Some weeks from now, reporters will write their season recaps. They will mention that none of the experts picked the Twins at the beginning of the season, and the Twins defied the odds by even being in the race. They will tell us:
That's why they play the games.
But I will think back to tonight's game. I will think back to this sequence:
And I will think to myself:
No, that's why they play the games.
They play the games not because the outcome is uncertain
But rather because at its best, baseball is fun
Great, Joyous, Thrilling, Uplifting Fun
Also, I have to say that I'm a big, big, big fan of the squeeze bunt, and I'm glad to see Gardy putting it to use these days. One of the very few ways this game could have been more satisfying is if Casilla got down his suicide squeeze with Gomez coming in from third base. I'd say he made up for it, though.
Well put. The moment of the game for me was Gomez's and Span's reactions during that sequence (and Gomez looking pumped up for pretty much everything after that 4th inning play), especially Span. When you're so pumped up and into it that Ullger has to come over and make sure you stay on the bag, you're having a blast out there.
We do a lot of talking about numbers here and strategy and baseball as a science, which all very interesting and enjoyable.
All I can say is that I had to get up at 5:00 this morning, but I was so excited about that game that I didn't get to sleep until midnight!
Yeah, I laid in bed for quite a while before I was finally relaxed enough to sleep.
I see bS shuffled the music videos for today. I had a different Library item to post (all this nervous energy during games lately has allowed me to get a few written up), but I just had to throw a homer hanky out today.
It's a bummer that the CoC isn't available when I first start up in the morning, but it's kind of nice setting the tone with the opportunity to make the first poll vote.
Oh, and GO TWINS!
(and don't forget, it's an early day game today...)
I think it is Saturdays game that is early not today.
I was up until 1:30, watching replays and ESPN's analysis. It is sometimes a marathon following the team all season long, but it is nights like last night that are the payoff. What a rush!!
Yeah, you're right, I was a game ahead of myself there.
2:50PM Saturday on FOX 9 (locally.)
Great stuff Ubelmann.
I also did not sleep until about 12:45 this morning but I did lay in my bed for about an hour while I attempted to rewind after the game.
I still am in a bit of shock. Let's just hope the Twins can keep things going this weekend and get a little help from Cleveland.
I never pegged you as the excitable type.
All I can say is that I had to get up at 5:00 this morning, but I was so excited about that game that I didn't get to sleep until midnight!
I was up until 12:30 - but I got the added pleasure of living in Chicago and being able to watch/hear the post-game histrionics from the White Sox television crew as they went through the five stages of grief - high comedy.
First the anger. It's not fair that the White Sox have to play in a dome because the Twins are a terrible team on the road (of course the teams have identical road records).
The denial. Bill Melton saying that the Twins are lucky on "astroturf" and that "we'll get in the one game playoff at "the cell" and you won't even recognize them. The White Sox lost the series because they didn't capitalize on their chances. The Twins did not beat them. Well maybe the first game, the Twins deserved to win."
The bargaining. Well I didn't really hear any bargaining.
Blame. Hawk blaming the umpires. "This is a playoff game and MLB needs to put their best umpires for playoff games." The umpires cost the Sox this series. Bill Melton - blaming the "homerdome" and "astroturf."
Acceptance. Bill Melton - "we expected this. The Twins are automatic in their "homerdome." We knew that they would sweep and we know they will sweep KC, especially with Greinke shut down. Hawk was the most surprisingly upbeat after this. "Sox still have a chance in this, and they need to take care of business.
High comedy.
The radio guys were even more unhinged, as they gave Go Go the player of the game award, the the post game guy on 670 am here in Chicago showed a severe case of Gomez Derangement Syndrome. "As much as this hurts we are giving our player of the game award to Carlos Gomez. I say it hurts because I hate this guy. He has no respect for the game. He acts like he is a 13 year veteran when he is a terrible player except against the Sox." Of course, there are legitimate criticisms of Gomez as a player, plate discipline being the most notable, but to say he does not respect the game or play it the "right way" is ridiculous. He does not act like a veteran, but rather has an exhuberance of childhood and clearly loves playing the game. He hustles and is exciting. Just not seeing the hatred for him.
(Hawk on the TV called him a future superstar, and based upon his performance in this series, I can see why Hawk would think that.)
Yeah, I think there's an obvious difference between getting hyper while playing and showing up the other team. It's not like Gomez is doing elaborate celebration dances or calling the opposing team's players a bunch of s&*%heads. He's playing a game and he acts like he's playing a game, and busting his tail out there everyday, even when he screws up.
I always love it when a team that has guys like Buehrle and Pierzynski whine about unprofessionalism.
or calling the opposing team's players a bunch of s&*%heads
+1 Burly
I don't suppose Melton commented on the fact that Indians Asdrubal Cabrera, Victor Martinez and Fausto Carmona are just now starting to serve their suspensions and so will miss part (Cabrera, Martinez) or all (Carmona) of the series???
Just when we think he's out, he gets pulled back in.
Nice post, Ubes.
One thing that Gardy said that struck me was that last night was the loudest he had ever heard at the dome. That's surprising considering he was the third base coach in 1991. Hard to imagine 43,000 cheering a walkoff being louder than 55,000 cheering Kirby's homer or winning the WS on Larkin's single. Maybe because it was such an unbelievable comeback last night.
Also, Tim Kurkijian said that this was the first time in baseball history that a team came back from at least five runs down to take over first place by themselves this late in the season. Reminds me of 2006 when the Twins were the first team to win their division/pennant on the last day of the season after never being alone in first place previous to the final day.
Last night got me into the mood: I took this afternoon off from work and hung out at the baseball card shop. BS'd a while, pulled a fist-full of Twins cards (M11 jersey card -
wow!), plus 5 sticks of Topps bubble gum for tonight's game. If I type incoherantly, it's because I'm under the influence of that sweet, pink tastiness.