game thread "early bird" Minnesota at Cleveland 3:10pm cdt 5/22/2021 ad

[sampleSizeOfOne]

 

This is an early bird game thread intro, largely by necessity as i have something from noon to 2 and typically am foodening or driving up until game time.

 

So today i promote the values of preparation. I am not entirely sure what they are, myself, so it is likely my means of doing so is by way of cautionary tale.

 

I can't even post the line ups, it is so early.

 

All i can say is Maeda and Bieber? Epic pitching match up. Hitters might not wish to fall behind. Swing early and often.

 

Enjoy!

 

Ps. Is it Duke of Earl, or Earl of Duke?

 

Yes:

 

 

Now keep those hits a-comin'!

 

TWINS

1. Luis Arraez (L) 2B
2. Josh Donaldson (R ) 3B
3. Max Kepler (L) DH
4. Miguel Sano (R ) 1B
5. Alex Kirilloff (L) RF
6. Willians Astudillo (R ) C
7. Trevor Larnach (L) LF
8. Rob Refsnyder (R ) CF
9. Andrelton Simmons (R ) SS

 

CLEVELAND

1. Cesar Hernandez (S) 2B
2. Eddie Rosario (L) LF
3. Jose Ramirez (S) 3B
4. Franmil Reyes (R ) DH
5. Josh Naylor (L) RF
6. Harold Ramirez (R ) CF
7. Jake Bauers (L) 1B
8. Amed Rosario (R ) SS
9. Austin Hedges (R ) C

[stringer bell]

The Twins with only one lineup change (La Tortuga for Garv Sauce) as they face Bieber. It looks like Cleveland has only one change (center field), as well. Don't expect ten runs from the Twins today, but I'd like to see a good effort versus one of the best starters in MLB.

[German zwilling]

Where is Polanco ?

[RickOShea]

Just take it one at bat at a time against Bieber. 

No mental mistakes

Go with the pitch

Enjoy the beer after the game.

 

Pretty simple, huh?

[stringer bell]

21 minutes ago, German zwilling said:

Where is Polanco ?

Injured his ankle a while ago. He was taken out of the second game of the doubleheader in Anaheim.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

I hope Polanco gets better soon.

 

For some reason hearing the question, i was tempted to answer as though he wore glasses and a striped shirt in a pictoral kids book.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Play ball!

[shortround81]

Oh s***! Did Luis dislocate something?

[sampleSizeOfOne]

1 minute ago, shortround81 said:

Oh s***! Did Luis dislocate something?

I hope not.

He let go of the bag in reaction to the injury, whatever it was.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Just now, sampleSizeOfOne said:

I hope not.

He let go of the bag in reaction to the injury, whatever it was.

For those of you not watching, he tried to steel 2nd on full count. 

 

Donaldson took a strike, and it looked like Arraez beat the tag to the base (but close enough to go either way), but crumpled away from it due to injury.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

And Kepler stranded at second. His double might even have scored Arraez from first if he read it well and were still there...

 

Ah well.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

2-0 after 1. Cleveland....

CBU

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Astudillo!

Ain't no passing craze.

[cHawk]

This level of regression for Maeda is ****ing depressing

[sampleSizeOfOne]

3-0 after 2.

[Aggies7]

Maeda’s trade value dropping with every start 

[Aggies7]

radio broadcast says donaldson hasnt had a hit with 2 outs and a RSIP all season. oofda

[stringer bell]

Just now, Aggies7 said:

radio broadcast says donaldson hasnt had a hit with 2 outs and a RSIP all season. oofda

Mr Clutch. 

[Aggies7]

sano 

[bighat]

Sano is just on the ball right now.

Twins 5 hits of Bieber, let's convert.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

If the Twins somehow get back into the race, it will be because of this Sano streak

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Way too many expectations laid on Maeda this offseason

[bighat]

Larnach really struggles with that low breaking ball. He struck out on it a couple of times last night, too.

Throw him an off speed pitch in the dirt and the kid's gonna swing and miss.

[bighat]

6 minutes ago, Hosken Bombo Disco said:

Way too many expectations laid on Maeda this offseason

Dude he had a 2.70 ERA last year and was 2nd in Cy Young voting in the American League.

Should we have expected him to be Alex Cobb or something?

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

3 minutes ago, bighat said:

Dude he had a 2.70 ERA last year and was 2nd in Cy Young voting in the American League.

Should we have expected him to be Alex Cobb or something?

Nothing personal. People were expecting him to be one of the top pitchers in the A.L. again, which was unrealistic.  

[h2oface]

7 minutes ago, bighat said:

Dude he had a 2.70 ERA last year and was 2nd in Cy Young voting in the American League.

Should we have expected him to be Alex Cobb or something?

I don't think so. I just expect him to be Kenta Maeda. And 2 months of a hot streak is part of that, but this year is Kenta. He will probably have another 2 month of lights out, but be thankful for that. He has only given up 3 hits so far.... not bad today. That HBP was killer as it turned out. 2 pitches in a row in the first that makes it Twins luck, eh? If Arraez  would have endured the pain and stayed on the bag, we have a tie game right now. Still in this one.....

[h2oface]

If one wants to be disappointed..... can you say Josh Donaldson. He can't even swing now....

[denarded]

Just now, h2oface said:

If one wants to be disappointed..... can you say Josh Donaldson. He can't even swing now....

He's beginning to look like a real bust for the money. He doesn't look like he's going to age well

[RickOShea]

Donaldson reminds me of someone living off their 'rep'.