Good afternoon Twins fans and welcome back to the second to last Game Thread for 2021. Apologies for the early post but I had to boat over to a nearby lodge on Elbow Lake (just north of Lake Vermillion) in order to get internet access to post the game thread today. I'm staying with some old high school buddies at their cabin and to say we are remote is an understatement...Gotta throw out a special thank you to the resort owner who let me tap into their wifi to post this...thanks again Elbow Lake Lodge!

Well, here we are at the end of the season. This year didn't go as well as any of us thought but we still had a lot of fun on the game threads. I would like to thank all of you for the humor, snappy conversations and banter. I'm somewhat partial to the Game Threads and find its a lot like sitting next to educated fans during the game. It's great to get everyone's opinion and thoughts about the team. 

I'm excited for 2022. I think we will probably be better than we think and not as bad as we think...does that mean we will be a .500 team? Not really sure but I think we are better than a .500 team in 2022.

I'd love to stay longer and write a more prolific game thread opener but it's overcast with a light mist. The walleyes are calling my name and probably ready to eat the slew of leeches I have ready to go in my bait bucket. I'll try to get score updates and post from my phone but cell service is only one bar at best around here. 

Thanks again everyone for all of the game thread fun this year. Next year will be better! Trust me! I'm a fisherman and never lie or exaggerate. 

Go Twins!!!

Today's Expected Lineups: Someone may have to post the last minute updates. 

TWINS:

1. Luis Arraez, LF

2. Jorge Polanco, 2B

3. Byron Buxton, CF

4. Josh Donaldson, DH

5. Miguel Sano, 1B

6. Mitch Garver, C

7. Brent Rooker, RF

8. W. Astudillo, 3B

9. A. Simmons, SS

P - Griffin Jax, (R)

 

ROYALS:

1. W. Merrifield, 2B

2. Nicky Lopez, SS

3. S. Perez, C

4. A. Benintendi, LF

5. C. Santana, 1B

6. A. Mondesi, 3B

7. Ryan O'Hearn, DH

8. M. Taylor, CF

9. H. Dozier, RF

P - Kris Bubic, (L)

Weather: 24% chance of rain. 72 degrees.

By the way, Donaldson, Garver, Sano and Buxton go yard today.

1 hour ago, twinssporto said:

I'm somewhat partial to the Game Threads and find its a lot like sitting next to educated fans during the game.

There is no i in educated.

1 hour ago, twinssporto said:

TWINS:

1. Luis Arraez, LF

2. Jorge Polanco, 2B

3. Byron Buxton, CF

4. Josh Donaldson, DH

5. Miguel Sano, 1B

6. Mitch Garver, C

7. Brent Rooker, RF

8. W. Astudillo, 3B

9. A. Simmons, SS

P - Griffin Jax, (R)

 

ROYALS:

1. W. Merrifield, 2B

2. Nicky Lopez, SS

3. S. Perez, C

4. A. Benintendi, LF

5. C. Santana, 1B

6. A. Mondesi, 3B

7. Ryan O'Hearn, DH

8. M. Taylor, CF

9. H. Dozier, RF

P - Kris Bubic, (L)

Us:

0. Griffin Jax (R) P

1. Byron Buxton (R) CF

2. Mitch Garver (R) C

3. Josh Donaldson (R) 3B

4. Miguel Sano (R) DH

5. Brent Rooker (R) LF

6. Luis Arraez (L) 2B

7. W. Astudillo (R) 1B

8. A. Simmons (R) SS

9. Jake Cave (L) RF

 

Them:

0. Kris Bubic (L) P

1. W. Merrifield (R) 2B

2. Nicky Lopez (L) SS

3. Salvador Perez (R) DH

4. A. Benintendi (L) LF

5. Carlos Santana (S) 1B

6. Hunter Dozier (R) RF

7. A. Mondesi (S) 3B

8. M. Taylor (R) CF

9. Cam Gallagher (R) C

Is what baseballpress has. I notice a difference or two with the expected line up above.

Heads up, the Nationals just tied the Red Sox in the 8th inning, in a game with AL Wild Card implications...

9 minutes ago, Otto von Ballpark said:

Heads up, the Nationals just tied the Red Sox in the 8th inning, in a game with AL Wild Card implications...

Toronto won and the Yankees lost. Those are the preferred outcomes.

I can't decide if I'm hoping for a 3-way wild card tie or a 4-game one.

https://www.mlb.com/news/american-league-wild-card-tiebreakers-explained

A 3-team tie would mess with the postseason schedule more than a 4-team tie would so in some ways that's what I hope for. But whatever could result in the Yankees being eliminated from the postseason is a positive outcome.

That is a prime example of why Astudillo should not be on the 26-man next season.

Old friend Hansel Robles trying to close things out for Boston right now...

Red Sox win. Yankees and Red Sox with 91 wins. Toronto with 90. Seattle with 89 with today's game yet to be played.

I tuned in for the first Royals hit.

 

That's my fault. Sorry.

Speedster Sano coming in for the run!

We doubled our lead. If we do that every inning....

They have whatburger in KC?

Pretty crazy tag by Simmons.

 

Will this be reviewed?

3 minutes ago, sampleSizeOfOne said:

Pretty crazy tag by Simmons.

 

Will this be reviewed?

Nope.

 

Almost wanted to see it confirmed.

Almost as though the thought was to catch the ball just as it hits the runner, cause ya can't apply a tag any faster than that.

 

Likewise the runner also seemed to turn in the slide and not come in contact with the base as quickly as he mighta.

34 minutes ago, Nine of twelve said:

Red Sox win. Yankees and Red Sox with 91 wins. Toronto with 90. Seattle with 89 with today's game yet to be played.

So Jays need help to tie... I hope they get it tomorrow.

I really like seeing Astudillo remove his hat for pop ups.

 

Staying in good form should he be called upon to catch, where that is more important to do.

Jax is bax!

1 hour ago, Nine of twelve said:

I can't decide if I'm hoping for a 3-way wild card tie or a 4-game one.

https://www.mlb.com/news/american-league-wild-card-tiebreakers-explained

A 3-team tie would mess with the postseason schedule more than a 4-team tie would so in some ways that's what I hope for. But whatever could result in the Yankees being eliminated from the postseason is a positive outcome.

One moment while i read the above link before questioning how they determine home teams for the tie braking games...

15 minutes ago, sampleSizeOfOne said:

One moment while i read the above link before questioning how they determine home teams for the tie braking games...

So teams choose spot in tiebreaker process based on head to head (to head to head?) record. Got it. Likely early choice is homefield advantage, but later choice might get their choice of matchups.

I imagine this has been pointed out before, but...

 

Sometimes Thielbar, well he eats you...

(Far from some kinda eastern thing...)

Oh yeah.

Congrats to the Gophers.

2 minutes ago, sampleSizeOfOne said:

Oh yeah.

Congrats to the Gophers.

Go Gophers!

Nice Beninendi catch there.

1 hour ago, sampleSizeOfOne said:

They have whatburger in KC?

Sign says it opens soon!

I already forget if it was Dick or Justin (or both) who said they've never seen a double play like that. Nor have I. That's one of the great things about baseball--you can have seen thousands of games but still see something new.

Oh, and winnah!

Oh, but we still clinched last place.  ?

1 hour ago, Nine of twelve said:

I already forget if it was Dick or Justin (or both) who said they've never seen a double play like that. Nor have I. That's one of the great things about baseball--you can have seen thousands of games but still see something new.

Oh, and winnah!

I was at one of the games against the Angels when Simmons threw behind the runner on a similar play, no out at second and Sano let the throw to first get by him. Glad to see it only took 161 games to get the infielders on the same page....

8 hours ago, mnfireman said:

I was at one of the games against the Angels when Simmons threw behind the runner on a similar play, no out at second and Sano let the throw to first get by him. Glad to see it only took 161 games to get the infielders on the same page....

It probably only took two games. I bet this is only the second game in which this scenario occurred.