UNBELIEVABLE FINALE TO 2009 REGULAR SEASON

The final baseball game of the 2009 regular season was an absolute gem – perhaps the most exciting game of the season.  The Twins overcame a 3-0 deficit to outlast the Tigers 6-5 in 12 innings before the largest crowd in Metrodome history.  This was not a great comeback, however, so much as it was a grueling inning-by-inning slugfest.  Both teams made some terrible mistakes, as well as great plays, as players from each team lost – and then saved – the game time and time again. 

By way of example, Detroit leftfielder Ryan Raburn gambled and lost in the bottom of the 9^th inning when he dove for a base hit that bounced past him and went all the way to the wall for a lead-off triple, opening the door to the tying run being scored shortly thereafter.  But after opening that door, Raburn then shut it in the same inning when he gunned down the would-be winning run from left field with a perfect throw to send the game into extra innings. 

There was also a great bang-bang double play by the Twins to kill a late inning rally when Magglio Ordonez hit a line drive to the Twins shortstop, who then doubled up Curtis Granderson off of first base.  And then there was a great diving play by Brandon Inge for a 5-3 putout that otherwise might have knocked in the winning run had the hot grounder in the hole  gotten past Inge. 

And so it went, back and forth, until the Twins finally punched home the go-ahead run in the bottom of the 12^th.  The action was fierce, and the competitive play just riveting as hell.  In short, it was one of the most exciting games in recent memory – a shining example of baseball at its finest. 

All this having been said, our interests as Yankees fans in admiring this AL Central slugfest are admittedly more sinister.  While a great baseball game is to be appreciated, a 12-inning baseball game wherein the team you’re about to face in less than 18 hours has spent itself and its bullpen both physically and emotionally, on the other hand, is very encouraging indeed.  The Twins used 7 pitchers, including 1.2 innings from closer Joe Nathan, who presumably will be unavailable to pitch in Game 1.  Further, it is 10 p.m. EST.  The Twins now have to get on a plane, fly to New York, and try to sleep and prepare for a confident and well-rested New York team who, incidentally, went 7 and 0 against the Twins this year.  It is also worth noting that one-half of the Twins’ M&M combo, Justin Morneau, will not be playing in the ALDS.  Add all that up, and the Twins’ awesome evening may turn out to have been a very good nite for the Yankees as well. 

But all that remains to be seen.  For now, congrats to the Twins for their great victory, and goodbye to the 2009 regular season, which went out tonite with real style, courtesy of the Tigers and the Twins.

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