Patrick Reusse last night: "Whoever these announcers are on Vikings game ... they would meet homer standard for FSN duties."

Blyleven response: "Very interesting that a guy like you can consistently criticize others when you played what sport? You are Mr. Negative!"

so Bert decides to play the "you never played" angle here.

He tweets again: "For years you have been a writer that always looks for the negative. Keep up the good work because you are good at it!"

He goes on to say... "I believe weather baseball, football or whatever sport, fans want to hear positive. The ones that don't, listen to YOU!"

Lastly he says this to someone else..."He has always been a writer that thinks he knows it all. Shaking hands with him? I think not!"

Bert needs to grow some thicker skin I think LOL.

THAT was laughable comine from Bert, he can dish it out but not take it.

Reusse tweeted this about an hour ago...

"Missed Bert's blasts until just now. Was it Twitter-only? P.S.: If I had to do it over, I'd still vote for him for Hall of Fame every year."

Good lord did Bert over react

You would think that a guy who played in the bigs for over 20 years having to deal with heckling and all that would have thicker skin.

he and Bremer seem to enjoy telling fans they don't know anything while talking down to them. For the most part, they are complete homers. Yes, I know Bert finally stood up and was critical about Nishi...but seriously, how big of a deal was it really?

I'm no fan of Ruesse, but he's right.

Bert thinks fans want to hear only positive things? All I ask for is honesty. Tell it like it is. If things are going bad, tell us about it. If things are going great, be happy. Just don't insult us when things are going bad by sugar coating things and living in denial.

Yeah just be real.

I really didn't read it all at first and now that I have I am embarrassed for Bert here. He is a team representative and a Hall of Famer. If he wanted to take a subtile jab back like he did with Reggie I might have been OK with it. Not here. Not with what he said in his reply.

Fans only want to hear positive? What in the world is that supposed to mean?? It implies that fans are ignorant to what is happening and I take offense. This underscores what I have been talking about lately about how the fan base is viewed by the Twins. They think we are ignorant rubes. It's an insult, like you say. Just be a darn reporter and break things down honestly. I mean......I can see it with my own two eyes ya know! Don't take a whizz down my back and tell me it's raining

You'd be able to tell...rain is cold.

Fans only want to hear positive? What in the world is that supposed to mean??

I suspect that's what he's being told by the Twins producers or some other 'suit' in the Fox Sports North org. That's why you'll never hear much subjective from either Bert or Richard...it's all pretty flowery, especially when it has to do with Mauer or Morneau. When those two are slumping, it's seldom discussed, only when they suddenly have that hit...might be 1 for 5, pop ups with RISP, or DPs and other 'rally-killers', but it's that "HIT" that gets blown out of reality...especially since those seem to occur with regularity when there's no one on and 2 outs.

The 'announcing' that frosts me is when we've had hits by the bottom of the order to begin a rally, and the bases may be loaded when Mauer gets up, and he "waits out a walk", while taking a couple down the pike that could have driven in a couple. I've never seen a #3 batter so intent on working the count for a walk. That again must be a "Twins thing".

It was amusing the other night when the opponents first batter up hit the first pitch out for a one run lead, and hear Bremer lamenting that their team didn't 'learn' anything from that AB. So even the announcers are into that "Twins thing"...pass up hittable pitches to get behind and have to swing at 'pitchers' pitches, so those coming to bat 'learn' something???

YO...RICHARD...It just MAY have something to do with the fact that the TWINS PITCHERS are always throwing it down the middle to get ahead on the first pitch. Bert ever hullabaloos the first pitch strikes the Twins pitchers throw. If they were 'pitchers', they wouldn't have to do that, and could mix it up. That might be the best way to get those batters deep into the count, and THEN those opposing hitters would learn something, eh???, Richard?

If Reusso isn't a credible source of news because he "didn't play professional sports", isn't that a slap in the face to D!ick Bremer? Bremer never played in a professional sports league, does Bert think Bremers opinions and commentary are worthless as well?

Doesn't this undermine the Twins organization and cause a massive credibility issue?

Bert essentially told the Srib writers that they are supposed to be pawns of the Twins organization, who say only what the Twins want the fans to hear. He also played the "you didn't play professional sports" card as well.

This is the sort of thing they do in dictatorships, try to smear, bully, intimidate or silence the opposition, to avoid having to answer uncomfortable questions that might harm the establishment.

The press is supposed to be a counter balance to keep the Twins organization honest, they have every right to fact check the Twins organization and expose the flaws in the system. When the press becomes a mouth piece for the Twins organization, the fans are in trouble.

When the press collaborates with the powers that be, things get worse.

Vin Scully probably has no business announcing either...

Spot on.

They've slowly morphed from country club, to cult, to dictatorship.

Bert had no problem criticising Nishioka for his poor play in the Indians series. Funny, he never questioned why Gardy kept playing him.

Those people who rip Nishioka are totally missing the point. He just isn't good enough! The REAL problem lies with those in charge of bringing him here, putting him on the roster, calling him up and then STARTING HIM for THREE STRAIGHT GAMES!!

It took a whole bunch of things to happen for us to get there. Then Bert speaks up and he's suddenly that hardliner that speaks only the truth?? Reusse's tweet was pretty mild and it didn't warrant Bert's numerous responses. Bert needs to check himself. His head is getting a little too big if you ask me.

Bert really seems to be getting senile.

Bert was bad before he was elected to the HOF always cynical of the process...now that he's elected he won't let anyone forget it.

Both Bremer and Blyleven are constantly saying 'I beg your pardon' or 'excuse me'. I wish the would go one broadcast without saying those phrases.

Is it possible FSN is phasing him out? He has missed an awful lot of broadcasts this year.

No, he has been out doing HOF stuff.