End of the Season - So Long Twins: The Boys of Summer

Danny V: hopefully the answer at third, delayed for so long

after the departure of Corey Koskie.

I mean really...

There's nothing to feel sorry about. I don't mean to whine.  My team is in the playoffs, even if it is going to be against the Evil Empire once again. Delmon Young (see fine Fanhouse story) finally looks like he's fulfilling all the predictions and promise for the Twins. Slugging Jim Thome has been a joy, so many big moments, rocket shots to right field to oooh and ahh over, as if they were July 4th Spectaculars.  What a man! Danny Valencia is the surprise of the year over at third. Very cool! My team now plays in the best baseball park on God's Green Earth.  As of this writing, I am the champion of my fantasy baseball league.

Glad I was wrong about Delmon being a putz.

And yet...



Opening Day April 12th at Target Field: the personification of a

Twins fan's greatest dream!

The regular season came to an end today with a 2-1 loss to the Blue Jays. This marks the start of the long, cold winter for me, playoffs or not. I am SO not ready for that! There's that emptiness that's hard to define, but surely there. Which sounds incomprehensible and inane to the non-fan, but most definitely emblematic of the end of another season in my life: the kids are getting older and more distanced from the days of childhood & family time, while my middle aged body barks after another afternoon of raking in the yard.

Yes indeed, kids, that
Henley fella takes himself
pretty seriously, doesn't he?

The "Boys of Summer," as first defined by Dylan Thomas and embellished by Roger Kahn in his incredible 1972 narrative of the star-crossed, 1950's Brooklyn Dodgers, was given a soundtrack by Don Henley in his 1987 hit from the album, "Building The Perfect Beast."While being totally unrelated to our little game of stick and ball, it DOES help flesh out the feeling of overness, of finality...

I can already see your eyes rolling.  Yes, yes, yes, I know not having the morning paper boxscores to peruse anymore until spring does not equate with a love affair gone sour. No more lazy Sundays with the radio play-by-play blaring in the back yard is hard to call a wistful "tragedy." Texting family and friends about game events, or checking Tim Kurkjian's Twitter feeds is a pale hose replacement for angst-filled love letters.

Tim Kurkjian aint too happy about regular

season ending soon either. His take on Yankees-

Twin matchup.

Not to mention that Jason Kubel frollicking across the beach in his one piece on Lake Calhoun is no match for Henley's video goddess...


But there's no mistaking, the care free, meandering summer that we thought would never end is OVER.

"Look around - leaves are brown...And the sky is a hazy shade of winter." - Simon & Garfunkel

What will happen in the playoffs against Jeter, A-Rod and the Yankees, I can only conjecture. The talent disparity between the two rosters has been undeniably reduced since even last postseason. Whatever the case, it will surely add to the lore that has developed between these teams, either to the pain of several playoff losses in this decade (which I don't want to go into), or to the glory of a team still in it's prime, seeking the prize at the end of the quest! Sort of like that team from Brooklyn, so long ago...

So long fellows.  And beat those din-dang-sons-of-a-rattle-snake Yanks...they have to put on their batting gloves one hand at a time, just like you!  And then come back in spring, hopefully after the warm afterglow of a championship attained! See ya on the Twins Winter Caravan and at Twins Fest....


Dr. Morneau & Co. showing Orlando what that concussion felt like.

Or perhaps administering a beat down for a dumb baserunning play...



May Your Taters Fly Far!

Twinkler Out