The big series is upon us

[G&T]

I thank Gardenhire for going with Liriano yesterday. I understand his thinking - get a win and have a chance to sweep going into the series with the sox. But it's also a boost to the sox not having to face a lefty in the dome (ie, death). Make no mistake, minny is thinking of one thing: sweep. And they have nothing to lose and a sellout crowd to rile them up.

man, i miss carlos.

 

Uh...they have their playoff hopes to lose.

[Felix]

Gardenhire said the Twins were going to kick our ass when a Tampa columnist asked him for a scouting report on the Sox. Somebody better tell Ozzie, he isn't gonna take that s***.

He didn't say they would kick the Sox's ass, unless you didn't actually read the quote.

 

Manager Ron Gardenhire certainly hasn't given up on his club. A St. Petersburg-area reporter asked the skipper during his pregame media session on Saturday: "The Rays might see the White Sox in the first round of the playoffs. What's your scouting report on the White Sox?"

 

And Gardenhire had a quick retort.

 

"Well, we're not going to talk about the White Sox because we're still trying to beat them," he said. "So you can find someone else to talk about the White Sox. We've still have a chance to beat them. That's what we're worried about, catching the White Sox, and then you may play us in the playoffs. You'd better get a scouting report on us."

 

Completely different than your interpretation.

[The Ginger Kid]

Uh...they have their playoff hopes to lose.

just a manner of speaking. they aren't trying to hold onto a lead, they're playing catch up.

[chw42]

He didn't say they would kick the Sox's ass, unless you didn't actually read the quote.

 

 

 

Completely different than your interpretation.

 

The one I read had "[butts]" in there.

[G&T]

just a manner of speaking. they aren't trying to hold onto a lead, they're playing catch up.

 

I only point it out because most people, including myself, forget how much pressure is really on the Twins in this series.

[Felix]

The one I read had "[butts]" in there.

My roommate saw the press conference after one of the Twins games in Tampa, and he assures me that Gardy didn't say anything about kicking Chicago's ass.

[Countrysox2]

I say we sweep them and win by 1 run each game. The starters will go deep and give us that chance at a division title for the sox!!!

[chw42]

My roommate saw the press conference after one of the Twins games in Tampa, and he assures me that Gardy didn't say anything about kicking Chicago's ass.

 

Mk. But what he did say should be a challenge to the Sox and Ozzie. They have zero respect for us, while we spew all this crap about them telling the media how good we think they are.

[chw42]

The Twins have zero respect for the Sox? When was this said??? Link?????

 

Well, we're not going to talk about the White Sox because we're still trying to beat them," he said. "So you can find someone else to talk about the White Sox. We've still have a chance to beat them. That's what we're worried about, catching the White Sox, and then you may play us in the playoffs. You'd better get a scouting report on us.

 

That just screams zero respect out at me.

[Felix]

Mk. But what he did say should be a challenge to the Sox and Ozzie. They have zero respect for us, while we spew all this crap about them telling the media how good we think they are.

They have no respect? An idiot reporter asked a stupid question that assumed his team was out of the race, what do you want Gardy's response to be?

 

I'm all for Twins bashing. Hell, I hate them more than most here. But there's a time and place, and jumping over Gardy for this quote is just silly.

Edited September 22, 2008 by Felix

[bjm676]

Win two of three and pop the cork on Friday night.

[chw42]

They have no respect? An idiot reporter asked a stupid question that assumed his team was out of the race, what do you want Gardy's response to be?

 

I'm all for Twins bashing. Hell, I hate them more than most here. But there's a time and place, and jumping over Gardy for this quote is just silly.

 

Do they really have respect for us? I doubt it.

[LosMediasBlancas]

Has there been a regular season series bigger than this in...how long? Which one?

[Kalapse]

Has there been a regular season series bigger than this in...how long? Which one?

The late September Cleveland series in '05 was pretty damn big, if we had lost the Rally Crede game the Indians would have had a .5 game lead on Sept. 23rd (assuming everything else goes the same.)

[The Ginger Kid]

I only point it out because most people, including myself, forget how much pressure is really on the Twins in this series.

now that i think about it, you make a great point. their entire season comes down to pulling off a sweep (essentially, although they could hope for some help from a very hot Tribe). If the tables were turned that would be enormous pressure on the sox.

 

[Flash Tizzle]

He didn't say they would kick the Sox's ass, unless you didn't actually read the quote.

 

 

 

Completely different than your interpretation.

I hope Guillen adopts a similar stance and allows other people to talk about the Twins if questions about them are asked. If anyone really does believe Gardenhire disrespected us with his comments, just think -- where has our Twins love got us recently?

 

If there was one thing I could tell management about this series, from players to Hawk/DJ, is PLEASE scale back on the compliments, the nicknames, the supposed invincibility of the Twins at home and geniousness of Gardenhire. It's sickening. I'm glad not to have read anything this morning in the papers. I fully expected it.

 

 

[LosMediasBlancas]

The late September Cleveland series in '05 was pretty damn big, if we had lost the Rally Crede game the Indians would have had a .5 game lead on Sept. 23rd (assuming everything else goes the same.)

 

I always forget that the tribe got that close that year.

[GreatScott82]

I always forget that the tribe got that close that year.

i remember the Sox had a 3.5 game lead heading into that series, they dropped the 1st one so the lead was cut to 2.5. With Cleveland on the verge of cutting the lead to 1.5, Rally Crede saved the Sox season with a walkoff homerun to put the lead back to 3.5 games. The Indians went on to win game 3 cutting the lead back to 2.5 games. But with 6 games left, the Sox got help from Tampa and KC as they went on to clinch in Detroit during the final week of the season.

 

This is a pretty similar situation. Instead we go into this series with a 2.5 game lead. If the Sox can somehow win 1 game they come home with a 1.5 game lead against an Indian team playing pretty good baseball. If the Sox win 2, all the Sox would have to do is win 1 game vs the Tribe to clinch the division. That would be the 1st time the Sox have clinched their division at home since 1993. (Remember Bo's Home Run??)

[greg775]

I wouldnt be too angry if we only won 2 in Minny.

 

You wouldn't? Most of us would be dancing in the streets. Two of three would be awesome.

[southsideirish71]

I hope Guillen adopts a similar stance and allows other people to talk about the Twins if questions about them are asked. If anyone really does believe Gardenhire disrespected us with his comments, just think -- where has our Twins love got us recently?

 

If there was one thing I could tell management about this series, from players to Hawk/DJ, is PLEASE scale back on the compliments, the nicknames, the supposed invincibility of the Twins at home and geniousness of Gardenhire. It's sickening. I'm glad not to have read anything this morning in the papers. I fully expected it.

 

 

Its simple.

 

Every ground ball should be run out like a track meet.

Every at bat should be focused on, ever pitch needs to be concentrated on.

If you are going into second to break up a double play, plant the dude into the ground.

If you are coming around 3rd, plant Mauer into the ground.

If you are pitching, throw inside. Back that f***er off the plate. Its your plate.

Throw strikes, take the game to them. Show no mercy. Jump all over them.

The best thing would be to jump all over them in game one. Take the life from them.

[greg775]

You said it all southsideirish. I hope Ozzie reads some version of your post to the team. This is not just another series.

 

On a side note ... are any of you too scared to watch? Not flaming, just asking personal preference. Would you rather not follow the game on tv or online, on the gamethread at soxtalk.com? Will you just wait for the final score or watch every inning??

[WilliamTell]

You said it all southsideirish. I hope Ozzie reads some version of your post to the team. This is not just another series.

 

On a side note ... are any of you too scared to watch? Not flaming, just asking personal preference. Would you rather not follow the game on tv or online, on the gamethread at soxtalk.com? Will you just wait for the final score or watch every inning??

 

I will be watching for sure, maybe on the computer posting here as well. I have to put up with the Twins announcers which sucks but I'll live. I'm going to the Thursday game so there's no way I can be too scared to watch, although I am so nervous about this series it's not even funny. I've been keeping track of the final 20 series with the Twins and White Sox and ever since the last Twins/Sox series where the Twins won 3 of 4, which was 16 series ago, I've been very nervous.

[Felix]

On a side note ... are any of you too scared to watch? Not flaming, just asking personal preference. Would you rather not follow the game on tv or online, on the gamethread at soxtalk.com? Will you just wait for the final score or watch every inning??

I'll be at all 3, so not, I'm not scared to watch. There is a reason I love the sport so much, and that's because I love watching it. I will never be "too scared" to watch a baseball (or any sport) game.

Edited September 23, 2008 by Felix

[kjshoe04]

I'll be watching, except tuesday(Stupid WCIU, maybe I can find a bar that has it.) but you better believe i'll be scared s***less.

[caulfield12]

i remember the Sox had a 3.5 game lead heading into that series, they dropped the 1st one so the lead was cut to 2.5. With Cleveland on the verge of cutting the lead to 1.5, Rally Crede saved the Sox season with a walkoff homerun to put the lead back to 3.5 games. The Indians went on to win game 3 cutting the lead back to 2.5 games. But with 6 games left, the Sox got help from Tampa and KC as they went on to clinch in Detroit during the final week of the season.

 

This is a pretty similar situation. Instead we go into this series with a 2.5 game lead. If the Sox can somehow win 1 game they come home with a 1.5 game lead against an Indian team playing pretty good baseball. If the Sox win 2, all the Sox would have to do is win 1 game vs the Tribe to clinch the division. That would be the 1st time the Sox have clinched their division at home since 1993. (Remember Bo's Home Run??)

 

 

The other thing, besides the scrubs and McCarthy taking it to the Indians that weekend, was the Sizemore dropped ball in the sun in that Sunday day game in KC. I really think that specific moment was the turning point in the season...leading to so many more breaks, Gaffe-anino's play, AJ/Josh Paul/Eddings, missing their aces in each series, Clemens' health, El Duque getting out of Marte's mess, it's almost not possible to believe 3 years later.