Is this a playoff team?

[notoriousgod71]

Discuss.

[Twinfan & Dad]

No. No bonafied ace and weak bullpen.

[Mike Sixel]

Still more likely than not, pending the LAA game tonight.....so yes?

[wsnydes]

Well, technically yes but this series has showed how far this team needs to grow in order to become a true contending team.  The difference between these two wild card teams is quite staggering.

[gunnarthor]

Yeah, they're a playoff team but they are probably the fifth best team in a five team field so ...

 

But let's also remember where we all thought we were in April. That the Twins are likely a one and done in the postseason is a great season. And I think the playoff experience for the young guys will be useful next year.

[yarnivek1972]

The Twins are better than the teams behind them but not as good as the teams ahead of them. Their head to head shows that to some degree. So, I would say they are exactly where they should be.

[BobAzar]

Honestly, I'll take our chances in a 1 game WC game or 163. over a 5 or 7 game series...not so sure.

 

 

[Doomtints]

If the Twins make the playoffs, yes, they are a playoff team.

 

I spoke elsewhere about how 19 or 20 MLB teams are terrible this year. There is no middle ground. The AL has more playoff slots than it does good teams. But this changes nothing -- if the Twins make the playoffs, they are a playoff team.

 

The danger here is thinking the Twins have turned a corner and will be good next year. It's not likely that 2/3 of the league will be garbage next year too. The Twins still need to replace about half its pitching staff.

[wsnydes]

 

Yeah, they're a playoff team but they are probably the fifth best team in a five team field so ...

 

But let's also remember where we all thought we were in April. That the Twins are likely a one and done in the postseason is a great season. And I think the playoff experience for the young guys will be useful next year.

I think the chase in general this September is very good for the young core of this team.  It gives them a taste even if they don't get to the playoffs.

 

In April, I never imagined this team would be in this position.  I still don't really care what happens in the end, I'm just enjoying the ride.  

[Thrylos]

 

Honestly, I'll take our chances in a 1 game WC game or 163. over a 5 or 7 game series...not so sure.

 

Really?  They just had  a 3 game series with the team they will face in the Wild Card game and were swept.

 

I have zero confidence in this team winning a game at Yankee Stadium.

 

[Mr. Brooks]

Yeah, encouraging season overall, but this series with NY has kind of exposed where they are at overall.

They are where they are because of a weird season where most of the teams in the AL are just bad.

That's fine, they don't have to give those wins back, but they are nowhere near the conversation of a team like NY at this point.

 

Because of that, they could actually improve quite a bit this off-season, but tread water w/l wise next season.

 

This is probably a 75 win team most years, which is still a nice improvement over last year.

[Doomtints]

Every team above the Twins in the AL has a better record against teams under .500.

 

Every team below the Twins in the AL has a worse record against teams over .500.

[yarnivek1972]

Really? They just had a 3 game series with the team they will face in the Wild Card game and were swept.

 

I have zero confidence in this team winning a game at Yankee Stadium.

idk, funny things can happen in one game. Severino was off today. If he was off again and Erv pitched as well as he did in game 1, the Twins would be in position to win.

 

If I am not mistaken, the road team actually has a pretty good record in this one and done format. Better than one might expect anyway. Although, the usual way for the upset is a hot team, which obviously does not describe the Twins right now.

[big dog]

I'm starting to think the only way this team could beat the Yankees in NY is if the Yankees had to wear roller skates.  Even then I'd probably bet the under.  What a putrid series, even given the traditional beatings they take there.  This team has outperformed expectations, not given up, keeps fighting back- but get to NY and its baby seals vs. Norwegian fur merchants once again.

[caninatl04]

 

Yeah, they're a playoff team but they are probably the fifth best team in a five team field so ...

 

But let's also remember where we all thought we were in April. That the Twins are likely a one and done in the postseason is a great season. And I think the playoff experience for the young guys will be useful next year.

Very well said.  Although, I think they are actually the tenth best team in the ten team field.  And as "wsnydes" pointed out, there is a canyon between the current Twins and the final four (whoever they turn out to be).

And yes, as my bookie reminded me (literary license), the Twins' season O/U was 74 games.

If "we" looked at this season as only a (lost) year for the new FO to review, then the season must be considered a success.

[twinsnorth49]

Under the qualification rules, as of today they are a playoff team. Can they beat the Yankees in a one game play in? Of course, it's the ultimate SSS, crap shoot.

 

Beyond that, no way they have the pitching to go any further. I'm ok with that considering what my expectations were going into the season. I expect more for next year though, provided they make some moves.

[Danchat]

With the second Wild Card added a few years ago, the Twins are now a playoff team. It's clear nobody else in the AL is good enough to push the Twins for the spot, so here they are. If they were in the NL, they'd probably get beat by Colorado/Milwaukee. 

 

This isn't a team geared up and ready to face the best teams in the baseball in the playoffs, but it's great to finally see the core of the team is ready to open the "playoff window". 

 

If the Wild Card game was against somebody like the Brewers (they looked like a sub .400 team when we played them), I would have confidence that the Twins could beat them. But against the Yankees at the home turf, our chances are pretty terrible. I hope the Red Sox could start losing and face us in the playoffs instead.

[Craig Arko]

Playoff team, probably. Successful playoff team? That would take an awful lot of luck. I don’t feel it.

[Dantes929]

 

idk, funny things can happen in one game. Severino was off today. If he was off again and Erv pitched as well as he did in game 1, the Twins would be in position to win.

If I am not mistaken, the road team actually has a pretty good record in this one and done format. Better than one might expect anyway. Although, the usual way for the upset is a hot team, which obviously does not describe the Twins right now.

Hot is not sustainable.   We want the Twins to do well enough to get there and then get hot.    Of course I would like them to go on a nice streak to make sure they get there.   Its like Minnesota weather.   If they are hot and everyone is on the bandwagon just wait a week and the picture could be entirely different.  Likewise when they are cold and everyone is down on them.     Santana threw a good game which could have gone either way.   Tuesday's game was an extra 15 feet of a fly ball for Rosario to have a grand slam.    Underdogs? Yes     Hopeless?  Hardly.

Not only have wild cards done well on the road in the one and done, wild cards have done quite well after the wild card game as well.   Never give up.

[Broker]

I think they will get the second wild card. I also think they have a reasonable chance of beating the Yankees. Twins have beaten them several time this year already. These aren't the Yankees of the past.

[Jham]

Dear Mr. Manager,

 

Can you please get thrown out of 1 game ever?  Just to break up momentum or stick up for your players or earn an extra call or two?  Come on,  Molly.  This team is looking around to each other for fire and leadership and someone to get the big hit.  Lead by example.  We're running out of time.  And you, Mr. Manager are definitely running out of time.  Also, stop bunting your 3 hitter.

Sincerely,
Faith hanging by a 2-3 threads.

[Riverbrian]

If they make the playoffs... they are a playoff team. There is no other way to look at it.

 

I will always stubbornly cling to the thought that once you are there... Anything can happen. 

 

Teams get hot and cool down all the time. 

 

Even the Phillies are capable of going 12-8 at anytime. Even against the best of the best.  

 

Get In... and find some Mojo!!! 

 

 

[diehardtwinsfan]

yeah, as others put it, they are the 5th best team in a 5 team field. While unlikely, SSS can be your friend.

[yarnivek1972]

I think they will get the second wild card. I also think they have a reasonable chance of beating the Yankees. Twins have beaten them several time this year already. These aren't the Yankees of the past.

The Twins have beaten the Yankees twice this year. In one game, the Twins won 4-2, against Bryan Mitchell and Caleb Smith - two guys who did not pitch this week and who will certainly not pitch in the playoffs.

 

The other win was against starter Jordan Montgomery. With the addition of Jaime Garcia, he probably now slots as the number 5, and also would not likely pitch important postseason innings.

 

Additionally, Gary Sanchez was held out of game one and Aaron Judge did not start game 3. Guess what? Both will start every game in the playoffs barring injury.

 

Point being, you can ignore the July series. The Yankees did.

[Pardon My Dinger]

The way they've performed over the past month and a half, mostly without their best player, the guy the entire order revolves around, would lead me to a 'yes.'

 

The Twins couldn't beat the Yankees when they were perennial division winners. It's a metaphysical issue, or something of that sort. Let's not get overly down on our guys right now.

[Brock Beauchamp]

It's frustrating to watch this team flail against the Yankees - a superior team and I think we all knew that going in - but in the grand scheme of things, it's a good experience that many young teams face.

 

Remember that five out of nine position players are 25 or younger. Everyone in the lineup, excluding Mauer and Castro, have never played a postseason game at all.

 

So, yeah, I want to see that Wild Card game but it's not what decides whether I consider this a successful season or not. We're now at the point of what degree of success this team will see in 2017.

[Broker]

 

The Twins have beaten the Yankees twice this year. In one game, the Twins won 4-2, against Bryan Mitchell and Caleb Smith - two guys who did not pitch this week and who will certainly not pitch in the playoffs.

The other win was against starter Jordan Montgomery. With the addition of Jaime Garcia, he probably now slots as the number 5, and also would not likely pitch important postseason innings.

Additionally, Gary Sanchez was held out of game one and Aaron Judge did not start game 3. Guess what? Both will start every game in the playoffs barring injury.

Point being, you can ignore the July series. The Yankees did.

This is baseball. The point being, the best team doesn't always win. In fact Cleveland hasn't quite won 2/3 of it's games and Cleveland has the best record in the AL.

[yarnivek1972]

This is baseball. The point being, the best team doesn't always win. In fact Cleveland hasn't quite won 2/3 of it's games and Cleveland has the best record in the AL.

Sure. Any given Sunday. Just don't pretend that the Twins winning two games in July facing pitchers and a lineup they wouldn't see in October means anything.

[Jham]

 

It's frustrating to watch this team flail against the Yankees - a superior team and I think we all knew that going in - but in the grand scheme of things, it's a good experience that many young teams face.

 

Remember that five out of nine position players are 25 or younger. Everyone in the lineup, excluding Mauer and Castro, have never played a postseason game at all.

 

So, yeah, I want to see that Wild Card game but it's not what decides whether I consider this a successful season or not. We're now at the point of what degree of success this team will see in 2017.

It's frustrating, but it should be enlightening to these young players.  The Yankees have always been first class and absolutely devoted to winning and winning professionally.  Hopefully this young team can learn from the Yankees and Indians on how you need to raise your game and intensity when you get to September.  The Yankees did their part anyhow.  

[Aggies7]

We didn't even get a chance to see belisle attempt a save in YS. Imagine that nail biter. We saw what it used to do to Nathan. Yeesh.

 

I still can't get over the number of innings the twins and Yankees were retired in order this series: twins 13 of 27 innings, the Yankees ONCE in 24 innings. That is sheer dominance, regardless of score.