Friday Links-N-Thinks

It's the last Friday of the regular season and that means this will be the last Friday the Twins will be playing until opening week of next year. That might be sad to think about for some fans but it has been two tough seasons in a row. The 162 game schedule can be grueling for the players and it seems logical to think some of them are ready for their up coming break. It's been the second year in a row that the Twins haven't been close to making the playoffs and that hasn't happened since the 1999-2000 campaigns. Sigh...

There are things to watch as the season comes to a close. Joe Mauer is inching closer to the top of the leader board for the batting title in the American League. It would be his fourth batting title and his first title since 2009, his MVP year and the last season in the Metrodome. Over the last six games with the Tigers and the Blue Jays, Scott Diamond could add to his already impressive season and Glen Perkins could increase his final save total. If Willingham is healthy, he could tack on a few more home runs to his final tally.

After losing two out of three to the Yankees, the Twins will try to play the upset role with the Tigers over the weekend. Twins pitchers can help Mauer get closer to a batting title if they can hold Miguel Cabrera in check. Before the start of the weekend, check out the latest edition of "Friday Links-N-Thinks."

• Glen Perkins took a reporter pitch by pitch through his save against the Yankees and it turned into an interesting and entertaining article.
  
• Since 1990, there has been quite the variety of Twins prospects to crack Baseball America's Top 100 list.
  
• It has been quite the journey for Sam Deduno to get to this point.
  
• Jared Burton has looked good for the Twins this year so what should they do about his future?
  
• As the season comes to a close, it's time for the Twins to concede that it was a lost year.
  
• Josh Willingham has most likely been the most clutch player on the Twins in 2012.
  
• Is clubhouse chemistry something the Twins need to consider going into the offseason?
  
• Baseball America named Byron Buxton as the top prospect in the Gulf Coast League and later in the week he was named top prospect in the Appalachian League.
  
• For Liam Hendriks, it has been a homer happy season at the big league level.
  
• Since Ron Gardenhire took over as manager, the Twins have followed an interesting pattern.
  
• There are questions in the middle infield for the Twins and it's tough to know where Jamey Carroll fits into the picture.
  
• It was a turnaround year for Ben Revere.
  
• Kevin Love threw out the first pitch at a Twins game earlier this week.
  

• In one of the coolest stories of the year, Adam Greenberg is going to get one at-bat in the big leagues after a tragic end to his only plate appearance.
  
• With every victory for RA Dickey this year, it looks like Twins had him on their roster a few years too early.
  
• Cleveland is making a managerial change with six games to go in the season. Luckily, they had their next manager wanting to take over.
  
• Doug Fister set a new American League record by striking out nine consecutive batters.
  
• An interesting Babe Ruth autograph was found in an surprising location.
  
• Brandon McCarthy suffered quite the head injury when he was hit in the side of the head with a ball off the bat. He doesn't think helmets should mandatory for pitchers though.
  
• Torii Hunter Jr. is a very good high school wide receiver and he committed to play football at Notre Dame.
  
• It might be tough for Ozzie Guillen to find another managing job if the Marlins fire him.
  
• Is it time to rethink Native America imagery in sports?
  
• The Wall Street Journal named the most bias announcers and there wasn't much of a surprise at the top.
  

My Weekly Rundown:

• Monday: Cabrera vs. Trout: The MVP Debate for the Ages
  
• Tuesday: Matt Capps and his looming option year
  
• Wednesday: The Killer Speed of Byron Buxton
  
• Thursday: Ryan and Gardenhire speak to season ticket holders
  

Video of the Week: One of the best defensive plays of the year happened this week and it came from an unlikely source. Travis Snider did his best impersonation of Michael Jordan and Spider-Man while hauling in a ball for the Pittsburgh Pirates. I enjoy the fan underneath Snider and a little to the right that is standing up and pointing at him making the catch. Enjoy and have a great weekend