NoCryingInBaseball

After writing game thread starters over the weekend, I have a new appreciation for what you do starting each series off for us! I wrote only two game thread starters and I understand what you mean when you say "...I'm running out of things to think about when it comes to Cleveland". Love what you do here Riverbrian!

Game Thread: Twins @ Tigers, 9/27 12:08pm CT Yesterday was my first attempt at authoring a game thread I the team delivered a winnah! Here we go fellow TDers, let’s go for two-in-a-row, get me that Chicken Dinnah! (photo) Here are some things to think about: 1. Guess there is an illness issue of some kind in the clubhouse and apparently Plouffe and is out on account of it and Rosario is sitting because of LHP Wolf. Molitor said there's "a bug going around the clubhouse ... Temperatures ... Bodies aching." 2. Santana on the mound. Probably the best arm the team has at this point in the season….let’s go! 3. Buxton is playing (Put me in, Coach, I'm ready to play, today, Look at me, I can be Center field)…I realize his bat needs to come around before he is a regular, but I love it when this guy is out there. 4. I would love to see Kepler, but since the team is still legitimately in contention, he’s sitting these games out. Heard that there is a missing person alert on Shane Robinson, but since there is no room for him next year, no one is looking for him. 5. Go Rangers and Mariners! -------------------- Game-time forecast: 69 degrees F, mostly cloudy with 15% chance of precipitation, winds from the SSE at 9 mph. Lineups: TWINS Dozier 2B Hicks LF Mauer 1B Hunter RF Nunez 3B Sano DH Escobar SS Suzuki C Buxton CF E. Santana P 6-4, 4.31 ERA TIGERS Davis CF Kinsler 2B Cabrera DH V-Mart 1B J Martinez RF Castellanos 3B Collins LF Avila C Wilson SS R. Wolf P 0-4, 5.91 ERA Go Twins!

Haven't figured out how to edit yet..... Good Guys: Dozier Mauer Sano Plouffe Rosario Hunter Hicks Suzuki Escobar Udder guys: Gose Kinsler Cabrera V-Mart JD-Mart Castellanos McCann Machado Davis

Game Thread: Twins @ Tigers, 9/26 6:08pm CT Never started a game thread before, so let’s give it a go…The Twins play the second game of the series with Detroit tonight. Here are some things to think about: 1. Last night’s loss to Detroit clearly falls into the woulda, coulda, shoulda category. Less than 10 games remaining in the season and the team seems to be trying to limp toward the finish line. The Twins held a 4-1 lead into the seventh inning, but another short outing from Pelfrey then a cluster fumble by the bullpen….judges, what say you? 2. Technically, the team can still make it to the wild card one-game playoff. Although they have slipped to fourth, place now that the Angles have leap-frogged over the Twins, they are only a game and a half out of a playoff spot. Tomorrow is the beginning of the last week of the season and the twins are STILL playing relevant baseball! 3. Today’s pitcher is Tyler Duffey. I did not pay much of attention to him at the beginning of the year and now I have started to feel like he is about the best in the team’s rotation to send out every 5th start. I now have him included as a likely starter in next year’s rotation. 4. This season was supposed to be a devilment year when many prospects make their way to the “Bigs” and begin to learn how to adjust to “The Show”. I think everyone is in agreement that the Twins surprised everyone that their ahead of schedule and some of the young guys (Rosario, Sano) are here to stay, Hicks isn’t a complete flop and that Escobar can play a decent short stop. 5. They may not cross the finish line as a playoff team, but the fact that they are playing relevant baseball the last week of the regular season is great learning experience for the young guys! -------------------- Game-time forecast: 71 degrees F, partly cloudy with 0% chance of precipitation, winds from the ESE at 11 mph. Lineups: TWINS 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Duffey P 4-1, 3.15 ERA TIGERS 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9 Simon (not Paul) P 13-10, 5.21 ERA Go Twins!

Looks like Santana might get a win after-all....

Nicely done, Rosario!

Winnah, winnah, Chicken Dinnah!!

He's Baa-aack!

Another Dozier Dinger!!

Winnah!!

That works for me!

Load em up!

Sacrifice Fly for Dozier, making it 5-0....this is turning into a fun game....

Well, Hicks advanced both runners into scoring position.

Nice having a center fielder that can hit!

Chicken Dinna!!

Did I hear Johnny Cash (I walk the Line)for Sano's walk up?

Just broke that it is Robinson....used "Family Emergency List" as how he is pulled from active roster. Rhett Bollinger ‏@RhettBollinger The Twins placed Shane Robinson on the family emergency list and activated Aaron Hicks from the DL.

The Hicks thing was announced on Twitter this morning by Darren Wolfson, but he hasn’t had much follow-up because he’s hosting the 1500ESPN Mackey & Judd show right now. Darren Wolfson‏@DWolfsonKSTP Sounds like Aaron Hicks is on his way to Kansas City. Not sure yet what the corresponding move is. #mntwins

This forum is timely with the Santana roster move necessary by Sunday and now the reports that Hicks is on his way to Kansas City, probably to take over CF again, the roster moves will be continuing. Here are my thoughts that might (or should) be taking place in a relatively short time period. Starting Rotation • Santana, Hughes & Gibson are locks and of Milone/May/Pelfrey, two stay and one goes to the pen. • Try to get a trade for one of the “extra” arms (not May….. Milone or Pelfrey). Bullpen • Duensing should be DFA’d, but there’s probably too much money in contract and pride to do the right thing. • My guess is Meyer, Thompson or Ryan Pressley (probably more than one) goes down and there are certainly options to bring up young performers. • Pitching corps down to 12 now that there is only a 2-game series with a National League team remaining. Outfield • Hicks returns from Triple-A tonight after getting 3-hits two nights in a row. • Let Arcia being good in Triple-A, then return to the club….maybe when pitching corps returns to 12. Shortstop • I like Danny Santana (and he went 2 for 4 last night), but think he needs to go down…maybe like suggested earlier to AA. Let Escobar (who is a much better SS) and Nunez platoon at short, and maybe Polanco gets his shot at Triple-A.

I'm doing a part-time gig serving beer there this summer and it's actually 32 beers at the craft beer section (outfield, down 3rd base line), although they told me that they were short a couple of varieties last night and only had 29 different types of beer. Lines get a little long at that venue and some of the portables have much shorter lines.

Nice Walk Off Mr. Vargas!

Nice Walk Off Mr. Vargas!

Nice Walk Off Mr. Vargas!

Time to dance!!!