Game Thread: Guardians (Bibee) v Twins (López), 4/4 @ 3:10pm CT - HOME OPENER!

[Squirrel]

Target Field, here we come! It will be chilly, but it won't be snowy/rainy! Go Twins!

LineupsMatchups

Batters CLE	B	HR	RBI	SB	AVG	OPS
KwanLF	L	1	3	1	.353	.842
Gimenez2B	L	0	6	1	.346	1.015
Ramírez, Jo3B	S	1	6	0	.273	.779
Naylor, J1B	L	1	5	0	.318	.915
Freeman, TCF	R	1	4	1	.211	.725
BrennanDH	L	0	3	2	.286	.634
LaureanoRF	R	0	0	1	.250	.733
Naylor, BC	L	1	2	0	.235	.762
RocchioSS	S	0	2	0	.304	.838

Lineups subject to change

 

Batters MIN	B	HR	RBI	SB	AVG	OPS
Julien2B	L	0	0	0	.133	.388
KirilloffDH	L	0	1	0	.444	1.117
BuxtonCF	R	0	4	0	.316	.855
KeplerRF	L	0	0	0	.077	.154
CorreaSS	R	0	3	0	.267	.809
Santana1B	S	0	1	0	.222	.642
WallnerLF	L	0	1	0	.143	.586
Castro, W3B	S	0	0	0	.125	.425
VázquezC	R	0	2	0	.167	.310

Lineups subject to chang

[Squirrel]

Anyone who is in attendance ... post your photos for all of us to enjoy! :)

[nicksaviking]

Would have liked to see Jeffers get another game after snapping out of his early season funk yesterday.

[mrtwinsfan]

19 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

Would have liked to see Jeffers get another game after snapping out of his early season funk yesterday.

Looking like Rocco playing Santana more than A.K. at 1b, is gonna affect alot of at bats for a few players, yes i understand defense also, but how is Alex ever gonna get a chance to improve there under pressure!!, Go  Twins!!

 

[Dave Borton]

(Soft voice). I miss Francona already. Call me sentimental.

Go Twins.

[CRF]

Still pretty windy today. Anything in the air could be interesting. At least it's not as bad as yesterday was. Dick Bremer is supposed to throw out the first pitch. I'm still getting used to Cory doing tv...it feels like I'm watching radio! DOH!

[TouchEmAllGuy]

I loved Cory on the radio. Still adjusting to hearing him on TV when we're all so used to DB. Cory is a great pxp guy though, so I'm sure it will feel natural in no time. 

PTC: Julien (unless he gets pulled in the 4th inning)

[stringer bell]

10 minutes ago, mrtwinsfan said:

Looking like Rocco playing Santana more than A.K. at 1b, is gonna affect alot of at bats for a few players, yes i understand defense also, but how is Alex ever gonna get a chance to improve there under pressure!!, Go  Twins!!

 

So far, other than when Santana enjoyed the platoon advantage, he hasn't cost Kirilloff any at-bats, but did result in Wallner on the bench vs. a right hander. I continue to shake my head that the 38 year old (on Monday) is getting all the defensive reps at first, but he's been solid in the field. 

I am wondering when Santana won't be in the lineup for the first time--perhaps Sunday? That would figure to be a Buxton DH day and if the team wants to keep Kirilloff's bat in the lineup, they might send the veteran to the bench.

[USAFChief]

21 minutes ago, stringer bell said:

So far, other than when Santana enjoyed the platoon advantage, he hasn't cost Kirilloff any at-bats, but did result in Wallner on the bench vs. a right hander. I continue to shake my head that the 38 year old (on Monday) is getting all the defensive reps at first, but he's been solid in the field. 

I am wondering when Santana won't be in the lineup for the first time--perhaps Sunday? That would figure to be a Buxton DH day and if the team wants to keep Kirilloff's bat in the lineup, they might send the veteran to the bench.

I'm still laying 3-2 Santana leads the Twins in PAs this year.

It's only 5 games, but I'd win the bet so far.

[USAFChief]

Anybody see on CNN the tragic ship crash? One huge tanker carrying blue paint crashed into another huge tanker carrying red paint.

 

 

All the sailors were marooned.

[AlwaysinModeration]

Over under on first pinch hitter?

[Squirrel]

1 hour ago, nicksaviking said:

Would have liked to see Jeffers get another game after snapping out of his early season funk yesterday.

I mean ... early season funk after only a couple games? Not sure I'd call it that. Yet. And given what he's had to deal with this spring, I'm going to give him a little leeway.

[nicksaviking]

13 minutes ago, USAFChief said:

I'm still laying 3-2 Santana leads the Twins in PAs this year.

It's only 5 games, but I'd win the bet so far.

Surely, we're all winners if that comes to fruition..........

[mrtwinsfan]

Roaring Tigers win again,  Urshela 3 hits,  Go Twins

[USAFChief]

1 hour ago, Squirrel said:

Anyone who is in attendance ... post your photos for all of us to enjoy! :)

Best I can do.

[AlwaysinModeration]

Here are a few things I didn’t like about the PH Margot in the 4th with the bases loaded:

1) Julien knows how to work a count—bases loaded favors him, even against a lefty

2) In the 4th inning, you are guaranteed to give Margot 2 abs, likely 3.  (Turned out he got 3).  So you are choosing to give Margot as many abs if not more than your starter, in order to get a marginal platoon advantage in one of those abs.

3) Julien is a building block for this team.  If you keep pinch hitting for him in key spots (and they aren’t bringing in lefties against him in non-key spots, generally), he is rarely going to get a chance to come through in a key situation.

[Parfigliano]

59 minutes ago, mrtwinsfan said:

Looking like Rocco playing Santana more than A.K. at 1b, is gonna affect alot of at bats for a few players, yes i understand defense also, but how is Alex ever gonna get a chance to improve there under pressure!!, Go  Twins!!

 

Its frustrating

[nicksaviking]

6 minutes ago, USAFChief said:

Best I can do.

 

Laudner's bald head should count as an obstructed view. I hope your tickets were cheap.

[Riverbrian]

25 minutes ago, USAFChief said:

I'm still laying 3-2 Santana leads the Twins in PAs this year.

Imagine a horse racing public address announcer over the track loudspeaker when you read the following. 

And their off. 

There appears to be a problem at the gate. Lewis and Kepler are... I don't know what happened... They are down. Both Lewis and Kepler are down... Horrific start for those two horses. 

Santana in the Yellow and Green Racing Silks has started quickly out of the gate. 

At the 3.7% of the season pole. 

Santana is leading the pack in plate appearances with 22.

Buxton and Correa are keeping pace with 21 on the inside. Castro and Kirilloff neck and neck for the 4th position at 20.

Those are your 5 horses controlling the early pace as the others linger back and look for positions to advance.   

Julien is falling from the pack at 15. Julien a strong runner reportedly healthy but he has fallen off the pace even after the removal of Polanco who was somehow attached to Julien and in his way. Kepler appears to have recovered and is gaining on Julien. Kepler and Lewis had some sort of problem at the gate. Kepler is up and running. Lewis is still down at the gate. I repeat... Lewis is still down at the gate. 

 

 

[MMMordabito]

Alright, TD, you convinced me. I had to wait 27 minutes, and they were out of the four piece (which I assume would also apply to the 8 piece and larger as well). That must mean it's good!

 

[nicksaviking]

4 minutes ago, Riverbrian said:

Imagine a horse racing public address announcer over the track loudspeaker when you read the following. 

And their off. 

There appears to be a problem at the gate. Lewis and Kepler are... I don't know what happened... They are down. Both Lewis and Kepler are down... Horrific start for those two horses. 

Santana in the Yellow and Green Racing Silks has started quickly out of the gate. 

At the 3.7% of the season pole. 

Santana is leading the pack in plate appearances with 22.

Buxton and Correa are keeping pace with 21 on the inside. Castro and Kirilloff neck and neck for the 4th position at 20.

Those are your 5 horses controlling the early pace as the others linger back and look for positions to advance.   

Julien is falling from the pack at 15. Julien a strong runner reportedly healthy but he has fallen off the pace even after the removal of Polanco who was somehow attached to Julien and in his way. Kepler appears to have recovered and is gaining on Julien. Kepler and Lewis had some sort of problem at the gate. Kepler is up and running. Lewis is still down at the gate. I repeat... Lewis is still down at the gate. 

 

 

So less like a horse race and more like that stupid sausage race that nearly took Buxton out last series.

[Riverbrian]

5 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

So less like a horse race and more like that stupid sausage race that nearly took Buxton out last series.

Could you imagine if that sausage would have injured Buxton. 

Think of it on two different levels. 

1. The ways that Buxton has gotten hurt over his career. 

2. His endorsements of Sheboygan sausage. 

 

[Azviking101]

$5,000 whole dollars to Bremer’s charity. Wow, Joe Pohlad really is cheaper than his dad 

[Azviking101]

Very nice home opener intro otherwise 

let’s go Twins!

[chpettit19]

1 minute ago, Azviking101 said:

$5,000 whole dollars to Bremer’s charity. Wow, Joe Pohlad really is cheaper than his dad 

Right-sizing his donations.

[USAFChief]

Boy, they spared no expense on that "plaque" commemorating the "Dick Bremer Broadcast Booth," did they?

[Azviking101]

2 minutes ago, chpettit19 said:

Right-sizing his donations.

I did the math based off their 3+billion dollar worth. Would be equal to a normal middle class family rounding up at the grocery store 

[USAFChief]

3 minutes ago, Azviking101 said:

$5,000 whole dollars to Bremer’s charity. Wow, Joe Pohlad really is cheaper than his dad 

Just over a dollar per game broadcast, I believe. 

[CRF]

3 minutes ago, Azviking101 said:

$5,000 whole dollars to Bremer’s charity. Wow, Joe Pohlad really is cheaper than his dad 

They spent all the cash on those fantas...uh, grea...uh, goo...uh, borderline FA's we got. No money left for Bremer's home town. 

[stringer bell]

Marney called it "nice".