Twins vs MFY - ALDS IST

[bmfc1]

Go Twins! And to pump you up, here's their new theme song, written by Craig Finn of The Hold Steady, and performed with members of The Baseball Project:

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/special/columns/music_blog/archive/2010/09/dont_call_them.shtml

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Playoff-anthem-Hold-Steady-singer-salutes-Minne?urn=mlb-271838

[soupcan]

Eh. Granted I'm not a Twins from but I'll just say I'm glad we have 'Meet The Mets'.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I dig The Hold Steady, thanks!

It's no Meet the Mets but I love the way the words spill out.

[metirish]

Gotta beat C.C. Fathabia in Game 1.......

[Frayed Knot]

Full Sked:
Wed - @ Minn - 8:37 PM
Thur - @ Minn - 6:07 PM
Sat - @ NY - 8:37 PM
* Sun - @ NY - TBA
* Tues - @ Minn - TBA

Game 1 = CC Sabathia vs Francisco Liriano

- Twins have faced the Yanx three times in the first playoff rounds over the last decade (2003, 2004, 2009) and lost 3-0, 3-1, 3-1 - and during the regular season they lost 4 of 6 this season and are 9-21 since 2006.

- Yanx have said that AJ Burnett will not pitch (or at least start) and that they�ll go with Sabathia on short rest in Game 4.

- Yanx starters ERA since August 1st = 5.32, [u:2v63g37y]by far the worst in the AL[/u:2v63g37y]. Take out Sabathia�s ~3.20 over that time and it would look a whole lot worse.

- Justin Morneau has been declared done for the year and will not play in any post-season games

[Ceetar]

Frayed Knot wrote: Full Sked: Wed - @ Minn - 8:37 PM Thur - @ Minn - 6:07 PM Sat - @ NY - 8:37 PM * Sun - @ NY - TBA * Tues - @ Minn - TBA Game 1 = CC Sabathia vs Francisco Liriano - Twins have faced the Yanx three times in the first playoff rounds over the last decade (2003, 2004, 2009) and lost 3-0, 3-1, 3-1 - and during the regular season they lost 4 of 6 this season and are 9-21 since 2006. - Yanx have said that AJ Burnett will not pitch (or at least start) and that they�ll go with Sabathia on short rest in Game 4. - Yanx starters ERA since August 1st = 5.32, by far the worst in the AL. Take out Sabathia�s ~3.20 over that time and it would look a whole lot worse. - Justin Morneau has been declared done for the year and will not play in any post-season games

I agree with Francessa that AJ is probably only there as emergency Pettitte insurance, but still, isn't having a guy on the roster that you can't and shouldn't use detrimental? He's like 3-8 with a 6 ERA in teh second half.

[MFS62]

Ceetar wrote: but still, isn't having a guy on the roster that you can't and shouldn't use detrimental?

There are lots of Mets fans who can answer that question for ya'.

Later

[ashie62]

MFS62 wrote: Ceetar wrote: but still, isn't having a guy on the roster that you can't and shouldn't use detrimental? There are lots of Mets fans who can answer that question for ya'. Later

Oh Snap!

[Guest Edgy DC]

Really, if that's a reference to Perez, the answer is not really.

[Ceetar]

Edgy DC wrote: Really, if that's a reference to Perez, the answer is not really.

Generally, no. Especially when you've got two extra pen guys anyway, and don't have to ever pinch hit cause you play in a stupid league.

[Frayed Knot]

ARod caught napping as Hudson goes 1st to 3rd on a groundout ... then immediately scores on a passed ball !!

Got Darling & Smoltz (who I've liked the few times I've heard him) in the booth on this series - although neither of them questioned why ARod was being a spectator there. Also didn't question why Gardenhire was bunting in inning 1 with his best runner on base.


But it's 3-zip Twinkies thanks to an earlier 2R HR from Cuddyer.

[Guest Kong76]

I put it on for two minutes and CC pulled his baggy whateverthefuck
he wears out of his ass crack twice and I saw enough.

Lets go Twinks!

[Frayed Knot]

Put a couple of poles under that uni and I think it'll be able to sleep six.

[Fman99]

Kong76 wrote: I put it on for two minutes and CC pulled his baggy whateverthefuck he wears out of his ass crack twice and I saw enough. Lets go Twinks!

I think he was trying to reach some mini chocolate donuts he keeps up there for mound snacking.

[Zvon]

I'd like to see the Yanks play the Phils in the big show but not enough to sit here and cheer for them. Fuck that.
Twins/Phils wouldn't suck.

GO GOOD BASEBALL!

Loriano pitchin a good game so far.

[Zvon]

Kong76 wrote: I put it on for two minutes and CC pulled his baggy whateverthefuck he wears out of his ass crack twice and I saw enough. Lets go Twinks!

Wassup with those pants?
Whats all that extra pantage hangin off the sides for?

[Frayed Knot]

Jesse Crain:
Career ERA = 3.42; Career WHiP = 1.257
Career vs MFY: ERA = 7.31; WHiP = 1.750

... which doesn't even include tonight's disaster.

And I expect we'd find similar shit if we went through any present or recent Minn relievers.
Same shit, different year.

[Frayed Knot]

CAN SOMEONE WHO CALLS THAT SCANDINAVIAN/LUTHERAN STATE HOME GET A FUCKING CLUTCH HIT?!?!?!

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Not tonight, Knot.

[Frayed Knot]

What were the Twins tonight, like 0-9 w/RiSP and about a dozen LOBs?
Hell, aside from the 2nd inning HR, the only runs they got were via a WP and a bases-loaded walk. That's [u:2f3aefr1]ONE[/u:2f3aefr1] RBI hit despite having runners all over the place.
Then, once Rivera came in, they had about five times as many broken bats as baserunners - and the one baserunner they did have was via a bad call.

[G-Fafif]

We ask the stupid Twins to win three lousy games, not every year but just in random years. Sheesh.

[metirish]

I went to bed around 10:30, game was still in the 4th inning IIRC....8:30PM games in the post-season suck.....had little faith the the Twins would actually win....not surprised to see they didn't.

TBS in game question


Is Ron Gardenhire the best manager in the game?

Like Ron and Smoltz were going to say he wasn't.....although they didn't say he was.

[Frayed Knot]

The only thing I didn't like about Gardenhire last night was his 1st inning bunt; no outs, leadoff hitter and fastest guy on the team on 1st, Orlando Hudson up. Gee thanks dude, I coulda got Jerry or Willie to do that.
Other than that I had no strategic questions about him, his players just never got a hit with anyone on base and, as usual, at least one member of his bullpen decided to put 'Suck LIke a Porn Star' on his list of things to do today.

Overall though, I do tend to think that Gardenhire gets a whole ton of credit for being some kind of great field general on account of the Twins being the small market darling of the media. The fact that they finish 1st often with a low-ish payroll can't be denied, but they're also in an entire division of lower payroll teams which factors into things more than a bit.
But at some point they've got to actually advance to be considered something other than likable contenders even in the land of low-key and really polite fans for an org that rarely changes managers. That's now 2-10 vs the Yanx in Gardy's post-season era (and none during the MFY's best years) plus a 1st round wipe-out by Oakland which makes it 2-13. They've led in each of the last 7 playoff games against the Yanx, including scoring first six times, and managed to lose every one of them.

[MFS62]

My hopes for an ex-Senators VS ex-Senators playoff series are starting to fade.

Later

[Guest Kong76]

God, I forgot how much I can't stand watching Andy-Roid
pitch in a post season game with that glare.

[Frayed Knot]

Twins out to an early lead (1-0) in game 2 ... guess that means they're doomed again.

Of course they might help themselves a bit if they could get more than one run out of bases-loaded/one-out situations.

[Willets Point]

F-ing Twins! Roll over and play dead like a freakin' opossum.

Of course, the Rangers are no better. I predict the Yankees go 7-0 right into the pennant before eventually hoisting trophy 28.

[Frayed Knot]

Some big-time relief pitching by Jon Rauch that should give Minnesota a big shot of emotion and inspire them to score just enough runs to lose the game close instead of by 8 runs like it looked like it was going to be a minute ago.


4-2 Yanx - bottom 7

[Guest Kong76]

Well that chewed root, series over.

[Willets Point]

It's incumbent upon the Twins to cause some injuries to the Yankees in Game 3.