Opening Day Game Thread: Twins @ White Sox, 3:10 p.m.

[Seth Stohs]

Here we are. Let the REAL games begin.

Gametime weather: Cloudy. Winds blowing in from center field at; around 55.

 

Twins:

SP, Nolasco

 

Brian Dozier 2B

Kurt Suzuki C

Joe Mauer 1B

Josh Willingham LF

Chris Colabello DH

Trevor Plouffe 3B

Oswaldo Arcia RF

Aaron Hicks CF

Pedro Florimon SS

 

White Sox:

SP, Sale

 

Eaton CF

Semien 2B

Gillaspie 3B

Abreu 1B

Dunn DH

Garcia RF

De Aza LF

Ramirez SS

Flowers C

 

And the next up to bat? Brian, with his 'Things to Think About.' Check this space later for more.

 

Thanks ChiTown and Seth

 

Things to think about:

 

1 Opening Day -- Unless your team is playing in the World Series. Opening day is simply the best day of the year for all teams. It's been a long winter... Still going in my case as I look at a blizzard out my window. Opening Day... Is the first look at the team and a day that anything is possible.

 

2. National Holiday -- Budweiser and Ozzie Smith are trying to make opening day a national holiday. To me its such a no brainer... I'm burning a vacation day today regardless (I actually went in to work this morning but I'm taking the afternoon off in solidarity with what should be a national holiday)!!!

 

3. March 31 -- On this date in 1880... Wabash Indiana became the first city to be completely illuminated by electric light. Once the citizens of Wabash saw where they were living... Most of them moved to Cincinatti Ohio.

 

On this date in 1985... ABC aired the 200th episode of the Love Boat. 95% of everyone is perplexed that Fred Grandy was in 200 episodes of anything... I was always impressed that all Love Boat episodes could be watched by 5 year olds without needing a birds and bees discussion immediately after.

 

On this date in 1999... Fabio was hit in the face by a bird while riding a roller coaster in Virginia... I have nothing to add... Other than... If I had a time machine... I'd be real tempted to go back to 1999 Virginia just to watch that happen.

 

4. Platoon? -- Colabello starting against a left hander. Kubel on the bench. Is it possible a Platoon is getting started. It's been awhile since the Twins have utilized a platoon and it been awhile since I've seen the movie platoon.

 

5. Game Threads -- Welcome to the first official game thread of 2014... Everyone is welcome to participate... Just jump in... Try not to be too serious and no bad moods and you are good to go.

 

Go Twins!!!

[Chance]

I'm proud they decided to let Colabello start this one against a lefty. This may show that they will truly platoon Kubel and Chris.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Whooooo, baseball!

[Squirrel]

Whooooo, baseball!

 

Indeed

 

I can already tell TD is experiencing some heavy traffic.

[thetank]

Should be a national Holliday.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

A thought... (welcome to be incorporated in the official listing, if it fits)

 

Cleansing the palate. From context, it seems to have to do with getting ready to appreciate the finer tastes/points of something.

 

How does one cleanse one's palate for opening day?

[Monkeypaws]

Indeed

 

I can already tell TD is experiencing some heavy traffic.

 

You going to the game ChiTownTwinsFan?

[Joe A. Preusser]

Not super happy to see Suzuki ib tge 2 spot, but we'll see. Wish i was off work earlier.

[Squirrel]

You going to the game ChiTownTwinsFan?

 

I went back and forth trying to decide. None of my friends wanted to go and I just didn't relish being a lone Twins fan in a sea of black and white for the Sox's home opener. I also didn't relish buying a ticket in the outfield for $75. (Home opener premium pricing.) So, I'll watch from the comfort of my own home for today. But I might go on Thursday, if I can run away from work for the afternoon.

[Winston Smith]

Your fresh and new, at least for one day, 2014 Mn Twins.

[JB_Iowa]

If the gusts we're getting here today hit Chicago early enough, it could be a really interesting afternoon.

[JB_Iowa]

• Mike Berardino ‏@MikeBerardino 6m
  Plan is to honor Gardy for 1,000th win before second home game, 4/9 vs OAK. Still 2 wins away.
   
   
  Do they have to tempt the baseball gods?
   
   
  

[Squirrel]

If the gusts we're getting here today hit Chicago early enough, it could be a really interesting afternoon.

Yeah ... you saw the weather forecast for the game up top? I'm sort of laughing because I look out the window and it's sunny and blue skies with a few wispy clouds; it's currently 63 degrees; and looking at the trees, it's pretty calm wind-wise ... but I guess that could change in a couple hours.

[Ultima Ratio]

With winds blowing like that I'm glad we don't have Vance out there

 

Two-hole = black hole.

 

Barf.

 

Go Twins.

[jctwins]

Season Over.

 

 

In first!

[Craig Arko]

What I want to see is how Nolasco comes out of the gate. That's kinda where the money went. (Cue Robert Palmer).

[Boom Boom]

Florimon's really more of a classic Gardenhire #2 hitter. Very Casilla-like.

[mikeee]

way cool!

[Tibs]

I can't wait for the game. Hopefully I can stream it somewhere. Go Twins!

[Craig Arko]

It sounds like the weather is good, but the replay hardware is blowing fuses. They need Tony Stark in there.

[Fatt Crapps]

I've been watching this Tigers/Royals game. The Tigers defense is truly terrible.

[gil4]

I just didn't relish being a lone Twins fan in a sea of black and white for the Sox's home opener. I also didn't relish buying a ticket in the outfield for $75. (Home opener premium pricing.)

 

I can't relate to the first part. I grew up in Connecticut as a Twins fan among a sea of Red Sox and Yankees fans, and hatin' on them was part of the attraction. Sure, my excuse was being born in MN, but how much of it could I really remember when I left when I was 9 months old?

 

I can relate to the second part, though. I'm a cheap SOB - that comes with the habit of multiplying the price everything x 8 (wife + six kids.) That $75 ticket just became $600, or $300 if I can talk her into letting me just take the boys. That TV sounds pretty good, and I can always log on the ESPN to heckle White Sox fans.

[gil4]

• Mike Berardino ‏@MikeBerardino 6m
  Plan is to honor Gardy for 1,000th win before second home game, 4/9 vs OAK. Still 2 wins away.
   
   
  Do they have to tempt the baseball gods?
  

 

If he screws up their plans maybe they just fire him.

[Riverbrian]

A thought... (welcome to be incorporated in the official listing, if it fits)

 

Cleansing the palate. From context, it seems to have to do with getting ready to appreciate the finer tastes/points of something.

 

How does one cleanse one's palate for opening day?

 

I lick a baseball... I'm licking one right now.

[Halsey Hall]

It didn't take long for Gardy to move Mauer out of the 2 hole. Now the walk count to 100 begins. It's good to see Colabello get the start, and with a couple of hits too!

[Winston Smith]

I lick a baseball... I'm licking one right now.

 

Don't mess up your lipstick!

[Squirrel]

I lick a baseball... I'm licking one right now.

 

ish (that comment was for Chief)

[Squirrel]

A thought... (welcome to be incorporated in the official listing, if it fits)

 

Cleansing the palate. From context, it seems to have to do with getting ready to appreciate the finer tastes/points of something.

 

How does one cleanse one's palate for opening day?

 

Drink lots of good beer.

[Riverbrian]

ish (that comment was for Chief)

 

How else do you make the baseball dive and dart in different directions.

[nicksaviking]

Your fresh and new, at least for one day, 2014 Mn Twins.

 

Are those actual Twins or is that a before and after splice with the one on the left representing our wide-eyed optimism of opening day and the one on the right depicting the rest of the summer?