GAME THREAD 5/16/21: Twins vs. A's: 1:10 CDT

[Diesel]

Yesterday was an awesome game to watch. A high-stakes matchup against a good team won in a nail-biter. Despite all of that, I will not be watching the game today. Why, may you ask? South Dakota State is gunning for a FCS national championship today. I know some people shrug off lower-level football, but there are a lot of high-caliber players that come from low level Division 1 football, may of which the Golden Gophers would have gladly used. Zach Zenner, Dallas Goedert, and Adam Vinatieri are three alumni that have had significant success. For baseball, Blake Treinen and the Twins' own Caleb Thielbar are currently relief pitchers. It is awesome to see the jump to Division 1 finally paying off, as more players of this region are given a chance to succeed against top programs.

 

1. Luis Arraez LF
2. Josh Donaldson 3B
3. Jorge Polanco 2B
4. Nelson Cruz DH
5. Trevor Larnach RF
6. Miguel Sano 1B
7. Max Kepler CF
8. Willians Astudillo C
9. Andrelton Simmons SS
SP: Kenta Maeda

1. Mark Canha LF
2. Seth Brown RF
3. Ramon Laureano CF
4. Matt Olson 1B
5. Matt Chapman 3B
6. Jed Lowrie DH
7. Chad Pinder 2B
8. Sean Murphy C
9. Elvis Andrus SS

SP : Chris Bassitt

Even if being a sports fan around here is painful, let's be happy we aren't Oakland. The Warriors left for the brighter lights of San Francisco, the Raiders are in Las Vegas, and the A's are going to..... Montreal? Nashville? Portland? The A's HAVE to stay in Oakland, There is so much history there, Rickey Henderson's baserunning antics, the Bash Brothers, Moneyball..... The town needs a sports team. I understand that taxpayers shouldn't get the bill, but the owners have to understand why people aren't showing up in bunches to the Coliseum.....

Let's get a win today, and worry about the next game afterwards!

[stringer bell]

Good perspective when the Twins are struggling. Not sure that Oakland and San Francisco can both have big league teams and have them both succeed. Just my opinion.

[Diesel]

26 minutes ago, stringer bell said:

Good perspective when the Twins are struggling. Not sure that Oakland and San Francisco can both have big league teams and have them both succeed. Just my opinion.

I don’t know of many other options that’d be better. I would love to see a team in San Juan. The Puerto Rico series a few years ago was incredible

[bighat]

27 minutes ago, stringer bell said:

Good perspective when the Twins are struggling. Not sure that Oakland and San Francisco can both have big league teams and have them both succeed. Just my opinion.

That's an odd statement.

The A's and Giants played against each other in the World Series in 1989. Since then, the A's have made the postseason 13 times and the Giants have made the postseason 8 times and reaching the World Series 4 of those times.

These two clubs have both been very, very successful over the past 30 years.

Are you talking about drawing fans? There are plenty of people in the Bay Area to go to both A's and Giants games, it's just that the A's need a new stadium. That'll solve their problem, the only thing is their having a heckuva time figuring out how to do it.

[LA Vikes Fan]

The As should move to San Jose. The Silicon Valley people can finance a new stadium and the team will still be close enough for Oakland fans. The problem is that the SF Giants claim territorial rights in San Jose and won't let the obvious move happen.  If Oakland winds up moving to a new area like Portland, Vegas or Montreal, blame the Giants. 

[whosafraidofluigirussolo]

I know everyone expects big things to come from Larnach, but it's a little puzzling that he's batting ahead of Kepler at this particular moment in both of their careers.

[stringer bell]

Despite only being 2-15, I think Larnach is swinging better than Kepler. 
 

Anyone else surprised by the starting catcher this afternoon?

[bighat]

1 minute ago, stringer bell said:

 

Anyone else surprised by the starting catcher this afternoon?

Happy to see Astudillo starting over Garver and Rortvedt. He should be the #1 guy in my opinion, we need offense and he's the only catcher who can hit.

[stringer bell]

Important for Maeda to have a good outing. 

[glunn]

6 minutes ago, bighat said:

Happy to see Astudillo starting over Garver and Rortvedt. He should be the #1 guy in my opinion, we need offense and he's the only catcher who can hit.

And maybe this will light a fire under the other two catchers.

[glunn]

A win today could be huge going forward.

[stringer bell]

Made-to-order GDP. 

Perhaps the worm is turning finally. 

[glunn]

Just now, stringer bell said:

Made-to-order GDP. 

Perhaps the worm is turning finally. 

I think that it's more like an anaconda than a worm, but theoretically there is still time.

[glunn]

Is everyone enjoying the updated TD software?

[Nine of twelve]

The tag didn't get applied very quickly but the baserunner didn't make contact with the base very quickly either.

[stringer bell]

2 minutes ago, Nine of twelve said:

The tag didn't get applied very quickly but the baserunner didn't make contact with the base very quickly either.

I don't think Simmons tagged him until Chapman had touched the bag. 

[mrtwinsfan]

sure dosent help when shifting and Maeda keeps throwing to the upper corner , 

[Nine of twelve]

Just now, stringer bell said:

I don't think Simmons tagged him until Chapman had touched the bag. 

I think you are probably correct, but the replay didn't show exactly when he contacted the bag. His left hand was near it but I don't think he got a finger on the base until right about when Simmons' glove brushed him.

[glunn]

It would be nice to see the offense break out today.

[mrtwinsfan]

great catch by Simmons - who threw that to him ??

[RickOShea]

Damn, the A's just don't miss that many pitches cleanly.  With the Twins lack of power pitchers, it's a recipe for success for the A's.

[stringer bell]

Get that run back. Home runs are allowed, but I'd like to see several players contribute to a multi-run inning.

[stringer bell]

OK, I'm a skeptic about Sanó's homer yesterday. 350 foot homers to the opposite field don't tell me he's found something. Time will tell.

[cHawk]

We’ll take those.

[Nine of twelve]

7 minutes ago, stringer bell said:

Get that run back. Home runs are allowed, but I'd like to see several players contribute to a multi-run inning.

Three players contributed to three runs. OK with me.

[stringer bell]

7 minutes ago, stringer bell said:

Get that run back. Home runs are allowed, but I'd like to see several players contribute to a multi-run inning.

Something like that!

[glunn]

Kepler!

[snotboogie]

[glunn]

That looked like it really hurt Astudillo.  I hope nothing got broken.

[stringer bell]

Ouch!