Back in August, I asked you for your preferred blogs and websites to link to. Nearly two months later, I’ve come through.

Check out an expanded blogroll down the right side of this page. It also includes a link to www.baseball-reference.com because many arguments here have included trips to that site for back-up.

I really suggest checking out the 2010 ballpark site. Looking at the photos got me fired up. I hope the person who runs the site keeps ‘em  coming.

Whew! Change is good but change can be a pain, too.

Stribbers are slowly getting new PC’s and laptops and migrating to a new email system, and there have been some glitches. I like the new e-mail system, so it’s worth it. And the new laptop rocks.

The Twins’ season is over but the Twins are far from dormant.

1. Florida instructional league is going on now.

2. The Twins will hold their organizational meetings in Fort Myers next week. That’s when the Twins will get everyone - front office, field management, scouts, etc, - together to assess how things have gone and plot a course for the offseason. It’s where the Twins could decide where they will upgrade the club before spring training.

3. But what I want to get into now is Arizona Fall League action - which begins today.

 The AFL is a six-team league for nearly-ready prospects that runs until just before Thanksgiving. Each major league team sends several prospects to fill out rosters. And nearly-ready isn’t a joke. Jed Lowie was in the league last year and is now helping the Red Sox chase another title. Troy Tulowitzki played there in 2006 and was a key player for the Rockies last year. Jacoby Ellsbury, Ben Zobrist and Gavin Floyd played in the league in 2006 and were on playoff teams this year.

 So it’s worth keeping track of the AFL  to see how your favorite prospect is doing.

Here are the Twins prospects in the league this season: All are playing for the Peoria Phoenix Desert Dogs.

Rob Delaney, RHP: Delaney, a reliever, was 1-2 with a 1.42 ERA in 23 games at Class A Fort Myers. He walked four and struck out 34 in 31.2 innings while holding opponents to a .207 batting average. He was bumped up to Class AA New Britain - but his numbers were even better. A 2-1 record and 1.05 ERA in 23 games there. He walked seven and struck out 38 in 34.1 innings. Opp. avg: ,171. Delaney throws in the low to mid-90’s but apparently has a nasty slider and a bulldog mentality to go with it. He should debut with Twins sometime next year - his success at the AA level suggests so.

Anthony Slama, RHP: Slama was Delaney’s teammate at Fort Myers before Delaney was promoted, and the two simply worked over the league. In 51 games, Slama was 4-1 with a 1.01 ERA and 25 saves. In 71 innings, Slama walked 24 and struck out 110. Slama should have been promoted to New Britain along with Delaney, but Slama was caught up in a numbers game and the Twins wanted him to close. He has a good sinking fastball and decent slider. He’ll be 25 in January, so it’s really time to get Slama moving through the system.

Tim Lahey, RHP: Another reliever, Lahey throws hard but his numbers at Class AAA Rochester - 5-5, 5.43, 23 walks in 63 innings - suggests he needs some refinement. The AFL will be a good test for the converted catcher.

Jeff Manship, RHP: The Twins have been fired up about Manship for a couple years now. He throws the basic four-pitch mix, but his curveball has been called one of the best in the organization. He was 7-3, 2.86 in 13 starts at Fort Myers before he was moved to New Britain. But he struggled with the Rock Cats, going 3-6, 4.46 in 14 starts. After not giving up a homer at Fort Myers, he was tagged eight times at New Britain. So the AFL will be a good challenge for him. The experience he’ll gain should help him solve AA ball - then the Twins can look forward to his arrival.

Steven Tolleson, 2B: There are three second basemen and two shortstops listed on Peoria’s roster, so there will be a battle for playing time. Tolleson hit .300 with nine homers and 50 RBI for New Britain in 93 games. While he struck out 74 times, he walked 44 times for a .382 on base percentage (had a .388 OBP in 2007). Tolleson played short, second and a little outfield at New Britain last season and I’ve been told supposed to be a nice little defensive player.

Daniel Valencia, 3B: The Twins believe Valencia is bonafide third base prospect who will hit for power and play good defense, not some undersized stopgap answer or a strong hitter with a stone glove. He hit .336 with five homers and 44 RBI and a .402 on base percentage in 60 games at Fort Myers before moving to New Britain. I remember barking at the Twins for keeping him -and Delaney…and Slama - at Fort Myers so long. Well, the Twins moved him to New Britain - and Valencia promptly hit .186 in his first 12 games. But he figured things out. He hit .319 in July then hit .308 with eight homers and 21 RBI in August to finish at .289-10-32 in 69 games. So I was right! He drew just 18 walks and fanned 70 times after the promotion, which is concern. But it will be interesting to see how he plays this fall. So far, not bad for a 19th round pick in 2006.

Dustin Martin, OF: He’s listed at 6-2, 210. I saw Martin during spring training and he was one physical specimen. But he’s still trying to get his physical gifts to show up on the field. He hit .290 with  10 homers and 72 RBI for New Britain.  He stole 22 bases. He walked 49 times and 125 times in 133 games - not good. I was impressed to see that he made just two errors in 128 games in the outfield. That means his arm isn’t erratic and the 22 steals suggests he can cover ground. This is a good test for him heading into a 2009 season during which he’ll turn 25.

I know Twins fans everywhere are hurting right now. I know one person in particular.

I’m the oldest of three children. As the older brother, I’ve often had to be the voice of reason and the rock of composure when dealing with my brother and sister.

And I had to be at my brotherly best on Tuesday.

My sister, Leslie, and brother, Lawrence, still live in the house we grew up in on the south side of town. My brother is a huge White Sox fan. My sister has always liked the Twins. We never understood why, we think she just wanted to be different from the rest of us, but they’ve always been her team.

My brother called at 9:03 - six minutes after the game ended.

“Did you see that! We’re in!,” he yells into the phone. “That was incredible!”

We talked for a few minutes. I told him that I’m happy for him and the Sox deserve credit for pulling out a tough game. I’m wasn’t going to rain on the little guy’s parade - but I could only take so much and told him I had to go. I was at Al Baker’s in Eagan with a bunch of friends, they were crushed, and I was steamed that my trip to Tampa to cover the ALDS was blown up.

I went home. put the phone on the counter and watched TV. I realized after awhile that I forgot to plug the phone into the charger. I went over to pick it up, looked at it and saw that my sister had left a stream of text messages.

9:55:09: (one word, rhymes with ham)

9:56:24: That was not supposed to happen. Sucks!

9:57:04: I feel for u.

9:57:07: (how was that possible?) I’m going to bed!

10:06:02: You have no idea how disappointed I am. Even though ESPN is praising the Twins for a good season with all the setbacks and roster changes, I hope the Sox get whipped!

I plugged the phone in while thinking, “I hope Larry stays upstairs in his room. I hope Leslie stays downstairs in her room. And I hope they aren’t in the kitchen at the same time in the morning.”

Joe C. and Jim Souhan are at the mike tonight for the show at The Cell. And while I often embrace the,`You don’t know what’s going to going to happen when you get to the ballpark,’ thing, I just don’t know how the Twins can pull this one off.

I have my reasons:

1.The game was sold out within a hour. It will be the most hostile environment many Twins players will have experienced to this point in their careers. I have NOT forgotten the 2003 All-Star Game in Chicago, when fans booed Eddie Guardado mercilessly during introductions.

2. The Sox have called it a black out game. They have urged all fans to dress in black and will hand out black, `Sox Pride’ towels. The place will rock.

3. The Sox hate playing in the Dome to the point where they feel they the Twins can’t beat them at The Cell. I’m not kidding. Sox officials told me last week that they can’t wait until the Twins move out the Dome because the Twins get away with bloops and chop hits and luck - I guess they’ve forgotten the 90-something horseshoes they had up their rears in 2005.

But they are convinced that the Twins are a different team out of the Dome. I agree. The home-road splits back that up. But it’s not because of bloop hits, it’s because their pitchers - especially the relievers - have been awful at times on the road.

4. The Sox hate losing to the Twins. Read this…and this. The Sox talk more stuff about the Twins than any team I know. They will be fired up. Expect A. J. Pierzynski to be at his best tonight.

5. Weather. It’s expected to be in the 60’s with wind gusts up to 30 mph blowing toward center-right center. Not good for Blackburn, who’s has left the ball up too much in recent starts. He did pitch better against the White Sox at the Dome, but he’ll need to be better tonight.

6. Nick Blackburn. Is he ready for what he’s about to experience? Sox fans will be all over him. Ozzie Guiilen talks like his team is about to make mincemeat out of him. Blackburn was 0-2 with 7.20 ERA in The Cell this season. The wind is blowing the WRONG way. He’s got to keep the ball down and mix his pitches - and the batting champion catcher needs to make sure he does that!

If Blackburn and the Twins can pull this off, it will be one of the greatest wins in club history. I have purchased a ticket to Tampa to cover Wednesday’s workout before Game One of the ALDS. 

I would like to use it.

I’m in the Metrodome pressbox in my grubbiest clothing just in case the White Sox lose and the Twins start popping corks. But everything is on hold now that the Sox-Tigers game is in a rain delay.

Joe C. e-mailed from The Cell that it won’t be totally clear until 6 p.m., so they might have to play among raindrops once the game begins.

I have some programming notes:

1. The Sox-Tigers game can be heard on AM690 The Score once it begins.

2. Dick Stockton, Ron Darling  and Harold Reynolds will call the Twins-White Sox play-in game (if necessary) on Tuesday. Marc Fein will report from the field. 

3. Dan Orsillo, Reynolds and Fein will work the first two games of the Rays ALDS.

Now, I was about to lay out a few reasons why the Tigers should be motivated to beat the Sox today. Unfortunately, I mentioned my reasons on KFAN during the P.A. and Dubay Show.

Funny, just when I get ready to blog my thoughts, I noticed that Howard Sinker has a list of reasons - and the first four are exactly what I said on the air - Gary Sheffield going for 500 career homers, Miguel Cabrera going for the RBI title. Freddy Garcia pitching for a 2009 contract and Curtis Granderson being from Chicago.

Makes you go hmmmmm.

Was Howard listening to the show and decided to steal my material? That’s what I’m going with! The only other possibility would be that Howard and I think alike, and that thought makes me want to take a shower.

I feel like I’ve been had.

Anyway, Twins fans should hope that more than a handful of Tigers are motivated to win today. Because if they aren’t, that means they might have tied one on last night….

1:55 update: The Dome is slowly being converted to football because the Gophers play host to Indiana this week. Jose Mijares just showed up and the field and walked around for a few minutes. He better watch out. If Tim Brewster sees him, he might try to enroll him.

4:41 update: Kevin Slowey, who was struck on the wrist Saturday by a Juan Uribe line drive, just finished playing catch in the outfield with Scott Baker while team trainer Rick McWane looked on. The two threw to each other for about 10 minutes before Slowey left and Baker threw against a wall.

It’s a good sign that Slowey can play a little catch. We’ll have more on this later…