We (well, some of us) are back!
We kept our focus on the Twins. Here are our topics!
-For discussion: Which shower beer goes best with your shower Reuben?
-The bullpen: Such as it is.
-The rotation: it's not bad!
-The lineup: Also not bad (Do the All Star managers still get to pick players?)
-Wait, are we actually a little optimistic about the Twins!?
Also, some video picks!
Orville Peck - C'mon Baby, Cry
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=di1GA0dcX-I
George Moriarty (1885)
Double Duty Radcliffe (1902)
Satchel Paige (1906)
Billy Herman (1909)
Sammy White (1927)
John Gordon (1940)
Bill Melton (1945)
Tommy Moore (1948)
Len Barker (1955)
Dan Gladden (1957)
Glenn Hoffman (1958)
Tim Teufel (1958)
Dave Burba (1966)
Jeff Shaw (1966)
Chuck Knoblauch (1968)
Matt Mantei (1973)
Cory Provus (1978)
John Buck (1980)
Brandon McCarthy (1983)
Ted “Double Duty” Radcliffe played in the Negro Leagues for many years. He got his nickname because he would sometimes catch one game of a doubleheader and pitch the other. He played professionally until 1954, when he retired at age 52. He is the oldest player to ever appear in a professional baseball game, throwing one pitch for the Schaumberg Flyers of the Northern League in 1999 when he was 96. I'm no expert on the Negro Leagues, but it seems to me that he should be in the Hall of Fame.
John Gordon was a radio broadcaster for the Twins from 1987 through 2011.
Tommy Moore was drafted by Minnesota in the twenty-eighth round in 1966, but did not sign.
Cory Provus has been a radio broadcaster for the Twins since 2012.
Twins back at it at the Rate against the stumbling White Sox. It would be nice to keep the boot on Chicago's neck so that they go away quietly this summer, but not so bad that TLR get's fired. It's a fine line to hew.
Chris Archer back up for the Twins and while he rarely if ever gets past the 6th inning, he's been a decent back of the order guy. I just wish the Twins had more front of the order guys in their pitching stable. Kopech on deck for the White Sox and although his win/loss record doesn't reflect it, he's been decent this year with nearly a strikeout an inning and a 1.03 WHIP.
Apparently Josh Winder will be starting. Chris Archer has been scratched. I may add more here if I find out the reason./
First Pitch at 7:10, but it looks like nasty weather heading toward Chicago. This game may be delayed or postponed.
Twins Lineup
1B - Arraez
DH - Buxton
SS - Correa
RF - Kepler
2B - Polanco
LF - Kirilloff
3B - Miranda
C - Sanchez
CF - Celestino
Jack Farrell (1857)
Robert Brown (1876)
Charles Stoneham (1876)
Bump Hadley (1904)
Jack Krol (1936)
Curt Blefary (1943)
Gary Matthews (1950)
Rich Gossage (1951)
Dave Eiland (1966)
Tim Worrell (1967)
Bo Porter (1972)
Jesse Crain (1981)
Marco Estrada (1983)
Nick Anderson (1990)
Jorge Polanco (1993)
Shohei Ohtani (1994)
Robert Brown owned various teams in Vancouver from 1910-45. He was also president of the Western International League in 1953. He is a member of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame.
Charles Stoneham owned the New York Giants from 1919 until his death in 1936.
Jack Krol was a long-time minor league manager and major league coach. coaching for St. Louis from 1977-80 and San Diego from 1981-86.
Lets goooooo!
Looking for the sweeeeeeeepppppp
Roger Connor (1857)
John Clarkson (1861)
Jack Quinn (1883)
Ben Taylor (1888)
Bob Prince (1916)
Frank Baumann (1933)
Brian Sabean (1956)
Jamie Walker (1971)
Nelson Cruz (1980)
Matt Carson (1981)
Justin Huber (1982)
Charlie Blackmon (1986)
Michael Wacha (1991)
Aaron Sanchez (1992)
Jaylin Davis (1994)
First baseman Ben Taylor was a star in the Negro Leagues, batting over .300 in fifteen of his sixteen seasons.
Hall of Fame broadcaster Bob Prince is best remembered for his years with the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1948-1975.
Brian Sabean was the general manager of the San Francisco Giants from 1997-2014 and has been their executive vice president of baseball operations since that time.
Wilbert Robinson (1863)
Harry Frazee (1880)
Bobby Veach (1888)
Ollie Carnegie (1899)
Ken Blackman (1911)
Dizzy Trout (1915)
Cal Drummond (1917)
Bob Shaw (1933)
Katsuya Nomura (1935)
Harmon Killebrew (1936)
John Boccabella (1941)
Larry Stahl (1941)
Bruce Kimm (1951)
Rick Honeycutt (1954)
Pedro Guerrero (1956)
John Wehner (1967)
Trey Hodges (1978)
Dusty Hughes (1982)
Brooks Raley (1988)
Jose Miranda (1998)
Harry Frazee was the owner of the Red Sox from 1916-1923 and is best remembered for selling Babe Ruth to the Yankees.
Ollie Carnegie is the all-time home run king of the International League with 258. He started his minor league career at age 32.
Ken Blackman was a minor league player, college coach, minor league executive, and major league scout.
Cal Drummond was an American League umpire from 1960-1969.
Katsuya Nomura hit 657 home runs in Japan during his twenty-five-year career.
It's a Double Header today citizens! I'm guessing this is a makeup game from some earlier canceled game but not really motivated to confirm.
Game 1 we have Smeltzer v. Plesac and I've been pleasantly surprised at Devin Smeltzer this year. As for Plesac, he exemplifies the "Guardians have lousy starting pitchers but a lights out bullpen" vibe Cleveland has been riding this year. Let's get some early run boys.
Game 1 first pitch at 12:10p
Twins Game 1 Lineup
2B - Arraez
SS - Correa
RF - Kepler
DH - Garlick
1B - Kirilloff
C - Sanchez
LF - Gordon
3B - Miranda
CF - Celestino
Game 2 is the return Josh Winder who is pitching in the bigs for the first time since May 17. The Guardians throwing out the unfortunately spelled Konnor Pilkington. Also Jorge Polanco back in the line-up.
Game 2 First pitch at 6:10p
Twins Game 2 Lineup
CF - Buxton
SS - Correa
RF - Garlick
DH - Arraez
2B - Polanco
3B - Urshela
1B - Miranda
C - Jeffers
LF - Celestino
Not sure who thought Minnesota and Cleveland would be duking it out for first place of the division, but here we are. Don't have too much time to go into the importance of these games, but I don't think I have to either.
Sonny Gray* takes the mound against the youngster McKenzie. Hopefully the Twins left their assbats at home. Here's to a good series!
(*Whenever I hear the name Sonny Gray, I sign it to the tune of "Nite And Grey".)
Oh, MLB's free game today for those not in the blackout.
