![At Target Field in a game between the Indians and the Twins on April 9th, Eduardo Escobar(5) and Brian Dozier(2) celebrate the Twins' 7-2 win .] Richard Tsong-Taatarii/rtsong-taatarii@startribune.com](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/RE74U6EOMEUBIQHJCOBEQGGFVQ.jpg?&w=1080)
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.
