1. For fear of stating the obvious: The performances of Matt Garza and Boof Bonser over the last two nights were huge. The Orioles might be a bad team, but they still field a pretty badass lineup. When your number nine hitter (Ramon Hernandez, at least in two of the three games) has 71 rbis, the team is not to be taken lightly. Garza, in particular, had opportunities to wilt under the pressure. When Jason Bartlett booted a potential double play ball in the first inning the rookie could've imploded. But he got out of the mess only allowing one run. Bartlett hurt him again in the fourth after Hunter made a leaping catch. An Oriole baserunner (I can't remember who) would've been easily doubled off first base, but for a bad throw by the shortstop.More >>

My antipathy towards Michael Cuddyer has been well documented in this space. Last season I thought he was among the worst everyday players in baseball. He drove in a pathetically anemic 42 runs, while striking out 93 times, and provided barely adequate defense at third base. It seemed like the only reason that he was getting regular playing time was that he had, in Gardenhire's eyes, jumped through all of the appropriate hoops. I would've gladly seen Terry Tiffee or Nick Punto take his spot.

But Cuddyer has proven me wrong this season. He's on pace to hit roughly 25 homeruns and drive in 100 runs, while his batting average has hovered around .270 for most of the season. Most importantly Cuddyer's been sufficiently dangerous to make teams think twice before pitching around Mauer to get to him.

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Until about 10:45 last night when he was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving and fleeing the police, Viking flanker Koren Robinson was one of the team's major feel-good stories. Everyone, it seemed, was writing pieces about Robinson's redemption, tracing his career arc from troubled Seattle Seahawk to sober Viking team leader poised for a breakout season. In retrospect, the one that caught my eye was this profile from Chicago Tribune's Don Pierson:More >>

Vikings fans received the bad news yesterday that top draft pick Chad Greenway will miss the rest of the season with a possible torn anterior cruciate ligament. Today brings news No. 1 wide receiver Koren Robinson is sitting in the Nicollet County jail, accused of drunken driving, reckless driving, speeding, fleeing police, and driving without a valid license. Seattle released Robinson after a drunken driving arrest in May 2005. Is this the beginning of the end for the Vikings's 2006 season? Is it Troy Williamson's turn to show us what he's got? Will Robinson ever wear purple again? Let's hear it.

If you're looking for a Robson-esque analysis of last night's Vikings-Raiders game, you should probably look elsewhere. Consider this an open thread to share your thoughts. As far as the QBs are concerned, Brad Johnson was steady as always, and Mike McMahon was mediocre as always. Fourth-stringer J.T. O'Sullivan made some gaffes, but also showed some potential. The big story would have to be third-stringer Tarvaris Jackson, who went 7-for-13 for 60 yards with 36 yards of rushing tossed in, prompting one of the ESPN commentators to state that he resembled a "right-handed Michael Vick." The other news, of course, was first-round pick Chad Greenway leaving the game in the first quarter after injuring his knee. No news as yet on the extent of his injury, but rumor has it, he could be out for the season. Let's hear what you think about Brad Childress's first game as head coach of the Minnesota Vikings.

If hindsight is 20/20, then this four-eyed scribe will take his chance now to recast his pupils on Justin Morneau. (Hey, better late than never.) The Twins' first baseman, as you probably know by now, hit his 30th homer last night (for RBI 100 and 101), at the most clutch time possible. And the hometown nine took two of three in Detroit.

I'll go out on a very sturdy limb and say the guy's a top-five candidate for MVP, and the favorite if the Twins sit primed for the post-season at voting time and the east coast writers pull their heads out of their asses (better to wager on the former). With the exception of Hafner and Ortiz, there's no one in the AL who's more dangerous at the plate.

All of which makes me giddy as hell, except for one nagging matter.

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