Viva Espana!

To be sure winning last night was awesome (particularly given Seattle's inexplicable mojo against us when we're up in that soggy Washington air) but rather than focus on Joe's 3 hits, or Baker's continued resurgence, or the fact that Orlando Hudson asked to be circled by Bert (though, for the record, I'd prefer it if he had taken a sign with him on to the field).

No, lets focus on the inherent musicality of the spanish language and how merrily it rolls of our tongues when singing the Twins praises.

There's Little Danny Valencia, our freshest face on the infield, who got his first honest-to-goodness big league triple last night, our little boy is growing up right in front of our eyes. And, since I love making allusions to the futbol team which shares Danny's last name: I feel obliged to point out that while Danny Valencia prepares for a run at the playoffs, Valencia CF will try to run at their title through Manchester United (the Yankees of futbol), the scottish club Rangers (right after we played the Texas Rangers) and Buraspor (from Turkey...there's no amusing connection to baseball there...but hey, those first to a weird aren't they?). Go Danny! Go Bats! (Viva Los Che!)

Secondly, we should note that all of the sudden GM Billy Smith is picking up relievers like impulse buy bags of peanut M & Ms from the check out line shelves. In the space of a week we've grabbed two pretty solid relievers in Randy Flores and Brian Fuentes. Since Flores means "Flowers" and Fuentes means "Fountains" it naturally made me wonder if our old buddy Pablo Neruda had any poems featuring that kind of imagery. He doesn't, but Ms. Rosalia de Castro does! And sure enough it's chocked full of portent:

Along the long path

Now a pine grove, now a fountain appears

Which, bursting forth on the mossy rock

Descends noisily to the valley

And shining in the rays of sun

Between a sea of greenery are lost

Split in limpid streams

Give life to the wild flowers

And joining together in the Sar, the river

Which like a child who sleeps peacefully,

Reflecting the blue of skies

Flows slowly to be hidden in the foliage.

(From the google books form of The Cambridge Introduction to Spanish Poetry by, D. Gareth Walters, p. 36)

Now, CLEARLY, de Castro was writing about these waiver wire transactions, because our bull pen is near a row of pines, and the "Fountain" (Fuentes) will descend noisily on the valley of the midwest (by complaining about Angels fans), and the whole shining/lost thing probably refers to how hitters will have a hard time seeing his pitches in day games (and from his funky side throwing angle. Moreover he'll give life to flowers (reuniting with Flores from Colorado) and the two will join together to allow all children to sleep peacefully because the bullpen is now stronger than ever. Or not...you can write an essay about and send it to me if you want. (Sidenote: I'd really like a teaching job.)

So, well done Danny, Randy and Brian...excuse me...bueno trabajo Valencia, Flores y Fuentes! Viva Espana, y Viva Los Gemelos!!!