I Concede The AL Central To The Minnesota Twins
A blind squirrel finds a nut every once in a while decade. I know it’s not mathematically over, but being down 4.5 games with just 12 to play, I think it is the right move to shift my focus away from the divisional crown. Even in the unlikely scenario that the Indians win every single one of their last 12 games this year, the Twins would still have to go worse than 8-5 for us to win it. That just doesn’t seem likely either, because it seems like we’re the only team that can beat the Twins and we’re done playing them this year. So I know that it takes a big man to admit when they are wrong, and today I am that man. Congratulations to the Minnesota Twins, the 2019 AL Central Division Champions.
Let us be very clear though that Twins did not beat the Indians. Even though the Indians were perhaps the most injured baseball team in the history of the sport this season, they still won the season series 10-9. The Twins just feasted on the rest of the league in a way that our injury situation would not allow us. But there is no question that they do not want to see us, and I hope to God that we get to see them again. But it’s going to take a little work to get there…
We’ve certainly got our work cut out for us these next two weeks. First of all, when did the Oakland A’s become the greatest team ever assembled? They’ve won 6 in a row, and their remaining schedule is Royals, Rangers, Angels, Mariners. I don’t think we’re going to make up 3+ games on them in two weeks. But the Rays…….we’re coming for that ass starting tomorrow night.
The Rays have two games at the Dodgers, then they host Boston for 4 games. I know the Red Sox have been the biggest disappointment in baseball this year but they’re good for at least one win there, right? Then right after that, the Rays host the Yankees who are smack dab in the middle of a race for home field advantage. And then they close out the year with the Blue Jays. With 11 games to go, I’ve got the Rays playing 6-5 baseball. That means the Indians need to go…..8-4 to tie them, 9-3 to win it.
We might win our first 9, honestly. 8-1 minimum. We’re still playing for something, and neither the Tigers nor the White Sox are. That matters. There’s a chance Philly is gone by Friday, too. The only thing that scares me is that the Nationals may need wins in that last series to host the 1 game playoff, but if they’ve already clinched that, what would they be playing for? They’ll be saving their Ace and best bullpen guys for that game!
I really like our chances here. I’ve been so focused on the idea of winning the division for the 4th straight year that I never stopped to think about what I really WANT. That failure of a doubleheader on Saturday (which if we could’ve won that would’ve tightened those Twins assholes up so much) really knocked some sense into me. Why win the division? If all goes the way I think it will, the winner of the AL Central will be heading to Houston for a 1st round matchup. I want NOTHING to do with the Astros in the divisional round.
Bad memories. I don’t want Houston. I want the A’s. Then I want the Yankees. Then we’re playing in the ALCS. And it looks like that’s what’s going to happen.
Great job Twins on winning the AL Central this year, but even better job of the Indians to set themselves up for a longer postseason run this year. Chess not checkers.