It’s a 3-game series against the division-leading Cleveland Indians starting at Target Field tonight. I don’t have to tell you all what a sweep of the Indians would mean. Everybody in front offices around the league, all the players for every team, fans of the Indians, fans of the Twins and all fans across the fruited plain would clearly understand what a sweep by the Twins would mean...

It would mean that we won 3 games and the Indians lost 3 games.

Let the chase commence!

Here are some things to think about:

 

1. Cleveland and Grover – I don’t know how many of you have memorized all of the towns in Minnesota but in case you have not… there is a Cleveland, Minnesota. Its 66 miles southwest of Minneapolis and 1,634 miles northeast of Tucson, Arizona. With that close proximity to Tucson, the Sonoran hot dog, chimichanga and ranch fries are the staple of Cleveland cuisine. Twenty-eight different states have a Cleveland, the majority of them named after our 22nd and 24th president, Grover Cleveland. Now that Grover has been mentioned… Minnesota has a Grover, too, where the residents don’t… oops… I mean do not use contractions when they speak. You should not worry about that strange conversational style because contraction is a bad word in Twins territory and I am going to try stop using contractions myself from here on out. The citizens of Grover constantly run far away just to turn and shout FAR before returning to close proximity to shout NEAR and then they do it again until everybody understands the difference. The blue and furry people of Grover and the Twins fans of Cleveland, Twins Daily salutes you.

2. Our Twins – If the Twins wouldn’t… oops… I mean would not have blown a huge lead against the Tigers on Saturday, we would be enjoying an 8-game winning streak right now. I do not mention this to point out the negative thing in a pile of positive, I mention it to illustrate how close we were to an 8-game winning streak. During this winning streak Sano has not been helping that much. If it was not for Sano’s low OPS we would have 8 players with an OPS over .900 during that streak. Uff da... I've ... oops ... I have got to quit using negative to highlight positive.

3. The Indians - The tribe have been improving as the season goes along and they have a chance to put some real distance between them and 2nd place this weekend. They currently have a 5-game lead and if they can increase that distance they will start reserving October hotels and booking flights to Boston for the 1st round of the playoffs. This is clearly a moment where the Twins can say, “We are still HERE!” and clearly a moment where the Indians can say, “No you are NOT!”

4. Today’s Joe M Conversation:

Montana: Hey, guys… I’ve got my lottery tickets. Dropped 50 bucks but I’m sure there is a winner in here somewhere.

Maddon: What’s the jackpot up to now?

McCarthy: 430 million

Morgan: I cannot believe you dropped 50 bucks on that stuff. You would not do that if you understood the odds. You simply should not waste your money that way.

Maddon: Why are you speaking like Grover?

Morgan: Trying to get rich by playing the lottery is like trying to commit suicide by flying on a commercial airline.

Montana: The lines get real long when the jackpot gets real big. Nobody seems to care when the jackpot is small.

Mauer: I can understand that. When it is only 23 million… it is hardly worth the effort.

5. Potatoes - We had baked potatoes for supper last night. My son mentioned that he likes his potatoes mashed the best. I told him do not worry because his stomach thinks all potatoes are mashed anyway.

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Love the lead-off picture of the dogs chasing the kitty!!! And love the "When it is only 23 million… it is hardly worth the effort" -- always good to start out the morning with a chuckle!!! 

You speak just like Mr. Data.

...

 

5. Potatoes - We had baked potatoes for supper last night. My son mentioned that he likes his potatoes mashed the best. I told him do not worry because his stomach thinks all potato are mashed anyway.

 

 

Not if he does not chew it enough.

 

Chew everything 23 times before swallowing.

 

Once upon a time, a food truck i frequented sold "dirty mashed potatoes" for a dollar. Came in styrofoam burger containers and it was sure tasty!

Don't have time for a detailed matchup analysis, but I've noted that the Indians roster has generally sucked against Colon (.713 OPS) and the Twins have rocked against Salazar (.971 OPS), and my magic 8-ball likes the Twins' odds:

 

http://www.indra.com/8ball/animatedgifs/c16.gif

Wins against a struggling Brewers team and a few lucky escapes in Detroit....hey, we'll take it!

 

But series like this one against the Indians - this is the meat and potatoes. Are the Twins gonna show some fight? Step up? Is the recent hot streak for real? Now's the time to go for it.

 

I think Colon starting the opener is a good thing. Veteran presence, Twins players don't have to worry about their pitcher getting nervous.

 

And hey - can the Twins can please please please keep the opponents off the board in the first 2 innings?  It's one thing going down 4-0 against Detroit or Milwaukee. Getting down by more than 2 early against Cleveland is a different animal.

Here is my favorite bit on contraction though you have to wait to the end to hear it.   Only posting because this guy is how I picture Riverbrian and how his mind works

 

Love the lead-off picture of the dogs chasing the kitty!!!

Not a huge fan of the metaphor. Those stupid mutts will never catch that graceful, wily feline.

Once upon a time, a food truck i frequented sold "dirty mashed potatoes" for a dollar. Came in styrofoam burger containers and it was sure tasty!

I do not come to this site expecting dirty talk. Good day, sir.

 

I do not come to this site expecting dirty talk. Good day, sir.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/dirtymartini_93631

I do not come to this site expecting dirty talk. Good day, sir.

Please do not leave on my account! I'll try to keep a civil tongue. Honest, i will.

 

I did not mean nothing by it.

 

That is just what the Jamaican Jerk food truck called it. I think it was flavored with the grease. Fattening perhaps, but otherwise harmless.

 

Please do not leave on my account! I'll try to keep a civil tongue. Honest, i will.

I did not mean nothing by it.

That is just what the Jamaican Jerk food truck called it. I think it was flavored with the grease. Fattening perhaps, but otherwise harmless.

I would argue that calling that Jamaican a Jerk is not keeping to a civil tongue...

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/dirtymartini_93631

The martini purists among us aren't going to appreciate this, but I do!

Fun fact:  Bortolo Colon's first start against the Twins came on July 7, 1997 as a member of the Cleveland Indians.

 

Over 20 years ago... 

http://www.tradingcarddb.com/Images/Cards/Baseball/11253/11253-PP56Fr.jpg

Watched the Rockies on TV last night, and saw Chad Bettis throw 7 shutout innings, and the bullpen chipped in two more -- against a lineup that had Kurt Suzuki batting 5th and DanSan batting 6th.  Oh, what could have been . . . .

I would argue that calling that Jamaican a Jerk is not keeping to a civil tongue...

Gosh...

You are right. I can not seem to keep my foot out of my mouth...

 

Not that i have anything against sole food...

 

Nor if i mention pulled pork am i casting aspersions on Dozier's hitting style...

 

I guess i must invoke the maxim attributed to various from Mark Twain to Abraham Lincoln... It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove doubt.

 

Not if he does not chew it enough.

Chew everything 23 times before swallowing.

Once upon a time, a food truck i frequented sold "dirty mashed potatoes" for a dollar. Came in styrofoam burger containers and it was sure tasty!

 

Fun fact:  Bortolo Colon's first start against the Twins came on July 7, 1997 as a member of the Cleveland Indians.

 

Over 20 years ago... 

http://www.tradingcarddb.com/Images/Cards/Baseball/11253/11253-PP56Fr.jpg

I wonder what food truck Colon frequents. Or does he just eat the truck?

Here is my favorite bit on contraction though you have to wait to the end to hear it. Only posting because this guy is how I picture Riverbrian and how his mind works

 

That was not bad.

 

Sky comma!

 

Now i am looking for a reason to add heavy metal style superfluous ümlaüte and calling them sky colons.

Oh, and i know math is frowned upon, but rumor has it there is a recent publication baring on question of P as it relates to NP. That could while the time until the game starts...

 

Not a huge fan of the metaphor. Those stupid mutts will never catch that graceful, wily feline.

Not a big fan of ditch kitty's, I was just imagining the scrum when the doggies caught him. And unless there was a tree handy, they probably would.  Was also wondering whether the picture was a photo-shop creation....

1. Cleveland and Grover – I don’t know how many of you have memorized all of the towns in Minnesota but in case you have not… there is a Cleveland, Minnesota. Its 66 miles southwest of Minneapolis and 1,634 miles northeast of Tucson, Arizona. With that close proximity to Tucson, the Sonoran hot dog, chimichanga and ranch fries are the staple of Cleveland cuisine. Twenty-eight different states have a Cleveland, the majority of them named after our 22nd and 24th president, Grover Cleveland. Now that Grover has been mentioned… Minnesota has a Grover, too, where the residents don’t… oops… I mean do not use contractions when they speak. You should not worry about that strange conversational style because contraction is a bad word in Twins territory and I am going to try stop using contractions myself from here on out. The citizens of Grover constantly run far away just to turn and shout FAR before returning to close proximity to shout NEAR and then they do it again until everybody understands the difference. The blue and furry people of Grover and the Twins fans of Cleveland, Twins Daily salutes you.

 

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YOU TURNED THE PAGE! Stop turning PAGES!

 

Not a huge fan of the metaphor. Those stupid mutts will never catch that graceful, wily feline.

Yep ... this, all of this. I had a cat growing up, her name was Princess ... and I saw her outrun just about everything. And catch just about everything. She was a scrapper and had a notch out of her ear to prove it; and she was smart. I saw her once sitting under a tree being nonchalant, grooming herself and just being cool about life. Well, there was this blue jay in the tree. And the blue jay was yakking at her and my Princess just ignored him. So then he started swooping at her. She went about her business like he wasn't there. And he kept swooping lower, and lower, and lower ... BAM! She gave that jay a swat and lucky for him she didn't snag him with a claw or it would have been all over for him. Lesson learned.

 

But I wasn't a fan of the dead rat she brought home one day and left in the backyard to almost be mowed over. She fought the rat ... and won.

Oh, and i know math is frowned upon, but rumor has it there is a recent publication baring on question of P as it relates to NP. That could while the time until the game starts...

There is the risk that the discussion will not finish in polynomial time and we'll miss the game.

 

There is the risk that the discussion will not finish in polynomial time and we'll miss the game.

No worries. Bartolo has NP-hard down.

No worries. Bartolo has NP-hard down.

There are indeed times when it is good tobe nondeterministic.

Dogs chasing the cat, I love it. Riverbrain, you're the best.

 

 

 

By the way, there's a Cleveland GA. Up near the north GA mountains.

 

There are indeed times when it is good tobe nondeterministic.

Stochastic rules. Determinism drools.

 

Not a big fan of ditch kitty's, I was just imagining the scrum when the doggies caught him. And unless there was a tree handy, they probably would.  Was also wondering whether the picture was a photo-shop creation....

 The Photo was stolen as usual. Can't vouch for it's authenticity. 

 

Here is my favorite bit on contraction though you have to wait to the end to hear it.   Only posting because this guy is how I picture Riverbrian and how his mind works

 

 

That guy was funny. He will be my next web search. 

 

 

Fun fact:  Bortolo Colon's first start against the Twins came on July 7, 1997 as a member of the Cleveland Indians.

 

Over 20 years ago... 

http://www.tradingcarddb.com/Images/Cards/Baseball/11253/11253-PP56Fr.jpg

 

Wow, he looked good 20 years ago. You could even say he was a little sexy.