Minnesota Twins Opener Missing Stars

[Gil Dobie]

Mondays game between the Minnesota Twins and Seattle Mariners is soldout, but Joe Mauer and Ichiro will be out of their respective lineups on the DL.

For some reason I missed the fanfare around Ichiro's 3000th hit. xeyebrowx

Shooter (http://www.twincities.com/walters)
Nearly 100 Japanese media members and dignitaries, including possibly Japan's all-time leading home run hitter, Sadaharu Oh (868 homers), were expected at the Metrodome for Monday night's opener against the Mariners until Seattle's all-star outfielder Ichiro Suzuki was placed on the disabled list with a bleeding ulcer.

They plan to cover when Suzuki breaks the record for most professional career hits by a Japanese-born player. Suzuki is two hits short of Isao Harimoto's all-time record of 3,085.

[clenz]

Ichiro is at 3000? When the hell did that happen? If anyone else does it they get talked about non-stop with montage after montage on ESPN. I don't remember a dang thing about Ichiro doing it

[Gil Dobie]

Ichiro is at 3000? When the hell did that happen? If anyone else does it they get talked about non-stop with montage after montage on ESPN. I don't remember a dang thing about Ichiro doing it

The total includes his Japanese Professional Baseball hits. If he stays healthy, he will have over 2000 in 9 years of American Baseball.

[clenz]

The total includes his Japanese Professional Baseball hits. If he stays healthy, he will have over 2000 in 9 years of American Baseball.
Even still 2000 in 9 years in the MLB is an amazing feat. Who were the fastest, season wise not age, to get there?

[LehighFan11]

Forget ichiro and mauer, the real stars are the ones taking the hill in this game.

[Gil Dobie]

Forget ichiro and mauer, the real stars are the ones taking the hill in this game.

Twins #1 starter coming in is injured, Baker, so Liriano is starting.

[Gil Dobie]

It's also the last Dome Opener for the Twins, up next Target Field, across the street from the Target Center, Home of the Timberwolves.

Target Field Link (http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.ballparksofbaseball.com/future/twins2007901.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.ballparksofbaseball.com/future/TargetField.htm&usg=__outYXO_zVWnEGAMM0zVOv_D1IWQ=&h=376&w=672&sz=126&hl=en&start=4&um=1&tbnid=YTZPkcBtCCLn6M:&tbnh=77&tbnw=138&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtarget%2Bfield%2Bphotos%26hl%3Den%26s a%3DN%26um%3D1)

http://www.ballparksofbaseball.com/future/twins2007901.jpg

[clenz]

It's also the last Dome Opener for the Twins, up next Target Field, across the street from the Target Center, Home of the Timberwolves.

Target Field Link (http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.ballparksofbaseball.com/future/twins2007901.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.ballparksofbaseball.com/future/TargetField.htm&usg=__outYXO_zVWnEGAMM0zVOv_D1IWQ=&h=376&w=672&sz=126&hl=en&start=4&um=1&tbnid=YTZPkcBtCCLn6M:&tbnh=77&tbnw=138&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtarget%2Bfield%2Bphotos%26hl%3Den%26s a%3DN%26um%3D1)

http://www.ballparksofbaseball.com/future/twins2007901.jpg
I can't wait for Target Field!!!...although I would have liked a different name.



I already have a friend looking for opening day tickets next year.

[minuteman65]

Minnesota playing outside at home... that looks so weird!

[Gil Dobie]

Minnesota playing outside at home... that looks so weird!

Going indoors was weird to begin with.

Met Stadium
http://www.baseball-almanac.com/stadium/Metropolitan_Stadium_1956.jpg

[LehighFan11]

Twins #1 starter coming in is injured, Baker, so Liriano is starting.

Yeah so their star is on the hill. Wether Liriano is their official #1 pitcher or not, hes their star.

[Gil Dobie]

Yeah so their star is on the hill. Wether Liriano is their official #1 pitcher or not, hes their star.

He's going to be good, sounds like he's past the tenative phase of throwing after his surgery 2 years ago. Twins have a good young, annonymous staff.

Twins Pitchers Link (http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_12079355)
People outside might learn their identities if the pitchers fulfill the Twins' ambitions for them this season. For all the fame of Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau and Joe Nathan, for as much focus as the Twins' pursuit of Joe Crede received, Minnesota's fate is far more likely to hinge upon the strike-throwing arms of the starting rotation.

"It's always about the pitching," manager Ron Gardenhire agreed. "People like to talk about hitting, but pitching is what wins."

[Thunderstruck84]

I'll be more excited about the Twins playing home games outdoors come next May or June.

Check out the forecast for the twin cities if they were christening a new outdoor ballpark today:

High: 37
Low: 24
Mostly cloudy, windy, and cold with a couple of flurries


Yay outdoor baseball in Minnesota in April! xrolleyesx

[LehighFan11]

I'm a supporter of limiting games in cold climates in April. The game they try to play isn't really baseball in cold weather. Just terrible to watch and play.

[UMass922]

I'm a supporter of limiting games in cold climates in April. The game they try to play isn't really baseball in cold weather. Just terrible to watch and play.

Yeah. The White Sox opener has already been postponed. Same for the Red Sox.

I imagine 50-100 years from now, every team will have a retractable-roof stadium.

[Gil Dobie]

I'll be more excited about the Twins playing home games outdoors come next May or June.

Check out the forecast for the twin cities if they were christening a new outdoor ballpark today:

High: 37
Low: 24
Mostly cloudy, windy, and cold with a couple of flurries


Yay outdoor baseball in Minnesota in April! xrolleyesx

Forcast of 60 degrees on Thursday. The new stadium outdoor stadium, will have places for fans to warmup during the game, if needed.