Article: Game Thread: Twins v Rangers, 7/1 @ 7:10pm CT

[Riverbrian]

The worst team in the American League will be taking on the best team in the American League. It’s the 15th seed vs. the 1st seed. If this was March Madness it would be North Carolina vs. Weber State. It’s the Rangers vs. the Twins and it’s the mere thought of the little guy beating the big guy that makes the month of July so exciting... the Lamb beating the Lion.

Many great things have happened in July so I’m ready for a little July Madness.

Here are some things to think about:

 

1. Dolly the Sheep – On July 5th in the year 1996, Scottish scientists took a cell from a mammary gland and proved that they could indeed take that single cell and use it to create the most famous sheep in the whole world… Dolly. Terry Ryan was a young General Manager at the time but was fascinated by the research. Every bullpen pitcher the Minnesota Twins have used since 1997 have been clones of Scott Klingenback.


2. Machu Picchu -- On July 24th in the year 1911, American Hiram Bingham discovered and presented to the world the lost city of the Incan Empire. The Incas were really incredible for their time. Everybody knows about the advanced architecture and highway systems. However, they were also advanced farmers, discovered cocaine and were among the first to domesticate animals. A little cocaine and they were like, “Hey… bring that alpaca over here… let’s keep him.”


3. The Scopes Monkey Trial – On July 21st in the year 1925, John Thomas Scopes was found guilty and fined $100 for teaching human evolution in a state-funded school. At that time… In Tennessee… the creationists were a little more evolved and so they won.


4. The U.S Postal Service – On July 26th in the year 1775, the U.S. Postal Service was created. The very first piece of mail was sent from Philadelphia all the way to Boston. The trip took 8 full days on horseback through rain, sleet and snow. Since the mailbox was not invented yet, the mail carrier was forced to return to Philadelphia with the mail.


5. One small step for man – On July 20th in the year 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin and some other guy flew to the moon, walked around and returned home safely. This happened 10 years before roller blades were invented and that’s pretty incredible. Neil and Buzz left behind more than footprints on the lunar surface… They also left a 2 foot wide panel with 100 mirrors pointed at the earth that scientists use for experimentation to this day. Also left behind on the surface of the moon… all hope of the Vikings winning a Superbowl.
____________________

Lineups:

RANGERS
Shin-Soo Choo (L) RF
Ian Desmond [R) CF
Nomar Mazara (L) LF
Adrian Beltre [R) 3B
Prince Fielder (L) DH
Rougned Odor (L) 2B
Elvis Andrus [R) SS
Mitch Moreland (L) 1B
Bobby Wilson [R) C

Martin Perez (L) P

TWINS
Eduardo Nunez [R) SS
Joe Mauer (L) 1B
Miguel Sano [R) 3B
Brian Dozier [R) 2B
Trevor Plouffe [R) DH
Robbie Grossman (S) LF
Max Kepler (L) RF
Kurt Suzuki [R) C
Byron Buxton [R) CF

Ervin Santana [R) P

Game-time forecast: sunny and clear-ish, 73 deg F, no chance of rain, winds at 5mph from the ENE.

Win Twins!

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[DaveW]

The Twins will sweep this series, because that is how baseball works.

[wsnydes]

 

The Twins will sweep this series, because that is how baseball works.

I enjoy the enthusiasm...and you're right, that is how baseball works.  'Tis a funny game.

[Craig Arko]

'Some other guy' is Mike Collins. Believe he played a mean 3rd base.

[Winston Smith]

I doubt the Twins front office will ever be accused of evolving. Stuck on an ark floating aimlessly at sea rearranging the chairs.

[HitInAPinch]

and like good American tourists, Buzz and Neil left a ton of garbage behind....

[HitInAPinch]

 

 

The Twins will sweep this series, because that is how baseball works.

In deference to Terry Ryan:   So let it be written,  so let it be done.

 

sigh, couldn't find a Terry Ryan pharaoh meme.  I'll go with this one:

 

Edited July 1, 2016 by HitInAPinch

[Halsey Hall]

If the Twins can pull out one win in this series it'll be a good start to July.

[Vanimal46]

4. The U.S Postal Service – July 26th in the year 1775. That was the date that the U.S. Postal Service was created. The very first piece of mail was sent from Philadelphia all the way to Boston. The trip took 8 full days on horseback through rain sleet and snow. The mailbox was not invented yet and the mail carrier was forced to return to Philadelphia with the mail.

Today is National Postal Worker Day, AND National U.S. Postage Stamp Day! So take some time to thank your mail person. Since I live in an apartment, I couldn't tell you what my mail person looks like. 

[Winston Smith]

This should be the anthem of Twins fans everywhere:

https://youtu.be/SeLddbrzsHk

[Craig Arko]

 

This should be the anthem of Twins fans everywhere:

https://youtu.be/SeLddbrzsHk

Nah.

 

Here we go:

 

 

[wsnydes]

I've seen several sources saying Sano is in town and activated for today.  Park sent down to AAA.

[Craig Arko]

 

I've seen several sources saying Sano is in town and activated for today.  Park sent down to AAA.

I imagine that means Sano will DH a game or two to test the hammy before going to 3rd base.

[wsnydes]

 

I imagine that means Sano will DH a game or two to test the hammy before going to 3rd base.

Perhaps, but he's been in the field for all of his rehab starts I believe.  That includes at least one game in RF.  But I'd venture to guess that you are correct.

 

Plouffe's been bothered by his knee again.  Perhaps Moli gives him the night off.

Edited July 1, 2016 by wsnydes

[sampleSizeOfOne]

I am confused...

 

If it predated our declaration of independence, how was it the US post service?

 

And would Dolly be offended by all these songs about being born?

 

I was kind expecting some parody or other regarding sending in the clones...

 

That not withstanding, fine music! Keep 'em coming!

 

Fine intro, RB!

 

"Hey Inego, i hope we win!"

[wavedog]

I am not going to pretend I understand the calculation fully but this series, Rangers vs Twins, pits the most clutch hitting team since at least 1974 versus one of the worst clutch hitting teams this year.  Not hard to identify which team is which.  Maybe our clutchiness will even out this weekend, although later it is identified that teams that have a higher clutch statistic strikeout and walk less than average - so in that case we are in trouble with the number of strikeouts we have.

 

The article on the Rangers is below

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/rangers-hitters-couldnt-be-more-clutch/

 

And the current ytd rankings are here:

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=bat&lg=all&qual=0&type=3&season=2016&month=0&season1=2016&ind=0&team=0,ts&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0&sort=11,d

 

 

 

[HitInAPinch]

 

Are those the actual lineups or just projected? If actual looks like Sano is at 3B and Plouffe DH.  Makes sense since Plouffe's leg is still messed up. 

http://www.baseballpress.com/team-lineups/MIN

[HitInAPinch]

 

 

This should be the anthem of Twins fans everywhere:

https://youtu.be/SeLddbrzsHk

OMG  Albert King AND Stevie Ray Vaughn!

 

Thanks

[ashbury]

http://www.baseballpress.com/team-lineups/MIN

Huzzah!

 

Now let's find out how well we like what we've wished so fervently for.

[Squirrel]

 

Are those the actual lineups or just projected? If actual looks like Sano is at 3B and Plouffe DH.  Makes sense since Plouffe's leg is still messed up. 

Actual.

http://mlbstartingnine.com/

[Craig Arko]

This is why I fired that horse who used to predict lineups for me.

[Winston Smith]

 

OMG  Albert King AND Stevie Ray Vaughn!

 

Thanks

They are Gods in my world.

[Teflon]

http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2010%2F1014%2Fmlb_a_daniels11_300.jpg&w=267

 

With the Rangers in town, you get to admire the handy work of Jon Daniels, who has been the Rangers' GM since being hired in 2005 as a 28 year-old. He majored in Applied Economics and Management at Cornell which he's put to fairly good use, crafting World Series teams in 2010 and 2011 and assembling a team this season that has the most wins in the American League. 

 

Unfortunately, the last contract extension Daniels signed runs through 2018, so not much of a chance of the Pohlad charisma enticing him to relocate to points north.

 

 

[USAFChief]

Lots of games in July needing game thread volunteers...PM me!

[ashbury]

This is why I fired that horse who used to predict lineups for me.

I'm sure that horse wasn't putting any money on his predictions:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paqDfHeFfjE

[spinowner]

 

4. The U.S Postal Service – July 26th in the year 1775. That was the date that the U.S. Postal Service was created. The very first piece of mail was sent from Philadelphia all the way to Boston. The trip took 8 full days on horseback through rain sleet and snow. The mailbox was not invented yet and the mail carrier was forced to return to Philadelphia with the mail.

Today is National Postal Worker Day, AND National U.S. Postage Stamp Day! So take some time to thank your mail person. Since I live in an apartment, I couldn't tell you what my mail person looks like. 

People love to make jokes, but the US Postal Service is the most efficient postal system in the world.

[Pardon My Dinger]

People love to make jokes, but the US Postal Service is the most efficient postal system in the world.

Sit on it, Clavin.

[HitInAPinch]

Feeling good about tonight.  Nice warm day [er, 94] for a good start from Santana and a welcome back for Sano.

[spinowner]

 

Sit on it, Clavin.

I'm 100% serious about what I said about the USPS.

That said, Cliffie is my hero. Not only is he a mail carrier but he's an insufferable know-it-all.

I couldn't find a link to the video, but there was an episode where Cliff conceived of a theme park called "Postal World" which, in Cliff's words would convey "the pageantry that is the US Postal Service." He followed that with, "Who knows? Maybe if this idea takes off I can get out of this stinking rotten dead-end job."

[Craig Arko]

Sure is a nice evening.

 

I like having both Sano and Kepler in the lineup.