Game Thread: Twins @ Athletics, 8/9 @ 8:05pm CT

August 9, 201412 yr

Game-time forecast: Sunny. Winds blowing out to right field at 10-15 m.p.h. Temperature around 65.

TWINS:

SP, May

Santana CF

Dozier 2B

Plouffe 3B

Vargas DH

Willingham LF

Parmelee 1B

Escobar SS

Fryer C

Schafer RF

ATHLETICS:

SP, Samardzija

Crisp CF

Fuld LF

Donaldson 3B

Moss 1B

Noris C

Reddick RF

Lowrie SS

Vogt DH

Sogard 2B

Okay, Bri ... a momentous day indeed! Have at it!

----------------------------------

I can tell that you are excited about something... I can't put my finger on it... but you are certainly glowing at the moment in anticipation of something.

Things to Think About:

1. May Day -- May Day is May 1st every year. I remember in my youth leaving baskets of Candy on doorsteps of girlfriends... ringing the doorbell and running. They would be waiting by the door and they would try to catch me. If she caught you... She would kiss you. When they left baskets for me... I would be waiting by the door as well. I'd be looking out the window and see them coming... I would catch them by the time they got out of my yard. It's how I learned to tackle women before kissing them. Something that I had to correct when I got older after I broke a girl's collarbone at a drive in movie theater. And it was July.

2. Trevor May -- Alright TD Members... Many of you have been waiting and begging for this moment and as Rod Stewart once sang... Tonight's the Night... It's gonna be alright. Trevor is 24 years old from Kelso Washington. Kelso is a town of 11,000 and the county seat of Cowlitz County. If you walk through the streets of Cowlitz County... There is Cow Litz everywhere. It gets on your shoes and leaves a funny smell that follows you around all day. The Grass is well fertilized because of all the Cowlitz. Combo that with the rain and it's a green grass like you've never seen in your life. Trevor was drafted in the 4th round by the Phillies in 2008. Trevor had the ability to strike people out in the minors while having struggles with his control. His K ability was why he was identified as the top pitching prospect in the Phillies system in 2011 and a top 100 prospect in MLB. By all accounts he can throw but the Twins were waiting for improved command. His 2014 in Rochester has been very good. 2.93 ERA thus far with only 37 walks in 95.1 innings. Tack on the 91 strikeouts and you got a guy who seems to be ready to take the next step. I love debuts... and tonight is his debut. I'm looking forward to it.

3. Jeff Samardzija -- Billy Beane gave up Top Ten SS prospect Addison Russell to acquire this guy. He has been a good pitcher on a crappy team since 2011 playing for the Cubs. Now with the A's... He has his first legitimate chance at a title and I think he must be pretty jazzed about it. The A's have control of him for another year since he won't be a free agent until 2016. Jeff was born in Merrilville Indiana which is technically a Chicago Suburb. His Dad was a semi pro Hockey Player so he came from an athletic family and Jeff was about as athletic as it gets. He played both Football and Baseball for Notre Dame. As a WR... He was one of 3 finalists for the Fred Biletnikoff award as the nations top WR. Jeff originally intended to play both Football and Baseball professionally but decided to pull his name out of the NFL Draft after signing with the Cubs. It took a 16.5 million 5 year deal from the cubs with a no trade clause to get him to drop the football dream. He's got a good fastball with wicked splitter that hitters choke on. The Twins are getting the full effect of this built to win A's pitching staff. Lester, Kazmir and Samardzija. Thank GOD!!! We don't face Sonny Gray tomorrow.

4. Chris Colabello -- I think we knew this was coming... but someone had to be sent down to make room for Trevor May and another move will have to made for Joe Mauer's return. The Roster is fluid and Colabello must go down. Chris is a great story and I pull for him. I want him to succeed but he isn't going to get enough playing time to see if he can revive what he was doing in April. Maybe we will see him again but Chris is learning that sticking to a MLB roster is very hard unless you are one of the elite. After his incredible April... The month of May did him in and now May has bumped him down in August.

5. Escaping a phone call -- A friend of mine called me this morning. Just wanted to talk and he went on and on. I really had nothing to do at the time and the conversation was fine for the first 10 to 15 minutes... we laughed about some things but it kept going and going and going and got to the point where I wasn't even listening anymore. I couldn't pay attention anymore because all I could do was try to think of a reason... Any reason... A reason to stop and go back to doing nothing. I've been incredibly busy at work and I was enjoying my do nothing moment. I must have said... "Anyway" about 5 times to segue into a goodbye with no success because he would just move on to something else every time I said "Anyway".

So here's what I did... He paused for a second and I asked him "What time is it"? He replied "It's 10:30". I then shouted into the phone "10:30"!!! and then I immediately hung up and went back to doing nothing.

Riverbrian, Circus Boy, Willihammer and 1 other
4

August 9, 201412 yr

Love the scene-setters RB. Keep it up!

Riverbrian
1

August 9, 201412 yr

And the 'Asian Women Seeking Love' ad is somehow strangely appropriate.

Riverbrian
1

August 9, 201412 yr

Here's hoping Trevor May's major league debut isn't litzy.

Richie the Rally Goat and Riverbrian
2

August 10, 201412 yr

And the 'Asian Women Seeking Love' ad is somehow strangely appropriate.

Whew...I thought I was the only one getting that ad.

Riverbrian and glunn
2

August 10, 201412 yr

Whew...I thought I was the only one getting that ad.

Me Spam You Long Time.

^{_{/ “It’s so many different kinds of slurs in one. It’s instantly putting you in the position of being a foreigner, an outsider and a sexual stereotype. It’s an all-in-one combo.” - Margaret Cho}}