I guess we shouldn’t be surprised – he’s always been the invisible man. For chrisssakes, the guy started two games of the 1987 World Series (the watershed event of Minnesota baseball history) but where does he rank in your memories of Twins pitchers? Or even of 1987 pitchers? Let’s see – Viola, Blyleven, Reardon, El Gasolino, Emery Board Guy, The Fat Tub of Goo whose name I can never remember, Steve Carleton – how far down the list do you go until you get to him? Too far, probably.

That’s our fault, not his. He was taken out of Game 3 with the lead. He started the elimination Game 6. In his rookie year, no less. And it’s not like he hadn’t carried his share before that, either. He started 26 games in ‘87, threw a complete game and compiled a 4.37 ERA.

No, he wasn’t that good. And yes, his peripheral numbers were a little gruesome. But wasn’t that what the ’87 Twins were all about – a bunch of guys who were too young and too average riding their naivette (and more than a little luck) to a championship? Isn’t that what we loved about that team? So can you find a better embodiment of the ’87 Twins than Les Straker?

Well, maybe, but that’s only because we can’t actually find Straker. Nobody can. The Twins have apparently tried – Dave St. Peter was SURE he left him on his dresser, right next to his wallet, and why the hell does this always happen at the worst possible time, just as he’s trying to leave the house?

It is the worst possible time to misplace Les. This August the Twins will celebrate the 20th anniversary of that scrappy band of men, and according to the Pioneer Press, Straker is the only one they can’t find. A crisis room of sorts has been set up by some fans over at www.FindLesStraker.com to assist in reuniting Les with Twins Territory. You can stop by there with tips or just to reflect on your memories of Straker, of which I have none. Because of that invisibility thing, you know?

But that’s where the batlings can help, I’m sure. Because invisibility doesn’t bother batlings because they have that radar thing. Or it is sonar? Whatever. The point is we can sense things and people that others can’t, and right about now that’s exactly what we need to find Les, and guide him home. (Probably in a fairly erratic flying pattern. Because we’re not the most graceful bunch. But neither was Les.)

So let us comb the ends of the earth! Leave no stone or pillow-cushion unturned! Les is out there somewhere and only the batlings have the numbers, the passion, and that radary-sonary thing to find him. Fly, my fellow batlings! Fly!

Posted by Twins Geek at February 10, 2007 09:53 AM