The Return

The Aquarium is back, and so was Carlos Gomez tonight in center field. Clearly he's struggled this season, but his past seven days have yielded a .879 OPS, while infamous decisions like this and that (at 1:41) suggest that Delmon Young may not have the mentality to be a long-term outfield option in Minnesota. Gomez is streaky upstairs too, but he needs playing time to rebound. Hopefully he will continue to receive it.

Although he couldn't bring the game to extra innings tonight, Mauer gunned down two potential base stealers with picture-perfect throws and was a home run away from the cycle, going to 3-for-5. He's not slowing down. This game was another good example of why I expect this (see above) to come true.

Boof Bonser and Pat Neshek made the trip up the coast and were in the dugout tonight, Neshek complete with a Casilla-type "hair something" under his lip. John Gordon announded that Neshek would be in playing form by November, but that he likely wouldn't be eligible for the Arizona Fall league. It has been and will be a long rehab assignment, but at least this time it's coming after surgery, not ill-advised time off.

There were good performances, so why did we lose? Defensively, Scott Baker's additions to his league-leading home run count didn't help. Mijares's inability to cover first in the 8th poured salt in the wound. He's packing weight onto a frame that should soon rival that of Dennys Reyes. Offensively, Kubel couldn't drive in Mauer or Morneau in any of his many chances (he left four runners on base, the most by anyone tonight). I think it's Sabatoge. That was a poor attempt to segway to Jason's current Dome anthem, a good track and video. While you watch/listen, avoid an All-Star situation like last year and beat down Yankee/Red Sox nation by voting for Joe Mauer 25x. That link may or may not take you directly to the ballot. If it doesn't, I bet you can figure it out.