Game Thread: Twins vs. Blue Jays 9/23 6:40 PM CT

[Richie the Rally Goat]

It’s like De Ja Vu all over again. In the second series the Twins have played against the Blue Jays in a week and my second game thread introduction in a week (and this season), the Blue Jays are still in a must win situation as they are still in a dead heat with the Yankees (Yankees have +.5 game lead) for the second AL Wild Card.

With the NL Wild Card race pretty much decided and the Yankees having an off day today, there is only one consequential game being played this evening. Were this the NFL, this game would be bumped to national coverage in prime time. Al Michaels and Chris Collinsworth would be in the broadcast booth, and there might be the alternate broadcast team, maybe a pair of retired players being simulcast just talking ball on their couch. Make no mistake, all eyes would be watching this game. The stakes are huge and with 10 games to go, and only one three game series head-to-head between the Blue Jays and Yankees, the Jays need a series victory against the Twins, and a win tonight would bring them even for the second AL wildcard.

Alas, this is not the NFL, and there is no central broadcast. The RSNs rule the MLB broadcasts and only Twins and Blue Jays viewership areas will have traditional cable access. Fans can subscribe for out of market streaming, the diehards can find a way to watch, but would have to make a significant effort to go out of their way to put eyeballs on this game. Twins vs. Blue Jays will not get the full court press that it might get with different management.

I am still rooting for the Blue Jays in the post season. They are young and exciting, and it’s easy to cheer for Vlad and our old friend Jose Berrios, but not tonight. Tonight, I’ll be rooting for our Twins as Michael Pineda takes the mound vs. Steven Matz.

Lineups: TBD

[Richie the Rally Goat]

Go Twins!

[Richie the Rally Goat]

[Richie the Rally Goat]

CBU: 0-0 end of first

[Richie the Rally Goat]

[downunder twins fan]

That's not a great start. 

[Richie the Rally Goat]

4 minutes ago, downunder twins fan said:

That's not a great start. 

I’m sorry. I’m not a very good writer. Just trying my best

[RickOShea]

Does Hawkins ever shut up.  when he's not blabbering he's mumbling.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

4 minutes ago, RickOShea said:

Does Hawkins ever shut up.  when he's not blabbering he's mumbling.

We’re 34 minutes in, 30 pitches in 1.2 innings. Criminy this is slow. Gotta fill dead air

[Richie the Rally Goat]

The replay favored the Twins, I’m happy for the outcome, but man I hate that replay. It was bang-bang and the runner was out by an inch, for all intents and purposes that’s a tie

[sampleSizeOfOne]

20 minutes ago, Sconnie said:

CBU: 0-0 end of first

CB approves (i assume... been a while, though)

 

And it means i don't get to ask "what i miss?" 

[sampleSizeOfOne]

10 minutes ago, RickOShea said:

Does Hawkins ever shut up.  when he's not blabbering he's mumbling.

I am okay with mumbling and blabbering, so long as it is interesting.

 

One moment while i turn it on...

[Richie the Rally Goat]

5 minutes ago, sampleSizeOfOne said:

CB approves (i assume... been a while, though)

 

And it means i don't get to ask "what i miss?" 

August of 2020 according to my search. I hope Circus Boy is doing well. It’s been more than a year.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

CBU: Tor 1, Min 0. End 2nd

[Brock Beauchamp]

5 minutes ago, Sconnie said:

August of 2020 according to my search. I hope Circus Boy is doing well. It’s been more than a year.

They're still around, they're just ghosting all of us.

[stringer bell]

I think it is important to get calls right and replay helps more than it hurts. I do agree that with some others that perhaps replay challenges could and should be tweaked, but I think video replay is here to stay. 

[Brock Beauchamp]

Dick: When's the last time you saw someone play croquet?

LaTroy: Nevurary.

[stringer bell]

Not a good team this year with RISP. 

[Brock Beauchamp]

Well that was a weird series of events.

[downunder twins fan]

1 hour ago, Sconnie said:

I’m sorry. I’m not a very good writer. Just trying my best

No worries, I was referring to two doubles to start the game, your writing is great. 

[Richie the Rally Goat]

2 minutes ago, downunder twins fan said:

No worries, I was referring to two doubles to start the game, your writing is great. 

I knew what you meant. Just joking, because the two doubles was the second inning. First inning was 7 pitches, quite efficient, so it must have been my writing

[downunder twins fan]

4 minutes ago, Sconnie said:

I knew what you meant. Just joking, because the two doubles was the second inning. First inning was 7 pitches, quite efficient, so it must have been my writing

Somehow I did think it was the first inning......

[Brock Beauchamp]

Damn, Buxton is so much fun.

[downunder twins fan]

Put pressure on that defense. 

[downunder twins fan]

Why is Kepler out of the game?

[Richie the Rally Goat]

5 minutes ago, downunder twins fan said:

Why is Kepler out of the game?

I missed it too, just got back to TV

[PDX Twin]

Dick said they would look into it.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Man, one of the many disappointments of this season has been Garver's multiple IL stints. After a slow start, he has returned to 2019 form.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Woof, spiked by a teammate after a throw. That sucks for the Jays.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

Owwie! On the hand