Playoff Game Thread: Twins @ New York 6:07 PM CDT 10/4/2019

[Blake]

A few years ago, when the Twins inadvertently made a playoff appearance, I was notified, that, should the Twins progress, I would have the honor of introducing a play-off game thread.

 

Then, the Twins bombed in the Bronx, following up that loss by then limping to a dreadful conclusion of the 2018 campaign. During a busy, yet head-scratching, off-season, the FO signed new players, coaches and a manager, trying to bolster a team that clearly wasn’t getting the job done.

 

Amazingly enough, the FO put together an excellent team, a team that set both team and MLB records, setting the stage for one of the best seasons I can remember since the 1987 Squad won it all.

 

Which bring us to today, a day in which I hope to see the Twins bomb the Bronx and show those darn Yankees the Twins are all out of chewing gum.

 

 

With that, we go to some thoughts about the Days of Future Passed:

 

The Past:

1987: Bert Blyleven: Cagey veteran leader of the 87 pitching squad.

 

The Future:

2019: Who will step into the role this year?

 

The Past:

1987: Frankie "Sweet Music" Viola: Future Cy Young winner.

 

The Future:

2019: Is Jose Berrios or Brusdar Graterol the equivalent on the current staff?

 

The Past:

1987: Mount Crushmore, consisting of Kent "Buy a Vowel" Hrbek, Tom "Bruno" Brunanski and Gary "The Rat" Gaetti.

 

The Future

2019: Lead by Nelson Cruz, Mount Crushmore was reborn in "The Bomba Squad."

 

The Past

1987: The relief core, embodied in Juan "Senior Smoke" Berenguer, helped nail down the Series win.

 

The Future:

2019: The relief core, lead by the likes of Trevor May, Taylor Rogers and Tyler Duffey have come into their own.

 

The Past:

1987:Manager Tom Kelly, man of few, but sometimes pungent, words.

 

The Future:

2019:Manager Rocco Baldelli, man of more than few words

 

May the Twins, in the immortal words of Captain Kirk, "Fire!" and exact their revenge on the Yankees!

 

 

And now, a word from our very special guest, RiverBrian!

 

Mauer: Guys I am pumped... Tonight the Twins open the playoffs against the Yankees. I am so proud of those guys.

 

Morgan: Why do you always play the Yankees in the playoffs? There are 13 other teams in the American League... Why is it always the Yankees?

 

McCarthy: They have really good hotels in New York. They don't want to play Oakland or Cleveland. No mints on the pillow.

 

Mauer: Listen, Umm, I don't know what team you guys are cheering for but we could really use your support. what do you say... Can you guys join me and be Twins Fans?

 

Montana: Umm... Well... Sure, why not.

 

Mauer: Thanks Joe... (Turns to look at Maddon) How bout' you?

 

Maddon: How much will you pay me?

 

Mauer: What?

 

Maddon: Pay me... You know... I'm out of work right now and I'm telling you that my loyalty can be purchased.

 

Morgan: Yeah... Money will do the trick for me as well.

 

Mauer: Hey... I'm also out of work now. I still pay the rent for this meeting spot. I pay for all of your daily airline flights here to hang out. I buy the beer and the food. This is even my grill. I pay for everything.

 

Maddon: It's gonna take cash.

 

McCarthy: I spent a long time in politics Joe... that's how it works... Money buys influence.

 

Mauer: Fine... How much?

 

Morgan: (Looks at Maddon) Umm... 100 bucks (Maddon nods his head). Yeah... 100 Bucks.

 

Mauer: I can't believe this... Here ya go.

 

Montana: Where's mine?

 

Mauer: You already agreed.

 

Montana: I didn't know you were handing out cash. (Mauer gives him $100). Perfect... We are Twins fans tonight!

 

Mauer: Tonight?

 

Maddon: Yeah... It's a hundred bucks a game. You'll need at least two hundred more for a series win.

 

Mauer: Well, that was 900 dollars I wasn't expecting to spend, I only have 74 thousand dollars left in my wallet.

 

Morgan: There's an ATM around the corner.

 

Maddon: We should have asked for more.

 

Mauer: (Looks at McCarthy). What about you... Do you need 300 dollars?

 

McCarthy: No... I'm a ghost... I don't have pockets.

 

Play Ball!

[Blake]

Disclaimer: No actual financial remuneration took place during the creation of this post. Yes, the key word is "during" however, we shall leave that for another time.

 

Thank you and remember to support your Twins!

 

-Blake

[twinssporto]

Let's go Twins!!!

 

I may have to take the day off to prepare for tonight's game. It's a national holiday right?

[Squirrel]

Woohoo! Playoffs, baby! And this thread is THE spot to be at game time,

[VATwinsFan]

Not to be a Twins history grouch or anything, but Berenguer a.k.a. "Senor Smoke", got lit up by the Cardinals in the first two games he pitched in the '87 WS (he did pitch 3 scoreless innings in the Kent Hrbek grand slam game however). 

 

I believe his true claim to fame, as all older Twins fans know, was shutting down the Tigers in the ALCS, particularly in Game 2 when he struck out 4 of the 5 batters he faced, which pretty much set the tone for the rest of the series.

[Craig Arko]

Not to be a Twins history grouch or anything, but Berenguer a.k.a. "Senor Smoke", got lit up by the Cardinals in the first two games he pitched in the '87 WS (he did pitch 3 scoreless innings in the Kent Hrbek grand slam game however). 

 

I believe his true claim to fame, as all older Twins fans know, was shutting down the Tigers in the ALCS, particularly in Game 2 when he struck out 4 of the 5 batters he faced, which pretty much set the tone for the rest of the series.

No, it was the briefcase.

[mrtwinsfan]

[Richie the Rally Goat]

Oh my gosh! I'm not nearly productive enough at work! It's not even 9:00 AM.... Woooo! Go twins!

[Blake]

 

Not to be a Twins history grouch or anything, but Berenguer a.k.a. "Senor Smoke", got lit up by the Cardinals in the first two games he pitched in the '87 WS (he did pitch 3 scoreless innings in the Kent Hrbek grand slam game however). 

 

I believe his true claim to fame, as all older Twins fans know, was shutting down the Tigers in the ALCS, particularly in Game 2 when he struck out 4 of the 5 batters he faced, which pretty much set the tone for the rest of the series.

No worries, it just means you took the time to actually read what I wrote!

 

Well, and RiverBrian.

[Blake]

By the way, it was a tough week of not commenting, as I wanted the game thread to be post 7001.

 

Yeah, I'm odd that way.

 

But, that's probably been obvious for a while. 

 

[VATwinsFan]

 

No worries, it just means you took the time to actually read what I wrote!

 

Well, and RiverBrian.

My son was born in June 1987.  32 years later we're going through it again, except now his second daughter/my second grand daughter was just born two weeks ago.

 

Time flies.

 

Way, way too fast.

[Blake]

 

My son was born in June 1987.  32 years later we're going through it again, except now his second daughter/my second grand daughter was just born two weeks ago.

 

Time flies.

 

Way, way too fast.

Yep.

 

I've three grandsons.

 

And I'm old enough that my youngest daughter and son-in-law are close to retiring out of the Navy.

 

Hard to believe.

[John Kelsey]

Roster is up, no Perez or Wade. All the injured guys are on. 

 

[VATwinsFan]

Everyone who thought in April that Dobnak, Stashak, Smeltzer, Graterol, and Littell would be on the roster for a playoff series against the Yankees (or anyone else for that matter) say, "Aye".

 

 

 

[Blake]

 

Everyone who thought in April that Dobnak, Stashak, Smeltzer, Graterol, and Littell would be on  the roster for a playoff series against the Yankees (or anyone else for that matter) say, "Aye".

Aye!

 

[Diesel]

I’m pretty surprised Gibby made it over Perez, but I like the roster. Hopefully Kepler Adrianza and Gonzalez can shake off the rust quickly

[nicksaviking]

 

I’m pretty surprised Gibby made it over Perez, but I like the roster. Hopefully Kepler Adrianza and Gonzalez can shake off the rust quickly

 

Yeah, that's a lot of rusty bats they put on the roster. I hope they've seen some legit live pitching.

[nicksaviking]

 

A few years ago, when the Twins inadvertently made a playoff appearance

 

I was going to ask if inadvertently was the adverb you meant to use. But upon further consideration, yes, that is the most accurate adverb for the 2017 club's post season.

 

Great line.

[John Kelsey]

 

Yeah, that's a lot of rusty bats they put on the roster. I hope they've seen some legit live pitching.

 

Yandy Diaz hadn't had an AB since July 22 and it worked out ok for the Rays. 

[SF Twins Fan]

LET'S GO TWINS!!! LET"S GO TWINS!!!

[notoriousgod71]

 

Roster is up, no Perez or Wade. All the injured guys are on. 

 

 

Bullpenning or no bullpenning, it's still insane to carry 12 pitchers for a postseason series.

 

Astudillo has his obvious faults, but I still think he is far more valuable than at least two of the pitchers being carried (not naming names).

[Don Walcott]

 

By the way, it was a tough week of not commenting, as I wanted the game thread to be post 7001.

 

Yeah, I'm odd that way.

 

But, that's probably been obvious for a while. 

 

Don't sell yourself short. You're odd in so very many ways. But aren't we all (at least on this Thread)?

[Blake]

 

Don't sell yourself short. You're odd in so very many ways. But aren't we all (at least on this Thread)?

Uh,.... thanks?

 

[Squirrel]

 

I’m pretty surprised Gibby made it over Perez, but I like the roster. Hopefully Kepler Adrianza and Gonzalez can shake off the rust quickly

Hmm, I'm not, not really. Sort of surprised Perez isn't on over someone else. But, they are going with 3 starters and a BP ... has Perez pitched out of the BP this year? (My memory is short.) Gibby has worked out of the BP. But ... man ... for an inning, I might have gone with Perez' left-handedness so that is surprising to me over another. Eh ... what do I know? Not much. Just going to go with it and hope for wins.

[Squirrel]

 

Bullpenning or no bullpenning, it's still insane to carry 12 pitchers for a postseason series.

 

Astudillo has his obvious faults, but I still think he is far more valuable than at least two of the pitchers being carried (not naming names).

They don't have enough starters that go deep. Neither Odo nor Dobnak will go deep into games (and hoping Berrios will in saying that) ... or at least they haven't ... they are going to need the BP. If we still had healthy Gibby and non-suspended Pineda, the pitching roster would have looked very different. But as I said in my post above ... I don't really know much so am just going to go with it and wait and see.

 

And as long as we have Adrianza, Gonzalez and Arraez ... Astudillo is redundant. I think we will need the pitching more than a redundant position player.

 

 

[Squirrel]

Yankees went with 12 pitchers as well. Three starters and bp help.

 

[Don Walcott]

I'm a bit surprised Wade didn't make it. Not sure what else he could have done to earn a spot. I'll be happy if Ehire is healthy and productive, but would rather see Wade pinch-running than Ehire, it if comes to that.

 

I'm really happy for Smeltzer, but a surprised that he made it over Perez. Let's hope Devin can do as well against the Yanks as he did the last time.

[Blake]

 

I was going to ask if inadvertently was the adverb you meant to use. But upon further consideration, yes, that is the most accurate adverb for the 2017 club's post season.

 

Great line.

Thank you, I appreciate the compliment.

 

What a wild and fun year it's been.

[bighat]

It's haaaaapppenninnnggggg.......

[ashbury]

Bullpenning or no bullpenning, it's still insane to carry 12 pitchers for a postseason series.

 

Yankees went with 12 pitchers as well.

We all know the Yankees are insane.