Riverbrian

To steal a line from Kenny Loggins… “This is it.” All good things must come to an end…. umm… and all bad things must come to an end as well. The final series of the season starts tonight in Chicago as the Twins and White Sox battle it out to the finish the season. The Twins can still play .500 baseball if they win 46 games before Monday. With it being the final series opener… this will be my final game thread open of the year. To steal a line from the late Jim Morrison. “This is the End.” Or to steal a line from Porky Pig “Th-Th-Th-Th-Th That’s All Yolks!” (He said that when Elmer Fudd walked away with all of the albumen). Here are some things to think about: To steal a line from Kenny Loggins… “This is it.” All good things must come to an end…. umm… and all bad things must come to an end as well. The final series of the season starts tonight in Chicago as the Twins and White Sox battle it out to the finish the season. The Twins can still play .500 baseball if they win 46 games before Monday. With it being the final series opener… this will be my final game thread open of the year. To steal a line from the late Jim Morrison. “This is the End.” Or to steal a line from Porky Pig “Th-Th-Th-Th-Th That’s All Yolks!” (He said that when Elmer Fudd walked away with all of the albumen). Here are some things to think about: 1. The End of the World – I was looking at the calendar and I just realized that our days are indeed numbered. 2. Thanksgiving -- Easily my favorite holiday… the entire Family gets together and just enjoys each other’s company. Every Thanksgiving about 20 of the Riverbrian clan gathers together under one roof for great food and great conversation. Of course as they day rolls on toward the end… most of the routine topics of conversation are exhausted and the topics have no choice to be unpredictable and interesting. For example… last Thanksgiving… my nephew mentioned that one out of 5 people are Chinese… I thought about this… looked at my entire family and wondered which 4. 3. Thanksgiving Part II -- Many years ago… when my youngest son was about 6... he saw my Dad take out his dentures. He’d never seen anything like that before. His eyes got real wide and he said “Grandpa… take out your eyes next!!!” 4. Wi-Fi Passwords -- I was visiting my sister who lived in Atlanta and I had my IPad along so I could keep up with my Twins. I asked my sister for her Wi-Fi password and she said, “It’s on the fridge.” It didn’t work… I kept failing to connect so I asked her if I was spelling it correctly… I T S O N T H E F R I D G E. 5 Things to Think about – Let’s close with a piece of advice… Be careful with your thoughts… they can become words at any moment. ____________________ Lineups: TWINS Brian Dozier® 2B Jorge Polanco(S) SS Robbie Grossman(S) LF Miguel Sano® DH Kennys Vargas(S) 1B Eduardo Escobar(S) 3B John Ryan Murphy® C Logan Schafer(L) RF Byron Buxton® CF Tyler Duffey® P WHITE SOX Adam Eaton(L) RF Tim Anderson® SS Melky Cabrera(S) LF Jose Abreu® 1B Justin Morneau(L) DH Todd Frazier® 3B Carlos Sanchez(S) 2B Omar Narvaez(L) C Leury Garcia(S) CF Carlos Rodon(L) P Game-time forecast: 63 deg F, completely overcast, very possibly rainy, winds from the NE at 14mph. We might be playing two on Sunday (if needed) because it looks like the rain won't stop until mid-afternoon on Saturday. Such is life. View full article

The Twins open up a 3-game series tonight in Kansas City. Nothing but road games left on the schedule. No more games are scheduled for Target Field in 2016. If you have plans to attend a game at Target Field this week… I’d come up with something else to do because the gates may be locked. Hopefully… the Twins will be a little more on target when they start playing games at Target Field in 2017. Just something to aim for. Here are some things to think about: The Twins open up a 3-game series tonight in Kansas City. Nothing but road games left on the schedule. No more games are scheduled for Target Field in 2016. If you have plans to attend a game at Target Field this week… I’d come up with something else to do because the gates may be locked. Hopefully… the Twins will be a little more on target when they start playing games at Target Field in 2017. Just something to aim for. Here are some things to think about: 1. Target – Sometimes when I’m bored… I like to go to Target wearing a Red polo shirt and then stand in the center of the store. Shoppers will come up to you and ask for directions. When that happens… I simply point in a random direction. Occasionally I’m right. 2. Aim High – There’s a quote “Most people fail in life not because they aim too high and miss, but because they aim too low and hit.” I’ve always remembered this quote and was thinking about it. I did some research to find out who the quote came from and shockingly… it did not come from Terry Ryan. 3. Darts – A couple of years ago… we had a hard time trying to decide where to vacation and our solution was to simply throw a dart at the map and take our vacation wherever it landed. I would not recommend this method to anyone. It was the worst vacation ever. We spent an entire week about 37 miles off the coast of Southern New Jersey. 4. Bullseye – When you aim for something, it can be a very exciting moment when you hit the bullseye dead center. However… it does piss off the bulls. 5. Absence – After walking in the door… I said to my wife, “Did you miss me?” She replied, “Yes I did… and I’ve also run out of bullets.” _____________________ Lineups: TWINS Brian Dozier® 2B Robbie Grossman(S) DH Max Kepler(L) RF Miguel Sano® 3B Logan Schafer(L) LF Eduardo Escobar(S) SS Juan Centeno(L) C Byron Buxton® CF James Beresford(L) 1B Jose Berrios® P ROYALS Jarrod Dyson(L) CF Whit Merrifield® 2B Eric Hosmer(L) 1B Kendrys Morales(S) DH Salvador Perez® C Alex Gordon(L) LF Paulo Orlando® RF Alcides Escobar® SS Cheslor Cuthbert® 3B Ian Kennedy® P Game-time forecast: 72 deg F, clear, the sun will be setting at game time, so 12% waning crescent moonshiny, winds from the WNW at 5mph. Go Twins! View full article

The Mariners have navigated their way to Minnesota to start a 3-game series tonight at Target Field. I didn’t see it… but I read that the Twins gave up a run on a wild pitch while intentionally walking Erick Aybar yesterday. Walking Erick Aybar is pretty strange but it’s really strange that intentionally walking Erick Aybar isn’t the strangest thing that happened at that moment. I don’t know what to think after reading that… they may have to spend some money and get some new kids. My thoughts are scattered. Here are some things to think about: The Mariners have navigated their way to Minnesota to start a 3-game series tonight at Target Field. I didn’t see it… but I read that the Twins gave up a run on a wild pitch while intentionally walking Erick Aybar yesterday. Walking Erick Aybar is pretty strange but it’s really strange that intentionally walking Erick Aybar isn’t the strangest thing that happened at that moment. I don’t know what to think after reading that… they may have to spend some money and get some new kids. My thoughts are scattered. Here are some things to think about: 1. College Money – I haven’t seen much of my youngest son since he moved into the dorm, but I came home from work yesterday and there he was walking out of our house. He needed some cash because he was going somewhere with his friends. My wife didn’t give him any because we gave him plenty of money last week, so… I opened my wallet and handed him a $20 and said, “Now Don’t Tell Mom I gave you that.” He takes the $20 and says… “It’ll take more than $20 to keep me quiet Dad.” 2. Dinner with who? – I was asked the question “If you could have dinner with anyone… living or dead… who would it be? I’m not stupid… I said… “The living one.” 3. Broom – I swept the garage floor with my wife this weekend. It didn’t work very well so I put her down and used a broom instead. 4. Reservations – I called an upscale restaurant to make reservations at 6:00 for a party of 4. The person on the phone said… “I’m sorry… we are booked up at 6:00 but we do have an opening at 5:40.” I said… "I’ll take it… and by the way… we will be 20 minutes late." 5. Good People – A co-worker slapped me on the back and said that I was “Good People.” It’s true… I am… I mean… we are. ____________________ Lineups: MARINERS Norichika Aoki(L) LF Seth Smith(L) RF Robinson Cano(L) 2B Nelson Cruz® DH Kyle Seager(L) 3B Adam Lind(L) 1B Leonys Martin(L) CF Mike Zunino® C Ketel Marte(S) SS James Paxton(L) P TWINS Brian Dozier® 2B Jorge Polanco(S) SS Robbie Grossman(S) LF Miguel Sano® DH Kennys Vargas(S) 1B Kurt Suzuki® C Eduardo Escobar(S) 3B Logan Schafer(L) RF Byron Buxton® CF Kyle Gibson® P Game-time forecast: 65 deg F, overcast but only a 6% chance of rain, winds from the ESE at 11mph. But the rain is coming. Likely tomorrow for the game. And the pub crawl. :/ Go Twins! View full article

I'm not an everyday starter guy... Unless you have Kris Bryant or Mike Trout or Manny Machado. Those guys are necessary to play every day. Trevor Plouffe and Joe Mauer do not produce like indispensable superstars and they have not produced at a superstar level in quite some time to be everyday guys and yet they are scheduled daily into the lineups when healthy and this is where my primary issue lies and Kennys Vargas has become my poster child for this frustration of mine because Vargas has out hit everyone not named Dozier. Yet... he wasn't allowed to continue proving himself because Plouffe and Mauer had to be in the lineup everyday and I guess I'm just not over it yet. I also realize that Vargas could actually regress but I'd like to see him do that regressing himself as opposed to Molitor regressing him on purpose. I also understand that the Twins are trying to develop indispensable future superstars with Sano and Buxton but I also believe that until they perform like indispensable superstars. One game a week on the bench will not stunt their development either. If Molly would just stop managing like Plouffe and Mauer are Arenado and Goldschmidt... everybody could get decent playing time. Mauer did not stop Kennys... Plouffe did not stop Kennys... Sano did not stop Kennys... Kennys did not stop Kennys because he was out performing them all. Paul Molitor stopped Kennys and the only thing that makes sense is that he believes that Kennys shouldn't be out performing them all so he becomes a self fulfilling prophecy or whatever. I'm leary and frankly tired of projections and I'm worn down to the gumline when it comes to the talent assessments being made by the people who make such assessments for my Minnesota Twins. I'd like the players to prove it on the field and when somebody actually does... I'll have their Back. What was your question again... Oh Yeah... Am I 100% committed to Sano at 3B? Nope...I'm not. You need exit strategies for everything in life... Third base included... Vargas included. He's young... I'm going to keep giving him starts at 3B and give him the chance to earn it but I'm also thinking about letting Plouffe walk and trading for someone like Brett Lawrie as insurance at 3B and 2B for more flexibility I want 13 players who can play and I want competition for playing time. I don't want 9 and 4 others.

Out of the options I chose the Cubs But I wanted to vote for Blue Whale... Sequoia or Jackfruit

It's still gonna take more time.

1. Bamboo 2. Shreveport Louisana 3. Dangling Participles 4. Canoes 5. Susan Dey

I think he can I'm starting to question his effort now.

That catch will make up for his throw.

Yep Or if the manager believes he can't play 3B.

Don't argue with me on my birthday!!!

Looked like he wasn't really trying.

Those guys on the same roster are only an issue if the Manager takes the guy who is producing the best and puts him to sleep because he doesn't think he should be producing the best.

He hasn't been given enough time to establish value. If he regresses... it's a short walk off the plank. IMO... Vargas is the guy that you let keep trying to earn himself a career. Vargas is clearly trying to do that. Just get out of his way.

THIS

I'm cool with that.

Just for clarification I meant to type Molitor. Mauer isn't preventing Vargas from playing time. Molitor is.

Park has to throw himself into the equation first. So far he has thrown himself out of the equation. If he does... lucky us.

Mauer can still win some games for us. I'm ok with him on the roster especially if the manager shows some creativity... but... I certainly don't want to hear that Vargas can't play because Mauer is there. Especially if Vargas is out hitting him like Vargas is doing.

Thanks for the birthday wishes all!!! It's been a great day... Just got back from B-Dubs and I'm in my seat and the game is on.

You mean eat them. Everybody else does it wrong

Thank You Jokin. I do appreciate the gift. If you don't consider anyone named Dozier. Kennys Vargas has been out best hitter this year. It should be all about earning playing time and proving yourself right now and I don't know what else he has to do. Joe Mauer with two starts to Kennys one at Citi Field is backwards. If I had to choose between Vargas and Molitor. I'd choose Vargas.