Random Tuesday Twins Thoughts and Tidbits

Here is this week's installment:

• Here is an interesting though from a couple of legislators from Florida: Allow publically-funded ballparks to be used as homeless shelters off-season. Wonder how that would play at Target Field, at the U of M football Stadium and the proposed Vikings Stadium...


• Ron Gardenhire annointed Carl Pavano as the Twins' opening day starter 2.5 months before the fact. Ladies and Gentlemen, this is a classic case of premature declaration. And back to the manager of the millennium, he already has his starting OF set up before an inning of ST and before he sees how Denard Span will come around. I bet Trevor Plouffe, Rene Tosoni, Joe Benson and company feel the love.


• The Twins retired Tom Kelly's number 10 and the announcement came when a teary-filled Kelly was n the podium as a presenter at the Diamond Awards. Interestingly, 10 was not Kelly's first choice. He wore 41 in 2 seasons as a coach and half as a manager. However in 1987, he had t,o give it up for Jeff Reardon. And the rest is history.


• Our old friend Pat Neshek signed a minor league contract with the Baltimore Orioles yesterday. Good luck to Pat. He will join former Twins Steven Tolleson, Dennys Reyes and Allan de San Miguel who all have signed minor league contracts with the Os this off-season.


• Carl Pavano is doing something great (and did not get much attention or any press in Twins' Territory; and it does deserve to do so.) off the field this off-season. Watch the video, it's worth it. And you will see how Pavano trains the off-season.


• Great story about Jamey Carroll in the Strib by Joe C. Did not realize that Carroll has twins (3-year olds Cole and Mackenzie). Must be a sign.


• Guess who wants to make it bask to the big leagues. If he can, I can and you can. Maybe.

The parting shot today has nothing to do with the Twins or baseball. It's a car and a car that will never make it in the US. It's a car named "Carol" as in Madza Carol and is the twin (it does have something to do with twins) of Suzuki Alto. It's 2WD version gets 72 mph hwy and costs about 6500 pounds in Great Britain (that's about $10K or so.) Also available with 4WD. We can eat our heart out... (Hey, I warned you that these random thoughts are not always going to be about baseball...) :