Game Thread: TWINS at Yankees -- September 19, 2017 7pm ET (ESPN National Broadcast)

[TwinsCD]

Minnesota Twins (78-72) at New York Yankees (83-67) -- Yankee Stadium

 

Season Series -- Tied at 2

 

Last time out -- Yankees 2, Twins 1 -- Pitching was the name of the game as Jaime Garcia had the Twins flailing early on (9 of first 12 outs were K's) and Ervin Santana escaped more jams than Houdini until the Yanks scratched a run across in the 6th to take a 2-1 lead.  From there, the Yankees bullpen took over and Aroldis Chapman saved the oft-booed Dellin Betances by stranding the bases loaded in the 8th and torching the Twins with that 104 MPH fastball in the 9th.  The win allowed the Yankees to pull 5 ahead of the Twins for the WC1 position but they got no help in the division as the Bosox won an extra-inning affair against the Orioles.  For the Twins, the loss allowed the idle Angels to close within 1 1/2 games for the WC2 spot.  

 

Tonight's pitchers:

Twins -- Jose Berrios (12-7, 3.84 ERA) -- Berrios faced the Yankees on July 19 at Target Field and was masterful, holding the Yankees to 1 run on 6 hits, striking out 5 in 6 2/3 innings in the Twins 6-1 victory.  Lately, though, Berrios has been a mixed bag, getting torched in Tampa followed by an average outing against the Royals followed by a decent start against the Jays that the Twins won late.  

 

Yankees -- CC Sabathia (11-5, 3.85 ERA) -- An old nemesis that the Twins just can't seem to stay away from.  Lifetime, Sabathia is 18-9 with a 3.16 ERA against the Twins but he hasn't faced them since June 16, 2016, a 4-1 win in which he struck out 7 over 6 innings.  He got the win when the Yankees got 3 in the top half of the 7th and the bullpen took it from there.  Only 5 players from this year's roster batted in that game (Escobar, Kepler, Grossman, Buxton, and Dozier)

 

Interesting note that may or may not matter -- The Twins have lost their last 9 road games in which Berrios has started.

 

====================================================================================

 

I said it in last nite's game thread and I'll say it again here -- nothing brings out the self-loathing more than playing games against the Yankees.  The rest of the teams in MLB, I can handle losing to them.  The Yankees?  No chance.  There were playoff years that I didn't watch the rest of the playoffs after the Yankees knocked us out because I was so mad about losing to them.  Of course, we're on a collision course for another playoff meeting but first, the Twins have to get there.  Tonight would be a giant stepping stone to that destination, especially because the Angels are starting a series with the Indians, who will naturally go into a funk when it means helping out the Twins.  Hoping that Berrios can get the Yanks to bite on his pitches like he did at Target back in July and that the Twins' bats can wake up and pound CC early and often.  Given how CC reacted to former Twin Eduardo Nunez bunting on him a few weeks back, I wouldn't be surprised at all to see the Twins lay down a few to get CC running.  

On a personal note, this is my first go at one of these things.  I've done a number of hockey ones for the team I root for (they've held that big shiny trophy the last couple of years) and there are a couple of things I always incorporate into the beginning:

 

Rules -- There are no rules.  Have fun, cheer hard, kick the 'WOOOOOOO'ers in the teeth.  Don't feed the trolls.

 

Great moment in Twins vs. Yankees history (complete with Bremergasm):

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSf_Phpo9MM

 

Let's go kick some Yankee tail tonite!!

 

LINEUPS:

 

TWINS

Jose Berrios ®

1. Brian Dozier ® 2B
2. Joe Mauer (L) 1B
3. Jorge Polanco (S) SS
4. Eduardo Escobar (S) 3B
5. Byron Buxton ® CF
6. Eddie Rosario (L) LF
7. Robbie Grossman (S) DH
8. Chris Gimenez ® C
9. Max Kepler (L) RF

 

Yankees

CC Sabathia (L)

1. Brett Gardner (L) LF
2. Aaron Judge ® RF
3. Gary Sanchez ® C
4. Didi Gregorius (L) SS
5. Chase Headley (S) DH
6. Starlin Castro ® 2B
7. Jacoby Ellsbury (L) CF
8. Todd Frazier ® 3B
9. Greg Bird (L) 1B

 

[SwainZag]

What are the odds this one gets played?  It's gotta be a good sign that it hasn't been canceled by now, right?

[Blake]

Good job!

[TwinsCD]

 

What are the odds this one gets played?  It's gotta be a good sign that it hasn't been canceled by now, right?

 

Baseball Press put precip at 14%.  I think Jose is just far enough off the coast that we'll see windy conditions but not much moisture, if any.  Weather Channel app calling for just wind and at most, a 20% chance of rain.

[djmo]

Posting from New York - wind & rain setting in.  Seems kinda unlikely they'll get a game in, but maybe they'll play in light rain given that they already have a day game scheduled for tomorrow.

[Respy]

Let's hope they get the game in.  A scrappy, rain-soaked game I think would favor the Twins, as the Yankee baby boppers in Judge and Sanchez will have a harder time in that weather.  Twins already likely to be scrapping against nemesis CC Sabathia.  Good luck to the Twins.  Bad luck to the Angels.

[PDX Twin]

Let's hope that Hurricane Jose (Berrios) destroys New York tonight!

[PDX Twin]

 

Let's hope that Hurricane Jose (Berrios) destroys New York tonight!

 

That said, I wonder what his mental state will be with Maria pounding on his homeland. My head wouldn't be in it.

[twinsnorth49]

Hates the Yankees but likes the Penguins......

 

I'm conflicted.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Let's hope they get the game in. A scrappy, rain-soaked game I think would favor the Twins, as the Yankee baby boppers in Judge and Sanchez will have a harder time in that weather. Twins already likely to be scrapping against nemesis CC Sabathia. Good luck to the Twins. Bad luck to the Angels.

Do they really bop babies?

 

Not sure i actually want to know...

 

I wonder if it gets delayed, but can't be made up tomorrow, and then the games matter for the wild card race, so they get made up before the wild card game...

 

Wouldn't that be a surreal end of season?

[notoriousgod71]

 

Let's hope they get the game in.  A scrappy, rain-soaked game I think would favor the Twins, as the Yankee baby boppers in Judge and Sanchez will have a harder time in that weather.  Twins already likely to be scrapping against nemesis CC Sabathia.  Good luck to the Twins.  Bad luck to the Angels.

 

Anyone remember the game before the Bert f bomb where the remnants of some hurricane shortened the game in a Twins win? Arod absolutely crushed one to dead center and Torii turned around and sprinted back and then stopped and charged in and dove and caught the ball because the wind was so ridiculous.

[NDagri]

 

What are the odds this one gets played?  It's gotta be a good sign that it hasn't been canceled by now, right?

My brother who lives on Long Island does not expect the game will happen. I hope deciders choose to call it soon instead of a "wait and see".

[yarnivek1972]

It might be a late night and a delay at some point, maybe even a delayed start. But future radar shows most of the rain out of the Bronx by 8 edt.

 

I think they get the game in tonight.

[yarnivek1972]

Start delayed.

 

Contrary to popular belief, I am not a meteorologist.

 

 

But, I did eat at a restaurant across from a Holiday Inn Express two days ago.

[Broker]

Not looking good at yahoo weather.

[TwinsCD]

First pitch at 8:10 ET

[spinowner]

At this point in the season calling or shortening a game that could affect the postseason is only done as a very last resort.

[Aggies7]

Thatta way to start against fat albert

[TwinsCD]

Off to a good start...

 

And the #1 thing I DESPISE about ESPN broadcasts -- that stupid-ass K zone square superimposed in what they think is the strike zone.

[Aggies7]

Hahaha yes!!!

[Aggies7]

Safe!

[snepp]

Surprised they didn't find a way to still call it foul.

[big dog]

Jorge, swing away.  That is all.

[Aggies7]

Off to a good start...

 

And the #1 thing I DESPISE about ESPN broadcasts -- that stupid-ass K zone square superimposed in what they think is the strike zone.

ESPN is blacked out for me

[Aggies7]

You know sabathia is fuming with these bunts

[DaveW]

Entertaining start so far.

CC not happy about the bunts. Reminds me of the old CC Needsabathia meme.

[TwinsCD]

Uh oh....getting the shakes again...

 

And Cederstrom is 0 for 2 on challenges in this series.  By all means, show off your 'out' call rather than getting it right.

[big dog]

OK he's safe.  I still hate that.

[Aggies7]

Entertaining start so far.

CC not happy about the bunts. Reminds me of the old CC Needsabathia meme.

Too bad for him if he doesn't like it. Stop eating so many burgers

[DaveW]

GIDP is not what you need there....