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Yesterday afternoon, the Minnesota Twins caused some consternation in the baseball mascot world with the announcement of a public vote for their newest mascot race participant. Feast your eyes on, uh...
Help us choose a new face to win the @Target mascot race!
— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) August 13, 2018
Meet the candidates and vote now: https://t.co/KRmkpJWInV pic.twitter.com/IvmelOveKZ
...Bobert, Lucy, Tater, and D.D. Grayduck?
Anyway, with these horrific anthropomorphic food items/Voltorbs in mind, we decided to add a special Minnesota-focused section of this morning’s links. Enjoy! (And, also, come back soon, Anders!)
In Minnesota News...
- Brian Dozier is one heck of a dude. Just...read the tweet. And then the article.
I wrote about Brian Dozier, the relentlessly confident slap-hitting shortstop who worked himself into a power hitter. The hair, the Hummer H3, the golf-course epiphany, the batting-cage bets, the Hunter Pence comps, and ”cockstrong from the elbows down.” https://t.co/E73ObwCHXm
— Pedro Moura (@pedromoura) August 13, 2018
- Congrats on your retirement, Lindsay Whelan. From us, and from the King. (No, not that King, the other King.)
CONGRATULATIONS @Lindsay_13 on a helleva career!! Makes all the sense in the world now why your last name starts with ‘W’. Lindsay Wins https://t.co/fWo4TTAAKI
— LeBron James (@KingJames) August 13, 2018
- Lindsay Whalen is a total badass. To wit*:
Remember: Lindsay Whalen was one of the first white athletes to get involved in the BLM movement. In 2016 she joined the 3 other Lynx captains -- Moore, Augustus, and Brunson -- to hold a pre-game press conference about police brutality. This was months before anyone took a knee. pic.twitter.com/xc2kVO7U3P
— Lindsay Gibbs (@linzsports) August 13, 2018
*no politics
- Here’s a game that non-Minnesotans play all the time at the grocery store:
A regional alternative to duck duck goose pic.twitter.com/IdbhPNxO2S
— Megan Amram (@meganamram) March 19, 2017
- R.I.P. to the Rally Mantis, gone two years too soon:
Sunday was the two-year anniversary of the Royals' first Rally Mantis dying in the clubhouse in Minnesota. It's hard to believe that little guy didn't survive air travel, a small cage and living with a baseball team. pic.twitter.com/4ducjHw14G
— Rustin Dodd (@rustindodd) August 13, 2018
- A few years ago, following the Minnesota Lynx winning the WNBA title, they had a special victory concert.
- It’s never too cold for a Dilly Bar, right?
Life lesson from “Dilly Bar Dan,” the now internet-famous Minnesota coach: “It’s never too cold for a Dilly Bar.” http://t.co/IEVq488fDr
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 18, 2014
- What even is this place?
STUCK IN THE WEEDS: Police in Minnesota came to the rescue after receiving an unusual distress call – a group of people stuck on the water, floating in a large, inflatable rainbow unicorn. https://t.co/iP5bCn0lt5 pic.twitter.com/Pt8ZaOFAmM
— ABC News (@ABC) August 13, 2018
- This tweet becomes less true with every vote that Tater receives in the Twins mascot race.
Unbiased opinion: Minnesota is way better than North Dakota
— Jordan Harms (@j_smooth_7) August 12, 2018
- Be careful what you’re foraging in Minnesota, friends!
Minnesota Instagram star's forager cookbook recalled for potentially dangerous ingredients https://t.co/YNk6pooz4S pic.twitter.com/q8xIDoYeT8
— Star Tribune (@StarTribune) August 13, 2018
- It’s the World Handball Championships, live from Minnesota on ESPN8!
A small selection of photo's from last nights #Worlds2018 Parade of Nations in Minnesota.
— GAA Handball Ireland (@GAA_Handball) August 13, 2018
Delegations from Japan, USA & Ecuador pictured with Team Ireland.
Photos courtesy of Keith Thode pic.twitter.com/8O9HP2wrbX
- This video is 100% worth your time. Absolutely, positively. Watch even a minute or two and you’ll be entranced.
In Mariners News...
- Jayson Jenks of The Athletic weighed in with a phenomenal essay about Dee Gordon, with some valuable insights from the man himself. I can’t recommend this one highly enough.
- Random former Mariner update:
.@Mets recall RHP Tim Peterson, INF Jack Reinheimer from Triple-A Las Vegas; option RHP Jacob Rhame, INF Luis Guillorme to Triple-A.
— MLBRosterMoves (@MLBRosterMoves) August 13, 2018
- Curious about unrealistic Félix Hernández trade possibilities from a columnist who is decidedly not a front office member? How about Robinson Canó trades? Look no further.
- Could Edwin Díaz win the Cy Young this year? Dan Szymborski takes a look at the full field — but to my surprise, Díaz isn’t the only Mariner on the list.
- We have a few injury updates:
More Mariners injury updates:
— Greg Johns (@GregJohnsMLB) August 13, 2018
Juan Nicasio's knee has "calmed down," but awaiting word now on second opinion on next step.
Dan Altavilla threw live BP with Tacoma, could begin rehab stint within a week.
Hisashi Iwakuma also threw live BP and progressing toward a rehab stint.
- And another update!
If this score doesn't do anything for you, this might:
— Corey Brock (@CoreyBrockMLB) August 14, 2018
Mariners reliever David Phelps, who had TJ surgery in March, played catch for the first time today.
- Kyle Seager is working on some new mechanics, per Sodo Mojo.
- Get well soon, Leonys. You and your family are in our thoughts and prayers.
Antonetti: OF Leonys Martin is dealing with a bacterial infection that was life threatening as of a few days ago. It affected multiple organs. He is now recovering and outlook looks good, but “progress will be measured in weeks, not days.” More soon on https://t.co/IjYEQBFBQp.
— Jordan Bastian (@MLBastian) August 13, 2018
- And speaking of former Mariners who won’t be playing for a while:
#Rangers righty Doug Fister done for season: https://t.co/xCmnSNYwZz pic.twitter.com/itWOI3uHcS
— MLB Trade Rumors (@mlbtraderumors) August 13, 2018
- Minor leaguers making some moves down in Everett! Congrats to NWL Pitcher of the Week Orlando Razo.
- Check it again against your list ‘n see consistency:
Here's an amazing stat: When Cano began his suspension, #Mariners were 23-17 -- a .575 winning %. Assuming they lose tonight, their final record during his suspension will be 46-34 -- a .575 winning %.
— Larry Stone (@StoneLarry) August 14, 2018
Around the League...
- Today in Barry Bonds facts:
In 2015, the year the Royals won the World Series, Salvador Perez walked 13 times all year.
— Cespedes Family BBQ (@CespedesBBQ) August 13, 2018
Barry Bonds walked 13 times in the 2002 World Series alone.
- And today in Barry Bonds articles: Andrew Baggarly weighs in on how the Giants are still struggling to replace Bonds a decade later.
- Some trouble in New York City, as a deep bullpen doesn’t seem to equal healthy starters:
With George Kontos coming up from Triple-A, the Yankees also have placed CC Sabathia on the 10-day DL with right knee inflammation. They also recalled Ronald Torreyes from Triple-A, sent 1B Luke Voit down to Triple-A, and transferred Jordan Montgomery (elbow) to the 60-day DL.
— Coley Harvey (@ColeyHarvey) August 13, 2018
- Sports Illustrated wants to remind you that hey, the AL West is a close division right now!
- Remember: you aren’t allowed to celebrate pinch-hit, walkoff grand slams.
if i were a baseball player and i hit a home run, i would sit down in the batter’s box and silently read the bible until one of the umpires arrested me
— Jon Bois (@jon_bois) August 13, 2018
- Clayton Kershaw’s uncle discovered Pluto. Speaking of which — did you hear about Pluto? That’s messed up, right?
- We all accept and believe that the Mets are cursed, right? (although they at least have a pair of titles, so I don’t exactly feel bad for our Mets brethren)
In-game interview on ESPN between announcers and Noah Syndergaard: “How much are you looking forward to the Little League Classic next weekend?” Syndergaard: “Hopefully none of those kids has hand, foot and mouth (disease).”
— Alyson Footer (@alysonfooter) August 14, 2018
- This is what happens when like four fans show up to a critical divisional matchup late in the season:
A message to @Athletics fans from @mattchap6 #RootedInOakland pic.twitter.com/hAAgOjmZrP
— Brodie Brazil (@BrodieNBCS) August 14, 2018
Around the World...
- An oral history of Four Loko? Sounds like a sugar rush of great tidbits: http://www.grubstreet.com/2018/08/the-oral-history-of-four-loko.html
- Cute babies? Cute babies!
I don't normally post political tweets but this is very important. pic.twitter.com/8030Ja8j6U
— Paul Bronks (@BoringEnormous) August 11, 2018
- If you’d like to keep this whole public-funding-for-sports-stadiums thing in perspective, and especially the crazed fandom surrounding it, here’s a worthwhile piece from Sonics Rising.
- The Seahawks’ possible right tackle has certainly had a tough go of things, but his source of motivation is ever-present, per Matt Calkins.
Seahawks OT George Fant was crushed when he received his injury diagnosis last year: Torn ACL. Out for the season.
— Seattle Times Sports (@SeaTimesSports) August 13, 2018
Now, he's back and raring to go. His source of motivation?
His wife, Chastity Gooch, a former basketball player. | via @Matt_Calkins https://t.co/KnOFDEsHwi
- The Showbox is saved (for now)!
The @SeattleCouncil approves expanding the boundaries of the Pike Place Market to include the Showbox. It's a 10-month expansion that will make the Showbox's demolition much more difficult. Council to consider final legislation June 2019.
— David Kroman (@KromanDavid) August 13, 2018
- FIFA gon’ FIFA...
This is disturbing: FIFA no longer considers "corruption" a violation under its new ethics code, but will now ban any officials found to have made "any public statements of a defamatory nature towards FIFA." https://t.co/aYyZJYpoVI @robharris
— Ken Bensinger (@kenbensinger) August 13, 2018
- Montana, it appears, is the absolute opposite of Minnesota when it comes to hair:
these are the candidates for US senate in Montana, a state with only one barber pic.twitter.com/qFJFYjgQBR
— Jake Honig (@jakehonig) August 13, 2018
Grant’s Picks...
- This video helped my college suitemates and I bond, and I’ll admit I know more of the words to it than I should. Enjoy a true National Treasure: