Monday, August 4, 2008

View From The Top

By Michael Haas

I'm trying not to over-react to the Twins place in the standings. After all, it's just a half game, and they could be in second place once again on Tuesday. But I feel very very happy that our squad is on top. It's August and the Twins are in first.

It was a great afternoon at the dome yesterday. It seemed almost scripted: Francisco Liriano delivered the team to the top of the division. Amazing. Which got me to thinking: Everything is gravy for us Twins fans right now. We've spent most of our time bitching about Livan, Boof, Punto, Rincon, Carlos Gomez and Delmon Young.

The club has made the proper adjustments. Livan and Rincon were shipped out. Punto is hitting. Boof has been vanquished to middle relief purgatory. Carlos Gomez was dropped to the nine spot after much hand-wringing. And Delmon Young is....well, the hype has worn off and he's hitting a little bit.

Mike Lamb now resides on the bench, salt and pepper beard and all. When he came to bat on Sunday afternoon, I began to wonder why he wasn't thrown out with the Livan/Monroe trash. But wouldn't ya know it, he connects for an RBI triple. A guy with gray whiskers hits a triple. Imagine that.

But that's just how well things are going for the Twins these days.

The trade deadline worked out alright too. They didn't have to give up any of our young pitchers for any lazy, overpaid hacks. And the White Sox traded away some players for an aging centerfielder, spurring one Sox blog to opine: The Day The White Sox Lost The Central

But there's a long road ahead. Literally. The experts say our club has a tough schedule, what with a bunch of road games. For some reason, the Republican National Convention - to be held in St. Paul in early September - is forcing the Twins on the road.

I just have two questions:
Why do the Twins have to leave Minneapolis for a bunch of politicians in St. Paul?
And, Why is everyone making such a big deal of all these road games?

I have no clue about the answer to the first question. If I asked someone who knew, they would probably mumble something about transportation and security and hotels and no child left behind.

The question about the road games is answerable: The Twins record is much better at home. They're 23 and 28 away from the dome. Thank god for the dome, right?

A lot of season left. But right now, it's all gravy.


10 comments:

Daymonster said...

"For Dogs and Puppies"

Daymonster said...

I just realized this: 17 of the 25 Minnesota Twins on the active roster were born in the 80s.

Baseball_Lipgloss said...

Hmm...and here I was thinking they were sent on the road that weekend because the American Idols were in town. Huh.

Anyways, I am taking the moment and enjoying being first, especially since all the critics said this wouldn’t be a competitive year for us.

bizmarkie507 said...

I didn't think the twins were going to win more than 80 games this season.

Go Liriano.

Daymonster said...

Let's not get ahead of ourselves yet Wuters. They haven't won 80 games yet.

soup said...

now, that doesn't sound like someone that's on the gravy train, daymonster. This is a place for unrestrained optimism!

Daymonster said...

I just got my world series tickets!!! Only need 4 games worth!

tfrezac2002 said...

The Twins could not win a game the rest of the season and they would still have made a believer out of me. The young kids have shown they can flat out play and I smell another string of division titles on its way.

tfrezac2002 said...

I'm lovin' ridin' on the gravy train with biscuit wheels. Chug-a-chug-a-chug-CHOO! CHOO!

Daymonster said...

I take back what I said. As soon as I made the WS comment the Twins started the bottom of the 7th. Jesus, this has to be the worst inning I have seen the Twins play in well... forever.

Twins are going to finish at the bottom of the AL central. (reverse psychology)