So The Regular Season Ends

And the Twins get to recuperate and rebuild.

No, it was not a good season. All that talent and so few wins. The best worst team in baseball. No, not the worst. The Houston Astros get that distinction this year. But the Twins aren't much above their low-water line.

More about the season in a later post, though. In honor of the past day yesterday, I am posting some pics from a week ago today at my last game of the season.

A cool, cloudy day at Target Field against the Seattle Mariners.

Cuddyer hits a single.

Many of the regulars were out- as they have been too much of the season. But going to a ball game is still going to a ball game. It's nice when they're winning, but there was no way I was going to skip the game. Being at the park, enjoying the day, even in the early-Autumn chill, was worth it.

All the regular things still go on, of course. The between innings with ads and the Kiss Cam and all the fans watching for themselves and friends on the HUGE screen (which is bigger than my apartment, by the way.)

And we can't forget the 7th Inning Stretch as we sing along with the local singer and TC Bear.

This year the Twins lost one of their greats- their first Great Hall of Famer after moving here from Washington 50 years ago. Harmon Killebrew died of cancer earlier in the season. After singing Take Me Out To The Ball Game at every home game, they did a remembrance of him. And of course there is his statue out on the plaza in a typical Killer pose.

One of the popular stars (along with Michael Cuddyer, above) is Joe Nathan. He got the chance to come in for the top of the 9th. It is fun to watch him in his business-like way of delivering the goods.

And it turns out that he was the winning pitcher as one Rene Tosoni got a walk-off double with two outs in the bottom of the 9th scoring Trevor Plouffe all the way from first. Since it is still a game of big boys playing a boys game, Tosoni got mobbed at 2nd!

Plouffe rounding third heading home as the winning run.

Tosoni Mobbed by teammates

That broke an 11 game losing streak! (And set my record of games at 6 wins and 3 losses for the year. NOTE TO TWINS: I am available to attend more games next year as a good-luck charm. I'm not too proud to beg.)




With the game over the stands empty out and the season gets one day closer to over. Only a few games left as I ended my season last week. Over the last week they lost more and won a couple. It was touch and go- would they lose 100 games?

NO. As the ended the season yesterday with a walk-off win against the Royals. 63 wins to 99 losses. Yes, a difficult and frustrating season.

Who will be back? Who will be elsewhere? Those questions take the back burner for now as we prepare for baseball- but not in Minnesota.

But, in baseball, as autumn takes over and the top teams get ready to move on to post-season play, there is hope in the stadium. Gate 34, numbered for the immortal Kirby Puckett, reminds us that there will be a next year, and who knows, there was this team that went from (almost) worst (1986) to first (1987).

It can happen.