Final Home Series -- Royals visit the Dome for the Last Time

[catman]

This is the last regular season series the Dome will ever see. The Royals come to town, having won 4 of their last 10 games. They have played very well against the Twins in the Dome over the past couple of seasons and kept the Twins out of the playoffs last season. The Twins need a sweep in this series and some help from the White Sox to get into the playoffs. A Twins' sweep and 1 Sox win and the Twins fall a game short. A Twins' sweep and 2 Sox wins and there is a play-in game Tuesday at the Dome. A Twins' sweep and a Sox' sweep and the Twins are in.
Tonight, Jeff Manship faces Lenny DiNardo in a battle of young pitchers.
Tomorrow, Nick Blackburn gets the unenviable task of facing Zack Greinke. I hope to see Blackburn win a 1-0 game and the run against Greinke be unearned. I'd like to see Greinke win the Cy Young award.
Sunday, Brian Duensing gets the ball (unless Gardy takes Carl Pavano up on his offer to take the start on 3-days rest) against Luke Hochevar.
Again, the Twins need a sweep in this series to have any chance to win the division.

[catman]

Jeff Manship pitched pretty well tonight and picked up his 1st major league win. The Twins gave him plenty of support early and he seemed to relax. Delmon Young hit a grand slam in the 1st.
The game ended up 10-7 and Nathan picked up his 46th save.

[DirtyKash]

Maybe the Twins can pay the Royals to have them sit Zack Greinke somehow.

[catman]

That would be interesting. No one has done something like this since 1919.

[catman]

Seriously, the Twins have to sweep the Royals. Greinke can be beaten, but not easily. Blackburn has to be "on" today for the Twins to have a chance. If the game tomorrow means something, look for Pavano to take the ball on 3 days rest. If not, Duensing will get the start.

[DirtyKash]

Pavano on three days rest with the season on the line? Doesn't seem like such a good proposition.

[catman]

The Twins now control their own destiny again. If they win, they make the playoffs. If not, they are out.
They won today's game 5-4 on a homer by Cuddyer in the 8th. Rauch picks up another win (his 5th) and Nathan gets his 47th save.

[DirtyKash]

The Twins now control their own destiny again. If they win, they make the playoffs.

Um, except not quite. If the Twins win and the Tigers also win, you go to a one-game showdown. Everything's tied up in the division race right now.

[HollywoodLeo]

Um, except not quite. If the Twins win and the Tigers also win, you go to a one-game showdown. Everything's tied up in the division race right now.

And if the Twins win that showdown they're in the playoffs.

So, yeah, they control their own destiny.

[DirtyKash]

And if the Twins win that showdown they're in the playoffs.

So, yeah, they control their own destiny.

Thanks for the info. And if the Chargers win their remaining 13 games, they make the playoffs and have a first round bye and homefield advantage. They control their own destiny.

Sarcasm aside, point is, "controlling your destiny" is used when you have one game left and if you win that game, you make the postseason. Not "if you win that game, you have to wait to see whether the other team wins also, because if they do, you have to play them in order to get to the postseason". Which isn't really controlling your destiny.

[HollywoodLeo]

Control your own destiny means that if you keep winning you are in.

If the Twins win every game on their schedule they're in, even if that means having to win an extra game due to Detroit winning tomorrow.

[DirtyKash]

[catman]

That's what I meant, DK. If the Twins and Tigers both win today, they host a game on Tuesday against the Tigers. If they win that one, they are cannon-fodder for the Yankees. If the Twins and Tigers both lose today, there is another game in the Dome Tuesday to determine who represents the Central.
The key is winning today though. Gardy won't let the team get ahead of itself and worry about Tuesday's game until this one is over.

[mntwinsfan]

Twins played some of there best baseball of the season this last series vs the Royals. Home field advantage will put this team into the playoffs to face the HATED Yankees.