11/05/24
October 05, 2009
Twins, Tigers Will Decide AL Central in Playoff: For the third straight year -- a new record -- the Major League Baseball season has been extended by a day to break a divisional tie. The Detroit Tigers (86-76) will travel to Minnesota to face the Twins (86-76) at 5:07 p.m. Eastern Tuesday. Unlike past years there was no coin flip: Minnesota won the season series 11-7 between the teams, earning the right to host this game in a rule change. In a sad milestone for indoor baseball purists, this could be the last baseball game at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome.
And a quick Googling reveals that this is the only place on the Internet where you'll find the phrase "indoor baseball purists".
posted by Jugwine at 12:21 PM on October 05, 2009
Couldn't they just let the air out of the Metrodome, roll it up, put it on a truck and ship it down to Tampa/St. Pete?
I wish I had a dollar for each great baseball game that's ever been played in a lousy ballpark.
I wonder how many Orioles past and present would give up playing at Camden Yards for a chance to enjoy the kind of success that the Twins have had.
posted by beaverboard at 01:17 PM on October 05, 2009
That Leyland has enough confidence in Porcello to throw him to the wolves should cement his bid for ROTY. But I'm still fuming that Verlander pitched yesterday instead of tomorrow. If the Twins would've lost, he would've been ready for Game 1 against the Yankees. Now Jackson would start game 1, against that lineup. Bad call, IMO...
posted by MeatSaber at 01:44 PM on October 05, 2009
I thought of that, too, but if the Tigers had lost yesterday, they wouldn't be playing tomorrow. You have to treat every game as sudden-death at that point, and worry about the next game when you get to it.
posted by TheQatarian at 02:00 PM on October 05, 2009
I was at the Saturday game, when (MVP) Joe Mauer got a huge hit to break the scoreless game off of (Cy Young) Zack Grienke. The Dome was as loud as I've ever heard it, and probably since the 91 World Series.
And I'll be there tomorrow! Go Twins!
Last night's game was supposed to be the last game in the Metrodome, and they had a wonderful ceremony with a bunch of ex players from the teams past, including the All Metrodome Team. Guys like Dan Gladden, Kent Hrbek, Kirby Puckett (RIP), Frank Viola, Bert Blyleven, and Joe Mauer
posted by emoeby at 02:23 PM on October 05, 2009
Couldn't they just let the air out of the Metrodome, roll it up, put it on a truck and ship it down to Tampa/St. Pete?
Why not St. Paul? Completely different demo.
Aside from the logistics, the Twins have the home-field advantage, the winning momentum, and a favorable pitching matchup.
Which is why I predict the Tigers will win. In the span of a week, this has flip flopped so badly against them that the pressure is now on the Twins. Also, Cabrera will be sober.
posted by smithnyiu at 02:24 PM on October 05, 2009
If Ron Gardenhire is not one of the best managers in the game, I might trade in my Red Sox t-shirts. Year after year he keeps his club in contention, and then has a finishing kick to get to the tape. He does all this on a club that limits payroll. Minnesota's farm system and player development personnel are really good at what they do as well. It's a remarkable organization from top to bottom.
Having to play on Tuesday instead of today is all Bret Favre's fault. His name had to sneak into this thread somehow, didn't it?
posted by Howard_T at 02:59 PM on October 05, 2009
Gardy is a fine manager and the system is great, but looking at all the top players we've had, guys like Santana, Mauer, Morneau, Hunter, they haven't been able to do anything in the playoffs. They have been very close, but just couldn't get past the Yankees or Angels. It's really too bad.
posted by emoeby at 03:34 PM on October 05, 2009
Amazingly, Gardy has never won Manager of the Year. And Scioscia will probably get it this year because of the Adenhart tragedy, even though his team has way more talent than the Twins do.
I thought 2006 was the year Gardy should have won it, but some people in the media got horribly confused. Leyland won MotY, and Terry Ryan of the Twins won Executive of the Year. Why Ryan got that award given that the two big acquisitions of the offseason were Rondell White (who stunk) and Tony Batista (who was even worse to the point that he got cut midseason), I'll never know. Likewise, Leyland managed the Tigers to a 10.5-game lead over the Twins at the All-Star Break (the White Sox were between them at the time), but Gardenhire's team surged while Leyland's team choked away the division on the last weekend of the season, although they did make the playoffs (and eventually the World Series). It should have been Dave Dombrowski of the Tigers who got the executive award (he had several big free agent signings that led them to the World Series that year) and Gardenhire who won MotY, not the other way around.
But I digress. Cabrera may be sober, but he has to stop fighting his wife. Twins win this one, because Minny always beats Detroit.
posted by TheQatarian at 03:42 PM on October 05, 2009
That Leyland has enough confidence in Porcello to throw him to the wolves should cement his bid for ROTY.
I think Porcello is awesome - and I'm still astonished that the Tigers seem to have handled him well this season, despite totally rushing him to the majors at the tender age of 20, with only one season of A-ball under his belt.
All that said, I think Jeff Niemann is the rightful ALROY. Here's a solid argument that I tend to agree with.
posted by Venicemenace at 04:22 PM on October 05, 2009
I'm not even sure Leyland will play Cabrera after the shit the guy pulled this past weekend. Honestly, being shitfaced all weekend when the team is struggling to get into the playoffs, and not getting a hit? Leyland looked pretty freakin' pissed at his press conference after the game, and I really don't know how he'll respond. Cabrera's a great hitter, but it sounds like he needs some serious help.
posted by dyams at 05:27 PM on October 05, 2009
Holy schnikies, Leyland heard my prayers and sat Huff, and put Raburn in left...the Tigers might actually pull this out now...
posted by MeatSaber at 06:00 PM on October 06, 2009
The dome lives on!
Fun game to watch. Detroit's left fielder gave the Twins a gift in the 10th inning when he made a horrible play that let Cuddyer get a triple. No business trying to play a ball like that to your side with no outs. Hold the guy to a single, letting the ball by you is the worst possible play. I've benched 12 year olds for making that type of play. I may have to send Raburn a thank you card.
I don't hold much hope for the Twins against NY, but I'll take what I can get.
posted by dviking at 10:23 PM on October 06, 2009
I would like to be the first to wish the Detroit Tigers the best of luck...in finding a hotel that isn't full of media people covering tonight's football game.
Right now, nothing seems to be working in Detroit's favor. Aside from the logistics, the Twins have the home-field advantage, the winning momentum, and a favorable pitching matchup.
Not to mention this bit of history. (The proper formatting got lost among server changeovers, but the Minnesota-Detroit history is in there.)