Article: Game Thread: Twins @ White Sox, 4/7@7:10pm CT

[Riverbrian]

Inspired by the 3 game opening series sweep of the Kansas City Royals, my plan was to kick this thing off with a history of sweeping. My initial google search led me to a Washington Post article, “Roots is a sweeping history,” and that was not the direction I planned on heading. I continued to search but it became obvious that no one knows when sweeping started. There is a mention of the act of sweeping in the bible so I assume it has been around awhile. I decided to give up trying to sound like I knew something about such things. I rarely use a broom… I’m not even sure how you plug them in… and I’m a Twins Fan so it’s not like I’m getting a lot of sweeping experience that way either.

Here are some things to think about:

 

1. Chicago – The Windy City is a weird place. Just cruise by the art and it doesn’t take long to come to that conclusion. Chicagoans are basically down to earth people but when they make a concentrated effort to be snobby… they choose to be snobby about… of all things… Hot Dogs. They like their sandwiches wet which is odd because Clark Griswold is from Chicago and he clearly didn’t like his sandwich wet at all. Every Friday night they hold turtle races at Big Joe's. This is not a race between Greg Luzinski and Ron Kittle… they race actual turtles; the races begin at 9:30 on Friday nights and they end on the following Thursdays at 6PM. Chicago has LED faces that spit water, a 100 pound steel bean that distorts your reflection, buildings that are shaped like corn cobs, 16 inch softballs and Oprah Winfrey. Chicago also has 37 bridges that separate to allow cars to fall into the river and that river turns green once a year probably from all the anti-freeze leaking out of the cars that fall into the river because of those unpredictable bridges.

2. Our Twins – Life is good right now in Twins Territory. Three games and three wins and we have nothing to complain about. Not that we won’t try to complain anyway. Byron Buxton looks like September was a long time ago, Joe Mauer looks like 2009 was a long time ago, Brian Dozier hasn’t homered yet but Sano has and Jason Castro has pitch framed his pitching staff to 5 runs in 27 innings for an ERA under 2. I see no reason the Twins won’t keep winning as long as the White Sox walk 16 batters over 3 games like the Royals did.

3. The White Sox – It was a partial fire sale for the Sox this off season. Rumors were frequent that everyone was going away. Sale, Eaton, Quintana, Frazier, Abreu were on the trading block but like typical White Sox… they just couldn’t complete the plan. They may have moved Quintana but the asking price became too high after what they received for Eaton. They just ain’t going to trade their players for any ole’ hot dog. They want a special Hot Dog and they want mustard, onions, relish, tomatoes, peppers and celery salt thrown into the deal. What a bunch of snobs they are!!!

4. Today’s Joe M Conversation

Mauer: Hey Joe, what are you doing.

Maddon: I’m watching this giraffe here on my phone. Her name is April and she is going to give birth any moment.

McCarthy: She still hasn’t given birth yet. Jeez… Let that thing drop already.

Mauer: That’ll be a long drop… they should put down some pillows or something.

McCarthy: I was watching last month and I got tired of waiting.

Maddon: Last month?

McCarthy: Yeah it’s been streaming for about a month now… Still Waiting I guess.

Mauer: People have been watching this… all that time?

McCarthy: Yeah

Maddon: The same people who think baseball is too long?

McCarthy: Yeah… The Same People.

5. Privacy – My wife told me that she didn’t want me posting her private details publicly anymore. Not on Twins Daily, Facebook, Twitter or anything like that… She said that it wasn’t anyone else’s business. I love her and respect her so I told her that I wouldn’t, although I suspect that her hemorrhoids are making her a little cranky.
____________________

Lineups:

TWINS
Brian Dozier 2B
Robbie Grossman DH
Byron Buxton CF
Miguel Sano 1B
Jorge Polanco SS
Max Kepler RF
Eduardo Escobar 3B
Chris Gimenez C
Eddie Rosario LF

Phil Hughes, P

WHITE SOX
Tyler Saladino 2B
Tim Anderson SS
Melky Cabrera LF
Jose Abreu 1B
Todd Frazier 3B
Cody Asche DH
Avisail Garcia RF
Geovany Soto C
Leury Garcia CF

Derek Holland, P

Game-time forecast: 45 deg F, a few clouds here and there, very low chance of rain, winds at 5mph from the east ... which means from across the lake ... brrrrrr.

Click here to view the article

[GP830]

With the night game, I have no idea what I suppose to spend my time doing at work today...

[Craig Arko]

Contemplating 3-0 is so much better than thinking about World War III.

[Respy]

It will be interesting to see the lineups today, with Holland (a lefty) on the mound.  

 

• Mauer has struggled to open the season and historically (3 for 17) against Holland.  Will we see Gimenez at first base today?
• Does Jason Castro need a break filled in by Gimenez, and especially with a lefty on the mound?  Would you dare take him out after going 3 for 6 with 6 walks in the opening series?  Castro is also 4 for 12 with one homerun lifetime against Holland.
• Do you start Escobar at short today, given that a lefty is on the mound, and Escobar went 2 for 4 with 4 RBI on Wednesday?  If so, then what to do with Jorge Polanco who has started the season 4 for 6 with 3 RBI, 2 walks, and no strikeouts?
• Grossman hit lefties great last year (.344 BA, .994 OPS) but is off to a hitless start this year.  Do you start him again today with a lefty on the mound?  Or, do you DH Sano, giving Escobar or Gimenez the start at 3B?
• This morning on 93X, Randy Shaver predicted Dozier would hit a homerun off of Holland.  I like the call.
• I can't find the exact quote, but Molitor said yesterday he plans to keep Buxton batting third for now

[Brock Beauchamp]

I can't speak for the rest of the board but I'm getting tired from all this winning.

[Craig Arko]

 

I can't speak for the rest of the board but I'm getting tired from all this winning.

You could always start a bash Mauer thread. Or Buxton. Or Molitor. Those are always popular.

[GP830]

 

 

It will be interesting to see the lineups today, with Holland (a lefty) on the mound.  

 

• Mauer has struggled to open the season and historically (3 for 17) against Holland.  Will we see Gimenez at first base today?
• Does Jason Castro need a break filled in by Gimenez, and especially with a lefty on the mound?  Would you dare take him out after going 3 for 6 with 6 walks in the opening series?  Castro is also 4 for 12 with one homerun lifetime against Holland.
• Do you start Escobar at short today, given that a lefty is on the mound, and Escobar went 2 for 4 with 4 RBI on Wednesday?  If so, then what to do with Jorge Polanco who has started the season 4 for 6 with 3 RBI, 2 walks, and no strikeouts?
• Grossman hit lefties great last year (.344 BA, .994 OPS) but is off to a hitless start this year.  Do you start him again today with a lefty on the mound?  Or, do you DH Sano, giving Escobar or Gimenez the start at 3B?
• This morning on 93X, Randy Shaver predicted Dozier would hit a homerun off of Holland.  I like the call.
• I can't find the exact quote, but Molitor said yesterday he plans to keep Buxton batting third for now

 

My inclination would be Sano to 1st, Esco to 3rd, and keep Polanco at SS, give Joe a day off. Ideally, we'd have a legitimate RH hitting first base option for when Joe is sitting, but here we are.

[Doomtints]

It's interesting that cats are afraid of brooms and vacuums, but once you pull out a swiffer they have to get right in there.

[mikelink45]

The dictionary of etymology has it beginning in 1960 in baseball but I think they missed the real beginning of sweep:

 

sweep (n.) Look up sweep at Dictionary.com
mid-13c., "stroke, force," from sweep (v.). Meaning "act of sweeping" is from 1550s. From 1670s as "range, extent of a continued motion." In reference to police or military actions, it is attested from 1837. Sense of "a winning of all the tricks in a card game" is from 1814 (see sweepstakes); extended to other sports by 1960. Meaning "rapid survey or inspection" is from 1966. As a shortened form of chimney-sweeper, first attested 1796.
sweep (v.) Look up sweep at Dictionary.com
early 14c., "make clean by sweeping with a broom;" mid-14c., "perform the act of sweeping," of uncertain origin, perhaps from a past tense form of Middle English swope "sweep," from Old English swapan "to sweep" (transitive & intransitive); see swoop (v.), or perhaps from a Scandinavian source. Related: Swept; sweeping.

From late 14c. as "hasten, rush, move swiftly and strongly;" also "collect by sweeping." From c. 1400 in transitive sense "drive quickly, impel, move or carry forward by force;" mid-15c. as "clear (something) away." Meaning "win all the events" is 1960, American English. Sense of "pass systematically over in search of something" is from 1966. To sweep (someone) off (his or her) feet "affect with infatuation" is from 1913.

 

I could not get any further either, but it was an interesting question.

 

[BoofBonser]

Game time temp. looks like it's going to be 45 degrees... Chilly!

[Jerr]

 

"a 100 pound steel bean that distorts your reflection"

 

The Bean only weighs a hundred pounds???? Best 100 lbs. of fun I ever experienced !!!

But, how can one talk Chitown without mentioning pizza or popcorn???

GREAT intro and let's keep it going Twins!!!!!

[Craig Arko]

When I think of Chicago, I think of these places...

 

http://www.msichicago.org/explore/about-us/museums-in-the-park/?gclid=CNvdsc3HktMCFZE1aQodnwQK-g

[GP830]

 

"a 100 pound steel bean that distorts your reflection"

 

The Bean only weighs a hundred pounds???? Best 100 lbs. of fun I ever experienced !!!

But, how can one talk Chitown without mentioning pizza or popcorn???

GREAT intro and let's keep it going Twins!!!!!

Jerr. Can I call you Jerr? May I be frank with you? Chicago Pizza just isn't that good, man. I'm sorry you had to hear it from me. 

[Vanimal46]

I can't speak for the rest of the board but I'm getting tired from all this winning.

It's really boring, isn't it?! It must be mentally draining to be a Dodgers fan...

[Pardon My Dinger]

But, how can one talk Chitown without mentioning pizza or popcorn???

Or Chitown, for that matter.

[Pardon My Dinger]

Jerr. Can I call you Jerr? May I be frank with you? Chicago Pizza just isn't that good, man. I'm sorry you had to hear it from me.

Sing it, my man!

[GP830]

 

Sing it, my man!

As a lifelong Minnesotan, I'm a huge fan of the thin-crust- cut-into-squares-style that all of our best local spots serve. I've even heard that in parts of the country they refer to the style as "Minnesota Style." One time I met someone from the Carbone family and asked if the style was invented in MN, and they bluntly said "No, we took that from Chicago." 

 

I'm like, "HOW CAN ONE PLACE BE HOME TO TWO STYLES OF PIZZA????"

[Craig Arko]

Minnesota pizza.

 

[GP830]

 

Minnesota pizza.

 

http://media.tumblr.com/e5fd3c315afa445558900da884aa3294/tumblr_inline_mt2s05r9G61rdd07z.gif

[Jerr]

 

Jerr. Can I call you Jerr? May I be frank with you? Chicago Pizza just isn't that good, man. I'm sorry you had to hear it from me. 

Very few pizza's are called not good, the one's I've had there were good. To each his/her own   

 

[Pardon My Dinger]

Maybe it's time to nominate an official pizza of the State of Minnesota?

 

I nominate Luce's Garlic Mashed Potato. 

[Vanimal46]

I really want pizza now... Dang it.

[Pardon My Dinger]

Detello's is some pretty serious ****ing pie as well. 

[Halsey Hall]

A Friday night game. What to watch, Parkers Trek or the Twins Trek?

[GP830]

For my money, it's all about Savoy. http://static.celebuzz.com/uploads/2013/05/18/tina-fey-pizza.gif

[Mike Sixel]

 

Maybe it's time to nominate an official pizza of the State of Minnesota?

 

I nominate Luce's Garlic Mashed Potato. 

 

Pizza Luce is the single most over rated thing in MN. IMO, of course...

[GP830]

 

Detello's is some pretty serious ****ing pie as well. 

Where's that?

[Pardon My Dinger]

 

Where's that?

Minnetonka

[GP830]

 

Pizza Luce is the single most over rated thing in MN. IMO, of course...

Luce is like the Joe Mauer of MN Pizza. It's merely very good, but the prices reflect past days of hitting .330 and late-night drunk munchies in college. 

[Pardon My Dinger]

 

Pizza Luce is the single most over rated thing in MN. IMO, of course...

Pizza-wise, you mean?