stringer bell

Buffalo it is. I drove by the stadium last year. It looked nice enough. Facilities and lights? Well, the Jays will just have to make do.

All right! Baseball is back (kind of) and the Twins face Giolito. BTW, Tom, if memory serves, Giolito threw his gem at Target Field, not in the Windy City. I was at the game.

Kind of a Little League top of the fifth.

Well, I can see why Cubs hit a lot of homers. The second homer was a routine fly to center.

There is a game thread set up to discuss today's game in the Minnesota Twins Talk Forum. Go there to have a discussion about the game tonight. http://twinsdaily.com/topic/39070-game-thread-twins-cubs-7222020-605-pm-cdt/

Welcome to Summer Camp baseball. The Twins take on the Cubs for their first and only July exhibition before they start the postponed 2020 season. The season figures to be dramatic and entertaining. It is guaranteed to be different with a scant 60 games scheduled, all against Central Division foes (AL & NL), featuring roster and rule changes that will further change the grand old game. First, a word about this game thread and all of the regular season game threads. The idea of a game thread is to provide a place to discuss today's game, as if you were at the game watching with friends. Introductions set the stage and give some of our talented members a chance to present their thoughts. We previously had the brilliant and zany RiverBrian do many introductions, but now it is open to all with a chance to share your thoughts . Much like conversations with friends or family, sometimes things devolve but many game threaders do want to talk about the game, so let's be considerate of others. I expect game threads to be well-attended with plenty of posts. We've got an exciting, talented team to talk about in a sprint for postseason, with a chance to reverse recent history by making noise in October. Now for my thoughts on tonight's tilt. This will be the first live professional baseball I've watched since I was in Fort Myers when the remainder of the exhibition season was cancelled and Twins' spring training was eventually closed. There will be a thirst to be quenched. The result of tonight's game matters not at all, but how the players look and how prepared they are for the mad dash 60-game season are important. Much has changed since a baseball game that mattered has been played. We've added many terms to our personal dictionary and most of us now know exactly where a mask is. This should be fun tonight and entertaining for the coming months! Lineups: Twins Garver C Donaldson 3B Cruz DH Polanco SS Sano 1B Rosario LF Gonzalez RF Kepler CF Adrianza 2B Bailey P Cubs Bryant 3B Rizzo 1B Baez SS Schwarber LF Contreras C Heyward RF Bote DH Kipness 2B Happ CF Lester P

OK. It is time to sign up for Game Thread Introductions for August. I just checked the schedule and fully half of the season is contained in August (30 games). I done another simple Google Doc for reference as to available dates and which volunteer is assigned to write the introduction. We are always looking for more participation in the game threads and also in the introductions. If you haven't done a Game Thread Introduction, now is an opportunity to give it a try. The framework is pretty flexible--just introduce the game--and we do want the introduction posted at least 45 minutes before game time, hopefully with the lineups. You can write about whatever you want as it relates to the game, perhaps personal observations, perhaps historical perspective, perhaps featuring a favorite (or least favorite) player. I'll try to keep it organized as to who is assigned. Tom Froemming is doing a daily preview of each game, but during the game commentary should be made on the game threads. We're hoping that this combination for each and every game will make a more complete game experience on Twins Daily, especially since no one will be attending the games in person. I'll also use this posting to notify all that read it that there will be a game thread for tonight's Summer Camp exhibition against the Cubs. It can be a bit of a trial run before the real games start on Friday for the Twins. https://docs.google.com/document/d/14uHMOb77UWUMQt9lZL63NhL4fXnOucvAahDtdG9jAGA/edit

I've completed a Google Doc for July game thread intros. It is filled, but I'll post it anyway. I will be doing the same for August later this week, and it will give prospective volunteers an opportunity to look at what is available. Thanks volunteers--you make this site fun and successful. https://docs.google.com/document/d/11M-_WQPP6gY0ytKdDYRFxMSCgpacIOfPPY6BZ-cpHFU/edit

Yes, I believe there will be baseball! Further, the Twins would be a popular pick this year to advance to the playoffs and maybe, just maybe, make some noise. Twins Daily will have Game Threads for each regular season game. As we did last year, I will make a Google Doc with game thread intro assignments. I'll do a Google Doc for each month including the abbreviated schedule of July. Sign up now! The season is coming fast. You can sign up either by sending a message to me or by commenting in this thread, which will be pinned. I'd prefer messages, because I see them on my phone without going to the TD site. I will probably post the Google Doc early next week and at the same time make a request for signup for August. I'm looking for to another exciting, although condensed, season. Let's enjoy (virtually) together by participating in the game threads. Thanks everyone. If you have questions about signing up, please do send me a message. Apart from this weekend I figure to be pretty available to reply. Thanks again.

An eloquent eulogy and also a reminder of what is important in life and relationships. As someone about a generation advanced from you, I've experienced losing loved ones and the sudden passing of friends and it is never easy. We always look back and think how we could be a better friend or loved one and hopefully modify our ways to keep in contact with those who aren't in our immediate circle.

When I read the title of this thread, I tried to guess who was considered the #5 starter for the '65 Twins--Merritt, Stigman, Boswell? Dwight Siebler didn't enter my mind. Siebler appeared in 7 games and made one start. I guess I wouldn't consider him the fifth starter but that probably doesn't change anything about his stories.

If memory serves, Garver played around the diamond a fair amount (both outfield and first base) and Kepler also spent some time at first. I do agree that having a plus outfielder is much better than having an acceptable first baseman. I also remember that Levine or Falvey said that until Donaldson signed, the plan was to get Garver reps at first. I would think if there is a longish term vacancy at first, that they would try to use Mitch there at least some of the time.

In the major leagues, Kepler has played 4.1 innings at first base. Garver has logged 39 innings, plus 6 more innings in left field.

It’s been so long I forgot my moniker, but I was there.

While I am not a minority and have dealt less with them than you say you have, I do want to rebut at least part of what you are saying. You have mentioned black criminality and black homicides frequently when discussing racial issues and I do agree that it is an issue to be dealt with, but the issue here is taking of lives by law enforcement. In 2019, 1100 lives were taken by law enforcement, of which 24% were African-American. Many of the 1100 cases are explained by the behavior of the victim or circumstances. Anecdotally, many cases where black lives have been taken seem to have no explanation, such as George Floyd case. Further, 99% of the time when someone dies at the hands of law enforcement, they are not convicted of a crime. I did do some work with Crime Statistics many years ago and to call any crime statistics reliable seems to me to be a stretch. I think the mindset is there for many people who don't consider themselves to have any racial animus, to view a large segment, if not all, of the black population as crime-infested and not respective of law and norms. That type of mindset leads to racial profiling and eventually to disproportionate incarceration and also disproportionate death at the hands of law enforcement. To paint a broad brush against all the race and dismiss complaints by quoting crime stats isn't right or fair IMHO.

OK, a little scene setting first. I'm an old white guy in southeast Minnesota, the kind that profiles heavily conservative, but I'm not. Some of the discussion in this thread has been about the violence and arson perpetrated by.....? The Trump administration, without evidence, named Antifa, a really small organization which would be classified as anti-government and anti-authoritarian and anarchistic. While this "organization" might be involved in stoking the emotions of protesters., we don't know with any certainty. Again, there is no proof, as far as I know, that one member of Antifa has been involved in any of the looting and rioting. Squirrel has provided links which implicate right wing "bad actors" including the "Bugaloo Bois" who have been known to believe that a race war will be waged. What better time to incite violence? Reports out of Minneapolis are that a great majority of those arrested thus far are from Minnesota and more specifically from the Twin Cities area. Were there "outside instigators". Initially, Minnesota authorities thought so and the Attorney General continues to state that they have intelligence that suggests this. We don't know how many are left wing, how many are right wing, and how many just want destruction. Frankly, I don't trust this Justice Department to provide a fair accounting of which group is responsible. As Ashbury noted above, protesters jailed are not that same as looters and arsonists. The goal of providing bail to those jailed I'm sure is meant for peaceful protesters. I certainly think that a segment of those arrested and committing the crimes are criminals throughout. We don't know the proportions and percentages and probably never will. I think looting and arson is counterproductive and that those who did those things should spend jail time. Regarding public servants, I've worked in the public and the private sector and agree that getting rid of the problem employees is well nigh impossible. That said, the quality and competence of the great majority of public employees who I worked with and who worked for me were well intentioned, decent people, often fighting a bureaucracy that is difficult unto impossible. I've never worked with law enforcement, but my few dealings with them have been amiable and professional. I would presume urban police departments to be a totally different situation. We must look at the problems that people of color have experienced when dealing with law enforcement. Far too many have died in police custody and many have experienced undue arrests and charges. As was also mentioned, the Rodney King situation occurred almost 30 years ago.

I’m watching coverage of the protests tonight. The police are doing their job of enforcing the curfew, the remaining protesters are now being arrested. No discernible violence, no property damage.

I don't think it is cut and dried that all of the violence is coming from anarchists and "the radical left". International mischief makers (Russia, China) would like to see nothing more than having our country be more divided. The alt right has been talking about a race war for years. What better way to start such a war than inflame the tensions of a wrongful death to an African-American? The only evidence I've personally seen is "Umbrella Man", apparently a white guy dressed in black with a gas mask, hammer and umbrella, who walked along Lake Street and broke windows with his hammer.

Former mayor RT Rybak has fingered the head of the Policeman's Federation as a villain in the problems with the Minneapolis Police Department. This seems to be in part political (Kroll is a Trump guy), but the Federation has robustly defended their own and also used "Warrior" training methods, which include (as I understand it) the knee-on-the-neck move to restrain those that are arrested.

There's a lot to digest in this story. First of all, there appears to be no justification for the actions of the Minneapolis policemen. The victim was accused of a non-violent crime and if he was a threat, he was in handcuffs. The threat (if there was one) was neutralized. Secondly, while this is anecdotal, the evidence that people of color are victims of police misconduct and dying for no reason but their race is pretty substantial. Taking a knee doesn't seem to work, nor does protesting peacefully. My third thought is that burning down a police precinct and local businesses is counterproductive and that at a certain point the criminals and thugs get cover for their crimes.

How about Polanco to play second base? Second base was clearly the weakest position on the '65 Twins. If Versalles plays every day at short, playing Polanco at second for 150 games or so would improve the team immensely.

So sorry for your loss.

Stigman was born in 1936 (in Nimrod, MN!) so he was 29 in 1965.

There are many individual topics to address regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. We seemed to have at least temporarily managed to keep enough people out of intensive care to have enough space for all who need such care (and ventilators). Yea, that is a win. The PPE needs hospitals seem to be meeting the minimums, but there isn't an abundance, so the problem is not solved, but it isn't a crisis now. Testing is lagging far behind demand and will be necessary to safely restart not only activities like MLB, so many other things like flying, getting or keeping malls open, you name it. Also, people aren't being as good about sheltering in place. I think this is a function of "quarantine fatigue". Personally, I agree with and have supported what Minnesota has done. However, it is wearing on me. I'm tired of staying at home every weekend and not feeling comfortable walking into the Kwik Trip when I get gas. I understand the frustration of people, and more than that I get that losing one's job from an invisible enemy is tough to take, or owning a small business and not being able to have customers can't be easy. I think it is too soon to open up businesses and certainly resuming things as they were. What people are refusing to see is that this pandemic isn't going to be over on June 1 or September 1 for that matter. Until there is a vaccine and herd immunity life is going to be changed significantly. There won't be crowds at Target Field, there can't be concerts or other gatherings like the State Fair or any local festival. As someone who falls in one of the risk categories, I will probably be wearing a mask in public until well into 2021. I'll be hesitant to be around people for a long time. The federal money will be long gone before we get behind this, not to mention that of the trillions spent most of it went to the rich getting richer. Our lives are changed for the long term and eventually someone I know will pass away. The numbers are going to be staggering and our health system will be strained. Despite what the politicians are saying, this will effect our economy for a long time.

I got the first two on the first hint. Question #3, I recognized Zoilo as soon as it was noted he was at shortstop for most of the Twins early years. Missed on Hisle, although I should have known.