I love the Minnesota Twins...I love what they're about, how they play the game...they're cute, funny and to me, represent what baseball should be about.
I once read an article about the New York Yankees...according to this article, George Steinbrenner has spent $1 billion dollars in the past six years on his franchise...that's $1 billion dollars not to win a championship for the past six years. The phrase "waste of money" and pictures of starving children in Africa come to mind. But, the Yankees are the most notorious team in baseball...everyone knows who plays for them...everyone knows who played for them...from the Babe to Gehrig, DiMaggio, Yogi Berra and Micky Mantle...and as those who have paved the way for today's ball players, there are no bigger names and players who have affected the game of baseball. The Twins, on the other hand, haven't spent $1 billion dollars on their team in the entire franchise history.
Granted, our last championship was almost sixteen years ago...
But last night's game reminded me of how much I really love the game of baseball. After a somewhat tumultuous series with the Yankees (well, let's be honest, they turned us over their knee and spanked us like we were little children) the Twins showed us that they really play baseball for the love of the game.
They swing their bats hard...they don't quit...even when it looks like the batter got a double, the Twins somehow find an ability to turn that into a double play. The only one who isn't getting any love yet is Carlos Silva. He's had two excellent outings and the relievers and closers just have to go and take away that "W." But, it's nice to see Silva back in true form. I've been a little nervous since last season...and especially when they announced he was in the rotation.
But the point of the story is this: The Twins don't need money to make the game great. They still play well, they look like they have fun and they've cultivated a fan base that loves them. While the same can be said for the Yankees, you don't see Twin fans booing Little Nicky Punto when he tries to steal second...and you don't hear them trying to send Torii packing when he tries to be a hero...True, Rondell White did get on many a Twins fan's bad side last year with is below the Mendoza line batting average. But, we love our Twins...we appreciate them and they play baseball because they love the game...not the money that comes with it.
I once read an article about the New York Yankees...according to this article, George Steinbrenner has spent $1 billion dollars in the past six years on his franchise...that's $1 billion dollars not to win a championship for the past six years. The phrase "waste of money" and pictures of starving children in Africa come to mind. But, the Yankees are the most notorious team in baseball...everyone knows who plays for them...everyone knows who played for them...from the Babe to Gehrig, DiMaggio, Yogi Berra and Micky Mantle...and as those who have paved the way for today's ball players, there are no bigger names and players who have affected the game of baseball. The Twins, on the other hand, haven't spent $1 billion dollars on their team in the entire franchise history.
Granted, our last championship was almost sixteen years ago...
But last night's game reminded me of how much I really love the game of baseball. After a somewhat tumultuous series with the Yankees (well, let's be honest, they turned us over their knee and spanked us like we were little children) the Twins showed us that they really play baseball for the love of the game.
They swing their bats hard...they don't quit...even when it looks like the batter got a double, the Twins somehow find an ability to turn that into a double play. The only one who isn't getting any love yet is Carlos Silva. He's had two excellent outings and the relievers and closers just have to go and take away that "W." But, it's nice to see Silva back in true form. I've been a little nervous since last season...and especially when they announced he was in the rotation.
But the point of the story is this: The Twins don't need money to make the game great. They still play well, they look like they have fun and they've cultivated a fan base that loves them. While the same can be said for the Yankees, you don't see Twin fans booing Little Nicky Punto when he tries to steal second...and you don't hear them trying to send Torii packing when he tries to be a hero...True, Rondell White did get on many a Twins fan's bad side last year with is below the Mendoza line batting average. But, we love our Twins...we appreciate them and they play baseball because they love the game...not the money that comes with it.
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