Riverbrian

Wow... 16 pages of stuff to read. Doesn't anybody have a job?

Gulp... The Blue Jays are loaded and everyone is tensing up in Minnesota. Get a grip on your guns... The Canadians are ready to attack. Tulo... Donaldson... Bautista... Encarnacion and Ben Revere in one lineup. Am I afraid? No more than usual. That's cuz every team can beat you and no matter what happens with this series... there is still time to right or wrong the ship afterwards. Here are some things to think about: Gulp... The Blue Jays are loaded and everyone is tensing up in Minnesota. Get a grip on your guns... The Canadians are ready to attack. Tulo... Donaldson... Bautista... Encarnacion and Ben Revere in one lineup. Am I afraid? No more than usual. That's cuz every team can beat you and no matter what happens with this series... there is still time to right or wrong the ship afterwards. Here are some things to think about: 1. Toronto -- Toronto is the largest city in Canada, which is like saying that Fargo is the largest city in North Dakota. It's very obvious that everyone is trying to escape Canada because the entire population lives just a few miles from the United States. I'm sure our homeland security has been keeping an eye on this massive buildup at the border. I'm pretty sure that the Canadians plan to lull us to sleep by drinking a lot... telling jokes... wearing funny hats... peacefully coming to the states to shop and return back home. But... eventually they all are going to come to stay and we should not let our guard down. Yes... we need to stand on guard for thee. 2. The Blue Jays -- While the population is planning a massive move into the United States... the Jays front office is moving some of our finest Americans into the Rogers Centre. David Price... Troy Tulowitski... Ben Revere... Mark Lowe... LaTroy Hawkins and Lauren Holly. The Jays have loaded up for a run at the AL East title or our Wild Card Spot. Will it work? That's a good question and we won't know the answer until they get that magic number down to zero. This isn't the first time in history that a team has made moves at the deadline to position themselves for a run and it's important to note: It doesn't always work. Sometimes it does... sometimes it don't... Baseball is a funny game. 3. 12:07 Start Time -- It is very odd that we are starting a series at 12:07PM. I don't know for sure but I assume it's because the first Monday in August is a holiday in Canada. It's Civic Day and it's a celebration of Canada getting indoor plumbing in 1999. As much as I'd like to focus on the oddity of starting a series with an afternoon game, I'd like to focus on the oddity of starting the game at 7 minutes past the hour. Nobody ever starts a game at the top of the hour for some reason but a 12:07 start just says that starting at 5 minutes past or 10 minutes past just doesn't work either for some reason. How 'boot 12:05? Nope... That's too early... Well how 'boot 12:10 Eh? Nope... That's too late. How 'boot 12:08? Come on... nobody starts a baseball game at 12:08!!! 12:06? Nope... it doesn't feel right. OK... I've got it... How 'boot 12:07? Yes that's it. 4. David Price -- The Good News is that we won't have to face David Price pitching for the Tigers anymore... The Bad News is that we have to face David Price with the Blue Jays today; and in consideration of the current playoff chase, I think I'd rather have Price pitching for the Tigers right now. Price is pretty good... but that doesn't mean he doesn't meltdown every once in awhile. Hopefully today is one of those meltdown days. 5. Going to Work Drunk -- I had a co-worker who showed up to work drunk everyday and no one knew. He was very friendly... He always kept people in a good mood with a silly joke and a smile. This went on for years and we finally found out he was drunk because one day he made the mistake of showing up for work sober. ------------------- Game-time forecast: 23 deg C, 15% chance of precipitation, mostly cloudy skies, winds at 23km/h from the W Lineups: TWINS Dozier 2B Nunez 3B Plouffe 1B Sano DH Hunter RF Rosario LF Hicks CF Suzuki C Escobar SS Santana P JAYS Tulowitzki SS Donaldson 3B Bautista RF Encarnacion DH Smoak 1B Martin C Goins 2B Pillar CF Revere CF Price P Go Twins! Play ball! View full article

1. If I agree that May is the better choice to start between the two ( and I do). Can you agree that the gap between the two isn't Kershaw/Happ esque? 2. If I agree that May has been less effective in a relief role thus far (and I do). Can you agree that it's a real small sample size and it doesn't mean that it will stay that way as more data rolls in? 3. I simply agree here... I was hoping for more/better bullpen help then what we got. But Jepsen and May is bullpen help that we didn't have before Ervin Santana got un-suspended. All reports had the Twins looking for guys with K ability at the trade deadline. Pelfrey in the pen doesn't fit that mold and I don't think Pelfrey should be simply cut because we all of a sudden have two many SP's. Pelfrey hasn't been horrible. None of our starters have been horrible. We all know what horrible looks like... just think back to 2014 and 2013 and 2012 and 2011.

But... What if the Twins were easing May into a bullpen role and May is now starting to prove that he can help solidify the bullpen so the Twins don't want to move him back with Milone out for a minimum DL stay only to move him back again when Milone returns. We need the bullpen help more than we need SP's right now. May has the stuff to be that bullpen guy and Duffey looks like he's getting some things done based on his stats in Rochester. I think May has been talked to by Molitor... I think May knows the plan and is hopefully willing to help the Twins in anyway he is asked to.

I've watched enough baseball that I'm pretty good at knowing what's going to happen by the way the ball leaves the bat. I was wrong there... I thought it was gone.

It's possible that Iwakuma had another ball in his glove and the ball that Sano hit disintegrated.

I'm not exactly sure how Iwakuma caught that. I think he just happened to stick his glove there and the ball went into it.

Maybe... It's possible that Duffey is looking good and they want to get a look at him... Just in case he can help. Maybe it isn't about May at all

I actually agree with this. It's not a slam on Milone at all... I've been very impressed with him this year but the Blue Jays are RH hitter heavy. Plus Milone has struggled a little in his past 3 starts. I'd call up whoever is doing best in Rochester (Duffey?) for a spot start or give May the Ball and bump Milone back to the opener with the Indians which will give Milone a couple extra days of rest... Which might help him regain what he had earlier and give him a more favorable match up.

Worst Manager in the Game... That is quite possible.

I'm going to have to disagree on both points. McClendon may have made managerial mistakes and he might be moments away from losing his job because the Mariners have been miles from meeting expectation but it's really hard for an idiot to get a job like his. And... There is no way I intentionally walk the potentially winning run.

I agree... I'm not sure exactly what McClendon was thinking. I didn't understand the IBB of Mauer the other night and this one is even worse. Putting the winning run on base makes no sense at all... If you are that afraid of Rosario.. Pitch around him instead.

With Rosario on 2nd... A Big lead that announcers were talking about... An average speed grounder through the hole and Seth Smith the LF... Yeah... He Scores pretty easily.

If Chief isn't around... I'm pretty sure he is ok with a proxy

Same existence obviously.

http://connorlofton.weebly.com/uploads/8/5/5/1/855166/8412322_orig.gif

MIguel Sano: [Responding to being asked to play first base] I've only ever played third base. Terry Ryan: It's not that hard, Miguel. Tell him, Wash. Ron Washington: It's incredibly hard.

My favorite from Mom I'd come home from a baseball game and she'd ask me "Did you make a score"?

http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4116/4884037168_6fc74b6b1e.jpg MAD Magazine... This was the stuff I grew up on. The only magazine subscription I've ever had in my entire life. The only magazine I read religiously. Bark has got this type thing going on.

It's probably that quiver on his back. It somehow knocked his hat askew.

If there was a Bark Art Exhibit and next door a Van Gogh Exhibit I'd go to Bark's everytime.

I just want to say I love Bark Art

If it must be.. you stopped on a high note

The good ole days. Today... My kids will break buttons on their x-box controller.