Article: Game Thread: Twins @ Indians, 5/12-6:10pm CT

[Riverbrian]

The Twins open up a 3-game series against the Indians. Here we are… mid-May… tied for 1st place with the Indians. This series is a head to head battle for the AL Central lead.

How is this possible? We are working with a 4-man rotation (closer to a 3-man, actually) and a bullpen that has been lit up like Foster Brooks, and last night Polanco was our clean-up hitter.

This might be one of those seasons where the Twins contend and the Twins Daily faithful hate the moves made to keep them contending. This might be one of those seasons of satisfactory results from unsatisfactory methods. Maybe the means won’t justify the ends. Maybe it will be like winning a race across town and using the sewer as a shortcut. If you win a race that way… nobody will want to hug you afterwards.

Here are some things to think about:

 

1. Cleveland – Cleveland tries to claim to be the birthplace of Rock and Roll but we all know that Pat Boone was the originator and he was born in Jacksonville, Florida. Cleveland had Aaron Boone and currently has Boone Logan so now Cleveland is building the Boone Hall of Fame with a big Daniel Boone statue in front of the main doors. Cleveland has built itself up on the backs of others throughout its history. It’s a little known fact that Cleveland originally became a major city because of Minnesota. As a major shipping port on the Great Lakes, Cleveland was the destination for Iron Ore out of the Iron Range and this started the growth spurt. Cleveland was the 5th largest city in America in the 1920’s… behind New York City, Chicago, Fergus Falls and Philadelphia. When it comes to Iron Ore… apparently it takes more people to receive Iron Ore than it does to ship it. While Cleveland grew to major city status on the back of the Iron Ore trade, it should be pointed out that Hibbing does not have a professional sports team. Yes… Cleveland has stolen almost everything from everyone else but they have produced a couple of things that we all enjoy… Smuckers Jelly and Progressive Insurance. Cleveland may lack a certain flow but Cleveland… ironically… brought us Flo.

2. Our Twins – Minnesota is currently 10th in the American League in Runs Scored and 12th in the American League in ERA. If you look at those numbers… of course we are in 1st place… where else would we be?

3. The Indians – All everyone talked about was that Cleveland rotation going into 2017. Who could match that rotation? Boston adds Sale, Price and Porcello and people say it’s almost as good as the Indians. Fast forward to mid-May and the Indians starters have combined for a 4.85 ERA and that is last in the American League… but of course they are in 1st place… where else would they be?

4. Today’s Joe M Conversation

Maddon: Would you call these skies partly sunny or partly cloudy?

Montana: Good question… Where does partly cloudy end and partly sunny begin?

McCarthy: I wonder if it’s in the dictionary… does anybody have one?

Maddon: I do… I keep one in my back pocket at all times

Mauer: What’s a dictionary?

Montana: You don’t know what a dictionary is?

Mauer: I never went to college

McCarthy: It’s a… well… how do I explain this? It’s a book… it has every word in it.

Mauer: Every word?

McCarthy: It’s tough to explain.

Maddon: Guys, I have one right here.

Montana: Grab your phone… look it Up.

Maddon: Guys

Mauer: I’m not getting any reception

Montana: Yeah me neither

Maddon: Guys, what are you doing?

Montana: Hold your phone in the air… see if that helps.

Mauer: It’s not helping.

McCarthy: Maybe there is a dictionary pamphlet somewhere or something?

Maddon: I'M LOOKING UNDER D

5.Quicksand – You don’t hear about quicksand anymore. In the 60’s and 70’s we had people dramatically sinking in quicksand in lots of movies and TV shows. These days nobody seems to sink in quicksand anymore. I wouldn’t even know where to find quicksand. The closest thing I have to quicksand is the bean bag chair in the basement and I have one hell of a time getting out of that so I get the concept.
____________________

Lineups:

TWINS
Brian Dozier 2B
Joe Mauer 1B
Miguel Sano 3B
Max Kepler RF
Kennys Vargas DH
Eddie Rosario LF
Jorge Polanco SS
Jason Castro C
Byron Buxton CF

Ervin Santana P

INDIANS
Carlos Santana 1B
Francisco Lindor SS
Michael Brantley LF
Edwin Encarnacion DH
Jason Kipnis 2B
Jose Ramirez 3B
Lonnie Chisenhall CF
Yan Gomes C
Brandon Guyer RF

Josh Tomlin P

Weather: meh ... mid-50s, cloudy, 10mph breeze from the NNE.

Click here to view the article

[wsnydes]

I grew up in Fergus Falls.  Being an avid history buff, I can confirm Fergus Falls' place among the most populated cities in the country during the 20's.

[Han Joelo]

Fergus Falls is serious?  Cool factoid.  I'm going to have to look that up.  I've got an almanac right here in my shirt pocket.

[Yossarian]

Don't jinx it....

[diehardtwinsfan]

Cleveland is the only city to have a river burn out of control... twice...

[USAFChief]

"...lit up like Foster Brooks."

 

Somehow you managed to make me both laugh out loud and curse you--because I'm old enough to get that reference-- at the same time.

 

Go Twins!

[wsnydes]

 

"...lit up like Foster Brooks."

Somehow you managed to make me both laugh out loud and curse you--because I'm old enough to get that reference-- at the same time.

Go Twins!

Put one of those 8-track pizzas in and relax.  The anger will pass.

[ashbury]

I went to bed last night seeing the Twins clinging to a shaky 7-6 lead, dreading what dumpster fire I would read in the box score this morning. Lo and behold: four hitless innings of relief work? That is a relief. (Granting that Belisle didn't exactly cover himself in honors with the three batters he faced.) I've been slow to acknowledge Brandon Kintzler as any kind of major league pitcher, but I guess I have to finally climb on the bandwagon.

 

Speaking of Matt, his photo on b-r.com makes him look a bit like the second coming of Scott Baker. An older, fatter Scott Baker than I remember:

 

http://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201704071/images/headshots/1/15751c99_mlbam.jpg

[gocgo]

Foster Brooks - I remember that dude.  I think I read once that he didn't drink any more...or any less!  

[spinowner]

If there's one city that can claim itself as the birthplace of Rock and Roll it's probably Memphis. Cleveland tries to claim that honor because it was the location of a radio station (WJW) that employed a DJ named Alan Freed. He was possibly the one who made up the name for that genre of music but he was definitely the first to make widespread use of it. He was also one of the first, if not the first, person to target white audiences with Rock and Roll.

[Dave The Dastardly]

I drove through Cleveland once. Had to take a swing past Jacobs Field because my son's favorite movie at the time was Major League. Unfortunately the Indians were on the road. No Jobu. Life's been nothing but curveballs ever since. Though I have developed a taste for rum...

 

[akmanak]

I am hoping they will sit Mauer and insert Vargas.

[Circus Boy]

Actually, the Twins are fifth in average runs scored. The teams with more runs have played as many as six more games so far. As for ERA, take out the two Godzilla games with Boston and we're still in the 3.80 range.

 

P.S. This has been a CBU.

[Craig Arko]

Probably will miss this entire series so you all need to provide good coverage.

 

Thanks in advance.

[Mike Sixel]

 

Probably will miss this entire series so you all need to provide good coverage.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Happy birthday weekend!

[Craig Arko]

 

Happy birthday weekend!

Danke Kong.

[Halsey Hall]

This is pretty Cool! Tied for first place somehow. I just feel the Twins have a good chance of winning every day. They pulled it out last night, a game they would have blown in the past. I'm feeing good!

[wsnydes]

 

This is pretty Cool! Tied for first place somehow. I just feel the Twins have a good chance of winning every day. They pulled it out last night, a game they would have blown in the past. I'm feeing good!

Yaaaaay for positivity!!!!

[Mike Sixel]

I just passed 20K posts, forgetting I was close and was meaning to post something cool. Y'all will just have to wait 5K more posts (or, about 2 weeks, apparently)....

[wsnydes]

 

I just passed 20K posts, forgetting I was close and was meaning to post something cool. Y'all will just have to wait 5K more posts (or, about 2 weeks, apparently)....

4,000 posts a year is a pretty good clip.    

[Riverbrian]

 

Fergus Falls is serious?  Cool factoid.  I'm going to have to look that up.  I've got an almanac right here in my shirt pocket.

 

In 1919 the population of Fergus Falls was around 7,000.

 

Back in those times towns would grow significantly when the railroad came to town.

 

During the 1920 census shortly after the Otter Tail Valley Railroad was established through Fergus Falls. The Population exploded to 1.8 Million as a result of the railroad. 

 

A census taker named Bob came to town on a train and he got stuck in a loop executing the door to door census and he counted the same ten households over 60 thousand times. There were 60,014 people named Vern Wright in Fergus Falls according to the Fergus Falls census figures. 

 

By the time the 1930's census was completed... Almost all of the superfluous fictional people had left and the town population plummeted to 9,000. 

[nicksaviking]

 

I just passed 20K posts, forgetting I was close and was meaning to post something cool. Y'all will just have to wait 5K more posts (or, about 2 weeks, apparently)....

 

Want me to delete some for you so you can try again at post number 10,000? Only about 50 or so were any good anyway.

[wsnydes]

 

In 1919 the population of Fergus Falls was around 7,000.

 

Back in those times towns would grow significantly when the railroad came to town.

 

During the 1920 census shortly after the Otter Tail Valley Railroad was established through Fergus Falls. The Population exploded to 1.8 Million as a result of the railroad. 

 

A census taker named Bob came to town on a train and he got stuck in a loop executing the door to door census and he counted the same ten households over 60 thousand times. There were 60,014 people named Vern Wright in Fergus Falls according to the Fergus Falls census figures. 

 

By the time the 1930's census was completed... Almost all of the superfluous fictional people had left and the town population plummeted to 9,000. 

All of those superfluous fictional people left behind about 4,000 descendants comprising the population gain to today's population.  Judging by the average age of the Fergus Fallsian, they are all first generation descendants.  

[Mike Sixel]

Want me to delete some for you so you can try again at post number 10,000? Only about 50 or so were any good anyway.

I think you counted some good posts at least twice....

[Bark's Lounge]

 

I just passed 20K posts, forgetting I was close and was meaning to post something cool. Y'all will just have to wait 5K more posts (or, about 2 weeks, apparently)....

Braggart.

[Squirrel]

Lineups are posted in the main article ...

[Yoke]

I'd guess you've all seen this Cleveland tourism video:

 

He does curse, so maybe don't listen at work, unless they're ok with that.

[bird]

Charles Brown's "I Stepped in Quicksand" deserves a place in every cultured person's music library. But it shouldn't be off-limits to TD'ers either.

[DrNeau]

Hate Cleveland. Need to jump on Tomlin and make him regret ever becoming a pitcher.

[twinsnorth49]

Everytime I make the sojourn down to the Twin Cities, I drive past Fergus Falls, for what seems like forever. Sign after sign inform me of exits into Fergus Falls, yet I haven't seen a trace of where it actually might be yet. I don't think it exists.

 

Speaking of Fergus Falls, what's with all the overland flooding in that area? I've tried to research it but with no luck. It's really weird, like what used to be forests are entirely underwater now, and I'm quite sure some of the farm properties there weren't originally advertised as lake front property.