Article: AL Wild Card Game Thread: Twins @ Yankees, 10/3@7:09pm CT

[Riverbrian]

This won’t be my normal game thread opener because this isn’t a normal game. I’ll be scrapping the '5 Things to Think About' format for the playoffs.

The normal game thread format developed out of necessity. There was a time when I was writing every single game thread opener and in desperate need of daily, relevant, game set up content. That content was not there without extreme repetition of the same points because things don’t change that much between game 47 and game 48. It was also a time when the team wasn’t playing very well… so those repetitive points were also depressing. It didn’t take long to realize that it just wasn’t sustainable. So, with the purpose of opening up more doors for content, I opened up more doors for content by mentioning anything that came to mind and crossing clear over the baseball lines.

Further, when Sam Deduno is your top pitcher, it’s very easy to start things negative and if you start negative… it will stay there. So… the easiest way to keep things light-hearted is by not mentioning that Sam Deduno is your top pitcher.

That’s how the game thread opener became what it became.


This is the first playoff game thread opener in the history of Twins Daily. Sam Deduno is long gone, and we've got ourselves a winning team, so it needs a different approach.

I’ve got my Eye Black on.

----

 

If I had a nickel for every time I heard someone say the Twins will be one and done at Yankee Stadium… I’d have at least 35 cents, and that is mainly because I don’t talk to a lot of people. If I made the effort to talk to as many Twins fans as I possibly could, I’d have enough nickels to start a profitable small business that employed between 10 or 20 with decent benefits.

Here’s a couple of points that I would like to share with all you negative non-believers who think that it’s a foregone conclusion that the Twins will leave New York disappointed:

1. You may be right… only one team will advance to Cleveland… it is quite possible that the Twins will lose but the odds are closer to 50-50 than you non-believers are expressing.

2. You are feeling this way because you are OLD. You are no longer getting carded at those drinking establishments that you drown your sorrows in. You remember those disappointing trips to Yankee Stadium, then you are taking those memories, holding them long term, letting them pile up and then you are dumping the whole pile over a bunch of kids on the current roster that were miles from your pile of memories.

Byron Buxton was 15 years old and in Georgia when Phil Cuzzi was unfair to Joe Mauer. Jose Berrios was a 15 year old in Puerto Rico and Max Kepler was 16 and living in Germany. Only Joe Mauer is old enough to remember it and Joe has played enough baseball to know that it just doesn’t matter anymore. There are no scars on these players… those scars are yours.

You may come back and say… "What about recent history? After all, the Twins are 13-27 against the Yankees in the past 5 years." To that I say… “See… it can be done.” The Twins have beaten the Yankees 13 times, including 7 times at Yankee Stadium in the past 5 years. Tonight… they've just gotta do it once and they’ve done it before.

Thank God it isn’t a 40-game series.

Today’s Joe M Conversation:

Maddon: What are you doing, Joe?

Mauer: Writing a letter

Montana: Handwritten… you don’t see many people doing that these days.

Mauer: I have to write it by hand… somebody broke into my house and stole my computer and that’s who I’m writing this letter to. I’m going to publish it on Twins Daily so they are sure to read it.

Morgan: Was the computer all they got?

Mauer: No… my computer and a bunch of books that were kept nearby.

McCarthy: What kind of books?

Mauer: Nothing much… my Thesaurus was stolen.

Maddon: Let me see what you have so far

Mauer:

Dear Crook, who broke into my house and stole my computer and thesaurus,

What you did was bad. You are a bad person and I hope bad things happen to you in a bad way.

Morgan: You may want to get another Thesaurus.

Mauer: How do you spell Armageddon? Damn it… I can’t spell Armageddon!!!

Montana: It’s okay, Joe… it’s not the end of the world.
____________________

Lineups:

Our very own MINNESOTA TWINS:
Brian Dozier 2B
Joe Mauer 1B
Jorge Polanco SS
Eddie Rosario LF
Eduardo Escobar 3B
Max Kepler RF
Byron Buxton CF
Jason Castro C
Robbie Grossman DH

Ervin Santana P

Yankees:
Brett Gardner LF
Aaron Judge RF
Gary Sanchez C
Didi Gregorius SS
Starlin Castro 2B
Greg Bird 1B
Aaron Hicks CF
Jacoby Ellsbury DH

Luis Severino P

Game-time forecast: Partly cloudy, no rain, 63 deg F, winds at 6mph from the SSE.

Play ball! GO TWINS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Todd Frazier 3B

Click here to view the article

[Craig Arko]

Ervin’s got this.

[theJemmer]

Be aggressive. Play with joy.

[diehardtwinsfan]

Here's to Erv going all Jack Morris on the Twins and the offense going all 27 Yankees on the Yankees.

[theBOMisthebomb]

The Twins will beat the Yankees in the wild card game tonight. Then, give Cleveland a run in the ALDS. That's all I have. This generation of Twins feels different. Winners. No Yankees baggage.

[Jerr]

Bestest game thread opener ever!!!!  (the fact that it is for Twins first postseason appearance, in Twins Daily history, has little to do with my post...well,maybe some).    

[Dantes929]

I've told both the thesaurus and the Armageddon jokes in the last week.   Can't be a coincidence.    My only conclusion is that Riverbrian is either my wife or my 5th grade son.    I'm betting on 5th grade son.

[Respy]

And the last, strong argument against the Twins for this game has been: Severino was one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball this year.  To which I say, yes he was.  BUT, he's young, has never pitched in the postseason before, and the Twins knocked him around during his last start. 

 

I'd also put the odds at very close to 50/50, slightly favoring the Yankees.  I honestly don't know whether to expect a pitching duel or a shootout.  It should be fun.  GO TWINS.

[Halsey Hall]

I'll be a wreck all day.  Hoping for some early run support.

[Dr. Evil]

A Dozier lead off homer please!

[spinowner]

"What's another word for Thesaurus?"

 -Steven Wright

[Craig Arko]

 

I'll be a wreck all day.  Hoping for some early run support.

Castro will drive in a few just for you.

[Craig Arko]

 

"What's another word for Thesaurus?"

 -Steven Wright

Synonymticon.

[SF Twins Fan]

IT'S GAME DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[spinowner]

 

Synonymticon.

Hey, I can imaginate words, too.

[Respy]

So.... who's gonna start at DH today?  I'd say there's a miniscule chance Sano starts.  I was at the game Sunday and he just looked so uncomfortable.  Grossman did not play when the Twins faced Severino last.  Vargas started that game at first (Joe at DH), and was 1-1 against Severino.  Would you dare start Vargas?  I 99.9% would not.  I'd presume Grossman gets the start, batting 9th like he has lately, with instructions to draw long at bats and get on base for Dozier and Mauer.

 

I'd say the rest of the lineup will be trivial.  Castro, Mauer, Dozier, Polanco, Escobar, Rosario, Buxton, Kepler.

[PseudoSABR]

w00t!  Hate that I have to work right up to the game!!

[Craig Arko]

 

Hey, I can imaginate words, too.

Correctasaurus.

[Blake]

TD now has it's own "This Day in History." (best read with a bit of reverb and deep voice)

 

First ever playoff thread and Brian is now firmly ensconced in the TD HOF through being the person who wrote the opener.

 

Congratulations, Brian! Hopefully, you get a plaque of some sort. Or a ribbon? TD SWAG? Cup of coffee at the local diner?

 

Go Twins!

[Tibs]

I'M FREAKING OUT GUYS

[Pardon My Dinger]

I'M FREAKING OUT GUYS

Well, cut it out. Leave those guys alone.

[Vanimal46]

In honor of Tom Petty, let's "Breakdown" this game...

 

The Twins are "Runnin' Down a Dream" as they try to get the monkey off their back against the Evil Empire. Ervin's already said "I Won't Back Down" to people like Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez. So hopefully he won't "Surrender" more than a couple of runs tonight. 

 

A lot of national experts may say "You Don't Know How It Feels" to be in a playoff game in regards to the Twins. But you know what? "Even the Losers" make it to the playoffs every now and again. And they "Learn to Fly" with the best of the best. 

 

So "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" and get this game underway! 

[Tibs]

 

Well, cut it out. Leave those guys alone.

PUNCTUATION

[Don Walcott]

I actually had a dream last night about being on a "Flume" or "Splash Mountain" style roller coaster ride. I'm going to be a nervous wreck today. I'm going to be especially nervous if we have a close lead late in the game and we need our bullpen to hold on. . . . But I paid for this ticket, and I still like the roller coaster ride.  GO TWINS!!

[ThejacKmp]

 

I actually had a dream last night about being on a "Flume" or "Splash Mountain" style roller coaster ride. I'm going to be a nervous wreck today. I'm going to be especially nervous if we have a close lead late in the game and we need our bullpen to hold on. . . . But I paid for this ticket, and I still like the roller coaster ride.  GO TWINS!!

 

I had a dream that the Twins had a six run seventh inning punctuated by a Rosario grand slam. If that happens, I'm changing my Twins Daily name to The Prophet. And hoping I don't meet a similar fate to Joseph Smith.

[ThejacKmp]

When do we find out the Twins Wild Card roster?

[Longdistancetwins]

 

The Twins will beat the Yankees in the wild card game tonight. Then, give Cleveland a run in the ALDS. That's all I have. This generation of Twins feels different. Winners. No Yankees baggage.

On WFAN New York sports talk station, the announcers were saying that this Yankee team is young, plays with abandon, and has fired up the veterans, and even the manager.  Then, as an afterthought, they added what I was thinking, "Oh, and that applies to the Twins team, as well."

[Halsey Hall]

No Sano on the roster tonight. 11 pitchers, Vargas made it.

[USAFChief]

Sano did not look ready to face big league pitching this weekend. Seems like the right call to me.

[Brock Beauchamp]

When do we find out the Twins Wild Card roster?

Due an hour ago, I believe.