Game Thread: Royals@Twins 6/30 7:10PM

[Riverbrian]

Game-time forecast: Mostly sunny. Winds blowing from right to left field at 10-15 m.p.h. Temperature around 75.

 

The Twins are at home... They didn't do well on the road... Will the lineup clearly display this home happiness... Only one way to find out... Wait right here and ChiTown will bring the smiles or... Cookies... She likes to bake.

 

Bri, I think at this point, only cookies will do the trick, no matter what.

 

ROYALS:

SP, Duffy

 

Cain RF

Hosmer 1B

Butler DH

Gordon LF

Perez C

Infante 2B

Moustakas 3B

Escobar SS

Dyson CF

 

TWINS:

SP, Pino

 

Dozier 2B

Suzuki C

Mauer 1B

Willingham LF

Morales DH

Plouffe 3B

Parmelee RF

Nunez SS

Fuld CF

 

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Things to Think About:

 

1. The CDC -- There are some who can explain hitting using a series of numbers produced by piles of data and compiled in such a fashion that a somewhat reasonable hypothesis can be formed to explain hitting as it comes and goes. I like to dabble in such things myself however... I believe... that bad hitting is a disease and in order to support my hypothesis... I contacted the CDC and they told me that it was indeed a disease and it's widespread world wide. 99.9 percent of the population is inflicted with this bad hitting disease. It's especially epidemic among the elderly and children. It effects everybody in Europe and Africa no matter the age... It's also pretty bad in Canada... You can find quite a few bad hitters up north although it's usually because they are constantly holding a LaBatts in their hands. The only cure for bad hitting is: Practice and complete focus at the plate. Hitters bust out of slumps by understanding that the pitcher doesn't want to throw a pitch in the happy zone. You gotta man up and realize that each at bat is a game inside of a game and you gotta be ready to pounce on a mistake. Trying to pull home run into the upper deck on a pitch low and away will not help cure this terrible disease. You can say what you want... I called the CDC... They confirmed it... It's a disease and the Royals had it in their clubhouse earlier this year and the Twins have it now.

 

2. The Royals -- For the fine folks of Western Missouri and the State of Kansas... The Royals have been maddeningly frustratingly inconsistent. Expectations are perhaps as a high as they have ever been and yet they started slow... only to get hot and jump into first place... only to cool off and start falling games behind. It's a long season and I suppose they gotta another run in them but at some point... I think everyone supporting them would like to see things level off a little into consistent good play. They got Hitting and They Got Pitching and They got Fielding and they got base running. They got all the tools needed to compete but they can't seem to consistently compete. The Royals are like some girls... They'd get themselves together and the girls sheer beauty will hold you captivated. Then some days they wake up unshaven, smoking cigars and belching after downing a beer and crushing the can.

 

3. Danny Duffy -- 25 Years old... Lefthanded... From Goleta California... I actually had to look up where Goleta California is... I thought I knew them all... I don't... It's around 55,000 people and just outside of Santa Barbara. Danny isn't the only famous person from Goleta... Katy Perry is also from Goleta and so is Kim Wilson... the Lead Singer of the Fabulous T-Birds... Ain't that Tuff Enuff. I have no idea if Danny Duffy can sing but I'm pretty sure that Katy Perry can't pitch. Danny Duffy was drafted by the Royals in the third round of the 2007 Draft out of high school. Danny was cruising through the minors and was invited to spring training in 2010... However... Danny threw the Royals a real big curve ball by telling them that he was retiring from baseball... Stating the need to reassess his life priorities. This was in March of 2010... He returned to the Royals in June of 2010... It was 3 months of personal and life reflection... Danny realized that during those 3 months... He found that the life reflection market is very soft... It just doesn't pay well. Since returning to the Royals... his career is back on track and he's been tough in 2014. He's got a 2.69 ERA and 1.07 WHIP. That's pretty good and when I've seen him pitch... It sure looks real to me. His stuff is pretty obvious to any who watch him. He's commanding that stuff now... Look Out!!!

 

4. Pino or Plouffe or Nunez -- I can't decide if I should think about Pino or Think About Plouffe or even Nunez. A quick thought on Pino... He was great in his first start and he was bad in his 2nd start... What happens in start number three... Stay Tuned. As for Plouffe... He's back from his injury and in the starting lineup tonight and so is Nunez. I was expecting Plouffe to be activated today but Nunez surprised me a little. Any way... Welcome back... The Lineup looks a little less diseased with both of those players in the lineup tonight.

 

5. Class Reunion Conversations -- Yep... My 30 Year Class Reunion was this weekend. I figure that with all the conversations I had... I'm supplied with enough #5 thoughts to last a little while. There were some old friends that I recognized right away and there were some where I had no clue at all and I felt there was no reason to pretend... If I wanted to learn who they are... I'd say... Who are You? It's the only way to do it. I was talking with someone who was surprised about my fearless honesty but he saw the logic at our age. He Said "Yeah... I guess I'm forgetting more things these days... It's only natural". I replied... "Yeah... First you forget the names and then you forget the faces". He replied by saying "He's at the age where to forgets to pull his zipper up". We laughed at that and I replied that "I'm at the age where I forget to pull my zipper down".

[ScottyB]

The bench looks a little better tonight as well - Escobar, Arcia and Fryer.

[Craig Arko]

Be a little careful with the CDC...

[ashbury]

Mauer C

 

Wishful thinking, or old habits die hard?

 

1. The CDC --

 

So sad. Few in the Twin Cities even remember the glory days of Control Data Corporation.

 

The Royals are like some girls... They'd get themselves together and the girls sheer beauty will hold you captivated. Then some days they wake up unshaven, smoking cigars and belching after downing a beer and crushing the can.

 

You really need to get out of Grand Forks more often and see what the wimminfolk elsewhere are like.

 

We laughed at that and I replied that "I'm at the age where I forget to pull my zipper down".

 

If worse comes to worst you just pull the parka up over your head and wriggle out of it.

[Willihammer]

TWINS:

SP, Pino

 

Dozier 2B

Suzuki C

Mauer C

Willingham LF

Morales DH

Plouffe 3B

Parmelee RF

Nunez SS

Fuld CF

 

 

[ashbury]

The bench looks a little better tonight as well - Escobar, Arcia and Fryer.

 

You've hit on the secret to a strong bench: play all your scrubeenies. Substitute Fryerzie for Suzukizie in the 2-slot, and we're golden!

[Circus Boy]

The Royals are like some girls... They'd get themselves together and the girls sheer beauty will hold you captivated. Then some days they wake up unshaven, smoking cigars and belching after downing a beer and crushing the can.

 

Me at, uh, bedtime: "Oooo, baby, when did you start wearing socks to bed?"

 

Her: "I'm not wearing socks."

 

True story. We're no longer together.

[JB_Iowa]

My tale of (almost) woe from last night.

 

Let the dog out about 9:30 or so and she races into the yard. Then all of a sudden she is barking up against the side of the house. I look and she has a SKUNK trapped there. So I'm yelling at her to get away but she just keeps barking.

 

Fortunately one of the neighbors comes home and she hears her and races toward the neighbors. The neighbor is a vet and brings the dog home and visibly checks the skunk (which fortunately did not seem rabid).

 

In the best news, the skunk did not spray the dog. Thank heavens.

 

I've lived here 12 years and the only other time I've seen a skunk around was last year at the height of the drought.

 

i am not happy about encroaching wildlife!!

 

Back to your regularly scheduled game chat.

[ashbury]

Me at, uh, bedtime: "Oooo, baby, when did you start wearing socks to bed?"

 

Her: "I'm not wearing socks."

 

Sounds like the beginning to one of Bette Midler's "Soph and Ernie" jokes, not one of which I will even attempt to paraphrase here.

[GCTF]

You might wanna swing the bat Dozierzie.

[JB_Iowa]

It is very nice to have a 0-0 score going into the bottom of the 1st.

[ashbury]

What has Dozier done to tick off the umpire? Those weren't very good strikes called on him.

[glunn]

My tale of (almost) woe from last night.

 

Let the dog out about 9:30 or so and she races into the yard. Then all of a sudden she is barking up against the side of the house. I look and she has a SKUNK trapped there. So I'm yelling at her to get away but she just keeps barking.

 

Fortunately one of the neighbors comes home and she hears her and races toward the neighbors. The neighbor is a vet and brings the dog home and visibly checks the skunk (which fortunately did not seem rabid).

 

In the best news, the skunk did not spray the dog. Thank heavens.

 

I've lived here 12 years and the only other time I've seen a skunk around was last year at the height of the drought.

 

i am not happy about encroaching wildlife!!

 

Back to your regularly scheduled game chat.

 

Our last house had an atrium that could be accessed through a sliding glass door. My wife said that she thought she saw a skunk in there, but I figured that it must be a neighborhood cat. One night my wife woke me up to check out munching sounds in the atrium. Sure enough, there was a skunk in there eating some plants.

 

It turned out that the skunk was living under our house. We called animal control and they offered to bring out a trap. We asked what they would do with the skunk after they trapped it and the answer was that they would euthanize it. We decided to leave the skunk alone, and other than occasional munching sounds there were no problems.

 

It sounds like you have a friendly skunk, and if you leave it alone then you may be able to coexist peacefully.

[Circus Boy]

Sometimes when I was reffin' foobaw, I'd get the caps together and tell them: "Let's have a good clean fight tonight. No rabbit punches. No blows to the kidneys. Keep your mouthpieces in." Sometimes they laughed. Usually they looked at me like I was some crazy old guy.

 

So I'm hoping for a good clean fight tonight. And a win would be nice. That is all.

[ashbury]

Woah, the good wheels on Mauersie!

[JB_Iowa]

Our last house had an atrium that could be accessed through a sliding glass door. My wife said that she thought she saw a skunk in there, but I figured that it must be a neighborhood cat. One night my wife woke me up to check out munching sounds in the atrium. Sure enough, there was a skunk in there eating some plants.

 

It turned out that the skunk was living under our house. We called animal control and they offered to bring out a trap. We asked what they would do with the skunk after they trapped it and the answer was that they would euthanize it. We decided to leave the skunk alone, and other than occasional munching sounds there were no problems.

 

It sounds like you have a friendly skunk, and if you leave it alone then you may be able to coexist peacefully.

 

LOL. I don't coexist very peaceably with wild animals. If it was de-stinked, I think I could deal with it (looked like a young, small skunk).

 

But I'm like a block from open fields -- you'd think it could just leave us alone.

 

Last year we thought the skunk was looking for water but this year we're thinking maybe the fields are too wet.

 

And I'm not as kind as you, I'd have let Animal Control take the skunk.

[ashbury]

And I'm not as kind as you, I'd have let Animal Control take the skunk.

 

We have similar discussions in our neighborhood. About bears.

[Squirrel]

Thunderstorm!

[JB_Iowa]

We have similar discussions in our neighborhood. About bears.

 

Okay, so I guess I should just be thankful.

[JB_Iowa]

Thunderstorm!

 

You're getting the ones we had overnight and this morning.

 

And Cedar Rapids had this afternoon:

 

http://www.metrosportsreport.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=21200:kernels-staff-hurt-as-storm-hits-stadium&catid=234:kernels-home&Itemid=429

 

 

Be careful out there!

[blindeke]

For all we talk about poor starting pitching, our defense sure doesn't do our pitching staff many favors.

 

What would the team ERA be if we actually had good defensive catchers and outfielders?

[JB_Iowa]

Ugh, Ugh, Ugh.

[snepp]

We have similar discussions in our neighborhood. About bears.

 

For a moment I thought you had similar discussions about your neighbors.

[Riverbrian]

We have similar discussions in our neighborhood. About bears.

 

I called Animal Control on our Neighbor. He was rummaging through our Garbage. The Tranquilizer dart had no effect and he ran back into his house.

[JB_Iowa]

I called Animal Control on our Neighbor. He was rummaging through our Garbage. The Tranquilizer dart had no effect and he ran back into his house.

 

See here's the thing, you guys actually HAVE Animal Control. The vet next door is about the best I can do.

 

Fortunately the most dangerous thing I've seen around is coyotes. And they pretty much just run away if they spot anyone.

[ashbury]

For a moment I thought you had similar discussions about your neighbors.

 

They may indeed have such discussions, but not inform me about it.

[Riverbrian]

See here's the thing, you guys actually HAVE Animal Control. The vet next door is about the best I can do.

 

Fortunately the most dangerous thing I've seen around is coyotes. And they pretty much just run away if they spot anyone.

 

The Beaver Jerry Mathers is from where you live. He's pretty dangerous!!!

[Riverbrian]

They may indeed have such discussions, but not inform me about it.

 

I know and I'm sure you are noticing the elaborate netting in the garage. It ain't There for no reason.

 

Same thing here.

[Squirrel]

See here's the thing, you guys actually HAVE Animal Control. The vet next door is about the best I can do.

 

Fortunately the most dangerous thing I've seen around is coyotes. And they pretty much just run away if they spot anyone.

 

We have coyotes, too.

[Riverbrian]

We have coyotes, too.

 

Irish Coyotes?