Big Road Trip

[stringer bell]

While the Twins are still in position to make the playoffs, they have had a poor month of June. They are 9-14 despite playing most of their games at home so far this month. The fault has fallen almost totally on the offense. Starting pitching and the back of the bullpen have been good, and defense has improved.

 

The Twins first face the Brewers, cellar dwellers in the NL Central, then the Reds, also below .500, before facing the Royals for four in KC. They won't have the DH for the next week, but they will have a tall reinforcement in their bullpen. Alex Meyer will make his big league debut sometime in the next week I am sure.

 

The Brewer series is interesting. The Twins will face the same three starters they saw earlier in Minneapolis for this weekend. None of them are having outstanding seasons. However, they were good enough to win two of three in Minnesota in the first weekend of the month. Milwaukee has a decent lineup when everybody is healthy, with quite a bit of right handed power. I expect youngsters Buxton and Rosario to make a big impact in the series, while the veteran core of the lineup also produces.

 

It will be on to Cincinnati from there. I haven't seen much of the Reds, but I do remember the park as being a bandbox. Home runs will be hit, and the Twins must hit their share. The Reds host the All-Star game, so Perkins and Dozier probably will be looking at making return trips soon after they play there.

 

Finally, a trip to Kansas City in July. Odds are good that it will be hot. Odds are slightly less good that the Twins will be within sight of the Royals by that time so that the series could be a battle for first place. The Twins will need to make their hits count early in the game because KC's bullpen remains dominant. Twins pitchers will need to hold the seven (or eight or nine) Royals All-Stars in check.

 

The Twins certainly are in the race right now with June winding down. A 5-5 or better roadie will keep them there. If the trip is disappointing, we might be seeing proof that they really aren't in the race despite a record that says they are.

 

Day to day, we fans complain that no action is being taken, but eventually things happen. Top prospects Rosario, Buxton and now Meyer have been recalled, nobody is going to remember two years from now who started the season in center field and the other premium reinforcements might be on their way before the leaves are turning. It has been fun and there is hope for more fun in the summer of 2015.

[drjim]

 

Day to day, we fans complain that no action is being taken, but eventually things happen. Top prospects Rosario, Buxton and now Meyer have been recalled, nobody is going to remember two years from now who started the season in center field and the other premium reinforcements might be on their way before the leaves are turning. It has been fun and there is hope for more fun in the summer of 2015.

 

Well said in your conclusion. Review the day to day angst and the long view of this season has been about right in regards to moves.

 

And if nothing else, after 4 awful seasons, it is fun to follow the team again. Playing well, competitive basically every game, and young guys that are actually talented making their debuts.

 

Would be nice if they won 4 of the next 6 and the KC series go as it might.