155 thoughts on “June 4, 2012: M.O.I. Miss You Much”

    1. Whoa, whoa, there. It's not like he lives in new Mexico -- he's in Arizona. That's a state in the YOUnighted states of America.

  2. The wife has been hounding me for years to get a tandem bike because I ride my bike way too fast for her to keep up. (I maintain she rides too slow). Anyway I crumbled and we picked one up off of Craigslist this weekend. Here we are leaving a grad party on Sunday. (Pirate and Stratergy, I think this was really close to your houses -- 47th and Garfield)

    1. The included image is I think private to your email account. You will need to save it and upload it somewhere in order to share it.

        2. You go to the Kingfield Farmers Market? Sheenie is there pretty much every single Sunday (although not next Sunday as we'll be finishing up the MS 150). I join her about once a month there.

  3. Dr. Chop and I haven't had to find a rental in 8+ years. We began our slog through the Craigslist postings this week, and thus far we've returned at least two scams. The response from my email enquire reads like that little old lady who needs my help in getting her funds out of that African bank. The internets is a crazy place.

    1. The internets is a crazy place.

      yeah, it's like a big lemon party, or something.

  4. can anyone take tonight's recap? i'll be 35k feet in the air during the game, and rather than write a raw recap, a half-baked one would be more appropriate.

      1. The mugshot showed some of the least surprising imagery I've ever seen.

        Also, this could be good marketing for the manufacturer of the carseat.

  6. WGOM Radio

    Does Wednesday night work for recording our Euro preview?

    Then Monday for our NBA Finals preview/playoff recap?

    2. The story doesn't mention if the guy has season tickets. He can't use them now after his lifetime ban. I think that would deter me more from doing something like that more than the legal ramifications.

        2. speaking of which, I noticed that TWO Mets got injured during/after Johan's no-no.

          Johan Santana better send some extra flowers to Mike Baxter’s recovery room. Baxter’s catch that preserved Santana’s no-hit bid came with collateral damage: the left fielder, who went full speed into the wall while grabbing Yadier Molina’s seventh-inning liner, displaced his right collarbone and fractured rib cartilage, according to Terry Collins.

          Baxter, a Whitestone native, will miss about six weeks, Collins said, and will be placed on the DL. “I thought something was wrong, just because of the way it was feeling last night,” said Baxter, adding that doctors ruled out a concussion.

          Although Baxter hit the wall with his left shoulder, the injury to his rib cage was sustained to his right side — illustrating the force of the collision. The 27-year-old crumpled on the warning track and was forced to leave Friday’s game.

          Another casualty of the night was reliever Ramon Ramirez, who strained his hamstring during the celebration and will head to the DL.

          1. Another reason why those celebrations of everyone jumping and shoving are stupid.

    2. No kidding.
      The latest is that we are going to switch to 4-day work weeks with 9.5 hour days starting July 1 (effectively a 5-pct pay cut), and the governor is going to impose a ten percent cut on all exempt employees (gubernatorial appointees).

      1. At least your commuting costs will be cut by 20 percent. If the cost of commuting is more than 25 percent of your weekly pay (before the cuts), then that's a net gain! Winner!!!111!!!

          1. Meaning, of course, that a pay cut means less taxes paid, while driving less is saving after tax money.

            1. Hah. I expect that I will be wandering in to the office fairly frequently on fridays, even though the agency is "closed", particularly if this 4-day thing persists for very long.

              The HR and payroll folks are excited beyond belief. Is a sick day "worth" 9.5 hours or 8 hours? What about a holiday? What about a holiday on a day for which the agency is shut down?

              I've already suggested, tongue-in-cheek, that we count holidays as 8 hours and tell staff they have to report for 1.5 hours (July 4 is on a wednesday) to make up the balance.

              Also, all of my FLSA-exempt staff (i.e., "salaried" professionals, not eligible for OT) likely would become "hourly" employees under this plan. No more 3-hour lunches!!!!1111one111!!!

  9. Anyone have any opinions on the Twins' #2 pick tonight? I know there was some discussion previously, but since that's going on tonight and all, I figured it would be worth chatting about.

    Carlos Correa anyone?

      1. Yeah, me too. There seems to at least be some consensus that Buxton is a pretty safe, solid pick. So that's nice, if unexciting. But they've had Correa try out for them a couple times recently, so they must have some interest.

      2. Buxton was just compared to Mike Cameron by Harold Reynolds. Yipee!

        1. Anyone compared to anyone by Harold Reynolds matters not to me. It's Harold Reynolds.

        2. NEVERMIND! I LIED! I WAS JUST TRYING TO TALK MYSELF INTO HIM. THE TWINS ARE GOING TO GET APPEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

              1. Buxton! I wanted him all along! Willie Mays version 2.0!!!

  10. So... Philosofette and I are toying with the idea of going dark at home - no TV, no internet - until the Olympics. It'll save us a couple hundred bucks, plus we might be able to get a better offer if we pretend to be moving in when we reconnect. Anyone ever do this? How painful will it be?

    1. I fluctuate between huge cable/internet package to internet only to nothing and back quite regularly. I'm used to it. It can be a little jolting, esp. the no internet part.

    2. Do you have access to a Red Box? A stack of books to read? A cribbage board? Gym membership? Are you healthy enough for _e_ on a regular basis?
      If the answers to one or more of these is "yes," then I'd say go for it.

      I miss extended cable, but not very much. I would certainly miss home access to the Internet, but could go a couple weeks or so without getting hives, particularly the way the Twins have been this season. But we would miss you!

      1. Ooh, cribbage!

        We've done the cable thing before, so I know that won't be the tough part. The internet might be brutal though. I'll still have it at work, and there's always the library... I'm guessing we'll pull the plug later this week.

            1. I'd say that if someone doesn't have their wireless secured at this point, they deserve to have it borrowed.

    3. Well, if you didn't have the internet for two months, you wouldn't be able to help with Survivor.

      Oh, wait.

      1. Zing!

        Yeah, sorry. What's working out for judges and contestants has been unworkable for me if I want to be a good father.

    4. I think it would be interesting, but I'm not sure I could last more than a day or so. I mean, it would probably help me clear my nigh-endless backlog of videogames which would be nice, but I really just can't imagine myself lasting.

    5. It's twenty years ago now (so pre-internet), but my family went an entire year without a television in the house (although my father made an exception and let us borrow a neighbor's extra TV during the '92 World Series). That year certainly didn't hurt in creating my lifelong need to constantly be reading something. I also didn't have a TV for several years of college (about 2003-05ish). Of course, I spent tons of time online then (between my old website and doing the long-distance thing with Sheenie). That part would have been harder, but definitely not impossible.

      Like the perfesser said, load up on library books and sunscreen and sit outside and enjoy Minnesota.

    6. You can save a lot by using Internet for your TV. Netflix and Hulu Plus are about $16 per month and that has a large number of movies and TV shows. We do that and we find we don't miss the cable TV. We do have very basic cable, but only because we have cable Internet and it was the same price bundling the two together as Internet alone.

      1. I'm not a big fan of watching TV on the internet. Don't have the setup for it in our apartment.

        1. J & I just got a Roku and absolutely love it. It was relatively inexpensive (got it on sale for $70), it's tiny, wireless, and easy to use. We're getting rid of cable, and siging up for Netflix & Crunchyroll, so it'll pay for itself in 3 months, and we'll save like $30/month after that.

          2. I just spent the weekend with a friend with Roku. It was really cool and I'm seriously considering one. Also, thanks to Gizmodo, I found this deal where you get a Roku and 6 months Hulu+ for $80 (a $40 savings vs. individual purchases). And if I end up somewhere where the Twins aren't blacked-out on MLB.tv, even better.

        2. Many options. I also have Roku (see above) and you also can watch Netflix and Hulu Plus on the Wii. I believe the same is true for PS3 and Xbox 360.

          1. Also, many DVRs and BluRay players stream Internet, plus Internet TVs.

  12. Why should you care about this guy?

    Spoiler SelectShow

      2. Yeah, you pretty much nailed it with this assumption. I really need to visit them sometime.

        1. You name the date, I'll sign us up...or try to. Can be a challenging ticket.

    1. It was pretty cool how the Twins handled this situation. Dude is hurting, they decide to let him play through it, he sucks while pitching hurt and now he's on the DL. Stop me if you've heard this one before.

      1. Hey, it's nice to see a team try something innovative and different every now and then, right?

      2. And I'm not so sure the gentleman replacing him on the roster, while healthy, will even be as "good" as the dude who is hurting. Yuck.

          1. The more important question is who has ever heard of an "anterior capsular strain"? Definitely sounds made-up.

        2. ugggg. I had a 'conversation' about Joe Mauer at work today (it was more me listening to nonsense and rolling my eyes). According to this guy, Mauer makes so much money he need to play even if he had one leg amputated. He also doesnt hit enough HRs for a guy making 20 mil a year. I think I work with a Stribber.

      4. He just needs to rub some dirt on it rest and rehab it have it surgically repaired removed.

    2. From the caption to the picture accompanying the linked column:

      Pedro Borbon was indicted into the Reds Hall of Fame in 2010.

      They got their man!

    3. six consecutive seasons with 120+ innings out of the bullpen (almost; he had 3 starts over those years), followed by two more with 90+ innings. The Reds were my N.L. crush back in the Dark Ages of the 1970s.

      He was amazingly effective as a middle reliever for a guy who barely struck anyone out (3.6 K/9 for his career) and who walked quite a few (2.2 BB/9).

    1. That's a surprise. Will the Twins still take Buxton or pass on him for Appel? Appel should be up a lot faster and fill a gaping hole in the organization, however, Buxton has star potential.

        1. I'm ok with this. Sounds like the benefit of Appel is his nearness to the majors, and that's not enough of a benefit to the Twins.

    1. Not based on his interview skills. A young Torii without the mouth is not the worst thing to be compared to. I've heard comparisons to the Uptons, Matt Kemp and even Willie Mays (yeah, right).

  19. Reynolds says last high school outfielder the Twins drafted that worked out was Hunter. Span hasn't worked out I guess. Nor Cuddyer.

    1. Then Reynolds says the Twins are one of the best teams at developing young talent, and they need someone to "get excited about the future." I guess Miguel Sano is just chopped liver?

      Seligula is in rare form tonight.

    2. Cuddyer was drafted as a shortstop. Revere and Hicks already labeled busts, I guess.

    1. I've been trying to hunt down some welding goggles/glasses but no luck. I guess shade 14 goggles are rare. I might just do the pinhole in paper thing instead.

      1. Follow that link, the funnel viewer should be easy to construct. I woundn't be surprised if there aren't free viewing stations in the tc area, and if the transits inspires you to read something I'd suggest mason and Dixon by pynchon.

      2. yep, welder's glass #14 is a special order -- I ran into the same problem. got my two pair of solar viewers, but I'd sure liked to have rigged my binocs. And I'm not going to risk my telescope to do the projection technique.

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