Stanzel’s Sports Takeout — BREAKING NEWS: 9.20.24

Sports That Aren't HockeyTwinsLynxVikingsGophersLoons

Sep 20

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I’ll take the Gophers to beat the Hawkeyes (-3) outright in Dinkytown on Saturday at 6:30 on NBC.

Not much respect for the Vikings, who are a two-point underdog at home against the Texans on Sunday. No reason to think they won’t go 3-0, except we’ve all seen this movie before. No Jordan Addison, and Justin Jefferson has been limited but is expected to play. Another “I’m old” moment seeing Derek Stingley Jr. come to town, because his dad was on the Arena Football League team I interned with in college.

Loons lost 2-1 at home to Cincy on Wednesday. They’re still four points clear of 10th (there’s a No. 8/No. 9 one-game playoff) with five to play, including a road tilt against K.C. on Saturday. They’re ahead of Kansas City in the standings.

I hope everyone drank the moonwater this week.

Get Mad, Twins Fans

Twins fans deserve to be mad. And I’m changing my tune a bit (new column coming), but you can no longer point this directly at Rocco Baldelli. And maybe I shouldn’t have pointed so much of the blame on him in the first place.

But the Twins wake up today tied for the final wild card spot with Detroit. The Tigers were ELEVEN GAMES out of the wild card on August 11.

The Twins lost three of four to Cleveland, which is undoubtedly the class of the Central. They may wind up overtaking the Yankees for the best overall in the A.L. Though another Twins/Yankees playoff series does seem sort of inevitable.

Although, the Twins have to make it first. We’ll focus on Wendesday’s 4-2 10-inning loss to the Guardians. After Carlos Correa gave them a lead with a two-run homer in the top of the inning, the Twins rolled out Ronny Henriquez in the bottom of the inning. Jhoan Duran pitched the ninth, and Griffin Jax had pitched a couple days in a row…

But the point is, Twins ownership just let this team go. Cut $30 million in payroll, didn’t help the team in the off-season, certainly didn’t help them at the trade deadline. Not enogh good players.

Biggest shock of the season was Correa, Byron Buxton and Royce Lewis all playing the day game after a night game. (Only one played the night before).

Will they even still be in the race by the time they return to Target Field for the final six-game homestand next week? They’re at Fenway for three this weekend.

Lynx to Face Mercury on Sunday

The Lynx’ best-of-three, first-round matchup against Phoenix is all set. Minnesota will host Game 1 Sunday at 4. Game 2 is THREE days later, in a league where eight games make the playoffs. That also has an unthinkable 8:30 p.m. local tip. Game 3, if necessary, is in Phoenix a week from tonight.

The Lynx dropped the regular-season finale last night at home to Los Angeles, but rested Napheesa Collier and others.

Minnesota wound up with a 30-10 regular season mark.

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