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Chance favors the prepared... And as i'll be in a car much of the time between now and game time... Sink yer teeth into this...

1. Everyone remember to schedule an appointment with your manicurist after last night? There may be unreasonably long waits for walk in business after last night... 2. Hindsight: Any take-aways from last night's game? Can Buxton get a bunt down? Should Sano catch a pop-up? Does Grossman steal a base? Glad Dozier can clear the monster, and hopefully Sano can keep up the pop... Gibson sure settled down after the first! 3. Foresight: I'll let you all settle into this once the line-ups come out. But last night they mentioned Nolasco has a .500 record on the road. What's up with that? Does it bode? 4. Beantown: Beans are the musical fruit, and Boston is somewhat known for its music. (I did what you see there...) Much of 'em are vacationing at Tanglewood over the summer, so i hear. Y'all may be out of luck. Or perhaps you may have to settle for a less renown scene? They exist, but i'm not an expert, obtusely referencing a favorite scene from The Man Who Wasn't There, bringing me to my final thought... 5. Cinema. There are many movies set in the greater Boston area, but today at least, i have a clear favorite, and will abuse my privilege as intro-write to declare it: Boondock Saints. This is how i know that everyone is Irish on St. Paddy's day. Now go ahead. Name a better movie. I might be wanting a bagel with my coffee... Gettin' in ahead of the game, i will leave it to some good citizen to acquire merit by adding the line ups to the thread. Enjoy the game!

Yes. Technically, at least. Unclear as to whether or not it was a moral victory. Apparently there is going to be another one of those games tonight?

Ah, but is Kintzler now perhaps a little closer... to being a closer? He closed, after all. With some defense behind him. I think he can have coffee.

Where you see crow, i see a stealthy use of the anti-jinx. Well played!

Squeaky clean! And perhaps got some valuable experience that will pay off later. Some toasty chicken indeed. Thanks all!

Centeno got the bunt down. Nice to see.

Gloves have an inside and an outside...

Meh. No blood, no foul...

I think i do too... Excuse me sir. Your bat has offended me. I demand satisfaction.

Like watching a glass flower garden... Growing panes are hard to take sometimes.

Could be more to come... Anyone else enjoying the game thus far?

May we disturb now?

... inalienable rights, amongst which are the bunt, the hit and run, and the pursuit of an outside breaking ball.

Dozier ties it up. Huzzah.

Perhaps well is a sliding scale. Or the other team bats better. That can happen too.

Is there hope if we get Pedroia out?

Half inning in, and we're not down yet. Scratch that. Another lead off homer... At least i got to see this live on a screen.

Fair enough. On a sad note, i finally figured out why no one brought up Dennis in last night's game thread...

Aaaaay! Thank you.

My bad... Um... Does the Fonz have anything to do with the game?

When in the course of sporting events it becomes necessary for one base ball team to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortunes, and take arms against a sea of sorrows, end them, well, the tough get going, and the weird turn pro, then run out of bubble gum, that game threads of the people, for the people, and by the people, and with the people, and to the people, shall not parish from this internet. Whoa. Lost my train of thought. Boston. Their caps have a B on it. B side. Plan B. B..n town. All the themes i could have chosen for this here thread... If i'd prepared. My apologies for swinging at the first pitch, and nubbing it down the 3rd base line... If i hurry, i might still be able to beat it out. If i'm lucky, maybe i can use one of them next time, assuming i don't get pinch hit for... Last night, we got knocked down. But we'll get up again... Chicken. Starts with C. I wonder if there are hats for that. On Cambridge Street in Cambridge (cross the river from Boston) there is a sign with an outline of a chicken and a memorable slogan, which i'm too lazy to verify my memory of it. Anyway, i wanted to bring up that chicken is also a name of a game. A very basic one which perhaps has the very basic lesson to teach: the only winning move is not to play. That's the way it goes, but every so often, it goes the other way. D. All of the above. Um, goes into the game thread intro. 'Cause the game starts a little more than an hour off, and i want to strike in the hustle and bustle before. The Dread Pirate Roberts takes no survivors! (Sadly, i think that line goes to David Ortiz...) On with the thread... Gametime Forecast: 87°F - Partly Cloudy - 1% PoP Twins Kyle Gibson (R ) 1. Eduardo Nunez (R ) DH 2. Robbie Grossman (S) LF 3. Joe Mauer (L) 1B 4. Brian Dozier ( R) 2B 5. Miguel Sano ( R) 3B 6. Max Kepler (L) RF 7. Eduardo Escobar (S) SS 8. Juan Centeno (L) C 9. Byron Buxton (R ) CF Red Sox Eduardo Rodriguez (L) 1. Mookie Betts (R ) RF 2. Dustin Pedroia ( R) 2B 3. Xander Bogaerts ( R) SS 4. David Ortiz (L) DH 5. Hanley Ramirez ( R) 1B 6. Jackie Bradley Jr. (L) CF 7. Travis Shaw (L) 3B 8. Sandy Leon (S) C 9. Brock Holt (L) LF

We can score 11 runs in an inning. The trick is not to get out...

Ortiz? I thought he was justa slap hitter?

Bottom of the 8th down 9-2. What we got here is a range war... No need for concern, sir it is only natural for the more timid element to run for cover...