GOOD MORNING, TWINS FANS!!*

 

What a great day for meaningful September baseball!! I know it doesn't look good for the Twins in Gotham this week. We just lost two tough games, with Santana and Berrios starting, and we failed to beat Garcia and Sabathia.  Now, Twins nation turns our lonely eyes to Big Sexy. And now, the Yankees look to pour salt on our wounds by moving up Severino to start today. Severino has not only been the Yankees' best pitcher this year, he's been particularly dominant lately. And if we manage to make a wild card game, we'll likely have to face him again. But that's good news, right? We get a preview of Severino? We should always look on the bright side of life. . . . We're walking on sunshine. . . . Don't worry, be happy . . . since we're blessed with a bucket of lucky mobility?

 

(I apologize. I quit drinking caffeinated coffee three years ago and it's still hard to get myself going in the morning. I tend to resort to psyche up music.)

 

Boldish prediction: I'm hoping this will be a statement game for Eddie Rosario -- 3 hits, one HR, 3 RBI. Feel free to predict something good for the Twins today (even if the best you can do is predict how the Tribe will batter los Angeles).

 

Weather: Mostly cloudy. Highs in the lower 80s. North winds around 15 mph with gusts up to 25 mph.

 

Ba de ya - say do you remember?
Ba de ya - dancing in September?
Ba de ya - never was a cloudy daaaaaayyyyyyyyy!**

 

Pitching matchup:

 

MIN: Bartolo Colon ®  (6-13, 6.39)
NYY: Luis Severino ®  (13-6, 2.93)

 

Lineups:

 

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

 

Yankees

1. Brett Gardner (L) LF
2. Aaron Judge ® RF
3. Gary Sanchez ® C
4. Didi Gregorius (L) SS
5. Starlin Castro ® 2B
6. Matt Holliday ® DH
7. Jacoby Ellsbury (L) CF
8. Todd Frazier ® 3B
9. Greg Bird (L) 1B

 

That's it for me starting Game Threads this year. Hope I can end the season 1-1 and come back strong next season!

 

P.S. Shanah Tovah!!

 

*Sorry about all the yelling this morning.

** Obviously, we should all keep Puerto Rico in our thoughts today, and hope Maria shows mercy.

Edited September 20, 20179 yr by Don Walcott

At foleys bar/rest in NYC to watch this game:

 

Do I go with the jucy Lucy or the Aaron Hicks 105 MPh heater burger here?

Outstanding E,W, & F reference!

Thanks Don!  Nice intro!     I give our chances of winning this game about the same odds as a 103 loss team qualifying for the playoffs the following year.   So hey we have a chance!  

 

Bold prediction - I will enjoy not watching this game more than I enjoyed watching last night's game.   

Haven't thrown a pitch yet, feels like they're down 3-0.

The Yankees don't mess around with the national anthem do they?  

worst case: twins leave nyc with a late-september half-game lead for the second wild card. who wouldn't have jumped at that in april?

 

At foleys bar/rest in NYC to watch this game:

Do I go with the jucy Lucy or the Aaron Hicks 105 MPh heater burger here?

Don't know what the Hicks 105 is.  But Juicy Lucy sounds good . . . with a side of defibrillator.

The game's started.

 

Have we lost yet?

I wouldn't exactly call the Twins play in September meaningful anymore.  It's starting to resemble the end of your dog's life when you have to put him down.  You look in your hound's eyes, give him one last pet, and say goodbye. Had ownership done something to help the bullpen, get another veteran SP during the season, it might be different.  Turn out the lights, the party's over.

 

I wouldn't exactly call the Twins play in September meaningful anymore.  It's starting to resemble the end of your dog's life when you have to put him down.  You look in your hound's eyes, give him one last pet, and say goodbye. Had ownership done something to help the bullpen, get another veteran SP during the season, it might be different.  Turn out the lights, the party's over.

 

Look everyone, Mr. Positivity's here to cheer us all up.

The radio guys just read an Elias tidbit that I found astounding.  Colon has only produced 4 swings and misses in his last 118 pitches (last two outings).  That's crazy.

 

The radio guys just read an Elias tidbit that I found astounding.  Colon has only produced 4 swings and misses in his last 118 pitches (last two outings).  That's crazy.

 

Is it possible Terry Ryan and Rick Anderson snuck into the office, pulled off the Colon signing, and Falvine just decided to go with it?

 

Is it possible Terry Ryan and Rick Anderson snuck into the office, pulled off the Colon signing, and Falvine just decided to go with it?

Possible?  I'd bet good money on it!  

 

Possible?  I'd bet good money on it!  

 

I never understood that phrase.  How can money be defined as good or bad?  It can't do or be anything other than money.

2 swinging strikes in one at bat!  I can't see real good, is that Randy Johnson out there!?!

Thank you Cleveland in advance.  Thank you Cleveland for last night.  If we are swept (and it won't surprise me if we are), it will be a real test to see if we bounce back in Motown.

Is it just me or does it seem like every line drive is hit right at someone?

 

I never understood that phrase.  How can money be defined as good or bad?  It can't do or be anything other than money.

If money can't be good or bad, why am I worrying about throwing bad money after good?

 

If money can't be good or bad, why am I worrying about throwing bad money after good?

Dirty money...

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/09/18/dirty-money-tens-thousands-euros-flushed-lavatories-geneva/

The radio guys just read an Elias tidbit that I found astounding. Colon has only produced 4 swings and misses in his last 118 pitches (last two outings). That's crazy.

That's not surprising to me at all. His game is throwing pitches in a spot that is most likely to cause the hitter to get himself out. Racking up swings and misses isn't part of his strategy.

I have a strange, undeserved confidence in Bart getting it done today.

 

I have a strange, undeserved confidence in Bart getting it done today.

I resemble that remark, yes.

 

That's not surprising to me at all. His game is throwing pitches in a spot that is most likely to cause the hitter to get himself out. Racking up swings and misses isn't part of his strategy.

Oh, it doesn't surprise me at all either.  Regardless, I just found it astounding.

Vargas first to third???

 

Get him oxygen!!

Noted speed merchant Kennys Vargas first to third...

 

We got a little something cookin' here...

 

Vargas first to third???

Get him oxygen!!

 

 

Noted speed merchant Kennys Vargas first to third...

 

We got a little something cookin' here...

 

Great minds...

 

At foleys bar/rest in NYC to watch this game:

Do I go with the jucy Lucy or the Aaron Hicks 105 MPh heater burger here?

 

There is a bar here that tried to tell me a juicy lucy was a chicago style burger. I almost lost my #@$^

cmon joe. be the guy

Mauer up again with the bases loaded....