MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The final afternoon of the regular season for the Minnesota Twins was filled with cheers
http://www.dodgersfanproshop.com/authentic-babe-herman-jersey , chills and even a few tears as a lively crowd at Target Field was treated to a
meaningful and memorable game .Too bad for the Twins and their fans the playoffs
weren’t at stake.They had to settle for a Joe Mauer tribute , the probable end
to a 15-year major league career for the smooth-swinging, six-time All-Star and
one of the best athletes the state has ever produced.The first big news of what
will be a busy fall and winter in Minnesota will likely be the announcement from
Mauer about whether he will continue his career at age 35. The sentimental scene
on Sunday as the Twins beat Chicago to finish with a season-best sixth straight
win left little doubt he’s done.“Either way, it’s a good decision, you know? I
can either play, or go home and be with my girls,” Mauer said before hitting a
double and donning the catcher’s gear one last time for a ninth-inning curtain
call.The end of this year was already going to be pivotal for the Twins. Not
only does Mauer’s $184 million contract expire, but a bunch of other important
players are also coming off the books. Several of them, with Brian Dozier and
Eduardo Escobar leading the list, were traded away this summer once the front
office concluded the 2018 roster was not strong enough to contend.After owner
Jim Pohlad approved a club-record opening day payroll of more than $130 million,
the Twins have less than $25 million committed for 2019 salaries to catcher
Jason Castro, relief pitcher Addison Reed and starting pitcher Michael Pineda.
Starting pitcher Ervin Santana ($14 million) and designated hitter Logan
Morrison ($8 million) can each be bought out for $1 million each and,
considering their injuries this season, almost certainly will be.That leaves a
large portion of the roster unsettled for next year, but it also creates extra
flexibility for chief baseball officer Derek Falvey and general manager Thad
Levine for their third season in charge. The 78-84 finish after their appearance
in the American League wild card game the year before was
disappointing
Mike Piazza Jersey , but the timing of the downturn could prove to be convenient.“We see teams that have closed the gap very hurriedly this year.
Oakland jumps out,” Twins manager Paul Molitor said. “So, yes, you go into it
knowing it might be different but still optimistic about what you can do to get
it done.”CLOSING TIMEFernando Rodney proved to be a valuable addition at age 41
with 25 saves and a 3.09 ERA, faring far better than the other acquisitions —
Morrison, Reed and starting pitchers Lance Lynn and Jake Odorizzi. Rodney wasn’t
spared in the roster purge, leaving the Twins without a closer. Trevor
Hildenberger was handed most of the opportunities, but he stumbled badly down
the stretch with a 9.00 ERA and seven home runs allowed in 27 innings after the
All-Star break.FOR STARTERSJose Berrios and Kyle Gibson give the Twins two
established starting pitchers for 2019, with the 24-year-old Berrios carrying
clear potential for further growth into one of the game’s best. Odorizzi will
probably get another opportunity, with the durability of 32 starts he made this
season his best debut contribution. There’s plenty of space for a newcomer in
free agency or by trade, with Kohl Stewart, Stephen Gonsalves, Fernando Romero,
Zack Littell and Chase DeJong among the prospects under consideration for the
rotation when spring training starts.“The jury’s out on in terms of who of these
guys are going to emerge,” Molitor said.STEPPING UPThe knee injury that ended
Castro’s season early gave Mitch Garver an extended audition as the regular
catcher
http://www.dodgersfanproshop.com/authentic-andre-ethier-jersey , and he made significant strides both with the bat and behind the plate. Byron
Buxton’s injuries, inconsistency and eventual banishment to Triple-A created an
unexpected role for rookie Jake Cave, whose on-base-plus-slugging percentage
(.797) trailed only Escobar and Eddie Rosario among regulars.TAYLOR MADEOne
bright spot in the bullpen after Rodney, Zach Duke and Ryan Pressly were dealt
away was left-hander Taylor Rogers, who finished the season with a 26-inning
scoreless streak that was the longest active run in MLB and the fifth-best in
Twins history. Rogers had a 2.63 ERA and just 65 hits and walks allowed in 68
1/3 innings. Rogers, along with righty Trevor May, who came back strong after
Tommy John elbow surgery, gives the Twins a foundation for the back of the 2019
bullpen.“He’s a pretty cool customer,” Molitor said. “I think the change of
roles early in the year and getting back to later in the games, it just doesn’t
seem to faze him whenever I use him.” OAKLAND, Calif. — The Seattle Mariners
will hope veteran right-hander Mike Leake continues his fine pitching against
the Oakland Athletics when the two American League wild-card hopefuls meet for a
second consecutive day on Friday night.The third-place Mariners (75-59) gained a
game on the A’s (80-55) in the series opener when Wade LeBlanc rode a five-run
first inning to a 7-1 victory that inched Seattle within 4 1/2 games in the
battle for second place both in the AL West and AL wild-card race.The A’s not
only lost a game to the Mariners but failed to gain ground in their pursuit of
first place in the West and the top spot in the wild-card race after Houston
(82-52) and the New York Yankees (84-50) had lost earlier in the evening.Article
continues below ...Oakland will take the field Friday still 2 1/2 games behind
the Astros and 4 1/2 back of the Yankees.Both the A’s and Mariners took the
field for the series opener coming off losses, with the Mariners having dropped
three in a row, including two straight at San Diego, while the A’s were only a
little more than 24 hours removed from an emotional walk-off loss at Houston.A’s
manager Bob Melvin noted after Thursday’s loss that Wednesday’s defeat in
Houston — in fact, the entire three games against the Astros during which
Oakland suffered two close setbacks — played a role in the club’s opener of a
nine-game homestand.“That last series took a lot out of us
Chase Utley Jersey ,” Melvin said. “That’s no excuse, but I saw a little (fatigue) today. Just one of those tough nights.”Leake (8-8, 4.03 ERA) has faced
the A’s three times this season, with the Mariners winning all three, 7-4, 3-2
and 2-0. He did not get a decision in any of the wins despite allowing a total
of just five runs and 15 hits in 20 2/3 innings.The 30-year-old has a 1-1 record
and 2.50 ERA in six career starts against the A’s.Leake has been especially
tough this season on A’s All-Star Jed Lowrie, holding him hitless in nine
at-bats with two strikeouts.Oakland will pitch a veteran right-hander of its
own, Mike Fiers (10-6, 3.15), who will be looking to remain unbeaten for the A’s
in a fifth consecutive start since being acquired from Detroit.Fiers pitched
Oakland to a 3-2 win at Seattle earlier this month, allowing two runs and six
hits in six innings.It raised the 33-year-old’s lifetime record in seven starts
against the Mariners to 2-1 with a 5.66 ERA, marks that include a 7-2 loss in
May as a member of the Tigers.Jean Segura and Ben Gamel both homered off Fiers
in that game.Segura was scratched from Thursday’s starting lineup because of a
bruised left shin suffered when he fouled a pitch off his leg Wednesday in San
Diego. He is expected to return sometime during the remainder of the
series.Robinson Cano has been tough on Fiers in the past, going 5-for-14 (.357)
with a double and two home runs.
