Blow it out your Eckstein

Okay, I officially hate the baseball playoffs.
While it actually takes considerable skill, talent, consistency, intelligence, durability, and like a zillion other things to be one of the 8 best teams over a 162 game span, that all goes to shit in the playoffs, when any piece of shit team (Hello, St. Louis) or over, over, over, overrated lame-ass shortstop (Eckstein, David) can deliver a championship.
The St. Louis Cardinals went 83-79 this year. So they were something like the 14th best team in baseball.
And they are World Series champions.
I'm not saying it isn't fair - it's completely fair. The Yankees, Twins, Tigers, A's and Mets were all better teams, and they had every opportunity and blew it.
(And just for the record, the White Sox, Blue Jays, Red Sox and Angels are probably better than St. Louis, too. And maybe Seattle, Texas, Baltimore and Cleveland. Perhaps Tampa Bay, Kansas City and Montreal)
This is just hard to take. A .500 team won the World Series, and Doogie Howser won the MVP.
Brilliant.

Busy, Tired

I'd like to have written more in this space lately, but I am, well...see above.
One thing I know is that weeknights suck without a Twins game to watch.
I'm barely paying attention to the World Series.
A couple random thoughts:
*Kenny Rogers was cheating, but it was still not that big a deal. A little pine tar on the hand? BFD. There's a saying in baseball - if you aint' cheatin you ain't tryin.
*Vikings better, still unimpressive.
*The Wild are 8-1. They look like one of the best teams in the NHL. Too bad I am one of four people in South Dakota that care.
*Francisco Liriano - in case you hadn't heard, had another setback. Here's an early prediction for 2007. Liriano doesn't pitch an inning. He'll end up having Tommy John surgery, which I thought he should've had the minute he walked off the mound in his last start.

Looking back, looking ahead, Pt. 2

This week, the pitchers.
Johan Santana (19-6, 2.77, 245 K's)
If there weren't such a large percentage of Cy Young voters who are stupid enough to base their vote simply on wins (the one stat pitchers have the least control over) Santana would be about to win his 3rd straight Cy Young award. As it is, he'll settle for 2 out of 3.
He's a dependable workhorse, the very definition of an ace.
Brad Radke (12-9, 4.32)
After a horrible start, Radke was outstanding from June through August, then battled through semi-serious injuries to contribute in September. He has indicated that he will retire, though no announcement has been made. I still have a hunch that Radke hasn't pitched his last game, but with the injuries he had to pitch through this year, he'd probably have to take 2007 off even if he wants to come back.
Don't expect to see Radke in '07, but don't be surprised if he resurfaces in 2008, either with the Twins or perhaps the Devil Rays.
Carlos Silva (11-15, 5.94)
It's tough to lose 15 games on a team that only lost 66 all year, but Silva stunk. A few times he appeared to have things under control, then he'd go right back to stinking.
The Twins have until the end of the World Series to decide if they want to pick up his $4 million option. I don't think I'd do it. And if I did, I'd look to trade him.
He's still got some value, as he's young, has a strong arm, can eat up innings, and before 2006 he was coming off a couple of excellent seasons.
Boof Bonser (7-6, 4.22)
After a couple of call-ups with mixed results, Boof was an ace in his third (and permanent) stint with the Twins.
He also pitched six strong innings in Game 2 of the ALDS, further evidence that he's ready to be a key cog in the rotation.
He doesn't have particularly overwhelming stuff - a low 90's fastball and a decent curve, but he really seemed to learn how to pitch, attacking hitters and throwing strikes.
I don't think Boof will ever be a true No. 1, but a Kevin Tapani-type career looks like a possibility.
Still, don't be surprised if he has some sophomore struggles next year. Pitchers always do.
Francisco Liriano (12-3, 2.16)
The biggest question mark in the organization. The Twins seem determined to avoid surgery, but I have my doubts about whether he can make a 100% recovery without it.
If he's healthy, though, he's the most unhittable pitcher alive.
Scott Baker (5-8, 6.37)
As bad in '06 as he was excellent in '05.
But he has good stuff, and still showed some flashes of what he's capable of, especially in a couple starts against the Yankees.
I think he can be a solid No. 3, maybe even one day a No. 2. But he won't have a spot handed to him in '07.
Matt Garza (3-6, 5.76)
Touted as a future No. 1, but his stuff is nowhere near as good as Liriano or Santana's.
Still, the minor league numbers are hard to ignore, and Garza held his own pretty well for a guy who started the year in A-ball.
Will likely begin next year in the rotation.
Glen Perkins (0-0, 1.59)
Looked great in a brief call-up, earning a spot on the postseason roster. He has a great shot to make the club next year, either as a starter or reliever.
Mike Smith (0-0, 12.00)
Never should've been called up, even for one start. Decent minor league filler, I suppose.
Dave Gassner (DNP)
Also minor league filler, might be able to fill a bullpen spot one day. Removed from 40-man roster, so someone else could pick him up.
JD Durbin (DNP)
Had a fine season in Triple-A, vaulting himself back onto the team's radar. Will be given a look next spring.
Beau Kemp (DNP)
Also made a nice minor league comeback, also will get a look.
Errol Simonitsch (DNP)
A big lefty who had a decent year in the minors. Will compete in spring training, but likely begin season at Triple-A.
Kevin Slowey (DNP)
The next big prospect after Liriano and Garza. Had a huge year in the minors.
Will likely begin '07 in Triple-A.
Matt Guerrier (1-0, 3.36) An excellent long-relief/mop-up guy, who can also spot start. Guerrier is not an elite level reliever despite his excellent statistics. He thrives because he is used properly. As long as he's cheap, the Twins will keep him around.
Willie Eyre (1-0, 5.31) Had his moments, but ultimately was unimpressive in his rookie season. Ironically, he only pitched in one meaningful situation all year long - the extra inning game at Chicago - and he picked up the win with two shutout (and very gutty) innings. At best, he'll be back in the same role next year. At worst, they'll find someone else and he'll be back in Triple-A.
Juan Rincon (3-1, 2.91) Struggled late, but wasn't at 100% health. I still think he's the best set-up guy in baseball when healthy. Could start if he had to. However, I wouldn't be shocked to see him in trade talks.
Jesse Crain (4-5, 3.52) Crain isn't as bad as Twins fans paint him to be, he just seems bad in comparison to the rest of the outstanding bullpen. He's a good second-tier setup guy, and could probably be a decent second-tier closer somewhere, which is why he also could be part of trade talks.
Pat Neshek (4-2, 2.19) Sidearm guys are an enigma. Neshek was unhittable for a long stretch after his call-up, but was only average down the stretch. Still, he's locked into the pen for next year, and will most likely have another solid season.
Denny Reyes (5-0, 0.89) Where the hell did this come from? I would argue that Reyes' 2006 season was the most unlikely performance in the entire major leagues. A 0.89 ERA? Are you kidding me? Reyes gave up a homer in Seattle (I can't remember who hit it) way back on June 8, the day the Twins famously dropped to 25-33. The next day they began their 71-33 run that took them to the division title, and Reyes' emergence seemed to coincide.
Let's get one thing straight. There is absolutely no way Reyes will repeat this performance next year. It's almost impossible.
But he's still better than JC Romero.
Joe Nathan (7-0, 1.58) The best closer in baseball. Period.
He blew two saves, and the Twins won both of those games. Some have suggested trading Nathan, arguing that closers are essentially a dime a dozen. In some cases that's true, because a lot of slightly-above average pitchers (Huston Street, Todd Jones, Eddie Guardado, Bob Wickman) become pretty good closers. But Nathan is elite. He shouldn't be traded unless someone like Miguel Cabrera or Alex Rodriguez becomes part of the discussion.

Looking back, looking ahead

There was kind of a feeling all season that anything the Twins did in 2006 was a bonus.
They started so slowly, and didn't figure out who they were until June, which led most fans, including myself, to start drooling at the thought of what next year could be like with a fresh start.
With most of the Twins core set to return, here's a look at each player - what they did in '06 and their prospects for '07.
Position players first, pitchers later.
Catchers
Joe Mauer (.347-13-84)
The best catcher in the game. Won the batting title, posted a .429 on-base percentage and was excellent behind the plate. He slumped a little in the second half, and seemed to come up empty in key spots regularly down the stretch. He hit into 24 double plays, third most in the AL.
I still think he'll hit more homers, but in the meantime he might be better suited batting second.
Mike Redmond (.341-0-23)
The best backup catcher in the game. He hit .341 while usually (and ridiculously) batting 3rd in the order. Not as good as Mauer defensivley but still solidly above average. Has been a valuable clubhouse presence as well.
Chris Heintz (0-for 1 at-bat)
A pretty good minor league catcher, he's in the wrong organization if he wants to play in the big leagues.
Infield
Justin Morneau (.321-34-130)
Unless this year was a fluke, and I don't believe it was, Morneau appears to be the best all-around Twins hitter since Kirby Puckett. He has few weaknesses, can hit for power and average, uses the whole field, and never tries to do too much. How many times did he come up to bat in a situation where everyone was waiting for him to go deep, only to see him lace a single to left-field? That's the sign of a great hitter. Hopefully he gets locked up for a long time.
Nick Punto (.290-1-45)
The surprise of the team, Punto posted a .352 on-base percentage and was as good in the field as any Twins 3B since Gary Gaetti.
Having said that, I have doubts about whether he can do it again. He slumped considerably down the stretch and looked exposed in the playoffs. Gardy has already said he wants Punto to be the everday 3B next year, but I'd rather see him take on a utility role, where he can get plenty of starts at both 2B and SS to give Luis Castillo and Jason Bartlett a rest.
Jason Bartlett (.309-2-32)
Bartlett showed signs of being a future All-Star, finally earning Gardy's trust. He was excellent in the field and shows lots of good habits at the plate. He started 99 straight games after getting called up, and I think giving Punto 15 starts at short next year would help keep Bartlett fresh.
Fatigue may have been a factor in Bartlett's embarrassing performance in the ALDS.
Luis Castillo (.296-3-49)
Castillo gave the Twins perhaps a little less than what they hoped for, but he was still quite good. He has good at-bats and despite looking like a tin-man at times, actually has great range at 2B.
He has one year left on his contract, and his tenure as a Twin will be over after that. I wouldn't mind seeing the Twins trade him and move Punto to second, because I just don't trust Castillo's knees. I wouldn't be shocked if he missed 50 games due to injuries next year. Much like Shannon Stewart of the last couple years, he doesn't appear to have much left physically.
Luis Rodriguez (.235-2-6)
The guy spent the entire season on the active roster and had six RBI. He played in 59 games and had 115 at-bats. Granted the Twins were in must-win mode for pretty much the last 100 games of the season, but I still think he should've played a little more. He's a pretty decent utility IF, but he can't be the only utility guy, because he's not much of a SS.
Alexi Casilla (.250-0-0)
He got a brief taste of the bigs in a September call-up, and will likely open next season as the starting 2B at Rochester, with the idea of taking over for Castillo in 2008. He looks like he has some promise.
Terry Tiffee (.244-2-6)
A perfect example of first-impressions going a long way. In his ML debut in 2004 Tiffee had two hits, including a game-winning double, and two days later hit a walk-off game winning homer off (guess who) Dennys Reyes. Fans have vastly overrated him ever since. The reality is he sucks, and the Twins removed him from their 40-man roster this week. If someone claims him off waivers they'll get him, otherwise he'll probably spend all of next year in Rochester.
Phil Nevin (.190-1-4)
He didn't do much after the Twins acquired him, though he did hit a total of 23 homers on the year. I wouldn't mind having him as a veteran pinch-hitter and emergency 1B/C/3B, but he probably wants to move on, and the Twins will surely accomodate him.
Outfielders
Torii Hunter (.278-31-98)
Back for another year, and if he stays healthy expect another season hitting around .270 with 25-30 homers. The question is his defense, which ranged from poor to average most of last season. Torii's on the wrong side of 30, and when Kirby Puckett hit that age he moved to RF. Something to think about.
Michael Cuddyer (.284-24-109)
Exactly what you want in a corner outfielder. Good bat with power, strong arm, dependable glove. Hopefully the Twins lock him up.
Rondell White (.246-7-38)
Probably not worth the risk. He was great once he got healthy, but he'd be almost certain to get hurt again next year. Plus he's a poor defensive outfielder, and Gardy refuses to DH him.
Jason Kubel (.241-8-26)
He can flat out hit, evidenced by a white-hot streak in June where he appeared poised to really break out. But his knees started bothering him again and he tapered off badly.
There are questions about his commitment, due largely to the fact that he's in terrible shape. He'll never be an OF, but if he can get into better shape he'd be a great DH.
Shannon Stewart (.293-2-21)
The same smooth and efficient lead-off man he ever was, but it's clear that he'll never be healthy. The Twins won't even consider bringing him back, and it's possible he'll retire.
Lew Ford (.226-4-18)
No amount of Lewwwwww chants can hide the fact that Ford's career has, for the last two seasons, plummeted like an elevator with a broken suspension cord. He went from .299-15-72 to .264-7-52 to .226-4-18. Though he's still an excellent defensive OF, there is little reason to consider bringing him back.
Jason Tyner (.312-0-18)
A major part of the '06 team's success, but not a good candidate to play every day next year. The .312 average is deceptive - he rarely walks and almost all of his hits are singles - but he's still a better option off the bench than Ford.
Josh Rabe (.286-3-7)
If the Twins want to keep 5 outfielders, not counting Kubel, Rabe probably makes the team. Otherwise he's a career minor leaguer. Not good enough defensively to be a valuable bench player.

Another year of this guy

And that's a good thing.
The Twins picked up Hunter's 2007 option, which means they will pay him $12 million for one season.
I don't think bringing Hunter back for $12 million is exactly a great move, but I like it better than the alternatives. This team will have a great shot at a World Series next year, and Hunter could be a big part of it.
Hunter's glove declined considerably this year, and his ill-fated dive in Game 2 of the ALDS effectively ended the team's season.
But had the Twins let him walk (which still would've cost them $2.5 million) they'd be left with either a Lew Ford/Jason Tyner platoon in center, or they'd be sifting through a free-agent market of second-tier CF's.
Hunter earned this contract with his September hitting (.314, 9 HR), and with Mauer, Morneau and Cuddyer in front of him he's a better hitter.
He's also a great clubhouse guy, and one of my (and many Twins fans) personal favorites.
He wants a long-term deal, and whether or not the Twins offer him one will likely depend on how healthy he is next year. If he's a below average defensive CF again, it will likely be his last year with the team.

'06 - Just the Beginning

That's the hope at least. That the Twins postseason failures can be shrugged off for the fact that almost the entire core of the team is still young, and the prospects for improvement, particularly with an entire season without Tony Batista and Juan Castro, are good.
Still, let's forget about that for a minute and appreciate something.
2006 was an amazing season.
It's certainly disappointing to have seen it end so soon, but the journey from 25-33 to division champs was an amazing one.
I predicted the Twins would win the division before the season, though I didn't quite envision it playing out the way it did.
(And just to brag a little, I also predicted that the Tigers would be the surprise team of the AL, that Cleveland would be a disappointment, and that Justin Morneau would hit 34 homeruns - you can look it up in the archives if you either dont believe me or are a total loser)

Youth is served
When the season began, many were basing their predictions on the Twins on their opinions of the additions of Rondell White, Tony Batista and Luis Castillo.
I was excited about the additions of White and Castillo, and though I didn't like the Batista signing, I held out hope that he might at least hit some homers.
But what people were missing was that the Twins fortunes had less to do with those three and more to do with the potential of Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, and perhaps Michael Cuddyer, Jason Bartlett and Jason Kubel.
Mauer's season (.347, 13, 84) didn't surprise me. Neither did Morneau's 34 homers or Cuddyer's 24 homers.
What definitley surprised me was Morneau's .321 average, and Cuddyer's 109 RBIs. Not to mention Torii Hunter's 31 homers, Bartlett's emergence, and Nick Punto inexplicably turning himself into a useful player.
Failed experiments
For the first three months of the year, Rondell White wasn't good enough to play for the Canaries. And to be honest, Batista and Castro probably weren't either.
No one could've predicted Punto would become the player he did, but the whole Castro-Bartlett thing was shameful.
This team might've won 105 games if they hadn't wasted their time with these three. Though in the second half, White was pretty much the same guy he always has been in the past. His resurgence made the fade-off of Jason Kubel less harmful.
Bad pitching
For the first two months, the Twins strength, starting pitching, was bad.
Carlos Silva, Brad Radke, Kyle Lohse and Scott Baker were all terrible.
Radke got on track and pitched like a Cy Young candidate from June through August.
Lohse was traded for a prospect, Baker was mostly horrible with just a few good outings, and Silva was inconsistent but mostly bad.
This contributed to the team's rough start, though it should be pointed out that when Batista and Castro were replaced with Punto and Bartlett, the pitching got noticably better.
A magical run
In early June, they started winning every damn day. They made it look easy.
11 in a row, 20 out of 21. In the time it took them to lose their first 33 games, they won 25 times. In the time it took for their next 33 losses, they won 71 times. And amazingly caught the Tigers for their 4th division title in 5 years.
I pick on Ron Gardenhire a lot, and he deserves it a lot. But this season was a reminder that managers are not made by their strategizing; anyone can do that (except for maybe Gardy). What makes a manager is his ability to communicate, manage personalities, run a clubhouse, and instill a winning, confident, upbeat and positive attitude.
Gardy did that and then some. To will a team from 25-33 to 96-66 takes leadership of the highest level.
Still the best
As in Johan, Joe Nathan and Juan Rincon.
Johan will win his 2nd Cy Young award, as he won the pitching triple crown. I think my favorite stat in regards to the Twins is this: Johan led the team with 47 walks. I dont mean led the team as in that was the fewest walks - that was the most. 47 walks in 34 starts, and it was the most anyone on the team allowed. In 162 games, Twins pitchers walked 356 batters, while striking out 1,146. That's, umm....good.
Joe Nathan only had 36 saves because the Twins won so many games by more than three runs, but he had probably his best season.
In 68 innings he had 95 K's and went 7-0 with a 1.58 ERA. He blew only two saves, and the Twins came back to win both of those games anyway. When was the last time a closer went undefeated?
Surprise!
We already mentioned Punto. He had always, always sucked, and suddenly, he was good.
But he wasn't the only one.
Jason Tyner hitting .312?
Dennys Reyes - 0.89?
Boof Bonser becoming the No. 2 starter?
Pat Neshek? Without these guys playing seemingly over their heads, the Twins dont win the division.
And that kind of sums up the season. It didn't make sense. Didn't add up.
At times what was going on was literally unbelieveable.
But history will remember them as the 2006 American League Central Division Champions, and that's something that I didn't believe I'd see until the day I saw it become official with my own eyes.
Thanks Twins, for one hell of a year.

2006 Minnesota Twins Leaders
Batting
Games: Morneau 157
At-bats: Morneau 592
Avg: Mauer .347*
Runs: Cuddyer 102
Hits: Morneau 190
Doubles: Cuddyer 41
Triples: Punto 7
Homers: Morneau 34
RBI: Morneau 130
Steals: Castillo 25
Walks: Mauer 79
Strikeouts: Cuddyer 130
GIDP: Mauer 24
SLG: Morneau .559
OBP: Mauer .429
Hit Streak: Punto 19

Pitching:
Games: Rincon 75
Starts: Santana 34*
Innings: Santana 233.2*
Wins: Santana 19*
Losses: Silva 15
K's: Santana 245*
ERA: Reyes 0.89** (lowest in team history)
ERA (162 innings+): Santana 2.77*
Saves: Nathan 36
Hits/9 inn: Santana 7.16*
K's/9 inn: Santana 9.44*

*Led League
**Led all relievers with 50+ innings

Ain't That a Bitch

I suppose I should be happy that the Tigers beat the Yankees, but I'm not really.
I'm just jealous. And pissed. We could be playing Detroit for a World Series berth with home field advantage. But we played like ass for three straight games.
I thought Detroit would get run over in three straight after the way they finished the regular season.
As it turned out, that was probably the best thing that could've happened to them.
Judging by the way Verlander, Bonderman and the Gambler all pitched, the Tigers are my favorite to win the World Series.
I'll try to convince myself to pull for them, given that they came from the Twins division, a division we blabbed all year about being baseball's best.
But to see the World Series champ come out of our division two years in a row...that would hurt pretty bad, too.

Didn't See This Coming

Who would've thought it would end this way?
This is what we saw this season:
*Justin Morneau - .321-34-130.
*Joe Mauer - .347 -1st AL catcher to ever win the batting title.
*Torii Hunter - 31 homers.
*Cuddyer - .284-24-109.
*Johan - 19-6, 2.77, 245 K's, the pitching triple crown.
*Liriano - 12-3, 2.16
*Joe Nathan - 1.58, 36/38.
*Bradke - the comeback.
*Nick Punto - actually became a good player.
*Jason Tyner - ditto.
*Jason Bartlett - the next Michael Young.
*Rondell White - the resurrection.
*Boof.
*One day in first place - the last day.
And after all that, the Twins season lasted a whole five days longer than the Kansas City Royals' did. A sweep. An ass-whupping. An embarrassing performance.
Everything went wrong.
The Twins were outhit, outpitched, outfielded, outbaserunned, outmanaged, outclassed.
It was ugly.
I think we learned that the Piranhas aren't actually that dangerous, and that Joe Mauer has to start hitting some more gappers to be a true No. 3 hitter. We learned that Torii Hunter has lost a step, maybe two, in centerfield, and we learned that the bullpen is human.
The Twins can tip their hat to the A's and say they simply got beat, and that is true. The A's played very well, and there is no shame in losing to them.
But that discounts the fact that the Twins didn't only lose because they couldn't hit in the clutch. They lost because they couldn't make plays in the field, they took poor at-bats, they failed to get down bunts and advance runners, and they made poor decisions on the bases and in the field. They simply weren't themselves when it mattered most.
It was a remarkable season, and 20 years from now, I'll remember that Sunday regular season finale a lot more vividly than I will the ugly three-game sweep at the hands of the A's.
I loved this team, and I am extremely confident that it will be one of the best teams in baseball again next year.
Only six more months to go.

We Need a Hero

Okay, yeah, I hate the Yankees and everything, but watching Game 1 of the Yanks-Tigers series, it became clear.
Derek Jeter is the MVP.
Not Johan Santana.
Not Justin Morneau.
And definitely not Joe Mauer.
Jeter went 5-for-5 in Game 1 of that series, with two singles, two doubles and a homerun.
Yes, Jeter's skills as a shortstop are overrated, and if Jeter made the catch Punto made in Game 1, it'd be on SportsCenter every five seconds for the next 25 years.
But for fucks sake the guy went 5-for-5!
That is what MVP's do in the playoffs. They don't go 1-for-3 with a two-out, bases empty single.
If the Twins are going to snap out of this postseason funk, whether it be in this series against Oakland, or in the future (I'm fairly confident they'll return to the postseason a few more times in the next decade), they need their marquee players to step up the way Jeter does for the Yankees.
Kirby Puckett did it. Jack Morris did it, too.
I am in no way suggesting it's Johan Santana's fault the Twins lost Game 1, but hey, the guy could've pitched a shutout. Barry Zito was better than him that day.
The scary thing about this generation of Twins is that we're getting used to them going in the tank when it matters most.
Who among us was surprised that Zito shut them down?
Who was surprised to see Torii Hunter make the most bone-headed play in the Metrodome since Lonnie Smith?
Who is surprised that Nick Punto, Jason Tyner, Jason Bartlett and Luis Castillo don't scare anyone in the playoffs?
If there is any good news, its that there is maybe one guy on the Twins roster with a bona fide history of sacking up, and that is the man taking the mound Friday night - Brad Radke.
If he was 100% healthy, I'd be completely confident he will win, and even with his shoulder issues, I still have a good feeling about Game 3. As unclutch as the Twins have been in this series, they are still a team with a lot of fight in them, and a team that overcame a lot to get here. They won't just roll over in Game 3.
And if they win Game 3, Santana would likely take the mound for Game 4. Could the A's beat him twice in one series?
And if not, can Boof beat Zito back at the Dome in Game 5?
For all that to fall into place for the Twins, someone, check that several guys, are going to have to man up.
I don't mean working the count for a walk, or singling to the opposite field with two outs and nobody on.
I mean going 3-for-4 or 4-for-5, I mean a two-out bases loaded double, I mean pitching a shutout.
That's what MVPs do.
Let's see if we have any.

Unforgiveable

I don't have the time or energy to go into much depth about Game 2.
I just left the Twins clubhouse and I think I'm more bummed than they are.
Let's just say that I still love Torii Hunter, but that was an absolutely unforgivable, horrendous decision he made in diving for that ball.
In a tight-game, a must win game, the team that makes a mistake loses. We made the mistake.
A big one.
A huge one.
Can they come back?
I doubt it.
And yeah, we've doubted them before, and yeah, they've come back a million times already, but the odds have never been stacked against them quite like this.

Down Again

Suprised?
I'm not.
Barry Zito is pretty good. So is Johan, but he was rusty early, and it cost them.
Through the first couple innings, there wasn't a major difference in velocity between the fastball and the changeup, and the fastball was barely reaching 90. That may have been how Frank Thomas was able to muscle a changeup over the fence even after being fooled, and how light-hitting Marco Scutaro was able to get Johan for a huge two out RBI double.
But Johan got hot, and the game briefly became very tense and exciting.
Rondell White hit a homer, and the Twins put together a couple of threats. Bartlett leads off the 8th with a double, but Luis Castillo failed to bunt him over, which was huge, as the Twins ended up failing to score.
Justin Morneau was crushing the ball all day and had no hits to show for it.
Zito was good, but he was also lucky.
I'm guessing you're probably as baffled as me as to why Gardy chose to bring in Jesse Crain in the ninth, over, say, Rincon, Reyes, Neshek, Nathan, Guerrier or Perkins (in other words, anybody).
Gardy's answer was that Crain has been the best of that group lately, and he wanted to go with the hot hand.
But I would argue that just because Jesse Crain had a lower ERA than Neshek or Rincon in September doesn't make him a better option.
Rincon, and to a lesser extent, Neshek, have been the money guys all year, wheras Crain has been solid, but by no means money.
But the loss really isn't Crain's fault.
From a caught-stealing, a failed bunt, to just bad situational hitting and even a couple errors, the Twins just didn't play very well.
The good news is they've been counted out a million times already this season, so being down again isn't the end of the world.
They just have to win 3 out of 4 now, two of them in Oakland.

History...Real Time

I was there Sunday.
There for one of the greatest days in the history of the Minnesota Twins.
I bought $6 upper deck tickets for me and my fiancee about two weeks ago, assuming the game probably wouldn't mean much.
I just wanted to go to one more game as a fan.
Just before the game started, the Twins honored Brad Radke with an on-field ceremony in which his teammates presented him with a jetski as a retirement present.
At the time I thought to myself, 'Well if nothing else I'm glad I was here for that.'
But that was nothing.
Three batters into the game the Twins trailed 1-0 with Carlos Silva on the mound. The Tigers were opening up a lead on the Royals. A win for Detroit would give them the division and send the Twins to New York to face the Yankees.
The Tigers were at home, and had already lost twice to a Royals team that they had beaten 15 of 16 times before this weekend.
And they built their lead to 6-0 in the third inning.
Yankee stadium, here we come.
But then...
Joe Mauer laced a double down the line, clinching the AL batting title and starting a Twins rally that would give them the lead. I told my fiancee before the inning that Torii Hunter would homer and he did, hitting a towering fly to left-center, his 31st of the year, and the hit that sealed the win - thanks to a fine outing from Silva and more expert work from the bullpen.
By the time the Twins had pushed their lead to 5-1, the 45,182 fans in attendance were no longer watching the field. They were watching the tiny video boards in opposite corners of the dome that were updating the Royals-Tigers game.
6-0 Detroit becomes 6-2, and the crowd roars. 6-4, the crowd is becoming a distraction to the players.
Detroit scores, 7-4, fans boo.
And then...
7-6, and 'Let's go Ro-yals' echoes through the dome.
7-7!
8-7 KC! The 100 loss Royals have come back from down 6-0 in Detroit against ace Jeremy Bonderman.
Bottom 8, Matt Stairs homers, and the Tigers have tied it at 8. Fans boo.
And then...
Joe Nathan closes out the Twins win, and nobody leaves. The Tigers-Royals game is up on the jumbotron, and the Tigers have the bases loaded with one out in the bottom of the 11th. Brandon Inge launches a ball deep to LF, looking like a walk-off grand slam, but it hooks fould. The dome crowd lets out a huge sigh.
Two pitches later, Joe Nelson, the Royals no-name rookie closer, fans Inge on a changeup that would make Johan proud. Inge crumbles to his knees in disbelief. Curtis Granderson is the Tigers last chance. The Royals summon lefty Jimmy Gobble, and Gobble fans Granderson looking. The dome is euphoric. The Twins players are in the dugout, drinking beer, jumping and screaming and waving towels and acting as giddy as the fans.
It's an amazingly surreal scene. The Twins players and their fans, almost working in unsion, watching the game together, egging each other on. They play 'Sweet Caroline' over the PA between innings, and the entire Twins bench is arm in arm, singing along with the fans.
It's a scene that I can't imagine taking place at any other Pro stadium anywhere in the world.
Top 12, Detroit summons Kenny Rogers from the pen, and the Royals knock him around for two runs. Nick Punto, Luis Rodriguez and Torii Hunter are going absolutely bonkers (they keep showing them on the Tron). Hunter grabs a mike, waves to the fans and screams: "Let's go Ro-yals". The place goes nuts. Of the 45,000 that were here, probably 35,000 remain, and the game's been over for half an hour.
Bottom 12, and Gobble sets the Tigers down almost effortlessly.
Finally...
The Twins players storm onto the field for the second time in a week, mobbing each other at the mound. They then take a victory lap around the field, high fiving fans in the front row. Joe Nathan does the Lambeau Leap into the left field corner. The players are throwing whatever they can, balls, shirts, hats and towels into the crowd.
Over the PA comes the official declaration: "Ladies and Gentlemen, your 2006 American League Central Division Champion Minnesota Twins!"
Gardy and Hunter both grab the mike and say a few words, but it's completely inaudible. The place is just too damn loud.
I look at the banner in right-field that reads AL Central Champs: 2002, 2003, 2004 and think how great it will look to have 2006 on there, too.
I look just a few feet to the left of that and see a big smiling Kirby Puckett, and wonder if he had a hand in the miracle that took place today in Minneapolis and Detroit.
There are 162 games and approximately 180 days in the Major League season, and the Twins were never once in sole possession of first place until after they were done playing. They caught the uncatchable Tigers on the final day.
Even after the fans left the dome, nobody wanted to go home. The streets of Minneapolis were filled with horn-honking cars, and people racing along the sidewalks, high fiving everyone in sight, high fiving people in moving cars.
As of right now, there's no better baseball town in America than Minneapolis.
There have been several moments in recent Twins history that I watched on TV while thinking to myself, 'Man I should've been there for that.'
But this is a day that will live forever, and I'll never forget it.
I was there.
And it was beautiful.