Minneapolis Star & Tribune’s sports commentator Howard Sinker provides commentary on the Twin’s chances for post season play evaporating after a heart-breaking game loss the night prior. The Twins are back two games for a division title and making the playoffs, with only three games left in the regular season.
[MUSIC PLAYING] DOUGLAS HALL: The headline in Thursday's newspaper told readers there was no tomorrow for the Minnesota Twins baseball team after last night's game. Now, it is tomorrow. Was the headline right? We'll find out as we talk with Minneapolis Star Tribune baseball writer, Howard Sinker. He's on the phone from Cleveland, where he covered last night's game. Howard, what's the scenario for the Twins to win the pennant now?
HOWARD SINKER: Well, Doug, it doesn't look real good right now for the Twins. They're two games behind with three games left to play. And they really have to become about the best fans that the Oakland Athletics have. Oakland plays Kansas City in three games this weekend. And if Oakland doesn't win two or three of those games, the Twins have no hope.
DOUGLAS HALL: What chances do you give Oakland?
HOWARD SINKER: I can't tell you. I can't tell you. Baseball's a weird game. I think the Twins proved that last night when they gave away a 3 minus 0 lead and lost 4 to 3. Anything can happen, but whether it does, we'll know more probably about 6 o'clock on Sunday.
DOUGLAS HALL: That was, as the saying goes, a heartbreaker last night. The Twins were ahead 3 to 0 in the eighth. What happened?
HOWARD SINKER: Well, there was no reason for them to lose the game. Mike Smithson got tired, which was understandable because he had only pitched five innings his last time out because of a sore neck. Ron Davis came in and walked the first batter he faced, which he shouldn't have done.
Tim Teufel made a bad throw and a ground ball. It was a throw that he shouldn't have made in the first place. And then that allowed Cleveland to tie the game. And then in the ninth inning, Ron Davis gives up a home run to somebody who has less name recognition than myself. That's not the combination for a winning team or a pennant winning team.
DOUGLAS HALL: Howard, do you think the Twins have the attitude then it'll take to sweep the remaining games with Cleveland?
HOWARD SINKER: Well, it's probably easier to sweep the remaining games with Cleveland than say with Toronto or Detroit or even most other teams. I don't think they'll let the loss bother them too much emotionally, but it's just right now whether they have the ability.
One thing that they'll have to do to sweep the last three games is beat Bert Blyleven, again, on Sunday, and Bert is probably the best pitcher in the league this year. So it's not going to be easy.
DOUGLAS HALL: The Twins have to start their game tonight long before Kansas City begins playing. Is that uncertainty about the Royals and advantage do you think?
HOWARD SINKER: It's probably better. That way they don't keep one eye on the scoreboard and another eye on their own business. Tim Laudner last night after the game said that the Twins basically just have to take care of their own business and whatever happens in Oakland happens.
They need a lot of luck right now to come back. And so they really can't be worried about what Kansas City does. If the Twins end up finishing second, that's about five places higher than a lot of people expected them to finish, and people would have to give them some credit for that.
DOUGLAS HALL: Well, if the Twins are fortunate tonight and tomorrow, who is going to pitch Sunday?
HOWARD SINKER: How about you?
DOUGLAS HALL: I'm too far away, Howard.
HOWARD SINKER: Right now it's really up in the air. Gardner talked about starting with Ron Davis and seeing how far he could go. Mike Smithson has volunteered to come back on two days' rest and pitch on Sunday, but Gardner would need him for Monday's game if there was a playoff. I really have absolutely no idea.
My guess-- and this is just a wild guess right now-- would be that he might try to start Rick Lysander. But if the game means something, but don't hold me to that.
DOUGLAS HALL: Did you ever expect the Twins to come this far?
HOWARD SINKER: No, but nobody expected the White Sox to have as bad a year as they've had, Doug. If the White Sox have the year that they're capable of. The Twins are two games above 500 right now. And excuse me, are three games above 500 and probably seven or eight games out of first place.
But when the White Sox played as poorly as they did for whatever reasons, that opened up the division and allowed teams like Kansas City and the Twins, and until last night, California to have a chance.
DOUGLAS HALL: Howard, when you were in the clubhouse last night, what was the best explanation you heard about what may be the Twins near-miss?
HOWARD SINKER: You mean in terms of a near-miss for last night?
DOUGLAS HALL: Yes, and the season.
HOWARD SINKER: Nobody's willing to call it a miss for the season yet. As far as last night's game, they knew that they made some bad plays. In their hearts, I think the players know that you don't make as many bad plays and do as many wrong things as they did in the eighth and ninth innings and win division titles.
DOUGLAS HALL: Well, Howard, do you think they'll win tonight?
HOWARD SINKER: I don't know, flip a coin.
DOUGLAS HALL: OK, we're flipping. Thank you for joining us this morning.
HOWARD SINKER: Sure, no problem, Doug.
DOUGLAS HALL: Howard Sinker, baseball writer for the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
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