Off to NYC next weekend

[greebs]

Hopefully the players aren't looking too far ahead like I am but I'm getting excited to see how they play next weekend against the yankees. This series will be I think a good barometer of whether or not they can get over their intimidation by the big bad yanks. I think from a talent standpoint, this is probably the closest our guys have been to the yanks almost dating back to the last world series team.

There's some new blood on the team this year so hopefully they can rub off on some of our guys who for whatever reason manage to play poorly whenever they see the yankees as the opponent. I know it's only one series but think it's an important one for the twins to make a statement and help their own confidence after not winning a single game against them last year and not doing very well against them for many years running.

[mr_jman]

AGREED, we as fans may put more into this series than we have to, but after losing all nine or ten games to them last year, it's time to beat up on the Yanks a little and prove we can compete with anyone this year! The Yanks are on a little bit of a role so I'd love for the Twins to knock em down a peg or two!

[Scott K]

Besides last season, and post season play, we have won the series against the Yanks!

[PierBridge]

Are you going to NY? If so have fun!

Hopefully we can get Hardy, Hudson and Mauer back healthy and give those elitist a run for the money!

[pikestabber]

I know Detroit won last night, but they only thing that makes that okay is our cushion in the standings and the fact that they beat the Yanks...that's how much I hate pinstripes! Last year was humbling and embarrassing. It's not like we got beat badly, either...how many regular season contests were extra inning, one run losses? I can't wait to show the Dang Yankees our upgrades!

[Scott K]

I am sure they cant wait to show us theirs as well

[mrklean]

thats a big test going to play them yanks

[solbes]

Oh it still hurts a little from 2009. We almost won so many of those games, especially the earlier ones and Game 2. Here are the Twins scores from the games against the boys in stripes:

@ NY L 4-5

@ NY L 4-6

@ NY L 2-3

@ NY L 6-7

Home L 2-10

Home L 3-4

Home L 4-6

Playoff @ NY L 2-7

Playoff @ NY L 3-4 in 11

Playoff Home L 1-4

Gotta be better this season right?

[JBMasterAngler]

And almost all those losses were due to nathan I think our chances are alot better this year.

[harvey lee]

It will be a tough series.

[Mudcutter]

Being outscored 31-56 doesn't help. Nathan blew one or maybe two games by himself. But if I remember, Cuddyer left a alot of men in scoring postion, including the games that Nathan blew. I hope I'am wrong, but look for not much to change with Cuddyer leaving lots of ducks on the pond.

I hope Tatoo boy gets the chance to shut the Yanks down. Will go up another rung on my gut check list if he can save agst the Yanks.

[soldoncass]

Tatoo...BOY????....GOOD ONE!! He is a MAN....6 foot 11 inches, probably near 300 pounds. He is an imposing figure on the mound, and even though he doesn't have great stuff, they probably only have about 50 feet to see it, judge it, and decide to swing....

As far as your misguided rant on CUDDY.... He has been doing as well or better than most. Yesterday with a man on, he smoked one to center that Rios caught over the fence to rob him of another homer. About a week ago I was listening to a game. ...a couple guys on, with CUDDY up, he smoked another one, that was caught about 390 ft away. He keeps hitting the ball like that, they will start falling in. Now, compare his results to Kubel, and Thome..........swing and a miss......strike 3, you are MEEKLY OUT AGAIN.

[greebs]

hopefully better results saturday. this first game looked way too similar to the 2009 games against the yankees.

[JBMasterAngler]

Not that I ever agree with guerrier coming into the game, but why would gardy send him in to specifically face A-roid when he's gone 4 for 6 with 3 homers against him?

[greebs]

I think had the cameras panned in on arod when he saw guerrier coming into the game you would have seen him drooling just like my dog starts to do when she thinks she's going to get a treat.

wasn't baker about at the 100 pitch mark before the inning started? it's easy to second guess after the fact but that whole inning was kind of goofy from a decision making standpoint. hopefully liriano is hitting on all cylinders and our guys can start getting some more hits with risp today to end this terrible streak in nyc. that monkey on their back is quickly turning into a gorilla.

[zamboni]

Not that I ever agree with guerrier coming into the game, but why would gardy send him in to specifically face A-roid when he's gone 4 for 6 with 3 homers against him?

Gardenhire to me, is a brilliant manager. Except when it comes down to pitching decisions. The past couple years I have seen the Twins go into the 8th with a 2 or 3 run lead and guys like Guerrier or Crain have blown the lead. Back then, once lead starts slipping they should have put Nathan in, but they didn't. They would put a different pitcher in, not Nathan. Any closer, especially one of the best in the game, should be expected to go 1 and 1/3 or 1 and 2/3s of an inning or at the very worst scenario- 2 complete innings. Last night was another case of a bad pitching move.

[JBMasterAngler]

Zamboni, I agree. Overall I think he's a great manager, but when it comes to pitching I shake my head at alot of his decisions.

BIG win today! I give alot of props to thome for being so disciplined at the plate against rivera. But of course watching kubel hit a grand slam against the greatest closer of all time is very awesome! Hopefully this can be the start of a winning streak against the highlanders.

[Mudcutter]

Well, finally, after much despair and toil, the Twins finally pulled one out in the Bronx. I picked up the game in the bottom of the 8th and knew the Yanks would poke away. But olde Tatoo Boy was up to the challenge after 2 base hits and K the next 3. Rauch might have been the diff, who knows.

As far as Cuddy,, I don't have his #'s agst the Yanks in this series, but I do know he struggled. He's a good player, but gets alot of his RBI's and HR's at garbage time and GIDP and K's way to much for my liking in the crunch agst a pitched brought in to face him.

HE is better than I thought a year ago, hope he keeps up last years pace. Great Arm--- avg hitter.

[Jmnhunter]

nice to break that curse, i thought i heard the last time the twin won at NY was in 2007! even better to get a grandslam at their stadium