Today is clinch day for one team in the ALC, and the Twins can make that happen multiple different ways today. The two simplest ways to state this is either by (a) Twins win OR ( White Sox loss. So, in conclusion, just win baby!

 

The Pitchers: LHP Rich Hill (2-2, 3.27 ERA, 27 K's) vs RHP Sonny Gray (5-3, 3.73 ERA, 68 K's)

 

Rich Hill makes perhaps his final start of the season, as he is not in line to be one of the starters for the wild card round of the playoffs. It has been an up and down year for Dick Mountain, but we have seen him come into form lately. Hill will play a key role in the playoffs, whether starting or relieving. Gray is making his second start off the injured list, his last being Tuesday against the Brewers. Gray has been fairly good this year, but isn't on the level of Castillo, who the Twins hit around last night.

 

The Lineups:

 

Twins

 

RF Max Kepler L

2B Luis Arraez L
DH Nelson Cruz R
LF E. Rosario L
CF Jake Cave L
1B Miguel Sano R
SS J. Polanco S
3B M. Gonzalez S
C Alex Avila L

 

 

Reds

 

LF A. Aquino R

RF N. Castellanos R
DH Joey Votto L
3B E. Suarez R
1B M. Moustakas L
CF Nick Senzel R
2B Kyle Farmer R
SS Jose Garcia R
C Curt Casali R

 

We see Luis Arraez and Nelson Cruz in the lineup once again, which is a good thing to see. However, the more important thing is what we don't see. Both Buxton and Donaldson left the game on Friday, and will not be seen in the last 2 games of the year, at least in the starting lineup. Hopefully this is just Rocco being cautious, but it does make you question. Avilia finds himself as the backstop, the third different catcher to start this series. The Reds change their lineup up a bit, with Aquino in the leadoff spot, and no Jesse Winker. 

 

This Day In History: 1992 - The Twins win their 523rd game with Tom Kelly as their manager when the team beats the Royals at the Metrodome, 4-0. The victory makes the Minnesota native the winningest skipper in team history, surpassing the standard set by Sam Mele from 1961 to 1967.

 

Pick to Click - Rosario homers in his last regular season game starting for the Twins at Target Field

 

Go Twins!!!

I bet both Donaldson and Buxton are in the lineup Tuesday.

Just seen T.B.S. Has the A.L. Playoff, Honestly i would rather hear Bremer, never a fan of T.B.S. Crew for Baseball

 

I bet both Donaldson and Buxton are in the lineup Tuesday.

Rocco says its all Hour by Hour now, Does he ever commit to a answer ?/  Cracks me up

Nicely done on the 6-4-3.

Cubs up 3-0, 4 batters in to the second inning vs the ChiSox

Yankees down 2-0 in the 2nd.

 

Toronto and Cleveland still scoreless in their respective games, 0-0.

Not getting the ball out of the infield is a bit concerning.

Following the Vikings on my phone, twins on iPad and white Sox on tv

White Sox down 5-0, pulling their starter in the top of the 2nd, still only 1 out.

 

Yankees trail 3-0 as Toronto takes a 1-0 lead.

 

Cleveland now trails 1-0 as well.

Cubs just pulled off the little league double steal of home

 

6-0

Cubs still batting. What a meltdown by the sox

Sports overload right now. Sweating it out watching the Vikings try to win

Yep vikes are gonna blow it

 

If the scores hold up, as of 3:50 (Eastern, where I’m at), here’s what we’ve got: 

 

No. 8 New York at No. 1 Tampa Bay

No. 7 Cleveland at No. 2 Minnesota

No. 6 Houston at No. 3 Oakland

No. 5 Toronto at No. 4 Chicago 

 

(With Toronto leading and New York trailing, those teams flip. All other seeds would stay the same.)

Wow, hard to believe the Yankees could fall to 8.

 

If the scores hold up, as of 3:50 (Eastern, where I’m at), here’s what we’ve got: 

 

No. 8 New York at No. 1 Tampa Bay

No. 7 Cleveland at No. 2 Minnesota

No. 6 Houston at No. 3 Oakland

No. 5 Toronto at No. 4 Chicago 

 

(With Toronto leading and New York trailing, thoseI teams flip. All other seeds would stay the same.)

If the Twins can hold 2 or 3 it means we cannot play the Yankees in the ALDS if we both advance.

OK, boys, let's get him in.

Well, the Vikings suck

 

If the Twins can hold 2 or 3 it means we cannot play the Yankees in the ALDS if we both advance.

 

They would have to get Houston or Oakland. 

Thank God there's some excitement behind the Twins. The rest of Minnesota sports is a joke. 

NIce play. Too bad it was made by the Reds.

If the Twins can hold 2 or 3 it means we cannot play the Yankees in the ALDS if we both advance.

even though the Yankees are one of the worst teams in the playoffs

4:15 update. No change, though Cleveland is tied with Pittsburgh. If they would win and Chicago loses, Cleveland moves to 4 and Chicago falls to 7. 

Rosario is slow.

 

Well, the Vikings suck

Yeah, but it's only the Vikings. I like it when they win but if they lose I don't care.

If I am managing in a virtual playoff game, with no score in the 4th, and Gray holding them almost hitless, my clean up hitter Eddie Rosario lays down a nice bunt toward third base to score that runner..... and get the automatic infield hit with the defense in the shift, and leave it 1 scored, and a runner on first and second and one out.

 

To let him hit into the shift for a double play is just irresponsible.

Yeesh, that was a lucky non-event.

How does that even happen with no crowd making noise? Nobody is calling it?

A guy in my fantasy league is a Chicago fan and he was beside himself last night with their last week. On Renteria: “In the series where they got swept he was personally responsible for three of the losses. He’s an idiot. Worst managing I have seen on a Sox team in 50 years as a fan. And that’s saying something considering how bad they have been over the years.” On his suspension: “I wish he had gotten five games instead of one!”

 

And now they’re down 6-0.