My Life is pretty narrowed down. My Job, My Kids, My Wife, My Family and Baseball. My Job, Kids, Wife and Family are about the only things that stop me from watching the Twins each night.

I missed the first three innings of the game and I guess I missed a lot. It was 11 to 6 after two innings.

I guess it's safe to say that the Bats were working. Plenty of Twins had big nights at the plate but I think it's time to start thinking about Rookie Oswaldo Arcia.

Arcia went 4 for 5 at the plate to bring his batting average up to .300

Arcia is a highly thought of prospect. That means that he's supposed to be good and in time should be a regular productive major league baseball player in the future. When you watch him hit... It's pretty clear that he is good. He's young and was supposed to grow a little more in the minors and he is only with the club because Mastroianni is on the disabled list.

When Mastro comes back... What will the Twins Do? Arcia is out performing every player on the team not named Mauer. The Twins have plenty of decent corner outfielders. We need CF depth and Arcia is not skilled defensively enough to man CF. Mastro can play CF. There are only a couple of current Twins with options left that can be sent down to AAA without exposing them to waivers.   

Arcia playing time usually forces Doumit or Parmelee or Willingham to the bench. But... The Twins are .500 and are still in contention. 

Arcia just might stay with the club and if he does... It's because Arcia will have forced it by being one of the best hitters on the team.

He's fun to watch... I'm pulling for him.    

Everyone should be feeling good in the Twins dugout. Scott Diamond was brilliant pitching 7 scoreless innings. The Twins picked up the win 6-1.

Everyone with the exception of rookie CF Aaron Hicks. Hicks didn't start the game because he missed a cut off man on Monday. Aaron was in the doghouse.  

He was let out of the doghouse in the 8th inning last night and got himself back into the doghouse in quick order. 

Hicks caught a looping flyball in the 8th inning and was way too casual making the catch and flipping the ball to Dozier after. TV Camera's showed Gardenhire immediately pissed in the dugout and also showed Gardenhire giving Hicks an earful in the dugout when the inning ended.

Personally... I have no problem with this... Hicks is a young ball player and habits are being formed.   

I wonder if Hicks will be back in the lineup tonight or in the doghouse as a message. 

I want to be clear that I'm in no way making light of the tragic story out of Cleveland. Ten Years held captive for 3 young ladies is so terrible it's hard to comprehend. Ten years that should have been spent moving forward in life. A time of your life where your direction is being set. College, Marriage, Family, Friends and a Career.

I'm not making light of it but an additional thought comes to mind.

Being kidnapped and held for 10 years is bad enough but when the kidnappers are the three guys in this mugshot. Doesn't that make it even worse.

These girls went through hell for ten years. I hope they find some fortune going forward. They are due for some fortune.   

The Twins blew a 5 run lead in the 8th inning to drop another one last night. Everyone is mad at the bullpen but I'm not. The Bullpen sucks, things like this are going to happen. Don't blame the bullpen, blame the GM who assembled the bullpen expecting them to pitch better then they are capable of. 

Want to know what's got me mad. Let's set the scene. It's the top of 8th inning, the bullpen has given up 4 runs to the Angels and still nobody out. Torii Hunter is on third base. Alberto Callaspo is on 1st. Extreme power hitter, Russell Branyan at the plate and Jim Hoey is pitching. If only Russell Branyan would have just jacked one over the wall. If he would have, I wouldn't be angry, honestly I would have just laughed and got ready for the 1st pick overall in 2012 baseball draft. 

But no, Branyan had to expose another hole in the Twins Season. Here's what got me upset. 

Branyan lifts a fly ball to left field. Hunter was going to tag up and score with ease on this. No chance to get him at the plate because the ball was hit deep enough. 

Delmon Young tried to throw him out at home anyway, and he let it go, the ball sailing off line. In this situation 3rd Basemen Danny Valencia is the cut off man. The purpose of a cut off man is to cut the ball off and prevent the trailing runner (Callaspo on 1st) from advancing. 

Delmon Young has to throw the ball to the cut off man in this situation. He didn't... and let me add... That if the throw is off line. The Cut off man 3rd basemen Danny Velencia has to move toward the ball and catch it and not stand there like he can't do anything about it. Velencia stood there with his arms in the air and just let it go by even though just a little effort like moving 5 steps to his left what have put him in position to catch it. Callaspo who represents the winning run is now on 2nd because the Twins can't execute basic professional baseball. 

I know that play had very little to do with the outcome of the game. Hoey got the next two outs and Callaspo never did score in that fateful 8th inning. My anger over this play stems from the fact that he could have scored very easily from being allowed to reach 2nd base. The Bullpen sucks... the only way you can battle out of that is to step up and make plays in the field. Do the little things right. Don't give up easy extra bases by making basic fundamental plays in the field.     

Danny Velencia has been in the majors for less than a year. There is no way he should feel comfortable with his job security to not care if he put just a little effort into moving a little bit to cut the ball off. Bench him and let him know that the Twins have traveling secretary's employed who know how to book plane flights to Rochester for players. It shouldn't matter if Velencia is better than anyone we have in Rochester. The team has to start playing basic baseball and do the little things right. It starts with effort and execution of the basics.            

Delmon Young has been in the Majors for quite some time now. Former #1 Pick, there is no chance that he will ever see AAA again, but I've seen enough of him. He's a bad defensive baseball player and he should be traded to anyone foolish enough to take him. 

HIT THE FLIPPIN CUT!!!