Riverbrian

Nope... If you pick the numbers instead of quick pick... your odds of winning are 98 to 1.

I honestly don't know... I took my cue from the late great Levon Helm. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDnlU6rPfwY

I had Barbecue for lunch... as a group we ordered a half pound of everything. Ribs... two different styles... Pulled Pork... Brisket... Chicken and Steak. It was fantastic lunch fit for a Puma. As long as the Puma enjoys a dry rub. I may not think about food for a couple of days. I feel like a snake that just ate a Water Buffalo. I'm probably good for awhile.

The Quick Pick is a Random Draw and the Drawing is a Random Draw. That means to win... you gotta match up two random draws exactly in a short period of time. Your Odds have to be at least 100 to 1 on that happening.

8 is also the only number that uses every light on a scoreboard.

Just don't quick pick it. Good God... The Odds of numbers coming up randomly are long enough. If you quick pick it... That means those numbers would have to come up twice. That makes the odds twice as long.

Spike Jones... I can't take the way he sings but I love to hear him talk.

Yes... I'm stern and practical. Wait a Sec (Pause) Actually I'm the opposite of those things. I don't even know what Stern and Practical Mean.

Add a fine for those N's on this shoes.

Sat at the Park... Hearts all Tight... No Clues on dryness of ground. (Next)

I voted for ChiTown because I gotta keep her on my side. She's a make things tick gal. With those strict HOF vote percentage guidelines. The way the poll is going. It looks like we are all going to be Bert Blyleven'ed. Another thought... Where will the hall be built? I'm thinking Brainerd or Dyersville Iowa.

"Rice is great if you're really hungry and want to eat two thousand of something"

Gotta have some Hedberg as well "I don't have a girlfriend but I do know a woman who'd be mad at me for saying that".

I'm going to edit that down to "Bought some shoes from a drug dealer and I've been Trippin All Day" and then use it.

Otis was the biggest star for the label before he crashed into one of those Madison Wisconsin Lakes but I was more of a Wilson Pickett fan. And let's not forget about the Swampers down in Alabama. They did some great stuff. Staple Singers... I'll Take you There. Aretha Franklin... Percy Sledge and Wilson Pickett as well.

Yeah That was too much typing for me at the time.

Stax Stuff was the best... So much better than Motown. You can hear Cropper playing guitar with Wilson Pickett... Sam and Dave... Otis Redding... Eddie Floyd... and many others. Eddie Floyd... It's like Thunder... Lightning... The way you love me is frightening... You Better Knock...TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP... On Wood... BABY... (Horns) Awesome stuff... Timeless.

And Steve Cropper can play when cued.

Yes and it's the nicest thing you've said about him.

Yes and the guys from Booker T and the MG's served as the band in the movie.

It was Booker T and the MG's who said Time is Tight. Actually... They didn't so much say it. They more or less played it brilliantly but it felt tight and timely at the time. Where were we? Oh Yeah... Time is Tight. Just 13 games to go and significant ground to make up and facing one of the hottest 2nd half teams. No Problem at all Here are some things to think about: It was Booker T and the MG's who said Time is Tight. Actually... They didn't so much say it. They more or less played it brilliantly but it felt tight and timely at the time. Where were we? Oh Yeah... Time is Tight. Just 13 games to go and significant ground to make up and facing one of the hottest 2nd half teams. No Problem at all Here are some things to think about: 1. Time -- Let's be honest... It's the thing to think about. I have no doubt in my mind that the Twins could catch the Astros if they just had more time. For example if the Twins were allowed to keep going until 2017, I'm pretty sure that we would catch someone and get in. However... the Clock stops at 162 games. This arbitrary number was chosen and set by someone. How bout 160 games?... Nope... too little. How Bout 170?... Nope... too many. Someone suggested 162 and Goldilocks though it was just right. 2. 13 Games to go and 3 games behind -- So what will it take... I don't know... it depends on Houston. If the Twins go 13-0 the rest of the way. It would force Houston to go 9-2 to tie. It would even pressure the Yankees to go 7-6 just to tie. As you can see... the solution is simple... just win and the Twins are most likely in. Wait a Second... You don't want to win 13 in a row going into a 1 game wild card playoff. Winning 14 in a row is just too hard. OK... lose one game... go 12-1 and make Houston go 8-3. Yeah... that's it. 3. The Indians -- It was Columbus who called them Indians because he thought he landed in India. If you've ever been to Cleveland you can see why he was confused. Overcrowded... people regularly bathing in a dirty river. 4. The Indians Baseball Team -- Probably a too little too late but Cleveland has been one of the best teams in the 2nd half and this has pushed them to the .500 mark. If you are wondering what makes them tick, it's the pitching... Kluber, Carrasco and Salazar are a pretty talented threesome. 5. Squirrels telling time -- I was at an event this weekend in one of the local parks, just standing next to someone as he was head down reading texts on his cell phone. I looked over to my left and about 20 squirrels went chasing after a rabbit. The Rabbit took off running and sure enough the squirrels were following and chasing. I have no idea what it was about but I said to my text checking friend. "Look... it's about 20 to 1." He didn't look up from his phone but he said... "Really... I'm late... I gotta go." It took me a second to realize why he thought he was late, but afterwards I laughed for the rest of the afternoon thinking about it. -------------------- Game-time forecast: 69 deg F, mostly cloudy, 1% chance of precipitation, winds from the ENE at 5mph. Lineups: INDIANS Kipnis 2B Lindor SS Brantley LF Santana 1B Chisenhall RF Gomes C Almonte CF Johnson DH Ramirez 3B Salazar P TWINS Hicks CF Dozier 2B Mauer 1B Sano DH Plouffe 3B Rosario LF Hunter RF Suzuki C Escobar SS Santana P Go Twins! Play ball! View full article

It's gotta be about depth. Players with options can be stashed in the minors for call up when injury happens. If you got good ones that is a good thing. If you promote your youth aggressively you will lose that insurance in case Buxton struggles and Kepler isn't ready. This is what went wrong with Hicks too early... We had nobody to replace Hicks when he struggled and we had to scrap heap search for Schafer and Fuld. We would be in the same boat again if Buxton and Kepler are up and both hit .180 in the majors. I think this just says that the Twins consider Hunter to be better than Schafer and Fuld so they are bringing him back. Buxton and Kepler and Walker will wait for an injury and when they get the chance to play and prove themselves they will have to prove themselves. If they prove themselves... they will stay up.

I changed my post because I was contributing to the derailing of the topic. I then wanted to come up with something real intelligent to discuss the writers thoughts and then I realized that I can't figure out what the writers thoughts were. Other than the Twins Blew it somehow. We are a game out... nothing has been blown yet and the paragraph doesn't explain how the Twins blew it. I'll also add.. "if the Twins don't make the playoffs... it will be the Twins fault" is a throw away comment to me. The Truth is... There is a real chance of failure and if it happens... Well there ya go... This writer has tied it up all the nuance and the sheer competition of all teams trying hard to win with one sentence. AND... AND... What if the Twins do make the playoffs? What if the Astros and all the moves they made don't make the playoffs? Will that be the Astros Fault? Lines like that are just too easy to write but much more difficult to truly assess in real life.

I disagree that it's in "Shambles" Santana and Gibson you concede I'll also say... Keep throwing Duffey because Duffey is doing great. I have no idea if some sort innings limit line is on the horizon. You keep throwing him right now because his arm looks great RIGHT NOW. Milone... has had two rough starts in a row. He had a bunch of great starts before that. Go over tape and see if something has gone wrong and give him the ball when his next turn comes up. He's been good this year... give him the chance to correct himself. Pelfrey... his last start against KC was pretty good. He didn't make it 6 but he kept KC in check but yeah... he makes us nervous. Hughes... Doesn't look like Hughes and until he starts looking like Hughes or better than Pelfrey. Long Relief or something. Berrios... Was great in the minors... I can't recommend him until I see him against big league batters and I won't presume until I see it. I don't feel like giving him a trial run at this stage of the race.