Mercy! The Twins haven't been playing too well....

 

Weather: Sunny, with a high near 77. Breezy, with a south wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.

Lineups:

 

The Bad Guys:
Adam Cory Eaton, CF
Melky Astacio Cabrera, LF
José Dariel Abreu Correa, 1b
Todd Brian Frazier, 3b
Brett Russell Lawrie, 2b
Dioner Favian Navarro Vivas, C
Avisail Antonio García Yaguarin, DH
Jack Burdett Shuck III, RF
Tyler Artolo Saladino, SS

 

Pitcher: Mathew Adam Latos, (1-0, 0.00 ERA)

 

The Good Guys:

TBA

 

Pitcher: Johan Ramon Santana, (0-0, 2.25 ERA)

 

Our minds must focus on baseball today, so your five things to think about will be solely focused on baseball.

 

#1 - Mat Latos - Mat Latos looked pretty good when he came up with the Padres in 2010, but after a sophomore slump he was sent to the Reds for Yasmani Grandal, Edinson Volquez, Brad Boxberger, and Yonder Alonso. He was back to good things in 2012 and put up a repeat performance in 2013, yet was injured for most of 2014. During the 2014 Winter Meetings he was traded to the Marlins in exchange for the young starter Anthony DeSclafani and a minor leaguer, but he pitched horribly in Miami, was traded to the Dodgers in a three way deal between the Marlins, Dodgers, and Braves. Latos pitched horribly for the Dodgers and was released before signing with the Angels. Looking back on all of those trades you realize that some teams could be a lot better if they had hung onto the players they received, or hadn't made the trades at all.

 

#2- Byung-ho Park - Park is from South Korea, where the pitchers throw really slow and Park hit really well. Mat Latos averages 89 on the fastball, 86 on the changeup, and 85 with the slider. This seems like a real good matchup for Park, but the size of Latos will be different than what he saw in the KBO. Park runs well and is a good defender, which is something we haven't seen much of, and has also had mixed results at the plate. Who wants to see Park drive today?

 

#3 - Trevor Plouffe - Plouffe should have a breakout soon, as he is not swinging at pitches out of the zone, is swinging at pitches in the zone, and is hitting the ball as hard as Eduardo Escobar, but has been a victim of poor luck and playing on the Twins. Trevor is one of the best defensive third basemen in the Majors, and should be a dark horse for the AL Gold Glove.

 

#4 - John Ryan Murphy - Murphy is the best defensive catcher on the Twins. Murphy is the best offensive catcher on the Twins. Murphy should be the everyday catcher for the Twins.

 

#5 - Hawk Harrelson - Harrelson was an OK ballplayer, a horrible GM, and one of the best/funniest announcers there is. I love listening to Hawk, but that is because I'm still in my hospital bed.  Hopefully we will put some on the board and outscore them, 'cause that's all it takes to win an ole ballgame.

 

http://cdn-s3.si.com/s3fs-public/styles/si_article_main/public/stats/photos/2015/mlb/MLB_201506172029737966595-P5.JPEG?itok=qsvU6js4

Good Guys' Lineup to follow:

 

Great write up, sir. Nicely done.

 

let's hope we have positive things to discuss, like the Twins winning and Vanimal getting a date.

 

Great write up, sir. Nicely done.

 

let's hope we have positive things to discuss, like the Twins winning and Vanimal getting a date.

I first read that as, "The Twins whining and Vanimal getting a date."

I especially like the inclusion of middle names, for some reason. 

BTW, you should visit the Nisqually wildlife refuge some day. There were dozens of bird varieties. 

I refuse to believe there is any direct connection to what is typed on this message board and the outcome of the game for the hometown 9.

 

Did we win yet?

77 with a south wind like that should bring some warmer weather here to the north shore! Got snow to melt before we can golf.

Dozier

Rosario

Mauer- DH

Plouffe

Sano 

Escobar

Park 

Murphy 

Buxton

 

Rosario back to the 2 spot...

Rosario hitting second.....sigh. They are stuck in the past.

Wrong Eddie in the 2 spot me thinks.

I no longer understand anything that is happening in the world.

It is easy to understand, Brock. Just go back in time to a simpler baseball world......

 

I no longer understand anything that is happening in the world.

http://suzuki.dailyweb.org/ZMBM.asp?vDom=

 

Enjoy the game, everyone.

We should do prop "bets".

 

Over under on sacrifice bunts today?

Number of comments on Rosario hitting second?

Odds they pinch hit for their catcher TODAY, unlike yesterday?

 

Hawk's best home run call ever was when Thome hit the walk-off in 2010 and he went silent for 68 seconds.

 

It is easy to understand, Brock. Just go back in time to a simpler baseball world......

 

 

Speaking of going back in time....

 

Pitcher: Johan Ramon Santana, (0-0, 2.25 ERA)

 

 

 

Dozier

Rosario

Mauer- DH

Plouffe

Sano 

Escobar

Park 

Murphy 

Buxton

 

Rosario back to the 2 spot...

I'm amazed Mauer is even in the lineup...day game after a night game and all....

 

 

We should do prop "bets".

 

Over under on sacrifice bunts today?

Number of comments on Rosario hitting second?

Odds they pinch hit for their catcher TODAY, unlike yesterday?

 

Allow me to bump this one up to four.

 

WHAT IS MOLITOR THINKING?!?!?!

So apparently the Twins just signed David Murphy to a minor league deal. Going to Rochester.

I was excited about this season.

 

I'm no longer excited about the season, instead, my interest is more on the morbid side.

 

 

I'm going with a 99% chance Mauer wears sunglasses today. 

 

Speaking of going back in time....

Ervin was born Johan, and apparently used the name into his pro career (but ditched it before reaching the majors):

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ervin_Santana

 

 

I'm amazed Mauer is even in the lineup...day game after a night game and all....

Can't afford to go hitless. Granted, it's a teacup of water poured on a drowning man, but the insult remains.

 

I'm amazed Mauer is even in the lineup...day game after a night game and all....

That was the old Mauer when he was a catcher.

 

He played 158 games last year.  You can't do that without playing in day games after night games. 

 

So apparently the Twins just signed David Murphy to a minor league deal. Going to Rochester.

 

Signing 34 year old OFers......is NOT how a rebuilding team acts. Not a fan. 

 

It is certainly not a ringing endorsement of their MLB OFers, or their AAA OFers......

 

That was the old Mauer when he was a catcher.

 

He played 158 games last year.  You can't do that without playing in day games after night games. 

 

Just using sarcasm as my coping mechanism....

 

Hawk's best home run call ever was when Thome hit the walk-off in 2010 and he went silent for 68 seconds.

I think Bruce Springsteen wrote a song about those Glory Days.

 

Just using sarcasm as my coping mechanism....

You forgot to use the sarcasm font.  How is a guy supposed to know without that?

 

You forgot to use the sarcasm font.  How is a guy supposed to know without that?

Sometimes I just resort to this....