Game Thread: Twins vs. Royals, 8/3/19 @ 6:10pm CDT

[twinssporto]

 

Good afternoon Twins Daily readers and thank you for making your way back to another exciting game thread!  We saw a lot of offensive action last night for both teams...I'd prefer to see a little less offensive action tonight from the Royals.  

 

Since we didn't have anyone signed up to open the game thread tonight I told Stringer Bell I would throw something together to kick this game thread off.  Since I didn't have a lot of time to plan something fun, I'm just going to spew random thoughts that come to my mind regarding the Minnesota Twins while I write this.

 

Random thought #1: I think we have a better than legitimate shot at going the distance this fall.  Consider the Yankees, I think we can beat them in October.  Their pitching is really atrocious. At least the Twins made some moves at the deadline to help the club. Yankees didn't or couldn't make a move.  The playoff series between these two teams will turn into a hitting fest when they meet up in the playoffs. It will be a nail biter and I'll probably be physically sick watching it but boy will it be an event to witness. I think the pitching is a push between the two teams but our bats are better and our outfield defense is better. I'd bet good money we can win the day with the Yanks. No fear!

 

Random thought #2: I'm not as intimidated by the Astros either.  Maybe I should be but all of these top four to five teams in the American League are all elite. I've seen great hitting over take great pitching and I've seen great pitchers nose dive in the playoffs. Anything can happen and you can bet a playoff series with the Astros will be a nail biter as well. I highly doubt the Astros or Yankees staffs will want to pitch through this lineup. Remember the 87 Twins? They weren't supposed to get past the Tigers....

 

Random thought #3: The Twins have sucked so bad the last decade or so that I'm just thrilled we have a great team to cheer for and a team that's contending (and a serious contender at that). As a life long Twins fan I'm really enjoying this season. I still get worked up and swear at the TV during the games but for some reason I'm at peace with where this team is going and what they can accomplish. 

 

Random thought #4: The team for the most part is set and this is what we're most likely going to be watching for a lineup and pitching staff in October (barring injuries of course). I like our odds. Obviously I would like a stronger staff and bullpen but maybe a few guys will step up and take their play to the next level. It happens every year with players all the time. I'm hopeful a couple of guys on our pitching staff and bullpen will take that next step.

 

Random thought #5: Quit worrying about Dyson. He's a professional and very talented. He'll turn things around and be the dominate reliever he's been the last few years. He's on the team and not going anywhere.

 

The Twins are gonna roll big time tonight over the Royals.  The bats are hot and getting hotter. My pick the click for tonight is Cruz. Gonna play the hot hand!

 

Go Twins!

Twinssporto

Founder, Chairman and CEO of the 2019 Twins World Series Champions Club

 

Lineups:

 

TWINS:

1. Mitch Garver C

2. J. Polanco SS

3. Nelson Cruz DH

4. M. Gonzalez RF

5. Miguel Sano 3B

6. Max Kepler CF

7. C.J. Cron 1B (welcome back)

8. J. Schoop 2B

9. Luis Arraez LF

SP: Kyle Gibson R (10-4) 4.10 ERA

 

ROYALS:

1. W. Merrifield 2B

2. Alex Gordon LF

3. H. Dozier 3B

4. Jorge Soler DH

5. C. Cuthbert 1B

6. Nicky Lopez SS

7. B. Starling RF

8. M. Viloria C

9. B. Hamilton CF

SP: Danny Duffy (5-5) 4.42 ERA 

 

Nice weather tonight. Only a 4% chance of rain. 

[ashbury]

Thanks for putting this together. I've un-pinned my placeholder post. Murphy's Law, and all that. No harm, I hope.

[crapforks]

I really like keeping Arraez in the lineup, and having him hit 9th keeps the excitement at the bottom of the lineup we’ve grown accustomed to. Of course, this outfield alignment might be... interesting.

[yarnivek1972]

Good thing Gibson still tends to get more ground ball outs than fly outs...

[twinssporto]

 

Thanks for putting this together. I've removed my placeholder post. Murphy's Law, and all that. No harm, I hope.

All good!  Thanks!!

[ashbury]

There's a center fielder batting in the #9 slot in tonight's lineup. Unfortunately, ours is on the IL.

[ashbury]

 

All good!  Thanks!!

I took the liberty of editing the thread title to show CDT instead of CST. Gotta keep up with the times, you know.

[twinssporto]

 

I took the liberty of editing the thread title to show CDT instead of CST. Gotta keep up with the times, you know.

I can never remember how that works. Thanks!  

 

As fast as I was typing I hope you edited the rest of the stuff too.

[Circus Boy]

Twins have the 4th-best W-L record, 2nd-best offense in MLB and is pretty much tied for fifth-best in pitching. It's a long season. If we were going to fade, it would have happened by now. Let's enjoy the last 54 games left and then the playoffs. Go Twinks!

[ashbury]

s fst as I ws tpng I hpe yo edtd te rst f te stf to.

I edt qckly lso.

[twinssporto]

 

I edt qckly lso.

hank uo! Your the bst!!

[jokin]

Good game for Cron to return on: 1.051 OPS lifetime vs. Duffy.

Marwin is 1.000 OPS vs. Duffy.

Garver .000 OPS vs. Duffy (0-8). Time to regress to the mean and mash that lefty.

[twinssporto]

 

Twins have the 4th-best W-L record, 2nd-best offense in MLB and is pretty much tied for fifth-best in pitching. It's a long season. If we were going to fade, it would have happened by now. Let's enjoy the last 54 games left and then the playoffs. Go Twinks!

Well said! That's worth a couple of extra Grain Belts during the game! I'd buy them if we were at the game.  I actually do that by the way. Stringer Bell can attest to it! He should probably get the next round though...

[Circus Boy]

 

Well said! That's worth a couple of extra Grain Belts during the game! I'd buy them if we were at the game.  I actually do that by the way. Stringer Bell can attest to it! He should probably get the next round though...

Some day! That would be a hoot. My wife says I spend too much time on these blogs. "They're my friends!" I tell her. She: "No they're not. Not one of them will show up for your funeral." I say to you all, prove my wife wrong and come pay your respects when my time comes. And, yes, you're all in the will.

[operation mindcrime]

Buxton and Pineda placed on the 10-Day IL!

[jokin]

 

Some day! That would be a hoot. My wife says I spend too much time on these blogs. "They're my friends!" I tell her. She: "No they're not. Not one of them will show up for your funeral." I say to you all, prove my wife wrong and come pay your respects when my time comes. And, yes, you're all in the will.

 

Any thoughts on a specific date, yet? (So I can do a little financial planning....)

You probably are thinking of holding off until AFTER the Twins win a Series or two?

[ashbury]

Not one of them will show up for your funeral." I say to you all, prove my wife wrong and come pay your respects when my time comes.

 

Any thoughts on a specific date, yet?

 

[Bomba2026]

Can we line centerfield with bubble wrap or My Pillows? I like Buxton, but didn't Favre once play a game with a broken finger in a much more physical sport? I said it. I guess he is the Jordy Nelson of the league. Sorry BB. Bring Smeltzer back as a starter or stick Trevor May out there (congrats on that win)! And...Our # is 11. With speedster Garver leading off, I think we can do it again! Why is Eddie resting again? He's 27...and not chubby! Go Twins!!

[TwinsCD]

Pregame guys gushing about Nathan (rightfully so) and saying the trade for him might be the best in Twins history (later revising it to most one-sided).  I'd throw out there the Viola for Aguilera/Tapani/West trade was much better.

[jokin]

 

C! Why is Eddie resting again? He's 27...and not chubby! Go Twins!!

 

Because he has a lifetime OPS of .467 vs. Danny Duffy?

[jokin]

 

Can we line centerfield with bubble wrap or My Pillows? I like Buxton, but didn't Favre once play a game with a broken finger in a much more physical sport? I said it. I guess he is the Jordy Nelson of the league. Sorry BB. Bring Smeltzer back as a starter or stick Trevor May out there (congrats on that win)!

 

You forgot our newest shiny option for CF for the next 10 days?

 

Brandon Barnes just went yard for Rochester, hitting his 25th HR of the season and now OPSing near .900.

[Nine of twelve]

 

Some day! That would be a hoot. My wife says I spend too much time on these blogs. "They're my friends!" I tell her. She: "No they're not. Not one of them will show up for your funeral." I say to you all, prove my wife wrong and come pay your respects when my time comes. And, yes, you're all in the will.

This on-line community is made up of good friends who just haven't had the opportunity to meet in person yet.

[obtusebanter]

 

Pregame guys gushing about Nathan (rightfully so) and saying the trade for him might be the best in Twins history (later revising it to most one-sided).  I'd throw out there the Viola for Aguilera/Tapani/West trade was much better.

 

How you gonna forget Tim Drummond? C'mon man.

[TwinsCD]

 

How you gonna forget Tim Drummond? C'mon man.

 

Ha, I knew there was a 4th in that deal buuuuut, he wasn't much of a contributor to 91.

[pierre75275]

How long is the rain delay looking?

[Mr. Brooks]

Because he has a lifetime OPS of .467 vs. Danny Duffy?

What is the sample size?

[Blake]

I hope Danny Duffy is beat around the yard by the Twins. Ever since that display a couple of years ago, I've not liked him.

[Platoon]

Some day! That would be a hoot. My wife says I spend too much time on these blogs. "They're my friends!" I tell her. She: "No they're not. Not one of them will show up for your funeral." I say to you all, prove my wife wrong and come pay your respects when my time comes. And, yes, you're all in the will.

I assume there will be a "Circus Boy Update" to notify us of the date and time. Also, some consideration should be taken to plan this event in late summer so I can combine it with a trip to the Black Hills. .

[bighat]

Can't watch the Nathan ceremony from here with my MLB.TV subscription. Any good? What are we lookin' at here for a start time?

[DocBauer]

Not sure I'll be sticking around for the game tonight, end of a 6 day work week and some family time, etc.

 

But I'm sitting here listening to the Joe Nathan Twins HOF induction and literally getting chills from the list of inductees there. Wow! The men and the memories!