Editorial: Thumbs

To Freeborn County Relay for Life supporters.

Monday is bank night, the time when the Relay for Life teams turn in their donations so far. It always amazes us that this community does such a good job of supporting charitable causes, and the Relay for Life each year provides a keen example of that. We look forward to seeing just how much is raised this year. If you haven’t given, get your donation to a Relay for Life team member Monday morning or afternoon.

 

To the Minnesota Twins.

The Twinkies extended a contract in 2010 to Joe catcher Joe Mauer of $184 million for eight years, making him the highest-paid player in franchise history. They had just finished winning the American League Central two years in a row and posting winning seasons in nine of the previous 10 seasons. Since the big signing, the Twins have shed good players to afford Mauer, have posted two losing seasons and are well on their way to losing a third. A $23 million-per-year player ought to hit more than 10 home runs a season. Many baseball insiders are saying he could be more of a leader, too. On the other hand, the All-Star is surrounded by several mediocre teammates. Oh, by the way, these three lousy seasons have taken place in their $545 million new ballpark, Target Field. We like Target Field. We like Mauer. But with money comes performance, right? Manager Ron Gardenhire summed up our feelings and the views of many fans with a quote everyone has been talking about: “Our fans don’t deserve this crap.” Let’s hope the Twins start building now for an improved 2014 roster.

 

To food on a stick.

Fair time is a chance to drop diets and eat the food people really want to eat. Albert Lea, with its Blue Zones interest, sometimes just has to let loose and gobble the deep-fried stuff. It was interesting to read Wednesday what Tribune interns Erin Murtaugh and Quinn Andersen discovered could be eaten on a stick at the Freeborn County Fair. They discovered: corn dogs, cheese-filled corn dogs, Philly steak sandwiches, shrimp kebabs, Greek shish kebabs, pickles, taffy apples and key lime pie. And that was the tip of the iceberg. There no doubt is corn on the cob and oodles of other stick-mounted delights. Today is the final day to go get some.