MLB Minnesota Twins news

The Twins may not have not achieved their goal of reaching the postseason in 2008, but there is no doubt that they proved plenty of people wrong during their surprising run.

If the Twins have one regret about how their season ended, it is how home-field advantage was determined for Tuesday's winner-take-all tiebreaker against the White Sox -- by the flip of a coin.

Citizens of Minneapolis woke on Wednesday to temperatures below 50 degrees. There was a similar chill emanating from the Twins clubhouse later that day, but it had nothing to do with the sun's disappearance.

Justin Morneau's production in key situations helped the Twins score the fourth most runs in the league, even though the team finished next to last in home runs. His ability to thrive in those situations has him in contention for the Pepsi Clutch Player of the Year Award.

Michael Cuddyer was unable to knock the ball loose from ex-Twins catcher A.J. Pierzynski's glove on a play at the plate in the fifth inning of Tuesday night's 1-0 do-or-die loss to the White Sox. It was Minnesota's lone scoring threat.

For the first time this season, Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau were unable to reach base in a game both players started. They went 0-for-6 with three strikeouts against White Sox left-hander John Danks. They were at the heart of the team's success for 162 games, and they were part of the loss in No. 163.

Jim Thome's seventh-inning solo home run off Twins starter Nick Blackburn carried the White Sox to a 1-0 victory over the Twins on Tuesday night in a one-game tiebreaker at U.S. Cellular Field.

Rookie Twins starter Nick Blackburn will likely be kept on a much tighter leash than normal on Tuesday night. There will even be an extra arm available out of the bullpen in the later innings if needed -- right-handed starter Scott Baker.

Michael Cuddyer has started just three games for the Twins since returning from a broken left foot in mid-September, but he was in the lineup for the one-game tiebreaker against the White Sox.

The Twins gathered in their clubhouse at the Metrodome on Monday for a tense afternoon. They became Detroit fans for a day and then experienced the frustration that has accompanied that designation so often this year as the Tigers suffered their 88th loss.

The 162-game regular season was not enough to decide an American League Central champion. So the Twins and White Sox will meet for one more contest.

The Twins won't have Kevin Slowey on the mound for their one-game tiebreaker with the White Sox on Tuesday, but he could be back for the playoffs, if Minnesota makes it.

With the White Sox just a half-game back in the AL Central, they'll play a makeup game against the Tigers on Monday. If Chicago wins, the Twins will be forced to win a do-or-die tiebreaker to get into the playoffs.

When the Twins said goodbye to two of their stars in Johan Santana and Torii Hunter this past offseason, manager Ron Gardenhire knew that it was a difficult time for fans of the team.

If the Twins are forced to play a one-game tiebreaker with the White Sox on Tuesday to decide the American League Central Division winner, right-hander Nick Blackburn will get the start for Minnesota.

The Twins will gather as a team at the Metrodome on Monday afternoon to watch the White Sox-Tigers makeup game, and they'll have champagne ready, as a Chicago loss would give them the AL Central title.

Minnesota maintained its half-game lead over the White Sox in the division race with a 6-0 victory against the Royals in their regular season finale at the Metrodome on Sunday afternoon.

Joe Mauer will have to wait at least one more day to be crowned the American League batting champion. But that distinction appears to be a foregone conclusion.

The last thing that the Twins wanted was to need help to secure their fifth American League Central title in the past seven seasons. But that's exactly what it's going to take if Minnesota is going to walk away with another division championship on Sunday.