Game-time forecast:  It's still Houston so it's still hot and humid.

 

TWINS:

SP, Pino

 

Santana CF

Dozier 2B

Mauer 1B

Vargas DH

Plouffe 3B

Suzuki C

Arcia RF

Escobar SS

Schafer LF

 

ASTROS:

SP, McHugh

 

Grossman RF

Altuve 2B

Carter DH

Castro C

Krauss LF

Singleton 1B

Dominguez 3B

Marisnick CF

Gonzalez SS

 

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Brian'll be up when he's up ... stay tuned ...

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Yeah UP when you are UP... Life is that way. 

 

Things to Think About:

 

1. Minute Maid Park -- There was a time when it was called Enron Field. That changed quickly after it was discovered that Enron cooked it's books and all of sudden people were short a little bit of cash that they thought they had. Minute Maid became the new corporate sponsor because Orange Juice has never ripped anyone off. Unless you think you are buying pulp free and you end up with stuff with Pulp. I'd rather brush my teeth and drink Pulp Free then drink OJ with Pulp. I find Minute Maid Park charming... I've never been there but it looks charming with it's quirks and I've always been a fan of stadiums with quirks. The Crawford Boxes... Tal's Hill with a flag pole that is in play. A train full of oranges on train tracks that runs across the LF Wall. I'd feel differently if I found out that the stadium came with Pulp. 

 

2. Josh Willingham -- Late yesterday it was announced that the Twins have dealt Josh Willingham to the Royals for a young pitcher named Jason Adam. Good Luck to Josh... I wish you well. He was one of us... Almost 3 years in a Twins uniform. The Last 2 years were nowhere near as good as the 1st year. That 1st year was pretty damn good but health and consistent plate production became an issue in year 2 and 3. He has always possessed power and I don't think the Twins will be able to replace it in 2014. They will have to figure that out for 2015. The Twins roster is turning over right now and it'll be interesting to see what happens in the off season. 

 

3. Colin McHugh -- I already did a thing on Colin McHugh. He's an 18th round draft pick of the NY Mets in 2008. This guy has come out of nowhere and pitched quite well for the Astros in 2014. How out of nowhere... The Mets traded him to the Rockies and the Rockies DFA'ed him and the Astros said... "Why Not"? and they signed him. That was a good move in hindsight and I kinda wish the Twins would have signed him but who knew. I don't think the Astros expected anything either. He was a warm arm and that arm heated up. His ERA is sitting at 3.18. That's pretty good. 

 

4. Home Run Production -- With the trade of Josh Willingham... My Thoughts go to Home Run Production. Brian Dozier has 20 home runs. 2nd Place... That belongs to Trevor Plouffe and Oswaldo Arcia with 8. When you consider that the opening Twins lineup featured very little speed it becomes quite simple. This team was supposed to hit more homeruns. The Twins are 23rd in the Majors with 88 dingers total. I'm going to beg the Twins to take a different approach for 2015. I'm going to beg the Twins for balance... Speed and Power please. Putting all your eggs in one basket rarely works and it never works when that one basket is almost empty. Please... Please... Please... Front office... Find some power that has power and add a bunch of speed to that. Balance is important or you will topple over.

 

5. Softball -- My 20 year old son's softball team is short handed so he's bringing his soon to be 49 year old Dad with him to play softball tonight. Here's the thing... This is a team full of 20 year old's and a team full of players that I used to coach. A team full of players that heard me constantly telling them to MOVE THEIR FEET. I was unrelenting... It's easy as coach because my job isn't to move my feet... They have to move their feet. Yep... I gave it to them pretty good and now the old man is about to get payed back.    

Good to see Arcia back in there.

I love pulp.

 

 

5. Softball -- My 20 year old son's softball team is short handed so he's bringing his soon to be 49 year old Dad with him to play softball tonight. Here's the thing... This is a team full of 20 year old's and a team full of players that I used to coach. A team full of players that heard me constantly telling them to MOVE THEIR FEET. I was unrelenting... It's easy as coach because my job isn't to move my feet... They have to move their feet. Yep... I gave it to them pretty good and now the old man is about to get payed back.    

I am sure they respect you as one of their elders and not give you any payback.  No doubt he asked you, because he knew the maturity and gravitas you would bring to the game and useful old song and movie information.

 

Hopefully you won't kick dirt on any opposing team logo when you go up to bat.

Byto RB....just Byto.

I love pulp.

Approves:

 

http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/236x/f8/cb/c7/f8cbc76fbe3b533000f2c97ea81ba7d2.jpg

In his most recent start at home, McHugh invested time manicuring the mound for several minutes, at least twice in the first three innings, in fact requiring the grounds crew to come out and add dirt and tamp down on the pitching rubber both times.  Riveting action, let me tell ya.  The opposing pitcher for the Jays, J.A. Happ, didn't seem to be having any such troubles finding his footing that evening, in fact probably had the better game... let's see if the mound is better to Collin's liking tonight, or if Pino maybe happens to fall off of it or drop into an abyss that suddenly opens up beneath him.

How much is Vargas hitting behind Mauer going to help him? It seems earlier this year there was not the threat hitting behind Joe that Kenny can present.

I love pulp.

 

Sounds like Pulp Fiction to me.

Approves:

 

http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/236x/f8/cb/c7/f8cbc76fbe3b533000f2c97ea81ba7d2.jpg

 

Oops. Ya beat me to it.

Sounds like Pulp Fiction to me.

 

 

NOT

And away we go ....

14 game hit streak...

Hey teekz ... How's it?

Eeeee ... that was close

Not bad. Glad to be able to chill and watch the game tonight

He gone

 

It's okay when I say it, just not when hawk does

Not bad. Glad to be able to chill and watch the game tonight

Yup. Stretched out myself. Doing some laundry, waiting for my dinner to be delivered

Yup. Stretched out myself. Doing some laundry, waiting for my dinner to be delivered

 

We quick did a few things after work so we could chill tonight. I got my Tuesdays back since kickball is over

After this week I'm off for 4 ... 10 weeks paid vacation is a beautiful thing

Oops, zukes got fooled on that one

Ha. Clete Thomas was released by the Phillies today.

Oops, zukes got fooled on that one

Yes he did

Dang that barely cleared

Thank you, Oswaldo.

Woohoo! Arcia!

After this week I'm off for 4 ... 10 weeks paid vacation is a beautiful thing

 

That's really nice. I'm sitting on 240+ hours of leave right now.

After this week I'm off for 4 ... 10 weeks paid vacation is a beautiful thing

I want a "job" like that.

Do you keep accumulating, or do you have to take it before you lose it?

Sounds like Pulp Fiction to me.

As long as it doesn't Smell Like Teen Spirit.  Almost out of Fabreez.

 

Nice way to start watching the game, with Arcia in his HR trot between 1st and 2nd.  In the replay it looked like a line drive that almost smoked a fan.