One Game Wild Card

[Smarterthanyou]

Assuming the Angels keep being the Angels, and the Twins can pound on the hapless Tigers, or just back into the one game WC, if you have a choice, who is he SP to start if it is the Yankees or Red Sox?

 

I think with either you got to go with Santana.  He is a veteran, and looked pretty good against the Yankees, he just did not get run support.

[twinsnorth49]

Santana......AINEC.

[Brock Beauchamp]

I said it before the last series and I'm saying it even more loudly afterward:

SANTANA

 

He didn't have a great performance against the Yankees but he wasn't scared of them. Getting another 2-3 outs would have been preferable but he gave the team a chance to win and under normal circumstances, probably would have left the game with the lead.

[mickeymental]

gimenez.

[gunnarthor]

Yeah, Santana in the wild card. Dance with the one who brung you, as they say.

[diehardtwinsfan]

Santana for a complete game shutout.

[Pardon My Dinger]

Colon once through the order, then Berrios the next way through, then entrust the ball to Santana/ Hildy to bring it home.

[Old Twins Cap]

Whomever.  I just don't think people realize that with this format the Twins have the Yankees in an elimination game.

 

All those series in the aughts, all those frustrations, even when the Twins were the better team, they never actually had the chance to eliminate the Yankees.

 

Now, under the bizarre circumstances of having lost 103 games in 2016, Twins are suddenly able to slay the Giant by playing one good game. 

 

I will take that for sure.

[Oldgoat_MN]

I keep reading that the Yankees would pitch Severino.

I doubt it. They would almost certainly have a LH pitcher throw to us.

There're doing their homework.

 

And I would go with Santana, though I suspect a case could be made for Gibson.

[Mr. Brooks]

I keep reading that the Yankees would pitch Severino.

I doubt it. They would almost certainly have a LH pitcher throw to us.

There're doing their homework.

 

And I would go with Santana, though I suspect a case could be made for Gibson.

Lions don't concern themselves with the opinions of sheep.

 

Until we actually prove we can even remotely hang with the Yankees in the postseason, they aren't going to concern themselves with how we match up.

[Oldgoat_MN]

 

Lions don't concern themselves with the opinions of sheep.

Until we actually prove we can even remotely hang with the Yankees in the postseason, they aren't going to concern themselves with how we match up.

By some measures Severino is their best pitcher.

Why waste him on us when we hit LH pitchers so poorly?

[jimmer]

 

By some measures Severino is their best pitcher.

Why waste him on us when we hit LH pitchers so poorly?

In what measures is he not? :-)

[Oldgoat_MN]

 

In what measures is he not? :-)

I can't think od one, but had I said he was their best pitcher someone would have quickly found some stat that had someone as the leader. (i.e., Sabathia has a higher winning percentage)

[DaveW]

Haven't the Twins already announced it was Santana?

Which is the no brainer choice.

[jorgenswest]

Severino doesn't line up well for that spot. They moved him up to get two more starts during the season in hopes of catching Boston. Right now he looks to start a Monday and Saturday.

 

The Twins used the off days in September to get Santana lined up for the game. Rain could throw a wrench in that plan. Gibson is the next best fit (by schedule) for pitching that day.

[ThejacKmp]

 

I keep reading that the Yankees would pitch Severino.

I doubt it. They would almost certainly have a LH pitcher throw to us.

There're doing their homework.

 

And I would go with Santana, though I suspect a case could be made for Gibson.

 

They only have Sabathia and Garcia. Neither one of those guys would be the second choice. It will be Severino.

[ThejacKmp]

 

I keep reading that the Yankees would pitch Severino.

I doubt it. They would almost certainly have a LH pitcher throw to us.

There're doing their homework.

 

And I would go with Santana, though I suspect a case could be made for Gibson.

 

If they're doing their homework they'll notice that the Twins have the exact same OPS against LH starting pitching (.764) as they do against RH starting pitching. It's LH relievers that we struggle with.

 

 

[Sarah]

Where's the love for Nik Turley. 

 

Seriously, that's why Santana gets the big bucks...

[theBOMisthebomb]

Jack Morris

[Musk21]

Santana is scheduled to pitch Friday night vs Detroit.  WC game is on Tuesday, so they'd pitch him on 3 days rest?

[prouster]

Lions don't concern themselves with the opinions of sheep.

 

Until we actually prove we can even remotely hang with the Yankees in the postseason, they aren't going to concern themselves with how we match up.

Actually the Yankees will "concern themselves with how we match up." It's a one and done play in game between (like it or not) two professional ball clubs. Anything can happen.

[Mike Sixel]

ESan, and not even a thought about it. Juggle the rotation to make it so....

 

also, be quick with the hook, that's what 245 man bullpens are for....

[drjim]

 

Santana is scheduled to pitch Friday night vs Detroit.  WC game is on Tuesday, so they'd pitch him on 3 days rest?

 

I imagine they push back Mejia after the off day on Monday. Santana should go Thursday and be ready on Tuesday on regular rest.

[Mr. Brooks]

Actually the Yankees will "concern themselves with how we match up." It's a one and done play in game between (like it or not) two professional ball clubs. Anything can happen.

Ok, we'll see.

[prouster]

 

Ok, we'll see.

 

I mean, why would they not?

[Mr. Brooks]

I mean, why would they not?

Because they are clearly a superior team, and that's before you factor in that the Twins tremble at the sight of Yankee Stadium.

 

Of course anything can happen in one game, but they aren't going to get cute with lefty/ right matchup against a team they can easily beat regardless.

They'll just go with their best pitcher, even though he's right handed.

[TwinsCD]

 

I imagine they push back Mejia after the off day on Monday. Santana should go Thursday and be ready on Tuesday on regular rest.

 

Ding ding ding...the calendar sets up perfectly for Santana to pitch the WC game on that Tuesday.  Given Molitor's flaws of managing a bullpen, hopefully he or Neil Allen have done the proper calendar maneuvering to make sure Santana is in that spot.

[prouster]

 

Because they are clearly a superior team, and that's before you factor in that the Twins tremble at the sight of Yankee Stadium.

Of course anything can happen in one game, but they aren't going to get cute with lefty/ right matchup against a team they can easily beat regardless.
They'll just go with their best pitcher, even though he's right handed.

 

No—when the season comes down to one game, a team will do everything they can to win. It makes no sense to assume the Yankees would look past the Twins, simply because they've already beaten them. Keep in mind, the Twins beat them twice earlier in the year. They'll be prepared, and they'll probably play a tough game. Frankly, I'm astonished that anyone would think otherwise.

[gheggs42]

I think it has to be either Santana or Gibson. However, the Yankees will have faced Erv about 2 weeks prior to the WC game. Couple that with the fact that he is a fly ball pitcher in the band box that is Yankee stadium. Conventional wisdom clearly points to Erv, but, do you consider Gibson?

[yarnivek1972]

They only have Sabathia and Garcia. Neither one of those guys would be the second choice. It will be Severino.

I'm not so sure. As has been mentioned, he's not "in line" to make that start. However, he is perfectly lined up to start game one of the ALDS. Garcia would be on normal rest for the wild card game assuming he starts Saturday and then again next Thursday.

 

Perhaps the Twins as a whole team have the same ops vs LH starters, but that includes Miguel Sano. He's not a given to return. He has a 1.011 OPS vs LHP this year. It's a noticeable hole in the lineup vs LHP.