A’s 2, Twins 1: Relief Practice

In preparation for next week’s regular post season opener, Minnesota continued September Training today against a team generated on the fly by artificial intelligence. Staring opener Sonny Gray struck out Ryan Noda to begin the game, and then gave up a single.

Wait, who is on first?

-Gelof is on first.

No, not asking who is off first, who is on it?

-Gelof.

No. Who is ON first?

-Zack Gelof!

The guy from Gremlins?

-No that’s Zack Galligan

Zac Gallen? That’s a pitcher for the Diamondbacks. How is he on first?

-No, Gelof is on first!

Anyway that joke is over and doesn’t actually go anywhere, just like Gelof who never scored. (RIP) In the next inning, equally real man JJ Bleday would however score thanks to Nick Allen’s base knock. A few innings later Sonny Gray remembered he left the oven on, so Rocco’s modern Baldelli went into “starters relieving practice” mode and Kenta Maeda came in for the 5th.

In the 6th, the Twins loaded the bases with no outs, miraculously Matt Wallner bounced into a double play, which scored a run and somehow oddly was better than the outcomes I tend to expect when the Twins have the bases loaded with no outs.

The game remained tied until the 8th when Ryan Noda Nobunaga took Maeda deep, which triggered Louie Varland’s turn to pitch, which he would do for the rest of the game.

Happy 49th Win 2023 Oakland A’s!

STUDS: Louis VIII of the land of Var.

DUDS: The AI’s ability to generate believable human names.