stringer bell

Am I right that the Twins hold the tiebreaker over the Yankees if Toronto (Buffalo) wins the next two games while Minnesota beats Detroit? Also, if the three teams in the Central tie, that the Twins win the tiebreaker, with Cleveland second and the White Sox third?

I think Bailey has a legitimate shot to be the fifth starter. He seemed to have pretty good fortune the first three innings, but then some bad luck the second time through the order. I could see him and Odo piggyback the last game with the evaluation of who is sharper determining who makes the second round playoff roster. I was encouraged to see the velocity pick up in the second and third innings.

White Sox still have a magic number of 4 vs. Twins. Twins magic number vs. Yankees is 4 Twins magic number vs. Cleveland is 2

They probably aren't liking the new extra-inning rule on the south side of Chicago right now.

Pretty sure it does shorten games. Huge edge for the home team if they hold the visitors without scoring in the top of the innings. I know it's only a 60 game season, but I don't recall a game going beyond 12 inning and none of those 18-20 inning marathons that happen every week or so.

Torii Hunter--"we got a guy out there".

Kee-rap!

I don't like them pitching to Cabrera. He's not what he was, but he's a HOFer.

And the inning ends on a GDP. Another inning for Romo or go with Alcala or maybe Rogers?

I'll comment on the ump right here. Really tight zone all night, but pretty consistent. He gave Romo a strike that was out of the box.

Same variation of the Detroit pitcher's name (Buck Farmer)?

Too bad a catcher or Cabrera wasn't running.

Well he was out for over half of the season and so far he hasn't had many big hits. His biggest hit was overshadowed by being ejected.

A little too high of a launch angle.

Frustrating to see cans of corn time after time.

Get that run back. Maybe more.

Wow, a couple of really close pitches go Goodrum's way. Could have rung him up.

All are home games. They already played one game at Target Field when they we’re designated as the road team.

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Anticipating an Arraez move today as well. That will be interesting...would the Twins option Wade again and if so is he eligible for the postseason without anyone getting injured?

The Twins bullpen has a pitcher named Tyler Duffey and another one named Taylor Rogers.They've both been with the team quite a while. End of rant.

A good off day for the Twins, both the Yankees and White Sox lost. Still hope to win the division for the Twins and renewed optimism that they will get the first series at Target Field.

Actually even more than a two-game swing considering the tiebreaker. If the Twins had won either of the close games (Monday or Thursday), they would be ahead by half a game and hold the tiebreaker advantage.

If they can reset their roster after the first round, I think Maeda, Berríos and then Pineda would be how I would go. There would be no need to carry additional starters unless the need was felt to have a long man due to injury or getting knocked out early. Maeda has more often than not started with more than five days rest, so I would start him on Wednesday the 23rd as his setup for the opener for the playoffs. Starting Berríos on Friday would give him four days rest to go on Wednesday. Same for Pineda--start him on Saturday so that he has four days before a possible Game 3 playoff start or Berríos and Pineda could switch spots.

Nelson Cruz has been everything the Twins could have expected for 2019 and 2020. He's stayed relatively healthy, hit both with power and for average, he's been available to play except for two ten-day stays on the Injured List and he has been a team leader and mentor for all players on his team. Cruz has been far and away the best hitter both last year and this year. Despite all of his contributions, I am not sure my favorite team should bring back Nelson Cruz for the 2021 season. There is a truism that it is better to move off a player a year too soon than a year too late. Father Time is looking hard at Nelson Cruz and at some point he will slow down. Actually, I wonder if he might have started slowing down at this point. Cruz is striking out more lately and not hitting with as much power as he did in the first half of this shortened season. Cruz has managed to keep his batting average up, but he only has three homers and 3 RBI in the 20 days of September. I don't know what will happen next year, but I would think that there is a chance Cruz' production will drop, perhaps dramatically. Also to consider is what the roster will look like next year and how Nelson would fit in it. The team has probably three corner OF/DH/1B prospects ready to play next year. Keeping Cruz would mean that for 90% of the games that Cruz isn't injured, he will fill the DH role. That leaves no real place for Kirilloff, Rooker and Larnach. Letting Eddie Rosario go could allow playing time for one of these guys, but still leaves a bit of a logjam. Using the DH spot as a half day off for regulars might be a better plan. Nelson Cruz has provided 1.7 WAR this year after 55 games, which would translate into over 5 WAR for a full season. His OPS this year is 1.026, just down from last year's 1.032. Cruz's OPS+ is actually higher this year 178 vs. 168 and he achieved 4.2 WAR for the full season last year. He has served as a role model for the younger players, particularly Hispanic players.It would certainly be a tough call to let him leave the Twins, but I don't think it is out of the question.