To all the Twins fans around the world, welcome to another Game Thread extravaganza! This is probably the best area on Twins Daily to experience our members' unique wit and wisdom around baseball and the Minnesota Twins. The banter on Game Threads are quick and always snappy. Settle in for a great game, some bad jokes and a fun time....and please don't be afraid to participate.

 

I know this is obvious but a win today for the Twins means a sweep against the Indians. It's great to see this team starting to get their offense going. It couldn't be happening at a better time...Look out White Sox! We're coming for you...4 games starting tomorrow. My crystal ball sees the Twins running away with the division after we win today and sweep the White Sox this week. I think the Twins win the division by 4 games. Not that it really matters, we will be in the playoffs anyway. I'm more concerned about everyone being healthy for the playoff run (that means you Kepler, Garver, Arraez, etc.).

 

Pineda is gonna have a big day and my pick to click is Mr. Sano. 

 

Oh, almost forgot to pass along a non-baseball related public service announcement. I made a meatloaf last night and cooked it on the grill over a cedar wood plank. Turned out great! If you've never cooked meatloaf on the grill give it a try. You'll be in for a real treat!

 

Go Twins!

 

Todays Starting Lineups:

 

Twins:

1. Max Kepler (RF)

2. Josh Donaldson (3B)

3. Jorge Polanco (SS)

4. Nelson Cruz (DH)

5. Eddie Rosario (LF)

6. Miguel Sano (1B)

7. L. Wade (CF)

8. M. Gonzalez (2B)

9. Ryan Jeffers ©

SP - Michael Pineda 1-0 (2.77 ERA) RHP

 

 

Cleveland:

1. F. Lindor (SS)

2. C. Hernandez (2B)

3. J. Ramirez (3B)

4. C. Santana (1B)

5. F. Reyes (DH)

6. T. Naquin (RF)

7. J. Naylor (LF)

8. S. Leon ©

9. O. Mercado (CF)

SP - Triston McKenzie 2-0, (2.57 ERA) RHP

 

Game Time Weather: 73 degrees and partly cloudy, winds light and variable. 0% chance of rain. 

Yay Kepler

Boo Buxton

"...a win today for the Twins means a sweep against the Indians"

 

This is the kind of cutting edge insight I come to TD for!!1!

Purple Pride!!!!!

 

"...a win today for the Twins means a sweep against the Indians"

This is the kind of cutting edge insight I come to TD for!!1!

I stayed up half the night trying to put that whole thought together. That's the type of pride you only find with TD contributors. 

Hard to believe today's game marks 80% of the season completed. I anticipate another strong performance from Big Mike. Yesterday the bottom of the lineup got us going early. Today I expect Mr Kepler and his buddies at the top of the lineup to shine. Bring out yer dead... I mean brooms.

Cleveland's pitcher is supposed to be quite a phenom. I hope the team can score 4 or 5 today.

Two on, none out. Let's go Big Mike.

Cleveland's pitcher is supposed to be quite a phenom. I hope the team can score 4 or 5 today.

6'5" 160? Makes Randy Moss appear cherubic.

Not sure what's more offensive about that play - Eddie's decision-making or Big Mike's ability to be in position.

Twins with some bad luck and some bad defense, but Pineda bails them out with some great pitching. 

Mike should just do that strikeout thing all the time so he doesn't have to field bunts or back up home. 

Thankfully that remained without consequences.

I am a Rosario fan, but he's made a glaring mistake every game for about 2 weeks, time for a day off. 

Eddie just can't help himself. He comes up big last night, and then makes a rookie mistake on a throw in the first inning today. This is exactly the kind of play leads many of us to question whether he's worth $10mil next year...

Nice job by Pineda. 1-0 Cleveland after a half inning.

I don't think I've ever seen a skinnier pitcher in MLB

MLB? I don't think I've ever seen a skinnier pitcher in Little League.

 

 

 

...Oh, almost forgot to pass along a non-baseball related public service announcement. I made a meatloaf last night and cooked it on the grill over a cedar wood plank. Turned out great! If you've never cooked meatloaf on the grill give it a try. You'll be in for a real treat!...

 

I thought with the meatloaf you were trying to suggest that “two out of three ain’t bad.” That may be true in ordinary circumstances, but I want more chicken.

 

(That said — that looks incredible. Regular meatloaf recipe? Hot fire or low and slow? About how long?) 

 

I don't think I've ever seen a skinnier pitcher in MLB

Big Mike does like those water pills.

I like this version of Justin Morneau that spends 5+ minutes trash talking MLB for making dumb decisions over and over again.

Awww Pineda got an out that wasn’t a K.

 

Boooooorrrrring.

Cleveland's BABIP down to .750.

Cruz is having a little snag right now. So far, he's bounced back from each little slump.

BABIP up to .833.

Eddie. Bad decision bad execution.

This is ridiculous. Pineda is pitching just fine, Cleveland just keeps hitting it where the Twins ain’t.

Damn, so far this inning is exactly like the first.

Make that .857 for BABIP. I've got a bad feeling about this AB. Unfair, but Big Mike's numbers are going to look much worse after this outing. 

95 on that last Pineda fastball.