Article: Game Thread: Twins@Pirates 4/2 12:05PM

[Riverbrian]

The Twins should have thought of this before. You can definitely see the value of having a starting staff with a 0.00 ERA. We have spent too much time worrying about Buxton and Sano and the offensive future. Just get a starting staff that doesn’t give up a run and you are good to go.

 

 

This is sustainable… This is not a small sample size folks, there are only 159 games to go.1. Top Non-Trump News Story (Or Stories):

 

Tonight the College Basketball Championship game will be played in San Antonio. It’s Michigan vs. Villanova for all of the Marbles.

I’m getting kind of nervous for the religious future of the state of Michigan. It was Michigan that beat whoever that Catholic School was with a 98 year old nun as a head coach. If Michigan were to win the title… they will have to beat another Catholic School in Villanova. In Hockey… Michigan is matched up against Catholic School Notre Dame in the frozen four. I do not want to speculate what happens if the Wolverines run the table… but I assume… it will be divinely taken out on the Lions as usual.

 

 

2. Our Twins:

 

Since the first 3 starters in the rotation did not give up a run, I’d imagine that raises the expectation bar on Lance Lynn just a little bit. 21 Innings of shut-out ball is impressive enough but it’s more impressive when you consider that only 5 hits were allowed over those 21 innings and 19 batters were given a Scarlet K. No pressure Lance… none at all.

 

 

3. The Pirates:

 

There isn’t a good feeling in Pittsburgh since they did a little dismantling over the off-season. There is still plenty of talent in the Pirates system but it just isn’t going to feel like it when you trade Cole and McCutchen. The Pirates are going to have a hard time expressing; that they know what they are doing, to the Pirate Fan. The slogan they are using: The Pirates… We Can Come Close Again.

 

 

4. Today’s Joe M Conversation:

 

Maddon: Hey Joe… Did you have a great Easter with the Family?

 

Mauer: We were in Baltimore so… not really.

 

Morgan: You guys won… Big Win over the Orioles… Good start to the season.

 

Mauer: Oh the team is fine… Joe asked about Easter with my family… that didn’t go so well.

 

Montana: What Happened?

 

Mauer: The Girls ended up crying… it was a mess.

 

McCarthy: Why?

 

Mauer: I don’t know… I woke up real early. I looked around for a great place to hide the Easter Egg Baskets. They woke up later and they were real excited… I’d tell them if they were getting warmer or colder and they were laughing… about an hour later they were in tears and my wife yells at me… Dang it Joe, Enough!!! Get in the car and take them to their baskets.

 

 

5. Easter Sunday:

 

I woke up yesterday morning, was relaxing a little, when my wife walked in and said, do you remember what day it is? To be very clear, I would have had the answer immediately, if she wasn’t the one who asked the question. Whenever your wife asks if I remember what day it is. There is a natural defense mechanism that triggers and makes you think, Birthday? Anniversary? Valentine’s Day? You got to quickly cover the ones that will get you in trouble out of self-preservation and that will blow Easter out of your mind for a while. After an uncomfortable pause… I managed to blurt out “April Fools” which was the first thing that came to mind under pressure (her arms were crossed and she was looking at me). It was technically correct, but not what she was getting at. It ended up working because I was able to make the long pause seem like the obligatory “April Fools” joke. She has no idea that I was honestly struggling to come up with Easter and it’s been almost 28 years and my wife still isn’t completely aware of just how stupid I am.

 

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[Craig Arko]

Great picture. Bark Art.

[Blake]

Ah yes, all of us married men have, at one time or a dozen, fallen prey to the "brain lock due to question asked by the wife."

 

Glad you survived!

[ashbury]

1. Top Non-Trump News Story (Or Stories):

 

Tonight the College Basketball Championship game will be played in San Antonio. It’s Michigan vs. Villanova for all of the Marbles.

True story. I have both Michigan and Villanova in my pool. Trouble is, the pool I'm in doesn't do full brackets: you pick some teams you think will win, and you pick some teams you think will make an early exit. Michigan is in my latter group, and the point system is multiplied by the seed number, so I desperately need 'Nova to win. Fortunately I also had Loyola in my winner's group, so I collected boo-coo points off of their 11th seeding during their run, and I did well with Arizona/Xavier/Auburn bowing out, but Michigan is now primed to cancel that good fortune with boo-coo negative points due to extra multipliers for reaching and then winning the final game. I did the same thing with Florida in 2006 - I should vow never to pick a 3-seed again. Anyway, I'm one of the few with both teams as picks in this game. True story.

 

it’s been almost 28 years and my wife still isn’t completely aware of just how stupid I am.

Gee whiz. I am completely aware and I've only known you for, what, five?

[GCTF]

The Pirates home field is sponsored by this?

 

 

[Dantes929]

"she has no idea that I was honestly struggling to come up with Easter and it’s been almost 28 years and my wife still isn’t completely aware of just how stupid I am."

 

I wonder if that says more about you or her.   

 

Of course you have probably been a Christian longer than 28 years and God is completely aware of how stupid you are.   Might be your saving grace.

[Dave The Dastardly]

The longer a guy can keep his wife buffaloed, the longer he stays married.

 

Sounds like you're good for another year or two.

 

The Twins pitching staff... not yet sure they can buffalo other team's line-ups. But at least I'm not ready the throw in the towel either.

 

Hope springs eternal if you're a Twins fan. Even if Minnesota doesn't have a spring anymore.

[gocgo]

I've been married for almost 22 years and my wife thinks I'm the stupidest man on earth. I'm content to let her think that because I figure if her expectations remain low, it's tough for me to disappoint.

[MN_ExPat]

My wife continuously remarks to everyone that she has three teenagers in the house (which is funny because we only have 2 children? )... at which point I remind her that it was her that decided to marry me and she knew what she was getting into .  

 

Is it really my fault that my emotional growth stopped at 13?

[spanman2]

 

I've been married for almost 22 years and my wife thinks I'm the stupidest man on earth. I'm content to let her think that because I figure if her expectations remain low, it's tough for me to disappoint.

IALTO

[yarnivek1972]

Ah yes, all of us married men have, at one time or a dozen, fallen prey to the "brain lock due to question asked by the wife."

 

Glad you survived!

 

I’m lucky. My anniversary is strategically placed about two weeks after my birthday. My wife’s birthday is 10 days after that. So, when my birthday comes, I know it’s time to make arfangements for the other two.

[Mill1634]

Lets go Twins. Lynn will go 5.2, giving up 3 runs. Twins win 7-4.

 

PTC - Rosario

[jimbo92107]

MLB netcast active at 10am San Diego time. Lance Lynn tries out for a spot on the roster. All he needs is 6 or 7 innings of shutout ball. As the fourth starter, he is allowed a few more hits.

 

Sustainable? Sure, sure! Oh, wait, it's April 2nd now...

 

Skol Twins!

[Craig Arko]

The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Cello Quartet.

 

Very nice!

[Blake]

Interesting, Blyleven sounds a little more enthusiastic these days.

 

It's almost like Bert appreciates good pitching or something.

[Taildragger8791]

Over/under 2.5 Ks and 0.5 HRs for Sano?

[jimbo92107]

40F in Pittsburgh. Not cold, if you get to wear your puffy jacket. 

[bighat]

This "Sano Striking Out 4 Times Per Game" thing is getting old. Ground out to the 3rd baseman for a change. 

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Have we emerged victorious from the field of athletic competition by this point in time, being when you are reading this post, rather than the time i am posting it?

 

If i have a busy evening, Monday might be it these days, so i need to say clever things now.

 

I think it is clear to everyone i intereact with how intellectually challenged i am, and how i do all i can to cover for it by the use of clever words and distracting jokes. And at this stage of my life, i wouldn't want to weigh anyone down with being even remotely responsible for me in any way, so alas, i got no commentary to make on marital bliss, other than perhaps to avoid misspelling it by swapping the i and t.

 

This here post is my round about way of saying thanks for putting up with me!

 

Oh, and go Twins!

 

If i got a second team, it is still the Pirates from Doug's days there. So this is a particularly fun series.

[Mill1634]

Welp. Should have signed Cobb

[jimbo92107]

Looking at Lance Lynn's generous gut, I'm thinking he didn't take up pilates over the winter. 

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Aw shucks.

 

Someone scored on our starter...

[gocgo]

 

Lets go Twins. Lynn will go 5.2, giving up 3 runs. Twins win 7-4.

 

PTC - Rosario

Nah.  I'll predict a series split, but I'm not feeling the enthusiasm on this chilly Pittsburgh day. 5-3 loss.

[jimbo92107]

Bert says Lynn has four 'plus' pitches. Plus what, distance?

[Doubles]

 

Looking at Lance Lynn's generous gut, I'm thinking he didn't take up pilates over the winter. 

Agreed.  But I don't put pitchers' fitness on the same level as position players.  Arms & elbows have minds of their own.  

[Mill1634]

Lynn is pitching less than ideal

[Cap'n Piranha]

Sorry to break it to everyone, but the Twins are winless this year when not scoring first.

[BoofBonser]

If Lynn gets this out right here, I will give him 6 cheeseburgers

[jimbo92107]

 

Agreed.  But I don't put pitchers' fitness on the same level as position players.  Arms & elbows have minds of their own.  

Bartolo Colon nods in agreement. ;-)

[jimbo92107]

They're now sitting squarely on the fastball. Lynn has to get an off-speed pitch over the plate.