Game 140: Royals @ Twins

Time: 7:10 Central. Vegas Line: -135 MIN / KC +125

Weather: Start Temp 72°, Enjoy It While It Lasts

Opponent’s Nice SB Site: Royals Review

TV: FSN. Radio: Where have all the Gladdens gone, long time passing

Alas, I couldn’t find anything remotely unusual about Royals starter Heath Fillmyer. He’s just a regular guy in every possible way. He pitched at junior college and his coaches are suitably proud he made the majors. His minor-league numbers aren’t great or bad. He throws around 90. He’s been decent for the Royals in his rookie season.

Heck, even his hometown is beyond normal. It’s in suburban New Jersey, and once had a steel-wire factory that made Slinkies. The factory closed decades ago and left gazillions of toxic waste behind — again, normal America. I root for Fillmyer to do well, like I do all ballplayers who aren’t jerks. Just not today.

So instead, let’s talk about a totally unrelated, but awesome, minor-league name change.

The Mobile, AL BayBears are moving in 2020 to Madison, AL, a richer area that could afford to drop $46 mil on a new stadium. (With the standard civic promises of “economic development,” etc.)

The good people of Madison were invited to vote online for the team’s new name, from several choices. You’ll never guess what they picked.

The “Rocket City Trash Pandas.”

Madison is near Huntsville, where NASA has both assembly and research facilities. So, Rocket City.

And apparently they have lots of raccoons, which local slang calls Trash Pandas.

Hence the new and wonderful team name. Go Trash Pandas Go!

(BTW, did you know more stuff in America is named for James Madison than any other President? I didn’t, but now I do, and now you do, too.)

The Twins had mulled around using an “opener” for Stephen Gonsalves today, who’s struggled in his three MLB starts. They decided against it. Maybe the team thinks Gonsalves is more top-of-rotation material, maybe they read disapproving Internet blog comments. (Probably not that last one, although you never know...)