The Minnesota Tail Battlers

[Klobs]

Anyone else disappointed that he's stopped saying "Battled his tail off" and now just says "battles"?

He can't stay away from it forever, he'll come back to it. I know he will.

He had one after the last playoff game.

"They're playing their tails off," Gardenhire said of the Royals.
http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincitie ... 412031.htm

"When we got down in the first half, they said we were out of it," Gardenhire said. "I think we played as good as anybody in the second half. Ran off (11) in a row at the end of the year to win a pennant. I'm proud of those guys. They played their tails off."
link

"We pitched our tails our tails off -- they did too -- we just missed so many opportunities," Twins manager Burl Ives said. "We've been going through these struggles. The guys are trying, it's just not happening."
http://www.cbc.ca/sports/stats/mlb/recap/14257

[Musk21]

The 2007 season is not yet upon us and the battling is already beginning. Twins closer save specialist Joe Nathan on new pitcher Sidney Ponson:

"I think this organization for sure can get him back to form, and he's a guy that wants the ball, he's never going to say he doesn't want the ball, and he's going to go out there and battle, and you're going to have to rip the ball out of his hand,"

[Dwade]

3 Games into the season and we're already Battling our tails off:

http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/news/art ... p&c_id=min

"We were just messing with our security force," Gardenhire said. "They work their tails off so we just had a little fun with them. It was good stuff, really good stuff."

[Musk21]

Congrats Sidney!!

After the game, Gardenhire blamed himself for the final home run. He knew that he should have taken his starter out before that pitch.

"That man will take the ball and pitch forever if he could," Gardenhire said of Ponson. "I knew Matty didn't have good numbers against A-Rod, but that was stupid, leaving [Ponson] in. Ponson had battled his tail off, and I should have taken him out."

link

[Klobs]

Congrats Sidney!!

After the game, Gardenhire blamed himself for the final home run. He knew that he should have taken his starter out before that pitch.

"That man will take the ball and pitch forever if he could," Gardenhire said of Ponson. "I knew Matty didn't have good numbers against A-Rod, but that was stupid, leaving [Ponson] in. Ponson had battled his tail off, and I should have taken him out."

link

It seems like it has been so long. We missed you, Burl.

[VodkaDave]

Congrats Sidney!!

After the game, Gardenhire blamed himself for the final home run. He knew that he should have taken his starter out before that pitch.

"That man will take the ball and pitch forever if he could," Gardenhire said of Ponson. "I knew Matty didn't have good numbers against A-Rod, but that was stupid, leaving [Ponson] in. Ponson had battled his tail off, and I should have taken him out."

link

It seems like it has been so long. We missed you, Burl.

I am now convinced that Gardenhire has at least heard of this website. Saying that ponson battled his tail off last night is just too priceless.

[FrodaddyG]

Congrats Sidney!!

After the game, Gardenhire blamed himself for the final home run. He knew that he should have taken his starter out before that pitch.

"That man will take the ball and pitch forever if he could," Gardenhire said of Ponson. "I knew Matty didn't have good numbers against A-Rod, but that was stupid, leaving [Ponson] in. Ponson had battled his tail off, and I should have taken him out."

link

It seems like it has been so long. We missed you, Burl.

I am now convinced that Gardenhire has at least heard of this website. Saying that ponson battled his tail off last night is just too priceless.

Or it could be the fact that he's been saying that for five years, and RP named the site after that ridiculous phrase. But, I'm sure that's not it at all.

[aj26]

post game interview last night from kare11 i think. he said "we battled our butts off out there we tried to catch the ball and couldn't we caught some bad breaks, we battled our tails off though.

sorry its not an "official" one. i couldn't find a link

[primetime62]

I can confirm this. I head it on KFAN as well.

[MNHudsonPigUnitMcMullen]

"We know that when we play the Mariners, you have to really battle for victories," manager Burl Ives said. "And we really had to do that tonight."

link

[Musk21]

Welcome to the club, Jeff Cirillo.

"He's a professional hitter and he battled and battled some tough pitches off," Twins manager Burl Ives said of Cirillo. "We sent the runners, knowing he was going to make contact. He had a great at-bat and ended up drawing a walk there. The rest of the guys tapped a couple here and got them in. But that was probably the biggest at-bat of the night. That's what we brought him over here for, because he has those at-bats"

[Musk21]

Gardy on BOOF! from Sunday night:

He didn't have great stuff tonight, but he battled through it," Gardenhire said. "That's a great lineup and a great team over there. And you have to make a lot of pitches. He got through five and our bullpen did a great job carrying us the rest of the way."

[Babe The Blue Ox]

"Johan's been pitching his tail off, and we finally came through for him," manager Burl Ives said. "I don't want to slight anybody, but I believe he's the best pitcher in this league."

http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_596 ... ck_check=1

[Musk21]

BOOF! nominated himself after Wednesday's game:

"I battled today," Bonser said. "I didn't really have much command of everything, but I kept the team in the game and we pulled out another win."

http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/news/gam ... p&c_id=min

[Gumby]

ladies and gentlemen.....



Mega-Hunk Joe Mauer ran the bases Monday but continued to feel tightness in his strained left quadriceps muscle.

The Twins had hoped he'd be ready to play against the White Sox, but with an open date Thursday, it's looking more like Friday.

"That could be a target date, barring a setback on the bases, but he feels really good," Gardenhire said. "He's working his tail off to get there. It's still there a little bit, and maybe as he stretches it out a little more, running harder and harder, he'll be past it all."

[Babe The Blue Ox]

Burl on Watkins (who?):

"He is a good kid," Gardenhire said. "He has worked very, very hard and bucked the odds and went from being one of these organizational guys awhile back and people saying that he is going to make a great coach, to being here in the big leagues, because he presevered and worked his tail off. He got better and better and that is fun to watch. That doesn't happen very often, but it is fun to watch."

http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/news/art ... p&c_id=min

[Shores, Esq]

Torii on battling

"The only way you are going to get to the playoffs, and the only way you're going to win in the playoffs, is by doing the small things," center fielder Torii Hunter said. "If you make little mistakes and mental errors, you're not going to win."

"All we can do is keep battling. I don't think there is a team out there that gives up."

[snepp]

This is one amazing article...

http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/news/gam ... p&c_id=min

If there is one individual player who has seemed to represent the Twins' battle to stay in the division race, it's Jake Taylor.

The catcher has battled through a myriad of injuries this season, including two fingers that likely are broken, to be there whenever the club needs him.

It seemed like the plan would work as the back-up catcher battled his way through an 11-pitch at-bat against right-hander Rafael Betancourt to get to a 3-2 count.

"It was a tough night for us, but we battled pretty hard."

"I've never felt anything like that. A 3-2 count, I was trying to battle there. I just couldn't...it was too much, I couldn't do it."

[Ap]

Delmonto Youngmente

"He's been great. He's worked his tail off.

http://www.startribune.com/sports/twins/16927786.html

[Musk21]

Does that mean he's finally shed the underdog role?

Not according to Blackburn.

"My entire career, I've had to battle with being an under-the-radar type of guy," said the 26-year-old. "It's always been a bit more motivation for me to go and prove people wrong. I don't ever expect anything, and it forces me to try and earn people's respect. So I don't see that changing."

[Musk21]

Rookie Nick Blackburn was impressive again in his second Major League start, leaving the game with the Twins ahead 3-2 after five innings. He scattered seven hits and walked two while striking out five.

"There were times out there that I felt pretty comfortable," Blackburn said. "It's just one of those days, struggling to hit spots. I was happy with the turnout of today's game, as far as my performance. At any point of the game, it could've got completely out of control."

"He really battled out there," Gardenhire said. "He made a lot of pitches, a lot of long innings out there. But he competed and he never gave up the big inning."

http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/news/gam ... p&c_id=min

[djp4516]

"Blackburn pitched his lip off," he [Gardenhire] said, later adding about his fellow Oklahoma native: "The tough Okie that he is, I knew he would get up. It was just a matter of time."

[SydneyTwinsFan]

The Yankees have become the latest to subscribe to tail-battling. Andy Pettitte in a pre-game interview today:

"The first month of the season I felt I was locked in. I'm not really looking for any answers. I'm just battling my tail off," he said.

[DavidWatts]

Denard Slaps just dropped a BYTO in reference to the pitchers on the radio post game show tonight.

He is officially a Minnesota Twin

[Jason]

Span's second one in three days.

"I'm battling my tail off against a pitcher that's already good," Span said. "I felt like [Rodriguez] doesn't need help. He already has 49 saves. He don't need help from the umpire to get 50."

[Rocketpig]

I wonder how much this site's name has influenced Gardy's use of the phrase. He used to use it ALL THE TIME. Now, we get nothing. Disappointing.

I miss the days of everyone battling their tail off.

[TwoDogsfukn]

When asked for the reports on Nick PunTwo, Gardenhire said: “They said he’s been busting his tail…but I already knew that.”

Whoo hooo. Tolbert officially a Minnesota Tail battler.



After all, this is the guy who works on his swings while wearing nothing but a towel and would practice his baserunning in 7-Eleven parking lots during stops after minor league games. He had two hands on a bat while sitting in front of his clubhouse stall during the entire time we talked this afternoon. I call him Triple Espresso.


This is pretty deep.

[SoYouWantMorneau]

From the Strib:

"He busts his tail every play," Gardenhire said. "When he swings the bat, he always runs the ball out."

[Iastfan112]

Rauch found out how things are,

"It's a game where everybody is battling their tail off and then I'm the one who comes in and screws up," Rauch said.

[OldLadyTwinsFan]

From Hillman: "It was a terribly missed call. We're battling our butt off trying to get back in it right there."

[notoriousgod71]

YES! HE SAID IT!

"Frankie battled his tail off!"

[RonDavisLightsOut]

YES! HE SAID IT!

"Frankie battled his tail off!"

Just watched on DVR and saw this....you beat me to it. We got one!!!

[Iastfan112]

YES! HE SAID IT!

"Frankie battled his tail off!"

Whereas Verlander merely "battled", it had seemed like the phrase's useage had declined but now 2 instances within a week.

[kab21]

In regards to Brock Peterson. BA's article (subscriber) is about Brock staying with the Twins even though he was a MiLB FA.

He's an average fielder at best, but "he's a battler, a guy who fights you every at-bat," Twins manager Burl Ives said. "I wouldn't be afraid to use him."

[kvothe]

Gardy on Pavano's outing:

"He just keeps battling; he just doesn't give in if something doesn't go his way," manager Burl Ives said. "If he makes a bad pitch he bears down and gets the ball where he needs to and gets a big out, and that's what he did tonight. He was up in the zone a lot tonight, a lot more than we have seen recently. He was able to get the ball where he needed to when he had to and get some big outs."

[Curtie]

The Chicago Tail Battlers!

"The only thing that stings is the fact that our offense battled all night and we couldn't pull it out," he said. "That's the only thing that hurts for me. It doesn't matter who hit the home run."

[godlovesugly2]

"You pitched your tail off,'' Gardenhire said to Blackburn.