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Startribune.com sports coordinator Howard Sinker used to cover the Twins and now shares season tickets with friends in Section 219 of Target Field. He blogs about baseball from the perspective of a long-time fan who loves the game, doesn’t always believe the hype and likes hearing what others think.
No reason for Twins not to win the division
Posted by: Howard Sinker under Ron Gardenhire, Twins management, Twins offense, Twins pitching Updated: August 9, 2010 - 8:33 AM
For those of you who are still undie-bunched about another potentially unsuccessful Twins-Yankees postseason match-up, this is not the place for you today. Section 219 has already acknowledged that the AL Central race is one for second-tier first-place contenders, and i can huff and pull and spew and be blue and I'm not going to be able to undo the Cliff Lee trade.
Likewise, I won't remind you that Dan Haren and Roy Oswalt are winless in five starts with their new teams or that Ted Lilly (who made some of you chuckle at me when I advocated for him) has won his first two starts for the Dodgers.
No, those are all peripheral discussions.
The Twins are in Chicago and when they play the White Sox in three games starting Tuesday night, they will either be tied for first place or one game out, depending on whether the Orioles can handle the White Sox again in their series-ender.
The Twins have nine games remaining with the White Sox and there's no reason for them not win the AL Central. The midseason funk seems to have passed. Well, it should have, because there's absolutely no reason for the Twins to be anything but fired up and ready to go for the final 50 games of the season. (I have an ultra-modest goal of expecting the Twins to win the division without the need of a Game 163 this season.)
I have confidence that by the end of the month, the Twins roster will include a player or two on the roster that will help down the stretch. Nothing huge, but I'm hoping for a bullpen arm and an extra right-batting outfielder.
I have hope -- without as much confidence -- that Justin Morneau will return at 100 percent in the next couple of weeks. I have confidence that the Twins will soldier on successfully without him. I also have hope that Orlando Hudson and J.J. Hardy can stay healthy for the rest of the season, and that the team won't miss a beat if Alexi Casilla has to step in from time to time.
I am heartened by Joe Mauer. For the record, Mauer's offensive numbers for July were .344 batting average/.392 on-base percentage/.570 slugging percentage. In July 2009, the middle of his amazing season, his numbers were .309/.377/.468. I think maybe we -- the collective we -- complained a bit much.
I am not bothered that, given the circumstances, Carl Pavano and Francisco Liriano asked for an extra day off -- even if it means Pavano won't face the White Sox this week. There's some chatter in the comments of Joe C's game story about them "asking out" of their next starts. That's silly. If you're watching what's happening with other teams (and with Kevin Slowey), you'll see the wisdom of holding them back for a day. This also means that both pitchers will face the White Sox at Target Field next week and at Texas the following week. The best i can tell, the latter wouldn't happen if they pitch this Wednesday and Thursday.
I like watching Matt Capps move 95 mile per hour fastballs around the strike zone and then freeze opponents with his slider.
Day off today. Rest up. We have 50 games to sweat through.
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