1.  Here's to Billy Beane's, ah...stuff working in the Playoffs.

2.  Hey Ken...what's the deal with the tarp over the seats behind home plate, where the O in Oakland is? Do they have cameras or somethin set up there?

3.  2 Didn't see it. In the past, that's where they set up the overflow press box, so maybe that's what you saw. Just a guess.

4.  Well, so far so good with Jimenez. Didn't try to do too much with that first chopper, and made a nice turn on the double play.

5.  Radke looks quite healthy to me.

6.  We Minnesotans made up that story about Bradke having a broken shoulder and torn labrum. (Ha! I wish!)

7.  Radke is just so much fun to watch, every time I see his pitching motion I think about how perfectly he would have fit in with those late-80s to '91 Twins. He just looks like your old-time grizzled veteran starter, and aside from Clemens and the Unit, there really aren't any of those left anymore...

8.  Haren isn't fooling anyone. He's looking just like the Bad September Haren. Not good.

9.  Twins aren't chasing like they did against Zito in game one. Looks like they've come to play today.

10.  DodgerSims simulation has the Twins as slight favorites to win Game #3, with a pythagorean win expectancy of .526
http://DodgerSims.Blogspot.com/
vr, Xei

11.  Something doesn't seem quite right with Haren. He's laboring a bit much for only the second inning.

12.  It's a screwball!!!

13.  Buck sighting #1.

14.  Wow, I hope Kendall keeps note of which of these Twins actually swung at splitters in the dirt, and which of them didn't. A's can still get 5 scoreless innings out of September Haren that way...

15.  Good lord, when did Frank get so....wide?

16.  So much for that 1-for-30 in the postseason!

17.  Slump that!

18.  Radke's over 30 pitches already. That's got to be a good thing for the A's.

19.  Does Swisher always have that look on his face?

20.  Marco! Again!

21.  You know, all that talk earlier this year about David Ortiz causing sabr-types to reconsider their views on clutchness - I seriously think they should look at Scutaro to see if he fits the bill too.

22.  In my best Chris Farley/Tommy Boy voice: "Nick Punto is my hero."

23.  Why must they interview the managers during the game? Gah!

24.  Milton joins the party!

25.  Wow, that ball was crushed!

26.  As a Twins fan, I feel obligated to note that the Twins don't normally suck like this. I'm just saying, is all. And Jason Bartlett is usually darn good defensively. (As a Twins fan, this is very depressing. What I wanted from this game was for the Twins to not make mistakes. If we still lost, so be it. But I didn't want to lose 'cuz of mistakes.) And I guess I also wanted Radke to do well, just 'cuz.

27.  wow, how much longer can the Twins go with Radke? 2 HRs in the first couple of innings.
vr, Xei

28.  Radke is gutsy and brave for pitching in this game, but that doesn't get you very far unless you're Curt Schilling.

29.  Or Jack Morris.

Hahaha Loaiza should totally have spilled some nasty-colored Gatorade all over Milton there. That might even have taken TO off the front pages for...12 hours or so...

30.  Well, there's the obligatory Haren home run. Good thing the bases were empty.

31.  Um....what was that?

32.  I recall the Twins dropping a popup in Oakland in the 2002 ALDS, and then coming back to win the game.

33.  32 I see you're determined to remain pessimistic for as long as possible.
If things start to go badly, there's some dirty dishes at my house that you're welcome to clean.

34.  If Radke's coming out, he should get a standing O.

35.  33 I've got a pile of my own to work on.

36.  For that flashing grey graphic thing they keep showing between replays and the live feed...is that Brett Myers?

37.  I told Jason (who's at the game with Phil today) to clap for Radke for me, but he didn't say one way or another. (I don't blame him.)

38.  Our first "Ellis would had that one".

39.  D'oh! Now the A's make the mistake.

40.  Whew! Easier play for Jimenez there.

41.  Yikes! Oakland can't afford goof-ups like this! But the Twins seem incapable of hitting with runners on, only of stretching Haren's pitch count a bit, so it'll come down to the bullpen strength of both teams, I guess...

42.  That's a healthy Chavez swing.

43.  Very very good sign for Oakland here...with Chavez and Swisher hitting this well, even the Tigers will have a hard time pitching to these guys...

44.  41 The next inning will be key. Cuddyer-Morneau-Hunter. If Haren can get through that, then you can go Duchscherer for two innings again, and then Street for the ninth.

45.  43 LOL.

46.  Damn!! More goofups from Oakland, on the basepaths this time. Could have put this game away...yes, Ken, the next inning is pretty key. And guess Duke and Street have each had a day's rest, so 3-run lead should be enough, but it'd be a lot nicer if we see the ultra-tight baseball I've come to expect from the A's.

47.  Well, at least the Twins didn't get two men thrown out at the plate on that one.

48.  Ken, that part about this inning being key; well, it's certainly looking that way. I hope calero is ready to go.

49.  Whew. Bradley made that one look harder than it should have been.

50.  Hey wait a minute....where is Jayson Stark MVP Shannon Stewart??

51.  50 He's hanging out with Jayson Stark MVP Bobby Crosby.

52.  I'm sure the proper sabermetric thing to do right now is to complain that the Twins should be bringing in Joe Nathan here, not Jesse Crain.

53.  Oy I think it is time to go hit up some womens volleyball, enjoy scouting out the Yankees and/or Tigers Ken!

54.  Re. 52: Well, not really, cos even a hit would not score Thomas.

I wonder if this is the 2nd time today a faster runner than Frank would've scored on the fielding bumble, putting the A's up by 2. Then again, a different person might not ever have gotten on base, so whatever....

55.  OK, Scutaro, let's see if you got the Jeter-Ortiz magic in you...

56.  Yes! You do!

57.  Scutaro needs to be called out for interference just for kicks.

58.  I'm pretty sure the proper sabermetric thing is to laugh hysterically at the intentional walk with none on and two outs that started that whole rally.

59.  Buck sighting #2.

60.  Can I congratulate yet?

61.  60 No.

62.  c'mon huston. 3 outs. you can do it.

63.  Time to go do dishes again.

64.  52

Sabermetrics can
Only go so far. Not lost
Is the irony...

(http://humbug.baseballtoaster.com/archives/593.html)

65.  61 How about now?

66.  yeah baby! one. more. out.

67.  [65] no.

68.  Now?

69.  Nice one, way to go. Now you guys get to sit back and relax for a couple of days.

70.  okay, now you can congratulate us. WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!

71.  At last! Our long local nightmare is over!

72.  ps. thanks

73.  71 But now, you guys have legitimate shot to get back to the series, any pressure?

74.  Yeah, come back from the dishes Ken!

Too late to get tickets, though, sadly!

I guess Nathan was the better bet in that troublesome inning - crazy that they never really used him in this series when it mattered.

Scutaro's insane. Master of the deadly clutch run-scoring single.

75.  73 No pressure at all now. The choke monkey is off the back.

Now I'm rooting for the Tigers, not because I fear the Yankees more (which I do), but because it makes it less likely we'll get Joe Buck as the broadcaster.

76.  73. No way, no pressure man. We go into the Yanks series as big underdogs, so I think most of us will be happy enough to see 6 games played, and to see Harden show off his stuff without tearing something.

77.  The chance of moving from under the roof,
Despair in a spring's slide almost too soon,
Liriano, and in other news, Boof,
And then one incomprehensible June,

Ernie Lombardi's name in everyone's mouth,
Johan Santana going for Cy Young,
A season written off as heading south
After the fat lady had almost sung

Suddenly resurged. Guillen's comment which
Became an instant hit. Brad Radke's tries
To come back from his pain and somehow pitch-
Vision of playoffs danced in Twins fans' eyes.

Add to that appreciation for Royals-
Despite the loss, they won't forget their toils.

78.  Congratulations A's fans!

Make some goddamn tshirts with the Stomper logo on them already!

79.  Re. 75:
Because the other game is more likely to have national exposure, huh? I guess Buck won't want to travel to both series. I wonder who the backup announcing crew is, on Fox.....I actually really enjoyed ESPN's coverage of this A's series, in comparison to Fox's national telecasts - so I guess having all day games turned out well in that way.

80.  I wonder how the Twins fans feel. Here they were, on a tremendous resurgent run from the dumps to division winners; and in the blink of an eye, before the weekend is on us, their season is over. Even I, an A's fan, feel a bit weird thinking about it.

81.  80 Playoffs are like that but especially for baseball, the season is so long and yet you can go out in the first round in a span of 4 days even basketball and hockey last longer than that.

In football its one and out but you only had to spend 17-18 Sundays.

82.  79 The backup Fox crew yesterday (they did the Dodgers game) was Brennaman and Lyons. I think that's the regular rotation, not one specially put in place for the playoffs.

Ok, now you guys have to beat the Yankee-Tigers winner and the Dodgers have to come back so there can be a rubber match (1974, 1988). Congratulations, As!

83.  Congrats Ken, As fans.

84.  Congrats to the A's and their fans. Good luck! Would be happy to see you go all the way.

As a Twins fan, I'm depressed of course (and I didn't watch a lot today, had to cover my eyes). The Twins had been in a slump offensively at the end of the season, but I have no explanation for the defensive problems and mental blunders and iffy relief pitching. (Though all season long my husband and I have groaned whenever Jesse Crain came in and said "I guess we've given up," I cannot fathom why they brought him in today of all days).

I feel like the Twins gave this series away; I would've much preferred to have been beaten by the A's.

85.  That's 4 of the last 5 years the Twins have made the playoffs but fallen short of the World Series. At some point, even A's fans have to feel a bit sorry for them.

But not tonight -- tonight you guys need to celebrate! Congratulations A's fans!

86.  This playoff series was justice. For 4 years, the A's caught every bad break that a playoff team could, and this year the little things (Ellis excepted) all went our way.

In addition, in 2002 our team had a fucking 20 game winning streak (which contributed several of my favorite memories of my adult life) and was supposed to win it all, and the Twins beat us. This year, the Twins were the faves, and the A's beat them. Call it payback, karma, whatever. All I know is I'm going to bed tonight happy. And drunk.

87.  86, I'd love to see you take on the Banter-ers tomorrow night. As tempting as it is to hope for an A's/Yankees ALCS, it'll still be pretty sweet when Bonderman goes all Beckett on them tomorrow...

Hey Ken, whose idea was it to give Nick Swisher Jose Canseco's old number?

88.  87 Um, Nick Swisher's?

Swisher wore #30 when he first came up. I'm guessing he requested the change himself.