Twins Win... Twins Win! - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Housley4Prez · 09-25-2008, 10:52 PM

A three game sweep of the ChiSox and the Minnesota Twins are in first place (by half a game) in the AL Central.

Anyone else following Morneau and the boys? I've been a fan since 1987 when they won their first championship (with my boys Kirby and Kent).

Both Minny and Chicago have three games left a piece, with the Twins playing the hapless Royals, and the Sox playing the competitive Indians.

With their proximity to Calgary, I've always felt more of a connection to the Twins and the Mariners. Anyone else with me on this?

It's just really exciting when it comes down to the wire like this.

How about Mets or Brewers fans... any other fans out there waiting with baited breath for their team to clinch?

Resolute 14 · 09-25-2008, 11:19 PM

I can't say as I've ever really felt any connection with the teams, but if the Twins make it, I am seriously contemplating heading down to see a playoff game.

Displaced Flames fan · 09-26-2008, 05:36 AM

Those hapless Royals are the hottest team in baseball right now. 13-2 in their last 15 games I believe.

You Need a Thneed · 09-26-2008, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Housley4Prez

the Minnesota Twins are in first place (by half a game) in the AL Central.
...

Both Minny and Chicago have three games left a piece,

I haven't checked the actual games played, but both of those statements cannot be true. If they have the same number of games left, the "games back" number must be a whole number.

I suspect that one of the teams would have to play a makeup game if it is required.

EDIT: Chicago will play Detroit on Monday if the game is required to determine who makes the playoffs. So, technically, Chicago has 4 games left, although it may come to pass that they don't play the monday game.

Sylvanfan · 09-26-2008, 02:51 PM

Cleveland has also been playing well here in September too. It will be interesting to see what shakes out this weekend. It would be nice to see the Twins pull it off, just to see Ozzie Guillens reaction.

troutman · 09-26-2008, 03:32 PM

Disturbing trend in MLB - only the big markets can be competitive.

This year, we will have both LA teams, both CHI teams (potentially), one NY team (potentially) and the other NY team was 2nd in the AL wildcard standings. BOS is a huge market too.

MLB needs a salary cap/revenue sharing.

corporatejay · 09-26-2008, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

Cleveland has also been playing well here in September too. It will be interesting to see what shakes out this weekend. It would be nice to see the Twins pull it off, just to see Ozzie Guillens reaction.

psssscht, please!

habernac · 09-26-2008, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by troutman

Disturbing trend in MLB - only the big markets can be competitive.

This year, we will have both LA teams, both CHI teams (potentially), one NY team (potentially) and the other NY team was 2nd in the AL wildcard standings. BOS is a huge market too.

MLB needs a salary cap/revenue sharing.

trend? It's been that way for years.

Resolute 14 · 09-26-2008, 03:50 PM

Christ, it's been that way for most of history.

troutman · 09-26-2008, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Christ, it's been that way for most of history.

No, it's getting worse. ALL the big market teams nearly qualified for the playoffs this year.

In the 1970s, KC, PIT, CIN and OAK were power-houses. They don't have a prayer now.

Sylvanfan · 09-26-2008, 04:46 PM

Yeah, but for MLB when you get these big markets as your playoff teams, it means good T.V. Ratings, and a lot's of money. A lot of these smaller markets that aren't winning are still getting a nice chunk of change from revenue sharing and General revenues. In fact the only way MLB could be happier is if the Yankees also had made the playoffs. For a lot of these owners....they'd rather make more money than have their teams win, and players....well players will always love their money.

You Need a Thneed · 09-26-2008, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by troutman

MLB needs a salary cap/revenue sharing.

They already have revenue sharing. A Salary cap is also required. A league where the highest spending team spends 10 TIMES what the bottom teams spend is not a healthy league. I can't find the exact numbers yet, but I imagine the Yankees paid multiple times more Luxury tax and revenue sharing themselves, then the payroll of the bottom teams.

dionfan · 09-26-2008, 04:55 PM

^^^Speaking of that, I am a Yankees fan. I have totally forgotten what it is like to not be in the playoffs but all good things must come to an end I guess.

The offseason is what I'm really looking forward to. Sabathia, Manny, Texeira, Pedro, and more, all FAs. I have a bad feeling though that the Yanks will end up getting Carl Pavano v2.0 in Burnett.

Housley4Prez · 09-26-2008, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by You Need a Thneed

I haven't checked the actual games played, but both of those statements cannot be true. If they have the same number of games left, the "games back" number must be a whole number.

I suspect that one of the teams would have to play a makeup game if it is required.

EDIT: Chicago will play Detroit on Monday if the game is required to determine who makes the playoffs. So, technically, Chicago has 4 games left, although it may come to pass that they don't play the monday game.

I actually really appreciate that. I was racking my brain on how that could work out mathematically.

Housley4Prez · 09-26-2008, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

I can't say as I've ever really felt any connection with the teams, but if the Twins make it, I am seriously contemplating heading down to see a playoff game.

I've yet to go to a game at the Metrodome, but from what I've seen on TV over the years, playoff games are insane there. Homer Hankies waving, hefty bag outfield walls, a white roof that hides pop flies... it's the best home town advantage in the league.

I'm psyched.

In August a friend and I drove down from Vancouver to Seattle to see them beat the worst team in the league. It was my first time seeing them in real life, and it was nice to see an almost guaranteed win (they won a pretty close won).

After watching them all year, it was pretty apparent that they can't be counted out completely until the 27th out. They battle on until the last breath, and it was no surprise that they took over first place on a 10th inning single. They're exciting, and if they make the playoffs, they could be dangerous.

moon · 09-26-2008, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by troutman

Disturbing trend in MLB - only the big markets can be competitive.

This year, we will have both LA teams, both CHI teams (potentially), one NY team (potentially) and the other NY team was 2nd in the AL wildcard standings. BOS is a huge market too.

MLB needs a salary cap/revenue sharing.

The big markets certainly have an big advantage but they aren't the only teams that can compete by any stretch of the imagination.

TB has the second lowest payroll and are fighting for the top record in the league.

Florida is by far the lowest team in the league and were competitive all year long and have won 2 titles with a bare bones budget.

The Twins are in the bottom 10 in terms of payroll as well.

Tigers, Mariners and Braves top 10 payrolls did nothing to help them this year either.

The big teams have the advantage but the smaller teams can compete. The problem with most of these teams is that instead of looking at ways they can improve their team or looking at crap deals that they have made they blame economics and continue to imploy incompetent GM's and continue to make bad plays.

I am not sure that having a payroll of 100 million is going to stop KC, Pitts and Washington from continually making terrible personnel decisions or make them better at assessing talent.

Adding money to the budget this year didn't change the fact that Riccardi still is a bad judge of talent with no idea of how to properly build a team.

evman150 · 09-26-2008, 05:58 PM

I've become a pretty big Twins fan over the past few years. Got myself an authentic Twins home Morneau jersey the week before he was named 2006 AL MVP.

Hopefully they can pull it out against KC this final weekend here. They're pretty much unstoppable at the Homer Dome.

Antithesis · 09-26-2008, 07:24 PM

The "big market" argument for me is remarkable when it comes to baseball.

Baseball has had more movement in terms of teams in and out of the playoffs year-to-year than hockey has in a long, long time.

Baseball's had a greater number of different champions in the past few years than hockey has in a while.

All of this with half the teams making the playoffs. You'd think it would be easier for hockey to get more new teams in the playoffs than baseball but it's simply not true.

Last season, 7 of the 8 teams that made the MLB playoffs were not in the playoffs the year before. The NHL simply can not say anything even close to that.

And you know what, it's not a bad thing to have a team like the Yankees that everyone can band against.

worth · 09-26-2008, 07:31 PM

Meet the Mets, meet the Mets,
Step right up and greet the Mets.
Bring your kiddies, bring your wife,
Guaranteed to have the time of your life.
Because the Mets are really sockin' the ball,
Knockin' those home runs over the wall.
East side, West side, everybody's coming down,
To meet the M-E-T-S Mets, of New York town.

Oh, the butcher and the baker and the people on the streets,
Where did they go? To MEET THE METS!
Oh, they're hollerin' and cheerin' and they're jumpin' in their seats,
Where did they go? To MEET THE METS!
All the fans are true to the orange and blue,
So hurry up and come on down -
'cause we've got ourselves a ball club,
The Mets of New York town!

Give 'em a yell! Give 'em a hand!
And let 'em know you're rootin' in the stands!
Come on and...

Meet the Mets, meet the Mets,
Step right up and greet the Mets.
Bring your kiddies, bring your wife,
Guaranteed to have the time of your life.
Because the Mets are really sockin' the ball,
Knockin' those home runs over the wall.
East side, West side, everybody's coming down,
To meet the M-E-T-S Mets,
Of New York town,
Of New York town.

Housley4Prez · 09-26-2008, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by worth

Meet the Mets, meet the Mets,
Step right up and greet the Mets.
Bring your kiddies, bring your wife,
Guaranteed to have the time of your life.
Because the Mets are really sockin' the ball,
Knockin' those home runs over the wall.
East side, West side, everybody's coming down,
To meet the M-E-T-S Mets, of New York town.

Oh, the butcher and the baker and the people on the streets,
Where did they go? To MEET THE METS!
Oh, they're hollerin' and cheerin' and they're jumpin' in their seats,
Where did they go? To MEET THE METS!
All the fans are true to the orange and blue,
So hurry up and come on down -
'cause we've got ourselves a ball club,
The Mets of New York town!

Give 'em a yell! Give 'em a hand!
And let 'em know you're rootin' in the stands!
Come on and...

Meet the Mets, meet the Mets,
Step right up and greet the Mets.
Bring your kiddies, bring your wife,
Guaranteed to have the time of your life.
Because the Mets are really sockin' the ball,
Knockin' those home runs over the wall.
East side, West side, everybody's coming down,
To meet the M-E-T-S Mets,
Of New York town,
Of New York town.

We're gonna win Twins, we're gonna score!
We're gonna win Twins, watch that baseball soar!
Knock out a homerun, shout a hip-hooray!
Cheer for the Minnesota Twins today!
We're gonna win Twins, give it our all!
We've got the guys who'll knock the cover off the ball!
Let's hear it now for the team that came to play!
Cheer for the Minnesota Twins today!

(see you in the World Series?)