GOOD MORNING TWINS FANS!! What a great day to be a fan of this Minnesota Twins team. They are finally the darlings of Pythagoras (I never thought he'd come around), and they have come through like a Labor Day Santa Claus for Always in Moderation's wishes. (Couldn't he just once not be in Moderation? I mean, given the power of his wishes, couldn't he have been Over the Top just once, and wished for us to win the World Series . . . five times in a row?)

 

Twins Daily topics that used to be about who to drop are now about who to re-sign. Topics and comments about Mauer are now about whether he's finally back on the path to the Hall of  Fame, as opposed to . . . not being nice.  There's even a topic about bringing back Big Sexy for the full Monty, I mean season, in 2018. This team has taken some really hard body blows (remember getting swept by Cleveland, Houston, LA?), but they dust themselves off, and keep playing hard, improving, and winning. And this latest and most impressive stretch has been without their best hitter. It's like they can forget the negative things and keep up the positive momentum. This reminds me of an annual tradition here in Santa Fe, NM.

 

I swapped the capital city of MN for the capital city of NM 21 years ago. Santa Fe is a very weird place. People here put green chile on everything they eat. If you ask someone when they are going to get that work done that they promised you last week, they'll inevitably tell you "manyana".   But the weirdest thing goes on during Fiestas de Santa Fe, a tradition from the early 18th century, which kicked off here on Friday.  For the 92nd year, we burned Zozobra.  Zozobra, a.k.a. Old Man Gloom, is a 50-foot tall marionette, with a wood base, but mainly composed of paper. He is filled with pieces of paper that contain negative thoughts, feelings and memories of residents of Santa Fe (this year, including my 5-year-old daughter's memory of skinning r knee). He is set up at Fort Marcy Park, near downtown Santa Fe, where 60,000 people gather and chant "burn him, burn him", while an elaborate dance is performed by a professional dancer and a bunch of kids dressed like ghosts, who are called "gloomies". Finally, after the teasing and taunting Zozo has gone way too far, and he is writhing and moaning, he gets set on fire and a long firework display incinerates him, and all of the negative thoughts, feelings and memories go with him. Here's what Zozobra looked like on Friday afternoon.

 

 

So let's set aside negative thoughts, feelings and memories, and enjoy meaningful September baseball!!

 

Starting Pitchers:

 

Ervin Santana for the Twins

 

Ian Kennedy for the Royals

 

Lineups:

 

1. 2B Brian Dozier ®
2. 1B Joe Mauer (L)
3. SS Jorge Polanco (S)
4. LF Eddie Rosario (L)
5. CF Byron Buxton ®
6. RF Max Kepler (L)
7. 3B Eduardo Escobar (S)
8. C Chris Gimenez ®
9. DH Niko Goodrum

 

1. 2B Whit Merrifield ®
2. CF Lorenzo Cain ®
3. LF Melky Cabrera (S)
4. 1B Eric Hosmer (L)
5. C Salvador Perez ®
6. 3B Mike Moustakas (L)
7. RF Paulo Orlando ®
8. DH Brandon Moss (L)
9. SS Alcides Escobar ®

 

 

 

Edited September 3, 20179 yr by Don Walcott

I like the baseball!

So they build Zozobra on a steep cliff?

 

Anywho...great job Don!

Goodrum starting DH.

Oh, and,

 

 

So they build Zozobra on a steep cliff?

Anywho...great job Don!

Not sure why the photo came out sideways.  Is there anything that can be done about that?

Not sure why the photo came out sideways. Is there anything that can be done about that?

Heh, not sure if you read a thread a bit ago 'What would your nickname be'. It was a take on the Nickname weekend in baseball. I suggested mine to be 'Sideways Photos.' Try posting photos that were taken in landscape orientation and not portrait.

Just want to say another fine September call up with this thread! It's not to late for others to give it a go ... there are a few open dates left!

pythagoras is an example of somebody who's done an amazing job and is being recognized more and more.

 

pythagoras is an example of somebody who's done an amazing job and is being recognized more and more.

In theory . . . .

 

pythagoras is an example of somebody who's done an amazing job and is being recognized more and more.

 

Except for the beans thing.

Thanks for the introduction to Zozobra!

 

I had not heard of the tradition. Not going to think what all i might write to contribute to his flamboiancy...

 

But i hope we don't lose!

Except for the beans thing.

You mean the musical fruit?

 

Goodrum starting DH.

 

After a 17-0 game, maybe they feel like they should play with a handicap?

These tweets are in regard to the Twins batting order and I thought they were pretty interesting.  Obviously if Sano was healthy he would be hitting in one of these spots but still crazy how much each of these players has improved this year.

 

 

Castro activated from DL, on bench today.

LEN3 also posted that Slegers will start in place of Gee on Wednesday.

Great job DW.

Let's burn this mother****er down!

 

Let's play some basebol!

While all games moving forward are extremely important and every win is crucial for this team to make the playoffs, I feel like today's game is one of the bigger games of the year.  Here's to hoping Big Erv pitches a great game and the bats stay hot!

 

Let's go Twins!

Win today will mean made it back to .500 at home.

Great job DW.

Let's burn this mother****er down!

 

Let's play some basebol!

Is it better to burn things up or down?

 

Up seems less negative perhaps?

 

Is it better to burn things up or down?

 

No.

And the TF fans stop Mauer from making an out

Edited September 3, 20179 yr by jimmer

 

And the fans stop Mauer from making an out

If you're going to sit that close at least be smart enough to know to let our players catch fould balls and mess with the visitors when they are trying to catch the ball

 

If you're going to sit that close at least be smart enough to know to let our players catch fould balls and mess with the visitors when they are trying to catch the ball

yup

 

If you're going to sit that close at least be smart enough to know to let our players catch fould balls and mess with the visitors when they are trying to catch the ball

 

I'll keep that in mind tomorrow nite when I'm in the first row of the RF bleachers at the Trop.

Bremergasm.

As predicted, Cleveland is running away with the division, but the Twins are playing very well and might very well take the #1 WC

bremergasm

Now steal 2nd and 3rd.