Game Thread: Twins v White Sox, 6/21 @ 1:10pm CT

[Guest USAFChief]

timely.

 

Let's get some runs.

[Willihammer]

And now their PBP guy mentions someone named ar-SEE-ya. Too lazy to learn the opponents' names, apparently.

 

Fun fact: Hawk Harrelson was the first player to wear batting gloves (or so says Wikipedia).

 

 

[Guest USAFChief]

"We were just trying to watch the Twins game and she'd come around and tell him to sit up straight if he slightly slouched in his chair... She said his third beer was way too much... The TV was too loud... The bag of Doritos were not good for him and his fingers were all orange now and he'd have to wash his hands."

 

Given all the other stuff, I'm guessing this one is only going to get worse.

[Guest USAFChief]

That's why you should slide head first.

 

//ducks//

[sampleSizeOfOne]

My favorite rendition of Ode to Joy. For today, anyway.

 

 

Thanks!

 

I'm a fan of the beeker version myself... (too lazy to look up that there youtube link at the moment, but could do it if ya want me to...)

[ashbury]

Fun fact: Hawk Harrelson was the first player to wear batting gloves (or so says Wikipedia).

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]7881[/ATTACH]

 

I would be pleased if he became the first broadcaster to wear a gag.

[Circus Boy]

Ed-EEE... Ed-EEE... Ed-EEE!

[longstrangetrip]

I missed the first three innings and apparently KC wasn't too sharp, but he's really looked good in the 4th and 5th. Keep it up, cuz we're going to get some more runs against this Brazilian. A Whities sweep would be terrific!

[longstrangetrip]

Dunn trying to make my previous post look really dumb

[glunn]

Game-time forecast: Partly cloudy. Winds blowing in from right field at 5-10 m.p.h. Temperature near 85.

 

White Sox:

SP, Rienzo

 

Eaton CF

Beckham 2B

Gillaspie 3B

Abreu 1B

Dunn DH

Ramirez SS

Viciedo RF

De Aza LF

Nieto C

 

Twins:

SP, Correia

 

Santana SS

Dozier 2B

Mauer DH

Morales 1B

Arcia RF

Suzuki C

Parmelee LF

Escobar 3B

Fuld CF

 

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

Okay, Bri, go to it. I think these lineups will give you a few things to think about, not that you need any help as your brain seems bursting with plenty to work with!

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

It's long been assumed that my brain burst along time ago. I used to love the taste of paint chips.

 

Things to think About:

 

1. Andre Rienzo -- He's 25 years old and from the baseball hotbed known as San Paulo Brazil. I'd imagine that the entire country of Brazil will have the TV's on and their eyes glued to it as they watch every pitch thrown by Rienzo with heavy anticipation. There is nothing else going on in Brazil to capture their attention. Rienzo is struggling this year with a current 5.67 ERA. In his last two starts he has given up 6 and 7 earned runs. However... he shouldn't be faulted for this... Because he's from southern half of the globe. It's technically Winter in Brazil and therefore his off season. On the other side of the equator everything is the opposite... Things circle around the drain the opposite way... In Brazil and Patagonia... Curveballs break the opposite way. Just try to imagine what it's like to learn how to pitch with a curveball that breaks one way and all of a sudden it reverses on you as a pitcher when you come North. Of course he's going to struggle!!! Despite this handicap... Rienzo became the first pitcher from Brazil to ever win a game in MLB. This puts Rienzo on the same list with other famous firsts... Such as Adam and Eve... Marco Polo and George Washington.

 

2. Oswaldo Arcia -- Uff Da... After an 0-3 last night. He is now 0 for his last 21. He could go 4-4 today and be 4 for 25 and that would only be a .160 stretch of baseball. He had sat two games prior as the Twins tried to convince him to stop trying to hit the ball to Olmstead county every single time he swung. So... Here's the good news... Oswaldo did not strike out last night. It may seem like baby steps but it's really a big giant leap for mankind. Oswaldo will hit home runs when he hits the ball solid. He doesn't need to swing harder... he just needs to square it up.

 

3. Josh Willingham -- Takes a seat on the bench today... I think this good... Parmelee has been hitting decently in limited chances and Willingham was a little clanky in the field last night in the 9th. Arcia may be worse of late but Hammer has been a little all or nothing at the plate as his BA has plummeted in recent weeks. I think you can start talking about Brian Dozier the same. Brian has made himself into a power hitter and he could be sacrificing other parts of his game to be a power guy. With that said... Nice clutch single last night Brian!!!

 

4. Eduardo Escobar -- I used to be a pretty consistent supporter of Pedro Florimon because of his defensive skill. The honest truth was that I didn't know what we had in Eduardo Escobar because he didn't get a bunch of chances to play and when he did... he was nothing but ordinary. Things have changed in 2014. I no longer support Florimon because Florimon is hitting around .100 which is just too low to support ever. Meanwhile... Escobar has grabbed a hold of a starting spot and it starting to look non-fluky to me. Escobar is looking like a ball player to the bone and ball players are guys I get behind. Last night with the bases loaded he went down and lined a double down the line. Clutch... I tell you... it was Clutch... This drove in 2 runs and put a runner on third who was then drove in with a Fuld sac fly. It's easy to say that Escobar was responsible for 3 Twin runs on the board and that brings us to the ninth. With Escobar on 2nd... Dozier jammed a liner into LF. Viciedo picked up the ball in mid LF as Escobar was touching 3B and rounding it and being waved in. I was screaming at the TV... NO NO NO... He doesn't have a chance. Luckily Viciedo took about two minutes to throw the ball and even after delivering an accurate throw to the plate. Escobar was able to reach his right hand around the catcher and score. That was a ball player slide... and Escobar is a ball player!!! No doubt about it... Escobar played a role in 4 of the Twins 5 runs and he won that game for us. While we wait for Dozier, Mauer, Hammer, Kendrys and Arcia to snap out of it... Thank Goodness we have a ball player in Edaurdo Escobar.

 

5. Nagging -- I spent last night watching the Twins with a friend who had invited me over. He's had a girlfriend for the past year and let me tell you... Is she ever trying to teach him stuff. We were just trying to watch the Twins game and she'd come around and tell him to sit up straight if he slightly slouched in his chair... She said his third beer was way too much... The TV was too loud... The bag of Doritos were not good for him and his fingers were all orange now and he'd have to wash his hands. Certain stories that he told were not interesting to her and she felt that he shouldn't bore other people with his stories. It was pretty rough to watch. I didn't want to inject myself into the situation so I sat quietly and observed it all. When he went to the bathroom to wash his hands. She apologized to me for his behavior. Well now... she is dragging me into it and his behavior was perfectly fine to me... it was hers that was making me uncomfortable. So I said... "Don't worry about it... He's over 40 years old and entitled to be himself in his own home". To which she replied... "I'm just trying to make him a better person"... To Which I replied... "I'd be careful... If you make him a better person... He might go find a better girlfriend who doesn't mind his orange fingers." (Pause)... "Can you pass me the Doritos"?

 

Amazing setup. Now I will be in a good mood even if the Twins lose.

[Guest USAFChief]

I missed the first three innings and apparently KC wasn't too sharp, but he's really looked good in the 4th and 5th. Keep it up, cuz we're going to get some more runs against this Brazilian. A Whities sweep would be terrific!

I'm reminded of an old story...

 

President //insert name of president here, depending on your political persuasion// is getting his regular morning intelligence briefing:

 

"And in some sad news, sir, 3 Brazilions were killed in a terrorist attack last night in South America."

 

"My god, son, that's horrible! 3 Brazilion! That's a lot, right?"

[glunn]

I still have one ticket left for the Twins-Angels day game this Thursday. First person to PM me gets it. This is an opportunity to see a game in Anaheim from a pretty good seat (Section F128 along with 3 other devoted Twins fans, and the ticket is free. Game time will be 12:35.

[Guest USAFChief]

I still have one ticket left for the Twins-Angels day game this Thursday. First person to PM me gets it. This is an opportunity to see a game in Anaheim from a pretty good seat (Section F128 along with 3 other devoted Twins fans, and the ticket is free. Game time will be 12:35.

I sure wish I could...

[Guest USAFChief]

Mauer-zee!

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Well done, Mr. Mauer (and Mr. Dozier and Mr. Santana of course)

[Guest USAFChief]

Moralee-zee!

[stringer bell]

Wow, just a bouncer drives in a big run!

[twinsnorth49]

I still have one ticket left for the Twins-Angels day game this Thursday. First person to PM me gets it. This is an opportunity to see a game in Anaheim from a pretty good seat (Section F128 along with 3 other devoted Twins fans, and the ticket is free. Game time will be 12:35.

 

Add that to the list on my I wish I was in Beverly Hills.

 

I'm going to the Angels series at Target in early September ironically.

[longstrangetrip]

Oh, I like how this inning has gone...great to see Joe-Joe drive a ball with runners on!

 

Hoping Dozier didn't take that one on the hand...

[Guest USAFChief]

Add that to the list on my I wish I was in Beverly Hills.

 

I'm going to the Angels series at Target in early September ironically.

I have some plans to attend the Detroit series in August.

[twinsnorth49]

Don't look now, Mauer looking more like Mauer.

[stringer bell]

Do most left fielders catch Mauer's drive?

[twinsnorth49]

I have some plans to attend the Detroit series in August.

 

Weird, me too!

[longstrangetrip]

Add that to the list on my I wish I was in Beverly Hills.

 

I'm going to the Angels series at Target in early September ironically.

 

78 and gorgeous here today, but it is every day. Looks pretty nice in Mpls today too.

[ashbury]

insert name of president here

 

I never saw George W Bush's name spelled that way before.

[MichiganTwins]

Hopefully, Mauer continues to hit like we all know he can. Seems to be hitting better as of late.

[ashbury]

I sure wish I could...

 

Yeah, too bad. Tucson being one of the eastern-most suburbs of LA, it would have been a convenient trip.

[stringer bell]

Close for Arcia.

[ashbury]

I'm going to the Angels series at Target in early September ironically.

 

"I root for this little team called the Twins. You probably haven't heard of them."

[Guest USAFChief]

Yeah, too bad. Tucson being one of the eastern-most suburbs of LA, it would have been a convenient trip.

And battle LA traffic for 500 miles?