Well what did you expect?

Duensing continued the slump, though his defense let him down in spots. Does anyone think Orlando Cabrera is a good defender? I hope Bill Smith doesn't, because bringing him back is the wrong move. Yes I'm already thinking about next season.

All the fancy shmancy baseball analysts tell us power pitching plays well in the post-season, and tonight was a good example of that. Duensing continued his slump (maybe his success wasn't really that meaningful), with his pitch-to-contact approach not working. When you can't get strikeouts with men on base, you're going to allow runners to score, via home-runs or not. Professional line-ups will string hits together, just like the Twins did in the third. Dominant pitchers are able to pitch around lead-off doubles by striking out great hitters like Joe Mauer. The Twins don't have a dominant pitcher, in the majors or in the minors. Until they obtain one through whatever means, they won't have a good shot of winning playoff games. Too many years of using high picks on Duensings instead of Lincecums have sapped the major league rotation of a true ace like Sabathia. Picks like Kyle Gibson may be the start of a new philosophy, but it doesn't help the Twins right now.

I don't want to talk about the actual game, because there were no surprises. The Yankees are just plain better than the Twins. The only shot the Twins have will be to win Friday with Nick Blackburn and the bullpen and position players fully rested from last night's marathon. The Twins got to their hotel at 4am last night, so that's the players' excuse. What's Gardy's for pitching to A-Rod with first base open? I don't like Brendan Harris or the recently slumping Jose Morales playing DH either. What Gomez gives up with his smelly bat he makes up for with his superb glove, which would also put Span in right, who would have snagged A-Rod's single for an out. Kubel's a DH, let him play his natural position. Kubel only became a force when he got regular playing time. The same with Delmon Young (though maybe that was the same as Duensing's mirage). Maybe Gomez could actually get some confidence if he, you know, played?

It's such a let-down after last night's magic, but I'm not giving up, and I'm sure the Twins aren't either.