This season was Bruce Chen'd; won't see the Twins tomorrow night. June was fun.
Go Twins!
492 thoughts on “2011 Game 162: End of the Road”
The Rays color guy won't stop saying that "The Rays have to be weary of" things. Wary, buddy. They have to be wary. It would not be helpful for the Rays to be tired.
1-0 Yankees, Top1.
John Kruk on the mic.
Is he doing the ESPN feed? I've got the Rays' usual guys. They're normally...middling.
ESPN feed.
Wow, so I've actually got the best possible broadcast of this game.
Inopportune time for an error by Zobrist.
So, do we get to see The Big C tonight?
If the Royals' Big C is pitching, yes.
BIG
cccclittlelittleC
cccclittlelittlecc
What beguns with C?
ccccCamel on the ceiling
ccccC....c....C
That was my favorite book as a kid. When I started reading it to my kids, I still had a lot of it memorized.
Saw this on the shelf tonight before putting AJR down.
I just spent 20 minutes getting the html just right (on my PC).
It was a learning experience though:
I learned not to attempt to replicate the illustration as ascii art.
Now... now it's perfect!
(Just tell yourself this, AMR. Leave it alone and give HPR his bath.)
I wanted my sister to have been named Icabod if she were a boy.
So she could be itchy, as was I.
Good pitch...weird bang.
Across the screen: "Game 163 Tickets: If Neccessary." No spell-check on that? Really?
This is not a great start for the Rays.
Remember that game where the T_ins blew both a 9th and 10th inning lead against the Rays? (Yeah, me neither)
Anyway, I'm kinda glad they lost that game now.
Remember the game that Perkins saved after Capps almost blew it? I kindof wish Gardy would have let Capps melt down out there.
Remember when, in the top of the 11th in Bostown, the Twins had runners on second and third with two outs and couldn't pinch-hit for Rene Rivera even though he had started? I wish there would have been anyone worth pinch-hitting with.
Or when Gardy went to Hoey in the bottom of the frame so Carl Crawford could hit a walk-off double? I wish the team had a better bullpen.
GOSO
Grand slam Teixeira. That was necessary, because I didn't hate him enough.
Wow, wtf was price thinking. the 3-2 heater... oy
Yeah. No spooky necessary; everyone saw it coming once that fastball came right down the pipe.
Remember when you asked what we would name our penguin in Survivor and we said "Teixeira is a douche" and you picked "Ron Cey" instead? I bet you're regretting that right about now.
I never doubted that Teixeira was a douche. Ron Cey just made me laugh so hard (to this day, it kills me that there were two baseball-related answers to that non-baseball-related question, even considering the contestants).
And a Yankee fan caught it. I guess it's best for society as a whole.
Speaking of which, I saw this on Andrew Sullivan's site today.
This is a study about how, if you are a utilitarian, you should probably do the world some good and shut up about what you really think is best.
I'm going to actually watch the Twins. Tampa broke my heart.
I'm willing to believe in anything after that Diamondbacks game last night, but my night just got a lot worse.
Baltimore still has a chance.
And then Hardy hits a two-run homer.
2-1 O's!
J.J. hardy hits his 30th donger of the year.
Yay, but funk.
Yeah, about that....
David Ortiz has a chance to also prove the Twins wrong tonight.
I think that one was QED a long time ago. This Hardy thing is still an open wound.
Every time I see him I want to puke. Thanks a lot for that one, Bill. I mean we don't want to have a knee jerk reaction, but that trade should be a fireable offense.
I think that one was one that Gardy co-signed. We need speed. Remember that pile of stinking dung?
Oh I do. Good thing he doesn't need all that speed when he's trotting around the bases after jacking a donger, huh?
In my opinion the head of the front office should save the manager from his own stupidity in a case like that. But both should have a better grasp of positional scarcity and value before making a moronic trade like that.
Dung makes great compost. Compost makes for a great soil additive. Great soil makes for great perennials. Great perennials = all star talent. ?itshappening
Boston scores on a balk?! Good God.
Didn't look like a balk to me.
I went back and watched and it looked like he wiggled a tiny, tiny bit. But that's a stupid call to make in a game like this.
I'm watching the other game. I have no idea how balky the balk was. Now I'm more interested in how Bostony the ump is.
John Hirshbeck, from Connecticut, once spit on by BALTIMORE ORIOLE Roberto Alomar.
yeah, that wasn't berto's finest moment.
Nope, and now its hurting the Rays playoff chances.
I loved how competitive he was, but man, he was combative. Between that and all the team-jumping, I worried a lot that he wouldn't make the Hall.
Balk? Really?
Last night, the Kubel you might not be here next year interview. Tonight, it's the Cuddyer version. Mike, I like you, despite the fact that Top Jimmy likes you, too.
That 'interview' was pretty atrocious.
I've got the O's game on my TV and the Twins game on my 2nd monitor with ambient sound. So the who Incockski interview was just the two of them sitting there. It was nice.
Yeah, note to all potential free agents: that's how you conduct that interview.
Was there an interview with some kid named Kirby on the pregame or postgame last night?
If so, that was my cousin, Kirby.
His mom put pictures on facebook. There's one with Kirby talking to Francoeur.
Another with either Melky or Brayan bad angle: can't see his face, only his neck, can't see his number.
Somehow, Chris Getz got into 8 of the 11 pictures that she posted.
Well, boyos, only 24 more outs for the Twins to get and we're out of this mess.
McDinkles is hitting .310? Why is he batting 7th?
Yeah, we've got a lot riding on this result!
One last "what's in your glass?" thread (in a 2011 Twins game log, anyway).
I've got one of my "Homebrewing is a Metaphor For Life" Amber Ales. Awful name, delicious beer.
I had two G and Ts. I'm switching to stronger stuff as we speak.
Awful names are why I quit naming my brews. I had some milk, and that's been about it. I've been busy as hell this week at work and not getting much sleep at home, so I'm taking the week of from the beers. I plan to get myself plenty drunk Saturday, though, so I can make myself forget that Madison will be intolerable that day. (and to make absolutely sure I don't go there.)
I'm trying to decide whether I want to "man up" and drink my Mom's Miller Lite.
Sigh. Should have gone to liquor store tonight.
What's wrong with the triple hops brewed beer?
It is almost completely tasteless.
I live in the largest beer market in the US. Yeah, we got all kinds of beer here bud light, miller light, and coors light. We got both kinds of music, too, country and western.
I assumed that link would have led to a youtube video of the blues brothers....
Wow. It has been some time since I've had this. I didn't remember how bad it is.
that's because you didn't get it cold enough. Did you check to see if it was Supercold?
/stoopidadcampaignideas
I'm going with my standard--Minute Maid Light Lemonade.
Alaskan Amber. Always affordable, but super affordable tonight. Yay!
Water at the moment, as I'm waiting to go to the airport to pick up a guest lecturer for my class tomorrow. After that, a pitcher of Lake Louie APA.
Water, at the moment. About to head home, where I will have a Kirkland Belgian White while contemplating dinner.
Alright, apropos to nib's comment, I've come up with a new drinking game -----> take a shot every time you hear dick / bert say "the last time as a Twin". I'm dialing 911 for myself right now.
Oish, I need to be alive for work and anniversary tomorrow. How about I take one when he mentions that this isn't the way the Twins wanted their season to go...
...wait
You'd be dead already.
Stupid Pedroia.
Its really annoying that two of my least favorite players of all time on two of my least favorite teams of all time hit home runs tonight.
Stupid Teixeira. This is starting to suck.
Clearly, there is no justice in this world.
David Justice retired in 02
It took 15 seconds for Mitch Williams to bring up his height and inversely proportional amount of heart. Actually Mitch, I think he has the smallest amount of heart of anyone on the team.
heart is just a muscle
Parmelee is 20th on the team in plate appearances. He's 6th in WAR.
Wow, we suck.
Oh, man. TB's tv crew says that Joe West has always had high marks as a ball and strike guy. Hi-larious.
This is actually true. Joe West is thought of as a joke because he likes to make a show sometimes, but as an umpire he's really quite good.
I just don't like cowboys
By the way, Whoever it is that has the vuvuzela at the trop should be beaten to a pulp.
That was an amazing job by McDinkler to miss that pitch by at least a foot.
The Corpse of Andruw Jones?! Effing Eff.
Well played pitchout.
That was a well executed contact play by the O's.
Two hits in a row? Against Chen? Who are these guys?
Pavano with another K? This doesn't make any sense.
Braun now 0-2. Not likely to get the batting title now.
That probably drives up Reyes' contract a bit. God damn it.
It would take a very stupid GM to do that. And no, Smith isn't one of those.
2 on, no out for O's!
I could swear the O's announcer is pulling for the Sox.
No, that would be the universe.
So, Revere is pretty good at getting to those looping fly balls that should by all rights be impossible to get to.
I've seen balls like that fall in for inside the park home runs.
I've seen 'em in person!
Not when Revere is hitting. 😛
I have no doubt (none) that we'll see a few of those should Revere become our centerfielder, but the ones he makes might make up for it.
Yeah, he's been damn impressive on defense.
+9 UZR already. Heh, included in that is a -3 for his arm. Assuming it's his true rate, that's a +15 over a full season.
This quest to avoid 100 losses is turning into a real nail-biter.
Twins getting Human Pez Dispensed tonight?
Are the Twins going to walk off for their 63rd win of the season?
yes!
Oh, I reeaally like the video with Gordo announcing. I do wish they'd stop with the dual picture, though.
Yeah, man. We don't expect to see Bert and Dick every second during the game. Why this? This is some FOX BS right here.
I would've enjoyed Gordo providing the play-by-play for the entire game. Seeing the video with his voice made me realize what we've been deprived of for the last several years.
As an added bonus, Dazzle stayed mostly silent!
As an added bonus, Dazzle stayed mostly silent!
If this happened more often during the radio broadcast, I'd be a happier person.
Butters with a great job of setting up another LOB for the Twins.
Yup.
Ooh, Butera's second sac bunt of the night! 'Cause the first one obviously worked so well, let's do it again!
The Yankees are still in the 7th, whereas the Twins have finished the 7th, despite the fact that the Yankees started an hour earlier.
Speaking of defense, how has Parmelee's stacked up (SSS)? He sure impressed me at the Monday night game.
And how about after that triple? I didn't see it, but a triple on a pop-up to the 1B is rarely a good thing.
Bounced off the wall and all the way back to Parmelee. Went about 200 feet over Parmelee's head.
He could've at least tried to jump.
Okay, now that was funny.
Gameday said pop-up to Parmelee. Evidently whoever writes the descriptions is not watching the game, either.
Based on your comment, I figured that was the case.
With the way he's batted (which is, of course, due for some Valenciation), he's been impressive all around.
If the BOS-BAL game gets called and Boston wins with a rain delay in the middle of the 7th, I quit baseball.
Maybe you should take up WNBA. I hear the Lynx are good.
My good friend who happens to be a Red Sox fan thinks this is the only way they'll hold onto the lead.
"Triple"
"Tripel"
"Four Ambers so far"
I, for one, am shocked that Venters & Kimbrel look worn out on their 85th & 79th appearances tonight. Sheesh. Braves look like they're about to cough up the lead. Darn it, I wanted a play-in game.
As always, Cuddyer is awesome playing the wall.
Nice wriggling, Pavstache.
I can't believe that worked.
I hope that's not Cuddy's last at bat as a Twin.
SO close 🙁
V chip shot
Why, of course this meaningless game between the ALC's two worst teams is providing the day's best pitching duel. Why do you ask?
Are you sure it's not a "lack of hitting" duel?
They have one more hit than the Boston-Baltimore game.
Two more than the New York-Tampa Bay game. Amazing what hitting the ball over the fence can do.
Oh, I'm sure it is. I thought I'd be glass-half-full for a second and see how it looked on me. Eh, it doesn't really fit.
Twins are 0-for-TheySuck with runners in scoring position tonight
Twins are 0-for-TheySuck with runners in scoring position tonight this year.
If the Twins still can't manage to score in the ninth, I say send out Pavano for the tenth. The last time a pitcher had at least 9.1 innings pitched was Aaron Harang in 2007.
It's the last game of the year, Pavano can go for a Verlander-type pitch count.
Having recently finished an essay by Craig Wright in THT's Baseball Annual about that, I think that Leyland is doing more good than harm by letting Verlander pitch beyond the arbitrary 100 pitch limit.
I agree completely- I don't see any reason to take a pitcher out until he starts to get tired or starts to lose effectiveness.
And why 100 pitches? You never count warmup pitches or throws to first, so why do only pitches to home plate count?
Absolutely. Now I want the Twins to not score this weekend.
I've been having "CG-L" feel all night for Pavano. Might as well be a 10-inning CGL.
Aaron Harang?! I wonder how long it would've taken me to guess that.
Depends if I gave you the hint "Dusty Baker" or not.
What's the last time an AL pitcher went more than nine, if it's not too much trouble to look it up?
I'll let you (or just spooky) guess. Hints: 2007 and probably who you were thinking about ahead of Harang.
I was thinking Burrrly, but Halladay should've occurred to me first.
Oh, God, of course.
I was just thinking the same thing.
Let's go rays!
Dick: this ballpark already paid for itself with the increased attendance.
This is quite possibly the dumbest thing ever said on a Twins broadcast. And the competition is stiff.
Oh, i laughed.
Interestingly, they moved up to 2nd out of 14 this year.
Happy New Year, everybody. Let's hope the Twins have turned the page along with Pavano's mustache.
OMG...7-6 Yankees after a (spookied!) Longoria homer.
That was awesome.
Oh mama!!!!!!!
Rays coming back--7-6!
I'm torn. I really wanted the locals to reside in Century City all winter, but I feel for the 'Stache. Plus, it ain't like Bill Smith is gonna be all chuff after losing 99.
Where do I turn?
Span the man!
That steal was probably uncalled for, but I love it.
I don't think we really need to extend this season. Let's get a run here and we'll get 'em next year.
Nice call, Twayn.
I'm digging how Span has been looking as hot as he did early this season over these past few games.
Boo on John Damon
Good on ya, Gordo.
One shy of a C-note! I'm probably the only person here that's actually excited about that.
This was supposed to be elsewhere!
It's the only thing that's kept me interested for the last few weeks.
He's been sullying my enjoyment of Yankee-related games for some time now.
LOL @ Gordo listing off the more likely ways the Twins will win this game. "Passed ball, an error, a wild pitch..."
C'mon Plouffe(!)
Yeah, I'm taking credit for that.
Nice finale for Gordo. Thanks Twins
They could not lose 100 games.
63!
Oh! Mama!
The Twins are going to win 63 games! The Twins are going to win 63 games! That's it, they've won it!!!!!!!!!!
Twins win! And puppies for Gordo.
Holy crap, no 100 losses? I'm in a little bit of shock, here.
They sucked so bad they couldn't even lose 100.
Yeah, now just a bad season. Not historic. I think it's safe to say the last two months were historically bad.
Great pitching performance by Pavstache. Get some momentum for next year.
Series win!!!
WHOA. When was the last time that happened??
First series after the break? Home stand against the Royals, Twins went 3-1, my kids' first game at the Bullseye.
That really hammers home just how awful this team has been lately.
No, they won 2 of 3 against Detroit. I think it was the series that Thome hit No. 600.
only the second time since July Minnesota has won two straight.
Wow! After losing so many of their past 50 games, the Twins go 3-1 for the last week of the season.
BIG
cccclittlelittleC
Averted!
Does anyone else think the Yankees Rays feed looks awful in HD? Is that just a result of the turf?
I think so, the players look nice and sharp, but the field does look awful.
High frequency surface 4TL!
MLB Network just pointed out that Angels catchers this year are hitting .191 with 10 homeruns. We're supposed to be jealous, right?
I'm thinking Gardy may have killed for that kind of production this year.
Morales and his .669 OPS say hi, btw.
ZObrist-Kotchman-Fuld, let's go, Rays...
Gordo, you're a class act. Thanks
Agreed. Letting him call that last run in the bottom of the 9th on the TV broadcast was a nice touch, too.
I'm excited to watch the replay.
Saving the game for the Yankees: Luis Ayala.
Oh, that was last inning. It's actually Cory Wade. Damn.
Are you sure it's not Jeter? I think it's Jeter.
Rays down to their last out... let's go, Dan Johnson!
On that note, not many managers would pinch hit for an all-star for the last at bat of the season with a guy who's batting .108 on the year.
.....I say as he hits the game tying home run....
Edit: the "all star" was meant sarcastically, as a reference to all the people who were saying he should be one. I'm almost certain that made no sense, but it would be dishonest to delete it.
I spookied that!
MN's finest! Tie game!
tie game!
Man, I was going to go to bed early today, but I got sucked in hard with these two games.
I'd like this on facebook if I had a facebook account.
Twins were only 27-33 in one-run games? I was thinking it was more like 17-43.
I guess a lot of those were big leads that were nearly frittered away.
A lot of them were probably one-run games that turned into 3-run games, too.
Explains how they avoided 105 losses.
I thought for sure that chick in the Rays tube top was gonna flash the camera.
I had the same thought. That top was awfully low.
Plus, she had her hands right near the top like she was going to pull it down. I think she was just trying to show of the "Rays" part, but still...
Hate them for their fans now, Milt.
It would have been in society's best interest to see them.
This society of one agrees.
Wont someone think of the children?
I thought for sure that chick in the Rays tube top was gonna flash the camera.
Nancy Grace is at the Trop?
Amazing! I just turned on the Rays game to see the bottom of the ninth. I had seen the score earlier and didn't bother checking in until I saw it was 7-6. Wow!
All kinds of extra baseball up in here. Not good for my sleep, but I don't care.
+1!
Man, I am sleepy, but I soooooooo want to watch this game.
That home run was storybook. The Rays are fated for this one.
This can only end one way.
"Former Yankee Great" Kyle Farnsworth?? Umm...
Wernstrom!
The Rays had a text poll last night about the Rays' 2011 MVP, and Farnsworth was one of four choices. I was flabbergasted, but a quick glance suggested that he's had a pretty damn good year. Not a team MVP year, but this is the team that gave their MVP to their 8th-best starting hitter one year, so whatever.
Oh, he's been quite good for the Rays, and is likely one of the reasons they're in the position that they're in.
Be that as it may, the words "Former Yankee Great Kyle Farnsworth" just don't make a bit of sense.
0.9 bWAR over 2.7 full seasons doesn't make you a great?
How about 0.5 fWAR? 2.76 WPA?
Sure, but what about his intangibles? Maybe they're counting his appearances in The Dugout.
Eric Chavez is alive?
He has 159 AB on the season?
Not having ESPN keeps me ignorant of these things.
Incredible. Two wildcard races tied and one game from each race goes extra innings on the last day.
That's it. We need two wild cards.
I have no idea what the weather's like in Baltimore, but I betcha that if TBR wins their game, the umps call that game, after a phone call from Selig. (Actually, my guess is that Selig has them on the phone and says "Don't you dare call the game unless I tell you to." Allan seems biased towards manufacturing drama, rather than biased towards NYY-BOS rivalry as ESPN is.)
The commissioner will make the call on a rainout, I think.
It will not be called. It will be suspended. That game will be completed.
Hey, the O's and Sox are back on!
We must be sharing a brain tonight
There's only one way to find out. Try doing some math.
Funnily enough, I did some math at work earlier this week. I'm not 100% on it, but I know it's more than anyone else in the office knows.
Outside one of the managers' officecubes there was the equation x+y = 14 on the whiteboard. Someone filled in 7+7. I put something similar to this:
For x, y ∈ℝ, let x=x', x'∈ℝ. => x=x', y=14-x'
I couldn't quite think how to properly phrase it, but essentially I was trying to say there are an infinite number of combinations for the equation since it had 2 variables and no second equation to make it a binary system.
Haha. Yeah, that is some good freshman math--picking only one of the many possible solutions. You want to do this one as a set: {(x,y): y=14-x} for example.
Aceves trying to bean this game away.
If the Rays finish this win and Baltimore comes back, this will be the most ridiculous day and month I've seen in baseball in some time.
With a Twins win (walkoff!) to avoid the big C, the Rays winning, and Red Sox losing, I'd say that it would be the best day in baseball all year.
Most ridiculous in two years, I would say.
As a Twins fan, sure, but the entirety of MLB...this can't be touched.
BoSox-O's is back on
The Yankees don't really care about this game. This looks like the Twins' lineup & bullpen.
Atlanta in the 12th in a win or gone situation. Insane.
I can't turn away from the rays....
No matter what happens, baseball has won tonight.
Oh, indeed.
nvm
This evening is playing on my ADD.
I'm trying to figure out who is more surprising on the Yankees. Eric Chavez (as mentioned above) or Scott Proctor. I thought Torre destroyed Proctor's arm and ran him out of the league about 5 years ago.
I'm trying to watch two games while getting some work done. You can see how much work I'm getting done.
Is the answer "I opened up my work and it's now sitting in front of me"?
I actually logged out of my office's server. Three browsers running five gameday windows seemed to make things too slow.
In hope the Rays finish it off here. Then I can go to bed and read about the O's comeback in the morning.
On to the 13th in Atlanta.
DoctorProctor has a 7.35 ERA. This is like when Gardy used to put in Luis Ayala.
Now you're just making me nostalgic.
Cuddy beats Valencia for the best batting average on the team, .284 to .246.
They were the only two players to have enough PAs to qualify.
3 players qualified for rate stats. I wonder if that's a record.
Got this from the radio show.
Who was the third?
Pavano (I was including pitchers)
Duensing was one out shy.
Too bad for Dunce.
Pavano ended up with more IP than last year. He didn't have a good year, but there's a lot of value in that, especially with such a bad bullpen.
If he would have had to come out for the tenth, he would've set a new personal best in IP. As it stands HE was one out short of tying his personal best.
I meant with the pitchers combined. A lot of those teams had low numbers of batters, but multiple pitchers. I knew the batting qualifying alone wasn't that out of the ordinary.
Looking quickly, I don't see any other teams with a combined two or fewer.
I see the Rangers in 2007 had just three qualifiers. Ditto 2001 Devil Rays.
So a tie, then?
So, no team has never had zero players qualify?
Something for the Twins to shoot for in '12!
Two?! Holy crap, that's awesome.
Now I don't feel so bad about the Twins losing 100 99 games this year.
U-G-L-Y you ain't got no alibi.
Wow, amazing play at home!
Which game?
Yeah, we need to be specific here with all this awesomeness here.
I'm glad it's only 8:20 over here. All y'all are troopers.
I don't have a job. I also don't have enough beer to cover this much baseball.
I actually do, (un)fortunately.
Job, beer, or both?
Only beer, at the moment, but I have leads on the job (beer-related, interestingly).
Have you found any nimbus offerings around phoenix? If not, a trip to Tucson should be in your near future.
oh, and the Desert Museum. No joak, one of the greatest places on earth.
Haven't found anything by Nimbus yet, but there's a BevMo not far from my house.
I'll put the Desert Museum back on my radar, now that I'm back here.
I can't believe the O's got out of that inning. Oh, the insanity.
Tremendous job by the catcher.
Strong arm, but JJ spiked that one Jacque Jones style.
On to the 11th in St. Pete.
Boooooooo on john damon again.
Farnsworth? This game ends only one way.
At what point do the Phillies and Yankees put a position player on the mound? Wouldn't that be something.
Yeah, those teams have to think about rest for relievers. That would be a hell of a way for these stories to end, though.
Philles and Braves have each used eight pitchers, while the Yankees are on number eleven. Rays are at a measly seven.
Remember, the Yankees only have one day off before the Playoffs start.
#FirstDivisionProblems
Well, well played on the hash-tag.
+Joe Girardi's uniform number
Dido on the well played-ness of it all.
Argh...I have both my TV and laptop playing games, but I'm still annoyed I can't pull up a third.
and how.
I just have the TV on switching between games.
That's what we're doing here. We have Baltimore on one channel and Atlanta on the other. Yankees on the laptop.
ATL-Philly 3-3 in the thirteenth??
One hell of a last night for the season.
The phills take the lead
Hunter Pence with the two-out RBI infield single to put Phillies ahead in 13th. Who will close for the Phillies?
Looking at who's left... Savery sounds appropriate.
Nope. David Herndon. Who? Vs. Chipper, Uggla, Freeman and McCann.
Controversy in bodymore
They reversed a call?
No sound, but I think it was a bang bang that went to the O's. Francona disagreed.
No, it was a bobbled ball the 1b ump didn't see, that the plate umpire reversed.
Good enough.
Going back to that Yankees lineup. Current BAs:
1. Ramiro Pena, .100
2. Golson, .100
3. Eric Chavez, .258
4. Posada, .236
5. Dickerson, .265
6. Gardner, .259
7. Romine, .158
8. Nunez, .265
9. Laird, .190
DoctorProctor still pitching...
Why couldn't they have run that lineup out there last year in the ALDS?
Boston making noise in the ninth. The rays have to win this one.
It's going to happen.
Cardinals are in!
What a collapse by the Braves. Couldn't even force a Game 163.
I've been reading how Boston's loss of a late lead has been the worst ever. Well, now ATL has actually lost it, BoSox may still make the playoffs.
Braves 9-18 in September after having at least a .593 win percentage in each of the four previous months.
I was waiting for a glimpse of Punto before I turned it to the Red Sox game. Done and done.
Since being traded to Minnesota, Punto's teams have gone to playoffs in 5 of 8 seasons and played Game 163 in another.
At least spooky's in-laws are happy now.
The neighbors here should be in a better mood now. At least not so antsy, anyway.
Ditto my FIL.
Can anyone tell me why Maddon, with the season on the line, PH Dan Johnson for Sam Fuld?
I just can't wrap my head around it.
Gut feeling?
Needed to take a shot for a HR. Fuld doesn't have the power. Can't complain about the result.
The booth guys figured he knew he needed a home run, as opposed to trying to scratch a claw a run out with two outs. Johnson is more of a home run hitter than Fuld.
.108 AVG and one home run in 80+ at bats this year, though. That is one hell of a gut feeling.
This kind of stuff doesn't mean anything to me, but it might to Maddon: check out his splits vs. BOS and NY the last few seasons compared to vs. everyone else.
Ha, if he chose based on that for the most important at bat of the season, he's certifiable.
Worse than that.
Against RHP, .057/.153/.075 in 53 AB.
Fuld vs RHP: .255/.320/.387
Off to b-r to find career splits for the two.
Career, Johnson
vs RHB: .232/.332/.406
vs NYY: .214/.309/.514, 7HR, 70 AB
vs BOS: .254/.333/.507, 5HR, 67 AB
Hi Lvg: .287/.389/.507, 12HR, 272 AB
Career, Fuld
vs RHB: .250/.334/.363
vs NYY: .217/.217/.565, 1HR, 23 AB
vs BOS: .333/.333/.667, 1HR, 27 AB
Hi Lvg: .242/.378/.333, 0HR, 66 AB
Yay, seeing 100+ 2011 Twins games caught on that list.
Oy, the rays are killing me.
I loved the shot of Mark McGwire grinning like an idiot in the background of the Cardinals' celebration.
I wish I could buy MLB network a la carte for just one night.
I just hope mlb.com's one commercial for tonight isn't that guy from Skid Row trying to sell me a Volvo.
Yes, it's been pretty much all I've needed for the past 90 minutes. It's a shame that Harold Reynolds is their go-to guy because his analysis leaves a lot to be desired, but the access is unmatched.
Girardi should just leave DoctorProctor out there for the rest of the game, eh?
My uncle from Iowa is a huge Braves fan. I bet he's throwing a tantrum right now
Ruh roh.
The rays are killing me.
Hahahaha!
*points and laughs*
Nice play, Longoria!
What a play by Longoria! This is just like Game 163 with the Tigers with improbably bad baserunning, fluky clutch hits, etc.
Wow. Rays may not win, but they just dodged a huge bullet.
Holy balls! what a play at third for Longoria.
Shades of Twins base running in postseason (Punto and Casilla) in St. Pete.
Sets up the GIDP with Posada and his caboose on first.
Two outs!
Chris Davis looked like he was dragging both LeCroy and Redmond behind him as he labored into second on that double.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
yep. I wish had more to add, but this is pretty much it.
Fantastic. Go eff yourself, Papeldouche. Bite me.
This!
Papeldouche
Papelboner is also acceptable.
!!!!!!!!
ORIOLES@!!!!!
Balmore ties it with 2 outs and 2 strikes in the 9th!!!!
Oh, man! Oh, man! I balls baseball!
Unbelievable! How many 2-out comebacks can there be in one week?
O's tie it! Reimold with a two-out, two-strike RBI double of Papelbon. Unbelievable!
Tie game in Baltimore!
I don't know how many times I'm going to say "No way!" tonight
I want the Rays and O's winning runs to cross the plate at the same time.
Close enough.
The universe seems to have decided that instead of a Red Sox win, it would simply prefer some awesome baseball.
Tie score in Baltimore!
GAME OVER
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ORIOLES WINS!!ire3aql;kgNOMNSWgfv
YESS!
YEEEEEESSSS!
Tampa Bay the ball is now in your court...
Bodymore Muderland!
You come at Joe Madden, you best not miss.
Game ovah! F*ck the dead sox!
Just remember, Showalter has been trying to mess with the Red Sox all year. RED SAWKS LOSE!!!!!
So was the HR in the ninth. Not like Yankees or Red Sox can complain.
A mirror image shot of Johnson from the 9th.
JOHNSON! MN represent!
Both HRs were crushed however. Low line drives that just cleared the wall, but would have been long gone if they had got underneath them slightly.
That was incredible!!!!!!One~!~!~!~!
Holy hell, this night. This night, dudes.
I wanted to be in bed nearly an hour and a half ago and I don't regret staying up in the slightest.
This truly is a Happy New Year!
Shana tova, DPWY. Shana tova.
And there's still baseball being played! A's only have a two run lead on the Mariners, who are jockeying for the third draft pick. Wait, via Baltimore's win, M's have that locked up.
Holy Mother of Gawd! Good night Sawx.
HOLY BALLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LONGO!!!!!!!!!!!! How perfect is that?! Rays eliminate Red Sox and force Yankees to go 12 in the final game of the season. Longo for MVP?
Good night of baseball, but overall I'm really bummed we don't get a one game playoff tomorrow.
I am a little bummed that the Braves weren't able to pull it off, but I'm exhilarated with tonight's result.
Yeah, an hour ago it looked like there might be two.
I should rephrase....GREAT night of baseball, but I really was looking forward to a one game playoff.
I would almost sign up for face book to like the sawx loosing.
Like bomb my Facebook page, boys!
Done and done.
How many bottles of champagne does Maddon send to Showalter?
Torii was going to do that for the Royals in 2006, but the league advised him that he'd be running afoul of a certain set of rules.
He'll have to do it secretly. Maybe ii can set him up with his guy. 🙂
The Rays are so totally not going to the playoffs.
/April
Red Sox fans were right to panic in April.
"Only one team can expect to recover from this slump."
-Every Writer
Only one team did!
I don't think that team was the Twins.
#ItDidntHappen
Wow, so the writers were right.
If Ellsbury looked like MVP the other night, I'd say that right now, Dan Johnson is my pick for MVP.
Jake McGee for Cy Young.
This was the funnest non-Twins-related baseball day in a long time(and grammarest too).
And the Twins won in a walk-off!
What? It's a perfectly cromulent word.
Wow.
I look forward to the Boston conspiracy theories that the Yanks tanked it on purpose.
My New England Facebook friends are already bitching about Girardi handing away the game.
Oh, no doubt. Scott Proctor pitched in four innings, and threw 56 pitches. Scott. Proctor.
If the tables were turned, Francona would have done the same thing.
Boston did benefit from DoctorProctor on Sunday night, though.
Also, didn't you hear that the Yankees only have one day off until the ALDS begins, which is more than 1,000 miles away. Also, they had to play a late-evening extra-inning game today. They'll be lucky if they get home tonight until 4 or 5am. So, it'll really only be like 90% of a day's to rest.
Now for bed, if I can even get to sleep. I'm still sorta jazzed. Hopefully I just crash.
It was like the first round of the NCAA tourney, only with baseball.
Maybe this will make Allan rethink the play-in game.*
*My big question is this: What about ties?
Will two teams tied for the final WC spot get to play a tiebreaker?
What about if two teams in a division are tied, but one gets to be the division champ and the other goes the the WC play-in game.
If those things aren't settled via play on the field (tiebreaker games), then I'm much less against the two-WC play-in plan.
Secondary question: will the "Division Champ won't play WC team in LDS if from Same division" rule still apply? Because I like that. Anything that keeps schedules up in the air, and gives teams less time to plan for a specific opponent is good in my mind.
Alright! My first live look-in of the night since the Twins' game finished!
9th inning of A's at M's! Catch the excitement!
Bailey struck him out!
A's win! A's WIN!
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
19th best record!
Rockies get the 10th pick in the draft!
Booooo. Hisss.
Red Sox dropped to 77-1 when leading after eight innings this year. Wow!
First time since 1953 the Yankees blew a seven-run lead in the eighth inning or later. Astounding.
The one odd thing about tonight was the O's announcers were more excited about their win than the Rays announcers were after Longo's HR. Very subdued. You would have thought it was a mid-August game.
See, terrible fans.
The Rays guys on the radio got plenty excited, I thought.
I think the TV guys were sort of in shock. It all came together so quickly.
I was referring to the TV guys. The radio guys sounded like you would expect. The TV guys didn't sound stunned, they just sounded like "Well, wasn't that nice."
Every division winner in baseball finished with at least 94 wins. Hasn't happened since 2002 when the Twins had the worst record of division winners with exactly 94 wins.
Verlander won the Triple Crown. Won ERA title with 2.40 to Jered Weaver's 2.41.
The Rays color guy won't stop saying that "The Rays have to be weary of" things. Wary, buddy. They have to be wary. It would not be helpful for the Rays to be tired.
1-0 Yankees, Top1.
John Kruk on the mic.
Is he doing the ESPN feed? I've got the Rays' usual guys. They're normally...middling.
ESPN feed.
Wow, so I've actually got the best possible broadcast of this game.
Inopportune time for an error by Zobrist.
So, do we get to see The Big C tonight?
If the Royals' Big C is pitching, yes.
BIG
cccclittlelittleC
cccclittlelittlecc
What beguns with C?
ccccCamel on the ceiling
ccccC....c....C
That was my favorite book as a kid. When I started reading it to my kids, I still had a lot of it memorized.
Saw this on the shelf tonight before putting AJR down.
I just spent 20 minutes getting the html just right (on my PC).
It was a learning experience though:
I learned not to attempt to replicate the illustration as ascii art.
Now... now it's perfect!
(Just tell yourself this, AMR. Leave it alone and give HPR his bath.)
I wanted my sister to have been named Icabod if she were a boy.
So she could be itchy, as was I.
Good pitch...weird bang.
Across the screen: "Game 163 Tickets: If Neccessary." No spell-check on that? Really?
This is not a great start for the Rays.
Remember that game where the T_ins blew both a 9th and 10th inning lead against the Rays? (Yeah, me neither)
Anyway, I'm kinda glad they lost that game now.
Remember the game that Perkins saved after Capps almost blew it? I kindof wish Gardy would have let Capps melt down out there.
Remember when, in the top of the 11th in Bostown, the Twins had runners on second and third with two outs and couldn't pinch-hit for Rene Rivera even though he had started? I wish there would have been anyone worth pinch-hitting with.
Or when Gardy went to Hoey in the bottom of the frame so Carl Crawford could hit a walk-off double? I wish the team had a better bullpen.
GOSO
Grand slam Teixeira. That was necessary, because I didn't hate him enough.
Wow, wtf was price thinking. the 3-2 heater... oy
Yeah. No spooky necessary; everyone saw it coming once that fastball came right down the pipe.
Remember when you asked what we would name our penguin in Survivor and we said "Teixeira is a douche" and you picked "Ron Cey" instead? I bet you're regretting that right about now.
I never doubted that Teixeira was a douche. Ron Cey just made me laugh so hard (to this day, it kills me that there were two baseball-related answers to that non-baseball-related question, even considering the contestants).
And a Yankee fan caught it. I guess it's best for society as a whole.
Speaking of which, I saw this on Andrew Sullivan's site today.
Nice.
Wait, really? BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
+8 million NYCers that can't be wrong
I'm going to actually watch the Twins. Tampa broke my heart.
I'm willing to believe in anything after that Diamondbacks game last night, but my night just got a lot worse.
Baltimore still has a chance.
And then Hardy hits a two-run homer.
2-1 O's!
J.J. hardy hits his 30th donger of the year.
Yay, but funk.
Yeah, about that....
David Ortiz has a chance to also prove the Twins wrong tonight.
I think that one was QED a long time ago. This Hardy thing is still an open wound.
Every time I see him I want to puke. Thanks a lot for that one, Bill. I mean we don't want to have a knee jerk reaction, but that trade should be a fireable offense.
I think that one was one that Gardy co-signed. We need speed. Remember that pile of stinking dung?
Oh I do. Good thing he doesn't need all that speed when he's trotting around the bases after jacking a donger, huh?
In my opinion the head of the front office should save the manager from his own stupidity in a case like that. But both should have a better grasp of positional scarcity and value before making a moronic trade like that.
Dung makes great compost. Compost makes for a great soil additive. Great soil makes for great perennials. Great perennials = all star talent. ?itshappening
Boston scores on a balk?! Good God.
Didn't look like a balk to me.
I went back and watched and it looked like he wiggled a tiny, tiny bit. But that's a stupid call to make in a game like this.
I'm watching the other game. I have no idea how balky the balk was. Now I'm more interested in how Bostony the ump is.
John Hirshbeck, from Connecticut, once spit on by BALTIMORE ORIOLE Roberto Alomar.
yeah, that wasn't berto's finest moment.
Nope, and now its hurting the Rays playoff chances.
I loved how competitive he was, but man, he was combative. Between that and all the team-jumping, I worried a lot that he wouldn't make the Hall.
Balk? Really?
Last night, the Kubel you might not be here next year interview. Tonight, it's the Cuddyer version. Mike, I like you, despite the fact that Top Jimmy likes you, too.
That 'interview' was pretty atrocious.
I've got the O's game on my TV and the Twins game on my 2nd monitor with ambient sound. So the who Incockski interview was just the two of them sitting there. It was nice.
Yeah, note to all potential free agents: that's how you conduct that interview.
Was there an interview with some kid named Kirby on the pregame or postgame last night?
If so, that was my cousin, Kirby.
His mom put pictures on facebook. There's one with Kirby talking to Francoeur.
Another with either Melky or Brayan bad angle: can't see his face, only his neck, can't see his number.
Somehow, Chris Getz got into 8 of the 11 pictures that she posted.
Well, boyos, only 24 more outs for the Twins to get and we're out of this mess.
McDinkles is hitting .310? Why is he batting 7th?
Yeah, we've got a lot riding on this result!
One last "what's in your glass?" thread (in a 2011 Twins game log, anyway).
I've got one of my "Homebrewing is a Metaphor For Life" Amber Ales. Awful name, delicious beer.
I had two G and Ts. I'm switching to stronger stuff as we speak.
Awful names are why I quit naming my brews. I had some milk, and that's been about it. I've been busy as hell this week at work and not getting much sleep at home, so I'm taking the week of from the beers. I plan to get myself plenty drunk Saturday, though, so I can make myself forget that Madison will be intolerable that day. (and to make absolutely sure I don't go there.)
I'm trying to decide whether I want to "man up" and drink my Mom's Miller Lite.
Sigh. Should have gone to liquor store tonight.
What's wrong with the triple hops brewed beer?
It is almost completely tasteless.
I live in the largest beer market in the US. Yeah, we got all kinds of beer here bud light, miller light, and coors light. We got both kinds of music, too, country and western.
Pretty soon you might only have two kinds of beer.
I assumed that link would have led to a youtube video of the blues brothers....
Wow. It has been some time since I've had this. I didn't remember how bad it is.
that's because you didn't get it cold enough. Did you check to see if it was Supercold?
/stoopidadcampaignideas
I'm going with my standard--Minute Maid Light Lemonade.
Alaskan Amber. Always affordable, but super affordable tonight. Yay!
Water at the moment, as I'm waiting to go to the airport to pick up a guest lecturer for my class tomorrow. After that, a pitcher of Lake Louie APA.
Water, at the moment. About to head home, where I will have a Kirkland Belgian White while contemplating dinner.
Alright, apropos to nib's comment, I've come up with a new drinking game -----> take a shot every time you hear dick / bert say "the last time as a Twin". I'm dialing 911 for myself right now.
Oish, I need to be alive for work and anniversary tomorrow. How about I take one when he mentions that this isn't the way the Twins wanted their season to go...
...wait
You'd be dead already.
Stupid Pedroia.
Its really annoying that two of my least favorite players of all time on two of my least favorite teams of all time hit home runs tonight.
Stupid Teixeira. This is starting to suck.
Clearly, there is no justice in this world.
David Justice retired in 02
It took 15 seconds for Mitch Williams to bring up his height and inversely proportional amount of heart. Actually Mitch, I think he has the smallest amount of heart of anyone on the team.
heart is just a muscle
Parmelee is 20th on the team in plate appearances. He's 6th in WAR.
Wow, we suck.
Oh, man. TB's tv crew says that Joe West has always had high marks as a ball and strike guy. Hi-larious.
This is actually true. Joe West is thought of as a joke because he likes to make a show sometimes, but as an umpire he's really quite good.
I just don't like cowboys
By the way, Whoever it is that has the vuvuzela at the trop should be beaten to a pulp.
That was an amazing job by McDinkler to miss that pitch by at least a foot.
The Corpse of Andruw Jones?! Effing Eff.
Well played pitchout.
That was a well executed contact play by the O's.
Two hits in a row? Against Chen? Who are these guys?
Pavano with another K? This doesn't make any sense.
Braun now 0-2. Not likely to get the batting title now.
That probably drives up Reyes' contract a bit. God damn it.
It would take a very stupid GM to do that. And no, Smith isn't one of those.
2 on, no out for O's!
I could swear the O's announcer is pulling for the Sox.
No, that would be the universe.
So, Revere is pretty good at getting to those looping fly balls that should by all rights be impossible to get to.
I've seen balls like that fall in for inside the park home runs.
I've seen 'em in person!
Not when Revere is hitting. 😛
I have no doubt (none) that we'll see a few of those should Revere become our centerfielder, but the ones he makes might make up for it.
Yeah, he's been damn impressive on defense.
+9 UZR already. Heh, included in that is a -3 for his arm. Assuming it's his true rate, that's a +15 over a full season.
This quest to avoid 100 losses is turning into a real nail-biter.
Twins getting Human Pez Dispensed tonight?
Are the Twins going to walk off for their 63rd win of the season?
yes!
Oh, I reeaally like the video with Gordo announcing. I do wish they'd stop with the dual picture, though.
Yeah, man. We don't expect to see Bert and Dick every second during the game. Why this? This is some FOX BS right here.
I would've enjoyed Gordo providing the play-by-play for the entire game. Seeing the video with his voice made me realize what we've been deprived of for the last several years.
As an added bonus, Dazzle stayed mostly silent!
If this happened more often during the radio broadcast, I'd be a happier person.
Butters with a great job of setting up another LOB for the Twins.
Yup.
Ooh, Butera's second sac bunt of the night! 'Cause the first one obviously worked so well, let's do it again!
The Yankees are still in the 7th, whereas the Twins have finished the 7th, despite the fact that the Yankees started an hour earlier.
Speaking of defense, how has Parmelee's stacked up (SSS)? He sure impressed me at the Monday night game.
And how about after that triple? I didn't see it, but a triple on a pop-up to the 1B is rarely a good thing.
Bounced off the wall and all the way back to Parmelee. Went about 200 feet over Parmelee's head.
He could've at least tried to jump.
Okay, now that was funny.
Gameday said pop-up to Parmelee. Evidently whoever writes the descriptions is not watching the game, either.
Based on your comment, I figured that was the case.
With the way he's batted (which is, of course, due for some Valenciation), he's been impressive all around.
If the BOS-BAL game gets called and Boston wins with a rain delay in the middle of the 7th, I quit baseball.
Maybe you should take up WNBA. I hear the Lynx are good.
My good friend who happens to be a Red Sox fan thinks this is the only way they'll hold onto the lead.
"Triple"
"Tripel"
"Four Ambers so far"
I, for one, am shocked that Venters & Kimbrel look worn out on their 85th & 79th appearances tonight. Sheesh. Braves look like they're about to cough up the lead. Darn it, I wanted a play-in game.
As always, Cuddyer is awesome playing the wall.
Nice wriggling, Pavstache.
I can't believe that worked.
I hope that's not Cuddy's last at bat as a Twin.
SO close 🙁
V chip shot
Why, of course this meaningless game between the ALC's two worst teams is providing the day's best pitching duel. Why do you ask?
Are you sure it's not a "lack of hitting" duel?
They have one more hit than the Boston-Baltimore game.
Two more than the New York-Tampa Bay game. Amazing what hitting the ball over the fence can do.
Oh, I'm sure it is. I thought I'd be glass-half-full for a second and see how it looked on me. Eh, it doesn't really fit.
Twins are 0-for-TheySuck with runners in scoring position tonight
Twins are 0-for-TheySuck with runners in scoring position
tonightthis year.If the Twins still can't manage to score in the ninth, I say send out Pavano for the tenth. The last time a pitcher had at least 9.1 innings pitched was Aaron Harang in 2007.
It's the last game of the year, Pavano can go for a Verlander-type pitch count.
Having recently finished an essay by Craig Wright in THT's Baseball Annual about that, I think that Leyland is doing more good than harm by letting Verlander pitch beyond the arbitrary 100 pitch limit.
I agree completely- I don't see any reason to take a pitcher out until he starts to get tired or starts to lose effectiveness.
And why 100 pitches? You never count warmup pitches or throws to first, so why do only pitches to home plate count?
Absolutely. Now I want the Twins to not score this weekend.
I've been having "CG-L" feel all night for Pavano. Might as well be a 10-inning CGL.
Aaron Harang?! I wonder how long it would've taken me to guess that.
Depends if I gave you the hint "Dusty Baker" or not.
What's the last time an AL pitcher went more than nine, if it's not too much trouble to look it up?
I'll let you (or just spooky) guess. Hints: 2007 and probably who you were thinking about ahead of Harang.
Halladay? Or Verlander, I suppose...
Yep, Halladay.
Doc?
I was thinking Burrrly, but Halladay should've occurred to me first.
Oh, God, of course.
I was just thinking the same thing.
Let's go rays!
Dick: this ballpark already paid for itself with the increased attendance.
This is quite possibly the dumbest thing ever said on a Twins broadcast. And the competition is stiff.
Oh, i laughed.
Interestingly, they moved up to 2nd out of 14 this year.
Happy New Year, everybody. Let's hope the Twins have turned the page along with Pavano's mustache.
OMG...7-6 Yankees after a (spookied!) Longoria homer.
That was awesome.
Oh mama!!!!!!!
Rays coming back--7-6!
I'm torn. I really wanted the locals to reside in Century City all winter, but I feel for the 'Stache. Plus, it ain't like Bill Smith is gonna be all chuff after losing 99.
Where do I turn?
Span the man!
That steal was probably uncalled for, but I love it.
I don't think we really need to extend this season. Let's get a run here and we'll get 'em next year.
Nice call, Twayn.
I'm digging how Span has been looking as hot as he did early this season over these past few games.
Boo on John Damon
Good on ya, Gordo.
One shy of a C-note! I'm probably the only person here that's actually excited about that.
This was supposed to be elsewhere!
It's the only thing that's kept me interested for the last few weeks.
He's been sullying my enjoyment of Yankee-related games for some time now.
LOL @ Gordo listing off the more likely ways the Twins will win this game. "Passed ball, an error, a wild pitch..."
C'mon Plouffe(!)
Yeah, I'm taking credit for that.
Nice finale for Gordo. Thanks Twins
They could not lose 100 games.
63!
Oh! Mama!
The Twins are going to win 63 games! The Twins are going to win 63 games! That's it, they've won it!!!!!!!!!!
Twins win! And puppies for Gordo.
Holy crap, no 100 losses? I'm in a little bit of shock, here.
They sucked so bad they couldn't even lose 100.
Yeah, now just a bad season. Not historic. I think it's safe to say the last two months were historically bad.
Great pitching performance by Pavstache. Get some momentum for next year.
Series win!!!
WHOA. When was the last time that happened??
First series after the break? Home stand against the Royals, Twins went 3-1, my kids' first game at the Bullseye.
That really hammers home just how awful this team has been lately.
No, they won 2 of 3 against Detroit. I think it was the series that Thome hit No. 600.
only the second time since July Minnesota has won two straight.
Wow! After losing so many of their past 50 games, the Twins go 3-1 for the last week of the season.
Averted!
Does anyone else think the Yankees Rays feed looks awful in HD? Is that just a result of the turf?
I think so, the players look nice and sharp, but the field does look awful.
High frequency surface 4TL!
MLB Network just pointed out that Angels catchers this year are hitting .191 with 10 homeruns. We're supposed to be jealous, right?
I'm thinking Gardy may have killed for that kind of production this year.
Morales and his .669 OPS say hi, btw.
ZObrist-Kotchman-Fuld, let's go, Rays...
Gordo, you're a class act. Thanks
Agreed. Letting him call that last run in the bottom of the 9th on the TV broadcast was a nice touch, too.
I'm excited to watch the replay.
Saving the game for the Yankees: Luis Ayala.
Oh, that was last inning. It's actually Cory Wade. Damn.
Are you sure it's not Jeter? I think it's Jeter.
Rays down to their last out... let's go, Dan Johnson!
On that note, not many managers would pinch hit for an all-star for the last at bat of the season with a guy who's batting .108 on the year.
.....I say as he hits the game tying home run....
Edit: the "all star" was meant sarcastically, as a reference to all the people who were saying he should be one. I'm almost certain that made no sense, but it would be dishonest to delete it.
I spookied that!
MN's finest! Tie game!
tie game!
Man, I was going to go to bed early today, but I got sucked in hard with these two games.
Holy shit!
Coon Rapids represent!!
RAYS!!!!
Wow!!
OMG, THIS GAME
I LOVE BASEBALL
This.
RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYS!
OHHHHHHHHHHHHHH MAAAAAAMMMMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
Ho-ly shit.
Rays tie it up!
I'd like this on facebook if I had a facebook account.
Twins were only 27-33 in one-run games? I was thinking it was more like 17-43.
I guess a lot of those were big leads that were nearly frittered away.
A lot of them were probably one-run games that turned into 3-run games, too.
Explains how they avoided 105 losses.
I thought for sure that chick in the Rays tube top was gonna flash the camera.
I had the same thought. That top was awfully low.
Plus, she had her hands right near the top like she was going to pull it down. I think she was just trying to show of the "Rays" part, but still...
Hate them for their fans now, Milt.
It would have been in society's best interest to see them.
This society of one agrees.
Wont someone think of the children?
I thought for sure that chick in the Rays tube top was gonna flash the camera.
Nancy Grace is at the Trop?
Amazing! I just turned on the Rays game to see the bottom of the ninth. I had seen the score earlier and didn't bother checking in until I saw it was 7-6. Wow!
All kinds of extra baseball up in here. Not good for my sleep, but I don't care.
+1!
Man, I am sleepy, but I soooooooo want to watch this game.
That home run was storybook. The Rays are fated for this one.
This can only end one way.
"Former Yankee Great" Kyle Farnsworth?? Umm...
Wernstrom!
The Rays had a text poll last night about the Rays' 2011 MVP, and Farnsworth was one of four choices. I was flabbergasted, but a quick glance suggested that he's had a pretty damn good year. Not a team MVP year, but this is the team that gave their MVP to their 8th-best starting hitter one year, so whatever.
Oh, he's been quite good for the Rays, and is likely one of the reasons they're in the position that they're in.
Be that as it may, the words "Former Yankee Great Kyle Farnsworth" just don't make a bit of sense.
0.9 bWAR over 2.7 full seasons doesn't make you a great?
How about 0.5 fWAR? 2.76 WPA?
Sure, but what about his intangibles? Maybe they're counting his appearances in The Dugout.
Eric Chavez is alive?
He has 159 AB on the season?
Not having ESPN keeps me ignorant of these things.
Incredible. Two wildcard races tied and one game from each race goes extra innings on the last day.
That's it. We need two wild cards.
I have no idea what the weather's like in Baltimore, but I betcha that if TBR wins their game, the umps call that game, after a phone call from Selig. (Actually, my guess is that Selig has them on the phone and says "Don't you dare call the game unless I tell you to." Allan seems biased towards manufacturing drama, rather than biased towards NYY-BOS rivalry as ESPN is.)
The commissioner will make the call on a rainout, I think.
It will not be called. It will be suspended. That game will be completed.
Hey, the O's and Sox are back on!
We must be sharing a brain tonight
There's only one way to find out. Try doing some math.
Funnily enough, I did some math at work earlier this week. I'm not 100% on it, but I know it's more than anyone else in the office knows.
Outside one of the managers' officecubes there was the equation x+y = 14 on the whiteboard. Someone filled in 7+7. I put something similar to this:
I couldn't quite think how to properly phrase it, but essentially I was trying to say there are an infinite number of combinations for the equation since it had 2 variables and no second equation to make it a binary system.
Haha. Yeah, that is some good freshman math--picking only one of the many possible solutions. You want to do this one as a set: {(x,y): y=14-x} for example.
Aceves trying to bean this game away.
If the Rays finish this win and Baltimore comes back, this will be the most ridiculous day and month I've seen in baseball in some time.
With a Twins win (walkoff!) to avoid the big C, the Rays winning, and Red Sox losing, I'd say that it would be the best day in baseball all year.
Most ridiculous in two years, I would say.
As a Twins fan, sure, but the entirety of MLB...this can't be touched.
BoSox-O's is back on
The Yankees don't really care about this game. This looks like the Twins' lineup & bullpen.
Atlanta in the 12th in a win or gone situation. Insane.
I can't turn away from the rays....
No matter what happens, baseball has won tonight.
Oh, indeed.
nvm
This evening is playing on my ADD.
I'm trying to figure out who is more surprising on the Yankees. Eric Chavez (as mentioned above) or Scott Proctor. I thought Torre destroyed Proctor's arm and ran him out of the league about 5 years ago.
I'm trying to watch two games while getting some work done. You can see how much work I'm getting done.
Is the answer "I opened up my work and it's now sitting in front of me"?
I actually logged out of my office's server. Three browsers running five gameday windows seemed to make things too slow.
In hope the Rays finish it off here. Then I can go to bed and read about the O's comeback in the morning.
On to the 13th in Atlanta.
DoctorProctor has a 7.35 ERA. This is like when Gardy used to put in Luis Ayala.
Now you're just making me nostalgic.
Cuddy beats Valencia for the best batting average on the team, .284 to .246.
They were the only two players to have enough PAs to qualify.
3 players qualified for rate stats. I wonder if that's a record.
Got this from the radio show.
Who was the third?
Pavano (I was including pitchers)
Duensing was one out shy.
Too bad for Dunce.
Pavano ended up with more IP than last year. He didn't have a good year, but there's a lot of value in that, especially with such a bad bullpen.
If he would have had to come out for the tenth, he would've set a new personal best in IP. As it stands HE was one out short of tying his personal best.
It's happened quite a few times.
I meant with the pitchers combined. A lot of those teams had low numbers of batters, but multiple pitchers. I knew the batting qualifying alone wasn't that out of the ordinary.
Join it with the pitcher list.
Looking quickly, I don't see any other teams with a combined two or fewer.
I see the Rangers in 2007 had just three qualifiers. Ditto 2001 Devil Rays.
So a tie, then?
So, no team has never had zero players qualify?
Something for the Twins to shoot for in '12!
Two?! Holy crap, that's awesome.
Now I don't feel so bad about the Twins losing
10099 games this year.U-G-L-Y you ain't got no alibi.
Wow, amazing play at home!
Which game?
Yeah, we need to be specific here with all this awesomeness here.
I'm glad it's only 8:20 over here. All y'all are troopers.
I don't have a job. I also don't have enough beer to cover this much baseball.
I actually do, (un)fortunately.
Job, beer, or both?
Only beer, at the moment, but I have leads on the job (beer-related, interestingly).
Have you found any nimbus offerings around phoenix? If not, a trip to Tucson should be in your near future.
oh, and the Desert Museum. No joak, one of the greatest places on earth.
Haven't found anything by Nimbus yet, but there's a BevMo not far from my house.
I'll put the Desert Museum back on my radar, now that I'm back here.
I can't believe the O's got out of that inning. Oh, the insanity.
Tremendous job by the catcher.
Strong arm, but JJ spiked that one Jacque Jones style.
On to the 11th in St. Pete.
Boooooooo on john damon again.
Farnsworth? This game ends only one way.
At what point do the Phillies and Yankees put a position player on the mound? Wouldn't that be something.
Yeah, those teams have to think about rest for relievers. That would be a hell of a way for these stories to end, though.
Philles and Braves have each used eight pitchers, while the Yankees are on number eleven. Rays are at a measly seven.
Remember, the Yankees only have one day off before the Playoffs start.
#FirstDivisionProblems
Well, well played on the hash-tag.
+Joe Girardi's uniform number
Dido on the well played-ness of it all.
Argh...I have both my TV and laptop playing games, but I'm still annoyed I can't pull up a third.
and how.
I just have the TV on switching between games.
That's what we're doing here. We have Baltimore on one channel and Atlanta on the other. Yankees on the laptop.
ATL-Philly 3-3 in the thirteenth??
One hell of a last night for the season.
The phills take the lead
Hunter Pence with the two-out RBI infield single to put Phillies ahead in 13th. Who will close for the Phillies?
Looking at who's left... Savery sounds appropriate.
Nope. David Herndon. Who? Vs. Chipper, Uggla, Freeman and McCann.
Controversy in bodymore
They reversed a call?
No sound, but I think it was a bang bang that went to the O's. Francona disagreed.
No, it was a bobbled ball the 1b ump didn't see, that the plate umpire reversed.
Good enough.
Going back to that Yankees lineup. Current BAs:
1. Ramiro Pena, .100
2. Golson, .100
3. Eric Chavez, .258
4. Posada, .236
5. Dickerson, .265
6. Gardner, .259
7. Romine, .158
8. Nunez, .265
9. Laird, .190
DoctorProctor still pitching...
Why couldn't they have run that lineup out there last year in the ALDS?
Boston making noise in the ninth. The rays have to win this one.
It's going to happen.
Cardinals are in!
What a collapse by the Braves. Couldn't even force a Game 163.
I've been reading how Boston's loss of a late lead has been the worst ever. Well, now ATL has actually lost it, BoSox may still make the playoffs.
Braves 9-18 in September after having at least a .593 win percentage in each of the four previous months.
I was waiting for a glimpse of Punto before I turned it to the Red Sox game. Done and done.
Since being traded to Minnesota, Punto's teams have gone to playoffs in 5 of 8 seasons and played Game 163 in another.
At least spooky's in-laws are happy now.
The neighbors here should be in a better mood now. At least not so antsy, anyway.
Ditto my FIL.
Can anyone tell me why Maddon, with the season on the line, PH Dan Johnson for Sam Fuld?
I just can't wrap my head around it.
Gut feeling?
Needed to take a shot for a HR. Fuld doesn't have the power. Can't complain about the result.
The booth guys figured he knew he needed a home run, as opposed to trying to scratch a claw a run out with two outs. Johnson is more of a home run hitter than Fuld.
.108 AVG and one home run in 80+ at bats this year, though. That is one hell of a gut feeling.
This kind of stuff doesn't mean anything to me, but it might to Maddon: check out his splits vs. BOS and NY the last few seasons compared to vs. everyone else.
Ha, if he chose based on that for the most important at bat of the season, he's certifiable.
Worse than that.
Against RHP, .057/.153/.075 in 53 AB.
Fuld vs RHP: .255/.320/.387
Off to b-r to find career splits for the two.
Career, Johnson
vs RHB: .232/.332/.406
vs NYY: .214/.309/.514, 7HR, 70 AB
vs BOS: .254/.333/.507, 5HR, 67 AB
Hi Lvg: .287/.389/.507, 12HR, 272 AB
Career, Fuld
vs RHB: .250/.334/.363
vs NYY: .217/.217/.565, 1HR, 23 AB
vs BOS: .333/.333/.667, 1HR, 27 AB
Hi Lvg: .242/.378/.333, 0HR, 66 AB
Yay, seeing 100+ 2011 Twins games caught on that list.
Oy, the rays are killing me.
I loved the shot of Mark McGwire grinning like an idiot in the background of the Cardinals' celebration.
I wish I could buy MLB network a la carte for just one night.
I just hope mlb.com's one commercial for tonight isn't that guy from Skid Row trying to sell me a Volvo.
Yes, it's been pretty much all I've needed for the past 90 minutes. It's a shame that Harold Reynolds is their go-to guy because his analysis leaves a lot to be desired, but the access is unmatched.
Girardi should just leave DoctorProctor out there for the rest of the game, eh?
My uncle from Iowa is a huge Braves fan. I bet he's throwing a tantrum right now
Ruh roh.
The rays are killing me.
Hahahaha!
*points and laughs*
Nice play, Longoria!
What a play by Longoria! This is just like Game 163 with the Tigers with improbably bad baserunning, fluky clutch hits, etc.
Wow. Rays may not win, but they just dodged a huge bullet.
Holy balls! what a play at third for Longoria.
Shades of Twins base running in postseason (Punto and Casilla) in St. Pete.
Sets up the GIDP with Posada and his caboose on first.
Two outs!
Chris Davis looked like he was dragging both LeCroy and Redmond behind him as he labored into second on that double.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
yep. I wish had more to add, but this is pretty much it.
Fantastic. Go eff yourself, Papeldouche. Bite me.
This!
Papeldouche
Papelboner is also acceptable.
!!!!!!!!
ORIOLES@!!!!!
Balmore ties it with 2 outs and 2 strikes in the 9th!!!!
Oh, man! Oh, man! I balls baseball!
Unbelievable! How many 2-out comebacks can there be in one week?
O's tie it! Reimold with a two-out, two-strike RBI double of Papelbon. Unbelievable!
Tie game in Baltimore!
I don't know how many times I'm going to say "No way!" tonight
I want the Rays and O's winning runs to cross the plate at the same time.
Close enough.
The universe seems to have decided that instead of a Red Sox win, it would simply prefer some awesome baseball.
Tie score in Baltimore!
GAME OVER
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ORIOLES WINS!!ire3aql;kgNOMNSWgfv
YESS!
YEEEEEESSSS!
Tampa Bay the ball is now in your court...
Bodymore Muderland!
You come at Joe Madden, you best not miss.
Game ovah! F*ck the dead sox!
Just remember, Showalter has been trying to mess with the Red Sox all year. RED SAWKS LOSE!!!!!
Facebook bomb away, Bossman!
Let's wait until we have an elimination.
It is time.
Indeed
Red Sox lose!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
+like
Andinoooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11111111!!!!!!!!
O's win!
Oh. My. Gawd.
How do you like them apples?
That as awesome! Let's go Rays
I can't believe that game and its 7-hour rain delay still finished before the Yankee's game.
I can.
They just showed some kid in a Red Sox t-shirt crying....am I evil if I briefly smiled?
Let it all out, kid!
No, his parents are, for indoctrinating him with those lies.
Was it better than this picture?
Is that Kyle Singler?
No, that one was better.
Come on, Longo!
Longoria trying to end it with one swing.
Can you say "Prescient"?
I missed a Joey Gathright sighting (well, on Gameday), while looking up splits.
Oh well: Suck it, Paplbone!
LONGORIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LONGORIA!&%!*&%!*@&%*&!@
IMPOSSIBLE!!! RAYS WIN RAYS WIN!!!!
walf off!!!Longoria!
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HOLY JEEBUS!
RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYS WIN
Fucking A! Longo!
THIS 🙂
(like)
Rays to playoffs!
That was a Bandbox shot to LF.
No kidding. A Jason Tyner shot.
So was the HR in the ninth. Not like Yankees or Red Sox can complain.
A mirror image shot of Johnson from the 9th.
JOHNSON! MN represent!
Both HRs were crushed however. Low line drives that just cleared the wall, but would have been long gone if they had got underneath them slightly.
That was incredible!!!!!!One~!~!~!~!
Holy hell, this night. This night, dudes.
I wanted to be in bed nearly an hour and a half ago and I don't regret staying up in the slightest.
This truly is a Happy New Year!
Shana tova, DPWY. Shana tova.
And there's still baseball being played! A's only have a two run lead on the Mariners, who are jockeying for the third draft pick. Wait, via Baltimore's win, M's have that locked up.
Holy Mother of Gawd! Good night Sawx.
HOLY BALLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LONGO!!!!!!!!!!!! How perfect is that?! Rays eliminate Red Sox and force Yankees to go 12 in the final game of the season. Longo for MVP?
Good night of baseball, but overall I'm really bummed we don't get a one game playoff tomorrow.
I am a little bummed that the Braves weren't able to pull it off, but I'm exhilarated with tonight's result.
Yeah, an hour ago it looked like there might be two.
I should rephrase....GREAT night of baseball, but I really was looking forward to a one game playoff.
I would almost sign up for face book to like the sawx loosing.
Like bomb my Facebook page, boys!
Done and done.
How many bottles of champagne does Maddon send to Showalter?
Torii was going to do that for the Royals in 2006, but the league advised him that he'd be running afoul of a certain set of rules.
He'll have to do it secretly. Maybe ii can set him up with his guy. 🙂
The Rays are so totally not going to the playoffs.
/April
Red Sox fans were right to panic in April.
"Only one team can expect to recover from this slump."
-Every Writer
Only one team did!
I don't think that team was the Twins.
#ItDidntHappen
Wow, so the writers were right.
If Ellsbury looked like MVP the other night, I'd say that right now, Dan Johnson is my pick for MVP.
Jake McGee for Cy Young.
This was the funnest non-Twins-related baseball day in a long time(and grammarest too).
And the Twins won in a walk-off!
What? It's a perfectly cromulent word.
Wow.
I look forward to the Boston conspiracy theories that the Yanks tanked it on purpose.
My New England Facebook friends are already bitching about Girardi handing away the game.
Oh, no doubt. Scott Proctor pitched in four innings, and threw 56 pitches. Scott. Proctor.
If the tables were turned, Francona would have done the same thing.
Boston did benefit from DoctorProctor on Sunday night, though.
Also, didn't you hear that the Yankees only have one day off until the ALDS begins, which is more than 1,000 miles away. Also, they had to play a late-evening extra-inning game today. They'll be lucky if they get home tonight until 4 or 5am. So, it'll really only be like 90% of a day's to rest.
Now for bed, if I can even get to sleep. I'm still sorta jazzed. Hopefully I just crash.
It was like the first round of the NCAA tourney, only with baseball.
Maybe this will make Allan rethink the play-in game.*
*My big question is this: What about ties?
Will two teams tied for the final WC spot get to play a tiebreaker?
What about if two teams in a division are tied, but one gets to be the division champ and the other goes the the WC play-in game.
If those things aren't settled via play on the field (tiebreaker games), then I'm much less against the two-WC play-in plan.
Secondary question: will the "Division Champ won't play WC team in LDS if from Same division" rule still apply? Because I like that. Anything that keeps schedules up in the air, and gives teams less time to plan for a specific opponent is good in my mind.
Alright! My first live look-in of the night since the Twins' game finished!
9th inning of A's at M's! Catch the excitement!
Bailey struck him out!
A's win! A's WIN!
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
19th best record!
Rockies get the 10th pick in the draft!
Booooo. Hisss.
Red Sox dropped to 77-1 when leading after eight innings this year. Wow!
First time since 1953 the Yankees blew a seven-run lead in the eighth inning or later. Astounding.
The one odd thing about tonight was the O's announcers were more excited about their win than the Rays announcers were after Longo's HR. Very subdued. You would have thought it was a mid-August game.
See, terrible fans.
The Rays guys on the radio got plenty excited, I thought.
I think the TV guys were sort of in shock. It all came together so quickly.
I was referring to the TV guys. The radio guys sounded like you would expect. The TV guys didn't sound stunned, they just sounded like "Well, wasn't that nice."
Every division winner in baseball finished with at least 94 wins. Hasn't happened since 2002 when the Twins had the worst record of division winners with exactly 94 wins.
Verlander won the Triple Crown. Won ERA title with 2.40 to Jered Weaver's 2.41.