ANNND Welcome back! To Minnesota Twins Whine Line: Cocktail Lounge Edition! I am your waiter for the afternoon, Van Benoit. The Twins are ROLLING! 4.5 games up on the Angels, Rangers, Royals, and anyone that matters for the 2nd WC. We're feeling good at the lounge, and you should too! Before we dive into an abbreviated version of randomness and debauchery, let's talk weather and lineups. Sir/ma'am, may I take your jacket and get you a drink while you wait?

 

It's back to being a heat wave in Detroit today! Sunny and 81 degrees at first pitch. REAL FEEL of 94 degrees. Getting warmer as they go along. Winds out of the SE at 4 MPH.

 

Minnesota Twins (81-74)

 

1. Brian Dozier ® 2B
2. Joe Mauer (L) DH
3. Jorge Polanco (S) SS
4. Eddie Rosario (L) RF
5. Eduardo Escobar (S) 3B
6. Byron Buxton ® CF
7. Jason Castro (L) C
8. Kennys Vargas (S) 1B
9. Zack Granite (L) LF

 

P - Jose Berrios ( R) - 81 overall on MLB The Show!

 

Detroit Tigers (62-93)

 

1. Ian Kinsler ® DH
2. Alex Presley (L) RF
3. Nicholas Castellanos ® 3B
4. Efren Navarro (L) 1B
5. James McCann ® C
6. Dixon Machado ® 2B
7. Andrew Romine (S) LF
8. JaCoby Jones ® CF
9. Jose Iglesias ® SS

 

P - Buck Farmer ( R) - Hasn't pitched more than 5 innings in 4 September starts

 

Our swing band is here and warmed up. Ladies and gentleman, take your seats while you listen to our lead singer's beautiful voice! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yq4KA0mUnC8

 

Ohh yeah, we're getting real CLASSY in here! Let's talk good things today...

 

Jose Berrios: Happy Berrios day! He's been my favorite pitcher to watch for the Twins this year. As this season draws to a close, I realized that I watched probably twice as many Berrios starts than I have for, Gibby as an example. Will he get the nod in New York? We hope so!

 

Closing out the season: There are 7 games left, and the Twins are 4.5 games up on the next WC contender. I keep repeating that because it was unimaginable to say this is a playoff team 6 months ago. I've got my rally monkey ordered for the playoffs.... DO YOU?!

Closing out game threads: Barring my services needed in the playoffs, this is the last start ol' Vanimal is getting this year starting a game thread. For those counting, I'm at 2 years service time now, and inching every so close to requiring arbitration to continue writing! We're hoping to break Bryce Harper's record breaking arbitration contract next season!

 

Thank You: To everyone that writes game threads during the year, and everyone that participates! It really is one of the best threads on the site.... When winter comes, and all there is to talk about is who called Doug M to fire him, well, this will be sorely missed.

 

Sorry for the abbreviated version..... Didn't realize today was an early start for our team! 

LET'S GET A WIN TWINS!

Good little tune. Very classy. Let's dream on about becoming the first ever 100-loss team to make the playoffs the following year, and beat the Yankees in their home stadium. As we all know, one of the best days of the year is the day the Yankees get eliminated. This year, the Twins can get the chance to do the honors.

A chance to move to 4-3 on this critical road-trip. And going against Buck Farmer, sporting a 7+ ERA, and a lineup with Alex Presley, Dixon Machado, and Efren Navarro. On top of this, a lame-duck manager. Seems like a golden opportunity to win a game.

Is that former Minnesota OF Presley?

The very same.

 

Dick started off the broadcast by wishing for a spoonerism-free broadcast with Buck Farmer on the mound.

Good morning Polanco!!

Farmer left it right down Broadway...

Jorge Babe Polanco

Buck Farmer owes Cleveland $1,000.

The Detroit crowd is just electric today! I don't know how Dick N Bert can hear each other speak...

 

The Detroit crowd is just electric today! I don't know how Dick N Bert can hear each other speak...

 

Presumably the silence-canceling headsets.

Uhh, what was that Dozier?

2-0 GOOD Guys!

 

This is your friendly CBU

Berrios is cruising through 2....

 

Berrios is cruising through 2....

 

Yup. He looks great so far.

Eddie is getting to be a patient little brute, taking some nice at bats recently!

Thanks for your always fantastic game thread intros, van!

 

As for some ginormous arb deal next year? Dream on.

Eddie Rosario: "No plate discipline." 

Berrios' fastball seems down a couple ticks today

 

Berrios' fastball seems down a couple ticks today

 

But wow, the breaking ball is nasty.

Granite comes through - driving in a runner from 3rd with less than 2 outs - an area we have had a little difficulty with.  

Could have been a very unusual play there. 1B should have waited to see if the ball would have gone back into fair territory.

Man, these Tigers are hard to watch. Giving me flashbacks.

Just think how much better we'd be doing if we didn't have to have Mauer in the lineup.

Give Berrios the rest of the day off. He can put in a few more innings on Friday or Saturday and then be fully rested and ready to start on the Thursday after that.

Can we make the Yankees wear tigers unis next week?

Double digits again!

Vikings rolling, twins about to clinch. What a difference a few days makes

My goodness - we are abusing this Tigers bullpen this series.

Found the Tigers bullpen...