Twins vs Indians: News and Notes

Probables

• Tonight, 7:10, FSN: Andrew Albers vs Zach McAllister
  
• Friday, 7:10, FSN: Pedro Hernandez vs Corey Kluber
  
• Saturday, 12:05, FOX (no really): Cole De Vries vs Scott Kazmir
  
• Sunday, 1:10, FSN: Mike Pelfrey vs Ubaldo Jimenez

Indians Notes

• Cleveland is one game ahead of Texas for the final wild card spot. The Rangers play four against the Angels, and as hapless as Anaheim is this year, you'd have to suspect that Cleveland has the better draw. The Indians are also a game behind Tampa, and the Rays have one more in New York, followed with three in Toronto. ESPN thinks Cleveland is about 84% to make the playoffs.
• The Indians haven't made the playoffs since 2007, when they won 96 games and the AL Central, beat the Yankees in the division series, but lost to the Red Sox 4-3 in the ALCS. I had forgotten this, but surely Indians fans haven't: they lost the last three games of the ALCS, by the scores of 7-1, 12-2, and 11-2.
• CF Michael Bourn, who has a sprained wrist, left the game early on Tuesday and didn't play yesterday except to pinch-run.
• All-Star Justin Masterson, who missed most of September with a strained oblique, returned - but in the bullpen. If Cleveland makes it deep into the playoffs, he could return to starting.
  

Twins Notes

• Ryan Doumit is one homer away from 100 for his career.
• From the same article: The Twins are on pace to finish with the third-most strikeouts of any team in major league history.
• This article on Josmil Pinto is good, but it's also reminder that A) Chris Colabello serves as translator for half the team and B) Ron Gardenhire calls Joe Mauer "Joe-Joe."
• Kevin Correia is done for the year. His final line: 4.18 ERA, 185.1 IP, 101 K. That's a near-league-average line, except for the unbelievably low strikeout total, but hey: the guy pitched the entire season and didn't particularly embarrass himself. This makes him by far Minnesota's best starter this year.