Game Thread: Twins vs. Rays, 6/5 @ 1:10 pm CT

[formerly33]

Who wants to think about a team that's on pace for 110 losses and allows an average of 1.4 home runs per game? A team that has been outscored 289-204 thus far and is on pace to be outscored 851-601 – by a grand total of 250 runs – this season? Therefore, I have carefully expunged any mentions of this harrowing topic from our five things to think about for the day:

 

1. High school baseball. It's the best, man.

 

2. "All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances, And one man in his time plays many parts." Four lines from an old play which has survived the ages because the playwright was Shakespeare, who in turn has also survived the ages because he wrote it. I can't help but wonder, though, if all the world's a stage, why isn't there intermission? At best we get an entr'acte now and then. And how did they confuse the word "tickets" with "taxes"?

 

3. My Generation. It's always the same ... that's why the song is so timeless. My generation is exactly like the last. We're a generation which, like every generation before it, has had to put up with people trying to put us d-down. My generation is often referred to as the "selfie generation," a term which is intended to be a derogatory reference to the frequency with which we take selfies and the assumption that we're more about we, ourselves, and us than they were at our age. All I can say is, whoever came up with that idea clearly couldn't think of much else, either. And too bad iPhones weren't around when you were kids ... you missed out big time. There's nothing wrong with taking a selfie; there's nothing wrong with having your picture taken (unless of course you're stuck in some stone age conservative religious group). Get over it.

 

4. Think about the preceding generation. The truth is, we missed out big time, too. '87 and '91 World Series ... baseball players with mustaches and mullets ... the grunge fashion craze (yes, I'm obsessed) ... Teen Spirit ... audio cassettes ... riot grrrl ... Buffy ... pagers ... car phones ... the good ol' MS-DOS ... continuous stationary ... and okay, even I admit I don't really want to return to this level of antiquity.

 

5. I was going to go back to the generation that actually listened to "My Generation" when it first hit the charts, but this is getting a little weird, even for a game thread. So, for this last thought, think about how the brain is the most wonderful organ in your body. And then think about who's telling you that.

 

 

Weather:

 

Mostly sunny, with a high near 79. West wind 10 to 15 mph.

 

 

Lineups:

 

RAYS (24-30):

 

CF Mikie Mahtook [R]

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]

C Hank Conger

2B Tim Beckham [R]

SP Drew Smyly [L]

 

TWINS (16-39):

 

3B Eduardo Nunez [R]

2B Brian Dozier [R]

DH Joe Mauer [L]

1B Byung-ho Park [R]

LF Robbie Grossman

SS Eduardo Escobar

RF Max Kepler [L]

C Kurt Suzuki [R]

CF Byron Buxton [R]

SP Tyler Duffey [R]

[USAFChief]

Nice job with the GTs this weekend, Always.

 

I wonder if Pete Townshend still hopes he dies before he gets old.

[howeda7]

How long until Arcia goes on the DL with splinters in his lower body?

[spinowner]

 

Nice job with the GTs this weekend, Always.

I wonder if Pete Townshend still hopes he dies before he gets old.

If so he's too late.

[USAFChief]

If so he's too late.

Lucky for him.

 

Perspective changes, don't it?

[USAFChief]

Why rest Plouffe today, against a LHer?

 

Unless he's hurt, these are the kinds of decisions that make no sense to me.

[spinowner]

 

Lucky for him.

Perspective changes, don't it?

Back at that time it was, "Don't trust anyone over 30." After about 20 years it was, "Don't trust anyone under 30."

[jimmer]

Jose Fernandez has struck out 44% of right handed batters he's faced.  Major League average is 20%.

 

So the Mets decided to load their lineup today with left handed hitters and switch hitters. He's struck out half the batters he's faced.

[spinowner]

 

Why rest Plouffe today, against a LHer?

Unless he's hurt, these are the kinds of decisions that make no sense to me.

Maybe a trade is in the works? (A guy can hope, can't he?)

[Blake]

 

Why rest Plouffe today, against a LHer?

Unless he's hurt, these are the kinds of decisions that make no sense to me.

Molitor noticed that Plouffe cannot hit this particular pitcher? I only toss it out there because Molitor played Suzuki against a left-handed pitcher that was allowing left-handed hitters to hit over .300. 

 

Yes, it's safe to say I'm not overly impressed with Molitors managerial style.

[Squirrel]

 

 

 

4. Think about the preceding generation. The truth is, we missed out big time, too. '87 and '91 World Series ... baseball players with mustaches and mullets ... the grunge fashion craze (yes, I'm obsessed) ... Teen Spirit ... audio cassettes ... riot grrrl ... Buffy ... pagers ... car phones ... the good ol' MS-DOS ... continuous stationary ... and okay, even I admit I don't really want to return to this level of antiquity.

 

 

 

 

You should have put cave painting in this list ... just for Chief. I'm sure he misses that generation.

[blindeke]

 

Why rest Plouffe today, against a LHer?

Unless he's hurt, these are the kinds of decisions that make no sense to me.

 

No sense, no sense at all.

[Squirrel]

 

Maybe a trade is in the works? (A guy can hope, can't he?)

That just teases all of us.

[Blake]

 

 

 

5. I was going to go back to the generation that actually listened to "My Generation" when it first hit the charts, but this is getting a little weird, even for a game thread. So, for this last thought, think about how the brain is the most wonderful organ in your body. And then think about who's telling you that.

 

 

Weather:

 

Mostly sunny, with a high near 79. West wind 10 to 15 mph.

___________________________________________________________

Pfft, you kids think you invented weird. Have you really truly explored the weirdness that was Sixties fashion? How about shag carpeting? Carpet that was so long it could not be determined if one should use a vacuum or a rake to keep it neat and tidy.

 

[formerly33]

 

Pfft, you kids think you invented weird. Have you really truly explored the weirdness that was Sixties fashion? How about shag carpeting? Carpet that was so long it could not be determined if one should use a vacuum or a rake to keep it neat and tidy.

 

Oh no. Weird is definitely a learned behavior.

[Blake]

 

You should have put cave painting in this list ... just for Chief. I'm sure he misses that generation.

When cave painting arrived on the scene, Chief's generation thought it was shockingly avant-garde and not suitable for the youngsters.

[CampQ]

 

"No! I am not Prince Hamlet, nor was meant to be;

Am an attendant lord, one that will do

To swell a progress, start a scene or two,

Advise the prince; no doubt, an easy tool,

Deferential, glad to be of use,

Politic, cautious, and meticulous;

Full of high sentence, but a bit obtuse;

At times, indeed, almost ridiculous—

Almost, at times, the Fool.

 

I grow old ... I grow old ...

I shall wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled."

 

TS Eliot is pertinent here

[Winston Smith]

Saw the Who play My Generation in 1967 it was their closing song, before they destroyed all their equipment. They were the back up group for Hermans Hermits and half the crowd left after the Who finished.

My generation had no cell phones, twitter, facebook, selfies or internet and at least a few of us (not including myself by the way) turned out ok. I think but can't know for sure about that a lot of brain cells lost over the last 40 years.

[operation mindcrime]

So we're on the verge of losing 3 out of 4 to a team that had won 2 of their previous 12.

[Blake]

 

So we're on the verge of losing 3 out of 4 to a team that had won 2 of their previous 12.

Maybe you've struck on the purpose of the Twins this year? Minnesota Twins: They make bad teams look good!

[operation mindcrime]

This Mahtook would fit on the Twins nicely!

[Blake]

Well, my day has been going along well..

 

Time to turn on the game and see if I can ruin my day.

[hybridbear]

I find it amusing how optimistic Tony Oliva is... During the Spanish pre-game show he was saying that he's sure that the Twins will win today because Duffey is pitching & he's going to dominate. He also said that the offense will be better today because Escobar is back in the lineup. I hope he's right... Duffey looks good though 1 inning.

[operation mindcrime]

Nunez needs his helmet drilled into his head!

[operation mindcrime]

Awesome Dozier!

[operation mindcrime]

Woooooooooooo

[spinowner]

[jimmer]

We'll definitely take it. Way to go Joe.  That is the kind of pitch I'd like to see Joe pull for power.

[hybridbear]

Smyly struck out the side. Maybe the Twins will reach 10 strikeouts before the 7th inning... Escobar looked terrible in his AB.

[spinowner]