Thoughts from a weekend of playoffs and optimism — two things that have been in short supply in Minnesota lately:
After being pummeled 12-3 by the Royals in the home opener at Target Field a week ago, the Twins were 1-6 — the butt of jokes both locally and nationally.
The brain trust, including GM Terry Ryan and manager Paul Molitor, preached a patient approach. Many of us scoffed, wondering if seven games into the season all hope already was lost — and questioning whether the team should just go with a wholesale youth movement.
Six games later, we are again reminded that baseball is a game best measured with a sundial, not a stopwatch. That is to say: Small sample sizes are a dangerous thing.
The Twins are 4-1 since those early drubbings, with starting pitching, relief pitching and hitting taking turns in leading them to victory. Their overall record now is a ho-hum 5-7, a pace that would leave them with 90 losses (again) if it played out over the course of 162 games.
But the gloom and doom? What a difference a week makes.
Check this out if you dare
If you want to go down a rabbit hole of probabilities with this Wild/Blues series, check out the website whowins.com. It will tell you that when the road team wins Game 1 of an NHL playoff series, that team wins the series 56 percent of the time (record: 123-96). It will also tell you that in that situation, a road team that won Game 1 also won Game 2 just 38 percent of the time. I won't tell you what happens in Game 3 on Monday. Just watch and find out.
Spring Lake Park's pair
2003 Spring Lake Park graduate Troy Merritt took a lead into the final round of the RBC Heritage, but a Sunday charge from Jim Furyk left Merritt — after shooting a very respectable final-day 69 —with a third-place finish.
Still, Merritt will collect a check for $401,200 – which most would agree is a nice total for four days of work.
Most Minnesotans would also agree that a similar result for fellow Spring Lake Park graduate David Backes — class of 2002 and now facing his hometown Wild as a member of the St. Louis Blues — would be just fine: Get paid and play well, just as long as you don't win.
Pierce still delivers
Paul Pierce has played in 149 career playoff games in the NBA — close to two full regular seasons. It's an understatement to say he's a cagey veteran; and there's no doubt his trash-talking is helping the Wizards win the psychological battle against the Raptors.
It also didn't hurt that Pierce scored 20 points and made four of seven three-pointers in Saturday's Game 1 overtime victory.
Love gets his wish
Kevin Love has now played in one career playoff game in the NBA after recording a double-double Sunday for the Cavaliers in a victorious debut over Boston.
This is what he wanted when he left Minnesota. It will be interesting to see how far he and Cleveland make it.