The Twins: Good or Lucky
By Tom Grout
June 2, 2008
I have read and heard a lot lately how the Twins are better than anyone expected and are in the Central Division race when nobody thought they would be. They are getting praise on how good a team they have and their potential to actually get into the playoffs.
Are the Twins really that good or could it be the rest of the teams in the AL Central are that bad.
A look at the standings has the Twins in second place just one game behind the Central leader the Chicago White Sox. Although they are in second place their record is just 2 games over .500 at 29-27. If they were in the American League East they would be in third place at about 6 games back. If they were in the American League West they would also be in third and about 5-6 games back. So I guess they should be lucky that they are in the right division.
Before the season started the American League Central was suppose to be the strongest division in baseball, at least that’s what all the baseball pundits were saying, including me. On paper who would have ever thought the Detroit Tigers would stink so badly. They are 8 games below .500 and they were supposed to be the team that was going to run away with it all. The Cleveland Indians were suppose to give the Tigers a run for their money and would surely wrap up the wild card race. As of today the Indians are at a 25-31 won/lost record and are 5 games back.
The powerhouse Central are as powerless as we seem to be in controlling the gas prices. Detroit got old overnight and their pitchers look like they belong in AAA. The big hitting Indians are just a shade of their former selves. Didn’t you used to be Travis Hafner? The team leading the division, the White Sox, are doing it with mirrors and will be figured out soon and maybe already have as they dropped three in a row over the weekend to Tampa Bay. Speaking of Tampa Bay, maybe taking the Devil out of their name has made them ball players. They are in first place over Boston and New York.
The Twins haven’t played all that well. We have mentioned here before about playing the game the “right way” and the Twins haven’t been doing that. The series with Kansas City was awful and if it wasn’t for the fact that the Royals are playing worse the Twins should not have won any of those games.
I love the Twins and I don’t want to look at them pessimistically, but the Twins are where they are because every other team in the division is not living up to what everyone thought. This does not mean the Twins are a bad team but they have had some luck on their side. They have a lot of new, young, exciting players and some players who were having trouble early like Mike Lamb, and Michael Cuddyer, have started to hit so I think they still will be a fun team to watch.
I know it’s still early in the season so maybe things will totally change, but for now we should be thankful the Twins are in the Central.
OKOKOKOK...so I was wrong a few months ago...I had the AL Central generally in this order:
1) Detroit, 2) Cleveland, 3) KC, 4) Chicago, 5) TWINS.
What happened? First of all, betting on KC to be better is easy since they are bad so often. Law of averages and all that. And who, after looking at the teams on paper, would've bet the Tigers and Indians would be so pathetic? And the ChiSox? If we can't understand what Ozzie is saying, how can the players??? Which brings the Twins and (apart from Morneau and Mauer) their "No-Name" team. Who? Yep, I gave the Twins about a 65 win season this year. Oops.
But remember: this isn't a race, it's a marathon (thanks Buck Martinez). More importantly the CUBS have the best record in baseball. HOLY COW!!!! GO CUBS!!!
Andy McPhail?!
Hmmmmmm......
Yeah, the Twins are lucky, but more than that, the other teams in the Division are just stinkin up the place.
I had the Twins just above KC at this point in the race.. but fate always makes it a crap shoot.
Gomez is a real bright spot. Casilla acts like he knows what he's doing, and if Cuddyer can find his groove, they may just have to pitch to Morneau again.
Pitching is the issue, and the Twins don't have any.
Bullpen is still good, but the starters just aren't there.
Some young talent but not enough to weather the whole year... I think next year will be a better year for the Twins.
In 1987, the Twins were "lucky" to get in with a barely over .500 regular season record. They then went on to beat the supposedly more powerful Tigers and Cards.
Point is, for any team to win it all, you have to be both good, and lucky.
I think this team will hang around til the end. I'm not sure if Hernandez can keep fooling hitters with the 52 mph curveball all season long. I like Blackburn, Perkins, Baker, and Slowey. The key will be, IF Liriano can come in for the second half, and be successful. IF he can, not only will he provide quality innings himself, but provide a much needed different look and approach, for a staff of mainly control-type pitchers.
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