Twins @ Brewers: July, 3 (Tuesday Afteroon)

[ewen21]

One of the reasons I wanted to do the gameday thread TODAY was to play this song.  This song has given me goosebumps since I was a child.  Listen to this classic from the Moody Blues and please read my (I am hoping) non-controversial comments and impressions; along various quotes, ruminations and contemplations.  Please remember no animals were harmed in the process

 

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I would like to begin with historical (non-hysterical) happenings in Twins history on this date: July 3rd

2000- Topsy-turvy game at Fenway as the Twins come up on the short end in an 11-8 loss.  Koskie and Canizaro each get 3 hits, but can’t make up a 10-3 deficit.  Mike Lincoln gets crushed and David Ortiz gets 3 RBI without having an official at bat.

1980—Ken Landreaux ties a modern day record with three triples in a single game against the Texas Rangers and Metropolitan Stadium.  Roger Erickson gets the win in this 10-3 rout.

1973—Tony Oliva hits three solo home runs in a 7-6 loss to Kansas City at Royals Stadium.  Oliva’s 3rd big fly tied the game in the top of the 9th, but Ken Sanders would spit the bit in the bottom of the 9th as Royals third baseman Paul Shaal (I remember his baseball card) hit his second of the game, a walk off.

Boring me to tears

Somehow this team has to rise above the ennui.  There is a very palpable vibe emanating from this club like they have shrugged their collective shoulders and moved on from the season already.   I was told that *bleep* flows downhill by a sage WWII veteran while working as a teenage custodian’s helper back in the summer 1981 or 1982.  That reference was allusion to the head custodian who liked to drink a pint of vodka most days while at work and be as unproductive as possible.  In the case of this ball club, I think they have become a reflection of the manager.  Molitor seems to have mentally checked out, although it looked like he was having fun for a hot minute last night when he came out to devise an unconventional defensive arrangement in the 9th.  I am not sure about the rest of you, but once that happened, it was almost a foregone conclusion that Littell would walk in the run—rendering that strategy useless.  It just felt like the distraction would be too much the kid.   I think this Paul quote says it all:

“You imagine the frustration of fighting, playing a good game for the most part and having a chance there,” manager Paul Molitor said. “You put a young kid in a tough spot bringing him in there in his second appearance, out of his routine of starting. There’s not a lot of margin of error there. It is what it is.”


“No bad student, only bad teacher(s)”
--Mr. Miyagi
For whatever reason, we don’t develop young players.  Buxton and Sano have been hot topics, but what about Max?  He has hit below .230 for the last calendar year and just seems to be floundering.  Polanco finally is back, but between the foursome of him, Sano, Buxton and Kepler there is virtually no production.  This should be a matter of great concern for our two headed team of young upstart GMs.  HOW and WHY does this happen with four young players?   Furthermore, and more importantly, HOW do they recover from this? 

These wunderkind GMs came in and didn’t do an overhaul.  Many people saw that as a mistake, but they wanted a period of evaluation.  I found that to be odd considering they were advertised of being very data driven.  Hadn’t enough data been compiled to support a massive overhaul of the Twins minor league system?  They needed to bear witness to it themselves?  I didn't get it and this isn’t hindsight.  A lot of people were wondering what the deal was and we still are.  From my perspective, it feels like things are percolating right now and at some point there needs to be action, because….


The downward spiral is intensifying
After winning the first two games in Boston a couple of weeks ago we have gone 2-9, but at least we have lost some games with style.  That odyssey of pain in Chicago Saturday afternoon was actually entertaining.  The desperation wafted through my 75” 4K Samsung.  Our National League retreads, Reed and Duke, dutifully flopped as if on cue.  It was.... single single single single and for some odd reason it left me saying "MORE PELASE!!"  This was just another instance where a lot of us just felt this matchup in that situation would yield disastrous results.  I am not a genius, but Molitor seems not to see these things out of stubbornness. 

I know it is crazy to say this, but I am still finding enjoyment out of watching Twins baseball in spite it all.  I have embraced the weirdness.  I guess because I try to laugh at the absurdities in life and in the grand scheme of things this is supposed to be fun.  I will admit this team made me crazy to the point of where my teeth hurt, but..to quote Paul “it is what it is”.  As of now, this team has become some sort of slapstick routine and I am starting to follow the punchline.  I have a text group of friends who text me during games and there is some pretty darn good material I could share from it, but I won’t because it wouldn’t beat the censor.  With the state of things and the fact that we are at the midpoint of the season, It feels like this team is going to be blown up very soon.  Whatever angst I might have felt a couple of months ago has melted away.  Instead of caring about wins and losses I am going to watch 4 players the rest of the season.  They would be Sano, Buxton, Kepler and Polanco.  If they do better these next few months then it at least gives us some hope to hit the reset button next year.

I will also give Falvey and Levine some credit for TRYING this winter.  I was very satisfied with their effort, but they pulled the crank and it came up lemons.  Morrison is a disaster.  Lord knows I loved the acquisition and I am a Lomo fan, but he’s gone.  They tried to improve the pen and it got a little better.  Getting Odorizzi and Lynn were smart acquisitions to me and they have been kind of a   sketchy puzzle.  Neither guy seems to be able to get through six innings without throwing over a 100 pitches.  That is a killer.

In other news, we have Gabriel Moya up for today's game and young Mr. Littell down.  Try shaving the beard, Zach.  Maybe that will help

 

OK, that's all I got for now folks.  Peace and please be well.

Here is the "Tuesday Afternoon" lineup for our Minnesota Twins:
1. Joe Mauer (L) 1B
2. Jorge Polanco (S) SS
3. Eddie Rosario (L) LF
4. Eduardo Escobar (S) 3B
5. Max Kepler (L) RF
6. Willians Astudillo ® 2B
7. Jake Cave (L) CF
8. Bobby Wilson ® C
9. Jake Odorizzi ® P

 

And for the Brewers:
1. Brad Miller (L) SS
2. Eric Thames (L) RF
3. Jesus Aguilar ® 1B
4. Travis Shaw (L) 3B
5. Ryan Braun ® LF
6. Jonathan Villar (S) 2B
7. Erik Kratz ® C
8. Keon Broxton ® CF
9. Junior Guerra ® P

[jimmer]

So, the game isn't available on MLB Extra Innings. And MLB's website says it's only available on Facebook.

[Vanimal46]

Good stuff Ewen. Paul's checked out. The team's checked out. And the fans are checked out. Maybe next year they'll be more interesting.

[tbhysgb]

Astudillo at 2nd? haha I like it.  I like watching him, he looks like he's having fun.

 

He seems to put good At-bats up there, so if that continues get him in the lineup.

[tvagle]

The Moody Blues - The band that looks most like....

 

1) a group of band teachers that thought it looked like something to do

2) Rollie Fingers fan club members

3) a commercial for hair product, blow dryers and curling irons

 

and Thanks for setting the my soundtrack for today's game!

[lukeduke1980]

Are there some lingering injury issues with Garver?  

[rghrbek]

I cannot understand why Wilson is getting so many starts?  Are they that afraid of Garvers glove? At least Garver has a chance at the plate, and we need to find out if he's part of our future at all.

 

Wilson is not part of our future and is batting .130

[tvagle]

Upon further review...the Moody Blues is a very apropos choice for today's game

 

1) Your Wildest Dreams - Chances for a Twins Win

2) Isn't Life Strange - Last Nights Finish

3) I know You're Out There Somewhere - Starter to go 7 innings, Catcher, Closer...

4) The Other Side of Life - What most of us are doing today rather than watch the game

5) Ride My SeeSaw - Year to Year results for this group of Twins

 

[Vanimal46]

I cannot understand why Wilson is getting so many starts? Are they that afraid of Garvers glove? At least Garver has a chance at the plate, and we need to find out if he's part of our future at all.

 

Wilson is not part of our future and is batting .130

You answered your own question with a question.

[Vanimal46]

[ChrisKnutson]

If there isn’t changes made by the next home game, then the team should expect to be booed on and off the field, enough of this Minnesota nice bull!!

[Otto von Ballpark]

So, the game isn't available on MLB Extra Innings. And MLB's website says it's only available on Facebook.

Facebook game!

 

On the plus side, it is available free, everywhere, with no blackouts on Facebook.

 

It will be blacked out everywhere on MLB.TV, though, except some international markets listed here:

 

https://www.mlb.com/live-stream-games/help-center/subscription-access-facebook-watch-faq

[S.]

Well, the bad news is this game isn't on tv, so I won't watch it. And the good news is this game isn't on tv, so I won't watch it.

[Otto von Ballpark]

You should be able to Chromecast the Facebook video too. There is also a "quiet" option that will disable a lot of the emojis/comments from displaying on desktop.

[howeda7]

Molitor's Wilson obsession is worse than Gardy's with Nick Punto and is bordering on a fireable offense. Ugh.

[jimmer]

 

Facebook game!

On the plus side, it is available free, everywhere, with no blackouts on Facebook.

It will be blacked out everywhere on MLB.TV, though, except some international markets listed here:

https://www.mlb.com/live-stream-games/help-center/subscription-access-facebook-watch-faq

I don't do Facebook, so no game for me.

[Aggies7]

Back to back walks to load the bases and Kepler swings at the first bleeping pitch. This team has zero baseball sense

[Aggies7]

3 LOB, as expected

[Halsey Hall]

Can't get it on facebook.  I entered everything and get a message to enter another credit card.  I've only got one, and they won't take it. so not for me today.

[Vanimal46]

Can't get it on facebook. I entered everything and get a message to enter another credit card. I've only got one, and they won't take it. so not for me today.

I bet if you add your social security number, bank account, and routing number a Nigerian Prince will help you out!

[wavedog]

Our pitchers should be hitting higher in this lineup

[ewen21]

I get the Facebook game?

This is like finding coal in your stocking on Christmas morning

 

Pfft.

[curt1965]

Tried watching the game on FB. Pop ups, ads, delays-terrible.

I see Odorizzi over 30 pitches in first inning- what else is new

[jokin]

 

Are there some lingering injury issues with Garver?  

 

Yeah, he swung too hard on that homerun on Sunday. New secret rule: all catchers get two days off when they show signs of being the hottest hitter on the team.

[jokin]

 

Tried watching the game on FB. Pop ups, ads, delays-terrible.
I see Odorizzi over 30 pitches in first inning- what else is new

 

If FB is the future of sports broadcasting, they have a Looonnng way to go. Very difficult to watch. I've lost the link 3 times already, the audio twice. Then I got an audio bleed-over from another game. Best of all, 480P makes for a real Blur-O-Vision experience!

[Puckett34]

 

If FB is the future of sports broadcasting, they have a Looonnng way to go. Very difficult to watch. I've lost the link 3 times already, the audio twice. 480P makes for a real Blur-O-Vision experience!

In recent days (weeks), Blur-O-Vision would be the preferred viewing experience in regards to the Twins.    Leaves the result open to interpretation.

 

In a more grand sense, you are absolutely correct.  

[notoriousgod71]

Facebook is the worst invention of all-time with the possible exception of Twitter.

[Vanimal46]

Facebook is the worst invention of all-time with the possible exception of Twitter.

Twitter is better at streaming sporting events...

[wavedog]

I am watching the facebook feed and somewhat attempting to work.    Highlights so far - nice interview with Gibson.  Odorizzi has escaped some jams.   The hitting - we have all seen before this year. 

[wavedog]

Also...Guy in a Superman shirt sitting behind home plate who looks nothing like Superman