Game Thread: Scoreboard Watching, 9/24/2020 at 5:10 PM CDT

[Aggies7]

 

This is pretty good so far, although in addition to 2006, the 2009 Twins were 3 games back with only 4 to play. That was wild! (After having been as many as 7 games back earlier in September.)

2008 was close too — 2.5 back with 6 to play, although we didn’t seal the deal in game 163.

The span triple down the line against the White Sox in 2008 was amazing...too bad thome has to homer in game 163

[stringer bell]

'06 was fun, but the Twins were in the playoffs, it was only a question of winning the division. '09 was outstanding fun, a real underdog story and Game 163 was memorable. In that game, it was win or go home and if they lost, the Metrodome was done for. IDK if the Vikings played in the Dome that fall and winter. 

 

The Twins participated in perhaps the best pennant race back in 1967. They led by a game with two to go, but were swept at Fenway by the Impossible Dream Red Sox. Detroit and Chicago were also in it until the final weekend. As I recall, the Red Sox didn't clinch until Detroit lost one game of a doubleheader on the last day of the season.

[Twodogs]

Imagine how excited everyone would be if ALL THREE TEAMS didn't make the "playoffs".

 

The NHL/NBA style playoffs have really made the regular season irrelevant. You only have to be a mediocre team to play on.

 

That said, the White Sox-Indians series was a great series to watch and was really spectacular baseball.

On the flip side however, there is a lot less meaningless baseball the last 2 - 3 weeks of the season. In the National league I think just about everyone was still in it up to about 3 - 4 days ago.

[Aggies7]

 

'06 was fun, but the Twins were in the playoffs, it was only a question of winning the division. '09 was outstanding fun, a real underdog story and Game 163 was memorable. In that game, it was win or go home and if they lost, the Metrodome was done for. IDK if the Vikings played in the Dome that fall and winter. 

 

The Twins participated in perhaps the best pennant race back in 1967. They led by a game with two to go, but were swept at Fenway by the Impossible Dream Red Sox. Detroit and Chicago were also in it until the final weekend. As I recall, the Red Sox didn't clinch until Detroit lost one game of a doubleheader on the last day of the season.

Vikings still played there for several years. Pretty sure they stayed through 2013.

 

The ‘06 team is the one who had the best chance to win it all. Disappointingly got swept by the fricken A’s. Wonder what could have been if liriano didn’t get hurt. And ‘09 was great except for the Yankees sweep. Nathan blew it.

[Longdistancetwins]

 

'06 was fun, but the Twins were in the playoffs, it was only a question of winning the division. '09 was outstanding fun, a real underdog story and Game 163 was memorable. In that game, it was win or go home and if they lost, the Metrodome was done for. IDK if the Vikings played in the Dome that fall and winter. 

 

The Twins participated in perhaps the best pennant race back in 1967. They led by a game with two to go, but were swept at Fenway by the Impossible Dream Red Sox. Detroit and Chicago were also in it until the final weekend. As I recall, the Red Sox didn't clinch until Detroit lost one game of a doubleheader on the last day of the season.

I became a baseball fan when my brother was rooting for the Twins in ‘67.  Even then, I realized that I had stumbled in to the best pennant race of all time.  Of course, my ten-year old self was disappointed in the result.  When we played the Cardinals in 1987, I felt it was the World Series I had waited 20 years to see.

[Otto von Ballpark]

This would be a great comeback, but for me the wildest comeback for a division lead is still the 2006 season. End of July 2006 the Twins were like 9 games back from 1st place Detroit, then they just went on a tear. They had an amazing August and September, and then it all came down to the KC sweeping the Tigers in the final series while the Twins watched the final out on the metrodome jumbotron. Twins ending up winning the division the final day of the season.

I think an overlooked aspect of 2006 — and I am glad you pointed it out — was KC sweeping 3 from Detroit at the end — in Detroit! 62-100 KC! And even the individual games seemed so unlikely — game 1, KC trailed 5-0 and came back to win 9-7 in 11 innings. Game 2, KC scored 7 runs off Detroit in the top of the 1st, held on to win 9-6, game 3 Detroit led 6-0 after 3, and 7-4 in the 8th inning, but lost 10-8 in 12 innings. KC was a true, out of nowhere spoiler.

 

Compare that to the current situation, Cleveland isn’t perfect but has leading Cy Young and MVP contenders, and this series was played in Cleveland. No one would have predicted a 4 game sweep, of course, but it was undoubtedly going to be a challenge for Chicago. The games have had drama too but few in-game collapses from the White Sox — their top of the 11th inning runs in game 2 was the only time in the first 3 games where the White Sox even held a lead over Cleveland. And they only held a lead for two half-innings in game 4 too.

[woolywoolhouse]

Technically (pushes up nerd glasses) 2006 wouldn't be considered a "comeback" because the Twins never held sole possession of first place at any point in the season. They were not in first place in the American League Central until game 162. 

 

Not that that takes away anything from that end of the season. That was such an amazing run to the pennant from August through September into early October.

 

This would be a great comeback, but for me the wildest comeback for a division lead is still the 2006 season. End of July 2006 the Twins were like 9 games back from 1st place Detroit, then they just went on a tear. They had an amazing August and September, and then it all came down to the KC sweeping the Tigers in the final series while the Twins watched the final out on the metrodome jumbotron. Twins ending up winning the division the final day of the season. 

 

[denarded]

 

This is the wildest comeback for a division lead I have ever seen if the Twins can hold on. Just need to win more games against the Reds than the White Sox against the Cubs.

No. The year (2006?) we swept Tigers last series to get to 163 will be hard to top