Game Thread: Twins @ As, 6/1 - 2:35pm

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Almost 7 years ago, i watched the Twins play in the Coliseum. I was sad they had sold out of $2 tickets, but i had my pride, and didn't pay a scalper. It just meant i think i limited myself to <5 $1 hot dogs rather than 10-15... But while i was waiting in line, someone out of the crowd recognized me from being in the chorus of a theatrical production some 5 years before. Small world, eh? And i guess i'm hard to forget, or something. Anyway, game was fine, and alas you miss some of the game if you get in line for hotdogs, so i was okay with the rationing. Kubel homered to tie it in the 8th, then the Twins plated a couple more in the 9th to win it.

 

That trip i got to see Yosemite, reunite an old friend with his boxes of books and a full size keyboard (piano, not computer) and a few other fine adventures, including noticing that the rear tires were balding, catching a Pirates game at the Metrodome.

 

Where was i going with this? I think i just had promised to relay that story, last night, and it a good habit to keep promises...

 

And one of these game threads i want to be able to say "Every body jump on my back, i'm driving the bus!"

 

Anyway, a favorite quote of a friend, "Better done, than done well." Not like i can't chime in with stuff i forgot.

 

So w/o further ado, the lineups, and... let the game... thread... begin!

 

Twins

Pat Dean (L)

 

1. Eduardo Nunez ( R) DH

2. Robbie Grossman (S) LF

3. Brian Dozier ( R) 2B

4. Trevor Plouffe ( R) 3B

5. Byung Ho Park ( R) 1B

6. Eduardo Escobar (S) SS

7. Max Kepler (L) RF

8. Juan Centeno (L) C

9. Byron Buxton ( R) CF

 

Athletics

Sean Manaea (L)

 

1. Coco Crisp (S) LF

2. Jed Lowrie (S) 2B

3. Danny Valencia (R ) 3B

4. Khris Davis (R ) DH

5. Billy Butler (R ) 1B

6. Josh Phegley (R ) C

7. Marcus Semien (R ) SS

8. Jake Smolinski (R ) RF

9. Billy Burns (S) CF

 

Gametime Forecast: 71°F • Clear • 0% PoP

[Craig Arko]

What was the theatrical production?

[jimmer]

Why are we starting Park over Mauer?

[mickeymental]

 

Why are we starting Park over Mauer?

what? you don't like pinch-hit homers?

[sampleSizeOfOne]

What was the theatrical production?

It was Gilbert and Sullivan. Probably Pirates of Penzance, albeit please forgive me if i say after a decade they might blur together...

[jimmer]

 

what? you don't like pinch-hit homers?

just trying to wrap my head around benching the player of the week so an inferior fielder, who is batting .136 against lefties, can play instead.

[jimbo92107]

You know, I would bat Buxton before Centeno. Get Buxton on base, then follow with our scrappy little catcher banging a double in the gap. Buxton scores from first on anything longer than a clean single. 

 

BTW, anybody else notice that Juan Centeno is a MUCH better catcher than Kurt Suzuki? Centeno hits MUCH better, receives better, frames better, throws MUCH better, and... well, he doesn't field balls in the dirt better, but I bet he can get better at that. I think Centeno does a better job getting Trevor May to keep his heater down, too. Sits right down and pats his glove in the dirt, and May understands that language. Centeno actually establishes his presence in a game. He intimidates runners with his throws to first and his good gun to 2nd. He plays with lots of enthusiasm. I really like the guy.

 

I swear I saw May almost start to laugh on the mound when he saw Centeno sit down and pat the dirt in front of his crotch. You really want me to fire a 95mph fastball at your nuts? I could see May thinking that.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

just trying to wrap my head around benching the player of the week so an inferior fielder, who is batting .136 against lefties, can play instead.

Maybe he needs the practice? And Mauer can use the rest?

 

Or maybe they just wish to keep us on our toes. I didn't expect a Spanish inquisition...

[Mike Sixel]

Kepler is playing. That is all the matters for me today (in terms of the lineup). I will refrain from commenting about how stupid it is to play Dozier in that spot (d'oh).

 

edit: ok, I thought Dozier was hitting 2nd, so this isn't quite as bad as I thought, still not where I'd put his OBP, but not sure who I'd move in front of him right now either.

[rghrbek]

Dozier batting 3rd makes a lot of sense.   At least Kepler is playing!

[Vanimal46]

Is it normal to be more intrigued by the 7-8-9 hitters than the 4-5-6 hitters? 

[rghrbek]

 

Kepler is playing. That is all the matters for me today (in terms of the lineup). I will refrain from commenting about how stupid it is to play Dozier in that spot (d'oh).

 

edit: ok, I thought Dozier was hitting 2nd, so this isn't quite as bad as I thought, still not where I'd put his OBP, but not sure who I'd move in front of him right now either.

 

I would, in this instance, have moved Buxton to lead off and pushed the lineup down one with dozier batting 7th or 8th.   

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Is it normal to be more intrigued by the 7-8-9 hitters than the 4-5-6 hitters?

If they haven't played as much, and you wanna see what they can do, that seems reasonable to me...

[jimmer]

 

It was Gilbert and Sullivan. Probably Pirates of Penzance, albeit please forgive me if i say after a decade they might blur together...

'It's from Penzance, or Iolanthe, one of the ones about duty.'

 

'They're all about duty.'

[Blake]

 

Is it normal to be more intrigued by the 7-8-9 hitters than the 4-5-6 hitters? 

Yes. (for Twins fans this year, this is normal)

[Platoon]

I felt I wanted to say something, and then I thought of all the threads, and all the blogs, and all the articles, and all I had said, and all everyone else had said, and it occurred to me that I couldn't think of anything else to say! So I'm just not going to say anything at all!

[lukeduke1980]

What happened to Dozier hitting 7th?  He had that one game where he homered and got hit by a pitch?  He looks as lost as ever up there

[John Kelsey]

 

Why are we starting Park over Mauer?

 

Because they're facing a lefty, I suppose.

 

Why the hell is Dozier hitting third?

[jimmer]

 

Because they're facing a lefty, I suppose.

 

Why the hell is Dozier hitting third?

Park is batting like 140 points lower against lefties than Mauer is.

[Mike Sixel]

Maybe he's finally rotating players....and this is the start. I'm not going to judge 1 game....let's see what happens over the next 2 weeks.

[HitInAPinch]

 

It was Gilbert and Sullivan. Probably Pirates of Penzance, albeit please forgive me if i say after a decade they might blur together...

Oh crap.  I thought he said Theoretical Production.     

[Halsey Hall]

I'm liking Centeno as catcher also.  Saw him work out with the other catchers but never paid much attention, other than he had some power now and then.  He looks like he belongs in the majors.

[HitInAPinch]

Well, interesting lineup. 

 

 

[LaBombo]

Had long term TDY in the Bay area many years ago,   when the A's and Twins were still AL West rivals.    Had only a small amount of household goods,   so the contract storage/moving company sent only two movers,   both of them crammed into one enormous guy wearing an A"s t-shirt the size of a 4 man tent.

 

Watched him from the balcony of my third floor apartment as he loaded up the hand trolley.   My new oak coffee table was clearly wobbling on top,   and predictably nosedived when the cart hit the first bump.    Crash.

 

He eventually got the whole mess onto the service elevator and up to my apartment.   He set the coffee table down first,    and pounded the broken,  skewed surface piece flat against the base pedestal.   "Guys at the storage warehouse can be pretty rough on stuff",   he offered by way of a theory explaining how the mystery damage might have happened.

 

Seeing my eyebrow tilt,  he quickly changed the subject.   Having noticed my Twins shirt he asked "Twins fan?"    I hesitantly answered yes,   and he cheerfully replied "Me and some guys from work got into a fight with a cuppla Twins fans at an A's game last year.   Twins won the ball game, but we beat them Minnesota guys up pretty good!"

 

Having graciously warned me that in addition to being enormous he was also prone to violence and probably not the least bit likely to feel guilty about outnumbering me 2 to 1 if a fight should happen to break out,  he retrieved the rest of my stuff and presented the document for me to sign that acknowledged the receipt of my possessions in good condition.

 

"Don't worry",   he assured me,   "If you find anything is damaged when you unpack it,   you can submit a claim".    The kitchen counter being covered now with boxes,  I bent down and signed the form on my scarred,  skewed,   wobbly,  formerly brand new coffee table,   whereupon the top promptly fell completely off.   He hoisted it back onto the pedestal and smashed it down so hard the floor shook.

 

"Have a good day,   maybe we'll see ya at an A's game!"   he said as he left with the form,  sounding genuinely pleased at the prospect.    Sadly,  though,  he never turned up at either Twins road game I attended.    It was probably just as well, though, since the Twins won both.

[jimmer]

those steaks look horrible.

[HitInAPinch]

Did I hear correctly:  Molitor saying Kepler will be getting more playing time this time around?

[jimmer]

 

Did I hear correctly:  Molitor saying Kepler will be getting more playing time this time around?

that's what he said.

[wsnydes]

 

Is it normal to be more intrigued by the 7-8-9 hitters than the 4-5-6 hitters? 

With this team, it's not absurd.

[LaBombo]

 

Did I hear correctly:  Molitor saying Kepler will be getting more playing time this time around?

 

Fingers crossed.    That could mean 10 at bats per week instead of 8.

[HitInAPinch]

 

that's what he said.

and like, again