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Home | Sports | Twins

Suzuki keeps AL loose with colorful pregame pep talk

By JOE CHRISTENSEN, Star Tribune

Last update: July 15, 2008 - 7:30 AM

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NEW YORK - Yankee Stadium has been home to several famous speeches, from Knute Rockne's "Win one for the Gipper," to Lou Gehrig's "Luckiest man on the face of the Earth."

Tonight, Seattle's Ichiro Suzuki could add to the lore.

His pregame pep talks apparently have become a staple for the American League. Twins first baseman Justin Morneau described the scene from last year in San Francisco.

"[Suzuki] was sitting in the locker back there, and David Ortiz said, 'Ichi's got something to say.'

"And then he pops out and everybody started dying. I had no idea it was coming. It was hilarious. If you've never seen it, it's definitely something pretty funny."

Anything printable?

"No," Morneau said. "That's what gets you, too, is hearing him say what he says. I've talked to him a little bit when he gets to first, but I didn't know he knew those words."

Suzuki has been an All-Star every year since 2001, so maybe this helps explain how the AL has sustained its 10-0-1 mark over the past 11 years.

"It's hard to explain the effect that it has," Morneau said. "You know, it's such a tense environment, everyone's kind of a little nervous for the game. He doesn't say a lot the whole time he's in there, and all of a sudden the manager gets done with his speech and he pops out. It's pretty funny."

Leaving on a jet plane

Morneau, Joe Mauer and Joe Nathan needed a lift from Detroit to New York after Sunday's Twins-Tigers game, so Tigers owner Mike Ilitch invited them aboard his private jet, along with Detroit manager Jim Leyland and All-Star infielder Carlos Guillen.

The Twins seemed to enjoy the in-flight conversation, especially with Leyland.

"I asked him a couple questions," Mauer said. "I just wanted to get some dirt on [catcher] Mike Redmond [who played for Leyland in Florida]. I've got a couple more days to find some stories. I'm sure he's got some."

The Twins chartered a small plane to fly the three of them and their families back to Minnesota after tonight's game. The Twins won't play again until Friday, against Texas, giving them a four-day All-Star break instead of three.

"That extra day of rest is going to be big," Morneau said.

Yankee Stadium debut

National League starting pitcher Ben Sheets had never been to Yankee Stadium before Monday's workout.

"I'm going to take the opportunity to see everything -- what do they call them? -- the monuments, everything," the Brewers pitcher said. "I'm going to definitely do a sightseeing tour today, and I'm going to enjoy every minute of it."

Sheets, who was born July 18, 1978, in St. Amant, La., thanked NL manager Clint Hurdle for picking him as the starter.

"I know for a fact he's probably the most popular man in Louisiana today," Sheets said.

A look back

Mauer, 25, will be the first Twins catcher to start an All-Star Game and the first Twin at any position to start since Torii Hunter in 2002.

The last time the All-Star Game was held at Yankee Stadium, in 1977, three Twins were selected. Rod Carew started at first base, Larry Hisle appeared as a pinch hitter and Butch Wynegar, then a 21-year-old catcher, replaced Carlton Fisk in the sixth inning.

Etc.

• The American League, with a victory tonight, can extend its unbeaten streak to 12 games -- the longest in All-Star Game history. The National League won 11 consecutive games from 1972 to 1982.

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