For A Good Cause (or Two)

Sunday was a bit chilly and windy for a 6.5 mile walk along the river, but we did it anyway--we and thousands of others turned out for the 2005 Minnesota AIDS Walk, which raised over half a million dollars for treatment and prevention of HIV in Minnesota.

What an experience! It was simply amazing to see so many people, from all walks of life, gather in pursuit of a common cause and in celebration of life, love and the memory of those who have passed on. Our team has already decided to do participate again next year, and we'll be raising our fundraising goal for 2006.

Monday was also chilly and windy, which made the cozy warmth of Morton's steakhouse all the more welcome during the second annual MLB Players' Trust dinner and silent auction. Morton's dished out the most wonderful food you can imagine (the chocolate truffle cake was better than a game-winning grand slam) while Torii Hunter, Jacque Jones, JC Romero and Shannon Stewart mingled with the guests. I'm not sure how much they raised, but it was one heck of a good time.

Torii has got to be the friendliest guy on earth. He greets everyone like an old friend. We talked a bit about spring training, and how nice it is to have baseball outside. I asked Jacque how Juan Rincon is holding up, and he said Juan's doing okay, and that the whole organization is behind him, and that that's the best thing about being a Twin--how they support each other. Shannon says he feels pretty good, that the old injuries act up a bit now and again, but it's nothing he can't play through. I didn't get a chance to talk to JC.

Tonight, "Cy" Santana and the Twins square off against the Toronto Blue Jays and my beloved Corey Koskie. This is going to be bittersweet.