#-1: Gopher volleyball (Last Week: -3). I am somewhat surprised that after sweeping ranked Ohio St. and being swept by #1 Penn St. last week, the U. volleyballers maintained their #10 ranking. They won't go down after this week, taking both Michigan teams at the Sports Pavilion. Last (Saturday) night's victory over Michigan St. was noteworthy in that the Gophers came back to win the last two sets to beat the Spartans in five.
They may clearly be in a tier lower than the Nittany Lions, but they are 5-1 in the Big Ten. But they played their last four games at home. They hit the road for the next two games. Only the first, Friday against Iowa, will count in next week's survey.
#-Infinity: Twins (Last Week: -4). Well, at least the Twinks were consistent on their way out. They went to Toronto to finish the regular season, and they got swept. They finish the year losing five in a row. After late hopes that they'd eclipse the just-as-rudderless Cleveland Indians, they finished dead last in the American League Central for a second consecutive year. They are the worst team in the AL for a second consecutive year. And even though they improved by three games, they finish the regular season 66-96.
So the staff changes that happened after the season was over were expected, even though they came with the usual groans that the firings mean nothing because they don't play. Third base coach Steve Liddle -- fired. First base coach Jerry White -- canned. Athletic trainer Rick McWane, source of more than a couple diagnoses of player injuries that turned out to be wrong -- shitcanned. Bullpen coach Rick Stelmaszek, who was with the organization for 32 years -- thrown out. And bench coach Scott Ullger and hitting coach Joe Vavra have been "reassigned" (actually demoted) to instruction duties, mainly for Spring Training. I agree with all of this; no, I don't see how this makes the players better, but back-to-back shitty seasons, only three years after Minnesota taxpayers contributed $360 million to a ballpark that the Pohlads said would ensure they would be competitive, wells up in me a bloodlust that needed to be satiated. Heads had to roll.
Two changes that I do like. Tom Brunansky probably will be called up from AAA Rochester to be the new hitting coach, and Bruno was my favorite player when I was young. Also, Terry Ryan is no longer the interim General Manager -- he is the General Manager. I still believe he has the good judgement to clean up the mess Bill Smith gave him. The sports analogy is: Bill Smith:Terry Ryan::George W. Bush:Barack Obama. And it probably will take at least eight years to clear away the dead weight and restock the farm system with blue-chip prospects.
But how do you go about beginning the rebuilding? Do you trade Denard Span? Do you trade Justin Morneau? Who are you going to get to fill out the rotation? (In my opinion, none of the five pitchers who were supposed to be starters for the Twinks on Opening Day should still be with the club. Get them all out.) Without a hard salary cap or the Pohlads opening up their personal accounts, the team will have to do with what it's got. Which is very little. Which means that they will be bad for a long, long time. Fuck it all.
By the way, do you know what Josh Willingham finished third in the AL in RBI? Get out!
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