Who are we rooting for? - Weekend Edition

[amjgt]

Twins vs Chicago - Make the southsiders cry. Go Twins!

 

Kansas City vs Baltimore - For all intents and purposes, Baltimore is out of it, but they aren't technically out of it. Let's root for KC to end any glimmer of hope they have. Also, KC has been in a bit of a tail slide recently and Toronto is only 3 games back of them. We really want that series at the end of the year not to mean anything to Kansas City. Go Royals!

 

Toronto vs New York - Like I said above, Toronto is trying to chase down KC, which we don't want to happen, BUT..... I think we'd rather have New York lose. They've been in a little slide, and I wouldn't mid them sliding back into the pack in the wild card race. Go Blue Jays!

 

Oakland vs Texas - Duh. Go A's!

 

Houston vs LA - Hmmmmm. I could go either way on this. I'd like LA to just go away and Houston taking two over the weekend would go a long way toward that goal. On the flip side, it's always nice when teams ahead of us lose. We are playing LA next weekend (they play Seattle in between) and I'd like to be 3 or 4 clear of them before the 4 game homestand. This is a tough one.... Go Astros!

 

Detroit vs Cleveland - Cleveland is only 3.5 games back of the Twins. Go Tigers!

 

Boston vs Tampa Bay - Tampa is only 4 games back of the Twins. Go Red Sox!

 

The only other AL game is Seattle vs Colorado - I can't even dream up a scenario where this game matters for this year. But Seattle is in the AL and all things being equal I'd prefer they have a worse draft pick. Go Mariners!

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

Toronto vs New York - Like I said above, Toronto is trying to chase down KC, which we don't want to happen, BUT..... I think we'd rather have New York lose. They've been in a little slide, and I wouldn't mid them sliding back into the pack in the wild card race. Go Blue Jays!

I disagree on this point. I think it's more important for the Jays/Yankees to beat each other up. Whichever team is behind the other is the one I'm cheering for this weekend. I want to see the Royals walk away with the one seed before September concludes.

 

I think the final series with the Royals is more important than the Yankees sliding back into the WC race, which is extremely unlikely to happen. The Yankees are 3.5 up on Texas, putting them 4.5 up on the Twins. Given that the Yankees are the only legitimate AL East contender in the WC, the chances of them fading back to the pack are small. There are no head-to-head matchups that will guarantee +/- one game in a single night. Once New York gets past the Jays series, they face no legitimate AL contenders and their only tough series is against the Mets.

 

The only teams the Twins should be worried about right now are the Rangers and Angels. Everyone else is far enough back where their chances of making the postseason are in the low single digits.

[stringer bell]

Astros are still in play. I would rather have two teams that the Twins can overtake, especially since they play each other seven times. The Twins can take care of the Angels next weekend.

[USAFChief]

I think the idea KC would lay down for the final series is extremely unlikely.

 

Go Royals, Go Jays (a sweep brings that 1st WC bak into play), Go Angels (again, bringing Houston back to the pack is better than worrying about the Angels), Go A's.

 

Don't care about the rest. If Cleveland passes us, it's over anyway.

[Craig Arko]

I root for the Twins. The other guys will do what they do.

[Badsmerf]

Since when is it acceptable to not have really monkey as an option?

[Hrbowski]

 

Since when is it acceptable to not have really monkey as an option?

Did you mean rally?

[Badsmerf]

Did you mean rally?

Stupid Swype strikes again.

[stringer bell]

Both Astros and Rangers lost, so the Twins remain a game behind Texas and two-and-a-half behind Houston. Angels gain a game on everybody.

[spinowner]

 

Toronto vs New York - Like I said above, Toronto is trying to chase down KC, which we don't want to happen, BUT..... I think we'd rather have New York lose. They've been in a little slide, and I wouldn't mid them sliding back into the pack in the wild card race. Go Blue Jays!

 

 

 

I disagree on this point. I think it's more important for the Jays/Yankees to beat each other up. Whichever team is behind the other is the one I'm cheering for this weekend. I want to see the Royals walk away with the one seed before September concludes.

I agree more with amjgt than I do with Brock. The best scenario for the Twins is for other teams vying for wild card berths to lose. It may be unlikely that the Yankees will fall out of wild card position but at this point it's in the best interest of the Twins for the Blue Jays to beat the Yankees when they play each other.

As for the Royals vs Twins series at the end of the regular season, I think the Royals will be giving their regular position players adequate rest, setting up their rotation and making sure their key bullpen pitchers get only enough work to stay sharp. I don't think the #1 seed will be enough of a priority for them to play to win at all costs.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

I don't think the #1 seed will be enough of a priority for them to play to win at all costs.

I really disagree. Getting to play a depleted WC team with home field through the ALCS is definitely worth playing hard until the last out of the season.

 

Under the new WC rules, the one seed has a huge advantage over previous years.

[spinowner]

 

I really disagree. Getting to play a depleted WC team with home field through the ALCS is definitely worth playing hard until the last out of the season.

 

Under the new WC rules, the one seed has a huge advantage over previous years.

The point is well taken, but I challenge the use of the word "huge". In fact, this year the #1 seed may be a disadvantage. Look at what happens based on current standings and assuming the #1 WC team defeats the #2 WC team. The #1 AL seed would play the Yankees in the ALDS and the #2 seed would play the Astros. The #1 NL seed would play the Pirates and the #2 seed would play the Mets. In both leagues the #1 WC team has a better record than the #3 division seed.

I further challenge the use of the word "depleted". The only known depletion would be the starting pitcher used in the WC postseason game, with any bullpen depletion depending on how that game happens to unfold. And if the AL WC race goes down to the wire it could very easily be that the team's #1 starter may not start the WC game.

[TwinsCD]

I've said this before -- should only be concerned with the team(s) ahead of the Twins.  Today, it's the Rangers.  If you're concerned about the Angels or the Indians, then that means the Twins are losing games and if the Twins are losing games, they're not going to catch the Rangers.  Win today, hope the A's find some sort of offense to win another game and move on to next week.

[spinowner]

 

I've said this before -- should only be concerned with the team(s) ahead of the Twins.  Today, it's the Rangers.  If you're concerned about the Angels or the Indians, then that means the Twins are losing games and if the Twins are losing games, they're not going to catch the Rangers.  Win today, hope the A's find some sort of offense to win another game and move on to next week.

That's true now. However, if I'm a Rangers fan I'm more concerned with the team(s) behind than those ahead because the team(s) behind are the ones that would threaten the wild card berth.

[Otto von Ballpark]

The Royals will get 3 days off after the season before the start of their ALDS anyway. It will be no problem for them to use their regulars if ALCS home field advantage is on the line.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Also, the Yankees rotation is so thin, and their 2015 bullpen so reliant on resting Betances and Miller, that I suspect the Royals would rather play them coming out of a wild card game than almost any other playoff contender on 3 full days rest.

[spinowner]

Let me add that I'm totally fine with both the Yankees and the Blue Jays losing when they are not playing each other. Or maybe when they are playing Texas or the Angels.

[TwinsCD]

 

That's true now. However, if I'm a Rangers fan I'm more concerned with the team(s) behind than those ahead because the team(s) behind are the ones that would threaten the wild card berth.

 

But if I'm the Rangers, I'm worrying about what I'm doing and looking at what the Astros are doing since I'm chasing them for the division championship, which is much more enticing than a one-and-done crapshoot for the wild card.  I'm just saying that no matter who you are, you have to be looking ahead because if you're worried about what's behind you, it probably means you're losing games and getting nervous.