2009 AL Central Tiebreaker - Game Thread

[Matthew Taylor]

Hi all -

 

In honor of Opening Day there are a lot of classic MLB games being streamed today. One of them is the 2009 AL Central Tiebreaker that will be streaming at 10:15 CT from the Minnesota Twins Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Twins/) or on Twitter from the account @LasMayores at 10:15am CT.

 

I will be watching and thought it might be fun to start a game thread here to discuss the game in "real time". It's as close as we can get to baseball on what is typically the best day of the year, right?

[Matthew Taylor]

Detroit Tigers (86-76) at Minnesota Twins (86-76)

 

Ric Porcello (14-9) vs. Scott Baker (15-9, 4.37 ERA)

 

Detroit Tigers

1. Curtis Granderson - 8

2. Placido Polanco - 4

3. Magglio Ordonez - 9

4. Miguel Cabrera - 3

5. Carlos Guillen - DH

6. Ryan Raburn - 7

7. Brandon Inge - 5

8. Gerald Laird - 2

9. Ramon Santiago - 6

 

Minnesota Twins

1. Denard Span - 8

2. Orlando Cabrera - 6

3. Joe Mauer - 2

4. Jason Kubel - 9

5. Michael Cuddyer - 3

6. Delmon Young - 7

7. Jose Morales - DH

8. Matt Tolbert - 5

9. Nick Punto - 4

[Matthew Taylor]

I was sitting out in the absolute nosebleeds in right field under the Kirby Puckett banner for this game. How many of you guys were at the game and where were you sitting?

[Matthew Taylor]

And....we're live.

 

Craig Sager is the reporter for this game. RIP.

[Guest]

 

I was sitting out in the absolute nosebleeds in right field under the Kirby Puckett banner for this game. How many of you guys were at the game and where were you sitting?

 

Infield upper level along the first base line.

[Guest]

Mauer doubles.

 

Some things never really did change.

[Matthew Taylor]

 

[Matthew Taylor]

Ridiculous

[Matthew Taylor]

Miguel Cabrera with a double to lead off the 2nd inning. Peak Miggy really was something.

[Guest]

The closed captioning is slightly ahead of the broadcast. Even though this is a replay, I still find it annoying.

[Matthew Taylor]

Nice run-saving snag there by Cabrera. Forgot that he was a 2-time gold glover.

[Guest]

Cabrera was a huge pick up for the Twins back then. I tend to sometimes forget that he was part of the team.

 

When I look at this lineup, I'm impressed that they got as far as they did.

[Guest]

Delmon had an 8 game hitting streak going into this game? Did not recall that he was so instrumental down the stretch that year.

[Matthew Taylor]

For sure. Looking at the bottom of this lineup (Delmon, Morales, Tolbert, Punto) and comparing it to what the bottom of the 2020 team could look like (Sano, Garver, Rosario, Buxton) and it's totally staggering that A. This team went as far as it did and B. Just how incredibly deep the 2020 team is.

[Matthew Taylor]

Tigers take a 1-0 lead after an RBI single by Placido Polanco brings home Granderson.

[Guest]

Yeah, guess it's not like the bottom half of the Tigers' lineup was exactly imposing, either.

 

But you're right. The current Twins lineup is so deep. 

[Guest]

Miggy goes yard.

 

Not looking good for the home team here. 

[Matthew Taylor]

Definitely a "here we go again" vibe going at the Metrodome right now.

[Matthew Taylor]

Lifetime .230 BA and 65 OPS+ Matt Tolbert legs out a single!

[Guest]

Strike zone of the dude behind the plate is nuts.

[Matthew Taylor]

Twins get on the board thanks to an errant pickoff attempt from Porcello. 3-1.

[Guest]

Who says moving a guy to 3rd base with 2 outs is not big deal?!

[Guest]

Having no breaks between innings is making it difficult for me to find food without missing anything.

[Matthew Taylor]

Haha the game is flying by though, this is awesome.

[Guest]

Yeah, I think we've found the secret to speeding up the games - give teams 15 seconds to get in and out of the dugout and ready to start the next inning.

[Matthew Taylor]

Really solid pitching performance by Scott Baker. I had forgotten how sharp he looked besides the miss to Miggy.

[Matthew Taylor]

Dave Dombrowski sighting. AWKWARD!

[Guest]

 

Really solid pitching performance by Scott Baker. I had forgotten how sharp he looked besides the miss to Miggy.

Yeah, it's funny what you remember and what you don't.

 

This game had all that drama at the end and that's what I remember. I couldn't have told you how good Baker looked, how Porcello was striking out a ton of Twins or that Tolbert scored the first Twins run on a botched pick-off attempt.

[Matthew Taylor]

Jason Kubel with a BOMB!

[Guest]

I'd driven up to Minn for that final Royals series, but I didn't remember that impressive Cuddyer bat flip on his dinger! Guess I was watching the ball.