Twins-Tigers: Who Ya Got?

ESPN is reporting this morning that Brett Favre has saved humanity with a good performance in Week 4 and the entire network will now spend the rest of the week showering Brett with superlatives and breaking down his every move, from screen passes to breathing. There's no truth to the rumor that he will go to Copenhagen and try to get the Olympics for Minneapolis/St. Paul.

Let's talk about today's big news: The Twins and the Tigers will play one game to decide who goes to the playoffs and who doesn't. Talk about crunch time. That Dome will be rocking. I've already been asked who I'm taking in this game, so let's break it down.

The Twins' bats are smoking hot. Jason Kubel, Michael Cuddyer and Joe Mauer have 44 homers since the All-Star break. Denard Span, Matt Tolbert and Delmon Young are hitting .300 or better since then. So, it's going to be tough for Rick Porcello to make bats miss tonight, and that means he'll need some nice bounces and a good defense behind him. With that Dome-field advantage, I'm not sure he'll get that.

Can Miguel Cabrera get it together? Dude was drunk -- three times over the legal limit -- the night before the Tigers' biggest game of the season. He got home at 5 a.m. and promptly fought his wife, roughing her up in the process. So that begs the question, where's Cabrera's head going into tonight's game? Tonight has become the biggest game of the season for the Tigers, replacing their matchup against the White Sox on Sunday. And they're going to desperately need his bat and improved defense at first if they want a shot at winning.

Which young pitcher will have more nerves? The Twins' Scott Baker, a 27-year-old righty, has become the de facto ace for Minnesota (sorry, Carl Pavano). If he can get off to a quick start and pitch with a lead, he'll be more aggressive in the strike zone with the Dome crowd giving him a boost.

Rick Porcello is about as good as a rookie pitcher can get. The 20-year-old has the weight of the world on his shoulders, but this game may not be one he can win. I don't see his team's offense doing much, and there has to be a long ball or two from the Twins' big boppers.

Plus, who doesn't love Joe Nathan closing it out?

I'm taking the Twins tonight, and I don't think it'll require any late-inning heroics.