¡VIVA RIVAS!

With all the great new blogs from the Twin Cities papers, I've resorted to writing about baseball fashion to contribute new content to the Twins blogosphere. I heard this interesting piece on NPR tonight on MLB changing their caps from classic wool to polyester. Why? No, not because George Costanza's visionary suggestion 13 years ago. Here's how a USA Today article explained the switch:

MLB and its Buffalo-based manufacturer, New Era Cap Company, say the new caps - making their debut opening day - look just like their predecessors. The samples certainly do.

But replacing the traditional wool is a polyester fabric that MLB and New Era say is designed to "wick" away sweat and evaporate it, resist shrinkage and fading and reduce odor and glare.

This means, of course, that John Wetteland's iconic sweaty cap, made famous during the Yanks' 1996 title run, will now be an impossible fashion accessory. First the wild card and inter-league play, and now polyster. What's this world coming to? (For all things sports fashion, visit www.uniwatchblog.com. The site is currently down, but should be back soon.)

NOTES:
If you take Torii's word for it, it's safe to draft him for steals in your fantasy leagues this year. There's nothing more entertaining than watching Torii pull off one of his signature steals, where he takes off before the pitcher even enters his wind-up. That brand of ballsy base theft was sadly absent from Hunter's game last year.

"I'm 100 percent," Hunter said. "You better watch out; it's going to be scary. I'm actually ready to go. I gained like 4 or 5 pounds, but I'm still agile, just to get a little more power. I've been working on my sprints, too. My goal is to steal a lot more bags and hit some home runs."

Some notes on the BitchSox:
Memo to Johan: Study up on Toby Hall. Pierzynski predicts he'll lose some AB against lefties to Toby Hall, who was signed this off-season as a backup C.

Here's a White Sox story line sure to make the Vikings insanely jealous: Shortstop Juan Uribe may have to return to the Dominican Republican twice a month until his home country's courts decide whether or not he was involved in a shooting this winter. Tank Johnson, you're so yesterday's news.

Some Indians news that somehow slipped under my radar last week: Keith Foulke announced his retirement. This puts the Indians in a bit of a bind, as they were banking on Foulke, whom they signed to a 1-year, $5 million contract, to provide some stability to the back end of their rotation. Joe Borowski, who saved 36 games for Florida last year, will enter camp as the team's closer. The bullpen looks to cause the team problems again this year. Cleveland signed over-the-hill veterans Roberto Hernandez, Aaron Fultz and Cliff Politte this winter to stabilize the 'pen after the team struggled miserably to replace closer Bob Wickman after he was traded before the deadline last year.

GYROBALL
The NY Times writes the gyroball exists, according to its inventor, but it won't revolutionize the game. It's essentially a pitch thrown like a spiral football that flies directly straight, fooling hitters who expect it to drop like a changeup or curve like a slider.

Well, I finally got around to figuring out how to use this PHP poll I downloaded in November. For the 2007 inaugural VivaRivas.com democratic exercise, please help steer Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau's musical tastes in a more, well, tasteful direction. For those who missed it, last month J & J attended a Justin Timberlake concert and gave it two thumbs up. Not to be a snob...OK, maybe so. But the point is, surely there are better ways to spend $33 million. That is what Ticketmaster is charging these days for concerts, isn't it?

So please vote for one of the next five artists scheduled to perform at the Xcel and help make the M & M boys not just great ballplayers, but great cultural citizens. I'll be sending the Minnesota Twins an e-mail with your cultural recommendation for Justin and Joe. No joke.

Voting closes whenever I want it to. And I'm going to try to figure out a way for people to vote more than once, so please check back or just vote at a different computer.

This story about Torii's upbringing has been in the top read and top e-mailed list on the Star Tribune's website since it was posted yesterday, but I want to make sure everyone reads it and all the accompanying stories, photos and audio. It's a great package that offers an in-depth look at Torii and his family. Many of the more dramatic details were already covered in a USA Today story a couple of years ago (the writer, Joe Christensen, acknowledges this) but it is definitely still worth a read.

1. Main story
2. Side bar on the pros and cons to re-signing Torii.
3. Feature on Torii Hunter's mom, Shirley, a grade school teacher in Pine Bluff, Ark., Hunter's hometown.
4. A behind-the-scenes look at what the reporter and photographer saw, with added details that didn't make it in to the main story.
5. A very cool audio slideshow.

Ok, this has nothing to do with baseball or the Twins, but I've watched this video five times now and I've laughed out loud every time:

In the usually quiet period between the winter meetings and spring training, the Twins managed to brew up a storm of news over the weekend.

Joe Mauer signed a four-year, $33 million contract, and the Twins' stadium plans are in danger of falling through due to price haggling on the downtown ballpark site.

Let's break down the Mauer contract:

2007: 1 million Jimmy John's turkey subs ($3.75M)
2008: 1.66 million JJ's turkey subs ($6.25M)
2009: 2.88 million JJ's turkey subs ($10.5M)
2010: 3.33 million JJ's turkey subs ($12.5M)

As you can see, this is one of the most significant deals in Twins and Major League Baseball history. Mauer and his agent, Ron Shapiro, insisted on payment in Jimmy John's Turkey Tom sandwiches -- a bold, unprecedented move. Giving 3.3 million Jimmy John's sandwiches to one player in a single season is simply unheard of. What is there left to say other than, "Joe, can I come over for dinner?"

Notes:
--Apparently Joe and Read Deal are good friends.
--Pure speculation at this point, but St. Paul could get another shot at the Twins stadium if the current deal falls through.
--...or perhaps a suburb could be in the running. Nick Coleman gives us a hint: it rhymes with shroomington.
--Remember former Tigers pitcher C.J. Nitkowski? He's now playing in Japan, and just filed the first dispatch in a season-long series on his impressions of Japanese baseball. Interesting insider look into the game in the land of the rising sun -- check it out.
--In case you missed it on Kare 11 news or on BatGirl, Les Straker is missing. The Twins need him in August for the 20th anniversary of the 1987 team! Can you help find him?

Shannon Stewart found a new home, the Oakland Athletics. He'll be paid a $1 million base salary, and could make up to $2.5 million with incentives, according to the AP. Stewart expressed frustration at having to work to find a new home this offseason after injuries derailed his last couple seasons with the Twins:

After an offseason filled with doctors' appointments and MRI exams across the country, Stewart has been pain-free for several months and can run at full speed again. It was a little strange for him to be seeking work, practically interviewing for jobs by showing off his skills for different teams.

"It's a weird, frustrating time," Stewart said. "I've been in the big leagues about nine years now and have never had to go through anything like this. It's tough to have to go through it, but I understood. It's been harder on me than anybody else."

The A's made a savvy move by signing Stewart, a disciplined hitter who will take and foul off pitches until he finds one to hit. Considering how much playing time another former Twin, Bobby Kielty, received last year, Stewart is a definite step up offensively for the A's. If the Twins had a White Sox- or even Detroit-sized budget, trying to sign him on in a Lew Ford-type role would have made a lot of sense -- especially with Jason Kubel and Rondell White likely manning LF-DH this year, both of whom are coming off injury-plagued seasons. Not that Lew Ford isn't quality, he covers lots of ground, it's just that, have you seen him hit?