Article: Game Thread: Twins @ Blue Jays, 8/3 @ 12:07pm CT

[Riverbrian]

Gulp... The Blue Jays are loaded and everyone is tensing up in Minnesota. Get a grip on your guns... The Canadians are ready to attack. Tulo... Donaldson... Bautista... Encarnacion and Ben Revere in one lineup.

Am I afraid? No more than usual. That's cuz every team can beat you and no matter what happens with this series... there is still time to right or wrong the ship afterwards.

Here are some things to think about:

 

1. Toronto -- Toronto is the largest city in Canada, which is like saying that Fargo is the largest city in North Dakota. It's very obvious that everyone is trying to escape Canada because the entire population lives just a few miles from the United States. I'm sure our homeland security has been keeping an eye on this massive buildup at the border. I'm pretty sure that the Canadians plan to lull us to sleep by drinking a lot... telling jokes... wearing funny hats... peacefully coming to the states to shop and return back home. But... eventually they all are going to come to stay and we should not let our guard down. Yes... we need to stand on guard for thee.

2. The Blue Jays -- While the population is planning a massive move into the United States... the Jays front office is moving some of our finest Americans into the Rogers Centre. David Price... Troy Tulowitski... Ben Revere... Mark Lowe... LaTroy Hawkins and Lauren Holly. The Jays have loaded up for a run at the AL East title or our Wild Card Spot. Will it work? That's a good question and we won't know the answer until they get that magic number down to zero. This isn't the first time in history that a team has made moves at the deadline to position themselves for a run and it's important to note: It doesn't always work. Sometimes it does... sometimes it don't... Baseball is a funny game.

3. 12:07 Start Time -- It is very odd that we are starting a series at 12:07PM. I don't know for sure but I assume it's because the first Monday in August is a holiday in Canada. It's Civic Day and it's a celebration of Canada getting indoor plumbing in 1999. As much as I'd like to focus on the oddity of starting a series with an afternoon game, I'd like to focus on the oddity of starting the game at 7 minutes past the hour. Nobody ever starts a game at the top of the hour for some reason but a 12:07 start just says that starting at 5 minutes past or 10 minutes past just doesn't work either for some reason.

How 'boot 12:05?
Nope... That's too early...
Well how 'boot 12:10 Eh?
Nope... That's too late.
How 'boot 12:08?
Come on... nobody starts a baseball game at 12:08!!!
12:06?
Nope... it doesn't feel right.
OK... I've got it... How 'boot 12:07?
Yes that's it.

4. David Price -- The Good News is that we won't have to face David Price pitching for the Tigers anymore... The Bad News is that we have to face David Price with the Blue Jays today; and in consideration of the current playoff chase, I think I'd rather have Price pitching for the Tigers right now. Price is pretty good... but that doesn't mean he doesn't meltdown every once in awhile. Hopefully today is one of those meltdown days.

5. Going to Work Drunk -- I had a co-worker who showed up to work drunk everyday and no one knew. He was very friendly... He always kept people in a good mood with a silly joke and a smile. This went on for years and we finally found out he was drunk because one day he made the mistake of showing up for work sober.

-------------------
Game-time forecast: 23 deg C, 15% chance of precipitation, mostly cloudy skies, winds at 23km/h from the W

Lineups:

TWINS
Dozier 2B
Nunez 3B
Plouffe 1B
Sano DH
Hunter RF
Rosario LF
Hicks CF
Suzuki C
Escobar SS

Santana P

JAYS
Tulowitzki SS
Donaldson 3B
Bautista RF
Encarnacion DH
Smoak 1B
Martin C
Goins 2B
Pillar CF
Revere CF

Price P

Go Twins! Play ball!

Click here to view the article

[Craig Arko]

Gut check time.

[AlwaysinModeration]

Toronto has been doing the :07 start times for years. I think they think it is cute?

 

Anyhow, I am calling a four game sweep and Twins atop the wild card race by Thursday.

 

Also, stick a fork in 'em.

[DaveW]

If Santana wants to earn his salary, today would be a good day to earn it.

[REPETE]

The :07 start time is a delay of 2 minutes for the extra song..

[Squirrel]

 

If Santana wants to earn his salary, today would be a good day to earn it.

He will, and the bullpen will give it away. Yes, I'm that cynical right now on the Twins. Sigh.

 

 

[Squirrel]

 

The :07 start time is a delay of 2 minutes for the extra song..

Extra song? Do they do both anthems? It's been a while since I've been to an international game.

 

As to start time … the White Sox for a while started their home games at 7:11 … their sponsor was 7/11

[DaveW]

He will, and the bullpen will give it away. Yes, I'm that cynical right now on the Twins. Sigh.

complete game

[Kwak]

Maybe Kevin Jepsen gets a chance to redeem himself today?  Though heaven help him if he gets his butt kicked.  The wrath from TD will be unbearable. 

[Craig Arko]

This happened on Saturday.

 

http://mweb.cbssports.com/mlb/eye-on-baseball/25257361

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Gut check time.

Yep. I still got a gut. Perhaps i should do something about it...

[Halsey Hall]

I'd be very happy with a split this series. 

 

If Perkins and crew out there keep up the usual, we will drop like a rock.

[Squirrel]

And ... the days of two Eduardos in the lineup are back ...

[James]

 

Yep. I still got a gut. Perhaps i should do something about it...

Apparently, someone has never heard of the "Dad Bod" before.  

 

http://www.msn.com/en-au/health/medical/beer-bellies-are-in-biceps-are-out-introducing-the-dad-bod/ar-BBjewl7

[Cap'n Piranha]

 

Extra song? Do they do both anthems? It's been a while since I've been to an international game.

 

As to start time … the White Sox for a while started their home games at 7:11 … their sponsor was 7/11

 

Because no city sells out like Chicago sells out.  For awhile, the official name for Chicago's NFL team was...The Chicago Bears presented by Bank One.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

And ... the days of two Eduardos in the lineup are back ...

Well observed.

 

And we are Mauerless to do something about it.

 

Plouffe is manning um, the cold corner? At least relatively speaking i guess that follows if 3rd is the hot corner...

 

Oh, and thanks for pointing out the starting time. I'd have missed it otherwise (not minute, but the hour.)

[Mike Sixel]

Nunez in the lineup....and Escobar....and Suzuki.....and Hunter.

 

Yay!

[Mike Sixel]

 

Well observed.

And we are Mauerless to do something about it.

Plouffe is manning um, the cold corner? At least relatively speaking i guess that follows if 3rd is the hot corner...

Oh, and thanks for pointing out the starting time. I'd have missed it otherwise (not minute, but the hour.)

 

Mauer has a 93 wRC+. Lower than league average.....so, ya, not missing much, frankly. I'd literally cut him.

[David HK]

 

How 'boot 12:05?
Nope... That's too early...
Well how 'boot 12:10 Eh?
Nope... That's too late.
How 'boot 12:08?
Come on... nobody starts a baseball game at 12:08!!!
12:06?
Nope... it doesn't feel right.
OK... I've got it... How 'boot 12:07?
Yes that's it.

 

 

Great opener, RB--

I didn't know you spoke fluent Canuck.  I think you've ootdone yerself, eh?

 

 

Edited August 3, 2015 by David HK

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Apparently, someone has never heard of the "Dad Bod" before.  

 

http://www.msn.com/en-au/health/medical/beer-bellies-are-in-biceps-are-out-introducing-the-dad-bod/ar-BBjewl7

The concept is not new, but the name is (and probably will continue to be as it isn't something i'd pick up on)

 

I stopped worrying when, after perhaps a decade of the inert life style featuring 2 liters o' moutain dew and bats o' cheetos, i got it in my mind at like 1 or 2am to do a crazy solo hike the next day, made use of every available bit of daylight, but completed a mildly ambitious circuit with no more issues that slow going, naps at summits, and side stepping a moose.

 

i got back to the car at the same time as another pair o' hikers i'd met at the summit, and seeing the occupants of both cars at the trailhead parking accounted for, the state police cruiser moved on.

 

That was a few years back, so perhaps i'm due another test to verify, but i'm sure i'm fine and remember the first rule, bein' that getting back is always more important than getting there.

 

But yeah, my gut is suspenders worthy...

[sampleSizeOfOne]

I was impressed that their roster is like, 20% former Twins. And it woulda been worse if Valencia weren't designated for assignment when Revere was landed.

 

Anyone looking forward to Colabello pinch batting?

[Squirrel]

 

 

How 'boot 12:05?

Nope... That's too early...

Well how 'boot 12:10 Eh?

Nope... That's too late.

How 'boot 12:08?

Come on... nobody starts a baseball game at 12:08!!!

12:06?

Nope... it doesn't feel right.

OK... I've got it... How 'boot 12:07?

Yes that's it.

 

 

Great opener, RB--

I didn't know you spoke fluent Canuck. I think you've ootdone yerself, eh?

 

The trick will be if both TN and GCTF understood. Then we know Brian got the accent just right.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Mauer has a 93 wRC+. Lower than league average.....so, ya, not missing much, frankly. I'd literally cut him.

Amd since that's not gonna happen, what would you do instead

 

(It is a fair question though, what to do with him)

[ttreadway]

Yet another opportunity to play Sano at third, and Molitor for some reason can't seem to play him there. I guess we need to justify paying Nunez? Or is it more that we have no one else worthy of being a major league DH? Our other options would have been Robinson or Fryer...and nobody wants to see that. Still, I'd rather see Sano at third and Nunez at DH.

[Mike Sixel]

 

Amd since that's not gonna happen, what would you do instead

(It is a fair question though, what to do with him)

 

I'd cut him. There is no other good option for this team long term. Sano at 1B and one of Kepler, Walker, Arcia, Vargas at DH next year is a team with upside, not a team with a bad player at 1B. Mauer's not exactly great on defense either.

[Mike Sixel]

 

Yet another opportunity to play Sano at third, and Molitor for some reason can't seem to play him there. I guess we need to justify paying Nunez? Or is it more that we have no one else worthy of being a major league DH? Our other options would have been Robinson or Fryer...and nobody wants to see that. Still, I'd rather see Sano at third and Nunez at DH.

 

this, 100% this.

 

Molitor is clearly afraid of testing youngsters w/o experience in a role. Proved it with May, Graham, and now Sano. I am losing faith he's the right guy for a rebuilding team.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

This happened on Saturday.

http://mweb.cbssports.com/mlb/eye-on-baseball/25257361

Absolutely brilliant marketing.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

I'd cut him. There is no other good option for this team long term. Sano at 1B and one of Kepler, Walker, Arcia, Vargas at DH next year is a team with upside, not a team with a bad player at 1B. Mauer's not exactly great on defense either.

I hear ya. I do not consider Vargas a downgrade at first with the glove, and I'm not sure how Mauer ever gets his mojo back at the plate.

[ttreadway]

 

I'd cut him. There is no other good option for this team long term. Sano at 1B and one of Kepler, Walker, Arcia, Vargas at DH next year is a team with upside, not a team with a bad player at 1B. Mauer's not exactly great on defense either.

This is more out of curiosity than thinking you have an answer. But if we cut him, would another team pick him up? Also, if we moved Sano to 1st, would we extend Plouffe to be our long-term third baseman? Cause I don't really see any promising options coming through the minors.

[Mike Sixel]

Yes, another team would pick him up, because they'd only have to pay him the minimum, and some team will have lesser options than Sano.

 

Yes, I'd keep Plouffe around, but he doesn't need some long extension right now to do so.

 

Or, put Sano at 3B and Kepler at 1B.....not so hard to try for upside. But the Twins rarely go for upside, they tend to bet on decreasing down side.