Drew Butera, on his knees, begging to be your Baseball Boyfriend. Credit: Kyle Terada-US PRESSWIRE

The most discouraging news this past week  was not even the Twins’ inability to sign a starting pitcher to replace Nick Blackburn.  It was the release of the Baseball Boyfriend app, a mini-fantasy baseball game designed partnered with CBSSports.com, and I’m completely guessing here, to create interest in fantasy baseball from women.  ”If he stays past noon,” BaseballBoyfriend.com says, “he’s your BBBF for the night.”  Unsurprisingly there has been a lot of backlash since the app was announced on Tuesday afternoon.  I cannot believe this game made it past the idea phase, and even more surprised that CBS Sports signed off on the partnership.  ”Bring your girlfriends and BFFs together for a fun baseball season this summer.”  No thanks.

On with the links, boyfriend or not:

If I had a baseball boyfriend I would want it to be Dustin Parkes.  Parkes neither plays baseball, nor is my boyfriend, unfortunately, but he did do an excellent job explaining some of the intricacies of BABIP, and how there is more than just dumb luck at play when BABIPs fluctuate up and down.

Beyond he Boxscore continues to take a visual look at the Window to Win for different Major League teams.  Last week they posted the Twins’ infographic, which detailed the contract lengths of the Twins’ 40 man roster members as well as some key prospects and minor leaguers.

As part of the 2012 Projections series here on Puckett’s Pond I’ve been evaluating the Twins’ 2012 projected starters using an increasingly common MLB stat, Wins Above Replacement, WAR.  The Platoon Advantage’s Mark Smith takes WAR to a whole new level, and finds a way to use WAR in Everyday Life.  Today, my sack lunch is worth about 1 WARL (WAR Lunch).  (more…)

Previous articles in the series: 1965, 1969, 1970

Willie McGee slapped a sharp grounder to the left side of the infield. Third baseman Gary Gaetti cut in front of shortstop Greg Gagne, scooped up the ball, took a few quick steps toward first base, and then fired the ball across the diamond. Kent Hrbek caught it and leaped joyously into the air.

After 26 long years, the Minnesota Twins finally earned a World Series trophy.

In 49 of America’s 50 states, if you mention the year 1987, people might think of Ronald Reagan – either for his popular presidency or for the Iran Contra scandal, which dominated the news that year. Maybe they’ll think of the Iran-Iraq War, which entered its seventh year in ’87, or of Margaret Thatcher, who won a third term as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Trivia buffs might tell you that 1987 was when The Simpsons first appeared as a short on The Tracy Ullman Show. And movie lovers will think of such classic films as Ernest Goes to Camp, Fatal Attraction, and Wall Street. For many, 1987 was notable for a disaster on the real Wall Street: the October 19^th Black Monday stock market crash.

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A few months ago, I started diving into the Twins’ draft history in an effort to find out just how good the organization has really been at developing talent. Since it’s an off day, and it is the deadline for signing this year’s draft picks, I thought this might be a good time to finish it. (more…)