Game 121: Diamondbacks at Twins

First Pitch: 6:10 PM (official; Twins are saying that's when the INDUCTION will start)
TV: FSN
Radio: Go 96.3, TIBN
Be Aware of Your Opponent: AZ Snake Pit

Tonight, Zack Greinke will go up against Jose Berrios as the Twins try to win the series against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The Twins have a relationship with Zack Greinke, who was a division rival with the Royals for seven years (winning the Cy Young in 2009) before joining our border rivals in Milwaukee in 2011. This is his second season with the Diamondbacks after Arizona shocked the world by signing him following his 1.66-ERA-season with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2015. Greinke held the American League-leading Houston Astros scoreless in 6.2 innings his last time out.

Jose Berrios has had a rough last couple of outings and will try to get back some of the mojo he had in San Diego, when he two-hit the Padres over seven innings on August 1st. Since then, he's given up 11 earned runs in 8.1 innings -- but with the way the offense has been lighting it up, we might win no matter how many runs the D-Backs score.

The big story tonight, though, is Michael Cuddyer's induction to the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame. It seems like just yesterday that Cuddy was trotting out to right field (or any number of positions -- dude played anywhere Gardy told him to). The reality is, it's been six years since Cuddy suited up for the Twins, and two years since his final season with the pennant-winning New York Mets.

Michael Cuddyer hit .272/.343/.451 with 239 doubles, 35 triples, 141 homers, and 52 stolen bases over 1,139 games. He also really loved it here in Minnesota, a well-known truth made even clearer by this article he penned for the Player's Tribune upon his retirement.

Cuddyer will be the 29th inductee into the Twins HOF (Andy MacPhail will mark 30 tomorrow). I wish I could say that I had 29 Michael Cuddyer highlights to commemorate the occasion, but I definitely don't, so instead, here's like, four.

Cuddyer hitting for the cycle marks an era where the Twins had three cycles in a season and a half (Gomez '08, Kubel '09). At the time I was pretty sure we'd keep up this pace forever. We haven't had a cycle since.

Watch this one at your own risk. This is from that OTHER Game 163 -- the one in 2008 that we lost to the White Sox, cementing my already-potent hatred for the organization even further. Even though he was out, I like this play solely for how hard Cuddyer rammed into A.J. Pierzynski at home plate. This was a sheer battle of will, and even though Cuddy lost it, what an effort it was.

Michael Cuddyer Pitches Against the Rangers

(Excuse the lack of an MLB.com video embed, but you can't leave out this clip in a list of Michael Cuddyer highlights.)

Skip to 3:44:40 for the most important triple of Michael Cuddyer's career. I still get chills from this one.

~~~

Congratulations, Cuddy, and GO TWINS GO!!!