formerly33

Saturday 6/18, 12:10 PM CT at Target Field TV: MLBN; Radio: Go 96.3, TIBN Weather: Mostly sunny, with a high near 77. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph. Lineups: CARDINALS (43-22): 1. Wong 2B 2. Carpenter 3B 3. Peralta SS 4. Reynolds 1B 5. Molina DH 6. Heyward RF 7. Bourjos CF 8. Jay LF 9. Cruz C Jaime Garcia, LHP (2-3, 2.06 ERA) TWINS (35-30): 1. Dozier 2B 2. Mauer DH 3. Plouffe 3B 4. Hunter RF 5. Rosario LF 6. Nunez SS 7. Suzuki C 8. Vargas 1B 9. Buxton CF Mike Pelfrey, RHP (5-3, 3.18 ERA) Game Thread preview: I have good news and bad news for you. The good news is that yes, you have a Game Thread this morning. The bad news is not only that always33 got to write it, but she won't be here to post the lineups later and a moderator is going to have to fill in for her. They Just Can't Get My Nose Right!! http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f114/mc41912/They-just-can-t-get-my-nose-right-flynn-rider-17617237-546-287.jpg Okay, I'm sure Hrb and I are probably the only ones who've watched Tangled, so I really shouldn't quote it so openly, but you know, I rarely know the movies everyone else references to, so it should be okay for just this once. And if you were to take the time to watch it one of these days (not that I recommend it or anything), the lights would probably suddenly turn on concerning countless inside jokes Hrb and I have had in the past on here. I suppose I should clarify. Flynn Ryder was an uncommon highwayman who had a bounty on his head (uh, well, duh). In the picture shown above, he's being pursued by all the king's men but got distracted when he ran across his "wanted" poster and saw with what disrespect they chose to represent him. He stopped, snatched it from the tree, and cried, "They just can't get my nose right!" Well, it turns out that they just can't represent these Twins properly, either. In fact, we're so little publicized that the general populace doesn't really have a clue when it comes to us. There's no end to the stupid mistakes journalists and whatnot make online whenever they start to talk about the Twins. I'm actually beginning to wonder if the real reason they avoid the subject so carefully is because they're afraid to make a mistake...again. The latest was found late last night on MLB's preview of today's game: Now, maybe I shouldn't complain since my game preview will probably be even less relevant, but hopefully I'll at least relay information about things that have happened in the past with tolerable accuracy. But notice that I say the past...I already found out yesterday that I'm no good at predicting. Before last night's game I was debating to myself about whether it would be worth it to see Byron Buxton's home debut. I was sure that the Twins were going to lose, but I finally decided that watching the Twins lose from Target Field would be better than watching them lose from my living room, not to mention that (to quote myself) it would be worth it to be able to say to my grandkids, "Oh yeah, I was at Byron Buxton's home debut. He went 2-4 with a triple and an infield single, but the Twins ended up losing in extras to the 1st-place Cardinals." It turns out that we did just the opposite, but you know, after having had more time to think about it, I'm pretty sure that I'd rather say, "I wasn't at Byron's home debut, but I listened, and he went 0-3 with 2 strikeouts. But the thing that really matters is that the Twins beat the Cards 3-1. Sadly, poor Kansas City won big time, so we were still quite far from 1st place." I suppose I should add something about how back in those days I was part of this crazy website called Twins Daily. In response they'll ask, "What's that?" and I'll explain, "Oh, there used to be this thing we called the internet, and there were chat rooms and forums online, and I used to waste countless hours of my time every day on Game Threads." And they'll be looking at each other with arched eyebrows and the mutual consent that Grandma must be cracked, and I'll confirm that belief by smiling quietly and reminiscently to myself as I realize that at 72 I'm the Old Lady Twins Fan now and even more ancient than Chief was when I first joined. Okay, I don't know if the internet will be around then or not. We still have telephones - or wait, do we? They've all been replaced by the smartphone. Same principle, though. I suppose that means we'll all communicate via the IntelligentInfobahn by the time I'm 72. We'll see. But hopefully my grandkids will have at least some knowledge, however faint, that in the past there was once something called the internet. Wow, I actually kept that short for once!. I do realize that it isn't easy to read Kristin Lavransdatter in one sitting, and people don't want to come back to finish Game Threads at a later date since there's always a new chapter published every day, but it seems like I always get carried away the moment my fingers touch the keys. I apologize, but thankfully I somehow managed to keep this under 1,000 words. Is that a first? To close on a game-related note, I don't want you to worry about Pelfrey's bad start last week. That is, unless he does it again today. I honestly believe that it was just a flukey thing and it's not going to carry over into today's performance. He'll do fine. We might not win, but I finally have faith in Pelf. It's a weird feeling, really. Go Twins!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJBC_yySmUU

No, I don't think it was frustration ... I'm pretty sure you just kidding. You said something about them being your hometown team, but they aren't ... am I right? But, like you, I can't recall. But I did tell you the story of kissing the hoods of the cars back in 2011 since at the time the Cards were my favorite NL team (little bandwagon me), but I switched to the Dodgers when I found out that I shared a birthday with Clayton Kershaw and read In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson. And then we traded Morneau to the Pirates, so I switched again. And now he's on the Rockies, so I switched again. Okay, got it? Oh, the life of a bandwagon fan...if I don't start documenting all this, pretty soon I won't be able to remember what teams I've rooted for over the years. But if I can remember the Cards (1987 WS) and the Dodgers (1965 WS) and then all the NL teams Morneau played for, and then after he retires the Braves (ditto), that should work. Edit: Argh ... the grammar in that post. But I'm in a hurry and don't want to fix it.

Might as well throw Rosario into the mix while he's still hot.

Bark, I know that what's said in GT's stays in GT's, but...if my memory serves me right, you once that the Cards have precedence over the Twins. Why this treason?

BALLGAME!!!!!! And you can thank Paulitor Maul!!! Oh...and Rosario...and Nunez...and Perk...and...uh.....

This requires more than ChiTown's trademark GET! HIM! OUT!

And that was the Wong call.

Well, it seems that the Buck has brought a new trend to Minnesota. I must say I like it a lot better than the DP's of the past.

If you don't watch out, Vargas will end up becoming your Halsey's Plouffe. Not that I mind.

I think this is worthy of becoming Hawk's new scouting report. Nicely done!

YESSIREE!!

That. Is. The. Point. Double point ..

Easy. "Kendrick may have the best raw power in a Draft that's short on promising sluggers. He packs a lot of strength in his 6-foot-3, 235-pound frame and can put on a show in batting practice that would do a big leaguer proud. Nevertheless, there's a split camp on how well his power will play in pro ball. Scouts who like him think his top-of-the-scale raw pop could translate into 30 homers annually in the Majors. Others think he has a grooved swing and lacks bat speed and believe he'll have trouble making contact against better competition. Kendrick's power will have to carry him because he doesn't have another average tool. He's a well below-average runner with fringy arm strength. Though he has played both infield corners for Oak Forest Academy, the Southeastern Louisiana recruit will be limited to first base at the next level." http://powershowcase.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/LA-Kolton-Kendrick-Watching-8TH-PROFILE.jpg

Let me assure you - I'm no Kolton Kendrick.

I guess Bark and I have to arm wrestle to see who takes theirs down.

Wednesday 6/17, 7:10 PM CT @ Target Field TV: FS-N; Radio: Go 96.3, TIBN Weather: Decreasing clouds with temperatures steady or falling to near 64F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. 50% chance precipitation. Lineups: CARDINALS (43-21): 1. Wong, 2B 2. Carpenter, 3B 3. Peralta, DH 4. Reynolds, 1B 5. Grichuk, LF 6. Molina, C 7. Heyward, RF 8. Bourjos, CF 9. Kozma, SS Carlos Martinez, RHP (7-2, 2.93 ERA) TWINS (34-30): 1. Dozier, 2B 2. Mauer, 1B 3. Plouffe, 3B 4. Hunter, RF 5. Rosario, LF 6. Nunez, SS 7. Vargas, DH 8. Herrmann, C 9. Buxton, CF Tommy Milone, LHP (2-1, 4.15 ERA)

Tyler Jay is a left-handed pitcher from the University of Illinois and was taken with the 6th overall pick of the 2015 First-Year Player Draft by the Minnesota Twins. Born on April 19th, 1994, Jay is currently 6'1" and 180 lbs. He was lightly recruited in 2012 when he pitched for Lemont High School in suburban Illinois, but he was not drafted and went on to pitch for the University of Illinois, who he committed to because they were the only school willing to let him continue to pitch; most other schools wanted him to switch to the outfield as he hit .484 with 11 doubles and 35 RBI in his senior year, but he wanted to stay on the mound. http://theblogdaysofsummer.weebly.com/uploads/5/3/9/7/53971721/338680879.jpg Image Courtesy of RantSports.com As a freshman at Illinois, Jay was thrown into the bullpen mix where he made 18 appearances and went 1-3 with a 3.10 ERA while striking out 20 in 20.1 innings pitched. The following year he emerged as the team's closer, earning a perfect 10 saves out of as many opportunities and posting a 1.94 ERA with 47 strikeouts over 41.2 innings to earn second-team All-Big Ten honors. Playing for the U.S. Collegiate National Team last summer, Jay was teammates with Vanderbilt's Dansby Swanson and Carson Fulmer, UC-Santa Barbara's Dillon Tate, and Louisiana State's Alex Bregman, among others. He made a team-high 15 appearances, picking up 2 wins and 1 save while striking out 21 in 16.2 scoreless innings. His performance threw him into the limelight for draft prospects and made him a potential first-round pick for 2015. This season Jay went 5-2 with 14 saves and 76 strikeouts in 66.2 innings pitched, allowing only 8 earned runs for a 1.08 ERA. He made one start in the first week of the season, throwing five shutout innings against Lamar, but then moved to the bullpen and helped lead the Fighting Illini to a 27-game winning streak at one point in the season. He was named the Big Ten Pitcher of the Year and was a Louisville Slugger First-Team All-American. Though Tyler Jay has been touted as a closer, it's important to not shut out the possibility of him moving back into a rotation at some point in his near future. In college he pitched 3-4 innings to close out games on several occasions, and the tools he needs to be a starter at the next level are definitely there. Here is Jay's scouting report from MLB's 2015 Prospect Watch: "Jay drew little attention from scouts as an Illinois high schooler in 2012, when he was a slight southpaw who topped out at 90 mph. His fastball and profile have taken off since he went to college, and he helped the Fighting Illini win 27 straight games this spring after starring with the U.S. collegiate national team last summer. Now he's a lock to become the second first-round pick ever produced by Illinois, following John Ericks in 1988, and he's the consensus best left-hander in the 2015 Draft. "He is still not very physical at 6-foot-1 and 175 pounds, but Jay now works at 93-95 mph and peaks at 98 mph with his fastball, even when he works on consecutive days. He generates that heat with athleticism and a quick arm rather than an excessive amount of effort in his delivery. "Jay has a deeper repertoire than most relievers. His plus slider is his second-best pitch, and he also has a curveball with power and depth and shows signs of interesting changeup. He has enough pitches and control to lead a pro team to consider trying him as a starter, though he lacks size and could speed to the Majors if he remains a reliever." Twins scouting director Deron Johnson believes that Jay can be converted to a starter. In an article on Fox Sports North, author Tyler Mason included part of an interview with Johnson: "We definitely believe he's got a legitimate chance to start," Johnson said. "The kid's really strong....He's got really good makeup. I'm really excited." Jay has a plus-fastball that sits around 92-95 mph and a plus-slider reaching 87-89 mph, as well as a changeup at 85-88 mph. While his fastball might not have wicked speed, Tyler's curveball was arguably the best pitch in the entire draft and has been compared to Clayton Kershaw's. The continued development of his changeup will likely wind up being the determining factor in whether he ends up starting long term. Deron Johnson believes that there is a chance Jay could start at Low-A Cedar Rapids. It is possible that the Twins end up rushing him into the majors to pitch from the bullpen this year and then send him back to the minors to stretch out as a starter. The Royals did this successfully last year with Brandon Finnegan, and with their surprise run in May, the Twins have placed themselves in a similar situation. While I wouldn't say I am completely in favor of this idea, if it worked out as well as it did for the Royals, that would be nothing to complain about. He has the stuff to compete at a high level, and it's going to be a lot of fun seeing what comes of it. --- Read full entry here: Introducing Twins' 1st round pick: Tyler Jay

Hey, nobody said you had to give up anything after the championship!

Bark...don't listen to them when they say you're not old. You are. I know since you're only a few years younger than them but over twice as old as me. But happy birthday!!!!

Luke Westphal came into this afternoon's game versus the Bradenton Marauders in the 11th inning. Unfortunately, he was only able to record 1 out before allowing 3 hits to walk off the game and pick up his 3rd loss of the season. Fort Myers lost 6-5, and Westphal's ERA is once again up to 3.94.

Todd Van Steensel pitched 2 innings in relief and allowed 1 hit while striking out 2 before being replaced by Luke Westphal, who got the loss as the Bradenton Marauders walked off Fort Myers with 1 out in the 11th. The Miracle lost 6-5.

D.J. Baxendale pitched 2 innings in relief today for Chattanooga, replacing J.O. Berrios in the 4th and allowing 1 run on 1 hit while walking 2 and striking out 5. He struck out the side in the 5th, but 1 runner did reach on a throwing error by Miguel Sano. He was replaced in the 6th by Madison Boer, who went on to get the win as the Lookouts topped the Birmingham Barons 4-3. I had been wondering why D.J. hadn't been pitching lately, but today I saw in J.O. Berrios's AAP page that he had been shelved with an arm injury. I don't know exactly what was going on and I can't find anything else besides that, but I'm just glad to see him back.

Too bad you weren't there when they gave you the ticket. Then you could have played Susan..."Thank you very much! I'd love to go to the circus, but you better keep your tickets because I'm busy tonight." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sByGQfhWQNU

BALLGAME!!!! And you can thank Paulitor Maul!!!

Wow, we've seen a lot of stuff this game. The most recent is Robinson striking out twice in one at-bat.