All Good Things...

by Jesse on Oct 6, 2006 7:21 PM EDT in News

It's painful. For us, it's true.

Of course there's no such thing, but it certainly seems that the Twins weren't supposed to win this game. Nor were they supposed to win the series. Minnesota caught no bounces, caught all the bad breaks, couldn't get the big hits or pitches when they were needed, and gets bounced from October in three consecutive games.

Advancing to the ALCS are the Oakland Athletics, who deserve all the congratulations in the world. Big plays, big moments and well played games enabled them to walk through the Twins like they were just another team. I'm now hoping for an Oakland/Detroit ALCS.

It's been a crazy year, for sure. The abysmal beginning, the double-take June and July, and the spectacular finish made 2006 a season to remember. Some of my "Remember When" moments:

Justin Morneau recognizes a pitch in early June. You could see it in his eyes. He was on fire, ever since.
Juan Castro and Tony Batista were shipped off. Two massive deadweights, and two players whom the bloggosphere almost unanimously despised. That was great.
Joe Mauer hit .400 into July. He was SO HOT, nothing could get by him. Ninja-style hits and the sweetest swing since Ken Griffey Jr.
Francisco Liriano making almost anyone who stepped in to face him look like a bitch. Wow, this guy was awesome.
Torii Hunter's torrid September. For one month, Hunter turned into the player many of us thought he was for a short while in 2002.
Brad Radke's comeback. Enough said.
Pat Neshek getting called up, and eveyone talking about 'the new guy's funky delivery'. For the first few weeks, he was unhittable.
The piranhas, kicking asses and taking names. Thanks, Ozzie. The name is probably best suited left in 2006, but it was a great nickname and a great way to pull a team together.
Sideburns.
The final day of the season, the Twins taking the division crown from the Tigers. It's small consolation, especially since we're out and Detroit is still playing, but HEY...WE are the division champions.

Post some of your own memories. Be sure not to wander too far during the offseason, either. There will be plenty of discussion and speculation on the season to come, as well as review from the season left behind. For now, have yourself a good cry and try to enjoy the rest of the playoffs.

It's still baseball, after all. It's a great sport.

Tweet Comment 15 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

The End

the last game for the Twins is always a sad day and especially today. In the mid 90's when we struggled the last day was a good day if we won. my son and I would always go to last game as a tradition and if they won I would say this was our World Series win and we would leave the dome happy. but today was a ruff one so see our guys struggle, no joy in Twinsville tonight. Don't worry i'll be around all winter. what else get into basket ball, ugg.

"hi everybody" Herb Carneal Hall of fame baseball announcer.

by firstatbat61 on Oct 6, 2006 7:58 PM EDT reply actions

Morneau

Morneau crushing that fastball for a HR off Zumaya to take the lead in Detroit was the highlight of the year for me.
It sure was a frustrating 4 days watching baseball but, it was a hell of a run and I'm already excited for next season.

by eswanson55 on Oct 6, 2006 7:59 PM EDT reply actions

HR off Zumaya

Hell yeah man, that was a GREAT moment.

by Jesse on Oct 6, 2006 8:28 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, that was sweet

That was awesome. My reaction t that was crazy.

I think mayb eth ehappiest point in the season was when we were kicking ass and taking names without stress in June.

Then it was just fun. At the end, it was excruciating.

Why do we do this to ourselves?

Oh right, bcause baseball is life...

"Baseball is great because you can't take a knee or kill the clock. You have to put the ball over the plate and give the other guy his damn chance." C Stengel

by AdamOnFirst on Oct 7, 2006 2:11 AM EDT up reply actions

I think they just ran out of gas

There will be many post mortems to come, but I honestly believe this largely young club finally ran out of gas. You could almost see it after the White Sox were basically finished off...they never regained any semblance of their spark. They gutted out that very fine road trip against teams who were out of it, and simply outlasted KC three times, but it wasn't the same.

Can you imagine overcoming the two lousy early season decisions to play Batista and Castro, seeing Liriano become a star and watching him disappear with that pained expression, Radke what more can be said, living with a lineup of Punto, Tyner and Lewww when Torii went down, and STILL going 71-33 or whatever it was down the stretch? Truly amazing.

The old saw about having nothing left after a huge comeback might have proven true here. Bartlett tailed off badly and seemed to regress in the field, Punto turned back into Punto, Tyner's line drives fell into gloves when they began to figure out where to play him...and even Super Joe the batting champ hit about .305 for the 2nd half after .390 plus in the first.

I can go into the winter dreaming of Liriano well and throwing nasty stuff, Garza and Bonser continuing to develop, Perkins, Slowey and all the other young guns looking for a spot, if we can find another couple young talents and maybe get Kubel back from his bad knees...the future is bright and a new stadium is on the horizon. Hated to watch it crash and burn like this, but on the whole what a great ride. Thanks to all you folks for sharing the experience. We'll be back in Ft. Myers in March.

by HrbekIsMyHero on Oct 6, 2006 8:31 PM EDT reply actions

Second the "ran out of gas"

The struggle to get back into it was so long and so strenuous - the team spoke of playing "playoff baseball" since early June. I can't help but think that a little of the air went out of the balloon when the season ended.

Give Oakland credit. They pitched great, got timely hits, didn't make any mistakes & took advantage of every mistake we made. Like Gardy said, it's a shame we couldn't give Oakland our best performance.

My memories of the year are a bit different - I remember everything that had to be overcome:

Batista & Castro on the left side.

The early ineffectiveness of 60% of the rotation (Radke, Baker & Silva) & our 7th inning guy (Crain).

Baker never getting it right & losing his job.

Silva pitching BP most of the season.

Stewart & Hunter getting hurt.

Castillo's intermitent gimpyness.

Rondell using the wrong end of the bat for 1/2 the season.

Losing Cisco.

Losing Bradke after he got himself straightened out.

Losing Cisco AGAIN.

The stone-cold offense that kept popping up to make things difficult.

I can't imagine any of the other division winners having similar injuries, etc. and winning 96 games.

While free agency is pending, the Twins should be highly regarded for 2007 - and we're owed a "remarkably healthy" year.

by BD57 on Oct 6, 2006 9:04 PM EDT reply actions

bravo to the Twins from an A's fan

Pay no attention to the short bus occupants over on Halos Heaven... they are just mad because they broke their remote controls into ten million pieces this afternoon and now they have to get up to change the channel.

Your team is fearsome and this short series is in no way a permanent or lasting reflection of their worth. We were all terrified of facing you, such is the quality of players like Morneau, Mauer, Cuddyer (who has killed us more times than any of us can count), and Santana, easily the best pitcher in all of MLB and possibly the best of this century thusfar. You just had a 3 game losing streak at the worst possible time, and we took advantage of the mistakes like good teams can and should.

Now that your young studs have lost their respective October virginities and tasted failure, your squad will dominate the Central for years to come with pitchers like Bonser and Liriano (we in the Bay Area still laugh at the Giants for that, possibly the worst trade in the history of sports) growing into the stars they will become (especially the latter, for whom the sky is not even a worthy limit).

So don't feel bad at all, you are a classy bunch with a classy, tough team and the future looks very bright for you guys... this is just the first of many playoff shots for your terrifying young players so take heart.

by emperor nobody on Oct 7, 2006 4:27 AM EDT reply actions

Wow

Despite some hyperbole in there, I thank you for your recognition of our team and us as a group. Hearing that anyone was actually afraid of having to face the Twins is some minor solace.

Hey, at least the other ignored, belittled, small market teams respect us.

I entreat you, oh fellow obscenly well run y your GM but underrespected and small market brother of ours, to go and kick the asses of any big market team you might play in the future.

Good luck fo rht erest of the way, I know I'll be rooting for the A"s from here on out.

"Baseball is great because you can't take a knee or kill the clock. You have to put the ball over the plate and give the other guy his damn chance." C Stengel

by AdamOnFirst on Oct 7, 2006 5:00 AM EDT up reply actions

Couldn't agree more...

I too will be rooting for the A's wholeheartedly from here on out. If we had to lose, I'm glad it was to the A's at least. SO tough to hate on you guys.

Thanks for the comments, and I too fear the future of the A's. When Crosby FINALLY gets healthy (he will) and Haren/Harden start to really dominate, plus Barton becomes the stud that he is destined to become to add to Swisher, et al., watch out. I'm frightened by the thoughts of what the best GM in the game (TR is #2) is going to do with all that money he saves when Kendall's contract is up.

So go kick some ass A's fan. We'll (or at least I'll) be rooting for you.

by djskilbr on Oct 7, 2006 12:14 PM EDT up reply actions

I was

I was more speaking of how scary tey'll be this year, but I suppose, like the Twins, their nucleus will be back too.

"Baseball is great because you can't take a knee or kill the clock. You have to put the ball over the plate and give the other guy his damn chance." C Stengel

by AdamOnFirst on Oct 7, 2006 3:08 PM EDT up reply actions

Best game of the year

I thought was the extra inning thriller in Chicago. It was a great game from the start and then after Reyes threw 9 balls in 10 pitches, Neshek came in and struck out AJ in a very tough at-bat. Then came the bottom of the ninth and Nathan gave up a huge 2 run bomb, only for the twins to retake the lead in the top of the 10th. Great game.

by TMoney on Oct 7, 2006 5:30 PM EDT reply actions

As far as I can recall...

...that's the best regular season game I've ever seen. It was amazing.

by ubelmann on Oct 8, 2006 2:16 AM EDT up reply actions

My favorite moment

Was when my boy Jason Bartlett got called up and Juan Castro got traded. Then Bartlett proceeded to get on base 43 straight games while committing only one error in that time. So all the Bartlett critics who really had no particular reason to dislike him except for isolated mistakes (Powers; "Not that guy again") had to shut up and watch a rising star do his thing. He had a great July and August, but faded in September and October. All in all, it was a very good first year of playing everyday. And I still look for him to get better, to improve his stamina as he did last year, and to be the shortstop for years to come.

Joe Mauer for MVP.

by cmathewson on Oct 8, 2006 10:35 PM EDT reply actions

My favorite moment

At US Cellular first game of the July series, 6th inning and Ozzie brings out Neal Cotts to face Castillo and Mauer. With 2 on for Mauer, Neal throws a first pitch strike (since Joe usually takes) followed by 3 consecutive balls. I start shouting, "YOU'RE SCARED NEAL!!" pissing off the Sox fans around. They started shouting back, "Mauer's scared of you Neal!" Then BOOM, Joe's first career homer off a lefty. As Joe rounded the bases putting the Twins up 6-3, I reminded everyone exactly where the nearest exit was as I dusted the peanut shells off my hair.

by TheMattWilke on Oct 10, 2006 12:58 PM EDT reply actions

Awesome

Sweet. Just be happy it worked out, or they might have killed you.

"Baseball is great because you can't take a knee or kill the clock. You have to put the ball over the plate and give the other guy his damn chance." C Stengel

by AdamOnFirst on Oct 10, 2006 2:55 PM EDT up reply actions