Romine Plays All Nine Positions, Twins Beat Reporter Disapproves
MINNEAPOLIS -- Andrew Romine played all nine on Saturday. Positions, that is. Not just innings.
With the last-place Detroit Tigers finishing up a lost season and the Minnesota Twins locked in as the second AL wild card, Tigers manager Brad Ausmus let Romine play every spot on the diamond during Saturday night's game at Target Field.
Romine began the night as the starting left fielder and ended the night at first base. He took the mound in the 8th inning and recorded one out.
Romine became only the fifth player ever to play all nine positions in one game so it was certainly something that many fans would consider pretty cool. However, one Minnesota Twins beat reporter wasn't a fan of the move by Ausmus, calling it a "Detroit freak show."
Mike Berardino, a Minnesota Twins beat reporter for the Pioneer Press, voiced his displeasure about Romine taking the mound against Twins third baseman Miguel Sano in the 8th inning. Berdadino argued that it was "unfortunate" and "not coo" that Sano -- who was recently activated from the DL -- had to face Romine instead of a regular pitcher.
See below the string of tweets from Berardino on Romine taking the mound against Sano.
Romine takes the mound.
— Mike BerardinoNDI (@MikeBerardino) October 1, 2017
This is unfortunate. Sano needs to see real pitching, not a Detroit freak show
— Mike BerardinoNDI (@MikeBerardino) October 1, 2017
Sano grounds to third on 3-1 "fastball" at 85.
— Mike BerardinoNDI (@MikeBerardino) October 1, 2017
And Ausmus moves Romine to first, completing the defensive cycle.
If Romine was only going to face one batter, really not coo that it was Sano, who is desperately trying to prepare for Chapman & friends.
— Mike BerardinoNDI (@MikeBerardino) October 1, 2017
The ironic thing about this is that Romine got Sano to ground out.
A number of Berardino's followers tweeted back at him on Ausmus' behalf, with a common message of it not mattering who Romine faced when he took the mound. Below are a few of those responses.
why does Ausmus care? He owes the Twins nothing.
— Jeffrey Waltz (@jeffreywaltz) October 1, 2017
It's not the Tigers job to prepare an opponent for another team... it's to play the game they're playing. Piss poor take man.
— Scott (@STrocker5) October 1, 2017
he was throwing 88mph... you're acting like he's underhanding the ball across the plate.
— Chris (@SNIZO) October 1, 2017
Ultimately, the Tigers beat the Twins, 3-2, to snap a six-game losing streak against Minnesota. The Tigers will finish up the season tomorrow afternoon in Minnesota. First pitch is scheduled for 3:10 p.m.
© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.