Article: Game Thread: Twins@Rangers 4/24/17 7:05PM

[Riverbrian]

Our Twins travel to Texas for a brand new series and this is good because the old series stunk. Yesterday was a horrible performance and I couldn’t help but think of a great performer because of it.

Back in February of 1984, Bruce Springsteen thought his new album “Born in the USA” was done and ready for final production. After all, the band started recording material back in January of 1982 and after 13 months of on and off sessions, they finished 86 possible songs for this new album and some of those songs were pretty good. It was easy to assume that the album was ready but Manager Jon Landau didn’t think so. Bruce’s last release “Nebraska” was a great album but it was dark and acoustic and it didn’t produce any hits. Mr. Landau wanted hits with this new album and he told Bruce that he didn’t hear a sure fire hit in any of the 86 recorded tracks and he told Bruce to go home and come back tomorrow with a sure fire hit and this pissed Bruce off.

Bruce is a prolific songwriter but you need inspiration and he was being forced to write a hit song on the spot without it. The only thing in his head was how he felt about the impossibility of the absurd task he was assigned and that was… “You can’t start a fire… you can’t start a fire without a spark” and the rest is history. Dancing in the Dark was the last song written and recorded for the album and it was the first release and it became his biggest hit when it spent 4 weeks at #2. Biggest hit performed by Bruce because Manfred Mann’s cover of Blinded by the Light was technically Bruce’s only #1 hit since he wrote it.

Why am I thinking about this? Because Bruce was convinced that you couldn’t write a song without inspiration and he was angry that he was forced to write a song without inspiration. Without realizing it… he had used that anger as the missing inspiration.

OK… You get it… So why am I thinking about this? Because the Twins lack emotion in my opinion and they have lacked emotion for a long time now. On Saturday, Sano was handed some inspiration, he got a little angry and the team couldn’t recognize that spark and followed that up with one of the worst performances of the year on Sunday.

This has inspired me to think out loud, “Is Baseball just too boring for you guys”. I hope Falvey and Levine noticed this and are prepared to cull the uninspired out eventually. This has been going on for too long. We need them to exhibit actual physical and emotional engagement to their jobs.


There is darkness on the edge of this town!!!


LOLLIGAGGERS!!!


Here are some things to think about:

 

1. Dallas – I was in Dallas for a convention in September. The convention was just a few blocks from Dealey Plaza so I asked the hotel shuttle guy if he could drive me through it. I was immediately struck how the Texas Book Depository building seemed to dominate the street. It kind of sits right on top of you as you drive past and is much closer than it appears in the photos and films. There is also an “X” on the road that marks the very location that Kennedy was struck. So I am looking behind at the building and then looking forward as we approach the “X” and then I look behind at the building again and just as we crossed the X… the nearest tree started to shake violently and these loud piercing screeches came out of the shaking tree. It freaked me out… (I mean… I had to go to the hotel to change my pants freaked out). I ducked so quickly that I hit my head on the dashboard. I looked at the driver… to make sure he was OK and he was laughing while I sat there dumbfounded, rubbing my head with no idea what had just happened. I was speechless and I just stared at him, he said, “Son… those are Grackles… welcome to Texas." Grackles are birds and if you have heard Grackles in Texas… you know exactly what I heard for the first time in my now shortened life. If you have never heard Grackles before…do me a favor and just assume it was funny so the driver doesn’t seem so ridiculous in my story.

2. Our Twins – Before I hang Kyle Gibson for yesterday, I’m going to point out that Kyle Gibson received some of the worst defensive support that he could possibly receive... Santana with a dropped fly ball, two Sano misplays and a Dozier misplay. It’s hard to pitch effectively when the other team gets extra outs and Gibson got no help, at all, from his teammates. With that said… come on, Kyle… this has been going on for too long. You need to start proving you belong in the big leagues. The Bullpen has 21 pitchers on the staff and it is now spent so we need Phil Hughes to toss some serious innings tonight. We need some no-nonsense pitching from Hughes… like those no-nonsense judges that we all read about. I do wonder about the nonsense judges and where they are working. Do they wear beanies with propellers and squirt the lawyers with water pistols? They must be around if we have no-nonsense judges.

3. The Rangers – It could be worse for the Twins… they could be the Rangers. The Rangers are 9-10 while the Twins are 8-10, but the Twins are only 2 games back while the Rangers are 4 games back and are already mathematically eliminated from winning the American League West. The Rangers have some problems… they have plenty of power, but look at the batting averages. Out of 12 players with significant playing time… 9 of them have batting averages under .216 and that is not healthy. Let’s hope the Twins aren’t the remedy.

4. Today’s Joe M Conversation
Maddon: Hey Joe… thanks for coming. Why do you want to join our group?

Montana: My name is Joe… my last name starts with an M… I thought I’d fit in.

Mauer: I don’t know… This group is… well… kind of a Midwest thing. McCarthy is from Wisconsin, Illinois is where Maddon is working and I’m from Minnesota.

Montana: I went to school at Notre Dame… Indiana… South Bend… just down the road from Chicago.

McCarthy: Hey… that’s right… that'll work. I say Aye.

Montana: To be clear… what does this group do?

Maddon: We hang around and ask each other questions?

Montana: I see… so by asking the question…

Mauer: (Interrupting) What does this group do… you’ve asked us a question. I say Aye.

Maddon: Can you read the 6th line of that chart on the wall?

Montana: E D F C Z P

Maddon: The eyes have it.

5. Fireplace – I don’t own a fire place but if I did... I’m pretty sure, at some point, I would stare at the fireplace and wonder: How lazy do you have to be to name the fireplace, “Fireplace”?
____________________

Lineups:

TWINS
Brian Dozier 2B
Joe Mauer 1B
Miguel Sano 3B
Robbie Grossman RF
Jorge Polanco SS
Kennys Vargas DH
Chris Gimenez C
Eddie Rosario LF
Byron Buxton CF

Phil Hughes P

RANGERS
Carlos Gomez CF
Shin-Soo Choo DH
Nomar Mazara RF
Mike Napoli 1B
Rougned Odor 2B
Elvis Andrus SS
Joey Gallo 3B
Jonathan Lucroy C
Jurickson Profar LF

Martin Perez P

Weather: Nothing to deter the game from taking place.

Play ball!

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[Winston Smith]

It's the 24th today Brian!

[Han Joelo]

I agree heartily with the emotion take.  Buxton is an enormous pile of TNT and he knows it and he is intentionally, subconsciously, licking his fingers and squeezing the fuse.  One of these days, he's going to cut the baseball into little pieces.  But not this day, probably.  

[USAFChief]

Y'know...now that I think of it, Springsteen lyrics are ALL about the Twins pitching staff:

 

Gibson:  "...another runner in the night."

 

staff ERA:  "All that heaven will allow."

 

"Glory Days" = Every Twin high school pitcher drafted since 1961

 

I could go on, but it's pretty clear, no?  Springsteen is a closet Twins fan.

[mikelink45]

Kyle Gibson - fifth year - record - 32-41 4.72 era 1.42 whip.  His third year was good, his trend is not. -0.4 WAR for his career.  Mejia did not deserve to stay up on a good club, on this club he was outperforming Gibson and we need to try something new.  Of course I want Berrios, but based on the luck Twins have in bringing up their superstar MiLB players and converting them to MLB my expectations remain low. 

 

 

[Vanimal46]

Grackles have a Yelp page in Austin! Only 2.5 stars.... They need to become better birds!

[gil4]

 

Y'know...now that I think of it, Springsteen lyrics are ALL about the Twins pitching staff:

 

Gibson:  "...another runner in the night."

 

staff ERA:  "All that heaven will allow."

 

"Glory Days" = Every Twin high school pitcher drafted since 1961

 

I could go on, but it's pretty clear, no?  Springsteen is a closet Twins fan.

Twins fan?  Sounds more like he hates us.

[lukeduke1980]

 

Kyle Gibson - fifth year - record - 32-41 4.72 era 1.42 whip.  His third year was good, his trend is not. -0.4 WAR for his career.  Mejia did not deserve to stay up on a good club, on this club he was outperforming Gibson and we need to try something new.  Of course I want Berrios, but based on the luck Twins have in bringing up their superstar MiLB players and converting them to MLB my expectations remain low. 

A very Nick Blackburn like career 

[bighat]

I feel Gibson's received a free pass for almost his entire Twins career because of guys like Mike Pelfrey, Kevin Correia, etc.  Fans and management have been so desperate for a homegrown young pitcher to succeed, and Gibson was in the right place at the right time to have a career year in 2015.  He's been extremely fortunate to be a member of the worst staff in baseball for the past 4 years.  His shortcomings have been glossed over without criticism by management for years. 

 

Honestly, can you think of any other staff that would take him?  He's the type of guy that might win 6-8 games per year in Korea or Japan.  Maybe.  

[USAFChief]

 

Twins fan?  Sounds more like he hates us.

Exactly.  We all hate us.  We're Minnesota.

[Mike Sixel]

You know, I should like Springsteen. He's got everything I like, great lyrics that sound right wing but are actually left wing, gravelly voice, great live performances, but for some reason, not a fan. No idea why.

 

Kind of the opposite of the Twins, they don't invest internationally like I would, don't trade players like I would, don't admit they are rebuilding and take flyers on upside like I would, keep signing old players, and promote slower than I would, yet I'm a fan.

 

There might be a lesson here, but if there is, it is currently escaping me.

[Blake]

 

You know, I should like Springsteen. He's got everything I like, great lyrics that sound right wing but are actually left wing, gravelly voice, great live performances, but for some reason, not a fan. No idea why.

 

Kind of the opposite of the Twins, they don't invest internationally like I would, don't trade players like I would, don't admit they are rebuilding and take flyers on upside like I would, keep signing old players, and promote slower than I would, yet I'm a fan.

 

There might be a lesson here, but if there is, it is currently escaping me.

If everyone had rational reasons for everything, life and art would be boring.

[Mike Sixel]

 

If everyone had rational reasons for everything, life and art would be boring.

 

Quite true.

 

I really don't get the Springsteen thing. It's all there, and yet, it isn't for me.

 

The Twins I get. You get raised on a team, you don't usually totally leave them behind.

[Blake]

 

Quite true.

 

I really don't get the Springsteen thing. It's all there, and yet, it isn't for me.

 

The Twins I get. You get raised on a team, you don't usually totally leave them behind.

it's funny, but, I'm probably to the right of Limbaugh, yet I like Springsteen. Personally, I think "Thunder Road" is a great song and underappreciated. But, that's me, because the song, for whatever reason, speaks to me on a personal level.

 

As for the Twins, well, I'm probably somewhat manic. About the only explanation I can come up with to explain why I continue to allow myself to be tortured.

[bird]

Not that I'm not ALWAYS inspired by game threads, but this talk about Grackles has me quite worked up.

 

And the Grackles in Texas? They aren't the dull Common Grackles of Minnesota. These are called Great-tailed Grackles (look it up). Like all things Texan, they're larger than the other Grackles. Also like other Texans, they're obnoxious, noisy, and unpleasant. True to being Texan, they hang out in large groups late at night on the city streets, often hiding behind the bushes, and like to suddenly cause a huge boisterous ruckus when a visitor happens by. They're tiresome showoffs. The Great-tailed Grackle is actually closely related to the homo sapien Texan, as evidenced by their affection for dead animals and their similar willingness to pick at them on roadsides and in parking lots. And very sadly, these rather self-important and arrogant things are lurking everywhere you go and their numbers are increasing at an alarming rate. Unlike another disgusting relative, the European Starling, these Grackles were Born in the U.S.A. Well, Mexico, really, but they'll never admit it.

Edited April 24, 2017 by birdwatcher

[Vanimal46]

 

Not that I'm not ALWAYS inspired by game threads, but this talk about Grackles has me quite worked up.

 

And the Grackles in Texas? They aren't the dull Common Grackles of Minnesota. These are called Great-tailed Grackles (look it up). Like all things Texan, they're larger than the other Grackles. Also like other Texans, they're obnoxious, noisy, and unpleasant. True to being Texan, they hang out in large groups late at night on the city streets, often hiding behind the bushes, and like to suddenly cause a huge boisterous ruckus when a visitors happens by. They're tiresome showoffs. The Great-tailed Grackle is actually closely related to the homo sapien Texan, as evidenced by their affection for dead animals and their similar willingness to pick at them on roadsides and in parking lots. And very sadly, these rather self-important and arrogant things are lurking everywhere you go and their numbers are increasing at an alarming rate. Unlike another disgusting relative, the European Starling, these Grackles were Born in the U.S.A. Well, Mexico, really, but they'll never admit it.

 

Some Texans are pleasant to be around! Also, don't hate on braised Raccoon off the side of the road until you've tried it! 

[Pardon My Dinger]

 

You know, I should like Springsteen. He's got everything I like, great lyrics that sound right wing but are actually left wing, gravelly voice, great live performances, but for some reason, not a fan. No idea why.

 

Kind of the opposite of the Twins, they don't invest internationally like I would, don't trade players like I would, don't admit they are rebuilding and take flyers on upside like I would, keep signing old players, and promote slower than I would, yet I'm a fan.

 

There might be a lesson here, but if there is, it is currently escaping me.

I'm right there with ya. 

 

Of course, I've never seen the live show. Don't try and make this argument with a Boss fan until you've seen the show. It disqualifies you from making an argument at all. 

 

On that note: 3-hour sets? No thanks. I like a tight 60 minutes, personally. 

[terrydactyls]

Years ago, while working in Washington, D.C., I was sent to a conference in Dallas. I was alone and wasn't familiar with Dallas, so I asked one of the locals what there was to do in Dallas. He actually said to me, "Y'all could go to the book suppository."

[Bark's Lounge]

 

On that note: 3-hour sets? No thanks. I like a tight 60 minutes, personally. 

About 3 years ago, I went to a Pearl Jam concert at the Xcel. They played for 4+ hours. I love Pearl Jam and I appreciated the effort and certainly got my bang for the buck, but that is way too long.

 

With a band that has that kind of extensive catalog - I can handle 2 hours. I'm with you though. 60-90 minutes is more than good for me.

[Blake]

 

Some Texans are pleasant to be around! Also, don't hate on braised Raccoon off the side of the road until you've tried it! 

There used to be a place in MN that sold "Pancake Pets" and advertised for the "Roadkill Cafe" who's motto was "you kilt it, you eat it." They had T-Shirts, caps, bags, the whole enchilada.

[gocgo]

I am a huge fan of Springsteen's music, but like many entertainers, wish he would keep his political views to himself...shut up and entertain us.  I've always though Born to Run was a candidate for the best rock and roll song ever.  Love Jungleland.  Agree on Thunder Road.

 

Favorite lyric from a Springsteen song - "Poor man wanna be rich, rich man wanna be king, and the king ain't satisfied till he rules everything"

[Mike Sixel]

 

I am a huge fan of Springsteen's music, but like many entertainers, wish he would keep his political views to himself...shut up and entertain us.  I've always though Born to Run was a candidate for the best rock and roll song ever.  Love Jungleland.  Agree on Thunder Road.

 

Favorite lyric from a Springsteen song - "Poor man wanna be rich, rich man wanna be king, and the king ain't satisfied till he rules everything"

 

Uh, isn't that line the definition of sharing politics?

 

 

Edited April 24, 2017 by Mike Sixel

[gocgo]

 

Uh, isn't that line the definition of sharing politics?

Good point but for some reason I find it less irritating when it's put to music.

[Mike Sixel]

 

Good point but for some reason I find it less irritating when it's put to music.

 

Fair, and was really what I was referencing. Like born in the USA.....

[gocgo]

Also, always liked the up tempo No Surrender - "we learned more from a 3 minute record baby than we ever learned in school".

[Vanimal46]

Does anyone want to buy in on a group purchase for Nick Tepesch Twins jerseys?!! 

 

[Joe A. Preusser]

I'll take my Minnesota grackles over those Texas show offs all day and all night.

[Bark's Lounge]

 

Does anyone want to buy in on a group purchase for Nick Tepesch Twins jerseys?!! 

 

Smart Ass!

[Blake]

 

Does anyone want to buy in on a group purchase for Nick Tepesch Twins jerseys?!! 

 

Only if it has a cup of coffee patch on the arm. 

[Vanimal46]

 

Only if it has a cup of coffee patch on the arm. 

 

This is a brilliant idea! College football teams put stickers on their helmets for some reason or another... MLB teams should have coffee cup patches each time a player is called up!