Things to Think About:

#1 - Last Year - Last year at this time we had a very uncertain future, Gardy had just been fired, and there was speculation that Ozzie Guillen might be our next manager, but we ended up with a much better manager, and also an almost completely new coaching staff, Ervin Santana, and Torii Hunter, which made us quite a different team, but the best free agent signing was Tim Stauffer, who gets to go to the playoffs with the Mets.

 

#2 - This Year - We had a season that was better than many expected, with dance parties, an above .500 record, and arguments about how we should get into the postseason this year, which was something that hadn't been realistically talked about in a long time, but we didn't get there, which is very sad, because I'm not going to be satisfied until we win the World Series, which I believe will come very soon.

 

#3 - Next Year - Next year we will be better, we will be the team that everybody is talking about, we will not just be the Cinderella Twins, we will be the Minnesota Twins, AL Central Champions. We will be Minnesota Twins, American League Champions. We will be Minnesota Twins, World Champions. Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano will be the two favorites for MVP, and there will be heated debates about sabermetrics versus traditional stats, and building through the draft and free agency. The Mods will also issue warning points.

 

#4 - Playoff Predictions - The Cubs will win the NL Wild Card Game, than they will beat the Cardinals in the NLDS, while the Mets beat the Dodgers, than the Mets will get revenge on the Cubs for a season sweep against them with a 4-0 sweep of the NLCS. The Astros will beat the Yankees in the AL Wild Card Game, and then beat the Royals in the ALDS, with the Rangers winning the ALDS against the Blue Jays, so we will have a Texas ALCS, with it going to seven games, and the Astros will win. We will have a Mets versus Astros World Series, with the Mets winning. I want the Cubs to win, but this is my false prediction.

 

#5 - Riverbrian Award - Tomorrow BBWAA writers will vote for the major awards, and today we will vote for the Riverbrian award. Sadly Riverbrian is ineligible, because he is Riverbrian, and also because it would be unfair. The nominees are sampleSizeOfOne, always33, Hrbowski, BK432, and Hosken Bombo Disco. Yesterday Bark's Lounge and USAFChief tied in the voting for GT thread participation.

 

Bad, evil, immoral, corrupt, hateful, heinous, malevolent, malicious, nefarious, ugly, unpleasant, vicious, vile, villainous, wicked guys:

 

Alcides Escobar SS

Ben Zobrist 2B

Eric Hosmer 1B

Kendrys Morales DH

Mike Moustakes 3B

Salvador Perez C

Alex Gordon LF

Alex Rios RF

Jarrod Dyson CF

 

Johnny Cueto P

 

 

Agreeable, benevolent, delightful, helpful, honest, honorable, upright, virtuous, wonderful, worthy guys.

 

Byron Buxton CF

Shane Robinson LF

Max Kepler RF

Miguel Sano DH

Kennys Vargas 1B

Eduardo Nunez 3B

Eduardo Escobar 2B

Eric Fryer C

Danny Santana SS

 

Ricky Nolasco P

 

Weather:

Partly sunny, with a high near 60. East southeast wind around 5 mph.

 

http://i.ytimg.com/vi/rGvNeduu_Oc/maxresdefault.jpg

Edited October 4, 201511 yr by Hrbowski

And a fond send off for baseball. Already looking forward to 2016.

Excellent Intro for the Final game thread of 2015! Cool lineup - can we score more than one run today?

Thanks to all TD mods and commentors for all the insights and enjoyable banter. Even when it was about baseball.

 

Let's win Game 162 and hunker down until pitchers and catchers report!

For me there's always kind of a wistful feeling after the last game of the season, even during the lean years. I divide the year into two parts: baseball season and waiting for baseball season.

Getaway-from-the-season lineup.

Wow. Hard to believe this is it!

Probably only 3 guys in the lineup that will be on the team next season.  Last chance to see some of these guys.  KC needs to win.  Good luck to our guys. 

I wanted to vote for Old Man River but I don't see his name.

 

Thanks to everyone, there is no way to pick one above the others, imo.

It will come as no surprise - the trophy that goes with the RiverBrian award is quite special and inspired by its namesake.

 

http://neverchill.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/pop_ace-fantasy-baseball-trophy_1.jpg

For me there's always kind of a wistful feeling after the last game of the season, even during the lean years. I divide the year into two parts: baseball season and waiting for baseball season.

Kinda like the two seasons in MN ... winter and not winter.

 

Well, or, winter and road construction.

I'm switching between games ... want to see Beuhrle's last to innings.

Whaddya mean "waiting..."--there's the "hot stove league" season!  

Hasn't Nolasco reached his pitch limit yet? sigh.

Kepler gets some useful experience in the second inning, playing the RF carom. Remember that'un, son.

I would like to see Nunez back next year.  It seems to me that he is a pretty good utility player.

Well, Buehrle didn't make it out of the first. The Rays are up 7-0. It was the sentimental thing to do to give him the two innings, but he didn't deliver.

Our old nemesis the double-play - we meet again.  Ugh!

 

Well, Buehrle didn't make it out of the first. The Rays are up 7-0. It was the sentimental thing to do to give him the two innings, but he didn't deliver.

Stick a fork in him . Seriously, though, it's too bad he couldn't have gone out on a better note.

Well, Buehrle didn't make it out of the first. The Rays are up 7-0. It was the sentimental thing to do to give him the two innings, but he didn't deliver.

Geez, I was biting my tongue all day. Wanted to post something snarky like "I don't wish bad luck on a guy, but it would be hilarious to see him get two outs in his second inning and then not be able to keep a parade of runners off the bases." Too tacky, even for me. And turns out, I was too optimistic.

 

But, if not hilarious, it still says something about trying to force things; sometimes it just won't go. "That's baseball."

 

And yeah, now that it's happened, it's kind of a shame.

Showing Torii's speech reminds me of Blyleven on the last day of the 1986 season when he presaged the 1987 World Championship.

Buh-bye, Ricky.

Buh-bye, Ricky.

Maybe. Don't bet the farm.

 

Oh, you mean just today. Yeah, bye.

We are giving Kansas City a lot of confidence going into the playoffs.

Alright, Kep!

Kepler's first hit -- good to see that today.

Achtung, baby!

First career hit for Kepler! Off a good pitcher, not especially a fat pitch. Good!

Give Sano his hit, already!

 

Maybe. Don't bet the farm.

 

Oh, you mean just today. Yeah, bye.

I'm going to make a prediction for 2016. I'll remind everyone about it if I'm right but if I'm wrong everyone will forget because it's so early. I think Nolasco will have a good year.