That Twins sweep of the Tigers this weekend was awesome. Carlos Gomez is amazing getting hits, but like the rest of the team, seems incapable of taking a walk. It seems there might be a place in Minnesota for OBP guys like Wilkerson or MN native Dan Johnson. It's really just been a bunch of luck, but I have to admit, I'm liking Blackburn more and more. He's starting to remind me of a Jeff Suppan / Brad Radke type, that is, very useful. If he can harness the BABIP like Bannister and keep his walks down, he could give us a year like that bizarrely dominant Carlos Silva year.

I know this is pretty similar to what that great local beacon of mediocrity has been playing this month, but it's the best I've heard. This is almost a third local. We're having fish tacos tomorrow. I didn't even realize it was Cinco de Mayo until just a few minutes ago.

1. The Plastic Constellations - Disastrophe
2. The Morning Benders - Shedding My Skin
3. Tokyo Police Club - Sixties Remake
4. Man Man - Big Trouble
5. The Black Keys - So He Won't Break
6. Adem - Unravel
7. Atmosphere - The Waitress
8. Dom Mino - Scarlett
9. Weezer - Pork and Beans
10. Cepia - Ithica
11. Camphor - Confidences Shattered
12. Kayo Dot - Clelia Walking
13. Kid Dakota - Port Authority

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Previously: Mix #30, Apr '08

Half a no knead bread loaf
Olive oil
Sherry vinegar
Onions
Arugula
Dates
Honey
Pepperoncinis

Getty Images

1) Mets Phillies
This is a tough one for me to pick sides. I really like both teams right now. I just got a Phillie hat for my birthday yesterday, but I asked for Phillies or Pirates mainly because of the P. I want to be like Snoop Dogg. What's not to like about this matchup. You've got some of the most exciting young players on both sides with Howard and Utley with Philly and Reyes and Wright with New York. You've got your star veterans in Rollins & Burrell matched up with Delgado and Beltran. The starting pitching is as good as it gets with Santana and Hamels, Brett Myers and Oliver Perez, The bullpens are terrible enough that the game is never over, but exciting enough with JC Romero's constant fidgeting and occasional dominance. This is really just as good as it gets right now.

2) Brewers Cubs
There's the historic rivalry that shows up next, and there is this one, really the second best matchup in baseball. The Cubs get all the media, especially this year, but the Brewers are a fun enough team by themselves, and still my pick to win the division. Unless Eric Gagne (aka "Fat Driver 2165) blows it.

3) Cubs Cards
Fans really get into this matchup, and you can't take that out of the equation. It's not as compelling as it has been, but it's still pretty good. You've gotta love the Rick Ankiel, too.

4) Dodgers Giants
This is as historic as anything else, just nobody knows about since it only happens when the rest of the country in in bed. Plus my Dodgers are killing those nasty Giants these days.

5) Twins Sox
Nobody's even sure what this is all about any more, but as long as AJ is there, they're the team that is the target of the eruption from Minnesota's feeling of being general athletically inadequate (we can't even win at the only sport that makes climatic sense in hockey, and why aren't the Mighty Ducks from Minnesota again?). Neither team is any good anymore (Minny is obviously saving up for 2010), but I think the real Minnesota angst is based on an inferiority complex vis-à-vis the City of Chicago, which is enforced by the White Sox high-payroll low-performance way, topped with jealousy stemming from Jim Thome playing there. The best part is that not only does Chicago not care about the "rivalry", but I'm pretty Chicago isn't even aware that Minneapolis exists (that is, until a Chicagoan needs to leave the state for whatever reason and is looking for a nearby place to live). If the teams were Simpsons characters, the White Sox would be Nelson and the Twins would be Milhouse.

a few more: Cubs/Pirates, Cubs/Reds
I didn't realize this, but as much as I love going to Wrigley and getting Cubs games on TV, there are 4 teams in their own division that I would root for over them. Interesting.

Is it just me or is Lou Piniella what George Clooney is going to look like when he's 80?

Somebody offered to trade me Hank Blalock for Eugenio Velez. I accepted the offer. I think I'll be very happy with the results.

On opening day it snowed in Minneapolis. The People Opposed to a Pleasant Minneapolis (POPM) could not stop themselves from pointing out that if the new stadium opened in 2008 instead of 2010, the game would have been snowed out, as if early April precipitation is something unique to Minnesota. The rest of the week, it was sunny and in the mid-60s. Where were the dome-loving POPM then? Outside, most likely walking around Lake Calhoun like a herd of cows with 95% of the city(that's a statistic you can take to the bank). Why would you go inside on a day like we had on saturday?

April's mix is here. Support these artists, they're very good.

1. David Karsten Daniels - Martha Ann
2. The Notwist - Where in this World
3. Gnarls Barkley - Who's Gonna Save My Soul
4. Fleet Foxes - Ragged Wood
5. Pacific UV - Need
6. Megafaun - Find Your Mark
7. Billy Bragg - Sing Their Souls Back Home (Solo Version)
8. Portishead - Hunter
9. Silje Nes - Ames Room
10. Mount Eerie - Stop Singing
11. Borko - Continental Love

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Previously: Mix #29, March '08

2/3 of a halved no-knead bread recipe with tamari and cider vinegar snuck in instead of salt
Leaves
Olive oil
Merlot vinegar
Sliced shallots
5 year gouda
Avocado

Best sandwich ever.

I like that new stadium in Tampa Bay a lot. Somebody managed to design a stadium that doesn't copy the classic style and also doesn't look like a suburban office park.

Here are some good songs. You should support some of these artists.

1. Throw Me the Statue - About to Walk
2. Devotchka - The Clockwise Witness
3. Retribution Gospel Choir - Breaker
4. These United States - Kings & Aces
5. Cryptacize - Dig That Treasure
6. Fat Kid Wednesdays - Unrecovery
7. JayMay - Sycamore Down
8. Jason Collett - Sorry Lori
9. Someone Still Loves You, Boris Yeltsin - Dead Right
10. Say Hi - Northwestern Girls
11. Ahleuchatistas - Cracked Teeth
12. Lightspeed Champion - Midnight Surprise

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Previously: Mix #28, Feb '08

This morning around 4:30, Olivier woke up for his early-morning feeding, waking Eliot in the process (this happens about half of the time). Bethany likes to take him out to the living room because the couch is more comfortable than the bed. I stay in bed in case Eliot comes in. This morning, I fell asleep right after Bethany took Olivier out (first week back at work and all). I'm sleeping with my back to the edge of the bed. Next thing I know, 20 minutes later, I wake up with a chubby pair of toddler arms wrapped around my neck, a pair of toddler legs latched around my waist, and a little toddler butt hanging over the edge of the bed, slowly dragging me over. That's what wakes me up, 20 minutes after Bethany heard Eliot wake up. Eliot is fast asleep.

February's mix is a combination of leftover tracks from '07 that never really found a place and new tracks from some of the first good albums of the new year. The music doesn't really start flowing after November until the spring, but we're doing OK. I know what you're thinking. "How many mixes is he going to start off with Why??" Answer: all of them. At least until David Bazan puts out a new album or Karate knocks it off with this Glorytellers business and gets back together. But seriously, if you're not devouring everything Why? puts out, you're as DTM as Javon Walker and Roy Halladay. Enjoy.

1. Why? - The Vowels Pt. 2
2. Gnarls Barkley - Run
3. Cat Power - New York
4. No kids - Four freshmen locked out as the Sun Goes Down
5. Scout Niblett - Kiss
6. Chet - Very Old Story
7. Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings - Let Them Knock
8. Emily Jane White - Time On Your Side
9. The Owls - All Those In Favor
10. Hayden - Lonely Security Guard
11. Stephen Malkmus - Real Emotional Trash
12. subtle - unlikely rock shock
13. Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton - Sprig
14. Yeasayer - 2080

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Previously: Mix #27, Dec '07

I put up a Daily Olivier (not to be confused with the Daily Oliver). We'll keep it going for a year like we did with Eliot, then we will ignore the complaints. Eliot will probably figure out a way to squeeze herself into 90% of the pictures.

This is Olivier Merckx, born yesterday after about an hour in the hospital. I may post blog things about him.

What up.