Riverbrian

College helped me a lot with my punctuation.

Ambiguity -- The Doctors Pool Table

Both if I have the time.

I still think you are a rebel

Ft. Myers is at the very top of my "still need to visit" list. I'd like to plan a trip toward the end of spring training when both Miami and Tampa Bay open the season at home so I can knock those two stadiums off my list. I also want to squeeze in some time visiting the Florida Keys. The drunk cousin trip was a success. The bad road trips that I plan usually involved my Kids saying... "Dad... Do we have to see the world's largest cow". My answer is always... "yes... you have to. It's only 25 miles out of the way".

Already programmed in my GPS.

Our Twins return home for a 4-banger with the Rangers starting tonight. It’ll be good to be back home because it was a bad road trip - 2 wins and 6 losses over 8 games in the state of California. Bad road trips happen and bad road trips are never the original plan. I was having dinner with my family at HuHot last night and during the course of conversation, I believe we were talking about N. Korea testing missiles in the Sea of Japan which naturally led to me mentioning that it was the final Vikings training camp in Mankato after 52 years of being in Mankato. My son asked if I had ever been there, I have never been to the Sea of Japan, and he said I should go before it’s gone and my wife agreed. Just like that, a bad road trip was planned. I have some things to take care of Saturday morning, so I’ll leave around noon, make a 5.5 hour drive to watch a couple hours of Vikings practice, find a hotel, then take in a Twins game on Sunday so I can get a TC Bear bobble head, then back home after the game. Let it be known that I am the King of bad road trips. Here are some things to think about: 1. Mankato – This city of 41,000 was born at the confluence of the Minnesota and Blue Earth Rivers in the 1850’s. The rivers were important to development because steamboats were the fastest form of travel back then; hundreds of passengers could travel from Minneapolis to Mankato by getting off the boat and dragging the boat down the frozen river in January. Steamboats served the city well until an unfortunate string of boat accidents spilled millions of gallons of steam into the fragile surroundings, causing mirrors to fog up across the region. The origin of the town name is interesting. Mankato is Swedish for 'male hornet assistant.' 2. Our Twins – Where did the POWER GO? I know we didn’t have a ton of power to begin with, however, during the month of July… the Twins hit 18 homers total. If you consider that Odor had 10 home runs in July, while Napoli bombed 8. The conclusion is that 8% of the Rangers 25 man roster hit as many homeruns as 100% of the Minnesota roster. 3. The Rangers – Currently the Twins are 1 game in front of the Rangers in the race for absolutely nothing. Both teams have won 51 games but the Rangers have two more losses in the bad column. This 4-game series is critical in its lack of influence of tee times that have been reserved in October. 4. Today’s Joe M Conversation: Maddon: Joe… congratulations! I understand that you tied Tony O for 3rd on the Twins all-time hit list. Montana: It takes real talent to last that long. Mauer: Aww, shucks… I don’t know that it’s anything special. McCarthy: You are just being modest, Joe. Mauer: I’m proud of my modesty… I tell everyone about it. 5. Short Toddlers – I was at the Supermarket with my wife. We noticed a toddler and a young mother who was talking on a cell phone. The mother wasn’t paying total attention as the toddler was reaching as high as he could, trying to grab a T-Bone wrapped in its package on the rack. The Toddler was trying really hard, his fingers just barely scraping the edge of the package, but he kept trying and the mother kept talking on the phone. I found myself cheering for the baby. Eventually, in obvious frustration, the toddler let out a short blast of a cry, the mother looked down and said “What’s the matter?" My wife replied, “The Steaks are too high for him.” My wife didn’t realize what she just said because she was thinking literally and the young mother didn’t really realize that the toddler was reaching for steaks so she thought my wife was being metaphorical. Both thought they understood each other, neither did, and I was the only person on the planet who had the whole story. ____________________ Lineups: RANGERS Delino DeShields Jr. LF Elvis Andrus SS Nomar Mazara RF Adrian Beltre 3B Mike Napoli DH Rougned Odor 2B Carlos Gomez CF Joey Gallo 1B Robinson Chirinos C A.J. Griffin P TWINS Brian Dozier 2B Max Kepler RF Miguel Sano 3B Joe Mauer 1B Eduardo Escobar SS Eddie Rosario LF Robbie Grossman DH Jason Castro C Byron Buxton CF Adalberto Mejia Weather: Hmmm ... overcast, chilly (for August) at 57 deg F, 25% chance of rain, winds at 18mph (but dying down) from the NNW. Bring your warm fleece jackets if heading to the game in person tonight! Click here to view the article

It has to be a forced double play. The Runner on 2nd was not forced to advance to third.

I just read this in the Southern California Times. "Tuesday August 1st, the city of San Diego is rationing hits due to an unplanned shortage of them.

I want to know which Minnesota City represents Tijuana?

Exactly The POBO and GM are not sitting with a laptop making moves like we all run a fantasy baseball team. They have a staff of people just like Terry Ryan had a staff of people and to my knowledge that same staff or people is still there. I've read a lot of comments stating that Falvey/Lavine looks a lot like Terry Ryan so far. Of course they do... they have the same staff of people advising them. Anybody that walks into a new operation and shuts the support staff out might as well just starting issuing pink slips immediately because either way nothing is going to get done. I think they blew it with the bullpen free agents this off season and how they approached the bullpen was just like the Twins approached the bullpen every single year so I don't blame Falvey/Lavine yet. Yet is the keyword This off season... if they decide to ignore the bullpen again and they decide to just keep doing what they have always done...Sign a 2nd or t3rd tier guy and call it good.... Then I will blame them because Falvey/Lavine should have made their assessments of the support staff by now. The new game plan and new tools to operate with should be in place by now. The AL Central is going to be weak next year... the Door is open... they better be ready.

In those situations... I can assure all that it isn't Adrenalin that I feel rushing down my pants.

Standard Answer: Because it's there Another Possible Consideration. Maybe he didn't do it on purpose. Maybe the polar bear has control of the situation.

I'll try Just ordered Rosetta Stone for Polar Bears for better communication.

I get the math wrong on purpose just to see if anybody is reading it. However... I've gone to that well so often that very few question such things anymore.

Go Scratch the stadium of your list.

It’s a little two-game series with the Padres starting tonight. The trade deadline has passed. Watching the Twins operate this year has been both exciting and not exciting at the same time. Some deals made and some interesting prospects acquired yet nobody that blows the roof off the place. You never know how trades are going to work out so we will have to wait and see. I, myself, once traded my car for an actual polar bear. I did the research and at the time a polar bear was $100,000 in value while my car had 100,000 miles on it so it was a no brainer. The truck shows up and drops the bear off at my house. The neighbors started complaining immediately. I had to build an enclosure because as it turned out the bear was pretty strong so the rope and stake that worked for my dog wasn't getting it done. You would be surprised at the cost of seal meat and how much they eat and how much there was to clean up after. Worst of all… the bear didn't like to be hugged at all and those claws are real. I tried to give the bear a hug and it sliced me pretty good and I had to walk to the emergency room bleeding terribly because I had traded my car. Here are some things to think about: 1. San Diego – The city is classy and kind of a big deal; things also can escalate quickly there. Men and Women have argued about what the name "San Diego" means but the truth is… the name was chosen by Sandy Duncan trying to claim ownership of her Eggo when someone else wouldn’t let go of it. The city demographics are 57% sailor, 37% surfer with the remaining 16% zookeepers, because of all the animal exhibits. Now that the Chargers have left for Los Angeles… San Diego is left with three quarters of a professional franchise. It’s the Padres so I can’t go full franchise. 2. Our Twins – The big question is who is going to close the games now that Brandon Kintzler has been traded to the Nationals. A bigger question still… Why are the holes in cat fur always the right size for their eyes? 3. The Padres – The big question is will this organization ever stabilize under A.J. Preller. Ever since he took over the GM duties they have made sweeping change after sweeping change. I think he is one of those guys who just gets bored easily. Boredom for most people leads to origami… for Preller it leads to players calling real estate agents in other towns. Download attachment: Joe M.jpg 4. Today’s Joe M Conversation: Morgan: Are we just going to sit here? Does anybody have anything planned? Maddon: Oh… we have plans… big plans. Mauer: Yep… every trade deadline we celebrate by trading stuff. McCarthy: I’ll start… I have here a bottle of sand. Who wants it and what will you give me for it? Montana: I’ve got 3 bananas. McCarthy: Make it 4 Montana: Deal Morgan: What are you going to do with that sand? Montana: I’m building a beach in my bathroom… it’ll come in handy. Mauer: You mean… it'll come in sandy! Maddon: How about a cat? His name is Jerry… I got this cat for my wife. Morgan: You got that cat for your wife? McCarthy: Now that’s a great trade. 5. Movie Night – My wife and I went to the movies last night. I like to hold hands at the movies… turns out that the stranger sitting next to me… does not. ____________________ Lineups: TWINS Brian Dozier 2B Max Kepler RF Miguel Sano 3B Joe Mauer 1B Eduardo Escobar SS Zack Granite LF Byron Buxton CF Jason Castro Jose Berrios P PADRES Manuel Margot CF Carlos Asuaje 2B Jose Pirela LF Yangervis Solarte SS Wil Myers 1B Cory Spangenberg 3B Hunter Renfroe RF Austin Hedges C Jhoulys Chacin P Weather: Mostly cloudy, 73 deg F, winds at 6mph from the SW, a small-ish chance of rain/thunderstorms. Click here to view the article

In my strange opinion... I look at it this way. The Bullpen hasn't been very good with Kintzler. With Kintzler now gone... The Bullpen still won't be very good. I'd like to see the Twins starting getting looks at the kids now.

I've been to St. Cloud a couple of times. It's like one big blob of retail. I drove around the entire town and all I saw were businesses. Where do the people live? Where are the residential zones. I saw no houses anywhere.

I wonder if the outfield depth is why Buxton is doing some rehab. To give a little more time to make a trade or decision.

I'm ok with a longer look at Granite

Cool... I'm glad you understand.

I'd love to participate in a Automated Strike Zone Discussion. Just not here There is a thread in the other baseball forum. It got 3 replies but can be revived at any moment.