Extra Innings For The Metrodome

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

There's been a stay of execution for the much-maligned baseball palace known as the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, which will now run for one or two more games, at the very least.

This improbable turn of events was created by the Minnesota Twins' catching--and surpassing--the Detroit Tigers to win the American League Central title with a dramatic 6-5 victory in 12 innings Tuesday night.

Detroit had led the Twins by seven games at the beginning of September.  But just like they did in 2006, the Tigers choked it all away on the final day.  While national television announcers kept telling us how wonderful the success of the Tigers would be for the economically depressed city of Detroit, the baseball team reacted as if they were running out of gas on the way to a Cash for Clunkers promotion.

The Twins, despite the prospect of seeing more money come in from their new ball park, are still acting as if they're on a Walmart budget (or is it Dollar General?).  Instead, they used their free agent  money and spent it on Orlando Cabrera, Carl Pavano, and whoever else they could fit in from AAA Rochester.  Add to that injuries to key regulars such as Justin Morneau and Francisco Liriano, and you wonder how the Twins made it this far.

By the time you see this, the Twins will be playing Game 1 of the American League Divisional Series against the Yankees in New York.  The Bronx Bombers would have been heavily favored in this series no matter who they played.  In fact, I see them in the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Stranger things have happened, you know.  The Twins could actually win a game.