Only one team stands between the Minnesota Twins and a spot in baseball's World Series. At the Metrodome, the Twins will take on the Anaheim Angels in the opening game of the American League Championship Series. The winner of the best of seven series will face either the Saint Louis Cardinals or (Braves/Giants) in baseball's Fall Classic.
WILLIAM WILLCOXEN: There was some surprise in baseball circles when the Twins eliminated the Oakland A's from the playoffs on Sunday. There was even more surprise the day before when the Angels eliminated the New York Yankees. It's been five years since any team other than the Yankees represented the American League in the World Series. So a League Championship between the Twins and Angels might seem doubly surprising, but Anaheim Manager Mike Scioscia says it shouldn't be.
MIKE SCIOSCIA: People in the media and maybe some fans might think it's unlikely, but if you saw the way the two clubs progressed all year, I think, you realize the talent and the quality of both ball clubs. So however people might look at it as unlikely, I don't look at it like that. I know the Twins are an outstanding baseball club, and I feel that we are too. And I think that both teams are deserving to be where they are right now.
WILLIAM WILLCOXEN: Being in the League Championship holds special significance for the Twins, who were nearly eliminated before the season started. It took a court ruling to block the baseball commissioner's plan to shrink the major leagues by disbanding the Twins and Montreal Expos. The Twins are a team of young players, most of whom came up through the minor leagues together. The threat of contraction helped center fielder Torii Hunter realize how close he feels to his teammates.
TORII HUNTER: It was tough during this past offseason. He was talking about contraction. And I grew up with these guys. And then they talked about a dispersal draft, and I couldn't imagine Guzman and Doug and Jack and all those guys on different teams and not playing against those guys and all on account of a contraction.
WILLIAM WILLCOXEN: Only a couple of Twins had ever been in the playoffs before last week. But first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz says at the end of a long season, the playoffs bring this young team more exhilaration than nervousness.
DOUG MIENTKIEWICZ: It's kind of like us against the world in, so to speak, but this is what it's all about. Like I said, no one should be feeling any pressure. This is the fun part.
The hard part is the grind throughout the 162 days. This is the fun part. This is we enjoy this. You know what I mean? This is everybody keeps making a big deal about it. You're going to put pressure on yourself.
No, I mean, this is what it's all about. This is the time to look back, see all the people in the stands, smile and be like, you know what? We've come a long way.
WILLIAM WILLCOXEN: The Twins say their first year manager, Ron Gardenhire, will help the team enjoy its ride. Gardenhire succeeded Tom Kelly last spring after 11 years on Kelly's coaching staff. Catcher AJ Pierzynski says the players had gotten to know Gardenhire well during his coaching years and were excited by his promotion to manager.
A.J. PIERZYNSKI: Everyone couldn't have been happier for him. He was the perfect guy. Not that the other guys interviewed weren't, it just seemed like [? Garde ?] was the right fit.
And he keeps us loose. I mean, he's the first guy to pull a prank on anybody, to get Ortiz with an exploding golf ball to do whatever. And he has a great way with people. And he handles us very well.
WILLIAM WILLCOXEN: The exploding golf ball was a spring training prank that helped set a relaxed tone for Gardenhire's tenure. In Oakland Sunday, Gardenhire was more concerned about baseballs exploding off the A's bats in the ninth inning. Gardenhire and his team watched nervously as relief pitcher Eddie Guardado led a 4 run lead shrink to 1 run before getting the game's final out.
RON GARDENHIRE: I wanted to kill Eddie, basically. I really did. And at the time, I'm looking at him going, what is he doing? And my pitching coach is saying, well, he's just rushing a little bit.
I said, rushing? This has taken forever. It's not rushing. So I did want to kill him, but we got through it.
WILLIAM WILLCOXEN: Guardado says the game was a learning experience for him. He says having one playoff series under their belts makes the Twins better equipped for their League Championship against the Angels, who finished second to Oakland in the American League's Western division. Tonight's starting pitchers are Joe Mays for the Twins and Kevin Appiah for the Angels. I'm William Willcoxen, Minnesota Public Radio.
Digitization made possible by the State of Minnesota Legacy Amendment’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund, approved by voters in 2008.
Views and opinions expressed in the content do not represent the opinions of APMG. APMG is not responsible for objectionable content and language represented on the site. Please use the "Contact Us" button if you'd like to report a piece of content. Thank you.
Transcriptions provided are machine generated, and while APMG makes the best effort for accuracy, mistakes will happen. Please excuse these errors and use the "Contact Us" button if you'd like to report an error. Thank you.