Game Thread: Twins v Diamondbacks, 9/24 @ 12:10pm CT

[Squirrel]

Game-time forecast: Partly cloudy with a 30-percent chance of rain. Winds blowing in from right field at 10-15 m.p.h. Temperature around 65.

 

DIAMONDBACKS:

SP, Nuño

 

Inciarte LF

Pollock CF

Lamb 3B

Trumbo DH

Peralta RF

Pacheco 1B

Gregorius SS

Wilson C

Pennington 2B

 

TWINS:

SP, Hughes

 

Santana CF

Dozier 2B

Plouffe 3B

Vargas 1B

Suzuki C

Arcia RF

Pinto DH

Hicks LF

Escobar SS

 

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Brian's thoughts will be arriving soon so stay tuned.

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They haven't arrived yet... I'm gonna have to use old ones. 

 

Things to Think About:

 

1. Afternoon Games at the end of the Year with no chance of the playoffs for both teams involved -- That's a long thought title and yet it kinda says it all. Whose gonna be game threading today? Most will be at work unable to watch and unwilling to make extra effort to even watch the game with nothing being on the line. There really isn't no sense in my taking a long lunch to watch baseball under these conditions. 

 

2. Meaningful Baseball in September -- Try to go back in your memories... Try to remember what it was like to be playing meaningful baseball in September. Ladies and Gentlemen... It's the only way to make September interesting. You can bring up all the hot shot rookies and those of us who are aware will be interested in those players alone but the team concept of baseball will still be unappealing. We need to be playing meaningful baseball in September to sustain interest. 

 

3. Phil Hughes -- Should he be starting today? I'm really not one of those who gets excited about who is in the lineup. I'd like to see Pinto play but I don't think the world will come to an end if Pinto is out of the lineup... But... Let's look at Hughes starting today. In theory... Our Manager Ron Gardenhire has stated that he wants to field a competitive team in games that matter and that means his best lineup. Against the D-Backs... He has played players that he wouldn't play against a team in contention...  So In theory... Why doesn't he insert starting pitcher X for today's game and therefore save Hughes to go tomorrow against the division leading Tigers. Just a thought... and I don't have an answer. Regardless... I don't care... I'm just pointing it out. 

 

4.  Pinto -- He's playing DH today... Let the complaining begin. 

 

5. Sick Days -- Why is it... When people call in sick for the day... They sound like Golf Announcers. Hey... I'm not feeling well today... I can't make it to work... Tiger is about 100 Yards out wind blowing left to right. He needs to get it close to the pin for a chance at Birdie... He's two strokes behind the current leader... It's the Flu... I hope to back tomorrow.   

[USAFChief]

What if they gave a game thread and nobody came?

[stringer bell]

I was thinking the same as you about Hughes, Brian.  One thing to consider is if there is a rain out on Sunday, Hughes would be available in the grand finale.  That would be cool. 

[big dog]

Looking forward to a great game from Hughes...even though Brian's right, I'd rather see it against the Motor City Kitties.

[jokin]

What if they gave a game thread and nobody came?

 

Beat me to that line...

 

will this thread even reach to 3 pages?

[big dog]

Two stolen bases after a leadoff hit, but no runs.  And no one got hurt on Suzuki's wild throw to second.  Good inning!

[Riverbrian]

Gardy... Has given up on shaving as the season comes to a close.

 

That's an obvious statement

[Halsey Hall]

Why Hughes?  Give the fans that do attend a chance to see a  winner.  Now, the question is, can Hughes pitch on three day rest? 

[big dog]

In case I haven't mentioned it, I really like Danny Santana.  Wherever it is he plays.

[Riverbrian]

In case I haven't mentioned it, I really like Danny Santana.  Wherever it is he plays.

Me 2... Of course... I'm crazy for speed and he has it.

 

Plus a little Pop.

[Riverbrian]

Right Now... There are very few Offensive players that I'm concerned about... No... We don't have Mike Trout but nearly all have qualities that can win us ball games.

 

Collectively we have to cut down on K's... Put the ball in play more. Individually... I like them all right now.

 

Like them all in a... Let's not think of them as a Mike Trout sense.

[Platoon]

I was thinking the same as you about Hughes, Brian.  One thing to consider is if there is a rain out on Sunday, Hughes would be available in the grand finale.  That would be cool.

 

But would Gardy then be accused of sticking the deck against the Tigers? Would this offend his oft mentioned "respect for the game". Not to be confused with "For Love of theGame"

[USAFChief]

Man...the losses look like they've been hard on Kirk Gibson.

[Riverbrian]

Man...the losses look like they've been hard on Kirk Gibson.

Gibby is thinking... Man... Let me limp up there and take a 9th inning hack.

[Platoon]

Beat me to that line...

 

will this thread even reach to 3 pages?

What if we put a two sentence limit on posts for the day, so as to stretch the page count? It seems there are a lot of thought expressed here that easily could be done in 2 sentences, rather than babbling on and on about inane things like the traffic in chicago and which airport is the easiest to get to. And Gary IN, don't even get me started on that !

[kydoty]

That wasn't a strike two pitches ago.

[Platoon]

Man...the losses look like they've been hard on Kirk Gibson.

Years ago I saw a guy that looked just like that on Nicollet Island, but he was laying next to the alley holding a bottle in a brown paper bag!

[USAFChief]

What if we put a two sentence limit on posts for the day, so as to stretch the page count? It seems there are a lot of thought expressed here that easily could be done in 2 sentences, rather than babbling on and on about inane things like the traffic in chicago and which airport is the easiest to get to. And Gary IN, don't even get me started on that !

To point out the obvious...it took you three sentences to make your point.  

[Platoon]

To point out the obvious...it took you three sentences to make your point.  

Actually 5, but you maybe on,y read the first 3?

[sampleSizeOfOne]

At least we got one run...  Is it a run if most of it was walking?

[Mike Sixel]

Did they really have Dozier sacrifice bunt in the first inning? That can't be what actually happened, can it?

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

I bet Yankees fans talk about Vidal Nuno and Phil Hughes the same way we talk about Vance Worley all the time...

[kydoty]

Pollock has a Jacque Jones arm.

[big dog]

What if we put a two sentence limit on posts for the day, so as to stretch the page count? It seems there are a lot of thought expressed here that easily could be done in 2 sentences, rather than babbling on and on about inane things like the traffic in chicago and which airport is the easiest to get to. And Gary IN, don't even get me started on that !

I would have liked this post if you had put it into 2 sentences.

 

--ok that would have been a better post 20 minutes ago, but hey I'm WORKIN' here.

[big dog]

I bet Yankees fans talk about Vidal Nuno and Phil Hughes the same way we talk about Vance Worley all the time...

Well, maybe Hughes.  I bet Yankee fans don't regret giving up Hughes, they just hate him even worse than they used to.

[USAFChief]

Pollock has a Jacque Jones type arm.

It works better this way, particularly if you imagine Bert saying it.

[big dog]

Pollock has a Jacque Jones arm.

And the umpire has a (Jackson) Pollock strike zone.

[big dog]

Oh oh, Bad Trevor made that throw.  Still, I like what I've seen over all.

[Platoon]

I would have liked this post if you had put it into 2 sentences.

 

--ok that would have been a better post 20 minutes ago, but hey I'm WORKIN' here.

Keep up,the good work!

[Halsey Hall]

14 errors for Plouffe, which easily could be 20 plus if not a payoff to the scorer. 

 

Let's get a big lead, pull Hughes after 5 and feed him to the Tigers on the last day.