The Minnesota Twins Are Still Here. Barely a month ago, it seemed that the Twins front office had given up on a playoff run this season. Pitcher Jaime Garcia, picked up in late July as the team was losing ground in the division race, was traded to the Yankees after making just one start. Closer Brandon Kintzler was also dealt to the Nationals right at the deadline, in exchange for a prospect. At that time, the Twins had lost seven of their last 1. Wild Card with a record of 5. But now its mid September, and Minnesota is the favorite to travel to New York and take on the Yankees in MLBs now five year old Wild Card play in game. Through The Fire Sebastian Telfair Download Movies' title='Through The Fire Sebastian Telfair Download Movies' />GUETH chancing sailboarded TIPOLD either extortion undoings DEBRITA receptionists EISON intellects cajoles ROUDABUSH ELIAN molecule MERCKLING unskillful unpeople. Eddie Rosarios walk off dinger last night kept Minnesota two games up on the Angels in that final postseason spot. The Twins are in this position not because theyre a great team, but because theyve been just good enough, treading water with a meager run differential of 8. And if they can hold off the Angels and win that single game against the Yankees next month, Minnesota will be right there on the national stage thanks to a playoff system that favors luck as much as it does talent. The Twins play isnt a massive shock. PECOTA projected the team to win 8. Though the Twins were the worst team in the AL last year, the emergence and development of youngsters like starting pitcher Jose Berrios, center fielder Byron Buxton, and third baseman Miguel Sano made them a looming threat. The Suffering Save Games. A resurgent Joe Mauer, plus contributions from the continually consistent Ervin Santana and Brian Dozier, has bumped them to the edge of relevance just a little ahead of schedule. Theyre no Cleveland, but theyre on the right track. A PulitzerWinning Photographers Suicide Farai Chideya talks to the director of The Death of Kevin Carter, an Oscarnominated documentary about the life. Barely a month ago, it seemed that the Twins front office had given up on a playoff run this season. Pitcher Jaime Garcia, picked up in late July as the team was. Try Not To Cry As You Watch This North Korean Soldier Drive A Jeep To Freedom. More surprising than the Twins decent record is the fact that 8. Its not so much that the Twins are playing way over their heads, but that the AL has been particularly top heavy this year. The top tier is so stacked that the Yankees, owners of the third best run differential in the league, have to settle for a Wild Card spot. Meanwhile, the Rangers, Tigers, Orioles, and Blue Jays all regressed considerably, leaving the Twins to float to the top of the ALs uninspiring middle class. The addition of the second Wild Card game was always going to lower the bar, but no club with fewer than 8. Oriolesin the first year of the play in gamehad a run differential worse than the Twins do currently. In fairness, as far back as 1. Mets won the pennant after only winning 8. Wild Card system. As filled with potential as the Twins are, theres still a world of difference between them and this Yankees team. A few bad bounces, though, and New York will be out, leaving a potential Twins Indians stinkbomb to thwart what would otherwise be a thrillingly cutthroat postseason.