Game LXXX: Rangers @ Twins

Time: 1:10 (18:10 GMT) Vegas Line: -110 MIN / TEX +100

Weather: Partly Sunny, High Near 78°

Opponent SB site: Lone Star Ball

TV: FSN. Radio: The dial at night blares things of fright deep in the heart of Texas

TWINS ARE ODDS-ON FAVORITES! I couldn't believe it either. Of course, odds represent not who bookmakers think will win, but which way the betting is going, so maybe Twins fans are getting overconfident? I dunno.

Tyler Duffey is such a tease. He keeps flirting both with solidifying his place in the future rotation, and with getting sent down forever. What a mimbo! Last start he did well, so let's see today.

Alexander "Chi-Chi" Gonzalez was only called up this week, and got wailed on in his first start. In 67 innings last year, he had a respectable ERA and dubious everything else, so he began the 2016 season in AAA. He throws a "meh" fastball, curve, change, and last year had success with his slider. Career digits for Gonzalez, YTD for Tyler:

I was kinda curious about the nickname "Chi-Chi," given Gonzalez by his grandfather while he was growing up in Florida. I remembered there was an old golfer named "Chi-Chi" Rodriguez, who, as it turns out, named himself after his baseball hero, one "Chi-Chi" Flores who played in Puerto Rico. Rodriguez sounds like a cool guy. I guess he irritated some established pros like Arnold Palmer for his "hot dog" celebrations. The old guard doesn't like Latin upstarts having too much fun? That rings a bell.

I can't find out where the nickname "Chi-Chi" originated (maybe Flores was nicknamed after somebody else?) but my best guess is it's an affectionate twist on "Chico," a term meaning "young one" or "little one."

Oh, and the plural form, "chi-chis"? That's Spanish slang for "boobies."

Lineups (no Ploooooouuuuufffe):