Friday, September 5, 2008
If You Can't Say Something Nice...
Well, then there isn't much good to say at all. So, let's get simple and see where we are today.
The Twins:
Went 5-9 on a 14 game road trip.
Lost eight of those games by a combined 12 runs.
Got destroyed 9-0 on the trip's final day.
Saw it's bullpen blow lead after lead.
Saw a defense make a lot of mistakes.
Went with a Matt Tolbert/Nick Punto left side of the infield the last two games, both against right-handed pitchers leading me to believe that Tolbert has taken over as the every day 3B.
Denard Span, despite the 2-4 last night, is four for his last 19.
Alexi Casilla went 1-13 in the Toronto series.
But,
the team gets to come back to Minnesota tonight.
They get six games in seven days at the Metrodome.
For as bad as they played, they end this 14 game in 15 day road trip trailing the White Sox by just 1.5 games.
The Twins have Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau.
Unfortunately,
After the six game home stand, they begin a ten game in ten day road trip.
They will play three games at Baltimore, who could certainly play spoiler.
They will then play three games at Cleveland who has won 12 of their last 16 games.
It appears that the Twins would face Cliff Lee who is currently 20-2.
They then head to Tropicana Field to play four games against the AL East leading Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays lead the Boston Red Sox by three games.
Fortunately,
The Twins end the season with six more games at home.
The first three of those games will be against the Chicago White Sox, the team they are competing with.
The final three games are against the Kansas City Royals, who did a great job of helping the Twins win the AL Central in 2006 by sweeping the Tigers in a four game series, thus allowing the Twins to take the division lead on the final day.
Anything else to add? What am I missing?