Archived Game Threads

As most of you have already heard, today's baseball action at Target Field has been postponed due to snow. Yes, its April 14th and it seriously looks like I'll have at least 12" of new snow in my back yard. I apologize and ask for your forgiveness in advance for my melancholic, SNOW postponed Game Thread introduction. For those of you wisely living outside of Minnesota in better climates, let me list for you the general emotions and behaviors people have been exhibiting the last couple of weeks around here: Anger - At the weatherman and Mother Nature.Despair - Any hope of Spring coming is dead.Anguish - Part of the sad family. Really just means pain.Depression - The…

The Twins are supposed to continue their four game series tonight with the White Sox, but the chances of that do not look good. I was planning on having a nice, well written out game thread because I was hoping a game would be played, but the chances of that look very slim, so instead I am going to leave you with a nice collection of Simpson GIFs, because who doesn't like Simpson's GIFs. Byron Buxton Eduardo Escobar Max Kepler White Sox Pitchers And of course, Mr. Minnesota, Joe Mauer Go Twins!

Today’s game thread will feature one of my favorite aspects of baseball- the ‘game within the game.’ No, I’m not talking about the duels between pitcher and batter that drive the game. Nor am I talking about the proverbial chess match as managers attempt to match wits a la Bobby Fisher vs Boris Spassky circa Reykjavik, 1972. Stop at the gas station, grab your favorite carton of smokes, and head to your local VFW. It’s time to play a very special edition of Dick and Bert Bingo, aka DABGO. Dick Bremer has been the voice of Twins baseball on television since 1983. Whether games were broadcast on Spectrum Sports, TwinsVision, Midwest Sports Channel (MSC!), the ill-fa…

WHAT'S IN A NAME? I asked for a chance to do a game thread for Houston. Actually I begged for a chance to do a thread for the Houston Astros. On second thought, “begged” might be too strong a word. “Whined until the Powers-That-Be-Surrendered” is probably more accurate. Which might also define a certain request, oft repeated, that I’ve made of my dear wife over the past thirty odd years. Anyway, my reason for wanting to thread the Houston needle (had to try and sneak that past you) was because despite the yuge amount of knowledge I’ve acquired over the years since my son graduated from high school, I’ve never been able to figure out just what an “Astro” is. So I th…

Welcome back to another exciting Twins Daily Game Thread! I have been eagerly anticipating my first game thread introduction of 2018 since last fall. I even had planned out an idea for my first game thread intro since February but because of the unusual circumstances surrounding today's game, I called an audible and decided to save my idea for another day. Todays game is guaranteed to set at least one record. By game time this will be the coldest Twins Game ever played at Target Field. The previous record was recorded April 17, 2014. At game time the temperature back in 2014 was 31 degrees. At game time today we should see a balmy 25 degrees for the first pitch.…

In Search of a Yardarm Every St. Patrick’s Day my wife of 32 years (give or take a year or two, I lost track - but don’t tell my wife) and I sit down with a bowl of popcorn to watch John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara in “The Quiet Man”. If you’ve never seen it, give it a whirl. It was filmed in Ireland and has the distinction of being known as the only movie in which John Wayne played somebody other than himself. Anyway, watching the Quiet Man is one of my family’s traditions. My mother, God bless her soul, was Irish. Well, not Irish-Irish, but 2nd generation American Irish. That makes me half German, half-Irish. And some might say half-a$$ed. Actually being German-…

Apparently it is mostly cloudy and low 60s anticipated temperature. Line ups are: Minnesota P Jose Berrios ( R) 1. Brian Dozier ( R) 2B 2. Joe Mauer (L) DH 3. Miguel Sano ( R) 3B 4. Eddie Rosario (L) LF 5. Logan Morrison (L) 1B 6. Eduardo Escobar (S) SS 7. Byron Buxton (R ) CF 8. Max Kepler (L) RF 9. Mitch Garver (R ) C Baltimore P Kevin Gausman (R ) 1. Chris Davis (L) 1B 2. Manny Machado (R ) SS 3. Jonathan Schoop (R ) 2B 4. Adam Jones (R ) CF 5. Trey Mancini ( R) LF 6. Colby Rasmus (L) RF 7. Tim Beckham ( R) 3B 8. Pedro Alvarez (L) DH 9. Chance Sisco (L) C Today Easter falls on April Fool's day. I wonder how often that happens, and while i am curious, th…

Lineups Twins 2B Brian Dozier 1B Joe Mauer 3B Miguel Sano LF Eddie Rosario DH Logan Morrison SS Ehire Adrianza RF Max Kepler CF Byron Buxton C Jason Castro SP Kyle Gibson Orioles 1B Chris Davis SS Manny Machado 2B Jonathan Schoop CF Adam Jones LF Trey Mancini RF Colby Rasmus 3B Tim Beckham DH Anthony Santander C Caleb Joseph SP Andrew Cashner Twins v Orioles Game Two - This Time It's Personal It's a funny thing about Opening Day. Win the opener and you feel like your team's invincible and can do no wrong. If you lose, things seem gloomy right away. Your team has to get that first win out of the way for everyone to feel better. And even then, if it doesn…

It’s televised today ... at least on the local stations. Someone can fill in the lineups.

Okay, at the game today, too. No one commented how I got the date wrong in yesterday’s thread. Is this one televised? I thought I read that Dick n Bert were getting it warmed up for the season, but may that’s for Sunday’s game. Better lineup for the Twins today but I’m not sure I recognize many names on the Astro’s lineup card. Looking forward to Lance Lynn pitching. Here you go:

I’m here in The Fort, at the game. Since this is on ESPN2 today, thought I’d start a thread. Although you cable cutters likely don’t get ESPN2. And tbh, I really don’t pay any mind to ESPN anything anymore. But, a televised game is a televised game. Any watchers?

The game is on MLB Network and MLB.tv. We get to watch Odorizzi pitch today!

And we’re off!

Baseball is back! Boston and the Twins will go at it on this fine day. What, it's Twenty below where you're at? And? Yes, there are those who think the groundhog signifies the end of winter and that Spring is just around the corner. But those of us who live in the real world know the only true sign that counts is: Pitchers and Catcher report to camp! With that, here are the lineups. No idea if they are accurate, as they're from MLB.com. Well, probably accurate for about, oh, two innings. Boston: 1. Mookie Betts RF 2. Xander Bogaerts SS 3. Hanley Ramirez 1B 4. Christian Vazquez C 5. Blake (now there's a fine name!) Swihart DH 6. Jeremy Barfield LF 7. Rus…

All right! For the first time since 2010, the last game of the season is not the last game of the year. Here we are, it’s October 1, and we are hoping to get a baseball game in today at Target Field. One or more rain delays would not be surprising but we only need 4.5 innings for an official game if all goes well. I suspect a complete game will be played. A note about the unusual start time: on the last day of the season all games start at the same time. This is done for two reasons. One, to minimize the chances that the outcome of one game would affect the play of another game in the event of postseason matchups not being set. Two, to minimize any disadvantage in trave…

Welcome, threaders, to the last game thread in September and the penultimate game thread of the regular season. It’s fun to put that adjective in front of season, because this isn’t the penultimate thread of the whole season. Yes, there will be more game thread fun starting Tuesday. Brian will be our ‘go to’ starting pitcher on Tuesday. He’ll have the right amount of rest and I'm sure he will send us to the ALDS. As I look back on this season, I can’t point to any one thing that made it what it is for me. There were so many moments by different players and that’s what makes it not just a team, but a fun team to watch as a whole. There is a thread in the forums discussin…

The Twins are in. I need say no more on the matter. Nice to write a game thread intro when the pressure is off... 11:11am... Vertical time. Trying to remember who introduced me to the concept back in High School. We'd celebrate by essentially signaling a touchdown until the minute was over, according to the digital clock in view. Anyway... things to ponder if you don't have anything better to do. Did someone tell Bill Gates he made a better door than a window? If Steve Jobs was in Vermont, did anyone ask him how he liked the maples? What kind of Beans are in the hill from Casablanca? I vote for Lima. Has anyone actually used a recipe for disaster? I k…

Hello Twins Fans! Today’s game is being brought to you by the number 5. Entering today, the Twins have a 5 game lead over the Angels for the 5th seed in the American League with 5 games to play. As we all know, they can wrap up a playoff seed tonight. This is also the 5th week that #5, Eduardo Escobar, has taken over the #5 position on the diamond (3B) after Miguel Sano went on the DL with a stress reaction Aug 21. In the time-honored tradition of RiverBrian’s revered format, here are 5 Things To Think About: 1. The Last 5 games of the final 55. Exactly 50 games ago, as some of you may recall, I posted “My Wish List for the Last 55 Games,” http://twinsdaily.com/…

ANNND Welcome back! To Minnesota Twins Whine Line: Cocktail Lounge Edition! I am your waiter for the afternoon, Van Benoit. The Twins are ROLLING! 4.5 games up on the Angels, Rangers, Royals, and anyone that matters for the 2nd WC. We're feeling good at the lounge, and you should too! Before we dive into an abbreviated version of randomness and debauchery, let's talk weather and lineups. Sir/ma'am, may I take your jacket and get you a drink while you wait? It's back to being a heat wave in Detroit today! Sunny and 81 degrees at first pitch. REAL FEEL of 94 degrees. Getting warmer as they go along. Winds out of the SE at 4 MPH. Minnesota Twins (81-74) 1. Brian Dozier…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MXf8QS0ELA ANNND Welcome! To Minnesota Twins Whine Line: Re-write edition! I am your host for the next 2 days, Vanimal. How NEAT was that game yesterday?! The Twins square off against the Tigers today, and who knows, maybe this game will be good too! Before we dive into the randomness and debauchery, let's talk weather and lineups. It's a heat wave there today! Good thing they play later on... Mostly sunny and 86 degrees at first pitch. REAL FEEL of 90 degrees. Winds from the ESE at 6 MPH. Minnesota Twins (80-74) 1. Brian Dozier ( R) 2B 2. Joe Mauer (L) 1B 3. Jorge Polanco (S) SS 4. Eddie Rosario (L) LF 5. Eduardo Escobar (S) 3B 6.…

Last Monday a conductor wore a T shirt with what i presume was a profile of Leopold Stokowski, holding baton up towards his chest such that the tip had behind it what presume were meant to be fancy collars or ruffles. This might be an apt insight on how i think, but as it was an old cheap shirt, i couldn't help but think he had a flaming marshmallow on the end of his baton. Needless to say i had a fun rehearsal and hope a few lighthearted camp ditties will help ease the tensions associated with following a wild card race in this here game thread... 1. He'll be swinging at the first pitch when it comes! (try yer own verses!) 2. My eyes have seen the folly of a batter…

GOOD MORNING, TWINS FANS!!* What a great day for meaningful September baseball!! I know it doesn't look good for the Twins in Gotham this week. We just lost two tough games, with Santana and Berrios starting, and we failed to beat Garcia and Sabathia. Now, Twins nation turns our lonely eyes to Big Sexy. And now, the Yankees look to pour salt on our wounds by moving up Severino to start today. Severino has not only been the Yankees' best pitcher this year, he's been particularly dominant lately. And if we manage to make a wild card game, we'll likely have to face him again. But that's good news, right? We get a preview of Severino? We should always look on the bright si…

Minnesota Twins (78-72) at New York Yankees (83-67) -- Yankee Stadium Season Series -- Tied at 2 Last time out -- Yankees 2, Twins 1 -- Pitching was the name of the game as Jaime Garcia had the Twins flailing early on (9 of first 12 outs were K's) and Ervin Santana escaped more jams than Houdini until the Yanks scratched a run across in the 6th to take a 2-1 lead. From there, the Yankees bullpen took over and Aroldis Chapman saved the oft-booed Dellin Betances by stranding the bases loaded in the 8th and torching the Twins with that 104 MPH fastball in the 9th. The win allowed the Yankees to pull 5 ahead of the Twins for the WC1 position but they got no help in the …

Today it’s the Blue Jays again, as the Twins try to scramble their way over the finish line ahead of the Angels and the rest of the chasing mob. And the Angels are now breathing down their necks. (Do angels breathe? They sing, so they must breathe, right?) With a tough road trip ahead and on the heels of two total duds against the Jays, this looks like a pretty important game; it’s probably a really bad time for a game-thread author whose record so far is 0-2… The all-knowing Internet tells me that there are ten species of jays in North America. Toronto had a nice choice of colors: they could have chosen to be the Gray Jays, Brown Jays, or Green Jays. The Gray Jay is al…

The line ups seem slow to come out today. That is okay, because i seem uninspired, so i need the extra time. My best idea so far is an abject apology to Chief and Chitown for letting them down. And i bet i could pull it off too, but not without sufficient inspiration. No point in bunting without a runner to advance... Why are line ups so important? It's not like you are setting up a complex rube-goldberg machine, are you? If one batter doesn't work out, the next one just comes to the plate... Well, up until each multiple of 3 that don't work. Are there other sports that are so complex with initial conditions? Well, the line ups are out. But how do you all cope…

Clear and 83F 9. Darwin Barney ( R) 2B 8. Ryan Goins (L) SS 7. Russell Martin ( R) C 6. Kevin Pillar ( R) CF 5. Kendrys Morales (S) DH 4. Jose Bautista (R ) RF 3. Justin Smoak (S) 1B 2. Josh Donaldson ( R) 3B 1. Teoscar Hernandez ( R) LF Hope the Jays are happy with Happ (L) pitching. That's the Blue Jays. 9. Max Kepler (L) RF 8. Chris Gimenez ( R) C 7. Mitch Garver ( R) DH 6. Eddie Rosario (L) LF 5. Byron Buxton (R ) CF 4. Eduardo Escobar (S) 3B 3. Jorge Polanco (S) SS 2. Joe Mauer (L) 1B 1. Brian Dozier ( R) 2B And we call on Colon ( R) to toe the rubber. That's our Twins. Things we thought about: 5. Oppo Day. You might notice something different here.…

Whoa Nelly. First game day thread ever. Here goes nothing for the finale of a weird 2 game series. 1) San Diego-Our visiting team today is also home to the avocado capital of the USA. Which makes sense because guacamole is delicious. The avocado is also the state fruit of California. Which doesn’t make sense because I always thought that it was a vegetable and not a fruit. But in a world where the tomato and cucumbers are considered fruit, who knows. I think they’re just making things up now. 2) The Padres. In a rebuild now and now also the only show in town outside of SeaWorld and the San Diego Zoo now that the Chargers have bolted for Carson…

Math yesterday... Comedy tonight! Wait, no... Reading and writing. In short, ABCs. 1. Clich A. We got to bear down, tow (toe?) the line, in short, battle our tails off. You can tell that is what we have been doing due to our lack of tails. And that makes a good tale. What are your favorite clich a? 2. B'n balls. Won't be covered here as it pertains to rules unwritten. 3. C the ball, hit the ball. It is basics like these that make the difference in the end. 4. D fence... Oh right. Wrong sport. But good fielding is not to be under estimated. Is it once again something our Twins can be proud of? But them Royals ain't no slouche neither. 5. With the greatest …

Warning: There’s math. I decided to put my 1.000 winning percentage on the line by signing up for today’s Game Thread. Okay, I’m only 1-0, but still, 1.000 is 1.000. We were 1-0 on April 3, and look where that's gotten us. It's a lot better than last year's 0-1. And when I signed up for the 9/9/17 game, I realized that that’s a square number followed by another square number, followed by a prime number. I’m kind of a nerd, so it made me wonder how often that pattern happens. Turns out, it’s not as rare as I thought it might be, given that there are three months that are squares (1, 4, 9), five days of the month that are squares (those, plus 16 and 25), and 25 years i…

"Hit 'em where they ain't" aka. Potpourri intro... 1. Waiting is not the hardest part. Leastwise as mentioned in the song. I think the tip of the needle that plays the record to broadcast the song which excites one to dance... or at least listen, then scratch your head and mumble something about the needle probably having a diamond in it, which wins hands down most hardness contests... Principly scratching without being scratched. 2. AKA is a TLA, aka a three letter acronym, standing for Also Known As. 3. Safety Last. A fine silent movie starring Harold Lloyd and a building. Perhaps referencing the general importance of safety as a general consideration, usually…