If you're an Oakland fan, you can be happy that your team beat the Tigers on Wednesday -- but your team is still in a hopeless spot at the bottom of its division, 13 games behind, after picking up some players before the season who were supposed to make a difference.

If you're a Kansas City fan, your team beat the White Sox on Wednesday -- in 11 innings, on a wild pitch, in another game that made Ozzie Guillen crazy. But you're team is in last place and, again, its just not very good.

If you're a Twins fan, the glumness you felt after Monday's doubleheader disappointment has been replaced by the excitement of four games with Detroit, with your team five games out of first place.

If you're not a little juiced, just stop reading and maybe you'll be happier here.

Yeah, I wish this had happened and that had happened and the Twins were five games ahead instead of five games behind heading into the weekend, and that we were talking about what should be done to make the team stronger for the postseason instead of what they need to do to keep their comeback going and win the AL Central.

But this is the deal we've got and I'm willing to watch the hands being played out

Wednesday, the Twins held a tie while Jose Mijares pitched to four batters without walking any of them, and Matt Capps retired both of the guys he faced with the go-ahead run on base. It's not like I'll be real comfortable with the two of them coming into tie games on a regular basis, but Glen Perkins and Joe Nathan can't do this relief thing by themselves. Right, Bill Smith?

Offstage voice: Right, Howard.

So you'll bring back Grant Balfour, maybe?

Offstage voice: Can't comment, Howard.

It was fun watching the Twins rally and then show some emotion, even to the point of silliness, in their two comeback victories over Cleveland. I was especially struck by two moments. When Danny Valencia got his game-winning hit on Tuesday, did anyone else notice there were two separate celebrations going on: The kids playing rip Danny's jersey out toward shortstop and the veterans' more subdued celebration near home plate? Nothing wrong with that as much as it was just interesting.

Then, on Wednesday, when Joe Mauer-the-first baseman saved Alexi Casilla by snaring an errant throw, Casilla gave him an exaggerated "Thanks, Dad" hug in the dugout -- and Mauer seemed to enjoy the dudelove.

By the way, I'm fine with Mauer not hitting for power in he keeps up something near the .538 on-base percentage that's been his since the first-base experiment started in Chicago just before the All-Star break. It looks like the Twins have concluded that their best both-sides-of-the-ball lineup, for now, has Michael Cuddyer in right, Mauer at first and Drew Butera catching.

That will change when Jason Kubel returns, I assume. Kubel, by the way, went 3-for-5 with a home run on Wednesday at Rochester. Denard Span didn't play, which is troubling, and Kevin Slowey gave up five runs on eight hits -- including two doubles and two homers -- in seven innings.

(Update: Span was in the lineup for today's 18-3 Rochester loss to the Durham Bulls. He went 0-for-3 and is now 1-for-12 during his rehab. Kubel had a single and walk in four plate appearances and Toby Gardenhire piched a scoreless ninth inning. Sometimes, I get troubled so you don't have to.)

According to this report from Rochester, however, Slowey pitched better than the numbers indicated and had an audience of a half-dozen major league scouts in attendance. (If you're skeptical of better-than-the-numbers-indicated reports, come stand on this side of the line.)

Whatever, that's Rochester -- and for the purposes of the regular season, I'm OK with the current rotation and Anthony Swarzak as the sixth man. Scott Baker's scheduled return on Saturday is good news.

Verlander vs. Pavano tonight, which will be a good test for the Twins. Win this one and the weekend should be really exciting. Lose and it's still going to be interesting.