Game Thread: Twins @ Tigers, 5/9 @ 6:08 pm CT

[Squirrel]

Game-time forecast: Mostly cloudy with a 60-percent chance of rain. Winds blowing in from right field at 10-15 m.p.h. Temperature around 65.

 

Twins:

SP, Hughes

 

Dozier 2B

Suzuki C

Plouffe 3B

Colabello 1B

Kubel LF

Nuñez DH

Parmalee RF (Ok, ok, it's Parmelee ... I was going to leave it and watch the response)

Hicks CF

Santana SS

 

Tigers:

SP, Verlander

 

Kinsler 2B

Hunter RF

Cabrera 1B

Martinez DH

Jackson CF

Castellanos 3B

Avila C

Romine SS

Davis LF

 

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Up next ... Riverbrian ... take it away ...

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OK... But I'm only going to take it this far.

 

Things to think about:

 

1. Runaway Tigers -- The Tigers are on a roll. 8-2 in their last 10 as they've opened up a 5 game lead in AL Central. The Tigers are winning at a .667 clip which is the best in all of baseball. The Tigers are starting to runaway with it. When Tigers runaway from the Zoo... Somebody needs to bring a tranquilizer gun. If Someone did bring one... Somebody shoot Miggy.

 

2. Days of the New -- I've finally found a reason... I don't need an excuse... Rosters don't turn over that quickly but the turnover from last year to this year is quite noticeable. A new manager in Ausmus... Fielder traded for Kinsler... Fister traded for a rookie named Ray and bullpen guy named Krol. Nathan added to the closer role and Smyly moved from the pen to the rotation and a rookie 3B. Add it all up... On paper... They should be doing worse but they are doing better... Go Figure... those games just ain't played on paper.

 

3. The Rubber band Theory -- That thing is certainly going to be tested this weekend. After dropping 3 in a row to the Indians... The Rubber band has stretched to 3 below and now they face the surging Tigers on the road with Verlander and Scherzer looming on the mound. Here's the deal... The rubberband could stretch to 5 games and snap back with a killer winning streak... or... The injuries... light bench and cooled down hitters have snapped that thing and the corner has turned on the season and turned for the bad. Once the Rubber band is snapped... The Theory is gone and it's everybody for himself. I'm hoping the rubber band still has some use.

 

4. Twins Roster -- I can't keep up... Who is on the 25 man today??? I don't know... I'll need Bremer to tell me. Hopefully he speaks slowly and clearly.

 

5. NFL Draft -- The Vikings got tricky once again... Trading down and getting the guy they say they wanted anyway and then trading up to get the guy they say they wanted anyway... I hope Barr works out... he sure seems like an athlete... At QB... Teddy Bridgewater at one time was considered to be the #1 choice overall... Then he started to slip and then he tested poor at the combines and he plummeted. Well he's our new franchise QB now... He's the guy... I sure hope it works... I'm not worried about how he tested at the "Combines". Or how he tested at the "Tractors"... Farming ability should have nothing to do with playing football.

[ashbury]

Lineup tba, because, you know, a team's required to list someone for each of the 9 positions in the field.

 

/ edited "8" to "9" for clarity and to keep others from having to add verbiage as a courtesy to me.

[snepp]

Lineup tba, because, you know, a team's required to list someone for each of the 8 positions in the field.

 

Which requires, you know, 8 non-pitchers to do so.

[JB_Iowa]

Lineup tba, because, you know, a team's required to list someone for each of the 9 positions in the field.

 

Well, it does make a change from last year when they had a hard time listing someone for that 9th position (or 1st position if you prefer).

[diehardtwinsfan]

Which requires, you know, 8 non-pitchers to do so.

 

I don't know.. I think I'd prefer a few pitchers to Florimon or Herrmann.

[Danchat]

I wonder if Hicks or Parmelee will be in the lineup. We should also have our pitchers do some batting practice, y'know, just in case...

[Hawkeye12]

Brian Dozier 2B

Kurt Suzuki C

Trevor Plouffe 3B

Chris Colabello 1B

Jason Kubel LF

Eduardo Nunez DH

Chris Parmelee RF

Aaron Hicks CF

Daniel Santana SS

(Phil Hughes P)

 

Should be a great day of Grapefruit League baseball with that group! Actually I like moving Suzuki back to the two spot until Mauer gets back.

[Twins Twerp]

Should be a great day of Grapefruit League baseball with that group! Actually I like moving Suzuki back to the two spot until Mauer gets back.

Bilateral back weakness is very unpredictable

[Squirrel]

Brian Dozier 2B

Kurt Suzuki C

Trevor Plouffe 3B

Chris Colabello 1B

Jason Kubel LF

Eduardo Nunez DH

Chris Parmelee RF

Aaron Hicks CF

Daniel Santana SS

(Phil Hughes P)

 

Should be a great day of Grapefruit League baseball with that group! Actually I like moving Suzuki back to the two spot until Mauer gets back.

 

Geeeez ... you couldn't wait 8 minutes for me to get to it? (Thanks for the assist!)

[Craig Arko]

As lineups go, I've seen worse.

 

Sounds like rain in Motown. I wonder if Verlander will throw another fit.

[Tibs]

I'm excited to watch this lineup tonight. And no, that isn't sarcasm.

[Mike Sixel]

How many days will Mauer be unavailable before they DL him? Not sure anyone is in AAA or AA to take his place (other than another RP), but still.....

[Mike Sixel]

Sure would like Pinto in that lineup, then nearly half of it would be guys you want on the roster after this year as regular position players.....but at least Santana is playing while he is up here, progress.

[Danchat]

I think we finally have a bench and an actual outfield full of outfielders. Nice.

Let's hope we can get these bats going against Verlander.

[Squirrel]

As lineups go, I've seen worse.

 

 

Yup, like Wednesday's and Thursday's.

[Craig Arko]

Yup, like Wednesday's and Thursday's.

 

Just wait for the 'Escobar plays all nine positions in a game' bobblehead promotion.

[Squirrel]

Just wait for the 'Escobar plays all nine positions in a game' bobblehead promotion.

 

That would actually be fun to see ... one player play all positions in a game.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Yup, like Wednesday's and Thursday's.

 

Pssst.. Lets all agree that the past few days never happened

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

That would actually be fun to see ... one player play all positions in a game.

 

I always wanted to see Cuddy do that..

[Craig Arko]

That would actually be fun to see ... one player play all positions in a game.

 

Cesar Tovar.

 

Had to look, but 1968.

[Squirrel]

Just wait for the 'Escobar plays all nine positions in a game' bobblehead promotion.

 

That would actually be fun to see ... one player play all positions in a game.

[Mr. Brooks]

Sure would like Pinto in that lineup, then nearly half of it would be guys you want on the roster after this year as regular position players.....but at least Santana is playing while he is up here, progress.

 

Pinto can't DH, we no longer have a 3rd catcher.

[Squirrel]

Cesar Tovar.

 

Had to look, but 1968.

 

I know. I didn't see it, but I vaguely remember it being discussed around home.

[Hawkeye12]

Always wanted Denny Hocking to play all 9 positions in one game back in 1999 or 2000.

[D. Hocking]

Always wanted Denny Hocking to play all 9 positions in one game back in 1999 or 2000.

 

It could still happen. Gardy and I have been talking. You can't have too many scrappy veterans on the team to help with clubhouse chemistry. I think this movement or bringing back wiley veterans who know how to play the game the right way might be very beneficial to restarting my career. If it works out, one of the few negatives is that I probably won't have as much time to read this board.

[notoriousgod71]

Have we DL'd Mauer yet?

[Mr. Brooks]

Have we DL'd Mauer yet?

 

No, according to LEN III, the latest plan is to see how he fells after Monday's off day.

LOL, you could hardly make it up.

[Craig Arko]

Have we DL'd Mauer yet?

 

The absence of 'I told you so' threads on the subject seems to indicate not.

[S.]

The whole grounds crew at Comerica appears to be rocking Zubaz.

[Gibby]

Let me guess the scenario. We fall assbackwards into a couple runs. Immediately give up 4 or more. Do nothing until the last minute only to fall short by a run.