Article: Game Thread: Twins v Rangers, 8/3 @ 7:10pm CT

[Riverbrian]

Our Twins return home for a 4-banger with the Rangers starting tonight. It’ll be good to be back home because it was a bad road trip - 2 wins and 6 losses over 8 games in the state of California. Bad road trips happen and bad road trips are never the original plan.

I was having dinner with my family at HuHot last night and during the course of conversation, I believe we were talking about N. Korea testing missiles in the Sea of Japan which naturally led to me mentioning that it was the final Vikings training camp in Mankato after 52 years of being in Mankato. My son asked if I had ever been there, I have never been to the Sea of Japan, and he said I should go before it’s gone and my wife agreed. Just like that, a bad road trip was planned. I have some things to take care of Saturday morning, so I’ll leave around noon, make a 5.5 hour drive to watch a couple hours of Vikings practice, find a hotel, then take in a Twins game on Sunday so I can get a TC Bear bobble head, then back home after the game.

Let it be known that I am the King of bad road trips.

Here are some things to think about:

 

1. Mankato – This city of 41,000 was born at the confluence of the Minnesota and Blue Earth Rivers in the 1850’s. The rivers were important to development because steamboats were the fastest form of travel back then; hundreds of passengers could travel from Minneapolis to Mankato by getting off the boat and dragging the boat down the frozen river in January. Steamboats served the city well until an unfortunate string of boat accidents spilled millions of gallons of steam into the fragile surroundings, causing mirrors to fog up across the region. The origin of the town name is interesting. Mankato is Swedish for 'male hornet assistant.'

2. Our Twins – Where did the POWER GO? I know we didn’t have a ton of power to begin with, however, during the month of July… the Twins hit 18 homers total. If you consider that Odor had 10 home runs in July, while Napoli bombed 8. The conclusion is that 8% of the Rangers 25 man roster hit as many homeruns as 100% of the Minnesota roster.

3. The Rangers – Currently the Twins are 1 game in front of the Rangers in the race for absolutely nothing. Both teams have won 51 games but the Rangers have two more losses in the bad column. This 4-game series is critical in its lack of influence of tee times that have been reserved in October.

4. Today’s Joe M Conversation:

Maddon: Joe… congratulations! I understand that you tied Tony O for 3rd on the Twins all-time hit list.

Montana: It takes real talent to last that long.

Mauer: Aww, shucks… I don’t know that it’s anything special.

McCarthy: You are just being modest, Joe.

Mauer: I’m proud of my modesty… I tell everyone about it.

5. Short Toddlers – I was at the Supermarket with my wife. We noticed a toddler and a young mother who was talking on a cell phone. The mother wasn’t paying total attention as the toddler was reaching as high as he could, trying to grab a T-Bone wrapped in its package on the rack. The Toddler was trying really hard, his fingers just barely scraping the edge of the package, but he kept trying and the mother kept talking on the phone. I found myself cheering for the baby. Eventually, in obvious frustration, the toddler let out a short blast of a cry, the mother looked down and said “What’s the matter?" My wife replied, “The Steaks are too high for him.” My wife didn’t realize what she just said because she was thinking literally and the young mother didn’t really realize that the toddler was reaching for steaks so she thought my wife was being metaphorical. Both thought they understood each other, neither did, and I was the only person on the planet who had the whole story.
____________________

Lineups:

RANGERS
Delino DeShields Jr. LF
Elvis Andrus SS
Nomar Mazara RF
Adrian Beltre 3B
Mike Napoli DH
Rougned Odor 2B
Carlos Gomez CF
Joey Gallo 1B
Robinson Chirinos C

A.J. Griffin P

TWINS
Brian Dozier 2B
Max Kepler RF
Miguel Sano 3B
Joe Mauer 1B
Eduardo Escobar SS
Eddie Rosario LF
Robbie Grossman DH
Jason Castro C
Byron Buxton CF

Adalberto Mejia

Weather: Hmmm ... overcast, chilly (for August) at 57 deg F, 25% chance of rain, winds at 18mph (but dying down) from the NNW. Bring your warm fleece jackets if heading to the game in person tonight!

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[wsnydes]

As a short guy, I empathize with the toddler.  My workaround is to go get the steaks from the case.  Using similar communication skills of a toddler, I can point to a steak, the butcher will grab it and wrap it up for me and then hand it to me.  Work smarter, not hard my young friend.

 

[Blake]

 

As a short guy, I empathize with the toddler.  My workaround is to go get the steaks from the case.  Using similar communication skills of a toddler, I can point to a steak, the butcher will grab it and wrap it up for me and then hand it to me.  Work smarter, not hard my young friend.

A guy I used to work with, in reference to a co-worker, used to say: "One can work smart or one can work hard and he's the hardest working guy in the factory."

[USAFChief]

 

A guy I used to work with, in reference to a co-worker, used to say: "One can work smart or one can work hard and he's the hardest working guy in the factory."

I've, too, often been described as "hardly working."

[Han Joelo]

Strong backs and weak minds can be highly sought after commodities.

 

As a teacher who has had a beef with high stakes testing for kindergarteners, I have reached the conclusion you should start from the ground with children who have raw skills.

[Blake]

 

I've, too, often been described as "hardly working."

I give people that impression too.

 

I wonder if it's due to the Barcalounger in my office?

[Blake]

 

Strong backs and weak minds can be highly sought after commodities.

As a teacher who has had a beef with high stakes testing for kindergarteners, I have reached the conclusion you should start from the ground with children who have raw skills.

One of the biggest lies ever foisted off on the American public is "everyone needs to go to college."

 

Uh, no, we still need plumbers, welders, electricians, heavy equipment operators, carpenters, etc.

[wsnydes]

 

I give people that impression too.

 

I wonder if it's due to the Barcalounger in my office?

I doubt it.  It's probably the margarita machine next to it.

[wsnydes]

 

One of the biggest lies ever foisted off on the American public is "everyone needs to go to college."

 

Uh, no, we still need plumbers, welders, electricians, heavy equipment operators, carpenters, etc.

This.  Plenty of good paying trade jobs out there that don't require college.  There's nothing wrong with going to a trade school or taking an apprenticeship to learn an occupation.

[Squirrel]

 

One of the biggest lies ever foisted off on the American public is "everyone needs to go to college."

 

Uh, no, we still need plumbers, welders, electricians, heavy equipment operators, carpenters, etc.

You can still go to college and become one of those. 

[Vanimal46]

RB, go to Jake's Pizza and get the Oven Combo. You won't be disappointed. 

[Blake]

 

You can still go to college and become one of those. 

This is true.

[Mike Sixel]

Good luck enjoying training camp....

[Vanimal46]

 

One of the biggest lies ever foisted off on the American public is "everyone needs to go to college."

 

Uh, no, we still need plumbers, welders, electricians, heavy equipment operators, carpenters, etc.

 

Unfortunately those aren't the "sexy" jobs that millenials want.... Our parents taught us we were special little snowflakes and we could be anything we wanted to be! 

[Vanimal46]

 

Good luck enjoying training camp....

 

As someone who grew up in the town, it was a lot of fun as a kid riding my bike up to training camp in hopes of getting Randy Moss's autograph! As the years went by, and autographs weren't important anymore, training camp became a bit of nuisance.  

Edited August 3, 2017 by Vanimal46

[Squirrel]

 

Unfortunately those aren't the "sexy" jobs that millenials want.... Our parents taught us we were special little snowflakes and we could be anything we wanted to be! 

I think I would've enjoyed being an electrician, and I know I would have liked being a carpenter, but my parents wanted me to become an engineer. So of course I became a musician. It was my passion and what I wanted to be.

[Squirrel]

 

Just like that, a bad road trip was planned. I have some things to take care of Saturday morning, so I’ll leave around noon, make a 5.5 hour drive to watch a couple hours of Vikings practice, find a hotel, then take in a Twins game on Sunday so I can get a TC Bear bobble head, then back home after the game.

First time at training camp ... well then, the first time to ST can't be far behind.

 

And I thought you had a successful road trip with the drunk cousins a few years ago? No?

[Vanimal46]

 

I think I would've enjoyed being an electrician, and I know I would have liked being a carpenter, but my parents wanted me to become an engineer. So of course I became a musician.

 

You've always been a rebel, eh Chi?

[Mike Sixel]

I really like doing electrical work, as long as the walls are open. It is a nice change from the work I do, that rarely sees direct results for years...

[Vanimal46]

 

I really like doing electrical work, as long as the walls are open. It is a nice change from the work I do, that rarely sees direct results for years...

 

Concur. There's a rewarding feeling with manual labor... I loved mowing lawn in high school because of the instant results you could see. And I'm sure my dad enjoyed the fact he didn't have to mow the lawn when he came home from work. 

[Mike Sixel]

 

Concur. There's a rewarding feeling with manual labor... I loved mowing lawn in high school because of the instant results you could see. And I'm sure my dad enjoyed the fact he didn't have to mow the lawn when he came home from work. 

 

I know I did when my son did (or wife). Mowing was never my thing. Weeding? Sure. but not mowing.

[Squirrel]

 

You've always been a rebel, eh Chi?

I wasn't being rebellious. It wasn't about rebelling. Despite what my parents wanted me to be, it was still my choice. And I made it.

[wsnydes]

 

I think I would've enjoyed being an electrician, and I know I would have liked being a carpenter, but my parents wanted me to become an engineer. So of course I became a musician. It was my passion and what I wanted to be.

I built houses while in college.  I really liked it and I learned a lasting skill that I still use on occasion.  I'm an office guy in construction these days, but I enjoy getting my hands dirty now and then.

[Squirrel]

 

I know I did when my son did (or wife). Mowing was never my thing. Weeding? Sure. but not mowing.

I liked mowing and tending to the flowers. But snowing? No way, man, no way.

[wsnydes]

 

Concur. There's a rewarding feeling with manual labor... I loved mowing lawn in high school because of the instant results you could see. And I'm sure my dad enjoyed the fact he didn't have to mow the lawn when he came home from work. 

Sometimes the manual labor is a nice change of pace from my day to day life of thinking and working through the puzzles of my job that do nothing but tax my brain.  Even though carpentry requires thinking, it's not nearly as bad as my job so it's just nice.  The immediate results are an added bonus.

[wsnydes]

 

I liked mowing and tending to the flowers. But snowing? No way, man, no way.

I don't mind mowing or yard work in general.  I don't mind clearing the driveway either.  It's brainless and sometimes that is exactly what I need.

 

Weeding on the other hand drives me nuts.  Round Up.  That's my solution.  Or my wife.  She doesn't mind weeding.

[Squirrel]

 

Sometimes the manual labor is a nice change of pace from my day to day life of thinking and working through the puzzles of my job that do nothing but tax my brain.  Even though carpentry requires thinking, it's not nearly as bad as my job so it's just nice.  The immediate results are an added bonus.

Well then, about signing up to construct a game thread intro? We have openings tomorrow and Sunday ... 

[wsnydes]

 

Well then, about signing up to construct a game thread intro? We have openings tomorrow and Sunday ... 

I've considered it.  Life has been far too hectic this year to have the time to actually do it thus far though.

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

I give people that impression too.

 

I wonder if it's due to the Barcalounger in my office?

 

I was thinking excessive time on TD.

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

Our Twins return home for a 4-banger with the Rangers starting tonight. It’ll be good to be back home because it was a bad road trip - 2 wins and 6 losses over 8 games in the state of California. Bad road trips happen and bad road trips are never the original plan.

I was having dinner with my family at HuHot last night and during the course of conversation, I believe we were talking about N. Korea testing missiles in the Sea of Japan which naturally led to me mentioning that it was the final Vikings training camp in Mankato after 52 years of being in Mankato. My son asked if I had ever been there, I have never been to the Sea of Japan, and he said I should go before it’s gone and my wife agreed. Just like that, a bad road trip was planned. I have some things to take care of Saturday morning, so I’ll leave around noon, make a 5.5 hour drive to watch a couple hours of Vikings practice, find a hotel, then take in a Twins game on Sunday so I can get a TC Bear bobble head, then back home after the game.

Let it be known that I am the King of bad road trips.



 

 

So, is this a trip to Mankato or the Sea of Japan?