Location: Minneapolis, Minn. | Ballpark: Metrodome (56,000) | Spring Training: Ft. Myers, Fla.
Owner: Carl Pohland | GM: Bill Smith | Manager: Ron Gardenhire | World Championships: 2
I'm writing this before Tuesday night's for-all-the-marbles clash ... The Twins get ranked ahead of the White Sox owing to last week's unlikely sweep ... Not to be the rain-on-parade guy here, but if the Twins still had Johan Santana we'd be talking about them as a World Series contender ... I underestimated the Twins all season long, to be honest. I figured the young pitchers would take much longer to develop and that the limp-noodle bats at third base and in the outfield would prove too much to overcome. My bad ... Of course, I'm still predicting that Tampa pastes whoever wins the play-in game.
09/23/2008
8
6
They're home the rest of the way, meaning that we can resume expecting something beyond sporadic competence ... Another tidbit on those aforementioned young arms: On Sunday, Francisco Liriano became the first Twins starter to pitch past the fifth inning since Sept. 15.
09/16/2008
6
8
That they've more or less run in place while the White Sox have endured injury after calamitous injury tells you all you need to know. They're a nice team that plays well at home and, recent Nick Punto base-running follies notwithstanding, generally doesn't beat itself. That said, they pose no more of a threat to the Red Sox, Rays or Angels than a sedated panda. ... The offense keeps getting shut down by newbies like Radhames Liz (who?) and Scott Lewis (who who?). ... They sure could use a split of the six games (two in Cleveland, four in Tampa) they have left on this final road trip.
09/09/2008
8
7
The defense over the last 10 days or so has been uncharacteristically shabby. ... The bullpen needs an ass-chewing, an exorcism or an intervention, or perhaps all three. ... They didn't lose too much ground in the standings, but that doesn't mean the 5-9 road trip was a successful one. And later this week they pack their bags again for another 10-day jaunt. Expect the fade to be in full swing by the time they hit Cleveland on Monday.
09/02/2008
7
6
They've treaded water so far on the Republican road trip, with a 5-6 record heading into the three-game capper at Toronto. That's better than it looks, given that they've faced a gaggle of the crafty-lefty types who tend to vex them ... The Denard Span bullet to the plate from right field that preserved a one-run lead and helped end a four-game losing streak on Wednesday felt like one of those "defining moments," didn't it? ... The Twins will miss Roy Halladay during the upcoming series against the Jays.
08/26/2008
6
6
You can't be too upset with a four-game split against the Angels, but the Twins had the Sunday finale won before the bullpen once again pooped on the couch. The 'pen has blown seven leads this season in the eighth inning or later. ... On the plus side, the starting pitchers don't seem to walk anybody, ever, intentionally or otherwise. ... Talk about a trade that panders to the worst instincts of headline writers: "Twins acquire Guardado for Hamburger." Cue up the inevitable "were ketchup and relish included?" puns, then go take a hard, cold look at yourself in the mirror.
08/19/2008
6
7
Road trip! Republican-convention-prompted road trip! Pack the silly string and Scattergories, and tell mama not to wait up! Whee! ... Give the Twins credit: With that 15-day, four-city jaunt looming like a dark cloud, they did what they needed to do at home. Now let's see what happens when they take that 26-31 road record on tour. ... That the Mariners were able to scrap back from an 8-0 deficit Sunday doesn't leave me feeling too sunny about the Minny 'pen. ... They don't play the White Sox again until the last week of the regular season, so the AL Central will enjoy, like, a pennant race by proxy.
08/12/2008
7
7
That 3-3 road trip to K.C. and Seattle was nobody's idea of inspiring, especially with the bullpen flushing three leads. ... They better enjoy the home cooking and easily accessible laundry while they can, as the Republicans are exiling them from the Metrodome between Aug. 21 and Sept. 4. For a team that's 26-31 away from the 'Dome, that's a rough path to travel. ... We all love Joe Nathan, but he tends to stink things up when he enters the game mid-inning. ... With a stretching, hyperextending, over-the-wall grab the other night, Denard and his span saved a game. See, that's funny because the guy's name is Denard Span. Funny!
08/05/2008
7
10
We'll rank the Twins ahead of the Yankees as soon as they prove capable of beating the Yankees. They're 4-10 against them since the start of the 2007 season. ... Who sits when Michael Cuddyer gets healthy? In a sane world, it would be Carlos Gomez rather than the sparkpluggy Denard Span, but knowing Ron Gardenhire he'll opt for the defense and character-exemplifying bunt singles. ... In the wake of Monday's seventh-inning massacre, it's worth noting the bullpen's severe home/road splits: 2.11 ERA at home, 6.31 on the road.
07/29/2008
10
8
Congratulations to Ron Gardenhire on his months-belated realization that Carlos Gomez, he of the .282 OBP, is historically inept as a leadoff hitter. Please remind me again why folksy ol' Gardie is considered one of the game's masters of dugout strategery. ... Entering this week's series against the White Sox, the Twins had simply abused their division foes at the Metrodome, to the tune of a 14-3 record. The trend continued Monday courtesy of a smooth Kevin Slowey outing. ... This week's the-Twins-are-stupid-and-cheap-for-leaving-Francisco-Liriano-in-the-minors update: In the guy's past 10 starts, his strikeout/walk ratio is a mildly impressive 73/9.
Preseason Power Rankings
Date
Ranking
Previous
02/28/2008
20
-
Letting Torii Hunter go was one thing, but dealing Johan Santana for a package of prospects is a signal this team has no intentions of competing with the Tigers and Indians in the AL Central. We like their chances of winning as soon as 2009, though, especially if Francisco Liriano can make it through the season healthy on his surgically repaired elbow.
