Game 162: Orioles at Twins - Minnesota Sports Today

Division Series - Houston Astros v Minnesota Twins - Game Three — Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images

“You don’t have to go home —but you can’t stay here…”

First Pitch: 2:10 PM CT

TV: Bally Sports North

Radio: TIBN

Know Thine Enemy: Camden Chat

There’s a moment I think about every season when the Twins don’t play meaningful games to close out a regular season. Perhaps I’ve recalled it before, but it remains evergreen.

On Saturday, September 29, 2007, I sat in my college dorm room—finally a single room as a senior!—and watched the Minnesota Twins play the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. It was the season’s second-to-last contest, but I knew I’d miss the finale due to a Sunday band concert I was performing in.

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier Meets Malawis President Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera — I played the trombone, in case you were wondering

There really was no reason for me to be tuned in. The Twins were finishing their first sub-.500 season (79-83) in the Gardenhire Era and just playing out the string in Beantown.

The Twins didn’t even win the game. Joe Mauer got three hits—of course—off Tim Wakefield’s knuckler and Carlos Silva had a strong start on the hill, but a disastrous Nick Blackburn relief appearance (1 IP, 4 ER) coughed up the lead and ultimately the victory.

But after a number of seasons of October baseball, it took until that moment for me to realize how much I’d miss watching the Twins until they returned. I was watching purely for Dick Bremer’s soothing baritone and one more opportunity to see my boys of summer before the darkness got long and the thermometer short.

I won’t be following my college-self’s advice today—if only because once again my Purple pastime interjects. But perhaps when the pigskin is done being slung, I’ll flip over to baseball one final time to hear Provus and see the gang before 2025.

Cleveland Guardians v. Minnesota Twins — A long time ago—but also seemingly just yesterday

A few thank-you’s for this final 2024 game thread of mine…

To Ben for keeping this all together (I listen to the podcast every week!) and covering for my football fandom (like today). I also write weekly “4 Downs To…” posts on Daily Norseman in case you are interested.
To all other Twinkie Town writers keeping the wheel turning for six consecutive months.
To all readers/commenters, as any writer’s goal is “to have someone read it”.
Finally, to the Twinkie Town community as a whole. I’m not nearly as witty or put-together in “real life” (whatever the heck that is) as I am here, but here I constantly find a merry gang of folks who also partake in the odd-by-any-other-definition practice of spending half a calendar year cheering for a bunch of athletically-talented goofballs in pajamas.

Using A Computer — Even when the writing sometimes seems like this, it’s worth it!

I’ve got some ideas rattling around in the ‘ol noggin for fun offseason content, so you won’t be rid of me quite yet 🙂

But until OUR Minnesota Twins are back in diamond action, I’ll quote John Gordon: “So long, everybody!”