Game Thread: Twins vs. Rays, 6/4 @ 3:10 pm CT

[formerly33]

Andriese vs. Santana – Matt Andriese may be 0-1 with a 15 ERA in one career appearance against the Twins, but that was last year when he pitched 3 innings in relief for Nathan Karns and gave up 5, allowing a Brian Dozier home run which scored Byron Buxton, an Escobar double which scored Plouffe and Suzuki, and a Buxton double which scored Escobar. In those 3 innings, he also struck out 5.

 

Ervin Santana happened to start that game and only went 2.2 innings, allowing 5 earned runs on 8 hits whilst walking 2 and striking out only 1. Fortunately, Andriese (and, of course, J.R. Graham and the Twins' offense) saved the day.

 

One game is, of course, a very small sample size. Santana's SO9 thus far this season is 7.7, while Andriese's is only 5.2. However, Andriese has pitched well for Tampa Bay since his callup from Triple-A last month. Ervin Santana has not pitched so well, as we all know, though he tossed what is considered by old scholars to be a quality start in his last outing in Oakland.

 

Apparently, starting in Oakland wasn't a lucky thing to do since they swept us ...

 

Rays – The Tampa Bay Rays originally started out in 1998 as the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, but after the 2007 season they decided to honor R&B legend Ray Charles who spent a year in Tampa before moving on to bigger and better things. Because Ray Charles wasn't usually referred to as "Devil Ray" and Bud Selig objected to the idea of a baseball team called the Genius, they ended up simply dropping the Devil from their moniker. The decision proved to be judicial as they went on to win the pennant in '08 and had the unusual opportunity of assisting the Phillies in taking a World Series championship, something which hadn't been done since 1980 when the Royals held that privilege.

 

Of course, it wasn't until then that Stuart Sternberg realized it might have been wiser to emulate Ray Charles' style of moving on to bigger and better things. Since Seattle wasn't available, Vancouver seemed mighty appealing ... but it hasn't happened yet, and Tropicana Field continues to struggle bringing in (and keeping in) fans. The Rays are so used to playing in an empty stadium, Target Field feels almost like home field advantage except for the atmosphere.

 

Violas – If you think listening to Dick and Bert is bad, just wait until you hear a beginner on a viola. That's why most violists start out on the violin. I had the misfortune of being the sister of a beginning violist; fortunately, this is no longer the case, but one fine summer afternoon a couple years ago I remember hearing my sister practicing her viola and thinking to myself, "Hey, she doesn't sound half bad for once." That's when I realized it was my neighbor mowing the lawn.

 

 

Weather:

 

A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly between 1pm and 4pm. Cloudy, with a high near 68. North northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

 

 

Lineups:

 

RAYS (23-30):

 

SS Brad Miller [L]

3B Evan Longoria [R]

1B Logan Morrison [L]

DH Steve Pearce [R]

LF Corey Dickerson [L]

RF Steven Souza Jr. [R]

CF Mikie Mahtook [R]

C Hank Conger

2B Tim Beckham [R]

SP Matt Andriese [R]

 

TWINS (16-38):

 

SS Eduardo Nunez [R]

DH Joe Mauer [L]

2B Brian Dozier [R]

3B Trevor Plouffe [R]

LF Robbie Grossman

1B Byung-ho Park [R]

RF Max Kepler [L]

C Juan Centeno [L]

CF Byron Buxton [R]

SP Ervin Santana [R]

 

 

Predictions:

 

Rays win, but go Twins anyway.

 

Also, go Zephs! I will be at the game today.

[ryanschroeder2]

If they arent going to play arcia let him go so he can flourish somewhere else. I still cant figure out why he didnt pinch hit for suzuki last night. I think our mgmt might need to be drug tested

[bluechipper]

I'm not sure if this has been mentioned already, but Buxton's triple last night was the second fastest in the MLB this year, to Billy Hamilton. A 10.69 compared to Hamilton's 10.66. And Hamilton's came as a left handed batter.

[jimmer]

 

I'm not sure if this has been mentioned already, but Buxton's triple last night was the second fastest in the MLB this year, to Billy Hamilton. A 10.69 compared to Hamilton's 10.66. And Hamilton's came as a left handed batter.

almost makes you wonder if he would have stolen that base late in the game if given the green light.

 

In any event, that speed will only come in handy if/when he starts getting on base more.

[Bark's Lounge]

 

Also, go Zephs! I will be at the game today.

I can't get on board with this. A very close person to me worked in this school district and was screwed over by them after many years of loyal service and sacrifice. The Zephyrs need to be burned at the stake and incinerated into oblivion and that is only the beginning of the suffering I have planned for them.

 

Other than that… Great Thread Start!

[spinowner]

 

almost makes you wonder if he would have stolen that base late in the game if given the green light.

 

In any event, that speed will only come in handy if/when he starts getting on base more.

Yep. Unfortunately for Buck it's against the rules to steal first base.

[twinsnorth49]

We're complaining about Buxton getting on base the day after he goes 2 for 4 with a triple?

 

Ok.

[Halsey Hall]

What are the Zephyrs up to now.  Being from Bear Town, I remember the prettiest girls were always across the lake.

[formerly33]

 

What are the Zephyrs up to now.  Being from Bear Town, I remember the prettiest girls were always across the lake.

Still are.

 

[Halsey Hall]

I'll bet I knew one or both of your folks!  I spent a lot of time over there.

[formerly33]

 

I'll bet I knew one or both of your folks! I spent a lot of time over there.

They're from White Bear. If you spent all your time in Mahtomedi, I guess you missed 'em.

 

My mom, by the way, is very beautiful. How dare you ... 

[Bark's Lounge]

 

We're complaining about Buxton getting on base the day after he goes 2 for 4 with a triple?

 

Ok.

It's becoming a phenomenon. It is sort of like a heroin addiction, but is based upon unrealistic expectations on a player who is a whopping 22 years old. We need to dig deep and find the methadone of this newly born crux and squash it before it becomes an epidemic.

[twinsnorth49]

Well this thread is taking an odd turn, even by game thread standards.

[D. Hocking]

 

Well this thread is taking an odd turn, even by game thread standards.

 

The game threads have standards?

[Bark's Lounge]

 

Well this thread is taking an odd turn, even by game thread standards.

I know. I'm getting the willies.

[twinsnorth49]

 

The game threads have standards?

I concede, it's a loose interpretation of the word. 

[twinsnorth49]

R.I.P. The Greatest.

 

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Just as long as there are no babies on the ceiling, i'll be okay.

[Craig Arko]

Well this thread is taking an odd turn, even by game thread standards.

And on top of that, the Universe is not behaving as expected.

 

http://www.astronomy.com/news/2016/06/nasas-hubble-finds-universe-is-expanding-faster-than-expected

[Bark's Lounge]

 

R.I.P. The Greatest.

 

True dat.

[USAFChief]

Still are.

 

Growing up, it seemed the prettiest girls were always on the other side of the lake.

 

No matter which side of the lake I was on.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

R.I.P. The Greatest.

 

Sad...

[Craig Arko]

R.I.P. The Greatest.

He was somebody very special.

 

 

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Growing up, it seemed the prettiest girls were always on the other side of the lake.

 

No matter which side of the lake I was on.

Like the grass being greener?

[twinsnorth49]

 

Growing up, it seemed the prettiest girls were always on the other side of the lake.

No matter which side of the lake I was on.

It's important to keep believing  it wasn't you though.

[Hrbowski]

 

Growing up, it seemed the prettiest girls were always on the other side of the lake.

No matter which side of the lake I was on.

Luckily for me they are on my side. 

[Hrbowski]

 

I can't get on board with this. A very close person to me worked in this school district and was screwed over by them after many years of loyal service and sacrifice. The Zephyrs need to be burned at the stake and incinerated into oblivion and that is only the beginning of the suffering I have planned for them.

 

Other than that… Great Thread Start!

First you have me to deal with.

[Bark's Lounge]

 

Growing up, it seemed the prettiest girls were always on the other side of the lake.

No matter which side of the lake I was on.

In my neck of the woods, it was the other side of the "tracks".

[Craig Arko]

Growing up, it seemed the prettiest girls were always on the other side of the lake.

No matter which side of the lake I was on.

In college, a buddy and I (both math/physics types) considered:

 

A: the women we liked

B: the women who liked us

 

We used this as an example of a disjoint set.

[Bark's Lounge]

 

First you have me to deal with.

Oh, I am ready for you bucko.