Squirrel

Okay, they are gonna break it open this next inning

Sparse crowd here tonight too

Depends ... how scary is it for you on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the most?

heh ... I didn't have the Twins lineup yet when I posted that, but I was betting that Hughes would be 9th. And I was right! (yeah, big stretch)

Game-time forecast: Partly cloudy. Winds blowing in from left field at 5-10 m.p.h. Temperature around 60. Twins: SP, Hughes Dozier 2B Mauer 1B Plouffe 3B Parmelee RF Suzuki C Kubel LF Santana SS Hicks CF Hughes P Padres: SP, Ross Cabrera SS Smith LF Headley 3B Alonso 1B Gyorko 2B Venable RF Maybin CF Rivera C Ross P ------------------------------------- What will Brian reveal tonight on the inner workings of his mind? Check back if you dare. Scary stuff! ------------------------------------------ Dang Right I'm scared... I gotta get to the baseball diamond and coach some Babe Ruther's in a half hour and I still gotta grab some food before I go and I've wasted all my time for game thread thoughts in another thread defending the virtue of Ben Revere. My fault... Poor Planning... So Quickly... Things to think about: 1. Phil Hughes -- He's good... And Now he only has to face 8 legitimate batters as opposed to the 9 he faces most nights in the American League. The way Phil is throwing and in consideration of this being a national league game. Phil might allow -2 Runs today. I hope we don't lose -2 to -3. 2. Pinto-- Where is he? It's not a knock on Suzuki... How can I knock Suzuki... He's playing very studly at the moment but it's Pinto's turn. Suzuki can play tomorrow. 3. Kubel -- I see where he is... I personally wonder why? A little Nunez in LF would be alright with me tonight. 4. Santana -- Great guitar player... Great Pitcher... Over Rated Catcher/3B and a Fast SS who is fun to watch. 5. Time -- Ummm... Time sure keeps ticking... I gotta run... I'll game thread with you all when I get home from the game.

So does amaretto.

Good inning

And the pitcher gets an rbi.

That's neither an ick nor an ish. It's an eye-stabbing moment.

Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these moderators from the swift completion of their appointed threads.

I'm just gonna get this out of the way right here and now ... Ish. Yes, with a capital 'I.'

Winning also changes things. They are winning some and it feels good. Let's hope they can keep that going. It goes hand in hand. And I work in a library, too ... we still have fun even if it is more subtle and not so loud.

Game-time forecast: Mostly sunny. Winds blowing from right to left field at 10-15 m.p.h. Temperature around 65. Mariners: SP, Hernandez James Jones CF Michael Saunders RF Robinson Cano 2B Corey Hart DH Justin Smoak 1B Kyle Seager 3B Dustin Ackley LF Mike Zunino C Brad Miller SS Twins: SP, Nolasco Brian Dozier 2B Joe Mauer 1B Trevor Plouffe DH Chris Parmelee RF Kurt Suzuki C Jason Kubel LF Eduardo Escobar 3B Aaron Hicks CF Daniel Santana SS ------------------------------ And Brian's on deck. Check back to see him knock another out of the park. -------------------------------- Warning track and I thought I got it all. Things to think about: 1. Sid Hartman -- His own bobble head... A well deserved honor for a true Minnesota icon. When people ask me what Minnesota is all about... I tell them "Sid Hartman". When people ask me what there is to do in Minnesota... I tell them "Go to the Lake and read "Sid Hartman" When people ask me what is Minnesota Cuisine... I tell them Sid Hartman. Sid was asked about his own bobble head and he replied: "I thi its gray... Shoods bah da la tie go... My Close Personal Friend Bobby Knight hz ha Fi bobbles all red" 2. King Felix -- Felix Hernandez is quality and durable arm. A native of Venezuela which is just South of Vermont... King Felix has thrown over 190 innings every year since since hitting the majors as a 20 year old in 2006. It may seem like he's been around forever but he's only 28 years old... So he is actually younger than Sid Hartman. 3. Danny Santana -- Welcome back to the lineup Danny. I understand that there has been a hamstring issue but I also read that he was good to go possibly Thursday... Yet he didn't see the playing field. He's been on the bench too long... It's good to get him back in the lineup. Hey Danny... That's King Felix you are facing... Try not to look like you should be sent down to AAA against him after not playing for 5 games. 4. The Rubberband... It does have the ability to stretch toward the positive. The Twins are one game over... And it's April!!! I mean May!!! The weather this winter had got my timing off. 5. Chit Chat -- I had many conversations with many people during a wedding reception yesterday. The conversations were always partial... Because of the pausing for glass clinking or speeches from the best man and maid of honor... Hired DJ and the limo driver. I figure I talked with 15 different people and discussed maybe 25 subjects and had zero completed sentences.

Safe from what, or whom?

Okay, just got a screen shot of that. Yes, the blackmail begins. Mwahahahaha …

Okay, well, don't abuse it or he'll take it away again.

Brock, thank you! Why didn't you tell me we could do this?

WOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOO* ​*This is a test

Hey, how'd you do that!

My guy!

Wooohoooo!

Game-time forecast: Partly cloudy. Winds blowing out to left field at 5-10 m.p.h. Temperature around 60. Mariners: SP, Elias Jones CF Saunders RF Cano 2B Hart DH Seager 3B Smoak 1B Ackley LF Zunino C Miller SS Twins: SP, Deduno Dozier 2B Mauer 1B Plouffe 3B Suzuki DH Pinto C Colabello RF Nunez LF Hicks CF Escobar SS --------------------------- More to come ... stay tuned ... ---------------------------------------------------- Ok... Things to Think About: 1. Roenis Elias -- He's lefthanded... 25 years old and he defected from Cuba on a boat to Mexico. He's also been OK for the DL riddled Seattle rotation. There isn't a lot of statistical information on him. A couple of years of data in the low minors. He spent 2013 in AA and posted OK numbers. I got a chance to watch him pitch this year and I was pretty impressed... The thing I noticed about him was this huge sweeping curveball. I'd count on seeing it today. 2. Sam Deduno -- 29.2 IP 25 K's and a 3.64 ERA. Since taking over a spot in the rotation for Pelfrey he hasn't been shut down good but he's been a whole lot better then Pelfrey. I stand by my belief that Deduno should not only be in the rotation but if left in the rotation he will perform well enough to earn and stay in the rotation. 3. Colabello -- He's back in the lineup today and I think it's the right call. We are facing a lefthander and tomorrow we face King Felix. If you are going to bust out of a slump... You don't want to try against King Felix and he has to play sometime. So... with a lefthander... Today is the day. Cola is 0 for 15 in the past 7 games. 6 for 47 in the past 15 games... His slump is bone rattling. Compared with April... He's Jeckyl and Hyde... Or Solange in Public and Solange in an Elevator. 4. Santana -- He's not in the lineup today and I don't think that's the right call. He sat yesterday... He shouldn't be sitting two days in a row. Don't get me wrong... Escobar should be in the lineup as well because Escobar is absolutely raking. I just think today is the day to put them both in the lineup... Somehow... Someway... 5. Weddings -- I have another Wedding to attend today... That's two in the past two weeks. I'm happy for the couple... But.. if this keeps up... I'm going to stop acquainting myself with single people just to slow this train down.

Geez, c'mon Perk

Ack! It is very dangerous to say such things aloud. You are asking for fate to step in and make it so. Then where would we be?

Game-time forecast: Partly cloudy. Winds blowing out to center field at 5-10 m.p.h. Temperature near 50. Mariners: SP, Young James Jones CF Michael Saunders RF Robinson Cano 2B Corey Hart DH Justin Smoak 1B Kyle Seager 3B Dustin Ackley LF Mike Zunino C Brad Miller SS Twins: SP, Gibson Brian Dozier 2B Joe Mauer 1B Trevor Plouffe 3B Chris Parmelee RF Kurt Suzuki C Jason Kubel LF Josmil Pinto DH Aaron Hicks CF Eduardo Escobar SS ------------------------- And after much pencil chewing and head scratching, Brian will let us know what he's thinking when he figures out what he's thinking! -------------------------------------------------------------------- I was never much of pencil chewer. I was never much of a pencil writer either. My favorite things about pencils was throwing them in the air when the teacher had his or her back turned to the blackboard and getting them stuck into the ceiling. It was great fun but a poorly thought out plan. Since they were always stuck directly over my desk... I could never say it was Kristie who did it. Things to Think About: 1. The Mariners -- A new revamped lineup and some stellar starting pitching coming to town. The Mariners are currently 20-20 and the Twins are 19-20. The Mariners have been my pick to click in the future. I just think they have a lot of things ready to pop. King Felix and Iwakuma make up a pretty effective tandem at the top of the rotation and soon to join them... Taijuan Walker and James Paxton. This Elias is looking pretty good and they have more young arms in the minors getting closer. That rotation can lead to something important while they tinker to find the right hitters. They've got some guys who can gobble up a pitchers mistake right now and they might find some more. Not Yet but Soon... The Mariners will be a force. 2. Robinson Cano -- Seattle shocked everyone by securing the services of Robinson Cano with a 10 year 240 Million Dollar deal. Cano is 31 years old so when his contract is up he will be 82 Years old. The Mariners probably don't figure he will be worth 24 million a year in the final years of his deal when he is in his 60's and 70's but they are thinking that he should be solid for a few years when the young talent finally joins and brings it all together. So what has 240 million gotten them so far... Umm... 1 Home Run. Hit in Texas... so the Mariner Fans still haven't seen him go yard yet at home. Cano's agent is Jay Z and Cano's GM is Jack Z... Beyoncé's Sister has punched them both in the face in elevators. 3. Chris Young -- He has made 6 starts for the Mariners because every starter above him on the depth chart is resting comfortably at Seattle's Virginia Mason Hospital. Despite being older... Chris Young of the Mariners has been much more effective then his twin Brother Chris Young who is playing OF for the Mets. I know what you are wondering... The Answer is yes... They are identical Twins. There are a few difference that makes it easier to tell them apart. For example Chris Young of the Mariners is 6-10 while Chris Young of the Mets is 6-2. When you are pitcher standing 6-10 everybody assumes that you can't pitch in dome stadiums without banging your head and that you are a power pitcher. It's true that he can't pitch in dome stadiums but Chris is not a power pitcher by any stretch of the imagination. He relies on location on a variety of pitches that top out at 40 MPH. 4. Jason Kubel -- I wonder if Kubel saw Anthony Rizzo of the Cubs lay down two bunts for base hits against the shift yesterday. Koobs has been slumping and I'd like to see him try it just to show that he has that club in his bag. Jason has been swinging and missing a bit lately... If he continues to swing and miss against Chris Young. He might be batting with his eyes closed. We may need a slow motion close up from FSN to make that determination. 5. Difficult Tasks -- According to research... When people look at a long to-do list. The Majority of Americans tend to assess and tackle the most difficult task first. I must be in the minority... When doing these Game Thread introductions... I find that thought #5 is the most difficult to come up with. So I tried to switch it up and do thought #5 first and it didn't work... It just made thought #9 even harder.