GAME THREAD: Twins @ Red Sox 12:05 3/17/2022 (Spring Training Opener - free on MLB.TV!)

[Otto von Ballpark]

Thursday March 17
Twins at Red Sox - Spring Training Opener
12:05 PM CDT

It's that time of year again! Well, not quite THAT time of year -- this game won't count in any standings that matter. But it's still a game, featuring real players (albeit ones who may never make a real Twins roster) playing on a real field (even if it is encircled by golf carts and alligators).

One benefit of not being a "real" game is that MLB.TV blackouts are not enforced in spring training -- and this one is also labeled a "Free Game of the Day" so no MLB.TV subscription is required to watch. Just log in with a free MLB.com account (or create one, if you haven't already) at the link below.

TV: MLB.TV (free! no blackouts!) or MLB Network
Radio: Treasure Island Baseball Network or MLB Audio (also free today!)

And while watching or listening, be sure to come back to this game thread to share your thoughts about the game -- or, if past game threads are any indication, your lack of thoughts about anything but the game.

MIN Lineup

1. Byron Buxton (R) CF
2. Luis Arraez (L) 3B
3. Jorge Polanco (S) 2B
4. Miguel Sano (R) 1B
5. Gary Sanchez (R) DH
6. Max Kepler (L) RF
7. Ryan Jeffers (R) C
8. Trevor Larnach (L) LF
9. Nick Gordon (L) SS

SP: Cole Sands (RHP)

BOS Lineup

1. Jarren Duran (L) CF
2. Bobby Dalbec (R) DH
3. Roberto Ramos (L) 1B
4. Rob Refsnyder (R) LF
5. Franchy Cordero (L) RF
6. Jeter Downs (R) SS
7. Yolmer Sanchez (S) 2B
8. Ryan Fitzgerald (L) 3B
9. Roldani Baldwin (R) C

SP: Michael Feliz (RHP)

I'll close with an appropriate spring training anthem -- maybe not the "real" version of the song, but a satisfying version nonetheless:

 

[Squirrel]

Hope I can tune in a little from work!

[twinssporto]

Go Twins! Great song too!

 

[Mai.K]

It.s 2AM in S.Korea right now

Twins gogo!!

[Brock Beauchamp]

I'm already excited to see the implementation of the pitch clock in 2023.

[MMMordabito]

Goddammit!!

Letting Buxton steal in an ST game

Arraez not moving the runner

Too many camera shots of the post in front of Cora

Baldelli not challenging whether or not the 1B-man stepped off early

I'm frickin' done!

 

JK,  Good to have baseball back.

[dex8425]

Trevor Story makes that play right there.

[MMMordabito]

Welcome to ST, Cole.

[Otto von Ballpark]

11 minutes ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

I'm already excited to see the implementation of the pitch clock in 2023.

One could say there’s a “pitch clock” clock, set to 2023.

Of course, there are no penalties or enforcement mechanism, so…

[Otto von Ballpark]

12 minutes ago, MMMordabito said:

Goddammit!!

Letting Buxton steal in an ST game

Arraez not moving the runner

Too many camera shots of the post in front of Cora

Baldelli not challenging whether or not the 1B-man stepped off early

I'm frickin' done!

 

JK,  Good to have baseball back.

Gotta save some of this posting energy for the season!

[Musk21]

Looked like Larnach should've caught that one in LC or no?

[dex8425]

Just now, Musk21 said:

Looked like Larnach should've caught that one in LC or no?

Correct. He had no idea where the wall was.

[dex8425]

Real good AB from Gary Sanchez there.

[Otto von Ballpark]

2 minutes ago, Musk21 said:

Looked like Larnach should've caught that one in LC or no?

Maybe Rocco accidentally sent his “don’t prepare to play the outfield” text to Larnach instead of Arraez.

[Nashvilletwin]

2 minutes ago, dex8425 said:

Real good AB from Gary Sanchez there.

I hope it’s not the case, but Sanchez as a Twin is going to be like the poor woman who backed into the airplane propellor.

Disaster. 

[Brock Beauchamp]

Everyone definitely looks in mid-season form.

[chpettit19]

2 minutes ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

Everyone definitely looks in mid-season form.

Gordon doing his best to show everyone why the Twins don't view him as a SS...

[TouchEmAllGuy]

Hey all, does anybody know how many spring training games the Twins will be playing compared to what the original schedule was for? Did we lose a few games? 

[Brock Beauchamp]

2 minutes ago, chpettit19 said:

Gordon doing his best to show everyone why the Twins don't view him as a SS...

I hope Trevor Story is giving Nick Gordon points on his upcoming contract after the way he's looking today.

[MMMordabito]

2 minutes ago, chpettit19 said:

Gordon doing his best to show everyone why the Twins don't view him as a SS...

Yeah, Falvey better not be watching this game, but, if he is, time to get back on the horn with Story's agent and bump the offer up by a million per anum.

[Brock Beauchamp]

2 minutes ago, TouchEmAllGuy said:

Hey all, does anybody know how many spring training games the Twins will be playing compared to what the original schedule was for? Did we lose a few games? 

Lost a bunch. Spring Training games are starting about three weeks later than usual but the season only starts one week later.

[MMMordabito]

1 minute ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

I hope Trevor Story is giving Nick Gordon points on his upcoming contract after the way he's looking today.

[LastOnePicked]

Popped in for a look. At first glance, pretty consistent ballclub - they look alot like they did last year.

[2wins87]

Sands' slider looked like a solid pitch, got quite a few whiffs.  The fastball got hammered when he didn't locate well, which seemed to be an issue for him today with all of his pitches.  Didn't seem to have too much confidence in his changeup, though I think he threw a couple ok ones toward the end of his outing.

[Seth Stohs]

39 minutes ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

I'm already excited to see the implementation of the pitch clock in 2023.

Yeah, I think 14 seconds is a little too quick. I'd like to see it 19 seconds across the board. I'm excited for that change! 

[TouchEmAllGuy]

2 minutes ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

Lost a bunch. Spring Training games are starting about three weeks later than usual but the season only starts one week later.

Figured that was the case. So do we anticipate to see the "MLB" players playing longer into these first few games?

[Brock Beauchamp]

2 minutes ago, TouchEmAllGuy said:

Figured that was the case. So do we anticipate to see the "MLB" players playing longer into these first few games?

Probably the positional guys, yeah. The pitchers will ramp up a little more quickly than normal but coaches are still going to be cautious, I think.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Kevin Youkilis is the new Sox color guy and I like him a lot already. He's quite personable.

[wsnydes]

40 minutes ago, MMMordabito said:

Goddammit!!

Letting Buxton steal in an ST game

Arraez not moving the runner

Too many camera shots of the post in front of Cora

Baldelli not challenging whether or not the 1B-man stepped off early

I'm frickin' done!

 

JK,  Good to have baseball back.

Good to see game threaders in mid-season form already! ?

[MMMordabito]

I think they want us to admire how handsome Chaim Bloem is, but the beer gut two doors down is just too distracting.