I certainly don't begrudge you your opinion on the "closeness" of winning percentages; nevermind the absurdity of comparing eras and the physical effects of a longer schedule.

But, the fact is you mentioned the Yankees 114 out of 162, and not the M's 116. You missed it.

It's okay, I won't stop reading ;-)

To twins fans: any truth to the rumor that minnesota fans don't absolutely love gardenhire? seems to me he gets more than the most out of his team.

Gardie is fabulous -- he's a follower of Tom Kelly's small-ball regimen, which simply stated is to do your damndest not to mess yourselves up. Considering he has a tight salary to work with, he exploits the farm team as well as anyone could. The problem is keeping the talented folk around long enough to put together a competitive post-season beastie -- we lost Santana because there was no way that Carl Pohlad would pay for him once he hit free agency. (If Francisco Liriano were 100% we'd have locked up the division last month. Sigh.)

You can read more about our favorite Okie here: http://www.citypages.com/2004-09-29/news/okie-from-okmulgee/

CHICAGO SPORTS!!

The sox have a chance to make the playoffs.

Da Bears are looking better(which isn't all that difficult).

The Hawks should make the Playoffs.

The Cubs have a chance to relive the '06 WS. Heh, heh & heh!!

The pukers got beat.

What more could a fan ask??

I've been a Sox fan since the early 40's and Ah'm a lovin' it!!

Too many injuries, too much choking -- or dogging it waiting for a trade to the Yankees or Mets. Sigh.

Chicago trib says 7 p.m. chicago time. But I guess there's some rain in Chicago these days? Anyways, may the best team win, now that they've both tried as hard as possible to lose the division. I'm a sox fan, but I respect the way the twins have played all year long, especially with such an "inferior" team on paper. I wish they'd stop breakin' my f-in balls, but I definitely respect the way they've played.

To twins fans: any truth to the rumor that minnesota fans don't absolutely love gardenhire? seems to me he gets more than the most out of his team.

Tommorow afternoon? Evening?

In case anyone would like to more fully appreciate the Twins' fan's perspective (indeed, my day went from full of heady excitement when the Tigers took a 2-1 lead, to drooping depression upon Alexei Ramirez's grand slam), and in case anyone is looking forward to a GOOD baseball game tomorrow:

The Twins' scheduled starter is Nick Blackburn: 5.20 ERA on the road, 5.67 altogether this year against the White Sox, 7.20 in U.S. Cellular Field.

Don't even get me started on the "reliability" (or lack of) of the Twins' bullpen.

Any respectable Twins' fan would be satisfied with what the Twins have done this year. Any knowledgeable Twins fan also knows the Twins have no shot of going deep into the playoffs (and, yes, I know all the bromides about playoffs being a whole new season, anyone can win, bla bla bla).

I really love the Twins, and for the sake of my own sanity I did not get too hopeful that they might sweep the White Sox in three games to reclaim the division lead last week. But, lo and behold, in the most miraculous regular season series I've witnessed in ages (and I was alive, though very young, for 1987 and 1991), the Twins DID sweep the White Sox and reclaim first and put themselves in position for an unimaginable 5th division title this decade All they had to do was take care of the Royals.

They did not take care of the Royals (and I am aware of the Royals' superior record for the month of September).

MVP Candidate Justin Morneau played himself right out of serious MVP discussion in the last week. Once-Santana-esque Francisco Liriano melted like an ice cube on the sun in his final season start.

Seriously for about a month the Twins have looked all but defeated and somehow found a way to cling to playoff hopes. The hope was dangling by the thinnest thread when the South Siders came to town last week, and the Twins just refused to have the last finger plucked out from their grip on a playoff birth.

And so, now, we have to sit there for one more game- the thread of hope resting on a struggling all-star, a shaky bullpen and a starting pitcher who doesn't look like he should ever be allowed out of the Metrodome.

We've always complained that Kirby Puckett's game 6 home-run in 1991 is unfairly overshadowed by Fisk's 1976 dinger (Kirby's team won the next game!).

Now either Twins fans are in for their most improbable victory of the decade, or we get to hang our heads quietly on the consolation of exceeded expectations, and watch our boys go quietly into the clubhouse amidst the cold roar of the White Sox fans, and nothing else to look forward to but a cold, cold winter.

At least at this point I'll have seen it coming.

Baseball Tuesday!!

Hooray!!!

Touche!

Love the line about Jay Mariotti... :)

lrm Doesn't Seattle's 116 win season in 2001 count as close? Not .750 but over .700.

No, it doesn't count as close, really. The '06 Cubs' winning percentage was .763. The '01 Mariners, .716. If they were playing at those percentages in the same number of games in the same season, the M's would have lost by seven games. Were the Indians "close" to winning the A.L. Central this year? They finished seven games out.

jazztao King, I'm surprised you missed this one. Also, that put them at .716. That's pretty damn close to 3/4 if you ask me...

I didn't miss it. I just don't think .716 is pretty damn close to .750.

Guillen uses a a variety of words that begin with the letter F when talking to the media.

He was also sent to sensitivty training for using the word "fag". If was referring to someone that wasn't Jay Mariotti he may have a harsher punishment.