Riverbrian

Me: I've worked hard today and I deserve some ice cream. Myself: No you haven't... It was Friday and you had your feet on your desk. I: What does working hard have to do with Ice Cream? Me: Ok... I'd like some Ice Cream Myself: Yeah Well... I'd like a million dollars... Can't have everything. I: What does a million dollars have to do with Ice Cream?

Who are you having the debate with? Whoever has taken the side against post-supper ice cream. Take away their podium and turn the mic off.

I watch him hit and I'm not sure how he can fail. That Power and that plate coverage looks pretty dangerous to me.

Sorry about that... I certainly didn't mean to do that. You don't live that far from that Dan Ryan Expressway that Hawk flies around.

He'll fly down, grab your cat and fly away.

That's where I am and have been for awhile. When you look at the assessments that they made as an organization... I don't really trust their assessment of Polanco or anyone right now. Way too much wrong... and way too little right has made me a little jaded.

Yeah... He's that guy laying down with the pillow... Paul Molitor applying a rag soaked in chloroform firmly to his face. While saying "Shhh Shhh Shhh... Such a good boy".

BTW You will all be happy to know that today is the day that Buxton figures it out and takes off into stardom. I dropped him from my Fantasy team after holding him all year. This means that Buxton will now go nuts. Your Welcome

Morneau used to be one of my favorite players... Now I have to hate him... cuz... I hate all White Sox.

It looks really weird with Justin Morneau batting against us. That stance... that look... that White Sox uniform. It looks really weird.

If Dozier can go the other way... He can bat first. I'm flexible.

I never worry about the batting order with the exception of batting Brian Dozier at the top of the order. Thank God Molitor stopped doing that... Wait a Sec Ok I'm worried about the batting order.

Watch this and tell me again about what the scouts or whoever is saying about his arm strength. I'm not buying it even if people keep typing it. http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/8878834/v706450083/mindet-polanco-makes-great-diving-stop-for-the-out

Option #2 -- Play him all over the diamond but... but... PLAY HIM!!! Let him develop that bat. His position will become apparent as we move along. As for his SS Defense and Arm Strength. He has shown nothing that would alarm me so far. In that one game at SS... he made one of the finest plays I've ever seen a Twins SS make and displayed enough arm to gun a runner out from the hole. SS Defense... Arm Strength... A problem? I'm not buying it at this moment. He will have to show me that he can't do it.

The Twins will open a weekend series with the White Sox tonight. Things always seem to get strange with the White Sox and it is certainly strange days in the White Sox clubhouse right now. It has been strange to hear rumors of a possible Sale trade. Strange that they would consider trading Sale in the first place and also strange to see “Sale” and “trade” back to back in a functional sentence on any topic. Things got even stranger when Sale was abruptly pulled from a start last week. Everybody immediately assumed that it meant a Sale trade was about to happen but it turns out that he didn’t like the throwback jerseys and decided to cut them up with a knife as a last resort to prevent the team from playing a game in them. According to Sale… it had nothing to do with trade rumors… nothing do to with the ugliness of the jersey. He did it because they were uncomfortable to wear and he didn’t feel like he could pitch his best in them. Before he cut the Jerseys up… he told Manager Robin Ventura and pitching coach Don Cooper that the jerseys can’t be worn because it was messing with his mechanics. Since those pleas couldn’t stop the marketing machine… he took matters into his own hands and he destroyed the jerseys with a knife. This worked perfectly because he didn’t have to wear the throwback jerseys… or any jersey for that matter for 5 days because he was sent home with a suspension. From Disco Demolition to Chris Sale… this is just how it works with the White Sox. Here are some things to think about: 1. A Knife – A pocket knife can come in handy at times. Cutting up jerseys you don’t want to wear is just one example. A pocket knife is also very handy to have around when you have to open a box or cut some rope or cut some fishing line. Knives are also handy if you need to get out of a tent and you forgot about the flap. 2. Bryan Adams – This Canadian singer songwriter was introduced to the world with the release of the single and album “Cuts like a Knife.” You all know the song and lyrics, “Na Na Nah Nana Nah Na Nah Na Nah.” Originally the lyrics were “Nahh Nahh Nah Nana Nah Nah (pause) Nana nah nah Hey Jude.” but Bryan had to change them up because he didn’t personally know anybody named “Jude.” 3.Watermelon – Typically when you eat Watermelon you have to use a knife to cut it up. Although I remember a time when I had a Watermelon and no knife. I wasn’t sure how to get it open to enjoy the wonderful fruit inside but I remembered watching Gallagher handle his watermelon with a sledgehammer and I figured that would solve the problem… and it did. My wife came out of the house shortly after with the knife and was wondering why all of our backyard guests were covered in watermelon bits. To this day… she claims that I was impatient. 4. Whittling -- There are some world class whittlers out there and if you wanted a wood carving of a giant whistle that looks like a small duck… there is a whittler who can create and sell it to you for $14.99. I myself have done a little whittling… I once took a branch and whittled it into a spear which I used to successfully hunt marshmallows. 5. Knife Throwing – There are people in this world who can take a sharpened knife and throw it with such accuracy… that they can pop a balloon being held in someone else’s teeth… Granted… someone who is obviously dismissive of the dangers inherent in the whole scenario because I would never stand there. Let me repeat this… there are people in this world who can throw a knife with such accuracy… they can pop a balloon mere inches from the neck and face of a living human being. There are probably more than 30 people in the world who can do this with a deadly weapon while under the pressure of killing someone if they made a mistake. Yet… yet… we can’t seem to find 30 people who can kick a routine FG in the NFL. ____________________ Lineups: WHITE SOX Adam Eaton (L) RF Tim Anderson [R) SS Melky Cabrera (S) LF Jose Abreu [R) 1B Justin Morneau (L) DH Todd Frazier [R) 3B J.B. Shuck (L) CF Dioner Navarro (S) C Tyler Saladino [R) 2B Jose Quintana (L) P TWINS Brian Dozier [R) 2B Robbie Grossman (S) DH Miguel Sano [R) 3B Kennys Vargas (S) 1B Max Kepler (L) RF Eduardo Escobar (S) SS Eddie Rosario (L) LF Kurt Suzuki [R) C Byron Buxton [R) CF Ricky Nolasco (R] P Game-time forecast: 76 deg F, clear and sunny... until sunset, then it will be clear and waning crescenty, winds from the NE at 7mph. Keep your helmets on and play ball! Click here to view the article

The Twins open up a 4 game series with the Red Sox tonight. For those of you keeping track, and I know that most of you are, of all the stadiums that I’ve personally been to… Fenway is my 2nd favorite after AT&T in San Francisco. There is a great baseball atmosphere outside the ball park and inside the ball park. The Green Monster is such a focal point inside the park, you really don’t know how it completely dominates the landscape until you go there. Not only do the Twins have to deal with a Red Sox team that is performing well… the Twins will have to deal with that big green thing… eat up a few flies… hop around and make some plays… you know… the usual stuff you need to do to win games. Here are some things to think about: 1. Kermit the Frog – In comparison to other frogs… Kermit would have to be classified as a big, green one. The only thing Kermit wears is a pointy collar. Apparently frogs can get away with this look without judgement. The last time I was naked… wearing only a pointy collar, I was asked to leave church immediately and the entire congregation assumed that I was into some weird stuff. 2. The Incredible Hulk – Bruce Banner is normally a mild mannered physicist who happened to absorb massive amounts of gamma radiation. As a result… in moments of stress… he transforms into a large, green thing with super human powers. His physical size expands to such proportion that he will bust right out of his shirt but yet… not his pants. After the episode is over, he returns back to his normal size wearing the very same pants without a belt. Some scientists have been doing research to discover what causes this transformation from Bruce to the Hulk. However… the majority of scientists are spending their time researching the incredible pants that he wears. 3.John Deere Stuff – Nothing runs like a Deere… that is the slogan of this company that has built big green machinery out of Moline, Illinois since 1837. I don’t have much need for farm machinery but I stopped to look at a John Deere lawn mower because I figured that it could cut grass. The salesman told me it was “top of the line” and that “he would stand behind it." I then walked over to the manure spreader and said, “Would you stand behind this?" 4. Envy – When I consider the 7 deadly sins… envy is by far my least favorite. I enjoy a good gluttony from time to time… I can take pride in my pride… lust is alright if properly managed... and I enjoy a slothful Saturday watching the Twins. But Envy… I find it pointless and it just doesn’t interest me at all. A somewhat famous quote says, “Envy is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die." There are very few things uglier than Envy. Monkfish and Gary, Indiana are the only things that leap to mind. 5. The Jolly Green Giant – Born and raised in the community of Le Sueur, Minnesota, the Jolly Green Giant is one of our own. Minnesota can sure grow them big… not only the Green Giant but also Paul Bunyan and Kent Hrbek. ____________________ Lineups: TWINS Eduardo Nunez [R) SS Joe Mauer (L) 1B Miguel Sano [R) 3B Brian Dozier [R) 2B Max Kepler (L) RF Kennys Vargas (S) DH Robbie Grossman (S) LF Kurt Suzuki [R) C Eddie Rosario (L) CF Tyler Duffey [R) P RED SOX Mookie Betts [R) RF Dustin Pedroia [R) 2B Xander Bogaerts [R) SS David Ortiz (L) DH Hanley Ramirez [R) 1B Jackie Bradley (L) CF Travis Shaw (L) 3B Ryan Hanigan [R) C Brock Holt (L) LF Steven Wright [R) P Game-time forecast: 83 deg F, clear and sunny, no chance of rain, winds at 12mph from the SSW. Go Twins! Play ball! Click here to view the article

Awesome...This should place me into possible consideration.

You know the theory is goofy if I agree with you. Other than Ryan decided to retire at season end... It looks like he was told he would be replaced at seasons end. In that scenario... I could easily suspect that Ryan asked for the firing timeline to be immediate so Antony would get a shot. If you and I are right. It speaks to the level of respect between Pohlad, Ryan and Antony. Pohlad thought enough of Ryan to speak honestly and Ryan thought enough of Antony to step aside. I have no idea what happens behind those walls but I'm guessing it's a bunch of pain and sadness.

Yes Terry Ryan has done a good job finding talent out of the castoff pile but that's all about opportunity. The Twins have simply had more opportunity to give opportunity and I believe that is a major factor in what seems like success. I love that Grossman is getting a chance for Grossmans sake but at the same time... I'm kinda upset that we needed him. Grossman isn't a TR success story no matter how well he plays going forward... Grossman is a symptom of the failure because he is here. On Antony... No idea what kind of GM he would make and Seth is right when he says it isn't fair to judge him because of his relationship to Ryan. However... Ryan is either ignoring good advice or taking bad advice from those under him and that's why it can't be Antony. Way to risky to reach into that barrel of Apples when something is clearly spoiled. Hire from the outside just to be safe.

Yeah If they don't... they know I'll keep trying... So Yeah... They learned to laugh so everyone can move on.

I think those thoughts would be normal and not sexist. There are plenty of things to worry about from viruses to maniacs with a Truck in Nice and as time goes by... new things will be added to the worry list. It's right to be worried and it's normal but maintain balance because it's important... make sure they get their dose of happy, silly and loving life. There is nothing better than a kid that smiles.

In all seriousness... I'll give you the best advice that I know 1. Love them and try to remember what it was like when you were young. 2. Keep a close eye on their friends. If they got friends that you trust... It's going to be alight. If not... it's the only thing that can blow #1 out of the water. 3. Earn Money and get used to not having it after you earn it.