MLB FanHouse

J.J. Hardy Traded for Carlos Gomez

Matt Snyder — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:25:00 EST

Filed under: Brewers, Twins, AL Central, NL Central, MLB Transactions

It was no secret J.J. Hardy was likely going to be traded this offseason, but most believed the Brewers would use him to acquire some desperately needed starting pitching help. Instead, they have opted to move him to Minnesota for a young center fielder -- Carlos Gomez.

Hardy, 27, fell out of favor with the Brewers this past season as he failed to meet his previously set offensive standards. He ended the season with an abysmal .659 OPS and the Brewers have uber-prospect Alcides Escobar waiting in the wings (he hit .304 in 38 big-league games last season). Thus, it made sense to move Hardy, who did hit 50 home runs in his previous two campaigns, for help elsewhere.

Hardy will slide into the starting shortstop role for the Twins, who are now almost certain to allow Orlando Cabrera to walk as a free agent.

With the emergence of Denard Span in center for Minnesota, Gomez -- who came over as part of the Johan Santana trade -- became expendable for the Twins. The 23-year-old speedster hit just .248 with a .293 on-base percentage in his two years for the Twins. He flashed some promise at times, racking up impressive stolen base totals and several triples, but he largely disappointed at the plate.

Still, he's only going to be 24 on Opening Day, 2010, and the Brewers can plug him into center field in place of most-likely-departing Mike Cameron. Gomez makes much more sense for the Brewers than Cameron anyway, considering his age and the fact that the Brewers already have enough power. They need table-setters. If Gomez can find a way to work his OBP up to the .350 (or more) range, he'll be a very valuable cog in the Milwaukee lineup.

Both teams have a bit more work to do, but the World Series just ended Wednesday. For now, this is a good, mutually-beneficial trade to kick off Hot Stove season for each.

J.J. Hardy Traded for Carlos Gomez originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In Case You Were Wondering, A-Rod as Locked In as Ever This October

Frankie Piliere — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 02:03:00 EST

Filed under: Red Sox, Twins, Yankees, MLB Playoffs, American League Division Series, Scout's Eye View

In Advanced Scouting, MLB FanHouse's professional talent evaluator breaks down the playoffs from a scouting perspective.

Rest easy Yankee fans. It appears that you finally have the real Alex Rodriguez at just the right time. Sure, it's easy to say it's early, A-Rod still has much to prove and has many demons to overcome, but this is not just about results. Looking at him simply from a mechanical and approach standpoint, Rodriguez looks absolutely locked in.

Many sluggers like Rodriguez can overcome a poor approach at times and get by on pure ability, and to an extent the same goes for him. But, when you are looking for the super-human results that Yankee fans expect, look no further than his comfort level with his mechanics at the plate.

Unlike most hitters, Rodriguez has the luxury of being able to battle his mechanics and fight through adjustments, while still putting up good numbers. Tthe difference between the locked in A-Rod and the merely human A-Rod is very large, though. Essentially, it comes down to the quality of his at-bats. When he's right, as he clearly is right now, you see a hitter at ease with taking pitches early in the count. He is not afraid to get behind in the count and fight off tough pitches until he gets a pitch to drive. This is a player that, when he's on top of his game, can still drive the ball over 400 feet on a two-strike pitch.

On quite the opposite end of the spectrum, the out-of-sync version of A-Rod looks quite a bit in different in demeanor and approach. Tending to get caught in between, A-Rod gets pull conscious, and that's when you see those long, sweeping swings from him on outside breaking balls. That version of Rodriguez seems to have a distinct fear of getting beat by the fastball, which is why you so often see him look so poor on off-speed offerings during one of his rough patches.

Fortunately for the Yankees, Rodriguez is going through the furthest thing from a rough patch this October. Although he had his glimpses of playoff success in past ALDS action, as he did in 2004 against Minnesota, he has never looked quite so locked in and willing to drive the ball to the opposite field. When A-Rod comes to the realization that he does have the ability to wait and react late to the fastball without having to guess and start early, he is close to unstoppable. When he's at that level of confidence in his bat speed and he's staying short to the ball, he is no longer as vulnerable to the breaking ball down and away.

All mechanics aside, here is a key thing to keep an eye on in upcoming playoff action for Rodriguez. Just about the worst thing a pitcher can allow him to do is see and swing at a lot of pitches in an at-bat. As much as any hitter in the game, he gets exponentially more dangerous as he can see and file away a pitcher's arsenal. So, if you see a Rodriguez at-bat where he continues to foul off pitches, chances are he is waiting back well and unafraid of letting the pitch get right on top of him.

In his two biggest at-bats in the Twins' series against Joe Nathan in Game 2and Carl Pavano in Game 3, the pattern was similar. In both instances, Rodriguez, rather than starting the bat early, was content to foul balls off until he got a fastball he could time. Confidence is indeed an issue for A-Rod, and now that he can't be beat on the fastball, he will stay back and continue to punish the ball to center and right-center field.

Spotlight Moment

If you want the definition of a quality at-bat, look at A-Rod's seventh-inning battle with Carl Pavano on Sunday night. Quite often there is an obvious mistake by a pitcher early in a count that results in a home run, or in other cases there is finally a mistake forced by the hitter. This was a case of the latter against a pitcher who was on the top of his game.

Taking the close pitches and fouling off the tough ones, he was able to work the count full until Pavano left a fastball just elevated enough that he could drive it. In Pavano's defense, it was not a clear mistake pitch. When you are swinging the bat like A-Rod though, a minor mistake is all it takes. The rocket of a home run he drove over the right field wall is the type of thing you'll see when he is letting the ball come to him. It can't be said enough what a special, and locked in player it takes to be able to drive a pitch like that in a two-strike count.

Quick Hits

o. The end result may not have gone his way, but hats off to Carl Pavano. With every excuse to fold under the pressure of facing the Yankees lineup, he turned in a brilliant performance. But let's give him even more credit from a stuff standpoint. Pavano is known as a pitcher that relies on command and feel for pitching, but he attacked the New York lineup with some very impressive stuff. Pitching at an adrenaline-fueled 91-93 mph early on, Pavano settled into the 90-91 vicinity the rest of the night. Most impressive was his changeup. A true swing-and-miss pitch if he throws it the way he did Sunday, Pavano's change has some splitter-like action, which can be tough on both lefties and righties. He is a three-pitch pitcher who has a very good idea of how to get quality big-leaguers out. Looking ahead to next season, he may be poised for a big year if he can remain healthy.

o. Jonathan Papelbon has quality secondary pitches and plus velocity on his fastball, but the reality is that he is where he is because of fastball command. On Sunday afternoon, that command simply deserted him and he was burned because of it. Even when you are throwing 95-97 mph, big-league hitters will make you pay on fastballs in the middle of the plate -- especially when you are not showing your secondary pitches as he did (not) in this outing.

Frankie Piliere spent the last three seasons working as a scout, most recently in the professional scouting department for the Texas Rangers in 2009. He now serves as the National Baseball Analyst here at FanHouse.

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MLB Postseason Photos

The breath of Philadelphia Phillies' Chase Utley turns to steam in the cold during the fifth inning of Game 3 against the Colorado Rockies in a National League baseball division series in Denver on Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009. (AP Photo/ David Zalubowski)

2009 Baseball Playoffs

Colorado Rockies' Dexter Fowler tries to avoid the tag of Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Joe Blanton, back, as Fowler tries to reach first base on a ground ball during the fourth inning of Game 3 in a National League division baseball series in Denver on Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009. Fowler was out on the play. (AP Photo/ Will Powers)

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Philadelphia Phillies Joe Blanton reacts on the mound after giving up a solo homerun to Colorado Rockies' Carlos Gonzalez, who runs the bases in the background, during the fourth inning of Game 3 in a National League division baseball series in Denver on Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009. (AP Photo/ Jack Dempsey)

Colorado Rockies' Carlos Gonzalez celebrates after his solo homerun in the fourth inning of Game 3 in a National League division baseball series against the Philadelphia Phillies in Denver on Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009. (AP Photo/ Jack Dempsey)

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DENVER - OCTOBER 11: Joe Blanton #56 of the Philadelphia Phillies tags out Dexter Fowler #24 of the Colorado Rockies for the third out in the bottom of the fourth inning in Game Three of the NLDS during the 2009 MLB Playoffs at Coors Field on October 11, 2009 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Joe Blanton;Dexter Fowler

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DENVER - OCTOBER 11: Carlos Gonzalez #5 of the Colorado Rockies hits a solo home run against the Philadelphia Phillies in the bottom of the fourth inning in Game Three of the NLDS during the 2009 MLB Playoffs at Coors Field on October 11, 2009 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/ Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Carlos Gonzalez

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DENVER - OCTOBER 11: Carlos Gonzalez #5 of the Colorado Rockies celebrates after hitting a solo home run against the Philadelphia Phillies in the bottom of the fourth inning in Game Three of the NLDS during the 2009 MLB Playoffs at Coors Field on October 11, 2009 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/ Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Carlos Gonzalez

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DENVER - OCTOBER 11: Joe Blanton #56 of the Philadelphia Phillies pitches against the Colorado Rockies in Game Three of the NLDS during the 2009 MLB Playoffs at Coors Field on October 11, 2009 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Joe Blanton

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DENVER - OCTOBER 11: Jose Contreras #54 of the Colorado Rockies pitches against the Philadelphia Phillies in Game Three of the NLDS during the 2009 MLB Playoffs at Coors Field on October 11, 2009 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/ Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jose Contreras

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In Case You Were Wondering, A-Rod as Locked In as Ever This October originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 02:03:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2009 MLB Postseason Schedule

Pat Lackey — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 17:20:00 EST

Filed under: Angels, Cardinals, Dodgers, Phillies, Red Sox, Rockies, Twins, Yankees, AL Central, AL East, AL West, NL Central, NL East, NL West, MLB Playoffs, American League Division Series, National League Division Series

With two series over, Major League Baseball has updated the schedule for the rest of the Division Series.

The Rockies and Phillies will play their Game 4 at 4 PM ET if the Yankees-Twins series is still going on. Should the Yankees finish off a sweep Sunday night, the NL Game would move to 6 PM ET.

Series-by-series times are after the jump (all times Eastern).

Minnesota Twins vs. New York Yankees:

Game 1- Twins at Yankees, 10/7, 6:07 PM, TBS
Game 2- Twins at Yankees, 10/9, 6:07 PM, TBS
Game 3- Yankees at Twins, 10/11, 7:07 PM, TBS
Game 4- Yankees at Twins, 10/12, 7:37 PM, if necessary, TBS
Game 5- Twins at Yankees, 10/14, 8:07 PM, if necessary, TBS

Boston Red Sox vs. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

Game 1- Red Sox at Angels, 10/8, 9:37 PM, TBS
Game 2- Red Sox at Angels, 10/9, 9:37 PM, TBS
Game 3- Angels at Red Sox, 10/11, 12:07 PM, TBS

St. Louis Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

Game 1- Cardinals at Dodgers, 10/7, 9:37 PM, TBS
Game 2- Cardinals at Dodgers, 10/8, 6:07 PM, TBS
Game 3- Dodgers at Cardinals, 10/10, 6:07 PM,TBS

Colorado Rockies vs. Philadelphia Phillies

Game 1- Rockies at Phillies, 10/7, 2:37 PM, TBS
Game 2- Rockies at Phillies, 10/8, 2:37 PM, TBS
Game 3- Phillies at Rockies, 10/11, 10:07 PM,TBS
Game 4- Phillies at Rockies, 10/12, 6:07 PM (7:37 PM if AL still going), TBS
Game 5- Rockies at Phillies, 10/13, 8:07 PM, if necessary TBS

AL Championship Series

Game 1-Angels at Yankees or Twins at Angels, 10/16, Fox
Game 2-Angels at Yankees or Twins at Angels, 10/17, Fox
Game 3-Yankees at Angels or Angels at Twins, 10/19, Fox
Game 4-Yankees at Angels or Angels at Twins, 10/20, Fox
Game 5-Yankees at Angels or Angels at Twins, 10/22, if necessary, Fox
Game 6-Angels at Yankees or Twins at Angels, 10/24, if necessary, Fox
Game 7-Angels at Yankees or Twins at Angels, 10/25, if necessary, Fox

NL Championship Series

Game 1-Rockies or Phillies at Dodgers, 10/15, TBS
Game 2-Rockies or Phillies at Dodgers, 10/16, TBS
Game 3-Dodgers at Rockies or Philliies, 10/18, TBS
Game 4-Dodgers at Rockies or Philliies, 10/19, TBS
Game 5-Dodgers at Rockies or Philliies, 10/21, if necessary, TBS
Game 6-Rockies or Phillies at Dodgers, 10/23, if necessary, TBS
Game 7-Rockies or Phillies at Dodgers, 10/24, if necessary, TBS

2009 MLB Postseason Schedule originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 11 Oct 2009 17:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Twins' New Home Is on Target

Ed Price — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 14:15:00 EST

Filed under: Twins, MLB Biz

MINNEAPOLIS -- If Game 3 of the American League Division Series was to be played at Target Field, it would be about 40 degrees at game time. And falling.

But the grass would be fine, since 41 miles of coils containing glycol will keep the field itself at least 42 degrees so the grass never freezes.

The fans and players may have to suffer.

Target Field doesn't open until April, and the Twins -- and denizens of the upper Midwest -- are perfectly happy to be playing outside instead of at the Metrodome.

During a Sunday morning media tour of Target Field, team president Dave St. Peter said the Twins have already sold the equivalent of 17,000 season tickets for 2010. They had 11,000 season tickets this year at the Metrodome and could nearly double that for next season, which would put them in the top eight in Major League Baseball.

Target Field will seat about 39,800, plus standing room, and tickets range from $10 to $275 (just 16 seats at the latter price). And the stadium has a number of nice Minnesota touches.

The exterior is local stone, quarried 90 miles away near the Minnesota River. That cost an extra $8 million, which the Pohlad family was willing to pay for a local touch.

One of the flagpoles in right field, beyond an "Overlook" section of seats that extends eight feet past the 23-foot-high right field wall (the same height as the Metrodome "baggie," but an actual wall), will come from old Metropolitan Stadium. The flagpole has spent the intervening 28 years at the American Legion post in Richfield, Minn.

The Budweiser Roof Deck at the top of the stands in the left-field corner, a cross between Fenway Park's Green Monster seats and the rooftops at Wrigley Field, imitates a local tradition with a fire pit.

And a 46-foot-high sign beyond center field has an outline of the state with the old team logo, twins "Minnie" and "Paul" across the Mississippi River. When a Twin hits a home run at Target Field, the sign will light up and the twins will shake hands.

It took the Twins 10 years of work to get this stadium approved and built. Local government is paying $350 million, with the team adding another $180-200 millon so far.

The site is downtown, near the Timberwolves' Target Center, wedged between two bridges and railroad tracks.

"When we first saw it," said Jerry Bell, president of Twins Sports Inc., "we said it was too small. And we were right.

"It's a 14 1/2-acre building on 8 1/2 acres."

So parts of the stands are cantilevered over the Burlington Northern tracks and a city street.

A retractable roof would have cost another $125 million, Bell said, so the elements will be part of the stadium.

Yet the Twins said had they played outdoors this year, they would have had just two or three delays and no postponements. So precipitation isn't the issue, but temperature is.

The wide concourses have radiant heating overhead. And there are places for fans to gather and rewarm their bodies: an upper-deck Twins Pub and a watering hole called Hrbek's, after Minnesotan and former Twins first baseman Kent Hrbek ("There's no salads," St. Peter said).

Twins history is honored all over the park. The gates are numbered and named after former stars -- gate 29 is the "Rod Carew Gate," and most fans will enter gate 34, the "Kirby Puckett Gate."

On the club level, there's a Puckett Atrium, with the late Kirby Puckett's image engraved in wood above the bar. And a bar is named "573" after Harmon Killebrew's career homer total.

St. Peter can't stress enough how glad the Twins are to be leaving the Metrodome, where they were the No. 2 tenant after the Vikings.

About the only thing Target Field will have in common with the Metrodome is at the concession stands.

"We surveyed our fans," St. Peter said, "and the one thing they want is the 'Dome Dogs.'

"We're not bringing the baggie."

Twins' New Home Is on Target originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 11 Oct 2009 14:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Twins Villain Cuzzi Once Fired as Minor League Ump

Ed Price — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 18:41:00 EST

Filed under: Twins, Yankees, MLB Playoffs, MLB Umpires, American League Division Series

MINNEAPOLIS -- Phil Cuzzi, the umpire who missed a call down the left-field line that helped cost the Twins their game Friday night at Yankee Stadium, was fired as a minor league umpire in 1993.

According to a June 1999 story by The Associated Press, Cuzzi was working at a hotel bar in July 1999 when he approached National League president Len Coleman and asked for a chance to get back into umpiring.

Coleman allowed Cuzzi to work his way back from the low minors, and Cuzzi was one of 25 new umpires hired in 1999 as a response to mass resignations that were part of a failed labor ploy.

More Coverage: Blown Call Costs Twins | Yanks Take 2-0 Lead

Cuzzi, working the left-field line in Game 2 of the American League Division Series, ruled Joe Mauer's 11th-inning drive foul from about 15 feet away. But the ball clearly hit in fair territory, and it would have been a double for Mauer. He later singled, but the Twins failed to score and went on to lose in the bottom of the inning.

As Twins closer Joe Nathan told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune: "I had a tough night the inning before, and [Cuzzi] made a bad call there. So we both blew one tonight."

And Cuzzi, 44, had yet to speak about the call until a Saturday night interview with the Newark Star-Ledger. After the game, crew chief Tim Tschida addressed the missed call in lieu of Cuzzi, which is standard practice.

"Some things are correctable," Tschida said. "Some things can be overturned. Some things are just -- you have to go with what the guy closest to the play had and you live and die with the decision.

"We just feel horribly when that happens to us, you know? There's a guy sitting over in the umpire's dressing room right now that feels horrible. I've been there. ... Nobody feels it worse than the umpire."

Cuzzi told the Star-Ledger he felt horribly about missing the call.

"Unless you umpire, you can't possibly understand," Cuzzi told the Star-Ledger in a phone interview Saturday night. "It happens. It happens at the worst possible time. And it happened to me." ...

"We're not used to playing that far down the line," Cuzzi said. "The instant the ball is hit, we usually start running. I think I may have been looking too closely at it. I never had a feel for where the left fielder was on the play."

But this much he knows: "There is no excuse. I missed the play. It's a terrible feeling. As badly as many people on that field may have felt (Friday), I don't think any of them had a worse night's sleep than I did."

In October 1999, the Mets protested to Major League Baseball that Cuzzi, working home plate for a Mets-Braves game, refused to ask for help from the first- and third-base umpires. A New York Post story suggested it was because the corner umpires were union veterans and he was one of the hired replacements.

This is not Cuzzi's first assignment for a big event; he worked the 2003-04 Division Series, the 2005 NLCS and the 2008 All-Star Game.

The 1999 AP story on Cuzzi read:

Cuzzi began umpiring in 1985 in the New York-Penn League. By 1991, he was a fill-in for the NL, and he worked a total of 95 games in the majors in a three-year span -- ejecting the likes of Bobby Bonilla, Dallas Green and Jim Lefebvre along the way.

Then on the day before Thanksgiving in 1993 came the dreaded call. He had done well, but there were no foreseeable spots for him in the majors, and he was being released -- forever.

Though about a dozen pro umps get dropped each year, "I couldn't believe it," he said.

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said Saturday instant replay probably isn't a solution.

"Give me a headset and give me a red flag and we can fix this stuff," he said, "but I would have to have somebody calling me up saying 'throw your flag, let's question this call.'

"The great thing about baseball is the human elements involved, and we always want to keep it that way; (it's) not easy when you are in New York. The lines are short and it's not easy, so there you have it. You are going to have a few. We made enough mistakes ourselves and we missed opportunities to win the game ourselves, too. It just goes that way sometimes."

Said Yankees manager Joe Girardi: "I like the way they are doing it, just home run calls. Those are important plays, and there are other important plays, and you could look at the play the other night and say that was an important play, but I think there would be too many things that people would want instant replay, and where would you stop?"

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MLB Postseason Photos

Los Angeles Dodgers' Manny Ramirez follows through with an RBI double during the first inning in Game 3 of the National League division baseball series against the St. Louis Cardinals Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

ASSOCIATED PRESS

2009 Baseball Playoffs

ASSOCIATED PRESS

ST. LOUIS, MO - OCTOBER 10: Manny Ramirez #99 of the Los Angeles Dodgers warms-up before Game Three of the NLDS against the St. Louis Cardinals during the 2009 MLB Playoffs at Busch Stadium on October 10, 2009 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Manny Ramirez

Getty Images

ST. LOUIS, MO - OCTOBER 10: Clayton Kershaw #21 of the Los Angeles Dodgers signs balls for fans of the St. Louis Cardinals before Game Three of the NLDS during the 2009 MLB Playoffs at Busch Stadium on October 10, 2009 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Clayton Kershaw

Getty Images

ST. LOUIS, MO - OCTOBER 10: Attendees arrive to Busch Stadium for Game Three of the NLDS betweens the St. Louis Cardinals and the Los Angeles Dodgers during the 2009 MLB Playoffs at Busch Stadium on October 10, 2009 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)

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ST. LOUIS, MO - OCTOBER 10: Matt Kemp #27 of the Los Angeles Dodgers ismiles in the dugout before Game Three of the NLDS during the 2009 MLB Playoffs against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium on October 10, 2009 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Matt Kemp

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ST. LOUIS, MO - OCTOBER 10: Clayton Kershaw #21 of the Los Angeles Dodgers for fans of the St. Louis Cardinals before Game Three of the NLDS during the 2009 MLB Playoffs at Busch Stadium on October 10, 2009 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Clayton Kershaw #

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ST. LOUIS, MO - OCTOBER 10: An exterior view of Busch Stadium before the start of Game Three of the NLDS during the 2009 MLB Playoffs between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Los Angeles Dodgers on October 10, 2009 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

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ST. LOUIS, MO - OCTOBER 10: Fans of the St. Louis Cardinals cheer for their team before the start of Game Three of the NLDS during the 2009 MLB Playoffs against of the Los Angeles Dodgers at Busch Stadium on October 10, 2009 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

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ST. LOUIS, MO - OCTOBER 10: A statue of Stan Musial from the St. Louis Cardinals sits outside of Busch Stadium before the start of Game Three of the NLDS during the 2009 MLB Playoffs between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Los Angeles Dodgers on October 10, 2009 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

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ST. LOUIS, MO - OCTOBER 10: A young fan holds a sign to support the Los Angeles Dodgers before the start of Game Three of the NLDS during the 2009 MLB Playoffs between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Los Angeles Dodgers on October 10, 2009 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

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Twins Villain Cuzzi Once Fired as Minor League Ump originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sat, 10 Oct 2009 18:41:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Once Mocked in New York, Pavano Now Valued in Minnesota

Ed Price — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 17:45:00 EST

Filed under: Twins, Yankees, MLB Playoffs, American League Division Series

MINNEAPOLIS -- People in New York must think we're talking about some other guy named Carl Pavano.

And maybe we are.

The Carl Pavano who will start for the Twins on Sunday in Game 3 of their American League Division Series against the Yankees doesn't sound like the one who spent four years on the Yankees. Or, more precisely, their disabled list.

He's married now, with one child and another on the way. He's 33 years old and pitching on a one-year contract that forces him to earn his next deal.

And he's healthy, which is the biggest change of all.

"I've always thought Carl is in a good place," Yankees' right-hander A.J. Burnett, a teammate of Pavano's in Florida, told FanHouse. "He wasn't healthy, man. I went through the same deal in Florida and my first couple years in Toronto.

"You're a completely different person upstairs when you're right. ... I'm really happy for him."

"It's definitely a black period in my career, four years where I was kind of just treading water for a while there. But obviously, with the way this year has gone, ... everything has come full circle."
-- Carl Pavano on his time IN New York Pavano will be making his first postseason appearance since going 2-0 with a 1.40 ERA in eight games (two starts) for the 2003 Marlins.

He has already faced the Yankees twice this season, getting no decisions but compiling a 2.70 ERA (13 1/3 innings, 11 hits, one walk, eight strikeouts).

And he refuses to make Sunday's game about revenge, or proving anything.

"It's definitely a black period in my career," he said, "four years where I was kind of just treading water for a while there. But obviously, with the way this year has gone, I have been able to go out there and sustain health, go out there and be successful and get through the year and how everything has come full circle.

"I am getting a start in the playoffs, I can't ask for much more than that. When I look back on it, obviously things could have been a lot different, but it didn't work out that way, but I feel like I am getting back to where I was before all those problems."

The New York Post didn't just nickname Pavano "America Idle" for his extensive DL time, it used the moniker nearly daily.

Despite not joining the Twins until Aug. 7, he has made more starts for them (12) than he did over the final three years of his Yankees contract (nine). In fact, he made 26 Yankees starts in four years -- and 19 minor-league rehabilitation starts.

The Yankees signed him for four years and $39.95 million after the 2004 season, and all they got was 145 2/3 innings and nine wins.

General manager Brian Cashman defended Pavano through the contract and again Saturday.

"When he's healthy, he can pitch," Cashman said. "The true storyline is he just wasn't healthy.

"He wasn't a bad guy at all, as far as I was I was concerned. I didn't feel like he stole our money. ... I went down with him. He took a lot of crap, and so did I. I never lost my perspective on what really happened. It was a move that didn't work because he didn't stay healthy. Do I blame him for it? No I don't I don't think he laid down on us."

There was a sore shoulder in 2005, then a bad back and bone chips in his elbow in 2006. Then, while recovering from the elbow surgery, a broken rib suffered in a car accident that he hid from the team ("Crash Test Dummy," howled the tabloids).

In 2007, a series of injuries somehow left Pavano as the only starter available for Opening Day. But after just two starts, he had another elbow problem. And after a protracted back-and-forth with management over whether he needed surgery -- the Yankees wanted him to try to come back without it -- Pavano had Tommy John surgery in June, keeping him out until late August 2008.

Through it all Pavano was often immature, petulant, disingenuous and untruthful.

And now ...

"We are just a Minnesota nice group," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said, "and we like the hell out of the guy, and we can't wait to see him on the mound tomorrow night, and hopefully it works out for us."

Pavano started this year with Cleveland, which sent him to Minnesota once the Twins lost lefty Glen Perkins to a sore shoulder.

While Pavano was only 5-4 with a 4.64 ERA for Minnesota, the Twins won five of his final six starts as they overtook the Tigers in the AL Central.

"Everybody knew he was this pitcher for the Marlins," said his agent, Tom O'Connell. "If it wasn't for injuries, he would have been this kind of guy for the Yankees."

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Twins-Yankees Photos

New York Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte answers a question during a news conference after workouts Saturday, Oct., 10, 2009 in Minneapolis as he prepares to face the Minnesota Twins in Game 3 of the American League division baseball series on Sunday. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)

Yankees vs Twins

New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi addresses the media after team workouts Saturday, Oct., 10, 2009 in Minneapolis as they prepare for Game 3 of the American League division baseball series against the Minnesota Twins. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)

New York Yankees' Alex Rodriguez waits his turn to bat during a team workout Saturday, Oct., 10, 2009 in Minneapolis as the Yankees prepare for Game 3 of the American League division baseball series against the Minnesota Twins. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)

The New York Yankees take batting practice during a workout Saturday, Oct., 10, 2009 in the Metrodome in Minneapolis as they prepare for Game 3 of the American League division baseball series against the Minnesota Twins. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)

The New York Yankees stretch during a team workout on Saturday, Oct., 10, 2009 in the Metrodome in Minneapolis as they prepare for Game 3 of the American League division baseball series against the Minnesota Twins. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)

New York Yankees' Nick Swisher enjoys a laugh during workouts Saturday, Oct., 10, 2009 in Minneapolis as the team prepares for Game 3 of the American League division baseball series against the Minnesota Twins. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)

New York Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte gets ready for a team workout on Saturday, Oct., 10, 2009 in Minneapolis as he prepares to pitch Game 3 of the American League division baseball series against the Minnesota Twins. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)

New York Yankees' Mark Teixeira stretches during workouts Saturday, Oct., 10, 2009 in Minneapolis as the Yankees prepare for Game 3 of the American League division baseball series against the Minnesota Twins. Looking on is Johnny Damon, left. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)

Minnesota Twins pitcher Carl Pavano addresses the media during a news conference on Saturday, Oct., 10, 2009 in Minneapolis. Pavano is scheduled to start against the New York Yankees in Game 3 of the American League division baseball series on Sunday. The Yankees lead the best-of-five games series 2-0. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)

Minnesota Twins manager Ron Gardenhire laughs during a news conference on Saturday, Oct., 10, 2009 in Minneapolis. The Twins trail the New York Yankees 2-0 in the best-of-five games American League division baseball series. Game 3 is scheduled for Sunday. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)

Said Andy Pettitte, who will oppose Pavano on Sunday: "I'm happy for him that he's here now and things have been a little different."

With the Twins, Pavano is the fourth-oldest player on the roster -- after catcher Mike Redmond, closer Joe Nathan and shortstop Orlando Cabrera -- and had to take on a leadership role.

"All the stuff that's gone on in the past with Carl," Gardenhire said, "I just know one thing, what he has meant to us and what he has helped us achieve here has been fantastic. He has come on and been a steady force for our baseball team, when he is pitching and when he is not pitching. And that's all we really give a flip about."

On Sept. 9, with Joe Mauer needing a day off from catching, Gardenhire had rookie Jose Morales catch Pavano.

"And they didn't really click that day," Gardenhire said. "So for the next couple of days he sat with Morales and was showing him about situations, what would you do here, and was asking him [questions]. And I thought that was fantastic, that a veteran pitcher would take an opportunity with a young guy sitting on the bench during a game and talk to him about situational pitching, what you would do here, or what do you think he is looking for?

"And those are the types of things you just can't replace. I mean, that's needed. Our coaching staff, we can do that, but when a veteran that's been out there on the mound is taking the time with a young catcher, that's pretty impressive."

It also is a far cry from someone who had a hard time fitting in inside the Yankees clubhouse -- mainly because a $200 million team expected to win the World Series every year has little use for someone who can't play.

"The fact guys are looking up to him, that's good," Burnett said. "I always thought Carl had a lot to offer. I always thought he had that in him, guys could benefit from him, because he knows how to pitch."

If Pavano wins today, people will say he proved a point, and Yankees fans will get apoplectic over losing to one of their favorite punching bags. If he loses, then they can say he finally helped the Yankees.

"There were a lot of good times," he said of his Yankees tenure, "but there were a lot of frustrating times that always stand out a lot more. But I am thankful I got another opportunity after that to get back to where I was before all the frustrating times."

Once Mocked in New York, Pavano Now Valued in Minnesota originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sat, 10 Oct 2009 17:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Playoff Pulse: And on the Fourth Day, They Started?

Andrew Johnson — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Cardinals, Red Sox, Twins, Yankees, MLB Playoffs, American League Division Series, National League Division Series, Playoff Pulse

Playoff Pulse is our morning rundown of the night that was and the night that will be during the MLB postseason.

Looking Forward ...

Is it the desperation of potential elimination that makes teams more willing to push the envelope? Or more willingness to push ace pitchers? Or an extremely good batch of No. 1 starters and a weak bunch of No. 4s?

Whatever it is, two clubs in 0-2 Division Series holes appear ready to bring back their Game 1 starters on short rest in Game 4, should they get to that point. The Red Sox acknowledged as much before their Game 2 loss to the Angels.

"[Lester] threw 100 pitches [in Game 1]. I think we'd like to bring him back [in Game 4]. I'm getting ahead of myself, but then we'd want [Josh] Beckett to pitch Game 5. That's what we're hoping to do. But, try to get through tonight, make sure Lester's OK," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said.

Cardinals manager Tony La Russa, legendary to baseball scribes nationwide for his terseness, was less forthcoming about his plans, but did hint that he would do the same with Chris Carpenter.

"We're spending a lot of time thinking about what we do to get to Game 4," La Russa said. "That is definitely the priority. ... Chris is one of the guys that's a possibility."

Carpenter and Lester are two of the best pitchers in baseball, so Francona and La Russa obviously want to maximize the number of starts they can get from them in a series, particularly with such a strong No. 2 behind each in Adam Wainwright and Josh Beckett, respectively, ready to follow them in a decisive fifth game.

Neither manager has particularly appetizing options among their rested hurlers either. Francona would go to Daisuke Matsuzaka if he didn't hand Lester the ball, while La Russa would go to Kyle Lohse or John Smoltz. Unless Smoltz hopped into a rejuvenator machine, we wouldn't trust any of that trio in a do-or-die game either.

In Their Own Words
"To me, Albert is in a class by himself. ... It may cost me [Saturday]. I don't know a three-run homer instead of a two-run homer. But I'm still going to make someone else beat me." -- Dodgers manager Joe Torre on his team's approach to Albert Pujols.
By the Numbers
July 4, 2007 The date of the last Twins victory in the Bronx. Johan Santana beat Mike Mussina that day. They've lost 10 straight in New York since. *-- Ed Price*
More From FanHouse
Price: Two Bronx Stars Born Krasovic: Halos on Brink Piliere: Scouting Notes

Looking Back ...

If TBS knows funny, then the Twins know drama. They've been involved in two of the three best games this week, with the other being Game 2 of the Dodgers-Cardinals NLDS.

Minnesota is now on the brink of elimination, and based on our extremely small sample size, that might be a bad thing for postseason intrigue.

Then again, a Yankees-Angels ALCS, which is what we appear headed for now, probably wouldn't be lacking for storylines. And if the Angels failed to finish the deal, a Yankees-Red Sox ALCS wouldn't be lacking either.

Scout's Eye View ...

The execution of the strategy to get ahead of the Yankees by pitching backwards and neutralizing their patient approach is what kept the Twins in Game 2. What lost the game was the inability to execute this strategy later on in the night. Looking back at Alex Rodriguez's ninth-inning at-bat against Joe Nathan, it's clear than the Twins closer had the right idea, but the inability to execute.

Nathan went with his secondary stuff three times in a row to start, missing first with a curveball then with two sliders. After getting back into the count with a 3-0 fastball for a strike, Nathan made a mistake over the heart of the plate with a fastball. Hitters of A-Rod's caliber don't miss those.

As poor of a mistake as this pitch was, it was the inability to throw his secondary pitches for strikes to begin the count that really came back to haunt him. When Rodriguez isn't forced to honor the breaking ball and can stay on his back leg on the pitch away, that's when you see those long home runs to center and right-center field, just like we saw on Friday.

-- Frankie Piliere (Full Scouting Notebook)

Saturday's Tale of the Tape ...

Dodgers (Vicente Padilla) at Cardinals (Joel Pineiro), 6:07 PM ET: Padilla definitely loves being a Dodger; his 3.20 ERA in eight appearances was his best in any setting since 2000. He's also 3-0 on the road as a Dodger. It's a pretty small sample with the current Cardinals, so there's no good read (only Mark DeRosa, of the starters, has faced him more than 10 times). Pineiro is considerably better at home (2.87 ERA compared to 4.07 on the road) and handcuffed the Dodgers in St. Louis earlier this year (eight innings, six hits, one earned run, seven strikeouts, one walk). Beware, however, of Manny Ramirez. In 38 career plate appearances against Pineiro, Manny has 14 hits (.424), four home runs, eight RBI, three walks (.500 OBP) and a 1.288 OPS.

Phillies (Pedro Martinez) at Rockies (Jason Hammel), 9:37 PM ET: In Pedro's last two outings, he was pretty bad (7.71 ERA in seven innings), his ERA was almost four runs higher on the road this year and his career numbers in Coors Field aren't good. On the flip side, no Rockies regulars have faced him more than four times, and that generally favors the pitcher (though both Garrett Atkins and Brad Hawpe have homered off before). Hammel is a much better road pitcher, as his home ERA is a daunting 5.73 in 2009. The Phillies haven't had any trouble getting baserunners on him, either. In 9 1/3 innings against the defending champs this year, Hammel coughed up 14 hits and two walks (a 1.71 WHIP). A possible X-factor? Matt Stairs is 5-for-8 with a double and two bombs off of Hammel. It's definitely going to be interesting in Denver. The matchups favor the hitters of both teams in a big way, but the weather may cancel it out.

-- Matt Snyder

Playoff Pulse: And on the Fourth Day, They Started? originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sat, 10 Oct 2009 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Forget Home Runs, Drama in Bronx Built Pitch by Pitch

Frankie Piliere — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 02:24:00 EST

Filed under: Twins, Yankees, MLB Playoffs, American League Division Series, Scout's Eye View

In Advanced Scouting, MLB FanHouse's professional talent evaluator breaks down the playoffs from a scouting perspective.

Pitch selection, execution of those pitches, and the situation those pitches are thrown in is never more scrutinized than it is in the playoffs. Time and time again, one pitch in a given situation drastically swung the momentum of Game 2 between the Yankees and Twins Friday night in the Bronx. The game may have ended with home run heroics, but the tone was set by the pitchers throughout, whether it was in a positive or negative fashion.

First, there were the two starters who in their own ways came up big. Nick Blackburn took a strategy to the mound that has proved again and again to be the most successful against the New York lineup.

He neutralized the Yankees' patient approach by throwing first pitch strikes with not just his fastball but also with his breaking ball and changeup. While not overpowering at 90-91 mph, Blackburn was able to find the inside corner on the lefty hitters and run his two-seamer back over the plate. That pitch was likely his biggest key to keeping the Yankee lineup in check for most of his start.

On the other side there was A.J. Burnett. All we usually hear about Burnett is that he is either very good or very bad with little in-between. Well, Friday night we saw the in-between, making his start all the more impressive. Specifically in the middle innings, Burnett struggled to get his fastball to the outside corner on the righties, losing several fastballs to his arm side such as the two that drilled Delmon Young and Carlos Gomez. But, what he did have going his way was an exceptional feel for the breaking ball throughout.

The breaking ball allowed him to stay away from the risky two-seam fastball intended for the inside corner against the dangerous Minnesota lefties -- a pitch that tends to run back to the fat part of the plate for Burnett as he struggles to stay closed in his delivery. Rather than those mistakes running back over the middle of the plate, the Twins' lefties saw a steady diet of back-door breaking balls and riding four-seam fastballs high and away. This was not an outing based on pure dominance for Burnett, but one of adjustments on the fly.

Friday's game had more twists and turns than anyone could count, but at the time it occurred none looked bigger than Phil Hughes' 2-2 pitch to Nick Punto in the eighth inning. Hughes, who has been extra aggressive with his fastball since moving to the 'pen, elected to go to his curveball in this spot. That curveball was deposited into center field for what appeared to be a crushing tie-breaking single.

A number of things can be said about the pitch selection and execution here. Punto is a front-foot, hands-dependent hitter -- the type of hitter who makes his living waiting back, reacting late and fighting off off-speed pitches for hits. On a 2-2 count, Hughes knew he needed to make it happen right then and there, not wanting to run the count full. That took away the luxury of bouncing the curveball. If they're going to call for the breaking pitch in that situation, it makes more sense against a hitter like Young than it does against Punto. Hughes typically picks his spots well for the breaking ball, but against a hitter of this style and in a situation where he's somewhat obligated to throw it for a strike, it had trouble written all over it. In hindsight, a good Hughes fastball on the inside corner may have been the way to go.

Spotlight Moment

The execution of the strategy to get ahead of the Yankees by pitching backwards and neutralizing their patient approach is what kept the Twins in Game 2. What lost the game was the inability to execute this strategy later on in the night. Looking back at Alex Rodriguez's ninth-inning at-bat against Joe Nathan, it's clear than the Twins' closer had the right idea but the inability to execute.

Nathan went with his secondary stuff three times in a row to start the at-bat, missing first with a curve ball then with two sliders. After getting back into the count with a 3-0 fastball for a strike, Nathan made a mistake over the heart of the plate with a fastball. Hitters of A-Rod's caliber don't miss those.

As poor of a mistake as this pitch was, it was the inability to throw his secondary pitches for strikes to begin the count that really came back to haunt him. When Rodriguez isn't forced to honor the breaking ball and can stay on his back leg on the pitch away, that's when you see those long home runs to center and right-center field, just like we saw on Friday.

Quick Hits

o. It was brief, but in his three-batter appearance, Joba Chamberlain proved that maybe he can simply flip the switch and be a dominant reliever once again. The stuff was certainly there to back him up. Chamberlain touched 97 mph and sat comfortably at 95-96 in Game 2. Most importantly, the swagger was there and he attacked the zone, aspects of his game that he was sorely lacking as a starter down the stretch. His stuff has looked better with each relief appearance, and if he continues to impress, he gives New York an even more formidable, hard-throwing bullpen to contend with.

o. The Twins' pitching staff has pounded Johnny Damon along the waistline this series and so far he's had no answer to this strategy. Damon thrives on pitchers' mistakes on breaking balls down and over the plate, but so far Minnesota appears content to attack him with the hard stuff. He's a sound fundamental hitter and will make adjustments, but how the opposition continues to attack him will be something to monitor.

Frankie Piliere spent the last three seasons working as a scout, most recently in the professional scouting department for the Texas Rangers in 2009. He now serves as the National Baseball Analyst here at FanHouse.

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MLB Postseason Photos

ANAHEIM, CA - OCTOBER 09: Bobby Abreu #53 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim is tagged out trying to steal second base by Dustin Pedroia #15 of the Boston Red Sox in the eight innig of Game Two of the ALDS during the 2009 MLB Playoffs at Angel Stadium on October 9, 2009 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Bobby Abreu; Dustin Pedroia

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2009 Baseball Playoffs

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ANAHEIM, CA - OCTOBER 09: Jonathan Papelbon #58 of the Boston Red Sox watches the game from the dugout during the ALDS in the 2009 MLB Playoffs against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Angel Stadium on October 9, 2009 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jonathan Papelbon

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Boston Red Sox pitcher Josh Beckett argues with the home plate umpire during the seventh inning of the Red Sox 4-1 loss to the Los Angeles Angels in Game 2 of the American League division baseball series Friday, Oct. 9, 2009 in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Angels' Howie Kendrick steals second as Boston Red Sox's second baseman Dustin Pedroia looks to the umpire in the seventh inning in Game 2 of the American League division baseball series Friday, Oct. 9, 2009 in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

ANAHEIM, CA - OCTOBER 09: Starting pitcher Jered Weaver #36 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim celebrates after coming out of the game in the eighth inning against the Boston Red Sox in Game Two of the ALDS during the 2009 MLB Playoffs at Angel Stadium on October 9, 2009 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jered Weaver

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ANAHEIM, CA - OCTOBER 09: Bobby Abreu #53 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim is tagged out trying to steal second base by Dustin Pedroia #15 of the Boston Red Sox in the eight innig of Game Two of the ALDS during the 2009 MLB Playoffs at Angel Stadium on October 9, 2009 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jacob de Golish/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Bobby Abreu;Dustin Pedroia

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ANAHEIM, CA - OCTOBER 09: Bobby Abreu #53, Erick Aybar #2 and and Maicer Izturis #13 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim celebrate the 4-1 run over the Boston Red Sox in Game Two of the ALDS during the 2009 MLB Playoffs at Angel Stadium on October 9, 2009 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images) (Photo by Jacob de Golish/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Bobby Abreu;Maicer Izturis;Erick Ayba

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ANAHEIM, CA - OCTOBER 09: A fan of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim holds up a sign for the rally monkey during Game Two of the ALDS during the 2009 MLB Playoffs against the Boston Red Sox at Angel Stadium on October 9, 2009 in Anaheim, California. The Angels won the game 4-1. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

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ANAHEIM, CA - OCTOBER 09: A fan of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim dressed as "Homer Simpson" hold a sign in support of the Angels during Game Two of the ALDS against the Boston Red Sox during the 2009 MLB Playoffs at Angel Stadium on October 9, 2009 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jacob de Golish/Getty Images)

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Forget Home Runs, Drama in Bronx Built Pitch by Pitch originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sat, 10 Oct 2009 02:24:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Umpires Admit Blowing Call in Twins Loss

Andrew Johnson — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 01:35:00 EST

Filed under: Twins, Yankees, MLB Playoffs, MLB Umpires, American League Division Series

Crew chief Tim Tschida admitted that left field umpire Phil Cuzzi blew a key call in the 11th inning of the Twins' Game 2 loss to the Yankees.

In the half-inning before New York's Mark Teixeira scraped his walk-off home run over the left-field wall, Twins catcher Joe Mauer sent a bloop down the line that deflected off of left fielder Melky Cabrera's glove and then bounced in fair territory. Either way, the ball was fair. Only Cuzzi ruled that it wasn't, stripping a leadoff double from the Twins' MVP candidate.

"[He] saw the ball as foul, called what he saw," Tschida said. "Afterwards, like any close play, we went in and we looked at it and it's a clear indication that an incorrect decision was rendered."

"I think we all know the ball was fair by a long ways," Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire said.

Mauer soon followed with a single, as did Jason Kubel and Michael Cuddyer. So while Cuzzi's blown call only ended up costing Mauer a base, it may have also wound up costing Minnesota a crucial lead in extra innings.

When a reporter asked Gardenhire how the game might have changed if Cuzzi had made the correct call, he responded with a question of his own.

Said Gardenhire: "What did the next guy (Kubel) do? ... Next guy got a single. You can figure that out, I think."

"There's a guy sitting over in the umpire's dressing room right now that feels horrible," Tschida said of Cuzzi. "I've been there. Some of you have been through that with me at a time or two when you render a decision and it could have a negative impact on the outcome of the game. Nobody feels it worse than the umpire."

Missed calls by the umpires have become a major storyline early on in the 2009 postseason, but Cuzzi's gaffe is the first to have a direct and significant impact on the outcome of a game.

Major League Baseball introduced instant replay on boundary (home run) calls during the middle of last season, but the clamoring for expanded replay will only grow louder with each missed call.

"It's not my call. I'm just managing a baseball team. I can't make that decision for them. There's not [more replays]," Gardenhire said. "We had six umpires out there. I think, right, six? Six umpires."

"That decision [on expanded replay] is going to be made by somebody at a much higher level than I," Tschida said.

Umpires Admit Blowing Call in Twins Loss originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sat, 10 Oct 2009 01:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A-Rod, Teixeira Take Different Paths, Become Yankee Heroes on Same Night

Ed Price — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 00:48:00 EST

Filed under: Twins, Yankees, MLB Playoffs, American League Division Series

NEW YORK -- To truly become a star, Alex Rodriguez had to allow himself to be part of a constellation.

There used to be 8 million stories in the naked city, and now there is one. Everyone wants to know: How did A-Rod finally learn to come through in the postseason?

"He's not doing it for himself," Yankees hitting coach and A-Rod confidante Kevin Long told FanHouse on Friday after Rodriguez's two-run, game-tying homer in the ninth inning set up Mark Teixeira's walk-off homer in the 11th that beat the Twins 4-3.

"When you're up there doing it for yourself, you're going to have a lot more on your mind."

More Coverage: Umpires Admit Blowing Critical Call
Game 2: Yankees 4, Twins 3 (11) | Box Score | Series Page

And that was always Rodriguez's problem, too much on his mind -- and most of that having to do with himself.

But when a player is more worried about disappointing his teammates than himself, Long said, pressure dissolves into a fear of failure.

And that's where A-Rod is now.

"It's just been a lot of fun to be one of the guys and contribute," Rodriguez told FanHouse.

"The hip surgery's taught me a lot."

There isn't much need to recap his year: the revelation and confirmation of steroid use; the damaged hip labrum that cost him the first month of the season; his relationship with Kate Hudson and his apparent genuine desire to focus on baseball and pack up the circus he carried around with him in the past.

Rodriguez said Friday that because he had no idea how he would respond to the hip surgery, he figured 15 homers and 50 RBI would be pretty good.

He ended up with 30 and 100.

And while A-Rod always tried to say the right thing, such as being one of the guys, maybe he is finally living it too.

"I just felt that when he had his hip surgery," manager Joe Girardi said, "he had time to reflect and, and I think reflection is always important for people.

"[A-Rod's] not doing it for himself. When you're up there doing it for yourself, you're going to have a lot more on your mind."
-- Yankees hitting coach Kevin Long "For me, I went home and did it after last season. Reflected on things that you can do different. I mean, from the first time he stepped up to the plate for us in May, he's been getting big hit after big hit after big hit, and he's got to have a lot of confidence in those situations."

Rodriguez came into the series hitless in 19 straight postseason at-bats with runners in scoring position. He is 3-for-4 in such situations so far in this series, hitting .500 overall with five RBI.

"I think the first hit [Wednesday] was one that definitely made me feel like I checked in and started contributing a little bit," he said.

It took Rodriguez six Yankees seasons to get to the right spot. Teixeira -- 9-for-24 (.375) in six career playoff games -- may be doing it quicker.

The two have a lot in common: ex-Rangers, Scott Boras clients, reputations in the game as mercenaries.

But for Teixeira, somewhat in the vein of Derek Jeter, the grind-it-out mentality seems to come as naturally as the clichés.

"I wasn't swinging at bad pitches," said Teixeira, who had been 0-for-7 in the series before his single that preceded A-Rod's blast into the home bullpen off Joe Nathan.

"I wasn't getting results. My last at-bat against Nathan and the home run at-bat, I wanted to swing at good pitches. I wanted to get a good pitch to drive and hope for good results. And I think staying consistent allows you to succeed even when you haven't had the best game or the best series so far."

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Twins-Yankees Photos

Minnesota Twins shortstop Orlando Cabrera pauses during the 10th inning of Game 2 of the American League division baseball series at Yankee Stadium in New York Friday, Oct. 9, 2009. The Yankees won the game in the 11th inning 4-3. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

Yankees vs Twins

Minnesota Twins relief pitcher Jose Mijares, right, watches as New York Yankees Mark Teixeira celebrates after hitting the game winning home run in the 11th inning of Game 2 of the American League division baseball series at Yankee Stadium in New York Friday, Oct. 9, 2009. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

Minnesota Twins relief pitcher Joe Nathan walks from the mound in the 10th inning after being taken out of Game 2 of the American League division baseball series against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium in New York on Friday, Oct. 9, 2009. (AP PhotoJulie Jacobson)

NEW YORK - OCTOBER 09: Mark Teixeira #25 of the New York Yankees celebrates with Tony Pena aftering hitting a walk off home run in the eleventh inning against the Minnesota Twins in Game Two of the ALDS during the 2009 MLB Playoffs at Yankee Stadium on October 9, 2009 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Mark Teixeira

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NEW YORK - OCTOBER 09: Mark Teixeira #25 of the New York Yankees celebrates after hitting a walk off home run in the eleventh inning against the Minnesota Twins in Game Two of the ALDS during the 2009 MLB Playoffs at Yankee Stadium on October 9, 2009 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Mark Teixeira

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NEW YORK - OCTOBER 09: Mark Teixeira #25 of the New York Yankees hits a walk off home run in the eleventh inning as Joe Mauer #7 the Minnesota Twins looks on in Game Two of the ALDS during the 2009 MLB Playoffs at Yankee Stadium on October 9, 2009 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Mark Teixeira;Joe Mauer

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During games, Long positions himself on the home-plate end of the Yankees' first-base-side dugout. That way he can give hitters one last tip or thought before they head on deck.

But for Rodriguez in the ninth, Long said, "He knows Nathan. I didn't have to go into any detail. I didn't say anything."

Two innings later, with Teixeira going to face Jose Mijares, Long said, "Just keep swinging it. You're swinging good. It's been good for two games."

Playoff Walk-Off HR by Yankees
Year	Player
G1 1949 WS (vs. Bkn)	Tommy Heinrich (9th)
G3 1949 WS (vs. StL)	Mickey Mantle (9th)
G5 1976 ALCS (vs. KC)	Chris Chambliss (9th)*
G2 1995 ALDS (vs. Sea)	Jim Leyritz (15th)
G1 1996 ALCS (vs. Bal)	Bernie Williams (11th)
G1 1999 ALCS (vs. Bos)	Bernie Williams (10th)
G3 1999 WS (vs. Atl)	Chad Curtis (10th)
G4 2001 ALCS (vs. Sea)	Alfonso Soriano (9th)
G4 2001 WS (vs. Ari)	Derek Jeter (10th)
G7 2003 ALCS (vs. Bos)	Aaron Boone (11th)*
G2 2009 ALDS (vs. Min)	Mark Teixeira (11th)
* -- Ended series

The Yankees' deep and powerful offense seems potent enough to make up for any other deficiencies.

So although the bullpen was overmanaged by Girardi and faltered, with Phil Hughes and Mariano Rivera combining to allow two runs in the eighth, and although pinch-runner Brett Gardner inexplicably was doubled off third base when he was the winning run in the 10th, the Yankees took a 2-0 lead in the series.

"We kind of put the pressure on the other team in the ninth," said Teixeira, the 10th different Yankee with a walk-off hit this season.

"Sometimes early in the game guys say, 'Hey, we've got time, we've got time.' You know, we'll just be patient. It didn't happen earlier today. In the ninth, that's it. You only get one shot. And because of our lineup, because of the big bats, sometimes pitchers may get a little tight and we take advantage of it."

The Yankees have 16 walk-off wins this year -- five of them against Minnesota. They have come from behind for both wins in this series and 51 others in the regular season. They are 16-0 when tied after seven innings. They have not lost to the Twins (who left an ALDS-record 17 men on base, five in extra innings) in the Bronx since July 4, 2007, when Mike Mussina faced Johan Santana.

"There's not a guy out of place," Long said. "There really isn't.

"We haven't had many discussions about someone wavering or getting off-line. Alex has been great all year. He's the least of my worries.

"I'm telling you, they're not worried about themselves. Nobody is. For what has happened here since I've been here [2007] and where we're at now, it's a huge accomplishment. Give credit to whoever you want, but it's a team. It's not about any individual player. And there's huge individual guys in here."

A-Rod, Teixeira Take Different Paths, Become Yankee Heroes on Same Night originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sat, 10 Oct 2009 00:48:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Here's Where Jimenez Went Wrong

Frankie Piliere — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 02:14:00 EST

Filed under: Cardinals, Dodgers, Phillies, Rockies, Twins, Yankees, MLB Playoffs, American League Division Series, National League Division Series, Scout's Eye View

In Advanced Scouting, MLB FanHouse's professional talent evaluator breaks down the playoffs from a scouting perspective.

Early on during the first day of the 2009 playoffs, it looked like Ubaldo Jimenez and his 100 mph fastball would rule the day. But it turned out that the experienced Phillies' lineup came back to punish Jimenez for some poor pitch selection, and from the middle innings on it was clear that the day in fact belonged to Cliff Lee.

In the early innings, Jimenez was downright electric, pounding the fastball at 98-100 mph. Somewhere along the line, however, he seemed to lose faith in his heater, which may be the best in baseball. Looking at the damage done, be it the Raul Ibanez double down the line in the sixth inning or the Jayson Werth triple in the ninth, Jimenez was repeatedly hurt on the second and third pitches in his arsenal.

As we touched on in the Rockies' playoff preview, Jimenez has the tendency to lose feel for his mechanics at times. It appeared that's what happened as he lost confidence in the command of his fastball.

Credit also needs to go to the Philadelphia hitters for being ready for the off-speed offerings even while having to respect the right-hander's fastball. But, the key to the day was still ultimately his loss of faith in the fastball and being overly aggressive with sliders in the zone. He'll learn as he continues to mature as a big-league pitcher that if you are going to make location mistakes with off-speed pitches they had better be out of the zone or heavy-hitting teams like the Phillies will do damage.

On the other side, there was the brilliant performance of Lee. When he's at his best as he was Wednesday, Lee can locate his fastball on a dime. We didn't see many of those big curveballs from Lee, as he relied mostly on his fastball and cutter. He proved once again that plus command of the fastball is as important as any secondary pitch. He kept the Rockies on their heels all day as he pounded the fastball and put them in an immediate hole. Also of note was Lee's velocity, as he touched 94 mph in the ninth inning of his complete game masterpiece. From the downward angle he creates and with the fastball command with which he throws, pitching at that velocity made Lee tough to get any kind of aggressive swings off of for Colorado.

Turning Point: Rockies vs. Phillies

Perhaps most obvious among Ubaldo Jimenez's mistakes in Game 1 was the Carlos Ruiz shot to the gap in the fifth inning. In the at-bat, Jimenez had Ruiz late on the fastball, then slowed down the bat on a slider. He then followed up with yet another slider with too much plate on a 3-2 count. When you are a pitcher with perhaps the best fastball among starters in all of baseball, you do not want to get beat on an off-speed pitch in a 3-2 count against a bottom-of-the-order-hitter.

This was either a case of not reading the hitter's swings well enough or just not trusting the fastball. 3-2 breaking pitches naturally back pitchers into a corner. Naturally, he doesn't want to walk the batter so it needs to be a strike. And, most often the best breaking pitches are the ones out of the zone. Bottom line: this was probably a fastball situation in which one of the weaker hitters in the Philadelphia lineup was allowed to beat them with less than their ace's best offering. These can be the little choices, or in this case pitch selections, that can turn the tide of a game.

Quick Hits

o. It was a small moment but Joe Mauer showed on Wednesday night just why he's able to hit .365. After a steady diet of 94-95 mph fastballs, Mauer took a curveball at the knees on the outside corner and lined it up the middle. There's no way to sit breaking ball in that situation; it's all about Mauer's bat speed and ability to wait back. You won't see too many hitters, if any, hit that very same pitch in that situation with authority. In Game 1, the Yankees appeared to try and move the ball in and out on him, having their best success on pitches moving down and away.

o. The Minnesota Twins had their shot at CC Sabathia in Game 1 and let it slip away. The big Yankee lefty did not have his pinpoint command early on Wednesday night, and was unable to locate his key pitch, the changeup, in the early innings. Before they could do any damage, Sabathia had settled into his typical groove. Once he's locating the fastball on both corners, his changeup is extraordinarily difficult to read out of his hand. The changeup is always the pitch to keep an eye on early with Sabathia; if he's spotting that against the righties he's just about unhittable given his mid-90s velocity.

o. Conviction in one's fastball can't always be learned by a pitcher. But in all cases it can be one of the most significant components to whether or not a pitcher can be successful. Phil Hughes throws his fastball with as much confidence as any reliever out there -- consistently at 94-96 mph. Hughes is going to continue to be a weapon throughout the playoffs if he throws the way he did on Wednesday evening. Pitchers like to flaunt their secondary pitches out of the 'pen, but pitchers like Hughes are proof that the well located fastball can still be one of the best pitches in baseball.

o. Chris Carpenter ran into a problem early in Wednesday's action that a pitcher never wants to run into in a playoff game - wildness in the strike zone. Hitters like Matt Kemp, whom he surrendered a two run home run to, rarely miss mistakes in the middle of the zone. Carpenter typically thrives on expanding the zone and having a feel for just how far out of the zone a hitter will go. Despite having good velocity, touching 95 mph with ease, the tall righty looked a bit strong and left some fastballs in the middle of the plate.

Frankie Piliere spent the last three seasons working as a scout, most recently in the professional scouting department for the Texas Rangers in 2009. He now serves as the National Baseball Analyst here at FanHouse.

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MLB Postseason Photos

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 07: (L-R) James Loney #7, Casey Blake #23, Andre Ethier #16, Rafael Furcal #15 and Manny Ramirez #99 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrate after defeating the St. Louis Cardinals in Game One of the NLDS during the 2009 MLB Playoffs at Dodger Stadium on October 7, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers defeated the Cardinals 5-3. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** James Loney;Casey Blake;Andre Ethier;Rafael Furcal;Manny Ramirez

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2009 Baseball Playoffs

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LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 07: Pitcher Jonathan Broxton #51 of the Los Angeles Dodgers on the mound in the ninth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals in Game One of the NLDS during the 2009 MLB Playoffs at Dodger Stadium on October 7, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jonathan Broxton

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LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 07: Manny Ramirez #99 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts after defeating the St. Louis Cardinals in Game One of the NLDS during the 2009 MLB Playoffs at Dodger Stadium on October 7, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers defeated the Cardinals 5-3. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Manny Ramirez

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St. Louis Cardinals' Albert Pujols reacts to grounding out in the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during Game 1 of the National League division baseball series in Los Angeles, Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2009. The Dodgers won 5-3. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 07: (L-R) Manny Ramirez #99, Andre Ethier #16 and Matt Kemp #27 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrate after defeating the St. Louis Cardinals in Game One of the NLDS during the 2009 MLB Playoffs at Dodger Stadium on October 7, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers defeated the Cardinals 5-3. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Manny Ramirez;Andre Ethier;Matt Kemp

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LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 07: Pitcher Jonathan Broxton #51 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates with catcher Russell Martin #55 after closing the game against the St. Louis Cardinals in Game One of the NLDS during the 2009 MLB Playoffs at Dodger Stadium on October 7, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jonathan Broxton;Russell Martin

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LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 07: Pitcher Jonathan Broxton #51 of the Los Angeles Dodgers on the mound in the eighth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals in Game One of the NLDS during the 2009 MLB Playoffs at Dodger Stadium on October 7, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jonathan Broxton

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LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 07: Julio Lugo #12 of the St. Louis Cardinals turns a double-play in the seventh inning as Andre Ethier #16 of the Los Angeles Dodgers is out at second base on a ball hit by Manny Ramirez #99 in Game One of the NLDS during the 2009 MLB Playoffs at Dodger Stadium on October 7, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Julio Lugo;Andre Ethier;Brendan Ryan

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LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 07: Matt Holliday #15 of the St. Louis Cardinals reacts after striking out in the seventh inning of Game One of the NLDS during the 2009 MLB Playoffs against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on October 7, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Matt Holliday

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LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 07: Pitcher Hong-Chih Kuo #56 of the Los Angeles Dodgers on the mound in the seventh inning against the St. Louis Cardinals in Game One of the NLDS during the 2009 MLB Playoffs at Dodger Stadium on October 7, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Hong-Chih Kuo

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Here's Where Jimenez Went Wrong originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 02:14:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Twins Greater Than Sum of Parts

Frankie Piliere — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Twins, MLB Playoffs, American League Division Series, Scout's Eye View

In Advanced Scouting, MLB FanHouse's professional talent evaluator breaks down each of the playoff teams from a scouting perspective.

When you are faced with a team like the Twins, much of what makes them so difficult to match up against is that they leave you wondering just exactly why they are so good at winning ballgames. Their pitching does not match up with the league's elite clubs and their offense is not explosive, especially after losing Justin Morneau. But, somehow a combination of the little things adds up to one very tough team.

The Twins are an offense built on little ball, moving runners and using their home turf to their advantage, so an important factor to slowing them down will be attacking them aggressively and forcing them to beat you.

More Coverage: All Scouting Reports | NYY-MIN Series Home

If you plan on helping this offense out by falling behind in the count or walking batters, that's when they'll do their damage. They rely on seizing any small opportunity and making the most of it. Rick Porcello had the right idea against them early on in Tuesday's game, making them swing early in the count and continuing to be aggressive. Minnesota will go after pitches early in the count and also isn't all that prone to the strikeout, so how aggressive the Yankee staff is will be interesting to follow.

Matchups To Watch

The Twins have a number of pitchers, both in the rotation and in the bullpen, that rely on their good fastballs. As we know, the New York Yankees are loaded with hitters that know what to do with fastballs over the plate. Arguably the Twins' ace, Scott Baker likes to pound the fastball and follow up with the slider. This typically is an unfavorable arsenal to go at the Yankee lineup with. Baker was very aggressive and a little careless at times with his fastball command against the Tigers in his last start, but had enough hop to get away with some mistakes. Against a fresh and lethal Yankee lineup, it will be interesting to see how the Twins' 15-game winner alters his strategy.

Another matchup to monitor is how Joe Nathan handles the New York lineup. He's had his share of problems with the Yankees in his career, and had one especially poor outing against them earlier in the season. The Yankees seem to read the ball well out of his hand, so Nathan will need to be very fine with his fastball command and be able to mix the breaking ball perhaps more than he typically does.

X-Factors

Joe Mauer: In comparison with the rest of the playoff field, the Twins don't have a lineup that jumps out at you, but right in the middle of it is one name of which everyone is going to be fearful. In terms of pure swing mechanics, approach, bat speed, balance and all of the things a scout looks for, Mauer may be the most complete hitter in the game. Some hitters you worry about performing well in the playoffs, but the way his swing is constructed, it's very difficult for him to have any prolonged struggles.

o. Scouting Perspective: What Mauer is able to do at the plate is really a rare feat. He's able to do what he does, and hit over .360 primarily because of his short, quick swing plus a trust in his mechanics. Hitters like to talk about trusting their mechanics or letting their mechanics take over and Mauer does this with the best of them. You will not catch him guessing on a breaking ball or cheating on a fastball. He trusts his bat speed to stay back on the off-speed pitch and still be able to react with lightning quickness to the fastball inside. The hitter that can cover all zones and all speeds is the definition of special. If you are the opposition, there is no right way to get him out; the pitches to him just need to be even more precisely located.

Michael Cuddyer: How much Joe Mauer gets to hit in big situations in the playoffs is going to depend heavily on one of the few other powerful threats in the Minnesota lineup, Cuddyer. He is a dangerous mistake hitter, rarely missing the hanging breaking ball and he's going into the playoffs very hot.

o. Scouting Perspective: As mentioned, Cuddyer is an excellent mistake hitter as he proved down the stretch. He hunts for the pitch on the inner half and can pull the ball with authority. Very much an overlooked outstanding hitter in this league, you can bet the playoff teams are preparing for him heavily and will likely go at him with a steady diet of fastballs down and away. He's a career .212 hitter against Yankee ace CC Sabathia, most likely because of his fastball/changeup combination down and away.

Carl Pavano: It may be a Yankee fan's worst nightmare, but with Pavano likely set to pitch Game 4 in this first-round series he has a chance to play a key role for Minnesota. Pavano has brought a veteran presence to the Twins' staff that they desperately need. He may not be dominant, but he's been a steady factor down the stretch. Even his numbers don't look all that pretty but he seems to be able to keep his offense in the game just enough to allow them to win. And, it's easy to forget that really not so long ago, before all of his New York drama, that Pavano was a superb big-league pitcher with playoff experience. His stuff is not overpowering at this stage in his career, but he's got the experience to be just dangerous enough in the postseason.

o. Scouting Perspective: Pavano has three pitches that he's comfortable throwing in any count, including a slider and a changeup. He hovers around 90-91 mph with the fastball, but knows how to pitch backwards and get big groundball outs. The New York Yankees'have a tendency to have some problems with crafty guys who can change speeds, so no one should expect Pavano to simply take a beating.

Frankie Piliere spent the last three seasons working as a scout, most recently in the professional scouting department for the Texas Rangers in 2009. He now serves as the National Baseball Analyst here at FanHouse.

Twins Greater Than Sum of Parts originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 16:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Philadelphia Phillies vs. Colorado Rockies (And More): Day 1 LDS Live Chat

Tom Fornelli — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Cardinals, Dodgers, Phillies, Rockies, Twins, Yankees, MLB Live Blogging, MLB Playoffs, American League Division Series, National League Division Series

While the Minnesota Twins and Detroit Tigers were a delicious appetizer on Tuesday night to the MLB postseason, the real meal begins this afternoon as the baseball playoffs officially get underway. There are eight teams remaining, all with the same goal of hoisting that World Series trophy in a champagne-soaked locker room next month. Some of them were expected to be here, others surprised us.

All of them deserve it.

The defending champion Philadelphia Phillies will start things off against the Colorado Rockies, and they'll be followed by the New York Yankees versus the Minnesota Twins and the Los Angeles Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals.

FanHouse will be here for all of it as well. So please, join us after the jump for all the fun.

&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php?option=com_mobile&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;task=viewaltcast&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;altcast_code=191b37b1c8" &amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Day 1 Division Series Live Chat&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

Philadelphia Phillies vs. Colorado Rockies (And More): Day 1 LDS Live Chat originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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American League Division Series: Minnesota Twins vs. New York Yankees

Josh Alper — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 23:21:00 EST

Filed under: Twins, Yankees, MLB Playoffs, American League Division Series

The Metrodome lives!

Remarkably, the Minnesota Twins play on to the playoffs after their monumental September comeback. They caught and then passed the Tigers thanks to a victory in the epic, 12-inning one-game playoff on Tuesday evening. They don't get a long time to celebrate, however, as they have to turn around and take on the Yankees on Wednesday night in the Bronx.

Continuing the magical run will be a tall order for the AL Central champs. The playoff push leaves them starting the unsung Brian Duensing in Game 1, they don't have Justin Morneau in the middle of the order and they drew the best team in baseball as their opponents. Everyone assumes the Yankees are licking their chops at the prospect of the Twins, but a short series can be a great leveler. Will that be the case this time?

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Game 3: Yankees 4, Twins 1 | Box Score
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Series Schedule

G1	Oct. 7	Yankees 7, Twins 2 \| Box \| Lisa Olson	6 PM ET
G2	Oct. 9	Yankees 4, Twins 3 (11) \| Box \| Ed Price	6 PM ET
G3	Oct. 11	Yankees 4, Twins 1 \| Box \| Ed Price	7 PM ET

No.	Yankees	Pos	Twins	Pos.
Lineup
1	D. Jeter	SS	D. Span	CF
2	J. Damon	CF	O. Cabrera	SS
3	M. Teixeira	1B	J. Mauer	C
4	A. Rodriguez	3B	J. Kubel	RF
5	J. Posada	C	M. Cuddyer	1B
6	H. Matsui	DH	D. Young	LF
7	N. Swisher	RF	J. Morales	DH
8	R. Cano	2B	M. Tolbert	3B
9	M. Cabrera	CF	N. Punto	2B
Rotation
1	C. Sabathia	L	S. Baker	R
2	A. Burnett	R	N. Blackburn	R
3	A. Pettitte	L	C. Pavano	R
4	C. Gaudin	R	B. Duensing	L
CP	M. Rivera	R	J. Nathan	R
SU	P. Hughes	R	J. Mijares	L
SU	Chamberlain	R	M. Guerrier	R
Scout's Eye View
"The Yankees offer up a unique dilemma for opposing pitchers. If you nibble and stay away, they will sit, wait and wear down your staff until they can blow the game open. But, with a lineup full of explosive bats to face, pounding the zone with fastballs could also lead to an early night in the showers." Yankees Scouting Report "Minnesota will go after pitches early in the count and also isn't all that prone to the strikeout, so how aggressive the Yankee staff is will be interesting to follow." Twins Scouting Report

Why the Twins Will Win

The perception among most baseball fans is that while it was awfully nice of the AL Central to give us a reason to watch baseball during the season's final weekend (and beyond), whoever ended up winning the division didn't really matter. They're only going to serve as a sacrificial lamb to the New York Yankees.

That's a dangerous assumption in playoff baseball, in particular, when it comes to the Minnesota Twins. They've built their entire organization around the premise of proving people wrong. Even as early as three weeks ago, the Twins were 6 1/2 games behind the Tigers and most thought they were done. Well, here they are now -- Central Division champions.

As we saw with the Colorado Rockies two years ago, momentum can take a team a long way in the postseason and there's no team left with as much momentum as the Twins have. They went 17-4 over the final weeks of the season to get here and they don't plan on slowing down now that they've made it.

Of course the problem here is that the Twins haven't had much success against the Yankees this season. In fact, they haven't had any, losing in all seven meetings. Still, there was only one blowout in those previous meetings, and two of the losses came in extra innings, so the Twins aren't overmatched and they're a much better team now than they were then.

On offense the Twins seem weaker than the Yankees, especially without Justin Morneau in the lineup, but perception can be deceiving. They're led by Joe Mauer who went and won himself another batting title this season, and hit .345 with three home runs against the Yankees with two home runs at the new Yankee Stadium.

When it comes to pitching, there's no doubt that all the marquee names in this matchup belong to the Yankees, but just because you haven't heard of the Twins pitchers doesn't mean they can't get the job done. If they get the ball to Joe Nathan with a lead, much like Mariano Rivera for the Yankees, you can call it a day.

On defense the only team to commit fewer errors than the Twins in the AL were the Toronto Blue Jays. They have an outfield that can get to just about any fly ball, which will come in handy in the cavernous left-center field alley of Yankee Stadium. In the infield they make all the plays they're supposed to, and even some they're not.

So don't let the lack of superstars on this team fool you. The Twins are solid all around, and that, along with all the momentum of coming from behind to win their division, could lead to the Twins shocking the world and knocking off the mighty Yankees.

Why the Yankees Will Win

Well, for one thing they didn't lose any of their seven games with the Twins this season. That aside, the biggest reason the Yankees will win this series is because of two things they've lacked in their most recent trips to the postseason: power pitching and defense. They addressed the former with an offseason spending spree that brought CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett to the Bronx. That resulted in a starting rotation where none of the top four guys struck out fewer than seven batters per nine innings, and they back that up with a bullpen that only amps up the K rate.

They haven't entered postseason play with a staff this good and this deep since 2001, the last year of the "dynasty," and it's no surprise that they saw continually diminishing results until missing the dance entirely in 2008. The Yankee bats have always been capable of lashing thunderbolts around the ballyard, but now they've got a staff that hurls them as well.

That leaves the defense which is much improved over recent vintages. New addition Mark Teixeira has been as good as advertised at first base, a huge edge over the Jason Giambi era, and bounceback seasons from Melky Cabrera and Robinson Cano have improved the defense up the middle. Two surprises have been the improved glove work of Derek Jeter, who seems to have improved his positioning to make up for declining range, and Nick Swisher, who takes bizarre routes to balls, but gets to them far more frequently than Bobby Abreu.

Overall, the defense isn't magnificent but all the Yankees needed to do was be average afield to go with that kind of staff and their typically strong offense. And it is strong. They get on base more often than any other AL team and slug for a higher percentage, which means they score more runs to back up that improved pitching staff.

No preview of the Yankees would be complete without a mention of the timeless marvel that is Mariano Rivera. His merciless cutter failed him in only two save situations this season, and he remains as good or better than anyone in the game when it comes to getting the most difficult three outs in baseball.

That adds up to the most complete team the Yankees have taken into October since George Bush's first term, and one that will roll over a far less balanced Twins squad in the ALDS.

American League Division Series: Minnesota Twins vs. New York Yankees originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 06 Oct 2009 23:21:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Twins Ride Dome Field Advantage Past Tigers in AL Central Playoff

FanHouse Newswire — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 22:09:00 EST

Filed under: Tigers, Twins, AL Central, MLB Playoffs, American League Division Series

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- The Metrodome erupted in a jet-like roar as Carlos Gomez zoomed home with the winning run to finish off an AL Central race -- and a thrilling tiebreaker -- that didn't want to end.

Minnesota wouldn't quit, while the Detroit Tigers finished their historic fade. And there was little time for the Twins to celebrate, because the New York Yankees were waiting.

Alexi Casilla singled home the winning run with one out in the 12th inning and the Twins rallied for a 6-5 victory Tuesday night, completing a colossal collapse for the Tigers.

"This is the most unbelievable game I've ever played or seen," Twins shortstop Orlando Cabrera said.

How was that for bonus baseball?

As Gomez scored from second -- well ahead of a late throw from right field -- Homer Hankies spiraled. The Twins celebrated and scrambled: They had 21 hours to get ready for Game 1 of the AL playoffs at Yankee Stadium against New York ace CC Sabathia. He'll face rookie Brian Duensing.

The Tigers will head home instead. They became the first team in history to blow a three-game lead with four games left.

"I guess it's fitting to say there was a loser in this game because we lost the game, but it's hard for me to believe there was a loser in this game," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "Both teams played their hearts out. You can't ask for anything more than that."

The Twins overcame a seven-game gap in the final month, went 17-4 to pull even on the final weekend and won their fifth division title in eight years.

"We just feel like we have nothing to lose, man," outfielder Denard Span said.

Both teams had chance after chance to end it earlier, and each club scored in the 10th. Casilla was thrown out at the plate to end that inning by left fielder Ryan Raburn after tagging up.

The Tigers thought they'd taken the lead in the 12th. But with the bases loaded, plate umpire Randy Marsh ruled that Brandon Inge was not hit by a pitch by Bobby Keppel. The replay appeared to show the pitch grazing Inge's billowing uniform.

"I did not have the ball hitting him. We looked at replays, too, and the replays we've looked at, to be honest with you, were inconclusive," said Marsh, the crew chief.

Said Inge: "No matter what we did, it seems like it wasn't meant to be. This is the best game, by far, that I've ever played in no matter the outcome."

It was the first AL tiebreaker to go to extra innings, making up for Minnesota's disappointment last year when it lost 1-0 in Chicago to the White Sox in an AL Central tiebreaker. Had the Twins lost, it would've been the final baseball game at the Metrodome. Instead, the Twins get the Yankees -- New York was 7-0 against Minnesota this season.

"We're not afraid. I can guarantee you that," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said.

Said Yankees manager Joe Girardi: "We're not going to have to face questions like 'Can you beat them?' like we've had to answer during the course of the year. Once the playoffs start though, it's a new series and we know the importance of each game. You can pretty much throw everything else out the window."

A day after Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings beat the Green Bay Packers at the Dome -- "Monday Night Football" is what delayed this tiebreaker for a day -- the Twins pulled off a Tuesday Night Frenzy.

Gardenhire and Leyland made so many moves for defense and relief that the lineups and pitching staffs were depleted by the end.

Tigers reliever Fernando Rodney (2-5) worked his longest appearance of the season, getting the last two outs of the ninth. But he didn't have enough to get out of the 12th. The Twins rushed out of the dugout in celebration even before Gomez reached the plate, and their comeback from a seven-game gap with 20 to play was complete.

Joe Mauer, who heard thunderous "M-V-P!" chants from the largest regular-season baseball crowd in Metrodome history throughout the game, led his team on a sprint around the warning track as they slapped hands with fans in the first rows.

"One of the best games I'll ever play in," Mauer said.

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MINNEAPOLIS - OCTOBER 06: Joe Mauer #7 of the Minnesota Twins celebrates with teammates in the locker room after the Twins defeated the Detroit Tigers to win the American League Tiebreaker game on October 6, 2009 at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Joe Mauer

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MINNEAPOLIS - OCTOBER 06: Joe Mauer #7 of the Minnesota Twins ccelebrates with Carlos Gomez #22 in the locker room after the Twins defeated the Detroit Tigers to win the American League Tiebreaker game on October 6, 2009 at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Joe Mauer;Carlos Gomez

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MINNEAPOLIS - OCTOBER 06: Minnesota Twins players celebrate with fans after the Twins defeated the Detroit Tigers to win the American League Tiebreaker game on October 6, 2009 at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

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MINNEAPOLIS - OCTOBER 06: Joe Mauer #7 of the Minnesota Twins circles the field after the Twins defeated the Detroit Tigers to win the American League Tiebreaker game on October 6, 2009 at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Joe Mauer

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Detroit Tigers' Brandon Inge argues with home plate umpire Randy Marsh after Inge thought he was hit by a pitch during the 12th inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009, in Minneapolis. The Twins won 6-5 in 12 innings, advancing to the playoffs. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)

MINNEAPOLIS - OCTOBER 06: Orlando Cabrera #18 of the Minnesota Twins dances in the dugout with Carlos Gomez #22 after hitting a home run off the Detroit Tigers during the 7th inning of the American League Tiebreaker game on October 6, 2009 at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Orlando Cabrera;Carlos Gomez *** Local Caption *** Orlando Cabrera;Carlos Gomez *** Local Caption *** Orlando Cabrera;Carlos Gomez

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MINNEAPOLIS - OCTOBER 06: Don Kelly #32 of the Detroit Tigers slides safely into home plate to score as Joe Mauer #7 of the Minnesota Twins applies the tag during the 10th inning of the American League Tiebreaker game on October 6, 2009 at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Don Kelly;Joe Mauer

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Minnesota Twins' Alexi Casilla hits the game-winning single during the 12th inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009, in Minneapolis. The Twins won 6-5 to advance to the playoffs. (AP Photo/Tom Olmscheid)

Minnesota Twins' Delmon Young talks on his cell phone on the mound at the Metrodome after the Twins defeated the Detroit Tigers 6-5 in 12 innings in a baseball game Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009, in Minneapolis and advanced to the playoffs. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Minnesota Twins mob Alexi Casilla after Casilla hit the game-winning single during the 12th inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009, in Minneapolis. The Twins won 6-5 and advanced to the playoffs. (AP Photo/Tom Olmscheid)

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Keppel, Minnesota's eighth pitcher, loaded the bases with one out in the 12th. After the non-call on Inge, second baseman Nick Punto then scooped Inge's grounder and fired home in time to get the runner on the force. Then Keppel struck out Gerald Laird to squelch that rally.

Twins closer Joe Nathan found trouble in the ninth when consecutive singles put runners at the corners, but he got a strikeout and a line-drive double play to end that threat. The four-time All-Star gave two huge pumps of his right arm as he spun to thank his defense and run to the dugout, preserving the tie.

Inge's two-out double in the 10th gave the Tigers a 5-4 lead, but Michael Cuddyer sliced a triple past Raburn in left and scored on Matt Tolbert's bouncing single through the middle in the bottom of the inning.

On the potential winning sacrifice fly, though, Casilla strayed a bit too far from third and was thrown out by Raburn trying to score to end the inning. The split-second Casilla needed to retouch the base might have cost him the run.

He more than made up for that mistake later.

According to sports researcher STATS LLC, only three teams since 1901 have blown a three-game lead in the standings with four games left. The Houston Astros lost three straight games to Los Angeles in 1980, but they recovered to defeat the Dodgers in a tiebreaker game for the NL West. Milwaukee lost three in a row to Baltimore in 1982 to force a tie, but beat the Orioles in the final regular season game to win the AL East.

After splitting four in Detroit last week -- a loss in the series finale Thursday would've given the division to the Tigers -- the Twins came home for the final scheduled series in the bubble needing a sweep of the Kansas City Royals and did just that.

So with 54,088 fans in attendance, the place was erupting with noise and excitement. The chants for Mauer, who wrapped up his third batting title, were deafening. Leyland even told his players before the game to think of the loudest experience of their life and multiply it by four to anticipate the decibel level for this game. Dome ball came in handy again, on a day when the city was drenched by cold rain.

Rookie starter Rick Porcello pitched well beyond his 20 years for the Tigers, and Miguel Cabrera made up for a miserable weekend - on and off the field - with a two-run homer against Scott Baker in the third inning that made it 3-0. The crowd chanted ``al-co-ho-lic'' right before Cabrera went deep, a rude reference to the first baseman's fight with his wife after he came home late and drunk.

The Twins crept back, though, and Orlando Cabrera's two-run homer in the seventh gave them a brief lead that Magglio Ordonez ended with his leadoff homer in the eighth.

"We were dead and buried a couple times, and our team just kept coming back," Twins general manager Bill Smith said.

Notes: This was the ninth tiebreaker game in baseball history, and the third straight year with a 163rd game. Only two of them went to extra innings. ... Seven members of the Metrodome's cleaning and maintenance crews were honored on the mound before the game for the work of those groups in converting the field back and forth from baseball to football in light of Monday's Packers-Vikings game.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Twins Ride Dome Field Advantage Past Tigers in AL Central Playoff originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 06 Oct 2009 22:09:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Minnesota Twins vs. Detroit Tigers: 1-Game Playoff Live Chat

Andrew Johnson — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Tigers, Twins, AL Central, MLB Live Blogging

For the third straight year, 162 games were not enough to complete the postseason. For the second straight year, the AL Central title and the Minnesota Twins are involved in the tiebreaker.

Minnesota's remarkable sprint to the finish was enough to catch the Tigers, who had a seven-game cushion exactly a month ago on Sept. 6. Lest you think that leaves Detroit in a fragile state as it heads to the Metrodome to determine the division champion once and for all, keep in mind it split with the Twins in a four-game series last week and its strength is starting pitching -- something which can take a team very far in October.

It's the Tigers' Rick Porcello against the Twins' Scott Baker for all the Central marbles. Here at MLB FanHouse, we're just getting warmed up for the month ahead. Join us after the jump for a wrapup of the chat that went from first pitch to final out of the one-game playoff.

Price: Pressure on Poised Porcello

&amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php?option=com_mobile&amp;amp;amp;amp;task=viewaltcast&amp;amp;amp;amp;altcast_code=85772a6771" &amp;amp;amp;gt;Twins vs. Tigers 1-Game Playoff Chat&amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;gt;

Minnesota Twins vs. Detroit Tigers: 1-Game Playoff Live Chat originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tigers' Hopes Lie With Poised Porcello

Ed Price — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Tigers, Twins, AL Central

If the Tigers are going to pop champagne, they will need help from someone who is not allowed to drink it.

Detroit will start 20-year-old Rick Porcello in Tuesday night's one-game playoff at Minnesota for the AL Central title. But Porcello has already shown he is far from an ordinary 20.

"Oof," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said recently. "He's a nice pitcher. He's just got really good stuff. He's got a great sinker, slider. And you know what, quick arm action. A little deception to him. His ball moves all over the place."

Porcello is 14-9 with a 4.04 ERA in 30 starts, and this will be his third start out of four against Minnesota, against whom he is 1-2 with a 3.09 ERA this year.

More Coverage: 1-Game Playoff Chat, 4:45 PM ET | Twins-Tigers Preview

The Tigers drafted Porcello 27th overall in 2007 from Seton Hall Prep in West Orange, N.J. Although he was considered among the top five prospects that year, he was asking for a large signing bonus to give up a scholarship to North Carolina.

Ignoring MLB's "slotting" recommendations, Detroit signed Porcello to a $7 million big-league contract. And less than two years later, he made the team's rotation out of spring training.

And his poise has held up all year.

He showed that in his last start, when he allowed the Twins one run in 6 1/3 innings but got no decision.

"You do what you always do," he said afterward. "You stay focused and you try to make every pitch."

Porcello has become the youngest to win 14 games since Dwight Gooden in 1984, and he has done it with almost all fastballs -- and most of those are two-seam sinkers.

His curve and changeup are still works in progress. But the sinker is so good he leads the AL in groundball percentage (69.4) and is fifth with 24 groundball double plays induced.

"It's diving all over the place," Gardenhire said. "It's really tough. His ball's diving -- hard."

In that game last Tuesday against Minnesota, Porcello allowed seven hits. But six were singles, and two of those were infield hits off Porcello's body and another than second baseman Placido Polanco should have fielded.

"It didn't surprise me that he pitched well," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said.

"But there was a built-in story with him no matter which way it turned out.

"If he did well, then, 'How about this kid's poise, a big game, what he showed?' If he hadn't done well, they'd have said, 'Well, You think it's because he's so young and in a big situation?' No. I think he's mature 20-year-old with very good stuff and a good pitcher and a very good competitor."

Tigers' Hopes Lie With Poised Porcello originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 06 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Comeback Complete as Twins Force 1-Game Playoff for AL Central Title

FanHouse Newswire — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 17:38:00 EST

Filed under: Tigers, Twins, AL Central, MLB Playoffs

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- More than 51,000 fans and dozens of players from Metrodome lore turned out on Sunday to say goodbye to this big, dingy building after 28 weird, wacky and sometimes wonderful baseball seasons.

Hang on to those Homer Hankies: The Metrodome showed this weekend that it still has some of that old magic left and isn't ready to let the Minnesota Twins go just yet.

Jason Kubel got those familiar white towels waving with a pair of three-run homers and Minnesota beat Kansas City 13-4 Sunday, putting the Twins into a one-game playoff with the Detroit Tigers for the AL Central title.

"The place doesn't want to go away quietly yet," Kubel said.

More: Verlander, Raburn Carry Tigers | MLB Sets Game Times

The Twins and Tigers, who beat the White Sox 5-3, will meet at 4 p.m. CDT Tuesday with the division title and a postseason date with the New York Yankees going to the winner.

"When we need a win, where do we go?" former first baseman Kent Hrbek asked the fans during a postgame ceremony. "We go to the Dome."

They need one more.

Scott Baker will start the tiebreaker for the Twins against Detroit rookie Rick Porcello. The teams get a day off because the Minnesota Vikings host Green Bay on Monday night.

Delmon Young added two solo home runs and Michael Cuddyer also went deep for the Twins, who overcame a three-game deficit by winning 16 of 20, including the final four, to reach the playoff.

"It's been fun to watch," manager Ron Gardenhire said. "Just a group of guys that were on a mission."

Carl Pavano (14-12) pitched on three days' rest, giving up four runs and striking out seven in 5 2/3 innings in what was supposed to be the final regular-season baseball game in the Metrodome.

The Twins move outside to Target Field next year, but they're more than happy to keep playing under the shabby white roof for the time being.

Alex Gordon homered for the Royals, who fell behind 8-1 but rallied to bring the tying run to the plate in the sixth. Reliever Jon Rauch struck out Billy Butler with the bases loaded to end the threat, and the crowd was able to exhale.

Minnesota was seven games down to the Tigers on Sept. 6 and appeared all but finished after losing two of the first three games in their four-gamer at Detroit last week.

"Everybody's written us off and rightfully so," Gardenhire said. "We looked pretty ugly. But we didn't write ourselves off and that's all that matters."

They came home needing a sweep of the Royals and the Tigers to lose two of three to the floundering White Sox in Motown.

That's just what they got.

"I guess it just says a little bit about the tenacity of this baseball team," Gardenhire said. "They keep playing until the end. The fans want a full 162-game schedule and they're getting it."

And then some.

The Twins have been here before.

Last season they went to a one-game tiebreaker for the AL Central against the White Sox, losing a 1-0 heartbreaker in Chicago to miss out on postseason. That game was played in the Windy City because the White Sox won a coin flip, something that infuriated the Twins after they won the season series.

Major League Baseball changed the tiebreaker rule this season, giving home field to the team that won the head-to-head season series. The Twins went 11-7 against the Tigers this season, including 7-2 at the Metrodome.

"We've been in these games before," Cuddyer said. "We're not a stranger to big games."

Homer Hankies that first made the national scene with the Twins' run to the World Series title in 1987 were back on display, and 51,155 fans -- the largest crowd since opening day of 1993 -- got an early reason to use them.

Luke Hochevar (7-13) walked Denard Span, who stole second, to start the game. Then, with chants of "MVP! MVP!" raining down, he pitched around Joe Mauer with one out and first base open. Kubel followed with an upper deck homer to right field and, two batters later, Young hit a solo shot to make it 4-0.

"These guys got a lot of momentum going right now," Royals manager Trey Hillman said.

Mauer went 0-for-3 and is hitting .364 for the season, all but assuring him of his second straight AL batting title and third in his career.

Kubel's second homer of the game landed just over leaping left fielder Willie Bloomquist's glove for a 7-0 lead. From then on, the crowd turned its eyes to the scoreboard, hoping the same White Sox that spoiled their season last year would help turn the day into a coronation.

Chants of "Let's go, White Sox!" filled the Dome, and one of the loudest roars of the day came when the scoreboard showed Chicago cutting Detroit's lead to 5-3. But the Tigers held on.

"We're happy to be here," closer Joe Nathan said. "A lot of people coming into September would have probably said there was no chance and I'm sure 99 percent of the people in Minnesota probably thought there was no chance either. So to be where we are, we've got a good feeling."

So, to paraphrase the late, great Jack Buck's call after Kirby Puckett's game-winning homer in Game 6 of the 1991 World Series against Atlanta ...

And we'll see ya Tuesday afternoon!

Notes: Royals head athletic trainer Nick Swartz worked his last game. He is retiring after 21 years with the team and 33 in the organization.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Comeback Complete as Twins Force 1-Game Playoff for AL Central Title originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 04 Oct 2009 17:38:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Baseball Brunch: Joe, Albert and the Rest Of the Award Winners

Ed Price — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Angels, Cardinals, Nationals, Phillies, Reds, Rockies, Royals, Tigers, Twins, MLB Awards, MLB Inside Scoop, Baseball Brunch

Every Sunday, MLB FanHouse empties out its notebook in Baseball Brunch.

Ron Gardenhire was asked how teams try to pitch Joe Mauer.

"I can't give you all that information," Gardenhire, the Twins manager, said of his No. 3 hitter. "You'll write it and then other people might figure it out."

So you know, Ron, how to get him out?

"Hell, no, I don't! That's why I don't want to say anything.

"You just better have your defense standing in the right place, and that's where he's going to hit the ball hard -- that normally works. Catch the rocket that he's going to hit somewhere."

It's awards time here at Baseball Brunch, and we're casting our lot in the AL MVP race with Mr. Mauer.

Derek Jeter, Mark Teixeira, Kevin Youkilis, Miguel Cabrera, Kendry Morales -- nice years, guys. Very nice.

But come on.

Mauer leads the American League in batting, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. And he's a catcher. Maybe as not as good a catcher as Teixeira is a first baseman, but at least as good a catcher as Jeter is a shortstop.

And better offensively, this year, than both of them.

If Mauer was playing in New York, teammate Michael Cuddyer said, "It would be ridiculous. He'd be everywhere. He would be on every billboard, every magazine cover.

"He's having arguably the best year in the history of the position. Not even arguably, really. It's pretty much the best year in the history of the position."

And that's a pretty good MVP argument.

With one caveat. We had some hesitation on Mauer because he missed the first month because of an inflamed joint in his lower back. So he has fewer total bases than Teixeira and fewer hits than Jeter. And playing time is an explicit criterion for picking the MVP.

But Mauer will end up playing in 137 or 138 games, only eight or nine fewer than last year, and with about 600 plate appearances. That's about 100 fewer than Jeter or Teixeira, but more than Youkilis. He will have been the DH more, with nearly 300 fewer innings caught than in 2008 -- but still sixth- or seventh-most innings caught in the league.

Our conclusion: his overwhelming production, and his near constant playing since returning, make up for the missed month.

Just for icing, Mauer leads the AL in batting average at home, on the road, against right-handers and in night games. He is second in average with runners in scoring position, third in average in day games and fourth in average vs. lefties.

o. NL MVP: Even an easier pick than in the AL. St. Louis' Albert Pujols also leads his league in on-base percentage and slugging percentage -- plus homers, runs scored, total bases, grand slams and extra-base hits. Like Mauer, he's second in batting average with men in scoring position.

Also worthy of being on the ballot: Hanley Ramirez, Chase Utley, Prince Fielder, Derrek Lee, Troy Tulowitzki, Adrian Gonzalez, Andre Ethier and Ryan Howard.

o. AL Cy Young Award: There should not be a debate. The MVP award should -- in our opinion, because that is what it has come to represent -- contain an element of contributing to a contender. But not the Cy Young.

And Kansas City's Zack Greinke is the best pitcher in the AL. Period. Felix Hernandez, Justin Verlander and CC Sabathia are great. And if Greinke wasn't around, it would be a tasty three-way debate.

But this year, that debate is about second place.

o. NL Cy Young Award: A similar three-way choice between San Francisco's Tim Lincecum and St. Louis teammates Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright. They're 1-2-3 in ERA and 1-2-4 in wins.

Carpenter has been the most brilliant and dominant, but he's not in the top 10 in the NL in innings pitched because of early-season health issues. Lincecum has the lowest OPS allowed, but he plays in a great pitcher's park. And while we don't want to give wins too much weight, they are significant, and Wainwright leads the league.

So Wainwright, by a hair.

o. AL Rookie of the Year: What a great season for rookie talent, in both leagues. The White Sox are pushing third baseman Gordon Beckham, who has hit well (he has a ways to go defensively) but wasn't called up until June. And if Beckham is a candidate, Baltimore outfielder Nolan Reimold should be as well. Reimold leads Beckham in on-base percentage, slugging percentage and homers.

Texas' Elvis Andrus, meanwhile, has played all season -- excelling at shortstop with acceptable production at the plate for a 20-year-old.

And here we have to compare apples and oranges. How do we judge these position players against a closer (Oakland's Andrew Bailey with his .168 opponents' average) and starters (Detroit's Rick Porcello, Toronto's Ricky Romero, Tampa Bay's Jeff Niemann and Oakland's Brett Anderson)?

Tough call, but we go with Porcello. He's 20, he made 30 starts while pitching in a pennant race to the finish and he went 14-9 with a 4.04 ERA.

o. NL Rookie of the Year: Just as loaded, with Philadelphia's J.A. Happ, Atlanta's Tommy Hanson, Randy Wells of the Cubs, Milwaukee's Casey McGehee, Florida's Chris Coghlan, Colorado's Dexter Fowler and Pittsburgh's Garrett Jones and Andrew McCutchen.

If we whittle it down to one position player and one pitcher, we get Coghlan (229 total bases, 82 runs scored and .319 average) over McCutchen and Jones and a very close call between Happ (12-4, 2.85 ERA) vs. Hanson (11-4, 2.89 ERA).

The cop-out would be to go with Coghlan to avoid the choice between the pitchers. But while Hanson is a terrific prospect, Happ threw 164 innings and the Phillies would have been in big trouble without him.

o. AL Manager of the Year: Great job by Ron Washington to help make the Rangers relevant. Jim Leyland may take the Tigers from worst to first -- their first division title since 1987!

But Mike Scioscia didn't just guide the Angels to another division title. He kept the team from falling apart through a rough first few months, not only because of a rash of pitching injuries but also because of the death of Nick Adenhart. Managing a team is about managing people, and Scioscia did a great job this year.

(Amazingly, Joe Girardi will manage his team to 102 or 103 wins and not get a sniff of this award.)

o. NL Manager of the Year: We have a vote on this award this year, so due to BBWAA rules, we can't reveal our vote before the award is announced in November.

But there are good candidates. Fredi Gonzalez kept the Marlins in contention for 25 weeks. Tony La Russa had little in his lineup other than Pujols for the first three months. Charlie Manuel got the Phillies back on top, as did Joe Torre with the Dodgers. And Colorado has gone 74-41 since Jim Tracy took over for Clint Hurdle -- the equivalent of a 104-win season.

Overheard and Understood

o. The Angels could look a bit different in 2010. Unless owner Arte Moreno puts his foot down, they seem likely to not pick up the option on Vladimir Guerrero. Then, if Bobby Abreu comes back -- no slam dunk -- he could be the DH. Otherwise, it could rotate among a few players. Ace John Lackey is bound to go elsewhere, as mentioned last week in this space, meaning the Angels will probably try to add a mid-rotation pitcher.

Chart of the Week
No team has ever been more efficient at stealing bases than the recent vintage Phillies -- who have three of the seven best seasons ever in stolen-base percentage:
Team	SB%
2007 Phillies	87.9
2008 Phillies	84.5
1994 Orioles	84.1
1995 Blue Jays	82.4
1975 Reds	82.4
2004 Mets	82.3
2009 Phillies	82.3
2007 Diamondbacks	82.0
STATS LLC

The potential free agent the Angels feel the best about keeping, although it isn't a sure thing, is leadoff man Chone Figgins. And if he comes back, he'd likely move to left field, with Juan Rivera going from left to right and Brandon Wood taking over at third.

o. The Reds, whose attendance will drop about 15 percent from 2008, have to cut payroll for 2010. Which could make some pitching available on the trade market.

o. By going 57-24 at home, the Yankees tied the record for most wins in the first year at a new park. The Red Sox went 57-20 at Fenway Park in 1912.

o. We have gone six years without a World Series going to a deciding game, the longest such stretch since 1913-23. In fact, there hasn't been more than one winner-takes-all postseason game in any year since 2004 (the two LCS).

o. Through June 14, Washington had 16 losses in its opponent's final at-bat and just three wins in its final at-bat. But since then, the Nats have 12 last-at-bat wins and eight last-at-bat losses.

o. Jason Bartlett is likely to be the second Tampa Bay player ever to finish in the top 10 in the AL in batting average. The other? Aubrey Huff, when he hit .311 in 2003 to finish ninth in the league.

o. The Rockies are the second team since the 1989 Blue Jays to reach the playoffs after being 12 games under .500 at some point. The other was the 2005 Astros.

o. Pujols has an NL-record 184 assists from first base. He also the big-league record of 184, set by Bill Buckner in 1985. In other words, don't leave Pujols in for the ninth inning of Game 6 of the 2010 World Series.

Baseball Brunch: Joe, Albert and the Rest Of the Award Winners originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 04 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starting Five: Game 162 Arrives With Lone Race Undecided

Jeff Fletcher — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Angels, Dodgers, Rockies, Tigers, Twins, Starting Five

Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action with a quick nod to what is ahead.

You Oughta Know ...
That the final day of the regular season has arrived and there are still two meaningful baseball games to be played. There would have been three if the Dodgers hadn't snapped their five-game losing streak by beating the Rockies, clinching the National League West and relegating the Rockies to the wild card.

Meanwhile, the Tigers kept sliding and the Twins kept climbing. Minnesota's 5-4 victory over Kansas City and Detroit's 5-1 loss to the White Sox left the two teams dead even. The Tigers had been alone in first since July 24.

If it's not settled on Sunday -- the Tigers host the White Sox at 1:05 PM ET and the Twins host the Royals at 2:10 PM ET -- the teams will meet on Tuesday at 5 PM ET at the Metrodome to determine who goes on and who goes home.

More Coverage: Scoreboard | Standings | Statistics

From The Trainer's Room...
Rockies lefty Jorge De La Rosa had to come out of Saturday's game with a groin injury after three innings. The Rockies aren't yet sure of the severity, but they haven't ruled him out for the playoffs. He could be pushed all the way back to Game 4, next Sunday. The Rockies have until Wednesday to set their playoff roster, so they can take some more time to evaluate him. The Rockies were going to pick between Jason Hammel and Jason Marquis for the final spot, so both would start if De La Rosa can't go.

Numbers Game ...
Angels lefty Scott Kazmir finished off his regular season with more of the same solid work. Kazmir pitched five scoreless innings against the A's. He has a 1.74 ERA with the Angels after bringing a 5.92 ERA over from Tampa Bay. Kazmir is in line to start Game 3 of the Division Series in Boston.

In Their Own Words ...
"It was ugly. ... There's not one thing I can take out of it that was positive." -- Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte, who gave up five runs (three earned) and four walks in a loss to Tampa Bay in his final tuneup for the playoffs.

Advance Scouting ...
Other than the three games that impact the postseason race, there are a handful of games featuring top starting pitchers trying to put the final touches on outstanding seasons. Two games in particular might be worth watching if you just like to see good pitching. In Philadelphia, the Marlins' Josh Johnson goes against the Phillies' J.A. Happ (1:35 PM ET). In Seattle, the Mariners' Felix Hernandez pitches against Texas' Scott Feldman (4:10 PM ET).

Starting Five: Game 162 Arrives With Lone Race Undecided originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 04 Oct 2009 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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