I'll start with the weather, since that's my thing. Game-time forecast: 76 deg F, partly cloudy, 20% chance of rain, winds from the SSE at 9mph. I don't know if the roof will be open or closed for that 20% chance. Lineups: TWINS Dozier 2B Rosario CF Mauer 1B Plouffe 3B Hunter RF Suzuki C Escobar LF Milone P Santana SS BREWERS Seguar SS Lucroy C Braun RF Gomez CF Lind 1B Ramirez 3B Perez 2B Peterson LF Fiers P ---------------- Game thoughts: 1. We need to win this game to break even with the Brewers. Mike Fiers is pitching for the Brewers. He's done well against us (SSS) even though he took the loss at our last meeting. He only gave up 2 runs but big Pelf turned in a masterful 8, scoreless innings that game, and Perkins slammed the door shut. I look at that as Pelf beating the Brewers and not Fiers beating the Twins. Either we'll have to get to Fiers, or Milone will have to channel that game of Pelf's. 2. Milone. He's done a good job since returning, only giving up 1 or 2 runs a start. That's a pretty darn good job for a no. 5 starting pitcher and more than keeps us in it. But he will have to keep it up and we will have to score runs to win, which is always the case for any game. And the bullpen needs to stay in it, too. Against Texas, Milone only gave up 2, but the bp gave up more. Against the White Sox, Milone again gave up 2, but we gave him lots and lots and lots of run support that game. And, against the Cards, Milone gave up only 1, and the bp held it, so we won only having scored 3 runs. So, just keep doing what you're doing, Tommy Milone, and hopefully the other parts of the team will help out, too. 3. Carlos Gomez. I will disagree with RiverBrian on this one. I liked that trade. I don't still wish Gomez were on our team. Yeah, CF has been a mess in recent years, but that wasn't because of that trade. (And we won't delve into why that's been a mess at this writing or in this thread.) But the Gomez for Hardy trade, at that time, under those circumstances, I'd do again in a heartbeat. Yes, he's developed nicely after he left us, even though the Mets almost ruined him before we got him, but I liked that trade. Gomez is a hothead and just is not that baseball bright. Yeah, his tools manage to compensate, but he does cost his team outs in stupid moves, according to my cousin, a huge Brewers fan (and also not a fan of that trade). So, leave Gomez in Milwaukee. I'm fine with that. 4. DanSan is back at short. I've never been a huge fan of his and the errors are still mounting. I noticed Molitor having a chat with him after that throw. Yeah, we know which throw I mean. A routine play to first, it should have been, and his throw went sailing into the stands. I wonder exactly what Molitor said in his chat. Maybe that you don't need to try and 'rocket-arm' it on a routine play? Oy. I hope he settles in and starts hitting or I'll be fine with Esco at short for the rest of the season. While I know we need to be patient with DanSan, as we played him out of position all last year, but just how patient do we need to be? Where's the line here? 5. I'm officially on vacation, as of last night at 10pm. I don't have to be back to work until 9:30am, Tuesday, July 7th. Instead of being able to sleep in (and 'sleep in' for me is noonish) I'm up writing a game thread start and waiting for lineups to be posted. Hope it was worth it to all of you. It'll only be worth it for me if the Twins win. I might still be in my pajamas then, too; because it's vacation and I have absolutely nothing to do today, an intentional plan of scheduling. It's my chill day after a long season of my own. Tomorrow I'll shake off the slug and accomplish something, but today is chill day. All day. Let's play ball! Win Twins!