Game Thread: Astros@Twins 6/6 7:10PM

[Riverbrian]

Game-time forecast: Partly cloudy with a 50-percent chance of rain. Winds blowing from left to right field at 5-10 m.p.h. Temperature around 75.

 

Roh Roh... Here come the Astro's Lineup from ChiTown... Jane... Stop this Crazy Thing!!!

 

Geez, Brian ... I was waiting FOREVER for you to finish your spiel so I could jump in and do my little thing here. And here's my little thing ...

 

Astros:

SP, Keuchel

 

Fowler CF

Altuve 2B

Springer RF

Castro C

Dominguez 3B

Singleton 1B

Carter DH

Grossman LF

Gonzalez SS

 

Twins:

SP, Hughes

 

Santana DH

Dozier 2B

Mauer 1B

Willingham LF

Plouffe 3B

Kubel RF

Suzuki C

Escobar SS

Hicks CF

 

----------------------------------------------------------------

 

Things to Think About:

 

1. The Astro's -- Rebuilding a down and out franchise is always a challenge and there are deferent degrees of philosophy executed by GM's in charge of such tasks. The Twins have attempted to remain as competitive as possible while building minor league talent from below. The Astro's took more of nuclear bomb approach. They traded every veteran of value for minor league prospects and played bad enough that they have been drafting first overall since 1976. Team payroll was down to the price of 12 gallons of gas for awhile and is still in the 20 gallons of gas range. The Astros have youngest team in baseball with an Average age of 17.8. The 2014 Astros started off bad but the youngsters have been turning things around lately. Hot prospects George Springer and Jon Singleton are up now... joining Jose Altuve... Jason Castro and Matt Dominquez and finally sharp baseball people are going... Ahhh.... I see what you are doing here. The Pitching staff is also young and there are more coming. It's quite possible that they won't draft first next year.

 

2. Timing -- If this was April... We would love to have been playing the Astros... The schedule maker said nope... The Twins would face the Astros in June. The Astros have won 9 of their last 12 games and that's just wonderful timing. Streaks can stop and go cold just as quickly as they start and get hot. In the end... it doesn't matter but I sure hope no one showed up with the impression that the Astros will be a walk on the space treadmill. You could end up like George thinking that way.

 

3. Dallas Kuechel -- He's 26 years old and he has arrived in the majors this year. Dallas has been fantastic while pitching a 2.70 ERA. I'm not sure the Astros were expecting him to be ace like but I'm sure they are not asking him to regress back to expectation. He was a 7th round draft pick out of the University of Arkansas. Dallas was born in Tulsa Oklahoma and I'm pretty sure that's why his parents named him Dallas. I've seen research that says that 44 percent of boys born in Dallas are named Tulsa. Out of state jealousy... Club Officials are trying to entice Dallas Kuechel to change his name to Corpus Christi. I really haven't seen him pitch yet so I'm not sure what he is dealing but he is dealing something based on the numbers... Propably bottom of the deck sleight of hand that someone just has to get wise to.

 

4. Oswaldo Arcia -- They are calling it a sprained ankle and that probably means that his leg fell off entirely. It was a bummer injury of Arcia because his bat was really on a roll. He was becoming the guy you had to wait to watch hit. The guy who made you say hold on... Yes I'll help but hold on... As your wife is stuck underneath the downstairs couch that she tried to lift herself... repeating Help Help Help over and over again.

 

5. "As You Like It" -- I was listening to the Rush double live album "All the World's a Stage" late last night before going to bed. This led to me thinking about Shakespeare and his oft quoted line. "All the World's a stage" and that led me to think... Where does the Audience Sit?

[ashbury]

The guy who made you say hold on... Yes I'll help but hold on... As your wife is stuck underneath the downstairs couch that she tried to lift herself... repeating Help Help Help over and over again.

 

Or if the spouse is walking the dog and gets stuck on the conveyor belt.

[jokin]

Or if the spouse is walking the dog and gets stuck on the conveyor belt.

 

Help! Jane! Stop this crazy thing!

 

 

[video=youtube;1J56ruLcQHY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1J56ruLcQHY

[Squirrel]

Help! Jane! Stop this crazy thing!

 

 

 

I think this one is better suited for this crowd:

 

 

[ashbury]

I think this one is better suited for this crowd:

 

 

 

Why is this considered comedy, but a Three Stooges short counts as a documentary about men in the workplace?

[D. Hocking]

I think this one is better suited for this crowd:

 

 

 

Hopefully someone will not go too far and think a clip from TBS After Dark (TM some other poster) is better suited to this crowd.

[ashbury]

Hopefully someone will not go too far and think a clip from TBS After Dark (TM some other poster) is better suited to this crowd.

 

That was last night. New thread.

[D. Hocking]

That was last night. New thread.

 

In a way it is impressive how the game threads manage to find new diversions every night. There are some posters quite talented in finding new tangents that normal people could never dream up.

[jokin]

In a way it is impressive how the game threads manage to find new diversions every night. There are some posters quite talented in finding new tangents that normal people could never dream up.

 

Paging LaBombo and Bark's Lounge...!

[Craig Arko]

In a way it is impressive how the game threads manage to find new diversions every night. There are some posters quite talented in finding new tangents that normal people could never dream up.

 

I have no idea what you mean by this.

 

[jokin]

I have no idea what you mean by this.

 

 

Paging LaBombo and Bark's Lounge...!

 

,,,Oh!.....and crarko, too...!

[JB_Iowa]

• Johan Santana tore his Achilles and is out for the year
   
   
  

 

 

For all you youngsters out there, you hit your mid-30's and its downhill.

 

Really sorry to read this about Johan.

[Gibby]

• Johan Santana tore his Achilles and is out for the year
  

 

 

For all you youngsters out there, you hit your mid-30's and its downhill.

 

Really sorry to read this about Johan.

 

I had 5 knee surgeries before I hit my mid 20s. Other-wise it's been a nice ride. I look forward to being an old fart.

[JB_Iowa]

I had 5 knee surgeries before I hit my mid 20s. Other-wise it's been a nice ride. I look forward to being an old fart.

 

LOL. As long as those knee surgeries don't come back to haunt you now.

[Gibby]

LOL. As long as those knee surgeries don't come back to haunt you now.

 

Oh, I'm up to 9 now, but just 1 more to go.

[JB_Iowa]

Oh, I'm up to 9 now, but just 1 more to go.

 

Is the 10th one free??

[Richie the Rally Goat]

I think this one is better suited for this crowd:

 

 

i was expecting

[Gibby]

Is the 10th one free??

 

No, but I will be, after about a 6 month rehab.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

• Johan Santana tore his Achilles and is out for the year
  

 

 

For all you youngsters out there, you hit your mid-30's and its downhill.

 

Really sorry to read this about Johan.

I'm in my mid thirties, so far, no Achillies injuries, knock on wood

[JB_Iowa]

No, but I will be, after about a 6 month rehab.

 

Good to hear.

[Gibby]

TK looks good.

[JB_Iowa]

TK looks good.

 

Good but really short next to Dick.

[Bark's Lounge]

Paging LaBombo and Bark's Lounge...!

 

Jokin, you are too kind! Props out to you LaBombo!

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Oh man, are we in a non rain rain delay?

[Gibby]

Oh man, are we in a non rain rain delay?

 

If I can grill, these guys can play.

[JB_Iowa]

How can 1st pitch be right around the corner (Kevin Gorg) if they've just put the tarp on???

[Tibs]

Rain delay, eh? Looks like I'll be watching the MLB StrikeZone channel

[sampleSizeOfOne]

If I can grill, these guys can play.

 

My, a new meaning for the "hot corner"...

[Guest USAFChief]

If I can grill, these guys can play.

If you can grill, I can eat.

[Bark's Lounge]

4. Oswaldo Arcia -- They are calling it a sprained ankle and that probably means that his leg fell off entirely. It was a bummer injury of Arcia because his bat was really on a roll. He was becoming the guy you had to wait to watch hit. The guy who made you say hold on... Yes I'll help but hold on... As your wife is stuck underneath the downstairs couch that she tried to lift herself... repeating Help Help Help over and over again.

 

When I seen Arcia tweak his knee last night, I slumped over in my chair and let out a very sad gasp... that was because I drank too much and passed out, but when I awoke, I put 2 and 2 together and realized that saddly, this is gonna sideline him for a week or two.

 

I look at Arcia as a Bull Fighter - he has all the Gusto and Bravado one would seek in an emotionally exciting player, every time he pumps his fist after getting a timely or extra base hit, he is slaying the bull. I felt his fire and it makes me feel a little bit less engaged in tonights game.