Game 26: Twins @ Mariners

I'm stuck painting my office all day, so I'm going to quarter bake this game log. It's too bad, really, because after last night, it feels like our favorite team deserves half baked, at least. What can you do, though?

Perennial Cy Young candidate (and one time winner) Felix Hernandez takes on perennial DFA candidate (and current 2-0 staff ace) Jason Marquis. On the surface, this looks like a tough matchup. On all the other levels, it looks like one, too.

So, um... Go Twins! I'm going to go put on a second coat.

Game 25 Recap: Twins 3 – Mariners 2

MINNESOTA 3 -- SEATTLE 2
Twins Record: 7 - 18 (2-9 since my last recap, oh boy)
Highest WPA - Mauer (1 for 3, 2 BB, RBI), Bullpen (3 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 5 SO)
Fangraphs - MLB Recap

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Twins win!

Mariners bullpen revealed to be vastly inferior to Minnesota equivalent!

Recap posted much later than expected!

Joe Mauer drove in a key run!

We face King Felix tonight! (focus on the positive)

EEE- Last two Premiership Weeks

I've decided to try this as a Saturday morning post to act as a weekend preview/open thread for the upcoming slate of games.

Last Weekend

City beat United 1-0 in the much-hyped Manchester Derby With The Title On The Line ™ in a game that was rather dull to watch. United managed a mere 5 attempts at goal, which resulted 0 shots on goal. City had 15 and 3, respectively. I was in the beer garden taking in a lovely late Spring evening, otherwise I would have been annoyed I even bothered to leave the house. City and United are now tied at the top of the table with 83 points apiece, but City are ahead because of their superior goal differential (+61 v +53).

In other news, Fulham beat Liverpool for the first time in the league thanks to a Skrtel own-goal. Everton drew with Stoke 1-1. Spurs beat Bolton 4-1 and Chelsea lost to Newcastle in a game which saw Cisse score an absolutely amazing goal to seal the 2-0 win.

httpv://youtu.be/llLqKcsXy18
Continue reading EEE- Last two Premiership Weeks

Happy Birthday–May 5

Chief Bender (1884)
Bob Cerv (1926)
Bing Russell (1926)
Red Robbins (1928)
Jose Pagan (1935)
Tommy Helms (1941)
John Donaldson (1943)
Larry Hisle (1947)
Ron Oester (1956)
Charles Nagy (1967)
Hideki Irabu (1969)
Mike Redmond (1971)

Better known for his role as Deputy Clem Foster on “Bonanza”, outfielder Bing Russell played minor league baseball from 1948-1949.  He is the father of actor (and minor league player) Kurt Russell and the grandfather of major league player Matt Franco.

Spencer “Red” Robbins was a minor league player for fourteen years.  He then spent many years in the Twins’ organization, most of them as a scout (1963-1986).

  We would also like to wish a happy birthday to Mrs. Rhubarb_Runner.

Continue reading Happy Birthday–May 5

Classic Album Reviews: Let’s Go Scare Al — Gear Daddies (1988)

Besides having the coolest name ever for an album (well maybe one behind The Replacement’s Tim) and having the saddest, scariest looking clown to ever grace an album cover, Let’s Go Scare Al is a classic album full of countryish songs about loveable losers, drinking, small towns, heartbreak, drinking, and drinking. An album like this could only be performed by Minnesotans: Its unpretentious, simple, self-deprecating, and chock full of meaning behind its sparse vocabulary.

I almost included both Let’s Go Scare Al and Billy’s Live Bait as one review because they are similar albums covering similar stories. The music doesn’t change much between the two albums nor does the subject matter. But I landed squarely with Let’s Go Scare Al, because of the album name (especially as a debut album) and because it really introduced the Gear Daddies to a broader audience (they had been playing in local bars for a good year or so before this album came out and demo tapes were being passed around left and right). Now some 25 years after it’s been released we still look forward to the occasional reunion show by the band.

As I mentioned above, musically these songs are pretty simple. It’s basic country rock with no outstanding guitar or vocal work. Structurally the songs are pretty simple as well with the time-tested verse 1, chorus, verse 2, chorus, bridge, verse 3 (or repeat verse 1) and chorus organization. What makes the songs special is the songwriting. Even if you haven’t actually lived what’s being described in the song, you can identify with what the singer is saying. For instance Statue of Jesus opens with this verse:

I’m sittin’ downtown cryin’ ‘neath the statue of Jesus
Both of us so lonely and cold, hope no one can see us
I know I’m drunk here but I don’t think that he cares
Surely he must understand these crosses that I bear
So I’m sittin’ downtown cryin’ ‘neath the statue of Jesus

Now, I’ve never sat under a statue of Jesus crying, but if I ever did, I’m pretty sure that song would sum up pretty how I felt. Heavy Metal Boyz is another song that describes perfectly what it is like being a teenager living in a small town, whether it’s a rural area or a suburb. I’m sure there are many, many women who can identify with Boys Will Be Boys and tell me one person who hasn’t Drank so Much that They Just Feel Stupid?

After all these songs of too much drinking, lives gone astray, broken hearts, and shitty jobs the singer hasn’t given up. The last song, Strength, has the singer asking for strength to do what’s right, to “change this fucked up life of mine.” Surely if the singer can still want to change things, to make things better, so can we. We don’t know if he’ll get there but at least he’s trying.

Remodeled basement. Same half-baked taste.