Squirrel

Larnach is signed. http://www.startribune.com/twins-sign-first-round-pick-trevor-larnach/487432771/

Why did Miller go on the restricted list? I assume for a failed drug test of some sort or another?

This was at the Miracle game last night: Seeing that makes me wonder what the field will be like today, especially with two games to play, but I guess it drains well. But more rain for this afternoon in the forecast. I have tickets to both games but won’t be sitting through both in a row today so will catch the regularly scheduled game.

This is feeling a bit like 2016. Difficult to imagine there are teams who are worse. I think it just feels worse because of the hopefulness that 2017 inspired. Lesson learned. And yeah, whenever I come to Florida, I always have to pack warm clothing because honestly, setting your AC temp at 58 deg instead of a standard 70-74 is ridiculous, but that’s Florida for you. I’m currently enjoying my parents’ lanai. It’s humid out but the shade, the slight breeze from the ceiling fan and the hypnotic hum of the neighboring AC units make it rather nice, peaceful and relaxing. Safe travels.

After reading that sequence and your explanation, I’m still thinking, ‘I think I needed to see that to understand that.’

My guess is Motter comes off when he comes off the DL and gets sent down to AAA when Adrianza is set to come off the DL.

Heading down to Fort Myers. The time I’m able to spend at the ballpark is always limited and varies, but hoping to see at least one of the two games being played at home this week ... #6 Barnes pitches Wednesday, #1 Wells pitches Thursday ... decisions, decisions ... if I can’t get to both.

Also, I don’t think Buxton needs the same access to the facilities and personnel that Sano does. It wasn’t so much as being demoted to high A as it was for Sano to have access to those specific facilities and personnel.

Stewart is in Rochester now.

That’s not the issue. It’s not about what’s there when they bought. It’s about what the Cubs owners want to expand and change it to that is, by buying up blocks and businesses so that the owner can create and control the area’s businesses and make more of a profit for themselves. One could argue the opposite and suggest the owners also knew what they bought into and now want to change it to make it more profitable for themselves at the cost of the other independent businesses and residents in the area and changing the landscape of an iconic neighborhood in the process. I’m sure the Cubs’ net worth has also gone up since the Rickets bought the team. Maybe they should take that, put it in their pockets and sell if they can’t continue to buy up the neighborhood and change ordinances to increase their wealth. This is part of having a baseball stadium in an already densely populated part of the city ... both sides are not going to get what they want all the time. I think the city has actually done a fairly good job at balancing everyone’s concerns with allowing some expansion but not giving in to everything that the Cubs wealthy owner wants. But this is getting well off topic so perhaps it’s best to steer this topic back to the Twins game.

What I read about the ordinance it has more to do with the businesses than the residents, but yeah, the residents fight for fewer night games as well. But the mayor has actually stated that increasing the number of night games isn’t going to happen so I’m not sure even a handful more will be added at this point. It is a major reason why when I purchased a home in the city I didn’t purchase anywhere near there. Of course I deal with Soldier Field idiocy instead, but that is far fewer than Wrigleyville/Lakeview deal with for baseball games.

You also are used to it. And, I’m sure you ran, not walked, the course, you didn’t cart it from hole to hole, yes? I’m not excusing bad play, but this was severe weather for we northerners, and it was a major factor in making things far worse. The temp on field yesterday was reported at 108 with the heat index upwards of that.

And there are a lot of calls to change the heat policy at the Aussie Open, especially from doctors, and players do go down with heat exhaustion every year there. The referees can also suspend play if it is too hot. I think there is an actual temperature limit which is less than what it was here yesterday. There is also a retractable roof that they can use, too, which I don’t think really helps much with the heat but at least takes the sun out of the equation. A men’s match averages 2-3 hrs, not nearly 4, and they get to take breathers between side switches on court and breaks between sets. It’s not so continuous as you imply, but there are serious issues at the Aussie open and calls to change it. And the heat DOES make the tennis play worse. Also, not all the matches are played in the worst of it. Again, not excusing bad baseball, but the weather conditions WERE a huge factor making things the worst they could be. I’m not looking forward to sitting through today’s game, but it shouldn’t be as hot today.

Your words ... it took some getting used to ... by next weekend I’m sure it will be fine.

Maybe this will finally be something that will get the city of Chicago to approve more night games at Wrigley. Part of the reason for day games is there is a city ordinance limiting how many night games they can have at Wrigley. There aren’t night games on Fridays and any concerts they have there also count toward the night game totals. The Cubs have wanted this changed for years, but the Mayor and the City Council have said it’s not changing.

No, the heat was such yesterday that even if you did take precautions of staying hydrated, you were a target. Especially since they played in it the day before. But it was still bad baseball. The heat was just a major factor in making bad much worse.

And you are both out in it at the peak of it, in the full sun not the shade, in full athletic gear, playing baseball for 3 hrs and 44 mins? Three days in a row? There is also the issue of being acclimated to it, too. The reports in Chicago were/are for excessive heat. Meaning that it was so hot that there were warnings issued and they had emergency cooling centers open for people without AC, especially the homeless and elderly. I haven’t checked what’s happened so far here but in the past there have usually been a dozen or more heat related deaths when the heat is this severe. At one point the temperature on field was 108 deg with a heat index of 120. Yesterday, I did what I do when I’m in Florida in the summers ... get all my errands and outdoor activities done in the morning and spend the afternoon indoors or in the shade with plenty of water ... not playing baseball for nearly 4 hours in the midday heat, the worst of the heat. Yeah, the Twins are not playing good baseball. And their roster is such they just don’t have the right depth to handle these games, and the outfield was brutal, and there is a lot to complain about this season. But the weather in Chicago yesterday was a HUGE factor that made this situation the worst it could be.

I like these articles. Everyone gloms onto the 'big names' ... I like the sleeper stories.

I think you are taking this too personally when I was speaking generally. I wasn’t saying specifically that your arguments are disrespectful or you would have had a PM about it. I was talking of posters who jump to the assumptions I stated.

I don't disagree Sano has a lot to work on and figure out in several areas of his professional and personal life. And I have no issues with people taking certain stances in regards to what they think Sano needs to work on, including weight. I was willing to give him some time and a benefit of a doubt for a while because he's young and let's face it ... we all figure out the maturity thing in our own time ... and some never do. I've also seen him at ST for every year he's been there and at some minor league games along the way, too. He has always been larger than anyone else, even at times when he's looked quite solid. That said, we don't know what time and energies he has committed himself to in regards to his weight, or anything else for that matter. I don't think it's fair, respectable or funny to assume the worst and come out with the trough feeding/fatty/buffet/lazy/poor ethics comments based on what we see alone when we have no idea, really, what's going on. Of course we can draw conclusions and theorize and have opinions ... on either side of this debate. I, myself, took the path of giving him some leeway but that leeway is very short at present based on a lot of press over time and lack of production this season. But in our theories and opinions, if we can't present our takes respectfully ... and I'm not pointing at you when I say this, but everyone ... if we can't present it respectfully, it's not going to fly, here. And if we can't accept that while one might strongly believe in what one thinks, another might believe just as strongly in something else. I've often given the advice ... you aren't right or wrong here at TD. No one is. We are expressing what we think is or should be; there is no right or wrong in that, and there is no 'winning' the debate. There is, however, civility and respect in any issues any of us might bump heads about. Me disagreeing with you about Sano isn't 'push back,' it's me having a different opinion. We can go 'round and 'round and never meet in the middle, and that's okay. But at some point, agreeing to disagree is likely the best path. But name calling, dragging someone's character down, mean-spirited comments ... those should be avoided.

Everyone needs a release of something they like to do. I like to bake but I am far from ... and I mean far from ... being a pastry chef. I also like to dabble in other things and sometimes share the results with friends and whatnot and trust me, I am no artist and often laugh at my own results. And so what if these side endeavors won't win awards? Who cares if they aren't up to a professional standard? That's not the point of having a hobby. The point is having to do something you like to do, for fun, because it's fun for you. Not because you are trying to make some kind of statement of how good of an artist you are. Sheeeeesh ... tough crowd! I think Gordon has made it clear ... baseball is his career, and the rap thing is his hobby. Really ... why don't you show us what you do for fun and let us be extremely critical at how awful you are at it. Otherwise, knock it off.

Okay ... I know this says 'anything but Star Wars' ... but I just saw the first one, episode 4 ... with live orchestra. omg ... that. was. AMAZING! If you like movie soundtracks like I do, but especially one as iconic as this one by John Williams ... it was amazing to watch the movie with the soundtrack played by a live orchestra. If you have the opportunity to see it like that, do it! I know the Minnesota Orchestra does this ... so check it out. But nothing like the CSO Brass playing this one ... nothing like it.

If they say the same thing, then be respectful in your posting here and don't go the disrespectful route. That was the pushback.

Again I'll ask ... why do you think this? I'm seriously asking ... why do you think this is stupid?

Nothing at all. But that's not what was being said. What was being said was he needed to stop feeding at the buffet trough and he needed to stop being lazy and he needed to stop just expecting things to happen. Those types of character issues questions are out of bounds, because those are all speculative and disrespectful and, frankly, not helpful in finding solutions. But saying needs to refocus and figure it out and be in better condition ... absolutely. And that's what he's in Fort Myers to do. Maybe there are other issues at hand with his level of discipline, both in diet and workouts, that do feed into what he needs to change (no pun intended with the word 'feed') ... but I think those can be addressed without outright being disrespectful by saying things that I mentioned above without painting the most negative picture of his personal character.