Craig Monroe

Guest

Thank you!

Subject: Re: Craig Monroe Tue Nov 20, 2007 11:57 am

You are welcome!
_________________
Coming soon: A better signature!

Guest

LOL! It's so hard to type with a baby in your arms....I surprised I typed that right.

Subject: Re: Craig Monroe Tue Nov 20, 2007 11:59 am

Baby?
_________________
Coming soon: A better signature!

Guest

Yes, we are watching my cousin.

What were you thinking?

Subject: Re: Craig Monroe Tue Nov 20, 2007 1:05 pm

I don't know! I figured it wasn't yours...I mean you're too young for that.

The only people your age with kids live in the south AND nowhere near the big cities. You're too close to Baton Rouge.

The people in Hoehenwald, TN probably have kids by age 8 though...
_________________
Coming soon: A better signature!

Guest

Subject: Re: Craig Monroe Tue Nov 20, 2007 1:25 pm

LOL! 19 isn't too bad. 16 or less is really bad though!
_________________
Coming soon: A better signature!

Guest

Yeah, it is. She was actually 17, had her at 18, and now she is 19. anyway.

16 or less, ehh no comment. That's just sad.

Subject: Re: Craig Monroe Tue Nov 20, 2007 1:46 pm

yeah it is!
_________________
Coming soon: A better signature!

Guest

GOO CMo! I really am trying to get to see you in Detroit, in a TC uniform, I love it.

Subject: Re: Craig Monroe Wed Nov 21, 2007 3:45 pm

No offense, but hopefully getting SWEPT!!

Subject: Re: Craig Monroe Tue Dec 11, 2007 4:05 pm

I'm sure there's a pic of him somewhere here but...

Twins decide to keep Monroe around, agree to one year contract

By Jerry Crasnick
ESPN.com
(Archive)

Outfielder Craig Monroe agreed to terms on a one-year contract with the Minnesota Twins that will pay him $3.82 million plus incentives based on plate appearances.

Monroe, 30, hit 28 homers and drove in 92 runs for the Detroit Tigers in 2006 and tied Hank Greenberg's franchise record with five postseason homers. But he slumped to .219 with 12 homers and 59 RBIs for Detroit and the Chicago Cubs last season.

Minnesota acquired Monroe from Chicago for a player to be named on Nov. 13. When the Twins picked up left fielder Delmon Young from Tampa two weeks later, it appeared they wouldn't have enough at-bats for Monroe and might non-tender him by Wednesday's deadline -- thereby rendering him a free agent.

But the Twins ultimately decided they have enough at-bats available for Monroe between the outfield and designated hitter to warrant re-signing him. Minnesota currently has Young in left field, Michael Cuddyer in right field and the left-handed hitting Jason Kubel as its primary designated hitter.
_________________
bow

Guest

GOOO CMo!!!!!!

Subject: Re: Craig Monroe Tue Dec 11, 2007 4:45 pm

Great choice of avatar cdurb! JV is not going anywhere, that's for sure!

Guest

Thank you!

Subject: Re: Craig Monroe Mon Mar 24, 2008 2:51 am

Craig Monroe holds no grudge against Tigers
BY JON PAUL MOROSI • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER • March 24, 2008

FT. MYERS, Fla. -- There were two outs in the third inning when Craig Monroe stepped to the plate last Monday at Hammond Stadium.

Monroe sent a fly ball into centerfield. It was too high, and too shallow, to cause much trouble. The centerfielder settled under it and made the inning-ending catch.

Routine, right? Well, yes, in every sense but this: The rookie jogging toward the visitor's dugout, ball in glove, was Cameron Maybin.

Monroe and Maybin are Tigers no more, but both will be remembered in Detroit long after the memorable announcement involving them last year: On Aug. 17, the Tigers designated Monroe's contract for assignment to clear a roster spot for Maybin. Less than a week later, the team traded Monroe to the Cubs.

Monroe said he never resented Maybin for effectively replacing him on the team. The two spoke amicably before last Monday's game.

"He's a good friend of mine," Monroe said. "I know he felt bad. I told him, 'Hey, this is how baseball is. It's not about me and you.' There (were) no hard feelings.

"Anytime he calls and needs advice, I'm here for him. He's a great kid."

While Maybin is competing for a roster spot in Florida, Monroe seems assured of at least a part-time role with the Twins. He has always hit well in the Metrodome -- he owns a lifetime .304 batting average there, according to STATS LLC -- and should see at-bats as a designated hitter and in the outfield. And he is helping his case for playing time with a .333 average through his first 10 spring games.

Monroe has enjoyed his new surroundings in the relaxed Twins clubhouse, saying his new teammates "don't take themselves too seriously. You can just tell. We're having a good time." He has also noticed a similarity in style between Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire and Tigers manager Jim Leyland.

"It's the same thing -- laughter, joking and the consistency of how they believe the game should be played," Monroe said. "They believe the game should be played the right way. At the same time, they believe in having fun. You can tell they have a lot of similarities.

"I know he has a lot of respect for Leyland and how he goes about his business."

Monroe said he has marveled at the number of former Twins greats who have come to camp as instructors: Rod Carew, Tony Oliva, Harmon Killebrew and Paul Molitor. Monroe said Carew, the Hall of Famer and seven-time batting champion, has repeatedly told him, "I'm here for you. I'm here to try to help you get better."

"It's hard not to listen to a guy who's done it," Monroe said.

Monroe, who batted .222 in 99 games with the Tigers last year, acknowledged that he was disappointed with how his tenure in Detroit ended. He said he "would have liked to finish the season there, good or bad, and then parted ways."

But he bears no grudge. He has kept in touch with several of his former teammates, including Marcus Thames, Curtis Granderson and Brandon Inge.

"I've got nothing but respect for that team," he said. "I have nothing but good things to say.

"I wouldn't be truthful if I said I wasn't disappointed in being designated and traded. Absolutely, it bothered me. But you understand the business aspects of the game. You know it's not personal. They made a business decision."

Detroit fans will likely see Monroe often enough this season to gauge how well he rebounds from last season: The Tigers face the Twins 18 times.

"The game is hard enough," Monroe said. "You can't overanalyze or make it more than what it is.

"I've said this before: Sometimes, you've got to get out of the way. It's hard to get out of the way when that's your passion and you're trying to be the best you can possibly be. But I'm finding ways to do that now, and I'm excited about where it's going."
_________________
There are three things in my life which I really love: God, my family, and baseball. The only problem - once baseball season starts, I change the order around a bit. ~Al Gallagher, 1971

Subject: Re: Craig Monroe Mon Mar 24, 2008 1:10 pm

That was a great article on Craig. What a great guy!

Subject: Re: Craig Monroe Mon Mar 24, 2008 1:15 pm

He really is. I think he understands that it ultimately is an entertainment business. (but OMG is it FUN! Big Smile

)
_________________
There are three things in my life which I really love: God, my family, and baseball. The only problem - once baseball season starts, I change the order around a bit. ~Al Gallagher, 1971

Subject: Re: Craig Monroe Fri Apr 11, 2008 9:49 am

Monroe is currently hitting 2-15 (.133 AVG), but the 2 hits were doubles.

BREAKING NEWS: DOUG DEEDS TRADED TO CHICAGO CUBS
Red Wings outfielder Doug Deeds was traded to the Chicago Cubs. He becomes the "player to be named later" in the trade that sent outfielder Craig Monroe to the Twins.
What makes this interesting is that Deeds had made Rochester his home in the offseason, because his wife Rebecca landed a job as a manager at a beauty shop in Eastview Mall. Deeds is a career .291 hitter who batted just .243 in 86 games for Rochester last season. He was destined to be another spare part this year with the Wings, and the Twins decided to give him a new lease on life elsewhere. He'll likely wind up with Triple-A Iowa.
Good luck to Doug, a genuine good guy.
_________________
bow

Subject: Re: Craig Monroe Fri Apr 11, 2008 9:49 am

_________________
There are three things in my life which I really love: God, my family, and baseball. The only problem - once baseball season starts, I change the order around a bit. ~Al Gallagher, 1971

Subject: Re: Craig Monroe Sun May 11, 2008 6:50 pm

Monroe's long balls power Twins
Slugger goes deep twice as Minnesota edges Boston
By Joe Kieser / Special to MLB.com

MINNEAPOLIS -- Twins general manager Bill Smith received some validation Sunday night after three of his offseason moves paid big dividends in Minnesota's 9-8 victory over Boston.

Three players who were not with the club a year ago, Craig Monroe, Adam Everett and Mike Lamb, knocked in all but one of Minnesota's runs in the victory. Monroe produced four of those RBIs himself, as the designated hitter homered twice.

For both teams, pitching and defense took a back seat to hits and runs.

A big second inning put the Twins in the driver's seat. With two on and no one out Monroe launched a 382-foot, three-run homer to the left-field seats to put the Twins up 3-0. It was Monroe's third home run in limited duty this season.

The next power surge came from an unlikely source, as Everett hit a two-run shot to put the Twins up, 5-0, in the second. It was his Everett's first of the year and just the 36th home run of his career. It also marked the first long ball by a Twins shortstop since Aug. 27, 2007.

Boston scratched across its first run of the game in the top of third on a Mike Lowell sacrifice fly, but Everett's 2007 Houston teammate Mike Lamb produced a two-run single in the bottom of the third to push Minnesota's lead to 7-1. The hit chased Boston starter Tim Wakefield from the game after just 2 2/3 innings.

It was the Red Sox's turn in the top of the fourth, as they put the heat on Twins starter Nick Blackburn. After four Boston hits, a walk and an error, the Twins lead was trimmed to 7-4. Minnesota got a run back courtesy of an unearned run after an error by Lowell made it 8-4 after four innings.

Blackburn labored through much of the game, but he showed an ability to get out of tough jams. Blackburn gave up just one run after loading the bases with no one out in the third inning and stranded a runner on third with just one out after getting Dustin Pedroia to ground out and David Ortiz to strike out. The right-hander lasted six innings, giving up four earned runs on nine hits. He also struck out five batters, walked one and hit two batters.

Boston cut into the Twins' lead and got to the bullpen when Coco Crisp took Minnesota reliever Matt Guerrier deep to right field for a two-run home run making it 8-6 in the top of the seventh. Monroe got one of those runs back for Minnesota in the bottom of the seventh with his second homer. It was Monroe's fourth of the year and the third time he has gone deep twice in a game over the span of his career.

Dennys Reyes pitched a scoreless eighth inning for the Twins, and Joe Nathan slammed the door in the ninth.
_________________
bow

Subject: Re: Craig Monroe Mon May 12, 2008 12:24 am

C-Mo did really well last night!
_________________
There are three things in my life which I really love: God, my family, and baseball. The only problem - once baseball season starts, I change the order around a bit. ~Al Gallagher, 1971

Subject: Re: Craig Monroe Mon May 12, 2008 2:19 am

Yay for Craig!!!

Subject: Re: Craig Monroe Mon May 12, 2008 7:12 am

Suuuuuuuuuure.....NOW his bat comes to life.....why couldn't that have happened Last year before we got rid of him? He's going to come back to haunt us....
_________________
"I'm glad we're in the other division," Terry Francona, manager of the East-winning Boston Red Sox, told the Associated Press. "That lineup just got scary."

Subject: Re: Craig Monroe Mon May 12, 2008 7:21 am

Subject: Re: Craig Monroe Tue May 13, 2008 2:54 am

Craig did really good last night too. He got a key hit during the 5th inning (I think it was that inning, I'm old and can't remember).