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Popular Content
Showing content with the highest reputation on 04/21/2020 in all areas
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You should have thought of that a month ago.2 points
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The stock market
Brock Beauchamp and one other reacted to Richie the Rally Goat for a topic
it’s futures contracts, meaning a refiner purchased that oil for future delivery, that you have to take delivery of on the day it comes due. It’s already out of the ground and has to go somewhere. You can sell that futures contract to somebody else, but when nobody has anywhere to store it... you pay someone to take it. And June and July futures are still in the $20 range. I don’t think it’ll hurt that bad. I just wish i had a spare oil tanker lying around that I could sit on that for a few months and make a bajillion dollars on.::2 points -
Will Sergio Romo Ever Pitch in the Majors Again?
KidBro and one other reacted to AceWrigley for a topic
I wouldn't be surprised if there is a complete re-appraisal of the whole organized baseball universe. Probably starting with the "new" value of franchises and down through attendance figures and ticket prices. Who knows if media/broadcast contracts get redone. It might end up with a smaller universe (smaller minor leagues) where teams leverage their cheapest assets (younger players) with less development time and earlier promotions and smaller, shorter free-agent contracts. Who knows, maybe we get a better baseball experience out of this. Go Twins.2 points -
My Experience As a Twins Fan in the Land of Smiles
Richie the Rally Goat reacted to Patrick Wozniak for a topic
Living on the other side of the world undoubtedly alters the experience of being a Minnesota Twins fan, but it does offer some advantages. While I can no longer hop on my bicycle and mosey over to Target Field to catch a game, I do often get to begin my day with a Twins game. Today, I’ll share a bit of my experience of being a Twins fan in Thailand.Although baseball has a long and rich tradition in Asian countries such as Japan, South Korea, and most recently Taiwan (where they’re now playing games) it hasn’t exactly taken off in the Southeast region. After some googling, I learned that some form of youth baseball is played in Bangkok, but I imagine it’s mainly children of ex-pats. I was more surprised to learn that Thailand has a National Baseball Team and Johnny Damon (who’s never lived in Thailand but has a Thai mother) even joined the team in 2012 for the World Baseball Classic qualifiers. There’s even video evidence (I can’t guarantee the quality of play): So, while there might be a few baseball fans scattered around Bangkok I’ve yet to run into one out in the boonies where I live (the Northeast). Anytime I mention baseball to a Thai I have to accompany it with my impersonation of swinging a baseball bat or they think I’m talking about basketball (which is somewhat popular). Remarkably, I do know two other Minnesotans in my neck of the jungle (out of a sample size of about five Americans!), but one happens to be a die-hard Timberwolves fan with no interest in baseball while the other only follows the Vikings (the last time I talked to him he asked me if Mauer was still good). All this is a long way of saying there’s no Twins talk to be had at the water cooler (on the plus side there’s also no Yankees fans). This makes me all the more grateful for the Twins Daily community. Before I began writing for the site I lurked (that word makes me feel like a creep) for many years, reading every article that was published as well as thoroughly enjoying the comments section. Even if I didn’t actively participate, Twins Daily was the first site I went to 365 days a year and it still is. Unfortunately, during my first stint in Thailand (during the 2004 and ’05 seasons) the baseball gods had yet to converge and unleash their greatest creation in Twins Daily. That was really no loss though, as the primitive nature of the internet at that time in Thailand made it all but impossible to do anything online (I could rarely even fire off an email before the internet would cut out). For a few years following the Twins was impossible, but the 2006 team was a nice homecoming present. Times have changed. The internet is much faster and everyone takes pictures of what they eat. Since returning to Thailand in 2012 (presumably for good), following the Twins has been much easier. With mlb.com I’m able to watch the majority of the games, just with breakfast rather than post dinner. We’re 12 hours ahead of Minnesota time (I reside in the future!) so a 7 p.m. start time in Minnesota is a 7 a.m. game here. This works great for me as the early sunrise, multitudes of roosters, and hot weather are very conducive to rising at the crack of dawn. By first pitch I’ve already had time to exercise, eat breakfast, shower and glug down at least a cup of coffee or two. I’m a morning person and there’s nothing better than starting the day off with a baseball game (working in the late afternoon and evening makes this possible). Baseball in the morning also means I don’t have to struggle to stay awake for extra- inning affairs but early afternoon games do present a bit of a quandary. I can either wake up in the middle of the night to watch the game or get a much appreciated goodnight's sleep and catch the highlights in the morning. It usually boils down to the magnitude of the game and time of year (I’m hungrier for baseball in April), but I did write one game recap in the middle of the night. Getting my kids interested and invested in the Twins is one of the difficulties of living abroad. My son knows of a few players (mainly Sano because he hits dingers and Buxton because he flies) but I’ve had little success interesting a 10- and 7-year-old in a slow moving, three hour (plus) long game that no one besides their dad seems to care about (my wife was literally bored to tears at the one and only game I ever brought her to). I think baseball is a game you probably have to have played to love and just hitting a few balls in the backyard only goes so far (though thanks to the food and other side attractions my children don't mind catching a game or two when we’re back to visit). I was, however, offered a glimmer of hope the other night as my daughter watched the first three innings of Game One of the ’91 World Series and seemed to enjoy herself before falling asleep (she also liked that my brother named his hamster after Kirby Puckett – sadly Lil’ Kirby, like big Kirby, is no longer with us). That pretty much sums up my experience as a Twins fan from afar. I can’t say enough how grateful I am to the Twins Daily community – founders, writers, readers, moderators, editors, and commenters for creating and enlivening a space where we can all get together and share our love for the Minnesota Twins. Hopefully sometime in the future, when we can once again enjoy ballgames or social gatherings, I’ll make in back for an event or a game and meet some of you in person. Until then, I’ll see you here! Are you a Twins fan from abroad (or outside Minnesota)? If so, please take a moment to share your location and experience in the comment section. Thanks! MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article1 point -
Fleeting Second: Brian Dozier’s Awesome Flash
stringer bell reacted to theBOMisthebomb for a blog entry
Dozier will be in the Twins Hall of Fame, and deservedly so. He was their best player for 5 years, won a Gold Glove, and had one of the best individual Twins seasons ever. Top that off with being a fan favorite and a man of high moral character.1 point -
A good reminder of the worst-case of commodities trading: they might deliver the stuff to your door.1 point
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The stock market
Richie the Rally Goat reacted to glunn for a topic
Metal trash cans might work. And swimming pools. Maybe drain lakes and add liners? And everyone should get their car oil changed.1 point -
Someone just sent me the following link that adds some color to this issue -- https://library.wilmingtontrust.com/z-featureditems/featured-2/oil-market-collapse1 point
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The stock market
glunn reacted to Richie the Rally Goat for a topic
I wonder if you could buy one used on Craigslist?1 point -
Connections Are Numerous Between Kirby Puckett and Michael Jordan
glunn reacted to Cody Christie for a topic
Sports fans have been clamoring for something compelling to watch in recent weeks and ESPN filled that void on Sunday night with the premier of the 10-part documentary, The Last Dance. This series follows the final season of the 1990’s Chicago Bulls dynasty on the way to their final championship. Minnesota has their own Michael Jordan figure in franchise history, Kirby Puckett, and it is easy to see some connections between these two larger-than-life figures.Both Kirby Puckett and Michael Jordan made their professional debuts in 1984 and both were joining teams that had struggled in recent years. The Twins had a record of 171-262 (.394 W-L%) during the three seasons prior to Puckett’s debut. The Bulls were even worse in the years leading to Jordan’s arrival. The Bulls went 89-157 (.361 W-L%) in the three seasons before Jordan suited up in the red and black. Winning did not come instantaneously for either franchise because it takes a while to build a supporting cast after years of losing. Minnesota finished second in the AL West in Puckett’s first year, but then the club finished fourth and sixth before breaking through for the team’s first title in 1987. Jordan would have to wait even longer as the Bulls made the playoffs every year, but it took until 1991 for his first championship. Jordan made it very clear in the documentary that he needed a player like Scottie Pippen to be alongside him because Jordan couldn’t do it alone. Many of the Twins supporting cast was already in Minnesota before Puckett arrived. Kent Hrbek, Frank Viola, Gary Gaetti and Tom Brunansky were just a few of the key World Series players who debuted ahead of Puckett. Pivotal coaching changes also drastically altered the career paths of both Jordan and Puckett. In fact, within one year of coaches switches, both franchises would clinch their first title. Phil Jackson took over as the head coach of the Bulls for the 1989-90 season and Tom Kelly took the reigns in 1986. It’s not hard to imagine a scenario where the legacy of Jordan and Puckett would have been vastly altered with different coaches at the helm. The championships came, both cities were energized, but the lasting legacy for both players might have been “what could have been” situation even though they are Hall of Fame players. Back in 2016, ESPN named both players as part of a series on unfulfilled potential. Jordan’s minor league baseball career could have cost the Bulls a chance at eight-straight titles. Twins fans are well aware of Puckett’s career being cut short due to lost eyesight. Fans might still ask themselves, “What could have been?” Puckett’s legacy in the Twin Cities and upper midwest is well established, much like what Jordan’s legacy means to Chicago. In the book Puck by Chuck Carlson, Twins President Dave St. Peter said, “There’s a great sense of community pride with Kirby Puckett. He’s our Michael Jordan, our Larry Bird.” There are connections between the two metropolitan areas and the two players that redefined their individual organizations. For Twins fans, Kirby Puckett was the player that revitalized the franchise after years of ineptitude. For the NBA, no player may have meant more to any league than what Michael Jordan and the Bulls did in the 1990’s. Players like these are once in a generation and it’s hard to ignore their greatness. One player born in Chicago that provided more than one heroic World Series moment. One player born in North Carolina that provided more than one heroic NBA Finals moment. Two players connected in more ways than one. Who do you think meant more to their city? Michael Jordan to Chicago or Kirby Puckett to the Twin Cities? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article1 point -
Will Sergio Romo Ever Pitch in the Majors Again?
Richie the Rally Goat reacted to In My La Z boy for a topic
Exactly - Similar to what's happening with real estate right now. Appraisals are on pause, holding up deals until banks get some visibility into post-covid real estate values. Is what you have today, worth what it was pre-covid? Look what happened to the price of oil, Ouch if you're in that business. Everything has been devalued. I suspect veterans like Romo are facing devaluation as well.1 point -
This is just a theory, but I have heard that it's expensive to completely shut down a well and then restart it later. In the meantime, there is very little storage available and they cannot just dump the oil. If wish that everyone would fill their gas tanks now -- that might help some. And this might be a good time to look for additional storage for the U.S. strategic reserves. In the meantime, this is probably going to decimate the oil industry. Thanks, OPEC.1 point
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The Player Rob Manfred Should Be Trying to Clone for each 2020 Roster
Nate Palmer reacted to Twins_Fan_For_Life for a topic
I am currently reading cool of the evening. What an amazing book. If you are a twins fan or even just a casual baseball fan, you will enjoy this book immensely1 point -
Will Sergio Romo Ever Pitch in the Majors Again?
rdehring reacted to Cody Pirkl for a topic
I think from here on out it'll be interesting to see how Romo performs year to year. I would guess he can continue to find jobs for as long as he's effective against righties (who did hit him harder in 2019 to be fair). He's definitely become a more comfortable at bat with that fastball, but I think he's started to tweak his pitch mix which may stave off the inevitable awhile longer. I know his active spin is top 20 in all of baseball for both his slider and changeup which still gives him a stronger weapon against both lefties and righties than most pitchers have. I think if 2020 is cancelled there's a decent chance they don't re sign Romo, but I'd be willing to wager another team gives him a shot if he's interested.1 point -
I cannot speak to what sign stealing Worthington found to be cheating, but unless it involved using non-human methods, I would not find that cheating. If players can see in and see the signs and figure out what pitch is coming and can signal the hitter, to me that is not cheating. However, what the Astros, and other teams were doing went way beyond that. Using closed circuit camera feeds, a computer algorithm, and from the dug out banging on a trash can is crazy. I mean, for years catchers would use multiple signs when runner on second, sometimes even when runner was on first, but never with no one on base, until this. As long as the game has been around there has been teams trying to gain an edge, and as long as it is a skill of the person, that is not cheating. Just like in Blackjack, counting cards is not cheating, it is using a practiced skill to help gain an edge. Why do players cover their mouths with gloves when they are on the mound, fear of a lip reader on the team learning what they talking about, should anyone have that skill. That would not be cheating, but a hidden mic in the pitching rubber hearing everything would be. I personally do not even think using video of past games to try and figure out signs from 3rd base coaches is cheating, if you want to take the time to crack the code and the opposing team takes no steps to change it.1 point
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The Player Rob Manfred Should Be Trying to Clone for each 2020 Roster
mikelink45 reacted to Doctor Gast for a topic
I`m a big fan Al Worthinton but now I admire him more! What I like about the Twins is that they attract good character players. What I dislike is what others practice & try to cover up.1 point -
I literally don't know how this works. Some upstream drilling company contracts to supply X barrels of oil to downstream refiners for no money? Why? Negative interest rates I can sort of construct a rationale for.1 point
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The Player Rob Manfred Should Be Trying to Clone for each 2020 Roster
Nate Palmer reacted to mikelink45 for a topic
I just finished reading Cool of the Evening and I could not recommend a book more. What great history, all based on the 1965 Twins season and roster. Thank you for putting it here. I was trying to figure out how I could recommend it to the TD readers.1 point -
TCAnelle's Stadium Tour - NL Central
TheTeufelShuffle reacted to TCAnelle for a blog entry
I finally gave up on finding my 2009 pictures of Busch Stadium and finished the NL Central write up. I've made my peace with not finishing the 30 active stadiums this year, so writing about visiting baseball is still the best option until I can go see it again. And without further whining, here's the next division... National League Central Chicago Cubs Wrigley Field What if I told you if you would watch a club volleyball tournament with friends in the Dells for two days you’d get to go to the Twins at Cubs to finish out the weekend? What do you do? Well, of course you go watch volleyball and then go watch the Twins. In 2009, when I saw the Twins would finally be in Chicago for the first time since 2001, I knew I had to go. I checked in with old friends who are Cub fans only to discover they were booked for a volleyball tournament in the Dells. Some schedule shuffling ensued, Cubs tickets were acquired, and next thing I know I’m cheering for volleyball then listening to Joe Nathan get the save in the second game of the series as I’m driving past Mt Olympus on the way to Chicago. The Twins were 32-32 after the Saturday win and were three games back of the Tigers after the Pirates and Zach Duke had beaten them 9-3. My friends lived in St Charles, so we left from there on Sunday morning for a 1PM game. Fortunately, I wasn’t driving and didn’t have to figure out parking. I’m not sure it’s any easier now, but in 2009 we ended up parking in some guy’s alley driveway. I don’t remember what we paid, but our car wasn’t blocked in so I’m sure it wasn’t cheap. We walked past the McDonalds near Wrigley which I think is gone now, or at least the surface lot parking is, and even they were selling spots in their lot. Wrigleyville on a Sunday afternoon in 2009 was nuts. I can’t fathom what it must have been like for a night playoff game in 2016. We made our way into the stadium... and well… it was before the rehab and enhancements. The bathrooms weren’t very good. The concession stands were limited. I don’t remember it smelling as bad as Oakland, but there was a scent I would describe as less than pleasant in the concourse. I didn’t take pictures then like I do now. I wish I had so I could validate the memories. We made our way to the seats. We were in the lower level on the 3rd base side under the upper deck so we did have a couple of beams to look around. The field itself was lovely. I’d never been to a park with plants lining the outfield wall. The manual scoreboard in center field was novel. Once the game began, I realized how much data I wasn’t getting because Wrigley just didn’t have the same number of screens and boards, even compared to the Metrodome. Nick Punto bunted for a hit in the top of the 2nd allowing Gomez to score (don’t tell Parker). Scott Baker would give the run right back in the bottom of the 2nd and another run in the bottom of the 4th. Carlos Gomez hit a solo homer off Ted Lilly in the top of the 6th to tie the game. He probably bat-flipped and annoyed someone, but I only remember cheering. The game remained tied until Jesse Crain and an unfortunate series of hits and an IBB lead to a walk-off single by Ryan Theriot. Twins lost 3-2. The Twins still won the series, but my one and only game at Wrigley was a Twins loss. And I got in “trouble” for eating ketchup on my hot dog. I eat mustard on them now, please hold the pitchforks. I’d like to go back now and see the updates they’ve made, especially to give it a fair comparison to Fenway which has done a very nice job of keeping the history and yet having decent restrooms. I didn’t make it there for the Twins in 2018. Maybe next time. Cincinnati Reds Great American Ballpark In July of 2016, life took me to Cincinnati while the Reds were in town, so it was time to get another ballpark off my list. Great American Ballpark sits right on the Ohio River on the edge of downtown Cincinnati. The state line with Kentucky is a few feet into the river, so in theory, a hitter could launch a ball into the next state and it not be hyperbole. To get to the ballpark you can either go by land via Johnny Bench or Pete Rose Way or if you have a boat or live on the Kentucky side you can take a river boat shuttle from the Hooters in Newport, Kentucky. Taking a boat to take a boat to a baseball game was a first for me. GABP is faithful to the team name and had all red seats so the green grass of the field is quite a contrast. Red seats also help hide attendance issues. The announced attendance for the game that Sunday afternoon was 23,085 (GABP capacity 42,319), but as we all know that’s tickets sold, not bodies in the seats. The team was 34-58 at that point in the season so it’s not terribly surprising attendance was light. GABP opened in 2003, but it felt more than seven years older than Target Field. Scouts Alley was a bar/tunnel area with exclusive access from the Scout Seats around home plate. It’s since been remodeled which is good, because it was dark and had limited amenities compared to other club areas I’ve been in. The main concourses have a good selection of food and there’s a bar with a huge list of beers. The most remarkable thing about the ballpark is location, location, location. It’s all fine, but the position on the river with access by boat in a city that has a huge boating community is really the most remarkable thing about the park. The game was against the Brewers and was an eight hit pitchers’ duel between Zach Davies and Dan Straily. I did get to see a Joey-from-Canada hit in the bottom of the 4th so the game wasn’t a total bust. The Reds would finally break the 0-0 tie with a walk-off passed ball by Jonathan Lucroy that allowed Billy Hamilton to score. Reds win 1-0. Milwaukee Brewers County Stadium I happened to take a couple of pictures with a film camera during my visit to County Stadium or I honestly wouldn’t have recalled the date I was there. I remembered who I was with. I’d started babysitting for a family in high school. They moved around after I was in college, but we’d stayed in touch and they were going to be in Milwaukee to visit family. I missed the kids, so I booked a ticket to see them. We ended up going to a Brewers game, my one and only game at County Stadium. The Brewers were still in the American League in 1997, but it would be their last year without forcing their fans to watch the crime of making pitchers bat. They were also in the midst of building the airplane hangar that would eventually be known as Miller Park, I mean American Family Field. I honestly don’t remember much about the park other than the posts for the upper deck near our seats and a long walk to where we parked thanks to construction starting on Miller Park. The box score tells me the Mariners won 6-5 and the Brewer’s Jeromy Burnitz hit a homer so Bernie Brewer must have taken the slide down to his beer mug (when it still got to be a beer mug). If I’d had to testify in court without Baseball Reference to check the details, I’d have been in trouble. The family would eventually move back to the Chicago area and one of the kids would play volleyball in the Wisconsin Dells before I got to see Wrigley Field for the first time (see above). The kids are grown now and County Stadium was demolished in 2001. Time flies. Miller Park (soon to be American Family Field) Oh, Miller Park… What can I say about an airplane hangar masquerading as a baseball stadium? I never made it to Miller Park in the Metrodome years, but starting in 2012 I had to travel to Wisconsin and Illinois for work, so it was finally time. The Twins were slated to be in Milwaukee in July that year. I plotted out my work meetings and managed to squeeze in my first trip to see the Beloit Snappers, the Twins low A affiliate at the time, spend a few days working, visit my niece and nephew, and get to a couple of Twins games at Miller Park. I will admit I’m not much of a tailgater and that likely colors my impression of Miller Park. The stadium is about 5 miles from downtown has miles and miles of parking that fills with tailgaters, especially for weekend games. By the time I visited Miller, we’d had two full seasons at Target Field in downtown within walking distance of restaurants and bars. Miller Park felt like it was out on an island. The clamshell retractable roof gives the building an odd look since it doesn’t blend with the brick walls of the main structure. Once you’re inside, even when the clamshell roof is open, you never quite feel like you’re outside since the support structure for the roof is stationary. They also partially close it to manipulate the shadows so it feels even less like you’re outside when that happens. The field itself is nice and there are decent views from most seats. There are seats directly over the bullpens where fans can share their appreciation of the relief pitchers… probably. In County Stadium, Bernie Brewer lived in a chalet and slid into a beer stein. With the move to Miller Park, Bernie was made more kid friendly by having him live in a dugout and slide into a “home” platform. Yes, it’s lame, and yes, it’s ironic in a ballpark named after a beer company, but that’s changing next season. Ultimately, Miller is fine. It won’t have any rain outs. There’s always plenty of parking. But, it’s just not special for me beyond being the place where my niece and nephew saw their first MLB game. I got to see plenty of offense on Friday night as the Twins won 11-3. Scott Diamond was 3-0 with a 1.40 ERA after the game and would go one to have his best season in the majors. On Saturday, with my niece and nephew in attendance, the Twins would need six pitchers for an 11 inning 5-4 win. The kids were troopers and made it through the almost four-hour long game. Thankfully, Trevor Plouffe hit a homer off Manny Para in the top of the 11th or that might not have been the case. I fortunately skipped the Sunday game. It was a 16-4 mess of a loss where Jason Marquis gave up eight runs in 1.2 innings to start the game and Jeff Gray allowed five while recording zero outs in the 7th. Drew Butera got the 8th for his MLB pitching debut. He allowed no hits, walked one, and struck out one… Carlos Gomez, because of course he did. Pittsburgh Pirates PNC Park I’d been to Pittsburgh in 2003 for work and was fortunate enough to see Mario Lemieux play in the old Igloo back then, but didn’t get to PNC. By 2018, I was actively trying to get to all 30 active stadiums. I still needed PNC and Camden Yards in Baltimore. When the Twins 2018 schedule came out and they started the season in those two cities, I put the vacation days on the calendar. It was snowing upon arrival in Pittsburgh on April 1, 2018. April Fools! Or not… The next morning and 4 inches later, I was watching the grounds crew shovel the field via the hotel TV. It was the home opener for the Pirates so they were doing everything they could to get the game in on time. The temp was supposed to be in the low 40s at game time so I grabbed my blankets and parka and headed downtown. For those who haven’t been to Pittsburgh, downtown sits at the confluence of the Allegheny River and Monongahela River, which meet at Pittsburgh's Point State Park to form the Ohio River. Three rivers surrounding a downtown means there are lots of bridges. And there’s a funicular!!! The Duquesne Incline takes you up Mt. Washington on the south side and gives you a great view of the city and the many bridges. Near the ballpark is the Roberto Clemente Bridge which leads across the Allegheny from downtown. It’s closed to traffic for games depending on game time and becomes a pedestrian bridge. The center field gate is on the other side of the bridge. The lower concourse of the ballpark has a few different levels so you can’t walk the circle without stairs or elevators, but you can walk the full circle. The upper concourse spans foul pole to foul pole around home. With no high outfield stands, the view remains unobstructed. The view of the bridge and the skyline from inside the ballpark easily gives PNC the best view in MLB. Yes, St Louis has the arch and Oracle has the bay, but neither beats PNC in my view. They have a few unique food items like the pulled pork pierogie hoagie. The mascot race is between different flavor pierogies. Onion won the race for the second game. I missed which one won the race for the first game. I sat along the third base line for the first game a few rows up from the dugout. The view is still good, but the batter’s eye wall blocks part of the bridge and you can’t read the ivy “PIRATES” in center field as well as you can upstairs. I did have a great view of Lance Lynn giving up a first inning grand slam. The Twins would make some noise in the 6th, but would go on to lose 5-4. For the second game it was supposed to be cold and probably snow again so I went with a ticket in their version of the Legend’s Club. The PBC Level has a few pool tables, several bar and food areas, and some nice leather chairs in front of TVs when you’ve had too much of the cold and snow. The Twins offense showed up for 7 runs. Jake Odorizzi exited after two walks in the 5th, but Taylor Rogers, Hildenberger, and Addison Reed kept the Pirates off the board until Fernando Rodney came in for the 9th, ate some snow, and closed out the Twins’ 7-3 win. Pictures from the two games are posted on Flickr. St. Louis Cardinals Busch Stadium 2.0 This picture is not from the June 2009 games when I first visited the new Busch Stadium. I’ve given up on ever finding them. Either I didn’t take any or they’ve been lost to a crashed hard drive at some point. This picture is from a drive by of the stadium in December of 2012. It was definitely cooler when I took the picture than the Saturday day game in St Louis on the 27th of June, 2009. The box score shows the temperature at time of game was only 92, but it would rise to 99 after the noon start along with a heat index into the 100s. Family from Missouri and Illinois was supposed to be going to the game with me and my cousin was brining her boys to the game for the first MLB game ever, so of course the heat was the worst it would be all summer. Our seats were in one of the upper levels, but the canopy for the top level isn’t very wide and the orientation of the stadium means that the sun is pretty unrelenting during day games. We finally got shade in the later innings so fortunately, the boys didn’t melt and neither did their friends or my aunt and uncle. The game was terrible for the Twins. Kevin Slowey only went three innings and allowed five runs. Four of the five runs came on two separate two-run homers from a much younger Albert Pujols. My cousin’s boys were thrilled. St. Louis native Bobby Keppel went four innings in the heat after Slowey was done. The boys didn’t really care that Keppel was a local guy. They also probably don’t remember that Keppel appeared in 37 games for the Twins in 2009, most importantly in the top of the 12th inning of Game 163 and forever cementing his name in Twins Trivia history as the winning pitcher. Despite the Cardinals using SEVEN pitchers to get through the game, the only offense the Twins mustered was off Todd Wellemeyer in the top of the second. The Cards would go on to win 5-3. The weather broke a bit for Sunday’s game plus it started an hour later. My college friends I went with were smart enough to bring partially frozen water bottles and we got shade sooner. Liriano was the starter. He went seven innings and allowed only two runs. Justin Morneau hit a three-run homer in the top of the 1st. Joe Nathan got his 19th save of the year. The Twins won 6-2 in 2:50. A good time was had by all, except for the whole pitchers batting thing. My memories of the stadium aren’t very complete. I remember the arch and the old courthouse dome that can be seen from the stadium. I remember plenty of brick and polished concrete. I remember the old Busch scoreboard that hangs in one of the concourses. I don’t remember any food options that are unique. It was too hot to eat anything. Old Busch had been torn down by then, but the space that’s now a ballpark village area with Cardinals Nation and other restaurants and bars was just an asphalt parking lot in 2009. There’s also a Cardinals Hall of Fame Museum in that space now, so if the timing works out for me to go the next time the Twins are in St Louis, I’ll have something new to see. And maybe take a few pictures that won’t be lost since everything now gets backed up to the cloud. TCAnelle’s NL Central Rankings: PNC Park Busch Stadium 2.0 Wrigley Field Great American Ballpark Miller Park/American Family Field County Stadium1 point -
Only Baseball Blogger Not Doing a Simulated Season Takes Up Pottery
ashbury reacted to Dave The Dastardly for a topic
I thought about pottery... briefly. But the thought of sticking my fingers into something wet and slimy reminded me of changing diapers... not mine, my kids when they were babies. So I thought about painting instead, but that reminded me of college and the mandatory art class I couldn't escape. I hoped for a naked model to paint but got a flower vase instead. Reminded me of this year's baseball season; high expectations, among other things, that rapidly wilted. Just like my GPA. So I decided to take the high road. Stocked up on booze and snackies. Let the chips fall where they may.1 point -
The Show Must Go On: First Place! (Barely)
Centerfield reacted to Nick Nelson for a topic
Option 1: Press "Like This" on this comment (or voice your support below) if you want us to use our first-round draft pick on an older collegiate player with the potential to make a faster impact (but likely with a lower ceiling).1 point -
Goodbye Eddie?
In My La Z boy reacted to DocBauer for a topic
I had missed the arbitration arrangement Matthew states for 2021 if there is no season. Makes sense. Regardless of that fact: 1] Rosario had an OK year and was on pace for a really nice year until injury. We've all been down this arguement already. And what is the new statistic that was just written about here a month or so ago? I want to say it was weighted RBI? A measurement not just of RBI but taking advantage of said opportunities successfully, and it indicated he had a very good year, injury slide notwithstanding. 2] Even if arbitration $ weren't "frozen" for 2021 if no season, the budget could surely allow for another approximately $3M to keep Rosario for at least another season. (Even with $ possibly coming off the books, even though that's not guaranteed due to possible re-signings). 3] Even if Rooker, Larnach and Kirilloff had complete 2020 seasons, that certainly doesn't guarantee any of them are ready to step in for Rosario, though it seems highly likely. They still have to have healthy and productive seasons to seize opportunity. And Marwin is part of the fall back option and there is no guarantee he is re-signed. And at this point, we don't even know if milb will exist in any format even if MLB gets in an abbreviated season. I will be shocked if Rosario isn't with the Twins through 2021.1 point -
Goodbye Eddie?
Musk21 reacted to Matthew Taylor for a topic
In the event of a cancelled season, arbitration eligible players will receive the same salary in 2021 as they were due in 2020. With a salary of just $7.75M, I would bet that the Twins hang onto Rosario. With the cancelled season, I can’t imagine that the Twins will feel comfortable tossing Larnach/Rooker in as the starting OF. Especially with Marwin walking, the Twins could certainly stand to hang onto Rosario in his last arbitration season. IMO, a cancelled season only increases the likelihood that Eddie remains a Twin.1 point -
To sum up my ability as a potter in high school, I looked a lot like Kent Hrbek from the Legends game when I was carrying my finished product over to the kiln. https://youtu.be/CwlnAIOrU6A1 point
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I really hold back what I would like to say about then payroll arguments here. The fact that people don't accept the amount taken in dictates the amount going out requires one of two things. Extreme financial ignorance or fanatical bias that prevents the acceptance of something some basic. I did not change the argument. It's the same idiocy over and over. Do you really want to be on the side that suggests revenues does not determine spending capacity?· 0 replies
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