The Twins are trying to fight their way back to the .500 mark after that LONG 10 game losing streak.. The Twins made up some ground by taking a 2 and 2 series from the Brewers and now just wrapping series with the Mariners where they took 2 of 3 from the M's and are now sitting at 25-29 on the season. The Twins are 5.5 games out of 1st place in the Central and 7 Games out of a Wild Card spot.
After today the Twins have played a third of there games this year and I must say the Twins are about or maybe a little better then I thought they would be this season. The offense hasn't been what everyone thought it would be, but it is starting to wake up over the last 5 games or so. In the last 5 games the Twins have hit 9 Home runs, all being at home at Target Field Also the Twins have had two games in the last 5 where they have hit 4 Home runs in one game.. Last Thursday against the Brewers where the Twins hit three home runs in one inning, and then today against the Mariners. It looks like the Twins offense is starting to wake up and hopefully they can keep it rolling because when they can score runs it makes it so much easier for their rotation and bullpen.
Now let's talk about the WONDERFUL pitching rotation the Twins have at this point.. The rotation looks way different then it did even from a few weeks ago... Vance Worley OUT.. Pedro Hernandez OUT... P.J Walter IN and Samuel Deduno IN... The Twins sent their Opening Day starter to AAA after his last start against the Braves.. Then the Twins sent Pedro Hernandez down as he just wasn't cutting it as a starter up here.. The Twins re-called Walters and Deduno to add to the rotation. So far Walters has looked pretty good in the rotation. He has given the Twins what they have needed badly from their starters and that is someone who can pitch into the 7th inning. Then you have Deduno and with him it's pretty much a crap shoot on which Sammy Deduno you will get each start. He has given the Twins one so so start and his recent start wasn't the prettiest but he got the job done. The Twins rotation is still a killer to them.. the starters have given up 52 runs so far in the 1st inning.. the most by any starting staff in the Majors this year so far. But lately it has gotten better slightly not great but getting better slowly.
The one down fall for the Twins rotation still is that Mike Pelfrey is still in the rotation.. He just can't seem to get through 5 innings sometimes can't even get through 4 innings. To me it doesn't look like he has progress like the Twins would like and sooner or later something will have to be done with him. He is maybe the slowest pitcher I have ever seen work before and he puts me asleep as I watch him pitch. He leaves to many pitches up in the zone and gets hit hard when he does. Sooner or later the Twins will have to either send him down or well maybe cut ties with him..
The Twins bullpen has been one of the better ones in the Majors and hopefully that can continue through the season.. Just hope they aren't died by August or well maybe sooner if the rotation struggles again for a long period of time. The bullpen is lead by Closer Glen Perkins who has 11 Saves and leads the TEAM in strikeouts and yes I said TEAM.. the closer leads the team in Strikeouts with 33 .. It has seem like the Twins have found a couple surprises in the bullpen so far this year .. Josh Roenicke has been decent for the Twins he has had a couple struggles but more or less has been a very solid pick up for the Twins from the Rockies this off season. The other surprise is Ryan Pressly the Rule 5 pick from the Boston Red Sox, with being a Rule 5 pick Pressly has to stay on the Twins Major League roster all season long or be offered back to the Red Sox for half the money.. I don't think he will be offered back to the Red Sox anytime soon. Pressly leads the team with a 1.29 ERA so far and has done a great job out of the pen. He has many outing with more then one strikeout and he seems like he sometimes over powers a lot of the hitters he is pitching against. A great pick up by the Twins. The third and finally surprise for the Twins so far out of the pen is recently called up Caleb Thielbar a Minnesota native who actaully played for the St. Paul Saints a couple of years ago. The Twins saw him pitch and liked what they saw when he was with the Saints so they offreded him a contract and well BOOM he is now pitching with the Twins. Thielbar has pitched 7 innings for the Twins so far, and in those 7 innings he has only allowed 4 hits and has 9 strikeouts in those 7 innings. He has looked outstanding so far for the Twins and I have a feeling he might be the new lefty specialist for the Twins.
After 54 games here are the Leaders for the Twins...
AVG: Mauer: .335
Hits: Mauer : 69
Runs: Mauer 35
Doubles: Mauer 17
Triples: 2 tied @ 2, Dozier and Hicks
Homeruns: Willingham 10
RBI's : Morneau 34
Stolen Base: 2 tied @6 Dozier and Floirmon
BB: Willingham 33
OPB% Mauer .417
OPS% Mauer .907
SLUG% : .490
As you can see 54 games into the season I would have to say that Mauer is leading the offense in 7 of the key categories. If Mauer is can be around .335 close to the end of the season he could be in contention for his 4th batting title. As of right now If I had to vote or even had a vote for anything. I would vote Mauer as the MVP so far for the Twins.
Here are the Leaders for Pitching
Win: Correia 5
Losses: Pelfrey 6
Holds : Burton 12
Saves : Perkins 11
ERA: Pressly 1.29 (Thielbar 0.00, but only in 7 Innings)
Strikeouts: Perkins 33
BB: Perkins 6
WHIP: Thielbar 0.68 (only in 7 innings) Perkins 0.97
As of right now if I had to pick a MVP for the pitching staff I would have to go with Perkins he has just looked nasty in most of his outing.. Has had a few hiccups but not to many. He has found his role and he is emerging as the Twins closer. Perkins also leads the team in strikeouts with 33 and yes that is sad... and just odd... but to be fair Perkins is out best strikeout guy we have on the pitching staff.... The only one who doesn't really pitch to contact ... and YES I went there..
The Twins will play Game 55 on Tuesday night against the Royals. The month of June could really tell and sorta out a lot for the Twins. Here are somethings to keep in mind...
After today the Twins have played a third of there games this year and I must say the Twins are about or maybe a little better then I thought they would be this season. The offense hasn't been what everyone thought it would be, but it is starting to wake up over the last 5 games or so. In the last 5 games the Twins have hit 9 Home runs, all being at home at Target Field Also the Twins have had two games in the last 5 where they have hit 4 Home runs in one game.. Last Thursday against the Brewers where the Twins hit three home runs in one inning, and then today against the Mariners. It looks like the Twins offense is starting to wake up and hopefully they can keep it rolling because when they can score runs it makes it so much easier for their rotation and bullpen.
Now let's talk about the WONDERFUL pitching rotation the Twins have at this point.. The rotation looks way different then it did even from a few weeks ago... Vance Worley OUT.. Pedro Hernandez OUT... P.J Walter IN and Samuel Deduno IN... The Twins sent their Opening Day starter to AAA after his last start against the Braves.. Then the Twins sent Pedro Hernandez down as he just wasn't cutting it as a starter up here.. The Twins re-called Walters and Deduno to add to the rotation. So far Walters has looked pretty good in the rotation. He has given the Twins what they have needed badly from their starters and that is someone who can pitch into the 7th inning. Then you have Deduno and with him it's pretty much a crap shoot on which Sammy Deduno you will get each start. He has given the Twins one so so start and his recent start wasn't the prettiest but he got the job done. The Twins rotation is still a killer to them.. the starters have given up 52 runs so far in the 1st inning.. the most by any starting staff in the Majors this year so far. But lately it has gotten better slightly not great but getting better slowly.
The one down fall for the Twins rotation still is that Mike Pelfrey is still in the rotation.. He just can't seem to get through 5 innings sometimes can't even get through 4 innings. To me it doesn't look like he has progress like the Twins would like and sooner or later something will have to be done with him. He is maybe the slowest pitcher I have ever seen work before and he puts me asleep as I watch him pitch. He leaves to many pitches up in the zone and gets hit hard when he does. Sooner or later the Twins will have to either send him down or well maybe cut ties with him..
The Twins bullpen has been one of the better ones in the Majors and hopefully that can continue through the season.. Just hope they aren't died by August or well maybe sooner if the rotation struggles again for a long period of time. The bullpen is lead by Closer Glen Perkins who has 11 Saves and leads the TEAM in strikeouts and yes I said TEAM.. the closer leads the team in Strikeouts with 33 .. It has seem like the Twins have found a couple surprises in the bullpen so far this year .. Josh Roenicke has been decent for the Twins he has had a couple struggles but more or less has been a very solid pick up for the Twins from the Rockies this off season. The other surprise is Ryan Pressly the Rule 5 pick from the Boston Red Sox, with being a Rule 5 pick Pressly has to stay on the Twins Major League roster all season long or be offered back to the Red Sox for half the money.. I don't think he will be offered back to the Red Sox anytime soon. Pressly leads the team with a 1.29 ERA so far and has done a great job out of the pen. He has many outing with more then one strikeout and he seems like he sometimes over powers a lot of the hitters he is pitching against. A great pick up by the Twins. The third and finally surprise for the Twins so far out of the pen is recently called up Caleb Thielbar a Minnesota native who actaully played for the St. Paul Saints a couple of years ago. The Twins saw him pitch and liked what they saw when he was with the Saints so they offreded him a contract and well BOOM he is now pitching with the Twins. Thielbar has pitched 7 innings for the Twins so far, and in those 7 innings he has only allowed 4 hits and has 9 strikeouts in those 7 innings. He has looked outstanding so far for the Twins and I have a feeling he might be the new lefty specialist for the Twins.
After 54 games here are the Leaders for the Twins...
AVG: Mauer: .335
Hits: Mauer : 69
Runs: Mauer 35
Doubles: Mauer 17
Triples: 2 tied @ 2, Dozier and Hicks
Homeruns: Willingham 10
RBI's : Morneau 34
Stolen Base: 2 tied @6 Dozier and Floirmon
BB: Willingham 33
OPB% Mauer .417
OPS% Mauer .907
SLUG% : .490
As you can see 54 games into the season I would have to say that Mauer is leading the offense in 7 of the key categories. If Mauer is can be around .335 close to the end of the season he could be in contention for his 4th batting title. As of right now If I had to vote or even had a vote for anything. I would vote Mauer as the MVP so far for the Twins.
Here are the Leaders for Pitching
Win: Correia 5
Losses: Pelfrey 6
Holds : Burton 12
Saves : Perkins 11
ERA: Pressly 1.29 (Thielbar 0.00, but only in 7 Innings)
Strikeouts: Perkins 33
BB: Perkins 6
WHIP: Thielbar 0.68 (only in 7 innings) Perkins 0.97
As of right now if I had to pick a MVP for the pitching staff I would have to go with Perkins he has just looked nasty in most of his outing.. Has had a few hiccups but not to many. He has found his role and he is emerging as the Twins closer. Perkins also leads the team in strikeouts with 33 and yes that is sad... and just odd... but to be fair Perkins is out best strikeout guy we have on the pitching staff.... The only one who doesn't really pitch to contact ... and YES I went there..
The Twins will play Game 55 on Tuesday night against the Royals. The month of June could really tell and sorta out a lot for the Twins. Here are somethings to keep in mind...
- Kyle Gibson SHOULD be up here by middle of June.. I would say by the latest the end of the month but I could see him up here as soon as June 15th or so after the Super 2 Rule runs out.
- This will be the make or break month for Pelfrey I really think.. If he has 2 or 3 more BAD starts the Twins might not have a choice but to send him down to AAA
- Vance Worley could be back in the starting rotation. If he can figure out his control problems in AAA he could really be a nice addition back to the rotation. He is still young, so I won't give up hope yet.. but he needs his command back to be a good pitcher for us
- Walter and Deduno depending on how they do could stick in the rotation.. Just depends on how they do and how Gibson and Worley do down in AAA.
- I will predict that Aaron Hicks Batting Average will be above .200 by the end of the month.. Please don't let me down Hicks!
- Oh Justin Morneau will hit more Home runs this month then he did during April and May
- The Twins will go 13-13 this month.. which would put the Twins at 38-42 at the end of the month.