Article: Game Thread: Off-Season

[Riverbrian]

For those who have an off-season game thread Jones, we are going to pin this up and let it roll until baseball actually returns. For those of you who are actually named Jones… the reference has nothing to do with you and I bet you think this song is bout you… don’t you… don’t you.

I have no idea why Carly Simon just jumped into my head but she probably weighs less than the Counting Crows so I’m grateful. When it comes to the Twins off-season… we got a couple of new leaders who can hopefully help us believe… believe in anything… ‘cause I want to be someone who believes.
OK… the Counting Crows were in my head, too. Turns out… I have room for them all in there.

All game threads are meant to be fun… no offense should be given or taken. The spirit of all responses is to enjoy yourself. It’s easy… just don’t take yourself seriously and you will fit right in. All are welcome and encouraged to participate… serious thoughts and goofy thoughts and anything in between. The game thread analogy is a bunch of people sitting in the left field bleachers having a good time talking about anything. The one and only rule: No Bad Moods… don’t feel bad or make others feel bad. Have Fun!

Here are some things to think about:

 

1. Snow – In Minnesota… snow is a seasonal reality, but truth be told, the cold in Minnesota trumps the snow we get. For example… Buffalo, New York averages 93 inches annually while Buffalo, Minnesota averages 46 inches. I guess the point is… it could be worse. Now last week… none of that mattered as a system just sat over my house and kept dropping snow. It snowed for so long… I just left the snow blower running for 3 days straight. The snow amount was perplexing but I figured it out. We had simply become trapped in a snow globe sitting on the desk of a space giant.

2. Agents – The off-season is when our thoughts turn to the Twins front office but very rarely do we think about the other side of it. The off-season is when the agents also go to work striking the best deal for their clients. It’s a tough job… A good friend of mine is a sports agent and I was having lunch with him one day. He looked out the window and he noticed one of his clients walking across the street and this pained look of disgust came across his face and he said… “Do you see that guy walking across the street… that jerk takes 90% of my money.”

3. The Winter Solstice – Wednesday, December 21st is the day of the 2016 Winter Solstice. It will be the longest night of the year. Actually… the second longest night of the year. I’m pretty sure the night I innocently told my wife that I thought her sister was kinda hot was the longest night of the year.

4. Halloween – Maybe it’s my advancing age but Halloween just doesn’t scare me anymore. People in costumes, haunted houses, piped-in ghost sounds… none of it frightens me anymore. However… the first Tuesday after Halloween… completely scares me to the bone.

5. Ice Cream – I have just one more thought for all of you... to Hell with winter. Yes, that was me walking out of the Cold Stone Creamery eating and enjoying the Banana Caramel Crunch with the temp at -3 F. I can’t be stopped.

Click here to view the article

[70charger]

So, I've heard some stuff through the grapevine about a Dozier trade. Anyone else hear anything?

[twinsnorth49]

Did we win yet?

[twinsnorth49]

I thought the Winter Solstice was the shortest day of the year. It's the longest night?

 

I'll be damned.

[scottz]

I heard sheep. I saw wood.

[scottz]

Did we win yet?

That's the spirit.

[nicksaviking]

I thought the Winter Solstice was the shortest day of the year. It's the longest night?

I'll be damned.

Confusing for sure. I understand in Canada night is about four months long this time of year?

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Confusing for sure. I understand in Canada night is about four months long this time of year?

[twinsnorth49]

Confusing for sure. I understand in Canada night is about four months long this time of year?

Day for Night

 

Right RB?

[Oldgoat_MN]

 

Confusing for sure. I understand in Canada night is about four months long this time of year?

 

I had a vendor out of Toronto. Several of them kept referring to how cold it was in Canada.

I finally explained to them that Minneapolis is south of Toronto.

Someone there had to look it up before they believed me.

[goulik]

What inning is it? Who's the opponent? Is that.... Falvey on the mound?

[twinssporto]

Thank God someone started a game thread!  I was going into hypothermic shock and having some minor DT's.  

 

Chief should start some early season recruiting for game thread volunteers now while there is still hope in the season ahead.

 

Brian thanks for taking the initiative with the game thread.  Next time please remember to post the winter lineups with start time, etc.  

[Mike Sixel]

Three inches of snow here. Children have been stuck at school for hours, maybe over night. Five hours to drive nine miles. Unreal.

[crapforks]

Three inches of snow here. Children have been stuck at school for hours, maybe over night. Five hours to drive nine miles. Unreal.

From Alberta and Interstate to Hayden island (5 miles or so) was 2.5 hours. Winter storms in Portland are terrible. Not sure why and how this happens.

[HitInAPinch]

I'm starting a new job at Walmart this morning.   Start time is 6am cst.  

Currently:   -25 degree windchill.

In Minnesota, you always need to know the windchill.  It let's Minnesotan's know when to say "Ufda". 

Edited December 15, 2016 by HitInAPinch

[Miraclebat]

 

I had a vendor out of Toronto. Several of them kept referring to how cold it was in Canada.

I finally explained to them that Minneapolis is south of Toronto.

Someone there had to look it up before they believed me.

That seems like a contradiction...it would be a bigger story if Minneapolis was NORTH of Toronto...which it isn't.  The even bigger story is that Seattle is NORTH of Duluth!  This is the reason the Mariner's catchers are poor pitch framers!

[terrydactyls]

for accuracy:  Minneapolis sits at 44°, 58°  and Toronto sits at 43°, 39°.  Minneapolis is north of Toronto.  Surprisingly, Duluth is south of Seattle.

[Craig Arko]

for accuracy:  Minneapolis sits at 44°, 58°  and Toronto sits at 43°, 39°.  Minneapolis is north of Toronto.  Surprisingly, Duluth is south of Seattle.

Here's the benchmark:

 

https://www.minnpost.com/stroll/2014/12/45th-parallel-markers-make-note-minneapolis-distinction

 

Of course the precession of the Earth makes that a variable, and the overdue geomagnetic reversal could really mess things up.

 

Pitchers and catchers, report already.

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

Did we win yet?

 

No, this team is bad.  It cannot win a game, even when the opponent refuses to play.

[Han Joelo]

What latitude do you have to be at before the whole longest night deal becomes moot? The longest day I ever had lasted from October 30th to February 8th, at the South Pole. The Yankees won the WS, Ravens the Super Bowl, and Bush the White House. Seemed like that day would never end. Had time to run around the world three times, even.

[Craig Arko]

 

What latitude do you have to be at before the whole longest night deal becomes moot? The longest day I ever had lasted from October 30th to February 8th, at the South Pole. The Yankees won the WS, Ravens the Super Bowl, and Bush the White House. Seemed like that day would never end. Had time to run around the world three times, even.

Sounds like a typical day at work.

[Mike Sixel]

 

From Alberta and Interstate to Hayden island (5 miles or so) was 2.5 hours. Winter storms in Portland are terrible. Not sure why and how this happens.

 

From what I'm reading and watching.....

 

There is no equipment to manage the roads, which makes sense if this happens 3 times a year...

People have NO IDEA how to drive in ice/snow

The hills are really steep (you don't know how flat MN is until you leave MN)

The schools were ridiculed after the last storm for closing, so of course they weren't going to close again

 

Pretty big cluster, really. I'm hoping we can get into the city today, for marriage counseling, brewery visit, and caroling on THE street in Portland for Xmas lights.....but I have my doubts.

[nicksaviking]

 

for accuracy:  Minneapolis sits at 44°, 58°  and Toronto sits at 43°, 39°.  Minneapolis is north of Toronto.  Surprisingly, Duluth is south of Seattle.

 

The one that always gets me is that London is further north than Winnipeg.

[USAFChief]

 

I thought the Winter Solstice was the shortest day of the year. It's the longest night?

I'll be damned.

Sure As I'm Sittin' Here, at least One person will Try A Little Tenderness by bringing a Three Dog Night reference to the table, attempting to tie the whole music and cold long night theme into the season and bring a little Joy To The World.  

 

But as true as it is that I've Never Been To Spain, it'll be as plain a Black and White failure as The Family Of Man has ever seen on the road to Shambala.  I shouldn't complain though, Mama Told Me Not To Come to game threads.

 

Oh well.  The Show Must Go On.  Pieces of April opening day can't come soon enough I Can Hear You Calling.  We'll just have to get through the winter somehow, dreaming of an Eli Whiteside comin' to help out the catcher situation, and Celebrate where we can.

[Mike Sixel]

Also from what I read a lot of the road problems were caused by a few trucks or cars basically blocking highways and other major arteries......a few bad apples, as it were.

[ashbury]

and I bet you think this song is bout you… don’t you… don’t you.

[Vanimal46]

 

Three inches of snow here. Children have been stuck at school for hours, maybe over night. Five hours to drive nine miles. Unreal.

Not sure if that would be a nightmare or a dream scenario to be stuck at school.... Leaning towards nightmare. 

[Craig Arko]

 

Sure As I'm Sittin' Here, at least One person will Try A Little Tenderness by bringing a Three Dog Night reference to the table, attempting to tie the whole music and cold long night theme into the season and bring a little Joy To The World.  

 

But as true as it is that I've Never Been To Spain, it'll be as plain a Black and White failure as The Family Of Man has ever seen on the road to Shambala.  I shouldn't complain though, Mama Told Me Not To Come to game threads.

 

Oh well.  The Show Must Go On.  Pieces of April opening day can't come soon enough I Can Hear You Calling.  We'll just have to get through the winter somehow, dreaming of an Eli Whiteside comin' to help out the catcher situation, and Celebrate where we can.

[Mike Sixel]

On a humorous note....

 

We got an email from the apartment management, reminding us to keep the heat on, and to let the faucets drip so pipes didn't freeze, because, um, uh, the temps would be in teh 20s. Above zero. 

 

Wut? Is there no insulation in these units? Do pipes magically freeze 30-40 degrees warmer in OR than in MN?

[PDX Twin]

 

From what I'm reading and watching.....

 

There is no equipment to manage the roads, which makes sense if this happens 3 times a year...

People have NO IDEA how to drive in ice/snow

The hills are really steep (you don't know how flat MN is until you leave MN)

The schools were ridiculed after the last storm for closing, so of course they weren't going to close again

 

Pretty big cluster, really. I'm hoping we can get into the city today, for marriage counseling, brewery visit, and caroling on THE street in Portland for Xmas lights.....but I have my doubts.

 

And they refuse to use salt to melt the ice. Great for preserving your car, but not so good on the two days a year that it snows.

 

Good luck making it to the city, Mike! MAX might be running...