Now It Will Get Even Tougher

Oh what a beautiful October evening in Minneapolis.

It was, believe it or not, 72 degrees at game time.

We were all excited for Game 2 of the American League Division Series. Game 1 was the same old, same old. Not tonight, guys. Not tonight.


We got a great rise with a home run. Maybe? Maybe?

Pavano was in good form. But so was Liriano at the start of Game 1. Plus, do not forget, ever, that these are the New York Yankees.


A nice CF catch with the shadow from the late afternoon sun showing the play.


But things got ugly after the game went over to the New Yorkers. Ron Gardenhire got thrown out after arguing a probable bad call from the home plate ump. You could feel the air go out of the Twins fans. We sat and felt like we were looking into that great empty hole of the end of an otherwise great season.


The relievers took over. Here's Jon Rauch trying to keep things under control....


But nobody, nobody is like Mariano Rivera, their end-game ace in the hole.


I have some reflections.

• In spite of the losses, we do seem to be looking better than we have in the past against the Yankees. They are, after all, a team of permanent All-Stars.
• BUT we are not looking as good as we are. I know this is small comfort with these two awful losses. My daughter describes it that the Twins have built their team to beat the Central Division teams, but not the next tier. I don't quite agree. We are better than that.
• We cannot keep the game momentum in our favor. We cannot keep the Yankees from figuring out the pitching by the second or third time through the line-up. I don't know why this happens. I don't think it's in the manager. It may be a flaw in their attitude or psyche when it comes to the teams like the Yankees.
• A friend who watched the game on TV commented to me this morning that what he doesn't like is the "attitude" the Yankees seem to show. They are "cocky" is how he described it. Sure. They can afford to be. For now. 
• But I still believe. There is nothing to stop the Twins from winning two in Yankee Stadium and bringing it back to Target Field next week. (Only the Yankees, perhaps.) Sure, it's a long shot but there is at least one more game. That's all they can do....