Let's Play Ball!

First of all let’s put the 2011 Twins baseball season behind us.  In baseball terms, last season was last season.  This is a whole new season!

Baseball should be a game of positives.  Grown men playing a kid's game doesn’t always mean things go the same way throughout a 162-game schedule, but you get a fresh start the next season.

On Friday, April 6, at 3:05 est., the Minnesota Twins will take on the Baltimore Orioles in Baltimore.  Plus it’s my BIRTHDAY!  How great is that!!!!!

The starting pitcher for the Twins will be Carl Pavano, who is making his 3rd career Opening Day start, against the Orioles' Jake Arrieta, who will be making his 1st career Opening Day start.

You cannot imagine the excitement and the adrenaline that the players will have on Opening Day.  It’s like getting ready for your first day of high school or college, or your first real date, or driving a vehicle for the first time.  No matter how many Opening Days a player or coaching staff has been involved in, every Opening Day is exciting and special.  It’s also a very nervous day, because both teams want to start on the right track to a good year with a win!

For the Twins there will be 13 of the 25-man roster making their first Opening Day appearance in a Twins uniform.  They are:

position players
Sean Burroughs, Jamey Carroll, Ryan Doumit, Luke Hughes, Chris Parmelee, Trevor Plouffe, Ben Revere, Josh Willingham

pitchers
Jared Burton, Jeff Gray, Liam Hendriks, Matt Maloney and Anthony Swarzak. 

The Twins are starting with two of their key starting pitchers not on their Opening Day roster.  Scott Baker is on the 15-day disabled list with a tender right elbow, and Jason Marquis was optioned to the minors so he could get some innings in before he rejoins the big club.  He missed time in spring training to be with his daughter, who was in a serious accident.  Our prayers go out to his daughter for a speedy recovery. 

Keys to the Twins getting back into post-season are easy for me predict.  The everyday players and their pitchers need to stay healthy the entire season.  I believe that there are so many players on this roster that are on a mission.  Some are with the Twins for the first time and they want to fit in by producing on an every day basis, and some are coming off an injury-plagued season and want to proove to themselves that they can stay healthy and become All-Star players again, or for the first time.

Thank you for reading my blog and please follow me throughout the season on future blogs and on my twitter account @circlemebertHOF.

2012 TWINS CARAVAN AND TWINSFEST

I had a great time during the Twins caravan last week. It started for me on Tuesday, January 24 and ran through Thursday. Throughout the 3 days I had a chance to spend time with Cory Provus, Twins new play-by-play radio announcer, Danny Valencia, Drew Butera, Denard Span, Rene Tosoni, Tony Oliva and TC the Bear.



We had school and radio station visits and evening stops in Owatonna, Mankato and Little Falls. We met so many great Twins fans throughout the caravan. Thank you to everyone that showed their support for the Twins team and staff.

photo:bringmethenews.com

Friday through Sunday was TwinsFest at the Metrodome. It was reported that over 30,000 fans came to this year’s fundraiser for the Twins Community Fund. I had the opportunity to sign for the fans and when I wasn’t signing at Corner 5, I went to our “Circle Me Bert” booth located at field level.Thank you to all the fans who purchased some our “Circle Me Bert” apparel. Part of the proceeds raised is going to Parkinson’s and the Wounded Warriors Project.

Spring Training is just a few weeks away for the Twins. First the pitchers and catchers report and then about 4 days later the everyday players report. This will be a very interesting spring as 66 players are reporting to camp.To me the most important thing to watch is how much the team works on their defense. The 2011 season was very frustrating for the team and what we saw was not typical Twins baseball. For a winning season they need to pitch better all around and play better defense.



One more thing that’s very important is the everyday players need to play in spring training. Too many injuries last spring put the team at a disadvantage for Opening Day and that can’t happen this spring.



Thank you for reading this column. Have a great day and Go Twins.



Bert Blyleven

TWINS RETIRE #28 ON BERT BLYLEVEN DAY

It all started on January 5 of this year, when I got the call from Jack O’Connell, President of the Baseball Writers Association of America, informing me that I had been elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Since that phone call it has been a roller coaster ride for my wife Gayle and me. How can I describe the excitement that Gayle and I just went through over the past 2 weeks? It will be difficult but I will give it my best.



On Saturday, July 16, the Minnesota Twins organization honored me with the retirement of my uniform #28. My number is only the 6th number retired by the Twins, along with baseball great Jackie Robinson’s #42.

It is my honor to join Harmon Killebrew #3, Rod Carew #29, Kirby Puckett #34, Tony Oliva #6 and Kent Hrbek #14. I only wished that Harmon and Kirby were able to be there for my ceremony.



The Twins organization did a great job and I want to thank everyone involved, especially Andy Price, Senior Director, Broadcasting and Game Presentation, and Patrick Klinger, Vice President of Marketing, for their help. Even my wife Gayle was involved in a surprise that the Twins presented me that day.



The Twins first had Hrbek, Oliva, Carew and myself walk (or for me, try to run) from left center field into the infield where the ceremony took place. Gayle and most of our children and 2 of our 6 grandchildren were already there waiting.



Dick Bremer and John Gordon did the announcing for the ceremony and did a great job.

First the Twins invited some diplomats from Zeist, Holland, where I was born, and a gentleman from the Dutch Embassy, in Washington, DC, who presented me with some nice gifts: a few framed letters, a photo from Zeist and some Dutch wooden shoes. Of course, I removed my own shoes and wore them the rest of the ceremony.



After that, with the help of Rod, Tony and Kent, the Twins presented me with 3 framed Twins jerseys that were worn during my time with the organization. Dave St. Peter, President of the Twins, then presented me with a new set of Callaway golf clubs that were brought onto the field from the Twins dugout by former Twins manager Tom Kelly.



Jim Pohlad, Chief Executive Officer, then presented Gayle with a beautiful charm bracelet - and presented us with a check for $10,000 from the Twins Community Fund, to contribute to the fight against Parkinson’s, the disease that took my pop’s life in 2004.

And what a surprise when the current Twins players all came out on the field and presented me with a “Circle Me” number 28 that all the players, coaches and manager had signed. WOW! All the gifts are priceless.

After I had a chance to thank the Twins for retiring my number, and for all the gifts, I had the honor of throwing out the first pitch. George Mitterwald, my first Major League catcher in 1970, flew all the way from Florida with his wife Susan, and was at home plate to catch the pitch. Just to let you know : I made it all the way in the air to George.



What a great day - and again, thank you to the Twins organization for retiring my number #28!

Please check out our NEW updated website at www.bertblyleven.com or our other site at www.circlemebert.com. Through these sites we are raising funds for Parkinson’s and other charitable organizations.

Thank you and you are all “Hereby Circled”

Bert Blyleven,
HOF 2011

P.S. Check out our journey to Cooperstown in my next blog