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Twins at Blue Jays News and Notes

It's fitting, somehow, that the season should limp to a close with a series like this: two teams, both probably going to lose 90 games, in the ultimate in meaningless three-game sets.

By Jon Marthaler
John E. Sokolowski-US PRESSWIRE - Presswire

Schedule (all games on FSN)

  • Monday: 6:07pm, Esmerling Vasquez vs. Aaron Laffey
  • Tuesday: 6:07pm, Anthony Swarzak vs. Henderson Alvarez
  • Wednesday: 6:07pm, Scott Diamond vs. Brandon Morrow

Blue Jays Notes

  • Twins fans haven't seen the Jays since mid-May, so a quick recap of their year: For two months, they looked like they'd be a factor in the division, like Baltimore. As late as June 7, they were only two games out of first, but a stretch in which they dropped six of seven knocked them out of the race. They also went 5-21 in one August stretch, and now are competing with Boston to finish last in the East.
  • Unless you've been following Toronto's fortunes closely - and if you have, congratulations for being a true obsessive - you may wonder vaguely why Jose Bautista isn't in the lineup. The answer is that he had surgery on his left wrist a month ago, and is among the legions of Blue Jays who are aiming for Spring Training 2013.
  • DH Edwin Encarnacion has been Toronto's prime slugger this year, hitting 42 homers and driving in 110 runs, more than his 2010 and 2011 totals combined - but left Sunday's game with "tightness in his upper left trapezius." No word yet on whether he'll play in this series, or just call it a season. This is Toronto's 4,532nd injury this season, likely an all-time record.
  • The Jays drew more than 20,000 fans for every game this weekend. Granted, these games were against the Yankees, but still: the lack of an NHL season really has Torontonians bored to tears.

Twins Notes

  • We suspect that Guelph native Scott Diamond will have a significant cheering section at his scheduled start. Guelph is an hour outside Toronto, and this is Diamond's first Canadian start.
  • Samuel Deduno would usually have been Tuesday's starter, but he's out with eye irritation and is unlikely to start. We're betting on Anthony Swarzak to get the call, as Brian Duensing pitched Saturday, and Swarzak threw 54 pitches Wednesday in relief of Deduno and Duensing.
  • The Twins end the year 35-37 against the AL Central - which, shockingly, could end up being among the best intradivisional records of the five teams. Chicago's also won 35 games; Kansas City has won 33, and Cleveland has won 30. (Detroit is now 41-28.) Here's an infographic, representing this year's Central.
  • In other record news, the Twins end the year 31-50 at home. This is by some distance the worst home record in the major leagues. Even Houston, the team that played disgusting baseball all season, went 35-46 at home. Season ticket renewals are now available, though!

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