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Packerboy I've been off the mark on a few things this year but I'm right about this. The Twins will hit and score at a better clip in these playoffs than they did from '02-04. What I can't guarentee is if they will score more than the give up.

I hope you are right IS. With the leagues MVP and the batting champ they should be better than in previous years.

The Twins have had a lot of playoff success through the years and a lot of it unexpected. When they have won in postseason, they hit the ball.

You gotta hit the ball when you get to the postseason. The pitching is good and will be fine but the Yankees are gonna score some runs off of Santana , Bonser, Billy Chapel or whoever else takes the mound.

You gotta hit the ball. You cant wait for 8 flippin innings to score. We wont be playing KC anymore now until next year.

And that's a good thing, because if Mark Redman and Luke Hudson throw against the Twins five days from now it will look just like the last two games. They have the lineup baffled or solved.

Hitting will be important, early good contact and early runs are imperative. I don't know if you remember the specifics of game 5 with the A's in '01 but you could tell the Twins had Hudson solved. They got an early run or two but they were hitting balls hard. Old guts and guile made those two runs hold up until AJ extended the lead.

Another thing this team needs to get going is Rincon. He got out of the 9th last night but he isn't well. Nathan/Crain/Neshek/Reyes could be enough, but a good Rincon means the starter only needs to keep them floating for 15 outs.

I remeber it well. Especially the bottom of the 9th. Thank you everyday Eddie.

After last night, I dont know how much we will see of Rincon. Gardy was not pleased. 2 walks in the 8th in a one run game? Come on Juan.

I think how much we see of him will depend on how late the starters go. We may see Crain, Neshek, Nathan if they go 6.

Right now, based on the way they are pitching, thats what I would do if I were Gardy.

I'll set the over/under for attendance this weekend at 93,000.

No doubt that the morning game Sat. and the Viking game Sun. will leave those crowds smaller than they should be.

I think the fact that the Twins have clinched a playoff spot will have as much to do with the attendance, I got tickets two weekends ago for tonight and Saturday and both were almost sold out. I expect the joint to be rockin' though, this is the most excited I've seen this area get about the Twins even more than 1987. The crowds were a bit quieter when the Twins made the playoffs in 2002-2005 but I think we might hear the return of the thunderdome next week. I can remember being outside the Dome in 1987 and still being able to hear the crowd.

The Twins have won game 1 of the four playoff series they've been in the last four years but have only won one series. This year's team is the best since 1991 so the expectations will be higher but these guys have come through big all year.

It seems like all of the relievers have had their bad nights and Rincon's numbers over the last ten games are good except for a bump or two so my feeling is that last night was just one of those nights. The thing is, Gardy has so many good righthanders if one guy is off, he can just bring another one in. The one guy that can't have a bad game in the postseason is the lone lefthander, Dennys Reyes, with all the good lefthanded bats he'll face.

I disagree with you a bit Shanty on getting ahead early. Yes, it's always a good thing, but against the Yankees they need to pitch well enough to stay in the game and really work the starters so they can get to the Yankees soft underbelly which is that bullpen. Now against the A's or Tigers getting early runs is more important because they both are solid in starting and relief pitching.

Packerboy, I'll make sure that none of the lowlifes you mentioned horn in on my Radke-earned cold beverage.

While attendance was down Monday Night, did anyone else see how Monday and Tuesdays game were the highest rated of the season on FSN? The Twins were the third highest program on Monday, outdrawing Monday Night Fooball by a nearly 2-1 advantage.

The Vikings haven't sold out either of their 2 home games this year, and they only play 8 games a year here. At work even though the Vikings are 2-1, I hear way more talk about the Twins than the Vikings, except early on Mondays. Also who got their stadium deal, the Twins, I think the Viking fans are a lot more vocal, but there are more baseball fans here than most realize.

Tough one to swallow last night, especially with A.J driving in the winning run and stomping his foot on home plate. Our late rally didn't work this time. Come playoff time, we can't leave our rallies to the 8th or 9th with Rivera and Street coming in to close the door.

DIVISION CHAMPS!!!!!!

Happy Boof-Day to us,
Happy Boof-Day to us....

Congrats boys....

Unbelievable stuff, well if somebody doesn't want something, all you have to do is go out and take it. That's what the Twins did. Evidently a division championship and home field advantage in the first round did not interest the Tigers this year.

Game 1: Tues, A's @ Twins, 12pm ESPN
Game 2: Wed, A's @ Twins, 12 pm ESPN
Game 3: Fri, Twins @ A's, 3pm ESPN
Game 4: Sat, Twins @ A's, TBD
Game 5: Sun, A's @ Twins, TBD

Baseball Tonight MVP Choices

John Kruk - Jeter
Steve Phillips - Morneau
Jeff Brantley - Santana

Hmmm, what position did Brantley play? Seems to me he was a pitcher.
Kruk and Philips got into a good tiff over Morneau. Kruk is one of the guys I described last week, he isn't going to give Morneau the respect because he hasn't earned it yet. I have to believe if Chavez had Morneau's numbers, Kruk would be trumpeting Chavez as the MVP. It's not always the numbers for some, it is who they are.

I watched it too IS. Kruk said "Morneau isnt a clutch hitter". Really?

How in the Boof do you knock in 130 runs and not be a clutch hitter.

If the ESPN crew is any barometer, Jeter will win. He was described as a leader and how he is the Capt of the best team in baseball. It made me nausish but thats the way it is.

The Tigers collapsed just as ChrisK predicted. This thing remined me of 1967. The Twins needed one win in Boston to win the pennant and got swept.

For a while I though they were going to kick away an opportunity by letting the Whiteys beat them but the Tigers wanted it less.

Well, on paper the Twins should take the series. But 3 of the 5 will be played on plastic, not paper.

What do I think the the Twins need to do to win the series?

Ah, let me see now.......ahhh, sign another pitcher?

HIT THE BALL!

Jeter winning the MVP wouldn't be an unprecedented event.

In 2001, Ichiro edged out the harry chested thumper, Jason Giambi. Ichiro's stats are nearly identical to Jeter's. Giambi went .342, 38, 120 for the A's. In hindsight the voters were right, as it is doubtful Ichiro's stats were laboratory affected.

That Ichiro MVP thing still is a puzzle to me. I remember he had about 250 hits but that was about it.

Jeter is a great ball player. He deserves a lot of respect. He has helped his team win alot of championships. However, he doesnt deserve the MVP.

There are too many other players who had significantly better numbers.

If Boston and/or Chicago were in the playoffs, I dont think Jeter for MVP would even be a concept.

Does Gardy edge Leyland on the last day?

Yes, Gardy edges out Leyland. Detroit lost a lot more than just a game to the Royals yesterday. Usually I am of the mindset that if the game doesn't end your season, you can fight again. I don't know how Detroit comes back from this, if they get up off the canvass from this, they are one tough team.

Plug anyone in front of A-Rod, Giambi, and Abreu and after Damon, and they could put up those kind of numbers. Jeter is a good player in his own right, he can hit, run, and plays average defense. That doesn't qualify him as an MVP. If he were putting up those same numbers for a team like Oakland, no way would he even be discussed for MVP.

I agree but the man did hit .343. Notjust anybody can do that.

Mauer beat him by 4 points but Jeter stood up there 100 more times.

What seems to be going on in the Jeter camp is: Dye and Ortiz didnt make the playoffs, Ortiz is a DH anyway and Morneau hastdone it long enough.

Irishmans Shanty wrote:Where this club eventually lands sits in the hands of Radke, Silva, Hunter, Castillo, and Stewart and how they compete against the Tigers, Sox, and Indians. If this collection of veterans can re-fire their engines and mesh with the future of the franchise then it could be a fun summer.

That was June 18th. Here's what unfolded.

The Twins went 6-4 vs Det, 8-4 vs Chi, and 10-4 vs Cle

Radke - was terrific until he broke down
Silva - never righted himself, was inconsistant but did have a few important outings
Hunter - was outstanding after his stint on the DL, a September to remember
Castillo - defensively he was money and at the plate he was near .300, more importantly he was healthy and doing what he was brought here to do.
Stewart - who?

2nd Half Surprises we couldn't have predicted
Bartlett, Tyner, Bonser, Neshek, Punto

packerboy wrote: If the ESPN crew is any barometer, Jeter will win. He was described as a leader and how he is the Capt of the best team in baseball. It made me nausish but thats the way it is.

AL Team Final Stats...

Pitching, Twins 2nd, Yankme's 7th

Batting, Twins 1st, Yankee's 2nd

Fielding, Twins 2nd, Yankee's 11th

maybe it's because ESPN is based in NY...

Ya think?

You would hope they could do a little better job at being objective.

I will be at the game tommorow boys.

I think I will bring a sign that says; "Circle me Bert, Im a minnhock poster.

Where are your seats packer? If I see a guy walking around with a "Circle me Bert, I'm a minnhock poster", I will for surely buy him nachos (not old enough for beer, sorry).

I'll be there for the Tuesday & Wednesday games, almost better than skipping class for the HS hockey tournament.

Here's to a Twins/Yankees ALCS

The thing that gets me about anyone voting Jeter for MVP is if you do that, you're overlooking Joe Mauer.

Player- Avg., HR, RBI, Runs

Jeter- .343, 13, 97, 118
Mauer-.347, 13, 84, 86

Jeter had 103 more at bats than Mauer, but Mauer is a catcher and gets some more days off than a shortstop will thereby he should have fewer RBI and runs scored. Jeter is an average shortstop defensively while Mauer is a gold glove caliber catcher. Both did have good lineups hitting behind them, though with Sheffield and Matsui missing significant time Mauer may have had the lesser known, but better lineup behind him.

My point being, if the criteria used to put Jeter ahead in the MVP balloting is carried out throughout the rankings Mauer would have to be in front of Morneau as well. In the end the fact that Morneau plays on team with Santana, Mauer, and even Torii Hunter with how he played down the stretch, will hurt his chances for the MVP and put a guy like Jeter in front of him. I have no problem with Jeter as the MVP as long as if the guys who vote for him are consistant and give Mauer the respect he deserves.
If they vote 1) Jeter, 2) Morneau, they're hypocrits and voting for Jeter because of a bias.

Hey ER, Ill be in section 127. Look for my sign.

goldy, I dont understand. How can we put Mauer ahead of Morneau? Regardless of who gets first , Mauer could never be ahead of Morneau.

Morneau has 20 more HRs ;54 more RBIs; and is only 20 points away in AVG.

I think Jeter would be a bad choice but don't compound it not voting Morneau second.

I'm assuming packerboy, that your pulling packerboy jr out of school.

Field trips are an important educational tool.

packerboy jr is playin hookey.

Education comes in so many forms.