Good afternoon everyone and welcome back to the Twins Daily game thread experience.  Let me begin by saying everyone needs to take a deep breath and relax!  It's not time to panic yet! By the way, did you read the thread Brock started the other day about "it's time to panic"? Loved it. Made me laugh out loud.  But seriously, the two game losing streak the Twins have been on stops today.  We have our big boy Ace Berrios throwing tonight and our lineup looks ready to again score a bunch of runs.  

 

I know our bullpen is the weakest link at the moment.  However, I feel confident this front office will bring in reinforcements soon.  The way this team is structured right now they are poised to make a long run into the playoffs if they can just tighten up the relievers. This Twins are gonna be rolling over teams all year. So what, they hit a little snag with the Indians...last week they killed the Rays.  I personally think the Rays are better than Cleveland anyway.

 

The Twins are going to beat up on Cleveland tonight.  Looking forward to watching it!  Relax, all is well. All is well (except for our bullpen). 

 

Go Twins!

 

Tonights Lineups:

 

TWINS:

 

1. Max Kepler CF

2. Jorge Polanco SS

3. Mitch Garver "Sauce" DH

4. Eddie "Money Man" Rosario LF

5. Marwin Gonzalez RF

6. Jonathan Schoop 2B

7. Ehire Adrianza 3B

8. C.J. Cron 1B

9. Willans Astudillo C

 

Jose Berrios ® SP

 

INDIANS:

 

1. Francisco Lindor CF

2. Jason Kipnis 2B

3. Carlos Santana DH

4. Jake Bauers 1B

5. Jose Ramirez 3B

6. Jordan Luplow LF

7. Tyler Naquin RF

8. Roberto Perez C

9. Leonys Martin CF 

 

Trevor Bauer ® SP

 

Weather: 65 degrees and 0% chance of rain.

Thank you for a relax reference that didn't include Aaron Rodgers.

 

Thank you for a relax reference that didn't include Aaron Rodgers.

 

You're welcome go sit back and relax.  The game starts in 2 hours.  

 

This new game thread experience is so calming.

Couple of quick rules for tonights game thread.  Jinxes don't count tonight and naps are required for all participants in the 6th inning.

I'm confused... Buxton isn't batting 9th.

buxton is hitless in his last three at-bats. his star is fading.

Let’s get one anyway

I don't mind when a team's best hitter -- in Cleveland's case, Lindor -- beats us. Good on him. But when .200 hitters turn All-Star performances, that's doubleplusungood and means a lost game. Go get 'em Jose!

KEPLER!!!

Yay!

I don't mind when a team's best hitter -- in Cleveland's case, Lindor -- beats us. Good on him. But when .200 hitters turn All-Star performances, that's doubleplusungood and means a lost game. Go get 'em Jose!

Doubleplusungood, sent to room 101 for re-education

Ein dinger for a streak-breaker!

Max - nice

Now, where's that guy complaining about Kepler swinging at first pitches?

 

I like it when hitters put the first into play... because it speeds the game along. Strategically it is better to force the other pitcher to throw as many pitches as possible, but I do like a fast game.

Now, where's that guy complaining about Kepler swinging at first pitches?

 

I like it when hitters put the first into play... because it speeds the game along. Strategically it is better to force the other pitcher to throw as many pitches as possible, but I do like a fast game.

That was me complaining. I don’t like it to lead off a game. Doesn’t work much more often than it lands in the seats

Now, where's that guy complaining about Kepler swinging at first pitches?

 

I like it when hitters put the first into play... because it speeds the game along. Strategically it is better to force the other pitcher to throw as many pitches as possible, but I do like a fast game.

I don't think that's even strategically better anymore. Starters are no longer being taken out because of pitch counts, they are taken out because of 3rd or 4th time through the order.

I don't think that's even strategically better anymore. Starters are no longer being taken out because of pitch counts, they are taken out because of 3rd or 4th time through the order.

True, but there’s nothing better for a pitcher than getting one out on one pitch to start off a game. Settles you right in. I can see it as an element of surprise factor, but if max is going to do it 4-5 times a week, I think that goes out the window

And it gives the guys waiting to hit something to see to prepare for their own at bats.

 

Now, where's that guy complaining about Kepler swinging at first pitches?

 

 

 

I don't know but I'll guess Tulsa Oklahoma. 

What happened to Bauer, get hit by a low flying drone?

Too bad cron didn’t hustle. Might have beaten it out

True, but there’s nothing better for a pitcher than getting one out on one pitch to start off a game. Settles you right in. I can see it as an element of surprise factor, but if max is going to do it 4-5 times a week, I think that goes out the window

The amount of times Max should do it should be entirely dependent on how often the pitcher decides to groove the first pitch. It shouldn't be some arbitrary number.

 

The amount of times Max should do it should be entirely dependent on how often the pitcher decides to groove the first pitch. It shouldn't be some arbitrary number.

There are a lot of cases where a pitcher will start out with a get-me-over generic fastball. This is especially true if a pitcher has had a bad stretch, or is young, or is making the first start after returning from the IL, or other extenuating circumstances. The batter needs to be ready for that.

I like this commercial with the young woman running the convenience store. But I don't like it as much as I did the first thousand times I saw it.

The amount of times Max should do it should be entirely dependent on how often the pitcher decides to groove the first pitch. It shouldn't be some arbitrary number.

Yes, but the point is that he does it often enough that the word is probably out that you can’t do that as a pitcher.

Ein zwei-run dinger!

Maxamillion!!!

KEPLER!!!

Yes, but the point is that he does it often enough that the word is probably out that you can’t do that as a pitcher.

But not often enough for the word to spread to Bauer.