Game Thread Twins at Astros 1:10pm cdt 8/8/2021 ad

[sampleSizeOfOne]

"In the 8th month, the winds are willing!"

Words from a medallion, that mean adventure to all true believers.

Not sure what's so important about the number 8? Just listen to this!

 

In fact, i was lead to believe that 8/8 is an auspicious wedding day, so let's get started...

 

"Mawige, what bwings us togethah today. That bwessid awangement, that dweam within a dweam (stand your ground!)"

Skip to the end!

"I now pwonounce you man and wife.

You may pitch the ball!"

Twins:

0. Kenta Maeda (R) P

1. Max Kepler (L) RF

2. Brent Rooker (R) DH

3. Jorge Polanco (S) 2B

4. Mitch Garver (R) C

5. Luis Arraez (L) 3B

6. Miguel Sano (R) 1B

7. Jake Cave (L) CF

8. Trevor Larnach (L) LF

9. A. Simmons (R) SS

 

Astros:

0. L. McCullers (R) P

1. Chas McCormick (R) CF

2. M. Brantley (L) DH

3. Aledmys Diaz (R) 2B

4. Yordan Alvarez (L) LF

5. Carlos Correa (R) SS

6. Kyle Tucker (L) RF

7. Taylor Jones (R) 1B

8. Jacob Wilson (R) 3B

9. M. Maldonado (R) C

(and as there is a Houston, MN but no Minneapolis, TX, it should be a safe assumption where who moves if we're going to make this work)

"Now i'm waiting for the end of time to hurry up and arrive..." -a baseball song of a sort.

We obviously skipped some important bits, including but not limited to: if anyone has weason these teams should not be joined, speak now or forever hold your peace. Now be civil, and don't all talk at once...

[LA Vikes Fan]

Good Sesame Street post. I looked at the lineups and I’m wondering why Jake Cave is playing two days in a row. I guess he has an option left so keeping him on the big club all year gives us some more flexibility in spring training to send him down and keep him as depth for one more year. I also guess that if we’re evaluating players for next year he probably deserves at least a chance to show what he can do. Still, he has that “automatic out“ look to him every time he’s at the plate. I would love to see them play Refsnyder more and not go to some sort of a platoon between him and Cave with Refsnyder on the short side.

[Squirrel]

I saw the lineups and I thought to myself, 'Who will be the first poster to say "Why is Cave playing, again????"' Glad I didn't have to scroll very far for that ...  

[sampleSizeOfOne]

I like Cave's hustle.

 

But the reason Cave is in the line up, and following Sano of all people, is likely our culture's affinity for four letter words.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Remind me again, who is patron saint of lost causes?

[Game7-91]

22 minutes ago, sampleSizeOfOne said:

Remind me again, who is patron saint of lost causes?

St Rocco of Baldelli

[Squirrel]

25 minutes ago, sampleSizeOfOne said:

Remind me again, who is patron saint of lost causes?

Lol @ the answer above, but I think you are looking for St. Jude

[Game7-91]

5 minutes ago, Squirrel said:

Lol @ the answer above, but I think you are looking for St. Jude

Could he help Kepler hit again?

[Squirrel]

4 minutes ago, Game7-91 said:

Could he help Kepler hit again?

I don't know ... I don't pray to saints, but you could try  

[Matthew Lenz]

1 hour ago, Squirrel said:

I saw the lineups and I thought to myself, 'Who will be the first poster to say "Why is Cave playing, again????"' Glad I didn't have to scroll very far for that ...  

Because they choose Cave over Luis Gil and then later over LaMont Wade. Just more blemishes on this FO.

[Game7-91]

11 minutes ago, Squirrel said:

I don't know ... I don't pray to saints, but you could try  

Me thinks Bert will have better luck peddling his 9's than Max will have batting 250

[Squirrel]

4 minutes ago, Matthew Lenz said:

Because they choose Cave over Luis Gil and then later over LaMont Wade. Just more blemishes on this FO.

I wasn't asking the question ... I was just wondering how long it would take for someone to post the question, because every time Cave's name appears, someone asks it. We all know the answer, but someone still has to post the rhetorical question

[RickOShea]

You can spitball a number of reasons why Cave plays as much as he does.  But there doesn't seem to be one major reason that stands out.  The only thing I can say about Cave is that he hustles down the line everytime.  Hardly a reason to demand a roster spot.

[RickOShea]

Once again, Mr Sauce shows his defensive prowess.

[RickOShea]

Looks like another 'just not the same' Maeda day.

[RickOShea]

Nice job by Simmons, keeping Brantley at second.

[Matthew Lenz]

Why did Polanco throw that?? Had not shot at Brantley...as I'm typing that...nice start on the DP.

[Matthew Lenz]

4 minutes ago, RickOShea said:

Once again, Mr Sauce shows his defensive prowess.

I really like Garver and he's a plus framer (which statistically has been proven to be the most valuable aspect to catching), but his blocking and random passed balls are frustrating

[Matthew Lenz]

4 minutes ago, RickOShea said:

Looks like another 'just not the same' Maeda day.

IDK...a flare to right to lead off the game, a bloop over Sano's head that lead to a Polanco error. Run probably scores on the DP ball anyway, but it's not like they're hitting him hard....yet....

[Danchat]

16 minutes ago, Matthew Lenz said:

Because they choose Cave over Luis Gil and then later over LaMont Wade. Just more blemishes on this FO.

I can't blame the FO for moving a lottery ticket for a 4th OF who provided some value in his first couple seasons (I wish they'd make more trades dipping into their farm system), but they've doubled down and completely failed to see that Cave's struggles in 2020 were not flukey. And they also sold really low on Wade.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

13 minutes ago, Game7-91 said:

Me thinks Bert will have better luck peddling his 9's than Max will have batting 250

Er.... You mean Ernie?

[Matthew Lenz]

2 minutes ago, Danchat said:

I can't blame the FO for moving a lottery ticket for a 4th OF who provided some value in his first couple seasons (I wish they'd make more trades dipping into their farm system), but they've doubled down and completely failed to see that Cave's struggles in 2020 were not flukey. And they also sold really low on Wade.

I understand the "hindsight is 20/20" thought, but how many times can we say that before we ask for a little foresight?

[sampleSizeOfOne]

"Show me Arraez, and i'll show you a man on base..."

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Anyway, listening as i drive.

 

Will chime in as i can at a rest stop or two.

 

Get this run back and then some!

[shortround81]

Ooooh! Jake Cave takes your internet hate and turns it into triple fuel! ?

[Matthew Lenz]

Great inside-out swing by Larnach to tie the game.

[Squirrel]

7 minutes ago, Matthew Lenz said:

Great inside-out swing by Larnach to tie the game.

You writing the post-game wrap today?

[stringer bell]

Five  hits in the game and none of them really hard-hit. Cave’s triple was stroked solidly, I guess. The other four were duckpharts. 

[Matthew Lenz]

Just now, Squirrel said:

You writing the post-game wrap today?

I am!

[Matthew Lenz]

Just now, stringer bell said:

Five  hits in the game and none of them really hard-hit. Cave’s triple was stroked solidly, I guess. The other four were duckpharts. 

Luckily, the same could be said for the Astros hits! Except they don't have a line drive triple to show for it