Well, at least that's over. Enjoy the AL Wild Card race.
81 thoughts on “September 29, 2013: Twins Baseball”
Still one game to play.
The word is that Gardy and TR meeting today. Doogie says he thinks Gardy stays, but that Gardy wants two year deal.
Is Ryan going to hand a two-year deal to a guy that has lost 290 games over past three years, when he wouldn't extend after last year?]
Man, I don't see that.
Yea, a multi-year extension followed by a firing in mid-contract is more of a Gopher thing.
I think he's gone, but then Billy Smith is still on the payroll, so who knows, maybe he'll get a chance to have 5 straight 90 loss seasons.
Can Billy coach?
I like Doogie, but lately his sources seem to be feed him wrong info.
Twins had eight straight fourth or fifth place finishes under TK, which included five 90-loss seasons. Only one was as bad as the last three, but really, what's the difference? If you finish with 90 losses or more, you might as well be really bad and get the high draft picks. At least the Twins appear to be doing a better job of taking advantage of their place in the draft than they did in the 90s.
the differences are 1987 and 1991.
Yes, but Gardy has six division titles.
The other difference is Target Field and the much larger financial commitment.
Even the Royals had a (slightly) higher payroll than the Twins this year. Twins are 11 of 15 in payroll this year and their payroll is about 35 percent of the highest payroll. In 1993, the Twins were 12 of 14, but their payroll was 60 percent of highest payroll. Five of Gardy's six division titles came while the team played in the Metrodome. In 2009, the Twins were 12 of 14 in payroll and their payroll was less than a third of the top payroll.
Kirby in Floyd Turbo hat.
#classic
I think the bigger differences relate to the performance of young players. Maybe I'm romanticizing TK, and I'm not really old enough to remember, but I have been consistently disappointed with Gardy's ability to manage young players. If that's our future...
TK took a fair bit of heat for the way he handled some young players in his last few years.
oh yeah, neither TK nor Gardy were necessarily kind to the youngsters
I can't see TR straight up firing Gardy, but I can see a contract offered that is begging to be turned down.
Wasn't that the plan with Mike Tice back in the day?
Sunderland/Liverpool is a nice brunch before the NFL/MLB buffett
speaking of firings, U$C's Pat Haden fired Lane Kiffin yesterday on the plane home from ASU. Wow.
cold blooded.
but after allowing about 650 yards of offense to Arizona St, it was probably deserved
cold blooded.
What? Sounds like he waited until the game was over.
reading more, it sounds like it happened int he thirds quarter, but Kiffen wasnt told until after landing. The bus was told to leave.
Yea. Hilarious and vicious. You are fired, bus leaves you behind AND takes your bag.
Stay classy, U$C.
Listening to the Star-Spangled Banner being sung at Wembley Stadium (and getting some applause!) is a little weird.
Gene Simmons did a pretty nice job of harmonizing with the Air Force folks.
Were they all in uniform (Air Force in blues, Gene in face black/white)?
Gene in a black suit, but yeah- I wish he'd done the whole facepaint and KISS outfit, that'd would have been great.
(Wik) His mother Flóra "Florence" Klein (formerly Kovács) was born in Jánd, Hungary. The name Klein, which means "small" in German, is sometimes used informally in Hungarian as Kis; this however, did not give the band its name
Now that summer is over, it's time to think about fall brewing.
Am looking in Northern Brewer's Fall catalog at the Cascade Mtns West Coat Imperial IPA (what's not to like about grapefruit and pine needles...). Have been kind of in a rut between Nelson's Widmer Imp. IPA and Cap'n Lawrence Imp. IPA, but not a bad rut.
Wait, there's La Petite Orange Amber Ale (interaction between expressive esters and intricate Maillard products - me likey).
I haven't brewed in months. Car issues and a dryer problem have forced us to focus on other things. My birthday's in four days...who wants to send me a kit?!?!?!?!
Reds-Buccos on TBS right now, but no Morneau, no Bill Hamilton. what a rip
Both teams resting for Tuesday's game.
Whoa, my friend got the call. He's going to be the trainer for Cedar Rapids next season. Only a few more stops before he's with the big club!
thats cool!
Congrats to him. Tell him to be careful with Buxton.
/Not sure if that's where Buxton will be.
Buxton started last season in Cedar Rapids.
I'm not listening to you until you get another Live Journal posting up.
Fair enough. A season wrap-up is definitely in order.
Awesome. Make sure he knows he's always welcome to stop by here and give us updates on the team (not that he'd probably be allowed to do that, of course).
Hmmm, I'm not sure if it that would get him in trouble or not, but I can talk to him about it. At the very least, I can try to pass on any interesting anecdotes I hear.
[redacted]?
I think I learned my lesson about sharing those types of stories... but perhaps someday I will tell you all about Darin Mastroianni.
!!!
with Giuliani down by the schoolyard
Spoiler!
Question for the masses
Breaking Bad
or
The Wire
The wire hands down. But, that's not to say that breaking bad isn't great in its own right.
I really need to watch The Wire. Was that an HBO series? Because if it was I can get it online on HBO GO.
Yes, it was HBO.
And, yes you should watch it.
I would say The Wire has more depth, but Breaking Bad has higher highs. You can't go wrong with either.
I agree, but I think the major difference is that The Wire is more of a realish exploration of the war on drugs, and that BB is a character study that doesn't flinch from the darkest parts of humanity.
That doesn't mean one has to be better than the other. They're just different stylistic attacks on the same theme.
I'm fairly certain these are my two favorite shows of all time, but you may as well ask me whether I love Skim or Sour Cream more. They're very different, but I love both of them to the fullest extent possible.
I totes agree fo sho. I wasn't trying to say that The Wire is better because per se, just pointing out what I feel is the major difference between.
Serious spoiler to follow
agreed with everyone that they're both excellent choices. for me though, it would also be the wire hands down. that's just a show that every american needs to see.
I would say The Wire but I have friends that didn't have patience for the lack of action in The Wire. I can see where some people would prefer Breaking Bad.
I agree that these would be my top 2. I think I would go with Sopranos at #3.
My semi-reason for asking is that I've seen BB and feel that it's my personal favorite show, but I haven't seen The Wire yet, at least not the whole show.
Interestingly enough, both shows I started with a few episodes, but then held off because I wasn't really sure I wanted to continue. In the case of BB, I did eventually start watching again (because of Netflix) and I'm immensely glad I did.
With the Wire, it's harder, because it's not on Netflix, and I'd have to go an extra step and rent it or buy episodes on Amazon. The other reason is that it's an HBO show, which has more explicit material that I'm really not interested in. Same reason I'm not watching Game of Thrones (though with GoT, I've read the books and don't feel I'm missing out on the show). BB being on AMC was prevented from showing too much, which I think in some ways has made it better.
Someday I may watch the Wire.... I wanted to see if people here thought it was better than BB. The fact that the numbers are turning that way keeps it on the radar at least.
I definitely think The Wire is the better show. I'd also suggest The Shield which is much closer in tone to Breaking Bad.
I've never seen The Wire though it's high on my list. I'm working through Breaking Bad (half way through Season 4). And for as much as I do appreciate Breaking Bad, I can't imagine that it's seriously in the running for best show ever like I've heard mentioned ad nauseum for The Wire.
I think in a couple years we'll all look back at Breaking Bad and say "yeah, that was a great show," and then just sort of move on.
My friends Frank and Aaron's paintings are all over the fifth season of breaking bad. That's pretty awesome.
It's been entertaining watching the Albuquerque stations and their coverage of the last show and the local haunts in it.
btw, Mrs. Runner and I really liked Los Alamos.
Lynx going to the WNBA finals you guys.
Do any of them make TRBC money?
they dont play until next Sunday
seems like a really long layoff
Especially since the Eastern Conference finals were over before the West.
If David Stern were running the WNBA, he would have made sure that the Lynx would have gotten McCarville and Whalen straight out of college.
It's good to see there's one good Minnesota team out there.
I haven't followed at all this year.
I know that last year's team was a stacked juggernaut for which anything but a championship was a failure (which it was).
Could one say the same about this year, or are their opponents the ... Atlanta Fever ... worthy challengers?
It would appear not as they were the #2 seed with a .500 record.
Over half of the Lynx starters were on the Olympic team. They're stacked, and anything other than a championship is failure.
Word on the Twitters is that Gardy, Rick Anderson will be back in 2014.
After Ozymandias, I would not have guessed that I could feel any sympathy whatsoever for Walter White - my take on him was pretty similar for Walt Jr.'s. I also wouldn't have guessed that the finale could have a happy ending (as "happy" as could possibly be expected, anyway, his family's still a million kinds of destroyed, as is Jesse's life). I turned out to be wrong on both counts. Cathartic as hell finale - great scenes, great shots, great writing (the "I did it for me" explanation was gold).
So... what are your five favorite episodes?
I'm not going to answer yet, as I really need to look them all over again.
The "I did it for me" thing was my favorite part of the finale. I was a little annoyed everything got tied up in a bow (as much as it could anyway), but I think overall the last half of the season was very good. I'd like to watch the episode again later on when it's not paced horribly due to the commercials ever 5 minutes during the first 2/3 of the episode.
My five favorite episodes were probably Dead Freight, Fly, Full Measures, Problem Dog, and Ozymandias in about that order.
#1 - One Minute. That final scene was awesome.
#2 - Ozymandias. So much in that episode
#3 - Four Days Out. Funniest episode. When Jesse dumped the water on the generator, I couldn't stop laughing for 5 minutes.
#4 - Peekaboo. The one where Jesse goes to confront the couple that robbed Pete. Features the little red-haired kid. So heartbreaking to see that innocence in such a wretched environment. One of the hardest eps to watch.
#5 - Face Off. Besides the climax, there's all the runaround that Hector gives the DEA.
Oh, and I SO called Lydia's mode of death. The only part about it I missed was how he'd get it in there, with the Stevia packet, which was genius (take out all the stevia but one). Begs the next question... how'd he get it in the package?
Love that Jesse got Todd, but a better ending for Todd woulda been to throw him down in the cage along with some Sulfuric Acid.
The scene with Skyler was very well done. Loved that part.
Overall, yes there's a little disappointment that it wasn't as tense as Ozymandias or One Minute, and that everything tied up so neatly, but the way it was all done was pure Breaking Bad, right down to the moving chair at the Uncle's during all the shooting.
Well played Vince Gilligan, well played.
Half way through season 4, but... my favorite episode so far is, hands down, "One Minute."
5 - Peekaboo. The interaction between Jesse and the meth addict couple's kid is simultaneously heartbreaking and heartwarming.
4 - Salud. The culmination of Gus's long game against the cartel, and Jesse mans up and earns Mike's respect.
3 - Say My Name. "Walter, shut the fuck up and let me die in peace."
2 - Ozymandias. Hank's death, the knife fight with Skyler, the kidnapping, the phone call... so much intensity.
1 - Dead Freight. Vince Gilligan calls the series a western, and this was a fantastic homage to The Great Train Robbery, the first film to feature location shooting and camera movement.
Still one game to play.
The word is that Gardy and TR meeting today. Doogie says he thinks Gardy stays, but that Gardy wants two year deal.
Is Ryan going to hand a two-year deal to a guy that has lost 290 games over past three years, when he wouldn't extend after last year?]
Man, I don't see that.
Yea, a multi-year extension followed by a firing in mid-contract is more of a Gopher thing.
I think he's gone, but then Billy Smith is still on the payroll, so who knows, maybe he'll get a chance to have 5 straight 90 loss seasons.
Can Billy coach?
I like Doogie, but lately his sources seem to be feed him wrong info.
Twins had eight straight fourth or fifth place finishes under TK, which included five 90-loss seasons. Only one was as bad as the last three, but really, what's the difference? If you finish with 90 losses or more, you might as well be really bad and get the high draft picks. At least the Twins appear to be doing a better job of taking advantage of their place in the draft than they did in the 90s.
the differences are 1987 and 1991.
Yes, but Gardy has six division titles.
The other difference is Target Field and the much larger financial commitment.
Even the Royals had a (slightly) higher payroll than the Twins this year. Twins are 11 of 15 in payroll this year and their payroll is about 35 percent of the highest payroll. In 1993, the Twins were 12 of 14, but their payroll was 60 percent of highest payroll. Five of Gardy's six division titles came while the team played in the Metrodome. In 2009, the Twins were 12 of 14 in payroll and their payroll was less than a third of the top payroll.
Kirby in Floyd Turbo hat.
#classic
I think the bigger differences relate to the performance of young players. Maybe I'm romanticizing TK, and I'm not really old enough to remember, but I have been consistently disappointed with Gardy's ability to manage young players. If that's our future...
TK took a fair bit of heat for the way he handled some young players in his last few years.
oh yeah, neither TK nor Gardy were necessarily kind to the youngsters
I can't see TR straight up firing Gardy, but I can see a contract offered that is begging to be turned down.
Wasn't that the plan with Mike Tice back in the day?
Sunderland/Liverpool is a nice brunch before the NFL/MLB buffett
speaking of firings, U$C's Pat Haden fired Lane Kiffin yesterday on the plane home from ASU. Wow.
cold blooded.
but after allowing about 650 yards of offense to Arizona St, it was probably deserved
cold blooded.
What? Sounds like he waited until the game was over.
reading more, it sounds like it happened int he thirds quarter, but Kiffen wasnt told until after landing. The bus was told to leave.
Yea. Hilarious and vicious. You are fired, bus leaves you behind AND takes your bag.
Stay classy, U$C.
Listening to the Star-Spangled Banner being sung at Wembley Stadium (and getting some applause!) is a little weird.
Gene Simmons did a pretty nice job of harmonizing with the Air Force folks.
Were they all in uniform (Air Force in blues, Gene in face black/white)?
Gene in a black suit, but yeah- I wish he'd done the whole facepaint and KISS outfit, that'd would have been great.
(Wik) His mother Flóra "Florence" Klein (formerly Kovács) was born in Jánd, Hungary. The name Klein, which means "small" in German, is sometimes used informally in Hungarian as Kis; this however, did not give the band its name
Now that summer is over, it's time to think about fall brewing.
Am looking in Northern Brewer's Fall catalog at the Cascade Mtns West Coat Imperial IPA (what's not to like about grapefruit and pine needles...). Have been kind of in a rut between Nelson's Widmer Imp. IPA and Cap'n Lawrence Imp. IPA, but not a bad rut.
Wait, there's La Petite Orange Amber Ale (interaction between expressive esters and intricate Maillard products - me likey).
I haven't brewed in months. Car issues and a dryer problem have forced us to focus on other things. My birthday's in four days...who wants to send me a kit?!?!?!?!
Reds-Buccos on TBS right now, but no Morneau, no Bill Hamilton. what a rip
Both teams resting for Tuesday's game.
Whoa, my friend got the call. He's going to be the trainer for Cedar Rapids next season. Only a few more stops before he's with the big club!
thats cool!
Congrats to him. Tell him to be careful with Buxton.
/Not sure if that's where Buxton will be.
Buxton started last season in Cedar Rapids.
I'm not listening to you until you get another Live Journal posting up.
Fair enough. A season wrap-up is definitely in order.
Awesome. Make sure he knows he's always welcome to stop by here and give us updates on the team (not that he'd probably be allowed to do that, of course).
Hmmm, I'm not sure if it that would get him in trouble or not, but I can talk to him about it. At the very least, I can try to pass on any interesting anecdotes I hear.
[redacted]?
I think I learned my lesson about sharing those types of stories... but perhaps someday I will tell you all about Darin Mastroianni.
!!!
with Giuliani down by the schoolyard
Spoiler!
Question for the masses
Breaking Bad
or
The Wire
The wire hands down. But, that's not to say that breaking bad isn't great in its own right.
I really need to watch The Wire. Was that an HBO series? Because if it was I can get it online on HBO GO.
Yes, it was HBO.
And, yes you should watch it.
I would say The Wire has more depth, but Breaking Bad has higher highs. You can't go wrong with either.
I agree, but I think the major difference is that The Wire is more of a realish exploration of the war on drugs, and that BB is a character study that doesn't flinch from the darkest parts of humanity.
That doesn't mean one has to be better than the other. They're just different stylistic attacks on the same theme.
I'm fairly certain these are my two favorite shows of all time, but you may as well ask me whether I love Skim or Sour Cream more. They're very different, but I love both of them to the fullest extent possible.
I totes agree fo sho. I wasn't trying to say that The Wire is better because per se, just pointing out what I feel is the major difference between.
Serious spoiler to follow
Seriously.
Serious spoiler to follow
heh, so it's come to this. we have to spoiler our spoilers...
I may just start looking for effed up gifs from japan.
(also, for those that have watched the wire multiple times, but aren't caught up on breaking bad: that was a breaking bad spoiler...
agreed with everyone that they're both excellent choices. for me though, it would also be the wire hands down. that's just a show that every american needs to see.
I would say The Wire but I have friends that didn't have patience for the lack of action in The Wire. I can see where some people would prefer Breaking Bad.
I agree that these would be my top 2. I think I would go with Sopranos at #3.
My semi-reason for asking is that I've seen BB and feel that it's my personal favorite show, but I haven't seen The Wire yet, at least not the whole show.
Interestingly enough, both shows I started with a few episodes, but then held off because I wasn't really sure I wanted to continue. In the case of BB, I did eventually start watching again (because of Netflix) and I'm immensely glad I did.
With the Wire, it's harder, because it's not on Netflix, and I'd have to go an extra step and rent it or buy episodes on Amazon. The other reason is that it's an HBO show, which has more explicit material that I'm really not interested in. Same reason I'm not watching Game of Thrones (though with GoT, I've read the books and don't feel I'm missing out on the show). BB being on AMC was prevented from showing too much, which I think in some ways has made it better.
Someday I may watch the Wire.... I wanted to see if people here thought it was better than BB. The fact that the numbers are turning that way keeps it on the radar at least.
I definitely think The Wire is the better show. I'd also suggest The Shield which is much closer in tone to Breaking Bad.
I've never seen The Wire though it's high on my list. I'm working through Breaking Bad (half way through Season 4). And for as much as I do appreciate Breaking Bad, I can't imagine that it's seriously in the running for best show ever like I've heard mentioned ad nauseum for The Wire.
I think in a couple years we'll all look back at Breaking Bad and say "yeah, that was a great show," and then just sort of move on.
My friends Frank and Aaron's paintings are all over the fifth season of breaking bad. That's pretty awesome.
It's been entertaining watching the Albuquerque stations and their coverage of the last show and the local haunts in it.
btw, Mrs. Runner and I really liked Los Alamos.
Lynx going to the WNBA finals you guys.
Do any of them make TRBC money?
they dont play until next Sunday
seems like a really long layoff
Especially since the Eastern Conference finals were over before the West.
If David Stern were running the WNBA, he would have made sure that the Lynx would have gotten McCarville and Whalen straight out of college.
It's good to see there's one good Minnesota team out there.
I haven't followed at all this year.
I know that last year's team was a stacked juggernaut for which anything but a championship was a failure (which it was).
Could one say the same about this year, or are their opponents the ... Atlanta Fever ... worthy challengers?
It would appear not as they were the #2 seed with a .500 record.
Over half of the Lynx starters were on the Olympic team. They're stacked, and anything other than a championship is failure.
Word on the Twitters is that Gardy, Rick Anderson will be back in 2014.
Breaking Bad Finale
So... what are your five favorite episodes?
I'm not going to answer yet, as I really need to look them all over again.
My five favorite episodes were probably Dead Freight, Fly, Full Measures, Problem Dog, and Ozymandias in about that order.
Half way through season 4, but... my favorite episode so far is, hands down, "One Minute."