preg_replace('/<\/?p( [^>]*)?>[
]*/', '
', preg_replace('/
[
]*/', '
', ''))
If Tuesday's two games between the Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins are any indication of how the rest of the series will unfold, we're looking at the division being decided on Sunday. In the ninth inning. On the final out(s).
The Twins and Tigers swapped nail-biting victories on Tuesday, with Minnesota taking the 10-inning, 3-2 day game and Detroit squeezing out the 5-4 nightcap. After watching 19 innings today, I'm pretty convinced that neither team has the wherewithal to poop out any kind of winning streak. We're headed for a series split, possibly a first-place tie, after Tuesday. But that's not the least of the story.
No, see, I could have caught Curtis Granderson's home run ball.
I was miles away, sure, but the tickets I purchased for Monday's game became Tuesday afternoon passes once the rain clouds dictated such. With my girlfriend — and pretty much everyone else I know — at work, I instead watched the game on TV. Hey, this kind of viewing environment has its advantages. It's warmer, parking is free, and the seating area is slightly cleaner. But here was the downside: In the 10th inning, down 3-1 to the Fraternals, Granderson launched this beauty off closer Joe Nathan:
Yep. That was mere feet from where my tickets were, and you can safely bet that I'd have snuffed out a human life for a shot at that little white sphere.
Sigh. They look so happy.
If you're a believer in the butterfly effect, it's almost a given that had I caught that home run ball, then Placido Polanco also would have homered, as would have Miguel Cabrera to win the sucker. (Ryan Raburn probably still would have made an out. Let's not get into any crazy theories all of a sudden.)
From the squeeze bunt disaster to the wild-pitch fiasco, the end of that game was pretty gut-wrenching. So was the second game, seeing a 5-0 Tigers lead dwindle to 5-4, thanks to the Human Tilt-a-Whirl closer Fernando Rodney. (In a tilt-a-whirl, you're always safe in the end, but you generally throw up in the process.)
Will I survive these next two days? The games are going to eat me alive. Wednesday night's game is Carl Pavano, who morphs into Sandy friggin' Koufax against and only against Detroit this year, against Eddie Bonine, who puts the "replacement player" in "value over replacement player." Scott Baker and Nate Robertson play Duelin' Virgos on Thursday night.
I could probably save myself countless, chewed-off fingernails and noise-ordinance violations if I'd simply lock myself in a hyperbaric chamber until Sunday afternoon. This is, of course, assuming the two teams don't have to play a one-game playoff on Monday. Aw, hell, I'll just set the timer for October 5.
"A sinister cabal of superior writers."
.jpg?t=20120527181101)
Article comments
1 - the carl
hey, on the day this double-header was played, i took a day off work to help my wife who just delivered a baby. i took my three-year-old daughter to detroit, and someone gave me a free ticket to the game (section 323). we walked in and sat in the section featured above. my daughter was goofing around, and yelled "hey, look at me!" i looked down, the bat cracked, and i could not pick up where the ball was traveling - but i slowly saw the heads rise upward around me, and i knew i was in the trajectory of the homer! i'm the dude in the yellow jacket in the upper left of the photo!
where did you get that pic?
2 - zingzing
go twins, you pussycat motherfuckers. i foresee disappointment on my end. go white so... fuck... i can't say that. 2 games down with 3 to go is a sucky situation.
3 - roger nowosielski
Never say never, zingie. Remember Yogi.
4 - Matthew T. Sussman
The Carl deserves his own arrow. It was a screengrab from MLB.tv.
Sorry Zing, you're gonna have to settle for Brett Favre in October. Jeff Manship can't help you now.
5 - zingzing
we shall see. i'm doubtful, but hopeful. all we have to do is win 3. and we're pretty hot right now.
6 - zingzing
bam. see you tuesday.