Nine of twelve

Athletics: 1. Ramon Laureano (R) RF 2. Sheldon Neuse (R) 2B 3. Sean Murphy (R) C 4. Seth Brown (L) 1B 5. Chad Pinder (R) DH 6. Kevin Smith (R) 3B 7. Billy McKinney (L) LF 8. Elvis Andrus (R) SS 9. Cristian Pache (R) CF P. Daulton Jefferies (R) Twins: 1. Max Kepler (L) RF 2. Jose Miranda (R) DH 3. Jorge Polanco (S) 2B 4. Gary Sanchez (R) C 5. Nick Gordon (L) LF 6. Gio Urshela (R) 3B 7. Royce Lewis (R) SS 8. Alex Kirilloff (L) 1B 9. Gilberto Celestino (R) CF P. Chris Paddack (R)

Hi everybody, and welcome to today's game thread. I'm not going to try to do any analysis because we have plenty of contributors to this site who perform this function much better than I could. Instead I'm going to use my usual 5-topic introduction. 1. Happy Mother's day to all, especially to those who are mothers. Your mother contributed a lot to your life. For one thing, over half of your DNA was inherited from your biological mother. Also please remember that any woman who contributed to your upbringing was in some sense your mother. Father's Day and Grandparent's Day are coming later in the year. Speaking of grandparents, my parents used to make me spend two weeks with my grandparents every summer. I did it even though I hated the cemetery. 2. In many years Minnesota's fishing season opener takes place on Mother's Day weekend. But because Mother's Day falls on an early date this year it's not until next weekend. This reminds me of the old proverb: Give a man a fish and he has food for a day. Teach a man to fish and he has to buy bamboo rods, graphite reels, monofilament lines, neoprene waders, creels, tackleboxes, lures, flies, spinners, worm rigs, slip sinkers, offset hooks, gore-tex hats, 20 pocket vests, fish finders, depth sounders, radar, boats, trailers, global positioning systems, coolers, and six-packs. 3. Yesterday's Kentucky Derby was a stunning race. I won't say which horse won for those of you who aren't aware of the result, but here's what happened: 4. Baseball has been such an integral part of American life for so many years that it is inevitable that many baseball idioms have become part of the English language. Here are 30 of them that I found after a very quick search. 1. ballpark figure: a rough estimate 2. bat a thousand: a reference to a continuing series of successes, alluding to a baseball player who gets on base every time at bat 3. box score: a count or summary (from the chart on which a games statistical details are recorded; applicable to various sports but originating in reference to baseball) 4. bush league: a sports organization subordinate to the major leagues (referring to the usually rural locations of such teams; can apply to any sport but originated in reference to baseball) 5. curve ball: something unexpected (from the unpredictable trajectory of that type of baseball pitch) 6. go to bat for: support (from the notion of a batter contributing to his team) 7–8. hit a home run/hit one out of the park: be successful 9. in the ballpark: close; said of an estimate (compared to being within the confines of a stadium) 10–11. it’s a whole new ball game/different ball game: a reference to a changed situation 12. keep (one’s) eyes on the ball: maintain focus (compared to a batter concentrating on a pitch) 13. major league: significant, as in a reference to a company that is one of the leaders in its industry or line of business (from the fact that the major leagues are the pinnacle of achievement in sports) 14. off base: wrong, or on the wrong track (from the notion of a player not being in contact with one of the bases) 15. on deck: next in line (from the location designated for the next batter to await his turn) 16. out in left field: said of a person with an eccentric or unusual idea (from the idea of left field being a distant location) 17. out of (one’s) league: said of one who is trying to succeed in an area in which he or she faces superior competition or is striving to achieve too much (originally from baseball but applicable to many sports) 18. (hit it) out of the park: succeed (comparing a success to a home run) 19. pinch hitter: substitute (from the designation of a player taking another’s place at bat) 20. play ball: cooperate 21. play hardball: act aggressively (from the density of a baseball as compared to a softball) 22. rain check: a promise to make good on an offer (from tickets offered for rescheduled sporting events postponed by rain; originated in baseball but applicable to any outdoor sport or event) 23. softball: an easy, noncontroversial question 24. step up to the plate: take responsibility (compared to a player taking his turn at bat) 25. strike out: fail, especially repeatedly 26. strikes against (one): said of more than one disadvantage or mistake a person has against him or her 27. swing for the fences: perform with great effort or intensity (as compared to a baseball player trying to hit a home run) 28. three strikes and you’re out: a reference to someone being given three chances to succeed (analogous to the three strikes a hitter is allowed before being called out) 29. throw (one) a curve: surprise someone with something unexpected or not expected as presented (as compared to a curveball) 30. touch base: contact (compared to a player landing a foot on a base) 5. After a rainy morning it appears the weather will clear enough to allow the game to be played. But even if the weather doesn't cooperate I'm sure they'll try to play between the raindrops. The Twins' lineup has not been posted as I write this, so I'll wait until it's available and post both teams' lineups together. Go Twins!

This shows that he has had two very good starts. However, I don't think that the fact that these happened to be his first two starts is very important. Remember, Andrew Albers had great success in his first two career starts in 2013. It would probably be more illuminating to find out how many pitchers have had those stats in any two consecutive starts and which pitchers have accomplished this the most times.

Bingo. Sometimes the only way to learn is to learn the hard way.

If that's the case, how do you explain that teams were shifting the second baseman to the left side of the infield for Killebrew before there was even a team in Oakland?

It's possible, maybe likely, that it's your attention span that is the issue, not the game.

Winnah! Which came first, the chicken or the goose egg?

That was 4" outside.

That should be pretty easy.

That's called learning the difference between AAA and the major leagues.

I agree. And that's in spite of the fact that many of those guys are second-stringers.

Today is garish jersey day at Target Field.

Last night was the second time recently that Pagan has loaded the bases in the ninth and escaped by the skin of his teeth. This is not acceptable. I realize we don't have a stereotypical closer on our staff, and maybe we don't need one, but right now my choice for save situations in the ninth inning would be not Pagan.

I'm not an expert, but I've heard many baseball people say that when a pitch is in the dirt and there are men on base the goal of the catcher is to keep the ball in front of him. Trying to glove it is more likely to result in the ball getting away, allowing runners to advance.

I sit corrected.

You are incorrect on 1. Math was, is, and ever shall be, world without end, amen. You are correct on 2. OBP increases with a base on balls. Slugging percentage is unchanged with a base on balls. Hence, OPS increases with a base on balls.

It's only May 6. I'm hoping he plays well but that several other players give him a run for that title.

I don't know if it should be defined as a surprise but it sure has been pleasant that Larnach is hitting well.

Thank you third base coach!

Cripes, if this score holds up that will make twice in the last two weeks that we've lost a game. I want to know who's responsible.

Save by Duran, I hope the first of many.

Often times it's best for one just to admit a mistake than to try to make things worse by digging a hole for oneself with untrue statements.

Classic tutorial for a young catcher. Popups at home plate curve toward the pitcher's mound as they descend due to spin. Jeffers got into fair territory facing home plate so the ball would curve toward him.

Yeah, because spring training counts. /s

This happens a lot, not just in sports broadcasts but such things as remote reports on the 10:00 news. This is probably the worst I've seen, though.