Sep 30, 2008 6:52 pm US/Central
Baseball 101: Sound Smart About The Twins Game
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) ―
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U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago, Ill., where the Minnesota Twins will play the Chicago White Sox for the Division title. (File)
Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images
A lot of people watching Tuesday night's Minnesota Twins game against the Chicago White Sox may be casual fans, who don't really get into the season until then end.
Some things might not make sense, so WCCO-TV's Darcy Pohland found an expert to sort out the confusion.
Each team played 162 games this season and the Twins and White Sox are tied. Why do they play so many games?
"These teams ask themselves that question, so it's kind of hard to explain," said Star Tribune baseball beat writer La Velle E. Neal. "And they lament all the little mistakes they made during the season, the games that they gave away along the way. The Twins are probably kicking themselves for not beating Kansas City Saturday."
Neal said one-game tie-breakers are rare. This is only the seventh one in baseball history.
"This is the way the League has it set up and the White Sox won the coin flip to get to host the game," Neal said.
U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago is outside and there was a three-hour rain delay before Monday's game. So why can't baseball players play in the rain? Football players play in the rain.
"Baseball's a tough game because of visibility, because of health, because of the type of moves made on the baseball field, a lot of players can pull muscles," Neal said. "In football, you have a week between games to heal up and play the next game. Baseball's played every day."
Chicago played the Detroit Tigers Monday, because they were a half-game behind the Twins. How did they get a half, not full game behind?
"The White Sox had a game rained out against the Detroit Tigers. Then the White Sox had to make up that game."
As for the Twins' chances against the Sox, Neal said it's going to be loud and noisy -- a tough environment for the Twins to play in.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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