2012 Twins Game Recaps

Game 1 Recap: O’s 4 – Twins 2

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MINNESOTA 2 -- BALTIMORE 4
Lowest WPA - Pavano (7 IP, 4 R, 2 BB, 1 SO), Doumit (0 for 4), and Plouffe (0 for 1)
Highest WPA - Span (2 for 4)
Fangraphs - MLB Recap

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Ron Gardenhire turned to Rick Anderson and asked, "Is Duensing ready?" Anderson frowned and picked up the bullpen phone, speaking only a couple of words. After hanging up the phone, he returned to Gardenhire's side. "Ronald, he's ready, but I have to seriously question why we would use him in this situation."

"This is the perfect time to use him, late in the game, score's tied, Adam Jones is a dangerous hitter coming up."

Anderson blinked in confusion, "Tie game? Ronathan, it's not a tie game. And Adam Jones is right-handed, wouldn't you rather have Duensing come in to face Markakis for the lefty-lefty matchup?"

"Who?"

"Nick Markakis, the right-fielder."

"What are you talking about? Look, it's 0-0 in the eighth inning and I don't have time to do some ridiculous comedy routine with you and your made up ballplayers. We had a bad year last season, and I want to start this off right."

"Made up..? 0-0..? Wait, what do you think happened in the first inning?"

"We walked Hardy, then Pavano got a groundball or two and we got out of the inning. Pavano looked pretty good today, nice to see all those groundballs turning into outs isn't it? Just the one Hardy single on a groundball, but then he got Jones and Wieters and got out of it."

"Rontell, I think we need--"

"No time, got to make the pitching change now. Back in a second. And Rick? We don't need our bullpen walking people, talk to this Gray kid when he comes in, will you?"

Gardy made his way to the mound, and Scott Ullger made his way off the bench to join Anderson at the rail. "What was that about?"

"I think Ronwin has completely blocked Nick Markakis from his memory. He doesn't remember the 2-run homer in the first, or the RBI triple in the sixth, and I bet if we ask him, he won't remember Markakis' lead-off walk leading to a run in the fourth either. What are we going to do?"

"Send him home" Ullger said.

"I'm worried he wouldn't be safe there"

Ullger stared blankly, "Why would that matter?"

"Memory loss could be the sign of any number of serious problems. No, I think we should keep him here and try to keep an eye on him, make sure he doesn't forget anyone else in this game."

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To this day Ron Gardenhire believes that Josh Willingham's ninth inning donger won the 2012 season opener for the Twins, Rick Anderson has never corrected him, he figured it was a long season, it's probably best not to get too caught up in one result.

2012 Twins Game Log

2012 Game Number 1: Minnesota Twins at Baltimore Orioles

424 Comments

Day game alert!

Carl Pavano
vs
Jake Arrieta

I had some stuff written about the offseason, but it seems irrelevant now. It sucks going into a season knowing that finishing at .500 would be a success. I think the front office knows there are problems, but thinks there is no point throwing money at a few extra wins. And I am okay with that.

I recognize that about 28 of the teams actually need to have down years. It is very hard to maintain success over many years; you need everything to go right. However, now we get to play the waiting game. Will this be just a "retooling" or a rebuild?

Here's to everyone returning to form, a great draft, and Ryan swindling trading for undervalued assets. I love baseball, but not never-ending losing.

Friday Music Day

Good Friday Music Day 2012

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Random thoughts:

1. Someone mentioned the Alabama Shakes' Daytrotter Session yesterday. I'd like to recommend Dolfish's session from last week.
2. Not exactly sure how to describe Dolfish: Simultaneously Emotionally bare and witty, blues-and-punk tinged singer-songwriter, deep but very brief. Oh and he sounds like a woman.
3. Minute-for-minute and dollar-for-dollar, nothing has entertained me more lately than his debut EP, Your Love is Bummin' Me Out (five songs in eight minutes, absolutely free). Do yourself a little favor today and cough up your e-mail address for the download. "Dear Voicemail" is the best. (Plus, I don't think I've received a single Spammy e-mail from him.)
4. What I love is how he cuts straight to the core of his point, gets everything and then some across in one verse. His lyrics are very specific but relatable.
5. Crap, I'm doing a horrible job of explaining any of this. The title song is a bit lyrically gimmicky, but if you find the sound interesting and what like to hear something deeper from the same guy, hey: that's the other four songs on the EP!
6. Still thinking about that Haggard concert at the State...
7. Lydia Loveless! Triple Rock, July 20th! No idea if she's opening or what, it's not on the venue's calendar yet. I'll probably extend my Ha Ha Tonka offer (I'll buy your ticket or an album).
8. Speaking of... Ha Ha Tonka, Triple Rock (opening for Langhorne Slim), June 2. $12.
9. For Good Friday, here's Hilliard Ensemble takes on Arvo Pärt's musical setting of the Passion of St. John:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogkFEb7rnWk
T. I really enjoy modern classical composers' taking on canon. I like seeing how they fit the proscribed words to their modern ideas. Maybe this is why I like choral work more than Daneeka's Ghost: I'm looking for that connection to things from centuries ago. Could be why my favorite Reich piece is Tehillim (depending upon day of the week). That said, the piece I linked above, Passio is hard for me to follow.

Enough random for my brain, what does your device have?

Remodeled basement. Same half-baked taste.