Game Thread: Rays@Twins, 5/17, 1:10 p.m.

[JB_Iowa]

Happy Sunday, Twins Fans!

 

The Twins have a chance for a sweep today.   Will they get to play???

 

Weather forecast is for strong storms this afternoon.   If the weather channel is correct, they won’t start up until about 2 p.m. and will be spotty.   I just looked at the KARE 11 radar and the whole area of the state west of the TC looks pretty green and yellow to me but it seems like the majority of it may move north of the metro area.   Predicted high of 76, 60% chance of rain and winds gusting to around 14.

 

It is a glorious morning in northwest Iowa.   The sun is shining, the birds are singing, very little wind, and we’ve had some rain.   Perfect day for the graduation ceremonies and parties scheduled for this afternoon.   This will probably be the weather in the TC for tomorrow’s off-day.

 

With yesterday’s win, the Twins have won 6 out of 12 series.   The good news?   They have not been swept in any series since the first week against Detroit.   I like the resiliency of this team. 

 

From now until September, the Twins will be seeing their Central Division cohorts much less frequently:   one more series against the White Sox in May; series against the Royals and White Sox in June; series against the Royals and Tigers in July; and a series against the Indians in August.   Then September will be full of division opponents.   They’ll see quite a bit of the NL Central in June; a real mixture in July; and a lot of AL East teams and a bit of the AL West in August.

 

Until now, the AL Central has appeared to be the strongest division in the league.   Will that still be true this summer??    I hope that in September, it still matters to us that the Twins will be seeing division opponents.

 

Kyle Gibson gets the ball for the Twins today and it appears that he will be pitching to Chris Herrmann instead of Kurt Suzuki who is getting an off-day.   Gibson’s last start was Tuesday in Detroit and was a strong one.   Kyle went 7 innings, scattering 5 hits and giving up only 1 run.   Unfortunately the Twins gave him no run support and went on to lose 2-1.   As with Trevor May yesterday, I expect Molitor to try to get Gibson to go deeper into the game.

 

Chris Archer (age 26, RHP) will be going for the Rays.   He went 7 innings against the Yankees on Tuesday, striking out 8 and allowing only 2 runs but did not get a decision.

 

This should be an interesting match-up between 2 pitchers who seem to be “on their game”.    According to mlb.com, “Archer tiptoed out of danger early in his last start “ --  may the Twins strike early and often!!!

 

Enjoy the game today, everyone.    And we’ll hope that the fans at TF don’t look like this:

 

 

Rays Line-up:

 

1. Kevin Kiermaier (L) CF

2. Logan Forsythe ® DH

3. Evan Longoria ® 3B

4. James Loney (L) 1B

5. Brandon Guyer ® RF

6. David DeJesus (L) LF

7. Asdrubal Cabrera (S) SS

8. Nick Franklin (S) 2B

9. Bobby Wilson ® C

 

RHP:  Chris Archer

 

 

Twins Line-up:

 

1. Brian Dozier ® 2B

2. Torii Hunter ® DH

3. Joe Mauer (L) 1B

4. Trevor Plouffe ® 3B

5. Eduardo Escobar (S) LF

6. Chris Herrmann (L) C

7. Eddie Rosario (L) RF

8. Aaron Hicks (S) CF

9. Danny Santana (S) SS

 

RHP:  Kyle Gibson

 

 

PS:  I just saw that today is the 4th anniversary of Harmon Killebrew's death.  May he rest in peace and may the Twins win today in his honor.

 

[Squirrel]

Excellent opening, JB!

[Halsey Hall]

Not baseball weather here on the north shore.  Hopefully better in the Twin Cities as there is really nothing to do here but look out the window and watch a Twins game. 

[youngpadawan]

This lineup is producing so I am just nit picking a little, but wouldn't a lineup like this be better setup like:

 

Santana

Dozier

Mauer

Hunter

Plouffe

Escobar

Herrmann

Rosario

Hicks

 

Just how I would do it for the day If you are using these players. I'm not saying mine is better than Molitor's.

[JB_Iowa]

BTW, I first started by copying Rhett Bollinger's version of the line-up.

 

We would have had 2 LF today with no one in RF!!!

[Squirrel]

BTW, I first started by copying Rhett Bollinger's version of the line-up.

 

We would have had 2 LF today with no one in RF!!!

JB, did you read the PM I sent? It had some good links for you to use.

[JB_Iowa]

 

JB, did you read the PM I sent? It had some good links for you to use.

 

I did get it -- just didn't read it until you asked.  Thought I read it but must have confused myself.

 

Thanks very much, though.  Those will be very helpful.  I had ended up stumbling on baseball press.  After I got the Rays line-up from there, I thought I'd use the Twins line-up, too so they would be in the same format.

 

I'm just used to seeing both line-ups on Twitter but the beat writers seem to be letting us down on the Rays.

 

Anyway, thanks again.  I've bookmarked those links.

[Halsey Hall]

 

This lineup is producing so I am just nit picking a little, but wouldn't a lineup like this be better setup like:

Santana
Dozier
Mauer
Hunter
Plouffe
Escobar
Herrmann
Rosario
Hicks

Just how I would do it for the day If you are using these players. I'm not saying mine is better than Molitor's.

Well that is the rotation, so once the game starts ..........

[JB_Iowa]

Oh, and as much as our morning was glorious, we now have a gentle rain.  Hopefully we'll keep it here and the TC can stay dry and let them get the game in.

 

Edit:  Not so gentle.  Lots pf big gusts but not much thunder or lightning.  Now typing with a shivering dog on my lap.

[ashbury]

there is really nothing to do here but look out the window and watch a Twins game. 

Wow, those sound like really great seats! Luxury box?

[Riverbrian]

Minneapolis Radar looks clean right now... So it looks like a ball game. 

[Riverbrian]

 

Wow, those sound like really great seats! Luxury box?

 

That's a strong... tough to beat leader for post of the game and the game hasn't even started yet. 

[diehardtwinsfan]

Did I miss something about Vargas? He's off again today.

[JB_Iowa]

 

Minneapolis Radar looks clean right now... So it looks like a ball game. 

 

 

There's a premium for working quickly today, boys!

[David HK]

Argh!  Bollocks to day games!  It's 1.30 AM over here-- BUT----  Just finished watching the USA win their FIRST EVER Rugby Sevens tournament title!  Thrashing England in the semi, thrashing Australia in the final.  That never happened before.  Olympic sport in 2016, y'all- and US are defending Olympic rugby champions!  (1924)

Go Twinkies, by the way.  Nighty-night.  

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Happy Sunday, Twins Fans!

...

Until now, the AL Central has appeared to be the strongest division in the league.   Will that still be true this summer??    I hope that in September, it still matters to us that the Twins will be seeing division opponents.

...

Small sample size (my favorite kind), but over the weekend playing outside the division, the AL Central has lost exactly one game, to Sabathia and a 3 run dinger. So everyone picked up a game on KC.

 

And in the spirit of johnny-come-lately ('cause i didn't think of 'em at the time... i wonder why?) regarding a blank mind and the game thread intro:

 

"Blanks get the job done too." & "Sometimes nothing can be a really cool hand." (Both lines from movies, i'll be pleased if anyone gets the first (it is generic enough perhaps to have other sources), while i expect most to get the second)

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Argh!  Bollocks to day games!  It's 1.30 AM over here-- BUT----  Just finished watching the USA win their FIRST EVER Rugby Sevens tournament title!  Thrashing England in the semi, thrashing Australia in the final.  That never happened before.  Olympic sport in 2016, y'all- and US are defending Olympic rugby champions!  (1924)

Go Twinkies, by the way.  Nighty-night.  

Thanks (must track down friend from australia...)

[luckylager]

Laudner needs to stop saying "pleth-oar-ah".

[mnsportsgeek]

Atta boy, Kyle! Good awareness.

[SwainZag]

'Twas a good dig out of the dirt by Hermann there.  

[Squirrel]

Rays are striking, but we held them at bay.

[mnsportsgeek]

Just another RBI for Joe.

[SwainZag]

Ol' worthless Mauersie and a boring RBI single.... :-D

[Riverbrian]

Atta Boy Mauer... RBI Ground ball up the middle

 

Twins up 1-0

 

This has been a Circus Boy Update

[JB_Iowa]

Strike early and often boys - wear him down!!

[JB_Iowa]

I need a good INSTRUMENTAL version of "Keep the Home Fires Burning".

 

Doesn't have to be free but I don't want any vocals.

 

Driving me crazy.

 

 

Oh, the WW1 song.

[Squirrel]

Strike early and often boys - wear him down!!

The Rays are working on this philosophy also, unfortunately!

[Blake]

I got nothing. Just checking in.

 

I may go on a Mauer rant later.

 

I might let it go, as Mauer did get an rbi.

 

Call it "The Mauer Muse."

[Squirrel]

Whoa ... the acrobat DanSan

[Squirrel]

Strike three! Atta boy, Gibson!