Blake

Brock, and I admit I'm spitballing, here, but, haven't the Twins really suffered from lack of consistency from the DH over the last few years? I think this year, Grossman is showing some consistency at the DH spot, something I think the Twins desperately need. That Grossman can also play a corner outfield is a bonus, generally because the DH position is usually part-time First Base, which I think the Twins have enough of. If and when the Twins go to a 12 man pitching staff, perhaps Vargas comes up to serve as a platoon with Mauer and add a bat to the bench. Of course, if I was any good at prognostication, I'd have an easy life and make my money gambling on sports.

I prefer my comedy to be confined to astute observations when I start a game thread.

Practicing for a game thread?

I think bunting would help if Buxton is having trouble with watching the ball all the way into the bat. It is very difficult to bunt successfully, I would think, without looking the ball into the bat. For what it's worth. Which, with inflation, isn't much.

Cool, I wanted the Twins to wipe the smug from the faces of the Tigers and I believe I got what I wanted. And, a .500 road trip. Excellent start to the season even if there were a couple of disappointing losses.

Yes.

You've not heard of the "Pitchforks and Torches" relay? Something to do with bad jokes, if I understand correctly.

Wasn't going to be outdone by Keplers bomb.

Hard to estimate because from what I gather, the ball has yet to return to Earth.

Quick, buy that lottery ticket!

But I bet you can understand when your checkbook is below a Zero balance. So, you have that going for you.

Yeah Dozier! Yeah Grossman! Molitor is a lineup guru!! Yay!!

Hughes, by my count, got away with three very hittable pitches that inning. I think he's lucky he got out of there with only 1 run scored.

holy moly, did Hughes just get away with one. Fastball right down the heart of the plate.

The Twins need to find a way to wipe the smug off the faces of Detroit. Granted, Detroit has earned a bit of "taking the Twins lightly" but still....

I don't mind the Detroit announcers. I do mind pulling up the game just in time to see Cabrera take Hughes deep.

My uncle died recently, drowned in a vat of Jameson. He held out as long as he could, pushing away everyone who tried to save him.

5. The Twins are carrying 13 pitchers. ..and?

I think we're in agreement on that.

As I've stated elsewhere, I don't necessarily think Gibson made a bad pitch, per se. I do, however, think this goes back to pitch selection. From what I've seen, it's a fools game for pitchers to throw anything close to the strike zone down and in to a left-handed batter. I think Gibson has been told way to much or perhaps actually believes, he needs to stay down in the zone no matter what. Which, again, against left-handed batters, appears to be a bad idea. Yes, I know Gibson put himself in position to lose the game, but, that type of situation is what separates great pitchers from mediocre pitchers. Great pitchers will find a way to get out of a situation like that. If memory serves, Santana had a bases-loaded situation this year and got out of it without a run scoring. It happens and good pitchers find a way to survive. For whatever reason, Gibson just didn't get the job done.

Yeah, considering, shudder, last year, the Twins were 0-8.

Kintzler seems to have a really good attitude about the the whole thing too. And, you never know, Kintzler might very well turn out to be the find of the decade for the Twins.

My problem is that Gibson seems to think he needs to be low in the zone, no matter who the hitter. The pitch that lost the game wasn't necessarily a bad pitch but I do think it was a poor pitch to throw to a low ball hitter.