Game Thread: Twins (Varland) @ Astros (Brown), 5/31/23 @ 7:10 CT

[wsnydes]

Edited May 31 by wsnydes
Added Twins lineup.

[killebrewlover]

Every game is important.  Wins are always better than losses.  But imho it's the timing of those wins and losses that can sometimes have the larger impact.  In a team's momentum.  In it's psyche.  In it's outlook.  Tonight's game is important in its  timing.  Detroit beat the Rangers today.  If the Twins lose, they will be 1 game ahead of the Tigers for the divisional lead (with Cleveland potentially 3 back if they hold on against the Orioles).

We all knew that this race would tighten (didn't we??).  The moment is upon the Twins.  How will they respond?

Put another way, champions aren't made by winning more games than losing.  Champions are made from responding to those critical moments when they need to respond.  And repeating that response, over and over, until the goal is met.  So, let's see what this team is made of tonight, shall we?

[Twins_Fan_In_Texas]

How do we feel about this lineup….

[Craig Arko]

2 minutes ago, Twins_Fan_In_Texas said:

How do we feel about this lineup….

I love the smell of napalm in the morning.

[Squirrel]

6 minutes ago, Twins_Fan_In_Texas said:

How do we feel about this lineup….

Feel is a strong word. But I recall not so long ago when I felt the same way ... then we won ... so ... <shrug>. The randomness of baseball.

[LA VIkes Fan]

Weird lineup. Why is Buxton out again? Is there an injury issue we don't know about? I understand giving Correa a day with his plantar fasciitis. What about Lewis? Will it be 2 on, one off for awhile? 

The bigger question is why the lineup in Houston this series has included our two worst hitters as everyday players -  Taylor and Kepler. It's just mind boggling. 

 

[CRF]

11 minutes ago, Twins_Fan_In_Texas said:

How do we feel about this lineup….

Time for Rocco to please let Kep sit his a** down. 

[stringer bell]

Two #1 overall draft choices and a #2 overall draft choice on the bench.

[Craig Arko]

17 minutes ago, stringer bell said:

Two #1 overall draft choices and a #2 overall draft choice on the bench.

Think of the pinch-hitting possibilities. 

[wsnydes]

51 minutes ago, CRF said:

Time for Rocco to please let Kep sit his a** down. 

But he has been sitting down...on the IL.  That clearly didn't help Kepler or the team. 🙂

[wabene]

Looks like a mismatch. I wonder how much this site takes into account the lineup presented. Varland does have quite the advantage in bases on balls, woohoo! 

[CRF]

25 minutes ago, wsnydes said:

But he has been sitting down...on the IL.  That clearly didn't help Kepler or the team. 🙂

Agreed...being on the IL didn't help Kep, or the team...but he's not helping us by playing either. It's time to get Wallner back up here and out in RF. 

[chinmusic]

1 hour ago, LA VIkes Fan said:

The bigger question is why the lineup in Houston this series has included our two worst hitters as everyday players -  Taylor and Kepler. It's just mind boggling. 

Speaking for tonight only, at least they can provide some defense.

The same cannot be said for tonight's infield.

 

 

[sampleSizeOfOne]

1 hour ago, Craig Arko said:

I love the smell of napalm in the morning.

Too bad it is an evening game...

[sampleSizeOfOne]

8 minutes ago, sampleSizeOfOne said:

1 hour ago, Craig Arko said:

I love the smell of napalm in the morning.

Too bad it is an evening game...

(But i do approve of ride of the valkyries...)

[wabene]

Couple of things are hard to let go of looking at that lineup. I know it's true Wallner all of a sudden has more backers after 2 good games (and slama jama in St Paul), but SSS aside, I like riding the hot hand, hard. I would not have sent that bat down at that point, but I also haven't offered a proposed different course of action, lol. Gah!

Well here's hoping local lad Louie goes after them boys and gets it done! 

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Sigh...

 

What do i do for the next 40 minutes?

[Jocko87]

2 hours ago, killebrewlover said:

Every game is important.  Wins are always better than losses.  But imho it's the timing of those wins and losses that can sometimes have the larger impact.  In a team's momentum.  In it's psyche.  In it's outlook.  Tonight's game is important in its  timing.  Detroit beat the Rangers today.  If the Twins lose, they will be 1 game ahead of the Tigers for the divisional lead (with Cleveland potentially 3 back if they hold on against the Orioles).

We all knew that this race would tighten (didn't we??).  The moment is upon the Twins.  How will they respond?

Put another way, champions aren't made by winning more games than losing.  Champions are made from responding to those critical moments when they need to respond.  And repeating that response, over and over, until the goal is met.  So, let's see what this team is made of tonight, shall we?

I think that more important than the AL central standings a win tonight means getting a series win in Houston against a healthy Astros team. That’s a good response in a critical moment. 

[Craig Arko]

9 minutes ago, sampleSizeOfOne said:

Sigh...

 

What do i do for the next 40 minutes?

Listen to the full cut of ‘The End’ by The Doors. That should about do it.

[wabene]

11 minutes ago, sampleSizeOfOne said:

Sigh...

 

What do i do for the next 40 minutes?

Find something else to read on TD, of course. 

[wabene]

1 minute ago, Craig Arko said:

Listen to the full cut of ‘The End’ by The Doors. That should about do it.

That'll get you in the right frame of mind for a hellacious battle

[Robert Floren]

Twins pregame needs a personality boost.  Audra Martin was good but they've sidelined her now.  I

[jkcarew]

Rocco LOVES him some Donovan Solano. This much we know.

I’d very much rather have Kirilloff at first with a Wallner/Larnach in the OF. But Solano is a better fit until Polanco and Lewis are healthier (I suppose).

 

[Parfigliano]

1 hour ago, stringer bell said:

Two #1 overall draft choices and a #2 overall draft choice on the bench.

Makes no sense to bench Lewis.  Understand sitting Correa due to foot issue.  Cant understand Buxton on bench.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

11 minutes ago, Craig Arko said:

Listen to the full cut of ‘The End’ by The Doors. That should about do it.

(No Base...)

Edited May 31 by sampleSizeOfOne
apropos of obvious

[Parfigliano]

13 minutes ago, Craig Arko said:

Listen to the full cut of ‘The End’ by The Doors. That should about do it.

To short.  Try "Tubular Bells" by Mike Oldfield.

[jkcarew]

2 minutes ago, Parfigliano said:

Makes no sense to bench Lewis.  Understand sitting Correa due to foot issue.  Cant understand Buxton on bench.

Rocco extending his middle finger to us “get Buxton in CF” people.🤣

[stringer bell]

5 minutes ago, Parfigliano said:

Makes no sense to bench Lewis.  Understand sitting Correa due to foot issue.  Cant understand Buxton on bench.

He said the challenge of his rehab was getting back into baseball shape. The Twins said he would get days off at first. 

[Squirrel]

32 minutes ago, sampleSizeOfOne said:

Sigh...

 

What do i do for the next 40 minutes?

Laundry is always a great game time activity

[mnfireman]

12 minutes ago, Parfigliano said:

Makes no sense to bench Lewis.  Understand sitting Correa due to foot issue.  Cant understand Buxton on bench.

Get away/give away Day...