Game Thread: Twins @ White Sox, 8/22@5:10pm PT (7:10 PM CT)

[Blake]

Okay, that last batter? That was outstanding. More of that, Mr. Gibson, if you don't mind.

[snepp]

Chief, you need to proclaim Gibson's doneness more often.

[Aggies7]

That's what I fear most. I worry that Pandora's box has been opened and they'll just let more teams in.

I don't think so, but it's possible. A long regular season would be even longer if made irrelevant

[amjgt]

 

That's what I fear most. I worry that Pandora's box has been opened and they'll just let more teams in.

 

Honestly... the thing that's holding them back, that they thankfully can't do anything about, is the weather.

 

If all the stadiums were domed, they'd have no problem going into December, but the logistics of adding rounds to the playoffs (without shortening the season) would be terrible. 

[USAFChief]

 

Chief, you need to proclaim Gibson's doneness more often.

I'm done with Vargas, too.

[Aggies7]

All kennys does it hit homers and fly to Rochester

[notoriousgod71]

Vargas touches home plate and immediately boards a plane back to Rochester.

[TwinsCD]

LET HIM STAY....LET HIM STAY....LET HIM STAY....

 

Vargas go BOOOOOOOOM

[Aggies7]

Crazy thought came to me tonight before game time:

This is a good team. They've been above .500 most of the season and have been in the playoff hunt all season. And they've been there all season BECAUSE of the pitching staff. And they haven't "secured" a spot and been as good as they could be BECAUSE of the pitching staff.

I don't want the media to start talking about us and how incredible of a turnaround this could be

[wsnydes]

I don't think so, but it's possible. A long regular season would be even longer if made irrelevant

I think they're going to follow the money. They saw what sort of hysteria ensued with the game 163s and decided to run with it and make it an annual thing and apart of the playoffs.

[notoriousgod71]

 

I don't want the media to start talking about us and how incredible of a turnaround this could be

 

So is last year the fluke or this year?

 

They were "in it" til the end in '15 as well.

[spinowner]

 

This half inning in the dugout must be Neil Allen's easiest coaching moment of the year. "OK, Kyle. What you just did? Do that."

I would agree, but Eddie Guardado is acting pitching coach tonight. Neil Allen has the night off for a family function.

[wsnydes]

Honestly... the thing that's holding them back, that they thankfully can't do anything about, is the weather.

 

If all the stadiums were domed, they'd have no problem going into December, but the logistics of adding rounds to the playoffs (without shortening the season) would be terrible.

They already said "we need to get the WS out of November" in one breathe and then added another game to the playoffs on the next one.

[USAFChief]

 

I think they're going to follow the money. They saw what sort of hysteria ensued with the game 163s and decided to run with it and make it an annual thing and apart of the playoffs.

I think they're following the money of keeping more teams in the race through 162, than worrying about 163.

[notoriousgod71]

 

I think they're going to follow the money. They saw what sort of hysteria ensued with the game 163s and decided to run with it and make it an annual thing and apart of the playoffs.

 

The thing that made 163s exciting to me was that you were fighting to break a tie in the standings.

 

Having a 90 win team play one game against an 84 win team in absurd. It's just manufactured drama.

[wsnydes]

So is last year the fluke or this year?

 

They were "in it" til the end in '15 as well.

It's either neither or both.

 

They weren't as bad as their record indicated last season, and they not as good as their record would indicate this season or '15 for that matter.

[spinowner]

 

No matter how much Dick talks about it I just cannot picture this team in the play-in game.

 

 

I don't know why not.  They're 3/4 of the way through the season, and leading the chase for the 2nd spot.  Everyone else in the chase has had 3/4 of a season to prove they don't have holes, too.  

The Twins have as good a chance for the second wild card as the other 7 teams in contention. In other words, about a 12.5% chance.

[notoriousgod71]

 

 

I think they're following the money of keeping more teams in the race through 162, than worrying about 163.

 

Do statistics prove that attendance in these middle of the pack teams increases? Or doesn't fall off as much? I don't see a huge difference at Target Field and certainly no one cares in TB.

 

I was just in Colorado for a series against another "contender" Milwaukee and it was not an impressive crowd on a Sunday.

[wsnydes]

I think they're following the money of keeping more teams in the race through 162, than worrying about 163.

So the timing of the added game just happened to coincide with a run of 163s?

 

Either way though, they're following the money.

[wsnydes]

The thing that made 163s exciting to me was that you were fighting to break a tie in the standings.

 

Having a 90 win team play one game against an 84 win team in absurd. It's just manufactured drama.

Couldn't agree more. I feel the exact same way.

[wsnydes]

I think they're following the money of keeping more teams in the race through 162, than worrying about 163.

Also, instead of worrying about a 163 they simply created one every year.

 

Either way, it's the same principal just a different angle.

[Aggies7]

Do statistics prove that attendance in these middle of the pack teams increases? Or doesn't fall off as much? I don't see a huge difference at Target Field and certainly no one cares in TB.

 

I was just in Colorado for a series against another "contender" Milwaukee and it was not an impressive crowd on a Sunday.

The twins are averaging 25,283 this year and 24,245 in 2016. If they stay in it through September I would expect that number to increase

[spinowner]

What I like about the 2-wild-card-team postseason is that it puts a higher premium on a division championship. One of the wild card teams loses a 1-game play-in and the other starts a series at the home field of the best team in the league most likely with their best starting pitcher having been used the day before.

[snepp]

 

The thing that made 163s exciting to me was that you were fighting to break a tie in the standings.

 

Having a 90 win team play one game against an 84 win team in absurd. It's just manufactured drama.

 

A quick perusal of the previous years standings shows the wild card matchups to all be within a single game of each other, sans one, a 94 win vs 88 win.

[jun]

Gibson keeps throwing junk and White Sox hitters keeps swinging at them. Good teams would be a lot more patient and Gibson might not get out of those jams.

[wsnydes]

What I like about the 2-wild-card-team postseason is that it puts a higher premium on a division championship. One of the wild card teams loses a 1-game play-in and the other starts a series at the home field of the best team in the league most likely with their best starting pitcher having been used the day before.

I like the burned up pitcher aspect, but I think the other reason could be accomplished by giving the division champ more home games.

[Squirrel]

Well, that was interesting.

[Squirrel]

Rosie! Woohoo!

[Aggies7]

Don't think for a second that I don't enjoy these homers. There was a year we barely hit over 100

[spinowner]

And to think there were a lot of us advocating trading Rosario thinking he'd be a fourth-outfielder type. Dude has been way en fuego.