It seems like every year about this time, I have to write a blog entry at SethSpeaks.net about how the Twins are not playing well, how they have so many missing pieces, and that without drastic changes. Typically the Twins have used their interleague schedule to turn their season around and start a march forward. This year, the Twins interleague schedule has been a detriment to the Twins. They have played poorly. They have lost six of their last seven games and are just 10-15 in the month of June. With a loss on Monday night to the Tigers, the Twins find themselves in 2nd place in the weak AL Central division.

Right now, the Twins are making it difficult for their fans to remain positive. There have been well-documented struggles in the starting rotation. It's been Carl Pavano and inconsistency. The bullpen has certainly had it's ups and downs. The offense scored a run less a game in June than it did in May. It is only slight exaggeration to say that the Twins are averaging nearly as many double plays hit into as runs scored. The team that is nationally recognized for doing the little things right is not even doing the fundamental things.

So, what options do we have as fans? Here are a few:

  1. As soon as last night's game was over, I turned on my Season 4 Little House on the Prairie DVD and watched a few episodes of the show. Maybe you've got some movies or TV shows that you haven't been able to watch since the baseball season began in April. Maybe it's time to find them an watch them instead.
  2. Hey, if you've got a significant other, maybe it would be good if the two of you went out for dinner at a place that didn't have big screens televisions with the Twins game on. You could maybe even find things to talk about that don't revolve around baseball, last night's bad call or the current disappointing player.
  3. Minnesota is the land of 10,000 lakes. Imagine the options. You could go fishing or even camping with your family or some friends. You can get in a boat and ski or fish. You can swim. There are lots of things to do in Minnesota's lakes.
  4. You could get caught up on your correspondance. Take a moment and think about the last time you wrote an actual letter to someone, with a pen and paper. Sure, we have Facebook, Twitter, e-mail and many other means of communication, but just imagine the surprise on the face of the person who gets a letter from you!
  5. Read a book. I can't remember the last book I read. Could be Jim Kaat's Autobiography, or maybe Moneyball. Would it be possible to read a book that isn't a baseball book? Any suggestions?
  6. Make it a point to learn a little more about some random topics. Get out your old encyclopedias and pick out a few topics to learn more about. For instance, pick out a random President, someone like Franklin Pearce or Chester A. Arthur, and learn what you can about him. Choose a country to learn more about. With the World Cup going on, I'd like to learn a little more about the Ivory Coast. Impress your friends at your next social gathering with your knowledge of a few social issues or emerging trends in the stock market.
  7. Create your own five-year and ten-year plans. Where do you want to be in ten years? Career, personal, other? Set some goals and plan ahead.
  8. Support your local Little League, Babe Ruth and American Legion teams.

That's just a few ideas for things you can do in the summer evenings. Maybe you have more. I'm curious if anyone has any good ideas for other things to do.

Or, you can do what I'll be doing. Just keep watching the Twins games whenever possible. Win or lose. The Twins will be fine. They do have too much talent to play this poorly. They can't be this bad. I believe that the team will make at least one trade.

And finally just because the team hasn't ended up dominating the AL Central the way we all thought they would, or wanted them to. But as we have learned in recent years, there is nothing wrong with a really good, fun pennant race.

Tomorrow is another day, and fortunately, there is another game!