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Next up in the Race to the Bottom™, the 1997 Twins. From Wiki:
The 1997 Minnesota Twins will not be remembered as the strongest team the Twins ever fielded. Manager Tom Kelly's team consisted of a few solid players, but mainly past-their-prime veterans and never-to-be-established prospects. One of the few bright spots was pitcher Brad Radke’s breakout season. The team finished with a 68-94 record, good enough for fourth place in the league’s weakest division.
And to update that for this season
The 2011 Minnesota Twins will not be remembered as the strongest team the Twins ever fielded. Manager Ron Gardenhire's team consisted of a few solid players, but mainly injured veterans and never-to-be-established prospects. One of the few bright spots was Jim Thome's 600th home run. The Twins promptly traded him. The team finished with a 61-101 record, good enough for fifth place in the league’s weakest division.
Time to start reading Baseball America and get a feel for next year's draft, you guys.
I'm considering a 6 month subscription around the new year so I'm ready for the draft. Right now I'm praying for Mark Appel.
Now do I watch the crappy Twins likely lose to the crappy Mariners for #6org supremacy, or do I play Gears of War 3. Decisions decisions.
I've only got half an episode of Breaking Bad left, but I do have The Town at home. Hmmm.
That last episode was so sexy.
Yeah. One of my favorite, ever.
101 losses? An optimist!
Some good news from Joe C for once:
Of course, he'll probably have a migraine tomorrow the way this season has gone.
Fixed to more accurately represent how snakebitten the Twins are this year.
why would you bother bringing span back this year? put him on the shelf with everyone else.
Pitching coach to the mound nine pitches into the game.
Time to turn on my Xbox, methinks.
A benefit of not being able to watch is that its easier to look away.
Pitchers' duel!!!!!1111one1111!!!
Yep, still liking Parmelee.
Parmelee continues to hit.
SEND H...nevermind.
NCIS is going to preempt this one, guys.
I just turned on the game and how the hell do both of these teams have 2 runs already?
Irresistable force vs. immovable object throwdown.
Mmm. Our DH attempts to bunt for a hit to lead off, despite sporting a .386 BA.
Walks kill. On the other hand, GIDP is set up for Butters.
Only a 7:1 SO:BB ratio now!
I wonder how the season ticket sales are going to be this off-season.
That "new stadium smell" is wearing off fast.
Prices for Twins tickets at work have dropped over the season. I think it was half-off for the game on Sunday. They've also taken longer to sell.
Given the sorry on-field product, that comes as no surprise.
So, Cuddyer now down below .280. Mauer finished with .289 BA. What were the stakes on that bet, and who were the parties?
I think we all lost.
In more important news, Lynx up 44-36 at halftime in game 3.
In more important news,
Raise your hand if you ever thought you'd see those words typed in earnest here about the Lynx relative to the Twins.
Me. I mean, it's the Twins, not the Yankees we're rooting for here.
Bases not loaded, so I'm expecting a K here for Juicy.
Good call.
Well, this has been fun. But time for me to go home.
"...and the threat goes by the boards."
yeah, that could be our slogan this season.
Or:
"And the Twins go down quietly..."
equally apropos
One benefit of listening to the game rather than watching it, everytime Gordo says "Vargas", I picture Chuck Heston in A Touch of Evil.
My mind goes Vergara, but it does that with anything Gordo says.
Dink rendering Tolbot even more superfluous?
God I hope so
Butters on the slippery slope to sub-buck-fitty.
Atteboy just informed the listening audience that Twins have lost (at least) the first two games of their last seven series at Target Field. That segued into some poor bastard stuck with trying to sell 2012 Season tickets. Good luck with that, buddy.
They're due!!
The season ticket payments?
Parmalee does not want to go back to the minors
Parmesan.
I realize I'm awful, but I just don't want the Twins to win anymore this year. If they're gonna suck, then suck hard. Give us something fun to complain about. Something to tell grandkids about. "Well, in 2011, the Twins lost every game but two in September. One win for each concussion. Remember, Sonny, this is when the season was only 162 games and September was the last month of the regular season."
I still want the rookies to play well, though.
I'd like a win on 9/26, but that could be it.
I just want Mark Appel. I think I should update my Gravatar.
pish
Third consecutive appearance out of the pen by Duensing. I think that ends his starting career.
Probably for the best.
I want to see Century City. Sure, I want the rookies to do well, but leaving enough room for the bullpen to guarantee failure.
Lynx advance to conference finals with an 85-67 win.
Ha! Another trivia question with no correct answer. Although I disagree with their answer the other time.
Go Orioles!
The Yankees should be throwing this series.
I think the Twins would be okay without doing the whole "this game can not be disseminated" schtick these last few games.
No, then the broadcasts could be weaponized (without MLB getting paid).
Oh my god, Dick thinks Griffey and A-Rod were on the 2001 Mariners. What a tool
At least one of them was in the same division.
dick: "butera wears the conventional mask, rivera, the other twins catcher, wears the more conventional mask..."
that quick, huh?
Joe Benson looks too much like Dazzle for my tastes.
I'm pretty sure Dazzle wouldn't take kindly to young Dazzle either. Hair's too long, GOMFL.
I'm pretty sure Benson was safe there.
The wind is crazy in the TC. I was trying to shoot some photos outside the studio, when I was blasted by a gust that sent gravel (and a plastic bottle) into my person. A reasonable guess would be a 40MPH wind.
my deck furniture went flying off the deck earlier
When's the last time the Twins had a
come-from-behindvictory?Eleven games ago.
This comeback is going to be awesome.
I could deal with a walkoff
A bunt? I mean it worked but come on.
Kudiier.
I could also deal with a bases loaded, no outs epic failure, too
Just need Parmelee to not GIDP so Valencia can get the inevitable hit.
2 outs, bases loaded? This would be a perfect time for a bunt.
Bases juiced for Juicy!
Twins. Baseball.
The 2011 Minnesota Twins everybody!
Do I even want to know?
Awesome. Go back to your pen, puppies
I'm never watching this team again, or until 2012, whichever comes first.
Twins had four consecutive batters reach base without a run scoring thanks to a bad call by the ump.
Yeah. Blame blue.
Well, the only way to have four consecutive batters reach without a run scoring is to have a runner thrown out on the bases and that came on a bad call. The Twins still could have had consecutive batters make outs and won the game if they put them in the right spots (long fly balls), so I'm not blaming the loss on the ump, but just saying it took some help from the ump to keep the game from being tied.
Actually, what I mean is, if the ump makes the correct call, Tosoni would have an opportunity to tie it. If he duplicates what he did in the ninth, the game would have been most likely tied. I was really just noting the oddity of having four consecutive batters reaching base without a run scoring.
In a span of four batters, the Mariners drop a popup, drop a soft line drive and botch a bunt and still protect a one-run lead.