2012 Game 72: Stacker of Wheat at L’Etoile du Nord

First Pitch - 7:10 p.m. CDT
Television - FSN
Game Notes

When you search the internet for images, you get a lot different results with "white socks" than you do with "white sox". But you might want to set your search engine filters accordingly if you search on "white stockings".

If there's a better way to wrap up this round of interleague play than by taking on our most universally despised divisional rival, the Chicago White Sox, I don't know what it is. Oh, wait. Yes I do. Sweeping a series against said Sox would be better. Much better.

The Pale Hose are coming off a weekend that saw them move into first place in the division and acquire Kevin Youkilis from Boston for Brent Lillibridge, Zach Stewart and some cash. Youkilis is expected to be starting at third base tonight, where he will be frequently mistaken for Yukon Cornelius.

ON THE HILL
Francisco Liriano: 1-7, 5.74 ERA, 69 ERA+, 4.36 FIP, 4.18 xFIP, 0.5 WAR
Jake Peavy: 6-3, 2.74 ERA, 155 ERA+, 3.25 FIP, 4.07 xFIP, 2.5 WAR

Play ball!

Happy Birthday–June 25

Joe Kuhel (1906)
Don Demeter (1935)
Dick Drago (1945)
Clay Kirby (1948)
Bob Shirley (1954)
Alejandro Pena (1959)
Mike Stanley (1963)
Aaron Sele (1970)
Michael Tucker (1971)
Carlos Delgado (1972)
Javier Vazquez (1976)
Aramis Ramirez (1978)
Paul Maholm (1982)

First baseman Joe Kuhel played for the franchise for several years while it was in Washington, and later managed the team there.  However, there do not appear to be any players with connections to the Minnesota Twins born on this day.

Game 71: Twins 4, Reds 3

Well boys, I was scheduled to work from 10-8 today but when I got there to start my shift they said I could head home until 2 if I wanted. I could use the money, but I could use the family/study time more so I accepted. Studied for a bit, hung out with the wife and kid, took the dogs for a walk and brought the old transistor radio along. Heard the first 4 innings as relayed by Provus & Dazzle, watched bits and pieces of the last 5 innings when I got to work. Was able to wander into the bar to watch the big Willingham at-bat from first pitch to big boy swing. But more on that after the jump. 

Continue reading Game 71: Twins 4, Reds 3

2012 Game 71: Twins at Reds

Today, Scott Diamond goes up against Mike Leake, an okayish righty. On the upside, I should be able to see this entire game unless it's another crushingly long rain delay like last week. Sadly, though, this will be the end of me being able to listen to the Reds feed unless I switch allegiances. I like the Reds pretty well and all, but that ain't happening. After this series, the Twins tangle with the White Sox, so it's a precipitous drop in announcer quality.

If it seems I'm too infatuated with announce teams this year, well, it's because the home team has been at the bottom of the standings all season long. Still, 28-42 seems like a best case scenario considering where they were a month and a half ago, and after all, they're the only Minnesota Twins we have. Here's hoping a few more slightly-above-.500 months can get this team to 81 wins somehow. Hell, that could win the division...