Twins fever reaches its zenith as playoffs loom

It’s been an exciting fun year to be a Minnesota Twins fan.

The team finished in first place in the American League Central Division with 101 wins — the most wins they’ve had in a season since they won the pennant and competed against the Dodgers in 1965. They hadn’t won the division since 2010. They will be playing their nemesis — the New York Yankees — in the first round of the playoffs. First game, in the best of five series, is scheduled for Yankee Stadium tonight.

Often on warm summer evenings, several times this year, I’ve been walking around Eagle Lake with my wife and dog and heard Cory Provus — the voice of the Twins — on various cabin radios.

Whether sitting by campfires, cruising the lake on pontoon boats, or listening to Dick and Bert on TV, Minnesota Twins fans in northern Minnesota are pumped up about the ball club.

The Twins added several key players this year, including 39-year-old free agent Nelson Cruz. Cruz bats third in the Twins power-packed lineup and led the team in homeruns. Other key additions include Marwin Gonzales, C.J. Cron, and Jonathan Schoop. They’ve broken many club and major league records — in particular with all of their homeruns. The Twins set a Major League Baseball record with 307 team home runs in one season. Cruz, Miguel Sano, Eddie Rosario, Mitch Garver, and Max Kepler all hit more than 30 homers individually, another record.

The Twins, as do the Yankees, have several key players hurt. The Twins lost their great defensive center fielder Byron Buxton for the season due to injury. Michael Pineda, who was pitching well, was declared ineligible due to testing for a banned substance. Now, in the last weekend series, our spunky rookie and player hitting nearly .350, Luis Arraiz, sprained his ankle and has his foot in a cast. He’ll have five days to rehabilitate the ankle prior to Friday’s game. He is a spark plug and hopefully he’ll be ready to play. Same goes for Kepler and Gonzalez, who have been nursing abdominal injuries and are key players.

Granted, it was the World Series, but in 1987, I remember buying a new big-screen TV — and they were heavy and expensive — just to have friends over to watch the Twins-Cardinals matchup. It was a big deal. Excitement was statewide.

There were vendors on Superior Street in Duluth selling all sizes of American League and World Series shirts. Nearly everyone had one and proudly sported it. I’m not sure, and I don’t know why, but I don’t see people displaying that same support and drive this season.

I asked some folks in Cloquet about what local fans were thinking of the Twins-Yankees series. Cloquet attorney and former Cloquet High School and University of Minnesota Duluth pitching great Frank Yetka said, “I think it’s time to break the curse.” Retiree darts baseball expert Steve Rabideux said “I’m worried about the Twins pitching, but the Yankees are uncertain as well. Both bullpens are very good. Both teams hit a lot of home runs. It should be a great series.” John Pastika, who lives in Florida but is originally from and spent this last summer in Cloquet, said “It will be the Battle of the Bats.”

Will they be selling Twins hats on Cloquet Avenue? Probably not. But show your support, look on the internet and place your order. We didn’t have that option in 1987.

It should be exciting baseball.