Game Thread: Twins vs. Red Sox, 6/12, 1:10CT

[AlwaysinModeration]

Good morning, good afternoon and good night, fellow baseball enthusiasts, Twins lovers and masochists. Today I have the honor of kicking things off game thread-wise, and it couldn’t come at a better time in the Minnesota baseball club’s season. Game #62 on the season against the Boston Red Sox, and Game #1 on my watch, as the home club nine seeks their 19th win of the season and looks to avoid a sweep at the hands of the New England squad and salvage a respectable-ish 4-6 homestand.

I know there is a no mandated game thread format, or at least not one that I can discern. That said, I think we have a winner in the Riverbrian "five things" pattern, so here goes, five things for today:

1. The Boston-Minnesota connection. samplesizeofone, in the excellent gamethread opening yesterday, referenced in passing the fact that Minnesota players had gone on to success in Boston. This is the topic of a running joke between Boston friends and me, with the basic premise that my friends will continually thank me for the Minnesota castoffs who have quickly starred for Boston championship teams. With David Ortiz coming to town on his swan song season, we are all painfully aware of that one that got away. But looking at the Ortiz – Moss – Garnett trifecta is really amazing. These players averaged 8.3 years with the Twins to start their careers, and took only, on average 2 years after departing the Twins in one way or another, before they led Boston to a championship (with five between them, and possibly still counting). Since Ortiz became a Red Sock, Boston as a city has won 8 championships in the Big 4 leagues of baseball/football/basketball/hockey, whereas the Land of 10,000 lakes has won…well, we’re still waiting patiently (Lynx titles notwithstanding). Maybe of the Curse of Big Papi doesn’t compare to the Curse of the Bambino (or the Curse of the Trees) yet, but it is certainly something.

2. Pace-setting. As of today the Twins stand at 18-43, which is a 29% winning percentage. That puts the team on pace to win just shy of 48 games, and just north of 114 losses. That’s pretty remarkable. They have managed to lose games in just about every fashion imaginable this year. Yesterday was another impressive variation in this Oswaldo Arcia leg-kick of a season (does anyone have a jpg of that?), getting down 4-0 after 1, fighting back to tie the game in the 5th, and…then losing by 11. Now, I don’t think they can keep this pace up – it is just unsustainable. I think it is likely that they will go on a tear and win 40-50% of their remaining games. This would mean that the team will finish with a record of somewhere between 59-103 and 69-93. To simply avoid a 90-loss season, the team needs to win 55 games out of their last 101, a .545 clip. Woof.

3. Line-up notes. JT Chargois got his first chance in the majors yesterday. Congratulations to him on making it up to the big leagues, joining his former Rice co-closer Tyler Duffey in the show. His debut yesterday did not go…exactly as planned. He was understandably amped up and a bit wild in his first appearance. And then the Red Sox proceeded to greet his 97-98 mph fastballs with line drive after line drive. Eight batters, two walks, one HBP, three runs, two non-strikeout outs, and the bases loaded later, he departed. The rest of the bullpen didn’t do him any favors, with Buddy Boshers letting two of the three leftover “Shaggy” runners in. Chargois now has a career ERA of 67.50 after his first appearance, which is only slightly higher than the rest of the bullpen. (On a side note, if anyone could have predicted in the off-season that the June Twins bullpen would include the law firm of Abad, Boshers, Kintzler, and Rogers, you should immediately go buy some lottery tickets.) Hopefully Chargois is not already on a plane back to Rochester, and gets a chance to cut that ERA down by 10 or 20 sometime soon.

Meanwhile, Byron Buxton had the best 0 for 2 game yesterday that I could possibly imagine. He worked out a walk in his second AB, and then in his next AB he managed to foul off seven pitches in the AB, including two sliders and laying off another, before drawing his second free pass of the day. I found his approach during that AB and his ABs in general since he has been recalled to be very encouraging. One 12-pitch AB might not mean much in the grand scheme of a season, but I think that Buxton is going to take off from here, starting this afternoon with a big game – including maybe his first homer of the season.

4. Little League. Yesterday was the last day of Little League for my two older sons, here in DC. I coached my middle son’s team and had a lot of fun this season. The kids made notable improvements over the course of the season, and they really came together as a team, loving to don rally caps when we would get behind, and bouncing back from errors and strikeouts and mistakes to pick each other up. The highlight of the season was when, with the tying run on third and the winning run on second, our second baseman faked a throw back to the pitcher and caught the baserunner stepping off the bag to end the game. Best hidden ball trick of the year, straight out of "Rookie of the Year." The Nats have also been partnering with DC Little League, providing jerseys, clinics, free tickets for games, and facilitating player appearances. My kids have gotten to meet and talk with Ryan Zimmerman (who donated $ for the refurbishment of a local field), Tanner Roark, and over Memorial Day, Chris Heisey, he of the infamous 16th inning walk-off homer against the Twins earlier this year. Heisey in particular was great with the kids, spending time in drills, running in a relay race with the kids, answering questions about life in the big leagues, and being an all-around down-to-earth good guy. His pregnant wife Lisa and their cute 2-year old son Caden joined him for the event. Kudos to the Nats for making a meaningful commitment and connection to youth baseball. Between that and the Span - Ramos - Revere connections, it has been easy to root for my favorite national league team. However, I am beginning to question my prediction of a 2017 Nats-Twins World Series, though.

5. Game Thread themes. I will admit to being an inconsistent game thread participant and reader, but I always enjoy the various directions they take when I do tune in. Food commentary, musical interludes, creative collabarative artistic compositions, even the very occasional political comment. I sometimes wonder what the team photo would look like if the TD game threaders were to gather in one place. (Probably not that good.) There was a nice Cliff Clavin joke the other day, some good Monty Python quotes, and there is a regular dose of Princess Bride references. The Princess Bride makes me think of different remarkable roles played by the same actor/actress. Robin Wright will forever be Princess Buttercup (and if you have read the book, you will know that Buttercup was definitively the most beautiful girl in the world), but that role is contrasted nicely with her more recent casting as manipulative Clare Underwood. I think this pair of roles is topped though, by her House of Cards husband, Kevin Spacey. Spacey has on his resume not only the ruthless “FU” - Frank Underwood, but also….Keyser Söze, whose greatest trick was convincing people he didn't exist. (Another aside, in DC during the lead-up to the last House of Cards season, there was NetFlix advertising in the metros, with Frank Underwood’s beaming face adorning campaign signs, touting his platform as "A Push in the Right Direction.”)

So I will take FU and Keyser Söze over Buttercup and Clare (or even if you want to consider Forrest Gump's Jenny), but TD game threaders, what other iconic pairs of roles by one actor/actress would you nominate?

Go Twins, avoid the sweep!
Gametime temp: 75 degrees, mostly cloudy

Red Sox
Pitching. Young Rick Porcello ®, age 27

Twins
Pitching, Young Pat Dean (L), age 27
 

 

Boston Red Sox

1. Mookie Betts [R] RF
2. Dustin Pedroia [R] 2B
3. Xander Bogaerts [R] SS
4. David Ortiz (L) DH
5. Hanley Ramirez [R] 1B
6. Jackie Bradley Jr. (L) CF
7. Chris Young [R] LF
8. Josh Rutledge [R] 3B
9. Christian Vazquez [R] C

 

Minnesota Twins

1. Eduardo Nunez [R] 3B
2. Robbie Grossman (S) LF
3. Joe Mauer (L) 1B
4. Trevor Plouffe [R] DH
5. Brian Dozier [R] 2B
6. Max Kepler (L) RF
7. Eduardo Escobar (S) SS
8. Juan Centeno (L) C
9. Byron Buxton [R] CF

[USAFChief]

Nice job, AM!

[DaveW]

Must win game

[Jerr]

Great opening of the thread, except for the Boston to Minnesota connection, that was too painful.

 

Hopefully the Twins can win and start playing better, as I am taking my son and his family to Yankee game next Sat.

 

His two young sons are Yankee fans. If,Twins continue their horrible playing, it could be a very looooong game for Grandpa.

[DaveW]

I too will be at that NYY series for better or worse. I'm a glutton for punishment I guess.

[HitInAPinch]

Great Warmup.  MN - Boston   comparison: 

http://65.media.tumblr.com/d7c0d7b908e763849da47344260bf414/tumblr_inline_njc0wajzV71t9f3nm.jpg

You know ...   

[HitInAPinch]

First callup, get put in against the Red Sox:  Lamb meet slaughter.   Just no place to put in a rapidly rising RP like Chargois,

 

Buxton:  0-2, 2 walks.  Turning point.

[David HK]

 

Must win game

As every damn one of 'em should be, the rest of the way.

[David HK]

 

I too will be at that NYY series for better or worse. I'm a glutton for punishment I guess.

OMG, I shudder to think.  Playing the Yanks, in NY, where we always bend over for them anyway... and going there this year, with this club....  Ai yi yi, I hope nobody gets physically maimed.

[spinowner]

 

Must win game

 

 

As every damn one of 'em should be, the rest of the way.

It's in the nature of athletes to try to win each game but where things stand with this team it's the responsibility of the organization to make development of its young prospects its top priority. Winning games at the major league level is secondary for the rest of this season.

[David HK]

 

It's in the nature of athletes to try to win each game but where things stand with this team it's the responsibility of the organization to make development of its young prospects its top priority. Winning games at the major league level is secondary for the rest of this season.

Yes, true, without a doubt, but... given the way Molly has 'played' the prospects so far, it doesn't seem like it.   Bux, for example,  is only in there at this point because of injury coverage.  If we're going to lose at this rate, I want to lose with guys like him, not guys like Plouffe and Dozier and Zuke and Hughes and Nolasco, and Gibson, I'm throwing you in there, too.

 

It's not the winning that matters, certainly not at this point, it's having a team out there that looks and plays like they want to.  I'm sick of stuff like Plouffe's eye-rolls, and Dozey's absolute refusal to adjust to the way MLB pitchers are attacking him, sick of Molly's quizzical lineups and ridiculous game decisions, sick of the way guys do stupid things like "bunt on their own"... I can't go on.  (Actually I can, but won't).

 

Arcia is the only guy I see out there with some fire going on, and his has been mostly from the bench for weeks at a time.  Face it, boys, you are performers as well as athletes.  Your on-field persona has a lot to do with the fans' perception of how much you actually give a <rip> about what's going on out there.   For God's sake, get 68-year-old Nick Punto back, if that's what it takes, but how about a little heart?  It worked for the Senators in the musical Damn Yankees...

[David HK]

 

Great stuff in the opener, AM.  The snark is strong with this one...

 

Plus, loved the DC Metro reference!  

[David HK]

I'm off to bed now.  Y'all gotta bring this one home without rantings on my part.  

 

How about we pwn this Porcello today, like we used to do when he was a Tigger?

 

Go get 'em, Twinks.

[jimmer]

It's ironic that the best team in the AL is playing the worst team in the AL this weekend while the best team in the NL is playing the worst team in the NL this weekend.

[Halsey Hall]

Listened to TR this morning.  After hearing him, I predict at least 2 trades in the next week.  Watch these guys close, as a couple at least will be with other teams very shortly. 

[Winston Smith]

Think about this the Twins have 2 playoff game wins since Ortiz left and Ortiz has 3 World Series rings.

 

Ortiz has 44 XBH this season the Twins leader has 21 and Joe Mauer our "best" player being pushed hard for the All Star game has 14 XBH.

 

Sorry this just makes me really sad.

[USAFChief]

Listened to TR this morning.  After hearing him, I predict at least 2 trades in the next week.  Watch these guys close, as a couple at least will be with other teams very shortly.

 

Tell us more. I'm not able to listen.

[ashbury]

It's ironic that the best team in the AL is playing the worst team in the AL this weekend

And vice versa.

[AlwaysinModeration]

Can't seem to edit the original post, so here are the lineups:

 

Boston Red Sox

1. Mookie Betts ® RF
2. Dustin Pedroia ® 2B
3. Xander Bogaerts ® SS
4. David Ortiz (L) DH
5. Hanley Ramirez ® 1B
6. Jackie Bradley Jr. (L) CF
7. Chris Young ® LF
8. Josh Rutledge ® 3B
9. Christian Vazquez ® C

 

Minnesota Twins

1. Eduardo Nunez ® 3B
2. Robbie Grossman (S) LF
3. Joe Mauer (L) 1B
4. Trevor Plouffe ® DH
5. Brian Dozier ® 2B
6. Max Kepler (L) RF
7. Eduardo Escobar (S) SS
8. Juan Centeno (L) C
9. Byron Buxton ® CF

[HitInAPinch]

 

Listened to TR this morning.  After hearing him, I predict at least 2 trades in the next week.  Watch these guys close, as a couple at least will be with other teams very shortly. 

 

 

Tell us more. I'm not able to listen.

 

Same here.  Very curious, to say the least.

 

Chilli Davis on FSN with Dick right now.  "when I looked around, all I saw was competitors."

[ashbury]

Listened to TR this morning.  After hearing him, I predict at least 2 trades in the next week.  Watch these guys close, as a couple at least will be with other teams very shortly. 

Go on...?

[ashbury]

 

Can't seem to edit the original post, so here are the lineups:

FTFY.

[HitInAPinch]

Please, please , please somebody find new commercials for FSN.  That CenturyLink commercial was cute for about a second.......

 

 

[jimmer]

 

Listened to TR this morning.  After hearing him, I predict at least 2 trades in the next week.  Watch these guys close, as a couple at least will be with other teams very shortly. 

suuuuure.

[AlwaysinModeration]

 

FTFY.

 

Thank you sir.  Grossman's time in the 3-spot didn't last long.

[S.]

There isn't a single player on this team that deserves to bat in the 3 or 4 spots on an MLB team.

[AlwaysinModeration]

 

Listened to TR this morning.  After hearing him, I predict at least 2 trades in the next week.  Watch these guys close, as a couple at least will be with other teams very shortly. 

 

I think you meant to say "after hearing him, it sounds like he will make at least two trades in the next week.  However, having observed him in action over the past many years, I suspect that will not be the case." 

[Blake]

Note: There will be a beer review in this thread a little later on. (It's isn't after noon here yet)

 

On another note, great thread start, AM!

 

Today's beer: Elysian Dragonstooth Snout, I mean, Stout.

 

The label on the bottle resembles something drawn by an insane D&D player.

 

As for the contents, well, it's beer. Whether or not it is any good will be shortly determined.

 

 

[HitInAPinch]

1 Batter, 1 strikeout.  It's gotta be an omen or something....

http://www.horrordvds.com/reviews/n-z/omen06/omen06_shot11l.jpg

[HitInAPinch]

Seriously, Dick?  Ortiz was released because the Twins had too many lefty hitters???

 

I fart in your general direction....