Riverbrian

Poaching is illegal

1. Chicago – I have written about Chicago time and time again over the years, and I’m running out of ideas… but the Twins are back… so… I’ll give it another shot and write something else about Chicago. Here are some strange facts about Chicago: Many don’t know this but Chicago actually sprung out of DePaul University. Here is something else, to become famous worldwide, Chicago had to go to Los Angeles. Chicago began politically charged, experimental and edgy, eventually transforming into soft and laid back which made Chicago both worse and bigger at the same time. Chicago has a fascination with naming things numerically and there are a lot of horns in Chicago… If you compare Chicago to Boston and Kansas… Chicago is hornier. 2. Our Twins – There isn’t much to say when you have given up 28 runs in just two games. What you would like to say is, “Thank God that’s over”… but is it? All it took was a Teufel on Saturday and a Redfern on Sunday and we are staring at a Blyleven over two games. I used to like 11, 17 and 28. 3. The White Sox – The color of the Sox have changed from Red to White. Ladies and gentlemen… Welcome back to Target Field… Mike PEL-FREY!!! Mike could be exactly what we need and here’s why. K% is perhaps the biggest problem our hitters have. Our guys are pretty good but they would be even better if they could somehow lower that lofty K Rate. Here comes a pitcher… Mike Pelfrey who does not strike out anyone… He has 4 K’s total. What happens when you practically guarantee Sano and Buxton and Vargas contact? It’s going to be like throwing a truck load of Eucalyptus leaves into the Koala Cage. 4. Today’s Joe M Conversation McCarthy: Hey Guys… look at this… Watermelons were on sale… I bought 30 of them and they are big ones. Mauer: Awesome… I love Watermelon… I’ll get the baseball bat and open up some of them. Maddon: 30 Watermelons? Why would you buy 30 watermelons? McCarthy: They were a buck a piece. Montana: You won’t fit them all in the fridge. Mauer: OK… I got my bat… Let’s go to WORK… Put one down. (Pause) Ok put another one down. Maddon: Why? What was wrong with the first one? Mauer: I never swing at the first watermelon. 5. That’s why – Here’s a conversation that my Son and I had last night: “Dad… Why are you always living in the past?” Reply… “The housing was cheaper.”

I don't remember him having that much backup on his fastball with us.

I'm so proud of Joe... Pulling the ball like that Sniff Sniff

That's good outside the box thinking

That would be my Uncle Harold

Vargas is clearly #1 on my 1B Depth Chart at this moment

I'm adding that to my list along with: If Man Evolved from Monkeys... Why are there still Monkeys?

VARGAS

Perfect Beat that shift Max

Go ahead and lay it down Kepler. They are giving you a base... Take it

Good question... I'm gonna have to add that to my list of important questions unanswered. Along with why is there no instanding... which arm rest is mine and why is there a disclaimer... "Not available in All States" for ALLSTATE Insurance.

Thumps Up to Buxton

Yeah... That's why I stopped going to movies. No place from my arms.

I don't know and I personally rank these questions near the top of my list of important questions yet to be answered. Right up there with which arm rest is mine at the movie theater.

Using the LaRussa Maddon strategy. Batting the pitcher in the 8th spot.

As the Twins travel to Chicago again to take on the hated White Sox, it’s the bullpen that is on most minds. It has been stunningly bad of late and in some serious need of immediate improvement. Without a good bullpen… the bulls get loose and that leads to innocent people getting gored and crushed. The Twins need a better bullpen for containment. Perhaps they should look to the farm. That’s where the best bullpens are built out of necessity. It was Pamplona at Target Field. The carnage was extensive. Here are some things to think about: 1. Chicago – I have written about Chicago time and time again over the years, and I’m running out of ideas… but the Twins are back… so… I’ll give it another shot and write something else about Chicago. Here are some strange facts about Chicago: Many don’t know this but Chicago actually sprung out of DePaul University. Here is something else, to become famous worldwide, Chicago had to go to Los Angeles. Chicago began politically charged, experimental and edgy, eventually transforming into soft and laid back which made Chicago both worse and bigger at the same time. Chicago has a fascination with naming things numerically and there are a lot of horns in Chicago… If you compare Chicago to Boston and Kansas… Chicago is hornier. 2. Our Twins – There isn’t much to say when you have given up 28 runs in just two games. What you would like to say is, “Thank God that’s over”… but is it? All it took was a Teufel on Saturday and a Redfern on Sunday and we are staring at a Blyleven over two games. I used to like 11, 17 and 28. 3. The White Sox – The color of the Sox have changed from Red to White. Ladies and gentlemen… Welcome back to Target Field… Mike PEL-FREY!!! Mike could be exactly what we need and here’s why. K% is perhaps the biggest problem our hitters have. Our guys are pretty good but they would be even better if they could somehow lower that lofty K Rate. Here comes a pitcher… Mike Pelfrey who does not strike out anyone… He has 4 K’s total. What happens when you practically guarantee Sano and Buxton and Vargas contact? It’s going to be like throwing a truck load of Eucalyptus leaves into the Koala Cage. 4. Today’s Joe M Conversation McCarthy: Hey Guys… look at this… Watermelons were on sale… I bought 30 of them and they are big ones. Mauer: Awesome… I love Watermelon… I’ll get the baseball bat and open up some of them. Maddon: 30 Watermelons? Why would you buy 30 watermelons? McCarthy: They were a buck a piece. Montana: You won’t fit them all in the fridge. Mauer: OK… I got my bat… Let’s go to WORK… Put one down. (Pause) Ok put another one down. Maddon: Why? What was wrong with the first one? Mauer: I never swing at the first watermelon. 5. That’s why – Here’s a conversation that my Son and I had last night: “Dad… Why are you always living in the past?” Reply… “The housing was cheaper.” ____________________ Lineups: TWINS Joe Mauer 1B Jorge Polanco SS Max Kepler RF Kennys Vargas DH Eddie Rosario LF Eduardo Escobar 3B Jason Castro C Ehire Adrianza 2B Byron Buxton CF Hector Santiago P WHITE SOX Tyler Saladino 2B Melky Cabrera LF Jose Abreu 1B Avisail Garcia RF Todd Frazier 3B Matt Davidson DH Tim Anderson SS Geovany Soto C Willy Garcia CF Mike Pelfrey P Weather: Crappy. Damp and chilly 40s, with a breeze from the ENE that will make that feel even worse because that will come from the lake. So not just a crappy, but a yuck, too. Click here to view the article

This Photo is when his foot comes down and he has to decide if he is going to start his swing. Good Luck to Anyone in this situation!!!

I will criticize Joe for swinging at Ball Two on the second pitch of the at-bat. That wasn't necessary at the time and a little out of character for Joe. I will criticize Joe for looking at Strike Two on the 3rd pitch of the at-bat which was a fastball dead center. I will criticize Joe for habitually throughout his career getting himself into 2 strike counts by passing by pitches down the middle and therefore putting himself in position to get rung up by a blind umpire on the third strike. But I will not criticize him for looking at pitch number 8 of the at-bat. It was a backdoor curve that didn't make it to the back door. It was a ball when it left his hand... it was a ball when it reached the catchers glove... There was never a time when that ball would make any hitter's brain start a swing. It was not only outside but high. He would have had to of known that a 3-2 curve was coming from a closer with a wicked fastball just to hold back long enough to foul it off defensively. It was never in the zone... It wasn't close to a strike. It was a bad call.

And that move would have been cleaner because Vargas could replace Mauer at 1B. If Mauer doesn't homer... The game goes to extras and Adrianaza would have to play 2B while both Vargas and Dozier were done for the day. The only way the move makes sense... is if Dozier was hurt.

I remain hopeful that he will learn to turn. But I'm not willing to wait for that date. 1st line Rhyme was accidental 2nd Line Rhyme was forced and intentional after the accidental first.

Joe Mauer gave me the finger last night.

In my opinion... Until Joe can turn on the inside pitch instead of inside outing it to left Field he won't be the same. He still has that sweet swing, eye and contact ability but if he can't beat the shift it's time to try others much more frequently. Another thing in regards to the organization... I would like to see the Twins prepare better for Success and for failure. Prepare for Success? What do they do if both Vargas and Park start performing at the MLB Level. Let's say Vargas continues to OPS over 1,000 and let's say Joe gets hurt and Park gets called up and starts mashing the ball upon call up. What if Vargas and Park are just plain out performing Joe... What would the Twins do under that scenario? I don't have the impression that the front office is prepared for that. My assumption is that performing bats will be spending more time on the bench than they should. Prepare for Failure? This goes back to the many years of placing a half cooked CF out there and not having a decent backup for him. The Twins over the years... in my opinion of course... Tend to name a starting 9 and let it ride good or bad while using injuries as the catalyst for longer term adjustments. I love Joe Mauer... he is one of my favorite Twins of all-time... but right now... I believe Vargas is better.

The Boston Red Sox are coming to town for a weekend series with our Twins. It will be a wild celebration of Cinco De Mayo at Target Field. Cinco De Mayo means 5th of May in Spanish and it surprisingly has absolutely no connection to mayonnaise whatsoever. In America this day is celebrated with restaurants and bars climbing all over each other to provide the most special specials. The true spirit of this celebration is expressed with a Margarita bucket or a 6 pack and a pound from Taco John’s. I myself have participated in a few Cinco De Mayos. I don’t remember much about those nights but I clearly remember El Seis De Mayo. Seis apparently means suffering in Spanish. Here are some things to think about: 1. Winona – Approximately 27 thousand people call Winona home in the far Southeastern corner of Minnesota. In the Dakota language… Winona means “Almost Wisconsin.” The town is watched over by a rock pinnacle on a bluff called Sugar Loaf. Everyone assumed it was a bluff being named Sugar Loaf… but it was not a bluff… they were serious and now the town is full of green-eyed ladies and the town motto is “Don’t Call Us, We’ll Call You." Winona is the home of J.R. Watkins, a company that started selling pain reliever door to door before adding cinnamon, peppercorns and eventually baby wipes to the product line. None of those things are particularly effective for relieving pain, but it gives old people an excuse to visit people in their homes. Winona also holds the distinction of being the warmest place in Minnesota with an average temp of 48.9. Being the warmest place in Minnesota is like being the jumboest of jumbo shrimp. 2. Our Twins – The only thing we really have to complain about is Kyle Gibson and he has been removed for the time being so that’s gone. The bats performed fairly well against Oakland. Sano has remained a slugger supreme and even when Molitor was accused of trying to ruin things by playing the bench yesterday afternoon, that bench went out and produced all of the hits and runs. Without Escobar, Gimenez and Santana driving in 4 of the teams 5 runs… we would have won… obviously. 3. The Red Sox – They are probably tired of playing all that bean ball with the Baltimore Orioles and are ready for a team that doesn’t throw all that hard. On paper the Red Sox were supposed to be the team to beat. They were loaded on the mound, in the bullpen and at each position. They have a payroll of $197million so they are supposed to be good, but as it stands right now, the Red Sox have won one more game and lost one more game than the Twins. If they keep up that pace… the Red Sox will play 164 games while the Twins play 162. 4. Today’s Joe M Conversation Montana: Does anybody feel silly running from that Helicopter on Tuesday? Mauer: Yeah a little Montana: It was just a random whatever… totally unrelated to Jon Mantegna walking away upset. McCarthy: What are the odds of that happening at that exact moment? Maddon: Yeah… I admit… the circumstances… Joe Mantagna… considering it all… it was pretty frightening. There is no reason for us to feel silly. Anybody would have reacted the same way. McCarthy: I didn’t like the neighbor laughing at us like that. Montana: It was his drone delivery from Amazon. Mauer: Yeah… obviously he was ready for it… he knew it was coming. Maddon: That’s why he wasn’t scared. 5. Big Enough – I was watching an old western and I heard the famous line, “This town ain’t big enough for the both of us.” I thought to myself… we’ve gotten a lot better at architecture and city planning since then. ____________________ Lineups: RED SOX Dustin Pedroia 2B Andrew Benintendi LF Mookie Betts RF Hanley Ramirez DH Xander Bogaerts SS Mitch Moreland 1B Josh Rutledge 3B Jackie Bradley CF Christian Vazquez C Eduardo Rodriguez P TWINS Brian Dozier 2B Joe Mauer 1B Miguel Sano 3B Robbie Grossman RF Max Kepler CF Eduardo Escobar DH Jason Castro C Jorge Polanco SS Eddie Rosario LF Phil Hughes P Weather: 74 deg F, clear, no rain, a little breezy at 13mph from the WNW. Sigh. About 30 degrees better than Chicago right now. And Chicago fans complain about Target Field not having a roof because of the cold. Hmmm ... Click here to view the article