Praire League
    "You Make Me Feel Like Dancing" by Leo Sayer
    "The Most Beautiful Girl" by Charlie Rich

    And the thing is, I knew all the words.

  • yickit
    April 13, 2009 at 9:45 am

    Going to the National's home opener today against the Phillies. Beer might be necessary.

  • davidwatts
    April 13, 2009 at 10:33 am

    the Twins are thinking about getting new unis

    Personally, I think they should go back to the 1965 style of jersey

  • Jobu
    April 13, 2009 at 11:44 am

    manny being manny is almost as much fun as torii being torii.

  • CarterHayes
    April 13, 2009 at 12:05 pm

    After two years' studying at the university here in the People's Republic, I'm one semester away from graduation. I've decided to take the summer off to recharge my batteries before I take the GRE next spring, which means that Mrs. CH and I can take a belated honeymoon. This weekend we booked plane tickets to Seattle in August. We'll have a full week in the city, and though we have some things planned already, I thought I'd solicit suggestions from the Nation to fill up some of the rest of our itinerary. Here's what we have so far:

    - a game at Safeco (we're looking at a game during the Aug. 7th-9th M's-Rays series)
    - visit to one of the Pyramid Brewing Co. taprooms (Pyramid makes Mrs. CH's favourite beer)
    - Seattle Aquarium
    - Space Needle, natch.
    - Museum of Flight
    - Mount Rainier National Park

    Our koumbaro (the Greek Orthodox version of a best man) is in the electrical engineering program at U of WA and we have a friend who practices law in the city, so we have two nights' worth of dinner covered with visits. Apart from that, we're open to restaurant suggestions and anything else folks might have in mind.

    • brianS
      April 13, 2009 at 12:31 pm

      If you love me, you will go to Salumi and let me live vicariously.

      plus you have to go to Elysian for beers.

    • spookymilk
      April 13, 2009 at 12:32 pm

      If it isn't too far away for you, visit Snoqualmie Falls. It's mind-numbingly gorgeous.

      And I can sure get behind your Pyramid visit. They're the goods. Have you been to Safeco before? I can't overstate how much I love that place. One of my many games there was in a seat seemingly a mile up, and it was still a killer view. It's amazing how they pull that off.

      • spookymilk
        April 13, 2009 at 12:44 pm

        I'm kind of spamming here, but if only the edit thing still worked, I wouldn't have to, har har. Anyway, if y'all are into wine, there are countless great wineries, mostly over the mountains on my side of Washington (the desert). If that's attractive to you, I can name quite a few wineries in the Yakima Valley.

        As an added bonus, if you haven't been out here, the drive over the mountains provides the kind of scenery that isn't possible in Minnesota. The first time I made the drive, I was pretty stunned. If you've already seen/done all this, never mind.

        • CarterHayes
          April 13, 2009 at 1:16 pm

          Mrs. CH really wanted to drive down to Portland to check out the Columbia River Gorge, but when we figured the additional cost, she was a bit dismayed. Snoqualmie Falls sounds like a good remedy for that.

          The closest I've been to Safeco was passing through SeaTac on my way to Boise four years ago, so this will be my first time. What should we definitely check out while we're at the game? Where's the best place to sit?

          As for the wines, I've long been a lover of the pinot noirs that come out of the Pacific Northwest. I'd love to buy a few extra bottles for shipping home, but I'm not quite sure how to pull that off. Most of the wine I've had comes from wineries in the Willamette Valley, though. What should we check out up in Yakima?

          • UncleWalt
            April 13, 2009 at 2:03 pm

            I would fill up on sushi and get there early. When I went, we wandered around the concourse for a while and I was amazed that everything from the beer garden area to the stools lining the inside of the hall had great views--like every decision made considered the sightlines for watching the game. It's like the Anti-Dome.

          • UncleWalt
            April 13, 2009 at 2:16 pm

            Here's a site I just wasted 10 minutes on, if you are looking for some additional reading: http://www.ballparksofbaseball.com/reviews/safecoreviews.htm

            If you are worried about grade inflation (Safeco gets mostly As.), just check out the review page for the Dome.

          • ubelmann
            April 13, 2009 at 2:43 pm

            As for tickets at Safeco, I personally feel that you get the best bang for your buck in upper reserve seating in the infield sections. (And for whatever reason, the infield upper reserve seats cost the same as the outfield upper reserve seats.) But I'm an infield guy and don't feel nearly as engaged with the game sitting in the outfield. You can't see all of LF from the LF seats, so that is a negative. (It's odd that they don't consider those obstructed view seats when I've been in obstructed view seating with a much less obstructed view.) If you get to the game early, you can sit down at field level to watch batting practice and no one will bother you. From everything that I've heard, the Terrace Club level is a rip-off, so avoid that. Also keep in mind that there is an additional $5 on all tickets in the series against the Yankees.

            Otherwise, it's pretty much WYSIWYG. A lot of people like the garlic fries. The Ichirolls are unique to Safeco, but I don't know anyone who has purchased them. The hot chocolate is a nice concession, but since you'll be there in August, you probably won't be looking for hot chocolate. I usually take the bus to games, so I don't know much about parking.

            • CarterHayes
              April 13, 2009 at 4:52 pm

              Regarding obstructed view seating, didn't you hear that all these new ballparks don't have such old-fashioned problems like that anymore?

              I really appreciate the feedback. I'm an infield guy, too, so we'll look for tickets in that area. If you're game, I have a couple more questions: Should we purchase tickets ahead of time to ensure we get a good seat, or are game day options still pretty decent? I ask because I see that each ticket sold online has a $4.50 "convenience charge" on top of the regular ticket price. I don't really feel like paying the Mariners for the convenience of not having to employ ticket window clerks if I can avoid it.

              Also, how are the moving down options? Does everyone leave in the sixth inning like they do in SoCal?

          • spookymilk
            April 13, 2009 at 6:09 pm

            My favorite winery in the Yakima valley - and I've been to tons - is Masset. It's delicious - particularly their reds - but they're still small enough to be reasonably priced. They also have incredible blends.

            I've sat all over Safeco...if you can sit just above the dugouts, it's a beautiful and intimate setting for a game. The first mezzanine also has a nice charm to it. But really, you won't regret your seat wherever it is.

            To brianS below: yeah, I haven't actually had Pyramid in a while, but it's one of the first "good" beers I tried after my realization that the stuff the other college kids drank was terrible, so I probably exaggerate it in my head.

      • brianS
        April 13, 2009 at 1:42 pm

        And I can sure get behind your Pyramid visit. They're the goods.

        Meh. They are decent, but Seattle has better beer to offer. Except for across the street from the ballpark, where its Pyramid or nuthin.

        Safeco is indeed lovely.

        • ubelmann
          April 13, 2009 at 2:32 pm

          I can agree with that. My strategy is to grab a couple of beers at Pyramid before the game (you have to put up with the frat crowd, but there is no such thing as a free lunch, right?) and then I don't need to buy any beer in the park. I've never been able to convince myself that it was a good idea to buy beer at stadium prices.

          • CarterHayes
            April 13, 2009 at 4:59 pm

            Yeah, $7.50 for chilled extract of Clydesdale served up in a 12oz plastic bottle isn't my idea of a good time. That's a whole meal's worth of deliciousness at Salumi.

    • socaltwinsfan
      April 13, 2009 at 12:52 pm

      If you're visiting Seattle, you have to go to Dick's.

      The Space Needle is a part of Seattle Center, which has a lot of other attractions.

      Pike Place Market is another tradition of Seattle and summer is a good time to see it. You can see them actually throwing fish.

      The Pacific Science Center is pretty cool, too.

      Deception Pass State Park is not too far north and is great for camping, hiking, etc.

      My wife and I also enjoy Gas Works Park, but that might be mostly because that is where I proposed to her.

      • CarterHayes
        April 13, 2009 at 1:21 pm

        I'd forgotten to put Pike Place on my list above, but we're definitely headed there. Dick's is going on the list, too.

        • ubelmann
          April 13, 2009 at 2:26 pm

          I wouldn't be too concerned if you miss Dick's. They serve fairly generic greasy fast food. I think that the main allure is that they are one of the few places open after 10pm, so if it is late and you are hungry, it is one of the few available options. Otherwise I find their food rather unremarkable. (Beth's Cafe is similar. The food is fine--not bad, not great--but it is open 24/7 and it's hard to find that in Seattle, the City That Goes To Sleep Early.)

          • CarterHayes
            April 13, 2009 at 5:08 pm

            Would you say Dick's < In-N-Out or Five Guys? If so, I think we can find a better place to spend our food budget.

            • socaltwinsfan
              April 13, 2009 at 5:22 pm

              I would say Dick's is pretty much on par with In-N-Out. Dick's boasts about old-fashioned hand-dipped shakes and all fresh ingredients. For instance, you can watch employees cutting up potatoes to make french fries. Yeah, it can be greasy, but we're talking about fried food here, so what isn't.

        • spookymilk
          April 13, 2009 at 6:11 pm

          Pike will surprise you. People know about the whole fish-throwing thing, but that whole several-block radius is an awesome, laid-back way to spend a day.

    • UncleWalt
      April 13, 2009 at 12:53 pm

      As you can probably guess, there are a ton of sushi restaurants in Seattle and both of the ones I went to were quite good, so you can't go wrong if you're hankering for some raw fish. The place I enjoyed the most is called Maneki, I believe, and it was quite close to Safeco. So good.

    • Andrew
      April 13, 2009 at 1:18 pm

      Pyramid Curveball is one of my favorite beers.

      • CarterHayes
        April 13, 2009 at 1:28 pm

        Mrs. CH is partial to the Apricot Ale, which I introduced her to out in California. We only recently discovered where to buy it out here. I'm a Kölsch lover, so Curveball should hang for me like a 1986 Bert offering.

        • ubelmann
          April 13, 2009 at 2:27 pm

          Oh God, I had one night where Apricot Ale pitchers were on sale and I can't bring myself to ever drink that stuff again. It was an entertaining evening, though.

    • Whiffers
      April 13, 2009 at 1:20 pm

      I had a great time at the Museum of Flight and am still kicking myself for not paying to ride in one of the old planes they had on site that day...

      But it was awesome to reconnect with my plane-loving inner child for the day.

      • ubelmann
        April 13, 2009 at 2:29 pm

        Two of my friends who visited liked the Museum of Flight. Boeing also offers tours up in Everett, but it's kind of a drive. (The tour includes the world's largest building by volume.) I would tend to recommend it only if you are really into airplanes, though.

        • CarterHayes
          April 13, 2009 at 5:06 pm

          I wouldn't say I'm really into airplanes. I kinda hate flying (it's a control thing), but I love old planes. I've flown in a Ford Trimotor and in a handbuilt, wood-and-canvas Indiana Jones-style biplane over the Mississippi River Valley (I was sitting in the front seat, and the pilot was a WWII vet. You can bet I kept one eye on the stick in case the guy picked a bad time to have a heart attack.) So I can appreciate them from a mechanical/aesthetic perspective. And I see they have an SR-71 in the collection - that's the stuff of boyhood fantasies right there.

  • Banjo
    April 13, 2009 at 12:29 pm

    Just returned from a few days in Philadelphia. I would consider it a great family destination for any of the Nation's Citizens with small ones 7+. I came away pretty awestruck by Ben Franklin; much more so than before the trip. I've been doing some interesting reading on his largesse, and even though some of his awesomeness might be overstated, there's no doubt the guy could bring it. Anyone traveling should also check out the restaurant Farmacia.

  • twayn
    April 13, 2009 at 4:54 pm

    Joe C has posted lineups for tonight's game.

    • CarterHayes
      April 13, 2009 at 5:46 pm

      Forgetting the bias for a second, the entire premise is stupid.

    • spookymilk
      April 13, 2009 at 6:15 pm

      It's a moronic article. He makes a point to highlight "The Yankees feel more like a bunch of stars playing together than an actual team" as if that somehow distinguishes them from the Yankee teams that dominated for a half-decade not long ago.

      There are a ton of issues I could take with his rankings, but I'll cherry pick just one: rating the Reds above the Marlins makes him rock stupid.

    • UncleWalt
      April 13, 2009 at 6:25 pm

      When I read your bias comment, I thought it would be funny to post a snarky reply that, at least ESPN didn't pick the Red Sox against the Yankees for the title. Never mind.

    • SBG
      April 13, 2009 at 6:56 pm

      I took a look at the damned thing and couldn't even read it. Good grief, ESPN sucks!