Stanzel’s Sports Takeout — BREAKING NEWS: 9.25.24
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My latest Twins column for Pulltab Sports - Dear Rocco, I’m Sorry
Make Glove not W.A.R. podcast with special guest Patrick Donnelly of MLB.com
The Lynx would like nothing more than to end Diana Taurasi’s WNBA career tonight, and not have to go back to Phoenix for Game 3 this weekend. Game won’t tip till 8:30 at Target Center.
Wild at the Stars tonight in the pre-season with a mostly minor league lineup. Home pre-season opener Friday against Winnipeg.
The Pittsburgh Pirates are not a serious baseball franchise, cutting a player who is four at bats shy of a $200,000 performance bonus.
Twins No Show to Open Critical Homestand; Two Back with Five to Play
I said in the above-linked podcast that we’d learn a lot about the Twins last night. Unfortunately, we did.
With the season on the line and everyone they needed to lose not doing their part, the Twins left 10 runners on base and lost 4-1 to the worst team in the national league, the Miami Marlins. That’s a soon-to-be 100-loss team that would be the worst team in the majors in most MLB seasons.
The Twins are now two full games back of the final wild card spot with five to play. The final three games come against a really good Orioles team that could have nothing to play for.
The Twins played all their guys. They started Bailey Ober. Carlos Correa, Byron Buxton and Royce Lewis combined for five of the team’s eight hits. But the Twins went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position. A microcosm of the season came in the eighth, when Eddie Julien pinch-hit for Jose Miranda as the tying run, worked a 3-1 count and flew out to left. Julien hadn’t seen a pitch in seven days and was hitless in his last 14 at bats. Correa struck out looking to end the game.
Ober would start the season finale Sunday if it matters. Even if the Twins were to make the playoffs, they’d have to use Pablo Lopez on the last two days, and then play a best-of-three playoff series without their best arms.
Shockingly - or maybe not - just shy of 22,000 fans on a beautiful weekday night at Target Field. Get in price tonight is $3.
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