All posts by freealonzo

2024 Twins Game Logs

2024 Game Log 41 – Yankees at Twins

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We are one quarter of the way through the season and the Twins followed up a very disappointing 7-13 through 20 games with a sizzling 17-3 over the next 20 games. One only can wonder what the next 20 games will bring. More of the latter please.

What a better way to see where this season is going than by facing the Yankees at home. Adding Juan Soto has done wonders for a Yankees team that didn't even make the playoffs last year. Fortunately for the Twins, they had a late night game against the Phillies last night so probably got into town late. Couple that with the very pedestrian Carlos Rodon on the mound for the Yankees, and you gotta like the Twins chances tonight. Chris Paddock for the Twins and he's establishing himself quite nicely in the Twins stable of real decent starting pitchers.

Looks like a gorgeous night for baseball and if you can't get out to the game, it's actually broadcast on TBS tonight (Ugh in MLB's infinite wisdom, this game is blacked out locally). Timberwolves on at 9:30ish so the game can be a warm up for nail-biting NBA playoff action and this post can also act as a game log for that as well.

Freealonzo's "Take it to the Credit Union" surefire winner: Carlos Correa with 2 hits

Game time 6:40p

2024 Twins Game Logs

2024 Game Log 35 – Mariners at Twins

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Wow! What a two week span for Minnesota sports fans. Timberwolves running roughshod over the NBA Western Conference playoffs, a young and energetic MNUFC winning a bunch of games - including on the road this past Saturday against a real good Atlanta team. And of course the Minnesota Twins who have now won 13 out of their last 14 games. The last three of those wins against decent teams.

Emerson Hancock on the mound for the Mariners and he's one of those young guys who the book is still out on. Not a big strikeout guy, however. Bailey Ober up for the Twins and he keeps just doing his job. Last outing against the Whities wasn't super great but the bats and White Soxery picked him up.

Lousy weather in the morning should clear up for game time, so we can all relax in front of the radio this evening to take on a soothing baseball game after last night's late night basketball fun.

Freealonzo's "Take it to the Credit Union" surefire winner: Bailey Ober with six strikeouts today.

First pitch at 6:40

2024 Twins Game Logs

2024 Game Log 29 – Twins at White Sox

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Eight game win streak, longest since 2011 (note to self: don't look up the Twins 2011 season record). The eight wins have come at the expense of some really lousy teams but the Twins had dug themselves such an early hole that they really needed to take advantage of this momentary lull in the schedule. Especially since the Red Sox, Mariners, Blue Jays, and Yankees are all up next.

Not only are the Twins winning but injured players are returning. Kepler last week, Correa last night, Duran tonight. Oh and the Twins have rallied around a magic sausage. Enjoy the innocence of it all now folks. I am sure the inevitable $30 T-shirts, and "that's another Cub Foods Jimmy Dean Summer Sausage HR by Max Kepler" announcements are right around the corner. Crappy teams, return of injured players, and a magic sausage may have contributed to the winning streak but don't sleep on the fact that the Twins are also not striking out as much as they were earlier in the season. Who knew that putting the ball in play is a good thing! Is it the fact they were facing middling pitchers or did Twins batters change their approach at the plate that has led to less strikeouts? We have 133 more games to find out.

Simeon Woods Richardson on for the Twins and he as been an upgrade over Louie Varland. Facing White Sox hitters should continue that trend. Michael Soroka up for the Whities. He's not really a strikeout pitcher so Twins trend of not striking out might just continue at least for another game.

Freealonzo's "Take it to the Credit Union" surefire winner: Birthday boy Edouard Julien gets two hits today.

First Pitch from "The Rate" at 6:40

2024 Twins Game Logs

2024 Game Log 22 – White Sox at Twins

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Nothing like playing the White Sox for what cure ya, right? I knew the White Sox were really bad this year but only researching this game log did I find out they are 3-19 bad. Ouch!

Pablo Lopez on for the Twins and while he's pitched decently this year, it would be nice to see a dominant performance today, just for the enjoyment of it all. Erick Fedde on for the Whities, and he has actually done well this year considering.

First Pitch: 6:40

Freealonzo's "Take it to the Credit Union" surefire winner: 10 Strikeouts for Pablo López

2024 Twins Game Logs

2024 Game Log 16 – Twins at Orioles

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Twins a not nice 6-9 headed into the second game against the Orioles in Baltimore. Baltimore is definitely one of those teams hard to root against. Were terrible for many years but slowly built a team and organization that looks like it could be a force for a couple of years.

Grayson Rodriguez up the Orioles and he's one of those young guys a team can really build around. Tall, a fastball that hits upper 90's with a nice slider to keep hitters honest. Only 24 years old too. Over a strikeout per inning so Twins may have a hard time not adding to their league leading strikeout totals. Chris Paddock on for the Twins and he's done ok this year. Hopefully we can go further than the 5th inning this outing.

Freealonzo's "Take it to the Credit Union" surefire winner: Buxton HR/SO total=3

First Pitch at 5:35p

2024 Twins Game Logs

2024 Game Log 9 – Dodgers at Twins

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Eight games means we are already five percent done with the 2024 season and what can we glean from those 8 games? The Twins ass bats are in full non-glory. Three hits yesterday and 18 straight outs to finish the game would normally be eyebrow raising, but unfortunately pretty much sums up the way the Twins have been hitting this year. Eight games is also practically the definition of SSS so hopefully a change is afoot.

Louie Varland back on the mound tonight hoping to build off an ok season debut. Tyler Glasnow for the Dodgers so Twins batters not getting a break (8 hits allowed this year while facing 66 batters).

Freealonzo's "Take it to the Credit Union" surefire winner: Parlay time! Ohtani HRs=2; Jose Miranda SO=2

First Pitch: 6:40p

2024 Twins Game Logs

2024 Game Log 4 – Twins at Brewers

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I get my bi-annual "why does MLB schedule two close rivals for mid-week series rant" quite early in the season this year as the Twins travel to Milwaukee to play the 3-0 Brewers. I'm sure there will be a smattering of Twins fans there so way to go MLB!

Louis Varland up for the Twins, and after last year's late season and playoff bullpen success, fans are wondering if that can translate into a starter role. If not, the theme for this year's Twins starters could be "Pablo and Ryan and then we're dyin'." Someone called Jakob Junis up for the Brewers, his third team in four years. Looks like a pretty good definition of a 4th starter.

First Pitch: 3:10p from Milwaukee

NEW TUESDAY FEATURE FOR 2024:

Freealonzo's "Take it to the Credit Union" game odds surefire winner: (Sponsorship available, DM me).

O/U on Varland innings pitched: 5.1

Twins Lineup
2B - Julien
DH - Kirilloff
CF - Buxton
RF - Kepler
SS - Correa
LF - Wallner
1B - Santana
3B - Castro
C - Vazquez

WGOM Videos

World Party – Ship of Fools

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R.I.P Karl Wallinger. Formally of the Waterboys but really came into his own in late 80s/early 90s with his band World Party. This song has specific resonance with me because I had broken up with a girl and we were driving in the same car after the breakup happened and this song came on the radio. We both sang the chorus at the top of our lungs and then laughed at the absurdity of it all when the song finished.

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WGOM Videos

MC5 – Ramblin’ Rose

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Wayne Kramer guitarist of MC5 passed away this past weekend, he is also listed as a co-writer of most of the MC5 catalog. With his passing the only original member still alive is the drummer Dennis Thompson. Coming out of Detroit, MC5 had a short but fiery stint in the late 1960s and definitely could be considered proto-punks. Their live acts were incendiary and the band got in a bunch of trouble for their revolutionary views. Kick out the Jams is definitely a must hear album.

I actually had a one degree separation to Kramer, as a good friend of mine did a documentary on the MC5 that was getting good reviews in the film festival circuit. However, when they wanted to have a more widespread distribution, Kramer wouldn't release the rights to the music without more $$$ and the movie/DVD release languished. My friend and his wife won all court battles but the movie was never released. So he was kinda a dick too. He also threatens Dave with a gun on camera, so that was (not) cool.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MC5:_A_True_Testimonial

Btw, I actually have one of the few non-bootleg copies of the MC5 - A true Testimonial DVD if anyone is ever interested in seeing a copy. The band is quite fascinating and the story was fair and well done.

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Miscellaneous

5 Favorite Things 2023

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Racket Magazine asked their readers to list their 5 favorite things from the year. Any topic. There were a lot of cool lists so I thought we could do one as well. I'll start:

Freealonzo's five favorite songs performed live in 2023 (out of 60 plus live shows)

Young Til I Die - 7Seconds. Seeing 60-something punks singing this in front of a venue full of 50- and 60-something old punks was really cool. Talk about living the words of a song.

Precious - Pretenders. Seeing Chrissy Hynde sing this 5 feet in front of me at the 7th Street Entry will be long-held memory. I couldn't believe I was there seeing it.

All I Do - Bully. Great first song of the album. They led with this song at their show at First Avenue and started playing while the screen while the screen rolled up.

Where Were You - Mekons/Eleventh Dream Day. Two iconic bands playing an iconic punk song on a warm friday night at a streetfest in Chicago. I was appropriately buzzed.

Game of Pricks - Guided By Voices. This was at the GBV 40th anniversary celebration in Dayton, OH. I had never experienced such love between a crowd and band before. Every single person singing at the top of their lungs and then we gave each other bro hugs afterward.

What are 5 favorite things for your from this past year?