How do you make sense of the fact that the Twins actually still have a fighting chance in the American League Central? Well, it all depends on how you frame it. Are the Twins catching fire at the right time, having won four games in a row to pull within four games of the Tigers? Or are they simply catching up from a bad run, leaving us to look bigger-picture at their 7-7 record in the last 14 games and the fact that they have actually lost half a game to Detroit over the past couple of weeks despite what seems like an endless stretch of bad baseball by the Tigers?

Or is it simply this: throw out all the injuries. Throw out all the inconsistency. Throw out whatever you might think of what should happen. The Twins were one of the teams to beat in the AL Central coming into the season. If they are really putting things together in spite of their problems, they still do have a legitimate chance to make the last couple of weeks a lot of fun. They can get really serious by sweeping the Tigers this weekend, which would pull them within a game (sound familiar? They pulled this on Chicago last year in a late home series). They can at least remain within shouting distance by winning 2 of 3. Still don't see it? Well, the Tigers just went 1-5 in a stretch against the Royals. If the Twins simply go 5-2 in their seven remaining games against a scuffling squad, that leaves them just one other game to make up elsewhere. Now: after this weekend, the Twins go on the road for 10 games, including four at Detroit, before finishing with three at home against the Royals. So for practical purposes, a sweep this weekend is the thing that gets people serious again.

Or do you simply not care? Four games behind or not, you gave up on the Twins a month ago and you're sticking to it. Football is on now. Gophers/Cal, Vikings/Lions. Nothing to see on the diamond but one more chance for the Twins to play their way out of contention?

Let's hear it: are you treating this weekend as meaningful or an afterthought when it comes to baseball?