51 thoughts on “August 5, 2015: The Meeting”

  1. I keep seeing all these complaints and criticisms about the Twins' offense and I'm just trying to figure what exactly anybody is supposed to do about it? Change the lineup order? That's pretty much switching around the deck chairs on the Titanic, isn't it? Not that I'm saying that this ship is lost and will inevitably sink, but that just how much good it does to switch around the order when nobody is hitting. And I mean nobody. Remember how hot Hicks and Rosario were ? Hicks is 1 for his last 19 and Rosario's double yesterday ended a 15 at-bat hitless streak.

    1. I think the best anyone can do is to just not panic. Teams go through hot streaks and cold streaks. What this team has accomplished so far this year, is more than ANYONE expected. I'm very proud of this team. The month of May was amazing, and it was enough to keep this team in the hunt, which is more than we can say for the previous 4 seasons.
      If they don't make the playoffs, they're no worse off than we expected at the beginning of the year. If they do nab a wild card shot, great! I think the offense will turn around and get better, Offenses tend to be streaky anyway. It's our pitching woes that I think are more concerning, especially Perkins' meltdowns lately. But closers go through that. I hope he can shake it off and adjust. Pelf is coming back down to earth, and let's face it, we never did have the best pitching staff to begin with.
      All it takes is a hot streak to get back into it. Ya never know.

        1. I didn't know that was a grammar faux pas, either. The more you know...

          Though, after a bit of reading, it seems it is not actually incorrect, and has been used in that way for centuries, it's just annoying to some people. Let the grammar fight begin!

          1. The problem with this usage is that it leaves out the implied subject of the concern, ie: "to me" or "to the WGOM Nation", and it's just awkward. But it's a battle I'm certainly going to loose.*

            *my other personal pet peeve

          1. Ha!
            They're allowed here too, but AMR's in Alaska and Pepper's been incommunicado without the daily Spy v. Spy to keep her hereabout, so they're less likely to pop up.

            1. I'm here--just lurking. It's been a rough few days . . . I miss you all and will hopefully have some annoying pedantry to share soon!

        3. Proposed edit:
          It's our pitching woes that I think are more concerning, especially Perkins' meltdowns lately.
          Our pitching woes, especially Perkins's recent meltdowns, concern me more.

            2. With his haircut & attire Kent Hrbek looks like he should be in a bowling league circa 1962. And his hands look enormous.

              1. Definitely a little John "Walter Sobchak" Goodman in that pic, and we know he can act. Have you seen his epic Carrier commercials!?

                  1. You mean the one-man show where he plays the parts of Gant, Bobby Cox, and Ted Turner? I hear it got great reviews.

      2. Well, I think complaints and criticisms are to be expected when you score one run per game for several games. But I agree, there's not much to be done about it, and the best thing is to not panic. No team has ever gone for weeks scoring one run a game, and the Twins won't, either.

          1. So that's why we're always still telling Bill Smith to accomplish things? We trust him to relay our messages?

    3. I'd like to see Arcia with the club, even if it's just a platoon with Hunter. I'd like to see Escobar slotted in at SS and Nunez gone. I would like them to go back in time and not do the Capps trade or the Suzuki extension, but they desperately need to address catcher. And I'd prefer they have a bunch of young arms in the bullpen since the veterans aren't exactly a shut down pen. They're not going to make the playoffs this year, and that's fine. I'm just hoping that next year they don't have so many replacement level veterans keeping the kids from having more opportunity to play.

  3. So, I haven't really been feeling like talking about any of this, but if I don't share it here I don't really know what else to do with it.

    The friend of mine who died here a week ago, who was also the stepfather of a good friend of Skim's, meaning I had to explain this to here, died of suicide. It may have been accidental - we're waiting for a toxicology report - but at any rate there's no good news coming and the life has just been sucked out of the apartment complex, as this was the head maintenance guy and everyone knew him.

    A day after his death, a good friend of mine from college lost his four-year-old son to cancer, which he battled for about a year. We knew this was coming and it was unfortunately one of the big topics at the wedding I attended in Minnesota a couple of weeks ago, but in the end, you just can't be ready for a child to die. I've had a couple of friends lose children to stillbirths, but this is the first time a friend lost a child with a long-established bond. The devastation among the college group is unspeakable, and though we're all reconnecting in a necessary way, there's simply no comfort to be found.

    I've been pretty gone here for the last week or so, and while I've kept things running at my own site to the best of my ability, I really haven't dealt with this emotionally to the level I should, and I feel like it's going to explode at an improper time and place. I'd love it if grief were to get easier to deal with over time, but it never does.

    Now that everyone's thoroughly depressed, let me say I hope your own lives are much happier at the moment, and that I appreciate those of you who comfort and entertain me in your various ways, whether you know you're doing it or not.

    1. Personal exposure to the mental health & substance abuse issues, cancer, depression, suicide, accidental death ... well, death period really, of others - be they family, friends or acquaintances - are, to quote a friend, "the shits." Sharing can be tough, but thanks for doing so. Better out than in.

      1. The shits. This is what my grandfather would say in any shitty situation including when he learned that my mother had breast cancer.

        Yeah, I use that phrase whenever it applies.

    2. That's a lot to handle all at once, Milkman. I imagine the resonance of a friend's loss of a child is a terribly frightening thing to feel as a parent, particularly of young children.

      Sometimes we feel like we aren't dealing with our emotions on the timetable we think is right, but I think that kind of expectation can misguide us sometimes. Avoiding dealing with the emotion is one thing, but feeling too overwhelmed or numb to deal with them isn't necessarily a sign that you're doing something unhealthy. You may be working through them subconsciously, but your conscious mind may be to stunned or overwhelmed to process the emotion or even realize you're working your way through the grief on a different level. Give it time, and try your best not to get frustrated with yourself. Easier said than done, I know.

      I'm glad you feel like you can bring those burdens here. This is one of the most thoughtful, caring, friendly communities I've been in, online or otherwise. I hope you feel the same support I've received in the past.

    3. I just want to echo what CH said. There are no rules about grieving--we all have to do it in our own way and at our own pace. You're going through a lot all at once. Don't be hard on yourself it you're having trouble dealing with it all.

      You are in our prayers. Best wishes to you.

      1. What these guys said. For what it is worth, the wgom citizenry is (virtually) here for you, as we always are for each other. That's not much, but in some moments it may be enough.

    2. Shoot, I didn't know that was going to be this week. I'll be down in stinky Windom. I could do next week instead of anyone is around.

  5. Now that Elder Daughter has gone west, the wife and I will be visiting Seattle and vicinity for our anniversary at the end of September. Flights and hotels are booked and Mariners tickets are purchased (9/28 vs. Astros, Sec 119, Row 7). This is where I need some help. I'm looking for a nice Seattle restaurant to take my better half to for our anniversary, and sadly she's not fond of seafood. Any recommendation/reviews are greatly appreciated.

    1. Salumi is terrific, but probably not anniversary material (unless your last name is Hayes).

      There should be plenty of options, even for a non-seafood eater. Seattle has a pretty significant population of folks with food traditions from around the Pacific Rim, so you might want to look into some restaurants specializing in Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Chinese, or Pacific Island cuisine.

      Canlis was named the "Best Splurge Restaurant" by Seattle Magazine in 2014 and has been around since 1950. I haven't been there, but I'd probably splurge on that menu. Altura also gets high praise.

      Another, kinda romantic option would be to take the ferry over to Bainbridge Island. The ferry ride – especially at sunset/dusk – is quite lovely and a nice time to just spend together. Our trip back from Bainbridge, watching the Seattle skyline come closer as we stood in the breeze on the bow, remains one of my favorite memories of our honeymoon. Hitchcock seems to have some good press, and looking at that menu and reading a bit about the chef, I'm hoping we can get over there next time we're in Seattle.

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