What in the sam hell just happened? Is this a dream?!?!?!

It's alway good to hear about your favorite baseball team when you're with one of your favorite compadres.

But who would've thought it would ever be this good?

Driving around to do my favorite thing in the world (next to watch baseball) I get the best text i've ever seen from good ol' Mr. O ( deflateddome.blogspot.com ) According to a report out of the Chicago Tribune, the Minnesota Twins have struck a deal with former Chicago White Sox Thirdbaseman and Twin Killer, Joe Crede.

Crede joins a Twins squad, looking to fill the hot corner since the departure of the greats like: Luis Quinones, Scott Leius, Donnie Hill, Jeff Reboulet, Ron Coomer, Brent Gates, Casey Blake, Denny Hocking, Tony Batista, Brett Boone and dare I say Brian Buscher.

Crede has played more professional games against the Twins than any other team during his MLB career and the numbers are pretty darn good. In 102 career games, Crede hit .273, 19 2B, 19 HR and 59 RBI against his new squad.

But lately, it's been Crede's back that has made him a "liability" at thirdbase. But having offseason surgery and hopefully getting a all-star thirdbaseman is just what the doctor ordered for the Twins.

Crede had 363 plate appearances in 2008 (a short season, due to his back injury) and 55 RBI during those at-bats. The average MLB player in 363 at-bats drove home just 42 runners.

Maybe this is just the Twins fan in me (pretty much as happy as one could be when the news broke last night) but I love the addition of Crede. It's about time the Twinkies took a flyer on a player who might actually produce in the middle of an already established lineup. Dare I do another list, but: Rondell White, Juan Castro, Tony Batista... OK, sorry, I'm not getting you upset again, but this is a GREAT signing for Minnesota and with the news that the Twins also close to a deal to land Juan Cruz (4-0, 2.61 in 57 appearances in 2008) from the Arizona Diamondbacks, things may actually be shapping up in Twins Territory.

Potential Twins Lineup for 2009 (Anyone else wish we still had Bartlett?)

Option A:

1. LF - Denard Span
2. 2B - Alexi Casilla
3. C - Joe Mauer
4. 1B - Justin Morneau
5. 3B - Joe Crede
6. DH - Jason Kubel/Delmon Young
7. RF - Michael Cuddyer
8. SS - Nick Punto
9. CF - Carlos Gomez

Option B:

1. CF - Denard Span
2. C - Joe Mauer
3. RF - Michael Cuddyer
4. 1B - Justin Morneau
5. 3B - Joe Crede
6. DH - Jason Kubel
7. LF - Delmon Young
8. SS - Nick Punto
9. 2B - Alexi Casilla

Well done Bill Smith, well done!!!

More bloggin' soon...30 teams in 30 days will start very soon...for now, take care folks...

-Pops