Article: Game Thread: Twins v White Sox, 8/29 @ 7:10pm CT

[Riverbrian]

I’m trying to remember the last time the Twins played a team 8 times in an 11 game span and I can’t come up with anything. I suppose I could look it up but I’m not sure what to type in the Google search box. After losing the 5-game series last week… we all know that the White Sox can’t be taken lightly during this 3-game series that starts tonight.

Back in May when the Twins lost a game, it was easy to “Oh Well” it away. Those individual losses were just not that painful because the story was still being built. We had no idea where it was going to go and it was easy to be even keel. It’s funny how things have changed because now… each loss is starting to really sting.

This is what I always hope for… meaningful baseball games in September... and it looks like I’m getting my wish. Careful what you wish for because you just might get it. This means that each loss going forward is going to be disturbing and I doubt the Twins will be able to win them all to keep me from feeling any sadness. I’m realizing this and I’m prepping myself for it; I’m getting ready for the occasional gut punch. It’s late August, you can all talk about steady, even keel or whatever, but I don’t believe it’s possible right now. Every game is going to matter. Counter-balance is what I’ll be seeking because you need sadness to know what happiness is and you need happiness to know what sadness is. I know I’ll be sad with a loss so I have to jubilant with each win for balance. Without that necessary counter balance of jubilation… the terrorists win.

Here are some things to think about:

 

 

1. Chisago City – This town of 5,000 plus was settled back in the 1850’s by Swedish immigrants. The name of the town means “I Can’t Spell” in Swedish. Einstein proposed the hypothetical possibility of wormholes with his theory of relativity and their existence has not been proven conclusively yet, however… a wormhole of sorts does exist on highway 8 just outside of Chisago City. Motorists heading Southwest on Highway 8 enter a wormhole of sorts and in just 7 minutes time they come out the other end in Wyoming. This is not funny unless you are aware of the nearby existence of Wyoming, Minnesota. Actually this is not funny even if you are aware of the nearby existence of Wyoming, Minnesota. Ok… let’s try this… Chisago City has a worm hole… millions of them… all over the place… dug by actual worms. OK… that didn’t work either. How about… the only place that is 35 miles from Minneapolis and 7 miles from Wyoming? There will be a collection plate at the end of the aisle where you can all put your boos and hisses.

2. Our Twins – Byron Buxton is the player of the week and he probably beat Jorge Polanco to get the honor. The Twins have been playing well and the long ball has been a big reason why. In the past 11 games, the Twins have collectively hit 24 home runs. Compare this with the 12 home runs that they hit in the previous 119 games and the turnaround has been impressive.

3. The White Sox – Ish… Ick… whatever one of those works. I’m tired of talking about the White Sox because they make me sick or sish… whatever one of those works. They are not very good this year but still capable of beating us or the Dodgers on any given night. Bring on Shields and his 5.64 era, Holland and his 6.05 and Gonzalez with his is 4.30. Bring on Yolmer and I’m going to try my best to keep my food down.

4. Today’s Joe M Conversation:

McCarthy: Are you reading Modern Bride again?

Montana: Yep, it’s my favorite magazine.

Mauer: Anything interesting in there?

Montana: Says here that 4,035,257 people got married last year in the United States.

Maddon: Wow… that’s a lot… just think of the money that industry produces yearly.

Morgan: Shouldn’t that be an even number?

McCarthy: It’s staggering the amount of money needed to put on a decent wedding… when my daughter got married, I was worried about paying for it so I went to the bank and asked them to check my balance and the banker pushed me over and said not very good.

5. Roadtrip – Last week, I drove over 4,200 miles. This was a tremendous accomplishment in consideration of my driving attentiveness. I was following my Garmin yet I still drove past a few exits and missed some turns. I swear to all of you that I heard the Garmin finally say to me “In one mile… stop and let me out!”
____________________

Lineups:

WHITE SOX
Leury Garcia LF
Yolmer Sanchez 2B
Jose Abreu 1B
Avisail Garcia RF
Matt Davidson 3B
Kevan Smith C
Tyler Saladino DH
Tim Anderson SS
Adam Engel CF

James Shields P

TWINS
Brian Dozier 2B
Joe Mauer 1B
Jorge Polanco SS
Eddie Rosario LF
Byron Buxton CF
Max Kepler RF
Kennys Vargas DH
Eduardo Escobar 3B
Chris Gimenez C

Ervin Santana P

Weather: 77 deg F, partly cloudy, no rain, winds at 4mph from the NW

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[Oldgoat_MN]

Very interesting Riverbrian!

*passes collection plate*

[Don Walcott]

You sure know how to beat a dead wormhole joke.

[MN_ExPat]

General Zod is offended by your improper use of the wormhole joke and will presently be down to gather your offering plate... and steal your lunch money.

[Craig Arko]

 

General Zod is offended by your improper use of the wormhole joke and will presently be down to gather your offering plate... and steal your lunch money.

[Squirrel]

5. Roadtrip – Last week, I drove over 4,200 miles. This was a tremendous accomplishment in consideration of my driving attentiveness. I was following my Garmin yet I still drove past a few exits and missed some turns. I swear to all of you that I heard the Garmin finally say to me “In one mile… stop and let me out!”

 

 

 

Yeah, you didn't hear that. That's not how it works. If your Garmin really wanted to be done with your road trip, it would have just directed you to drive off a cliff or a bridge or something. But then, you'd probably have missed that turn, too.

[yarnivek1972]

I know it seems like the steroid era bypassed the Twins hitters, but I am pretty sure the Twins have never gone through a 119 game stretch hitting just 12 HR.

 

Maybe the Senators back in the dead ball era.

 

 

[ashbury]

the only place that is 35 miles from Minneapolis and 7 miles from Wyoming

I have been to Chisago City. Had a friend who made the commute from there to the Twin Cities every day - oy.

[ashbury]

zod.jpg

Death Before Dishonor

[Dantes929]

Only person I ever knew from there was a girl named Virginia from Wyoming, MN.

 

Your "Shouldn't that be an even number" comment reminded me of a radio show once that said a poll revealed that on average men slept with 8 different women in their lifetime and women slept with an average of 4 different men.  Everyone else I was with thought that sounded about right and could not see the flaw in the math.  

 

That same show I learned some trivia that I will share since it is Tuesday.    Tuesday Weld was actually born on a Friday but her parents didn't want to name her Three Days After Tuesday Weld.

[Respy]

So who's going to hit 3 homeruns today?

[gocgo]

 

I know it seems like the steroid era bypassed the Twins hitters, but I am pretty sure the Twins have never gone through a 119 game stretch hitting just 12 HR.

Maybe the Senators back in the dead ball era.

Interesting article a while back in USA Today.  Pitchers are convinced that something isn't right with the baseball this year.  They think it is "juiced".

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2017/06/29/mlb-juiced-ball-home-runs/440203001/

 

The last time I heard this kind of talk was right before the ugly truth came out.  I don't know if it is the baseball, the speed that guys are throwing, the mechanics of the swings, the talent of the players, the all or nothing approach at the plate, or....another ugly truth lurking out there, but MLB hitters are on pace to break the home run record by nearly 500 dingers.  That's 500 more than when MLB was in the middle of that ugly truth era.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Death Before Dishonor

My dictionary works that way too.

 

Funny that.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

You sure know how to beat a dead wormhole joke.

What is worse than finding a wormhole in your apple?

 

I think i encountered that riddle in elementary school.

[mickeymental]

 

Only person I ever knew from there was a girl named Virginia from Wyoming, MN.

i knew a winona from virginia, minn., but that probably doesn't count. 

[David HK]

Can we get on with the business of just literally squishing those White Sox this week?  Losing that 5 game series to them still sticks in my craw.

 

Gawd, I hate that team, with or without the Hawkster.

[twinsnorth49]

 

Death Before Dishonour

FTFY

[twinsnorth49]

 

I know it seems like the steroid era bypassed the Twins hitters, but I am pretty sure the Twins have never gone through a 119 game stretch hitting just 12 HR.

Maybe the Senators back in the dead ball era.

I sense some hyperbole from RB.

 

[ashbury]

What is worse than finding a wormhole in your apple?

 

I think i encountered that riddle in elementary school.

Why did the chicken enter the wormhole?

[USAFChief]

 

So who's going to hit 3 homeruns today?

Mauer's sitting again today??

 

Or is who DHing?

[Riverbrian]

 

Yeah, you didn't hear that. That's not how it works. If your Garmin really wanted to be done with your road trip, it would have just directed you to drive off a cliff or a bridge or something. But then, you'd probably have missed that turn, too.

 

LOL

 

I did have to use common sense a couple of times and tune her out. I really didn't trust her when she was claiming that there was a road underneath the water of that lake. 

[Riverbrian]

 

I know it seems like the steroid era bypassed the Twins hitters, but I am pretty sure the Twins have never gone through a 119 game stretch hitting just 12 HR.

Maybe the Senators back in the dead ball era.

 

My math may have been a little diminished or undervalued or something.  

[Riverbrian]

 

So who's going to hit 3 homeruns today?

 

I'm not sure but I'll be out and about today so... I will most likely run home 3 or more times. 

[MN_ExPat]

 

Mauer's sitting again today??

 

Or is who DHing?

ZOD is DH!!!

[Riverbrian]

 

Interesting article a while back in USA Today.  Pitchers are convinced that something isn't right with the baseball this year.  They think it is "juiced".

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2017/06/29/mlb-juiced-ball-home-runs/440203001/

 

The last time I heard this kind of talk was right before the ugly truth came out.  I don't know if it is the baseball, the speed that guys are throwing, the mechanics of the swings, the talent of the players, the all or nothing approach at the plate, or....another ugly truth lurking out there, but MLB hitters are on pace to break the home run record by nearly 500 dingers.  That's 500 more than when MLB was in the middle of that ugly truth era.

 

I've had this argument many times and nobody has ever been able to convince me otherwise. 

 

When the question of who the greatest player of all time comes up. I always say... I don't know... but whoever he is... He is playing right now. 

 

They are getting more talented and athletic by the year. Coaching, Evolution... whatever. The kids are getting real good out there. 

 

So I think it's that

 

 

 

 

 

Along with the juiced baseballs. 

[Riverbrian]

 

i knew a winona from virginia, minn., but that probably doesn't count. 

 

It's a shame that nobody names their children "New Hampshire" anymore. 

[mickeymental]

 

It's a shame that nobody names their children "New Hampshire" anymore. 

coming soon to a planet near you: new hampshire west.

[gocgo]

 

I've had this argument many times and nobody has ever been able to convince me otherwise. 

 

When the question of who the greatest player of all time comes up. I always say... I don't know... but whoever he is... He is playing right now. 

 

They are getting more talented and athletic by the year. Coaching, Evolution... whatever. The kids are getting real good out there. 

 

So I think it's that

 

 

 

 

 

Along with the juiced baseballs. 

Well, there's no doubt in my mind that MLB wants the ball leaving the park.  So, if the baseballs are juiced, it's great for the fans and the hitters, but where does that leave the pitchers when it comes to HOF voting?

[spinowner]

 

i knew a winona from virginia, minn., but that probably doesn't count. 

Here's Winona from Winona.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KL3V730k8Z4

[ThejacKmp]

Bored at work.

 

Was looking at Santana's splits because I noticed the White Sox lineup has two switch hitters followed by seven righties. While Santana's career stats show a moderate platoon advantage against righties (.693 OPS vs. RHB and .758 OPS vs. LHB) that has flipped both this year (.703 vs. RHB and .649 vs. LHB) and last year (.697 vs. RHB and .667 vs. LHB.) That's no longer a small sample size as we come up on two years. Hard to understand why a guy would have this flip late in his career.

 

It also may be indicative of why Santana has so outperformed expectations over the course of this contract. When you look at the numbers, the OPS vs. RHB stays about the same - it's against LH batters that he has drastically improved. I wonder if it's a new pitch or a new approach that has limited the damage inflicted by LH hitters. Perhaps someone smarter has an idea?

 

Very weird.