Game Thread: Twins v Tigers, 9/30 @ 6:10pm CT

[Squirrel]

Welcome, threaders, to the last game thread in September and the penultimate game thread of the regular season. It’s fun to put that adjective in front of season, because this isn’t the penultimate thread of the whole season. Yes, there will be more game thread fun starting Tuesday. Brian will be our ‘go to’ starting pitcher on Tuesday. He’ll have the right amount of rest and I'm sure he will send us to the ALDS.

 

As I look back on this season, I can’t point to any one thing that made it what it is for me. There were so many moments by different players and that’s what makes it not just a team, but a fun team to watch as a whole. There is a thread in the forums discussing ‘Who should be our MVP?’ Honestly, for me, while I might point to this guy or that guy, I don’t think there is just one. In my opinion, we have a team of many MVPs. And if one person is awarded that title over another, I won’t be saying ‘It should have gone to <fill in the blank>.’ That’s why it works so well and why we made it this far. But I will say ... I am a fan of defense. Not saying that it's the most important, and yeah, okay, who doesn't like home runs? But some of the defense I've seen is just ... wow. Buxton obviously and emphatically, I mean, how can you miss that flash across the field diving, leaping, reaching the impossible? And then there's the quiet and certain defense of Mauer ... what a season he has had at 1st. Yes, some of what the left has gotten to and the throws made is part of it ... but the quiet, maybe underrated defense at first ... the stretches, digs, picks, even some of the fouls he's gotten to, the dives ... he's been everything and more with his defense at first. It's been fun to watch ... all around the field.

 

The same can be said of our game threads and all who participate. There isn’t any one moment or any one person that makes it work as it does … it’s a team effort. And on any given night one or more of you step up and carry us through; and on another night, it’s another one or more of you; and so on. It’s been really fun seeing some newcomers step up to the plate, some long timers who got past their hesitation, others who weren’t hesitant at all … y’all stepped up and knocked it out time and time again. But whether or not you started a thread, or participated, or popped in here and there … it was all a contribution and why it makes this site the best of its kind.

 

As for today’s game, it’s Slegers vs Farmer. We chased Farmer out of the game last Sunday after 5 innings and 5 runs, so I hope we can keep that up today. He has been 'limping down the stretch' so I read in the game preview, so I hope he's limping today. Not sure what we will get from Slegers today as he’s not really stretched out to go deep, but hopefully we get something serviceable enough to keep us in it. And I don’t know lineups yet (will post them when available), so can’t comment on that. I suspect we’ll see our regulars for some of the game, but I will bet they get pulled early. While I get giving them rest, I hope that strategy doesn’t take away from our momentum because we’ve got steam, baby! I want to keep the steam a coming!

 

And one last thing … which really doesn’t have anything to do with today’s game specifically … but I just really <3 the two Eddies … Esco and Rosario! Despite my mention of Bux and Mauer above, these two guys, the two Eddies, are my favorites. So ... a shout out to them from me!

 

Lineups:

 

TIGERS

Alex Presley RF

Dixon Machado 2B

Nick Castellanos 3B

Efren Navarro 1B

James McCann DH

Bryan Holaday C

Andrew RomineLF

JaCoby Jones CF

Jose Iglesias SS

 

Buck Farmer P

 

TWINS

Zack Granite CF

Joe Mauer 1B

Jorge Polanco SS

Eddie Rosario LF

Miguel Sano DH

Max Kepler RF

Eduardo Escobar 3B

Jason Castro C

Ehire Adrianza 2B

 

Aaron Slegers

 

Game-time forecast: Sunny (until 6:35pm sunset), clear, 62 deg F, winds at 9mph from the ENE. Looks like a good night for baseball ... albeit a tad on the chilly side (imo).

[spinowner]

Thank you for this grammatically impeccable opener!

[Blake]

Good Job, chitown!

 

And let's hope the Sox and the Yankees are still vying for the division tomorrow! And, we'll know by game time tonight, as both teams are currently warming up. (I laugh at the idea of the Sox collapsing to the point they have to play a 1 game playoff to determine the division winner)

 

Meanwhile, the Twins can play just to keep sharp with a win only being incidental.

 

Go Twins!

 

[Circus Boy]

"Penultimate." Had to laugh. When I'm running around the track, I always do a British sports announcer in my head: "And Circus Boy leads by 5 yards at the start of the penultimate lap!" I always win.

[Blake]

Rats, the Sox just went up 2-0 on Houston.

 

Come on, Houston!

[spinowner]

 

Rats, the Sox just went up 2-0 on Houston.

 

Come on, Houston!

Yes. Twins fans should hope for a regular season tie between Boston and the Yankees. Make them use their best pitchers in the playoff game the day before we play the loser to open the postseason.

[spinowner]

 

Rats, the Sox just went up 2-0 on Houston.

 

Come on, Houston!

It's also interesting that if Boston wins the AL East these two teams probably will play each other again on Thursday in Houston.

[DaveW]

It's been a fun year! Haven't been able to be involved in too many game threads, and typically keep my posting to hot sports opinions new threads, but I have lurked in many of these, thanks to all the people who have put these on and the posters who have been entertaining in them!

 

Go Twins!

[Squirrel]

It's also interesting that if Boston wins the AL East these two teams probably will play each other again on Thursday in Houston.

If Boston wins the AL East, I don't think it's a probably, I think it's a 'they will.'

 

Edit: Oh, ack ... yeah, okay, probably. Heh.

[Blake]

Drat, top of the Seventh, Sox up 5 to 2.

 

Go Houston!

[Blake]

Rats, Sox clinch.

 

Go Twins!

[Dantes929]

 

My favorite two players to watch all year were Mauer and Buxton so it is pretty great to see them both doing well down the stretch.   If Mauer was truly suffering from the concussion and now is beyond it there is no reason to think he won't be as good or better next year.  I am one of the few that actually enjoyed the 2016 season because you could start to see some of the pieces start to come together even though they were pretty much out of it after 9 games.  This year has been a lot of fun and this site is a big reason why so thanks to all that make it special.   I have said many times that I enjoy the journey more than the destination so whether the year ends Tuesday or with a World Series win I will be a little sad the next day.

[bighat]

Sano at DH!  Woah, let's see how this goes, gang.

 

Yep, the Twins will now definitely be going to New York for Tuesday's game. Yeeeeahhhhooo! Bring it on, Yankees.

 

Buxton getting a rest today I see.

 

 

[Pardon My Dinger]

Thanks, Chi.

 

And thanks to all who've taken care of business on these threads this year. Living away from home is easier with the TD community, and the threads are the best part of the whole experience.

 

Here's to many more in October!

[Craig Arko]

This is the Romine plays all 9 positions game.

[spinowner]

Dick says that Romine is going to play all 9 positions tonight. He will have to do 2 in one inning if the Twins are leading in the bottom of the 8th.

 

Edit: Now I see Craig's post. Department of redundancy department.

[Pardon My Dinger]

This is the Romine plays all 9 positions game.

Holy cow. That is so cool! Some 1970s White Sox/A's gimmicky type stuff, but still...

[Pardon My Dinger]

Meanwhile, I'm still more excited about Sano playing...basically no positions at all.

[spinowner]

 

Holy cow. That is so cool! Some 1970s White Sox/A's gimmicky type stuff, but still...

Google September 22, 1968.

[Pardon My Dinger]

Google September 22, 1968.

Iraq adopting their constitution? Oh, hell yes! I can get down with that!

[Danchat]

I've been surprised by Granite since his September call up, he isn't hitting very well. I thought he was going to spray a whole bunch of singles and hit .280 but that doesn't seem to be happening.

[notoriousgod71]

Dick continues to rip on Romine playing all nine positions today (presumably), saying it's a footnote.

 

How many times has he raved about Tovar doing the same thing?

[spinowner]

 

Google September 22, 1968.

 

 

Iraq adopting their constitution? Oh, hell yes! I can get down with that!

You may have to include the words "Minnesota Twins".

[Pardon My Dinger]

You may have to include the words "Minnesota Twins".

Didn't know the Twins had a constitution at all. Very cool if true.

[Pardon My Dinger]

I've seen enough. Big Mig is ready to roll.

[Squirrel]

Let's go Esco! clap clap clapclapclap! Let's go Esco! clap clap clapclapclap!

[Squirrel]

Oh poo

[spinowner]

 

Didn't know the Twins had a constitution at all. Very cool if true.

If they don't now I would not be surprised if Falvey drafts one to cover all organizational procedures and philosophies.

[Pardon My Dinger]

Hey guys...since no one else is around, how bout we share some dirt about the no shows?

 

I heard Chief ate the Lindbergh baby.

[bighat]

 

Dick continues to rip on Romine playing all nine positions today (presumably), saying it's a footnote.

 

How many times has he raved about Tovar doing the same thing?

 

Too true! Dick has been berating this "gimmick" since yesterday, saying how pointless it is. Why? I think it's a pretty cool thing for a player to do, especially on the 2nd-to-last day during a lost season. I don't think it's unprofessional, nor am I bothered by it...