38 thoughts on “April 27, 2015: Happy Creation Day”

1. Since Chelsea can clinch EPL championship next Sunday and there is only a few more weeks left in the season, can we get a link to the EPL predictions table and see who's ahead and who's in the running?

   Also this fall I went to three english soccer matches: at Chelsea, at Arsenal, and at Watford

   Chelsea --- likely EPL Champion
   Watford -- Championship Level champs; will be promoted to EPL
   Arsenal -- in FA final, favored to win

   I need to parlay that good luck and sell my services to English teams who need a little boost in their season.

   1. I suspect I'm not doing as well as last year. I've also followed less than I did last year.

   2. I looked at it the other day, and there's a formula messed up somewhere because points aren't tabulating. But here's the link to see the selections.

      https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1WMPQyLfU0Nx-Dg4YjGJ86t1X0qRqFxTHfD07-yvd1D4/edit?usp=docslist_api

      I'll have a look at fixing things when I get home tonight.

2. Mauer leads the team in RBIs, batting average, OPS among qualifiers, hits, total bases, walks, and OBP. If I didn't already know he sucked, I'd say he's pretty good.

   1. I just watched the highlights from yesterday. I'd also say his beard game is pretty solid.

   2. And second in SLG. Plouffe leads with a .381 and Mauer is at .373. His OPS lead over Plouffe is 71 points.

   3. Too bad he isn't a leader the way Torii Hunter is.

   4. I wish the rest of these fellas could suck as much as Joe:

      Of those players with more than 30 plate appearances, only Mauer and Shane Robinson have an OPS+ over 100. The team is last in the league in OBP, SLG, OPS (and perhaps obviously OPS+) and RBI, 14th out of 15 for BA and tied for last in Runs scored. The Twins have a combined 36 extra base hits - 15 less than the league average.

      copied from my reply to the recap .

   5. I was just looking at AL leaders yesterday, and while Joe isn't his old self, he's getting better. I can see the OB% machinery back in operation again, and his K/BB is much improved.

   6. didn't already know he sucked, I'd say he's pretty good.

      My folks are visiting this weekend, and we've gone round and round about how Minnesotans are hating on Joe Mauer. My Ma says yesterday, "I want to like joe, but he just doesn't hit in the clutch". I lost my nuggets.

      1. Joe's AL ranking on the Fangraphs "Clutch" measure, FWIW:

         2014: 38th (tied)
         2013: 57th
         2012: 10th
         2011: (did not have enough PA to qualify)
         2010: 13th (DELMON YOUNG was 2nd, ARod was 3rd)
         2009: 58th
         2008: 2nd
         2007: (did not have enough PA to qualify)

         1. Don't let facts get in the way of a good story.

         2. I can't find the list you reference, so I have no idea how many players had enough PAs to qualify.

            1. for 2014, 76 players.

               Go to "Leaders", then pick a starting year, then select AL only, then select the Win Probability tab, then sort by Clutch.

               1. and in 2014 ii had himself quite a clutchless year...

                  1. The clutch factor on that whole page is something to see. Teixeira at 61, Longoria at 63, Cano, Freese, Bautista, and the Face!

3. also on this day in history, according to my dead-tree sports section, the Lakers announced they were leaving Minnesota to move to L.A.

   1. And into obscurity!

4. So I wrote an FKB column over the weekend, and it was entirely predicated on something my daughters wanted to accomplish but couldn't.

   Thing is, one of them did, so the whole thing demands a sizable rewrite and will be very different now. I'll do that on my days off (Wed/Thurs) and we'll have a column about...probably jealousy and the failure of the average adult.

   1. Don't let facts get in the way of a good story.

5. Somehow, the Twins are only 4.5 games behind 1st place Detroit.

   1. Also, Cleveland only has an AL low 6 wins. yikes.

   2. There also have been only 18 or 19 games played. Give the Twins a few more weeks and we'll see if it's still 4.5 games.

      1. After such a poor start and Detroit and KC winning, the Twins were 6 games back as a six days ago.

6. Trey Vavra and Stephen Gonsalves are named Midwest League Player and Pitcher of the Week.

7. An email just showed up in my inbox with this picture imbedded. Should I be as frightened as I feel? I think she needs a different photographer.
   

   Embiggen.

   1. btw, what's the magic werds for doing an embiggening link here? That facial expression really needs to be seen in supersize mode.

      1. Link to the image.

         1. holy crap. That scared ME, and I'm the one who uploaded it.

   2. What's a "futurist?"

      1. someone who makes his/her money by telling you about the future.

         

         1. C'mon, doc. Let's art up the joint a bit.

            

   3. Maybe her photographer did a really good job, and this is minimizing the fright?

8. I didn't watch any of the Cavs/Celtics games and was out of touch for a couple days ... stumbled across this. Kelly Olynyk did what!?! This potential Bulls/Cavs matchup should be fun.

   1. Love’s shoulder popped out of its socket like the wing of a game fowl at dinnertime.

      I just wanted to point out the use of fowl here.

      1. Duck!

9. Possibly the most Midwestern story ever?

10. R.I.P. Verne Gagne

    Wish I could find that photo of him at The Met in a HR contest back in the 70s...

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