Game Thread: Twins vs Cleveland 11:10 PT (1:10 PM CT)

[Blake]

For some insane reason, I decided that I needed a bit of deadline pressure so I signed up for the Twins/Cleveland game thread. Yes, I know it was a couple of weeks away when I signed up, but, remember those book reports that were assigned at the beginning of the year and due at the end of the Semester? (It was especially painful for Chief and I, because, as usually happened, we not only tended to be out of sharpened chisels, but our supply of stone tablets was also a bit low. It's not like we could run down to the 5 and Dime or local Woolworths for more stone tablets. And don't get me started on “chiselers cramp!”) Anyway, even with all that advanced warning, somehow, the report didn't get done until roughly 25 seconds before it was due.

 

But, am I complaining? Not at all. (okay, maybe a little. FINE! A LOT!) After all, I only have to write these threads. Others have to actually read this drivel, I mean, magnificent opus.

 

Here we are, and the Anti 87 Twins continue on their merry way. How a baseball team can play 740 ball on the road and 470 ball at home defies logic. But, this does have all the makings of a quintessential baseball season.

 

I thought Cleveland was on a mission to win the Series this year, after just missing the brass ring last year. But, again, it's baseball.

 

I thought the Twins were going to take another step forward and be a middle of the pack team.

 

Instead, the Twins decided to have the last laugh and make us question the relevance of analytics through defying conventional analytics.

 

For a season without many expectation or low expectations, it's been a hoot and a half and a crazy ride to boot.

 

All together now: It's baseball!

 

Some things to think about:

 

Sellers or buyers?
Light beer or real beer?
Hot dogs or Brats?

Coffee or Tea?

Eggs or Egg Beaters?

 

Play ball!

 

 

Lineups:

 

Cleveland:

Francisco Lindor SS
Jason Kipnis[L] 2B
Jose Ramirez 3B
Edwin Encarnacion[R] DH
Lonnie Chisenhall[L] RF
Carlos Santana 1B
Bradley Zimmer[L] CF
Roberto Perez[R] C
Daniel Robertson[R] LF

-> Trevor Bauer[R] P

 

Minnesota:

Jorge Polanco SS
Joe Mauer[L] DH
Miguel Sano[R] 3B
Max Kepler[L] RF
Kennys Vargas 1B
Eduardo Escobar 2B
Eddie Rosario[L] LF
Byron Buxton[R] CF
Chris Gimenez[R] C

-> Kyle Gibson[R] P

[Blake]

Pitching for the Twins:

 

Kyle Gibson

 

Pitching for Cleveland:

 

Trevor Bauer 

 

Mod note: I may not be back in time to post lineups.

[ashbury]

• Sellers or buyers? Reply hazy try again.
• Light beer or real beer? A good pale ale, or stout, is always a correct answer.
• Hot dogs or Brats? In the midwest, brats. In the east, what they call brats are random.

• Coffee or Tea? Yes.

• Eggs or Egg Beaters? No.

[Jerr]

Sellers or buyers?          Too soon to decide.
Light beer or real beer?  Never light beer .....NEVER!!!!!!
Hot dogs or Brats?          Both or either.
Coffee or Tea?                Never at a baseball game! Either anywhere, no sport of any                                           kind is being played.
Eggs or Egg Beaters?     Only eggs, egg beaters are only allowed to beat said eggs.

 

 

Go Twins win for all your Father's on their day!!!!

 

And A HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO THOSE FATHER'S ON HERE!!!!!

[ashbury]

And A HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO THOSE FATHER'S ON HERE!!!!!

And also to those who are not on here. (Thanks for the reminder to call mine.)

[EddieMatthews]

We should know by the middle of the second which Kyle Gibson shows up.  Should have included this in the choices, "light Gibson or real Gibson".  

 

Hope the hitters wake up, after last Tuesday's orgy.  Gibson needed a bunch to win then.  Bauer may not be easy.

[Dave The Dastardly]

Sellers or buyers? Well, since we blew the number one pick on a shortstop we don't need and we'd rather comb the pitching market for other team's cast-offs instead of bringing up the more promising guys from our own minor league system... I'd say we have nothing to sell that any other team would want.

Light beer or real beer? Light beer for us old farts because real beer makes us... fart.

Hot dogs or Brats? Depends on how you're fixed for antacids.

 

Coffee or Tea? Morning coffee on the deck with the wife, watching the wild birds at her feeders.

 

Eggs or Egg Beaters? Since I keep a small flock of chickens; eggs. Which the wife turns into a great natural breakfast (scrambled -served with our own raspberry jam on toast) after the coffee pot runs dry.

 

Life is good. Twins... not so good. But hope springs eternal.

[USAFChief]

Nice job Blake!

[ashbury]

We should know by the middle of the second which Kyle Gibson shows up.  Should have included this in the choices, "light Gibson or real Gibson".  

 

Hope the hitters wake up, after last Tuesday's orgy.  Gibson needed a bunch to win then.  Bauer may not be easy.

The "real" Gibson is 50% Good Kyle and 50% Bad Kyle. This year's Lite version has been mainly 100% of the latter.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

You can't beat a good egg.

 

And i think that thought is mildly a possible future game thread intro inspiration... knock on wood.

 

Tell the truth, i am still kinda stuck on the home improvement theme from monday...

[sampleSizeOfOne]

The "real" Gibson is 50% Good Kyle and 50% Bad Kyle. This year's Lite version has been mainly 100% of the latter.

Here's to hoping Mr. Gibson can say something like: "Good-- Bad-- i'm the guy with the gun."

 

Video below may contain violence... no worries if it gets moderated out.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=Q0Hmc7eeXjw

[mikecgrimes]

Win today and we have fun for a little while longer, lose and we have a good chance of settling into being a seller just in time.  I like both options.

[Jerr]

 

Win today and we have fun for a little while longer, lose and we have a good chance of settling into being a seller just in time.  I like both options.

Lots of baseball to go, this isn't a do or die game. A win for the Twins should happen. I can't believe how bad they are at home!!!

[Winston Smith]

I think at this point the real Gibson is the light Gibson and the good Gibson is only a tease.

 

Gibson could be the poster child for "Fool me once shame........"

[mikecgrimes]

 

Lots of baseball to go, this isn't a do or die game. A win for the Twins should happen. I can't believe how bad they are at home!!!

 

Agreed but the worst thing that could happen is being in contention July 28 and 5+ games out August 10th.  As good as Ervin Santana is he's better off traded.

[Blake]

 

Nice job Blake!

Yes, I thought a trip down memory lane would bring back some fond and not so fond memories.

[Blake]

 

You can't beat a good egg.

And i think that thought is mildly a possible future game thread intro inspiration... knock on wood.

Tell the truth, i am still kinda stuck on the home improvement theme from monday...

I would tell you what I do for inspiration but, unfortunately, I'm not sure I should share my particular brand of insanity inanity.

[Jerr]

 

Agreed but the worst thing that could happen is being in contention July 28 and 5+ games out August 10th.  As good as Ervin Santana is he's better off traded.

OOOOh ouch, I'm still in the mode of "we are in contention, now" and really want a win today  

It's June and August is too far off for any thoughts from me  

[Blake]

And thank you for whoever posted the lineups, much appreciated.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

So...

 

15 minutes to start time?

 

First couple rules of multitasking is to fail gracefully if you must fail...

[sampleSizeOfOne]

I would tell you what I do for inspiration but, unfortunately, I'm not sure I should share my particular brand of insanity inanity.

Brand of sanity...

 

That is an interesting concept.

 

Certified grade a sane!

[Jerr]

Ok, Gibson we need you big time today!!!!!

[Jerr]

Twin's starting pitching ERA is over 9 for this home series   

[jimmer]

 

Twin's starting pitching ERA is over 9 for this home series   

In fairness, we haven't had a MLB caliber starter start a game this series.

[LaBombo]

 

Twin's starting pitching ERA is over 9 for this home series   

 

Just about time to drop Twins pitchers from your fantasy team and pick up the Vikings defense.

 

Also, I get that everyone is wearing the powder blue today. But the Twins, especially with Kyle Gibson on the mound, look very expansion team-y.

[Jerr]

Love running errors by the other team!!!!

Get out of this Gibson!!!!!!

[Jerr]

Ok, now can we get some runs????? Make them pay for their running error!!!!

[mikecgrimes]

Hey neat about a 7 pitch inning from the Twins offense, as bad as the pitching has been the offense has been pretty bad as well.  Pitching could have been pretty good and we still would of lost the first 3.

[Don Walcott]

We sure make Bauer look good compared to what the rest of the league does against him.

[snepp]

Good downward plane.

 

 

 

Drink.