Really… Even though I knew it was true, it’s just so hard to believe that the regular season is actually just about done. As hard as it is to believe due to the massive HR totals the Blue Jays have amassed this year, the Blue Jays aren’t in the playoffs so this is their final game of the year. I’m sure they would love to go out with a bang BUT call me a homer because I would sure like to go into the postseason on a positive note. Given our win/loss totals of the last week, that means actually hitting some runs ourselves and winning today. It also means pitching WELL. Blackburn really needs to have a solid outting for the confidence of fans and management alike if he’s going to hold that 4th spot.
Of course, no one really seems to know what is going to happen after today yet. Sure the Twins know they are going to the postseason but we still don’t know who we are going to be playing in the first round. Here’s a fun article that shares all the unknowns in baseball right now: Game 162, too good to be through.
The Twins have a LOT to be proud of this year so I would like to see us play today like the team we know they are.
| Toronto | @ | Minnesota |
| Wise, CF | Span, CF | |
| McDonald, Jo, SS | Hudson, O, 2B | |
| Bautista, J, DH | Mauer, C | |
| Overbay, 1B | Young, D, LF | |
| Lind, LF | Thome, DH | |
| Encarnacion, 3B | Cuddyer, 1B | |
| Arencibia, C | Kubel, RF | |
| Hoffpauir, J, 2B | Valencia, 3B | |
| McCoy, RF | Hardy, SS | |
| Rzepczynski, P | Blackburn, P |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
| Toronto | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
| Minnesota | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
I’m not sure what we really expected to see today. Their playoff situation was locked in, regardless of the outcome of the game. Only their opponent was uncertain, and they had no role in determining that. So it made no sense to risk anyone getting hurt in a meaningless game.
So the 40,000 fans at the last regular season game got to see the starters for 1-2 plate appearances before being pulled. They also got to see a very encouraging start for Nick Blackburn. Yes, he gave up 2 home runs, but the Jays have hit a pretty fair number of HRs off of everyone this year – 2 runs on 3 hits in his 7 innings was a pretty nice tune up for Blackie (and the “between the legs” glovework to start a DP was a bonus). Jose Mijares may have sealed his spot in the playoff bullpen with 1 good inning and Glen Perkins finished up with a good inning as well.
Alas, the remnants of the Rochester Red Wings were unable to generate any offense at all the last few innings and the Twins lost 2-1. But they won 94 other games this season and that ain’t bad, kids. It looks like we’ll be seeing Captain Cheeseburger and his friends on Wednesday night. This is where the fun starts! – JC