The Road Ahead

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

The Twins are starting a 6 game West Coast Trip on Friday, and then come home for three against the Yankees.

 

Probable starters vs. Oakland:

 

Ervin Santana vs. Sonny Gray

Phil Hughes vs. Scott Kazmir

Tommy Milone vs. Jesse Chavez

 

Probables vs. LAA Angels

 

Gibson

Pelfrey

Santana

 

(The Angels haven't announced who is starting Friday vs. Boston, so their rotation is unclear at this point.)

 

Vs. NYY

Hughes

Milone

Gibson

 

The Oakland series feels like a trap - they play the Twins very tough, Kazmir in particular can be known to give the Twins fits, and Sonny Gray shut out Cleveland in his last start.

 

The Angels are 48-40 right now, and of course have Trout, Pujols and company driving a potent offense.

 

The Yankees lead the AL East, and of course are the Yankees, with all that Twin-killing hocus pocus and mumbo jumbo.

 

How many wins do you see for the Twins in these 9 games?

 

How many wins would be considered a success?

[beckmt]

Twins starting staff has been very good lately. I feel that 5-4 is certainly doable. We could hope for more, but Twins are not a great road team.

[DaveW]

It really doesn't matter, but this is how I would set up the rotation out of the break:

 

1. Gibson

2. Hughes

3. Milone

4. Santana

5. Pelfrey

 

I think the Twins need to go at least 4-5, otherwise its a big disappointment in my eyes. I think they come out strong though and win 6 of 9.

[rghrbek]

I think a 5-4 record over those 9 games would be a huge success.  That would mean we are 10 games above .500 right before the trade deadline.

 

However, I think 3-6 or 4-5 is more realistic, considering how we typically play on the west coast, and against the Yankees.

 

I guess we will get to see if this last series against Detroit, really is a defining moment to the season.

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

I think they can win 5 or 6 games, but these West Coast trips always worry me.

 

The way the Twins played the Orioles and the Tigers is comforting, however, so winning each series seems at least possible...

[nicksaviking]

Ah the three teams that knocked theTwins out of the playoffs last decade.  This feels like a losing road trip, perhaps even a disasterous one.  I hope this team continues to surprise and confound me, proving my expectations wrong every step of the way..

[Blackjack]

 

I think a 5-4 record over those 9 games would be a huge success.  That would mean we are 10 games above .500 right before the trade deadline.

 

However, I think 3-6 or 4-5 is more realistic, considering how we typically play on the west coast, and against the Yankees.

 

I guess we will get to see if this last series against Detroit, really is a defining moment to the season.

 

Agreed, 4-5 would be what I'd guess, anything better than that would be great!!

 

I also agree in that last statement, we'll see if the Detroit series propels them going into August.

 

Lots of season left...

[ScrapTheNickname]

Is this the year the Twins turn the tables on the Yankees?

 

I can read the future no better than I can predict what dreams I will have tonight.

 

However, wins and losses being binary and dreams being nonlinear, I can positively go out on a limb and predict that I seem to think that the Twins will beat up on the Yankees who deserve all the beating up any team can give them.

[USAFChief]

5-4 would work for me.

[twinsnorth49]

I think 4-5 but would be happy with 5-4. 

[JB_Iowa]

7-2

 

I'm an optimist.

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

These next 9 games are a great opportunity for the Twins to really put some distance between themselves and the other Wild Card contenders.

[jimbo92107]

 

It really doesn't matter, but this is how I would set up the rotation out of the break:

 

1. Gibson

2. Hughes

3. Milone

4. Santana

5. Pelfrey

 

I think the Twins need to go at least 4-5, otherwise its a big disappointment in my eyes. I think they come out strong though and win 6 of 9.

Based on what I've seen lately, I'd be tempted to try this experiment:

 

1. Milone

2. Gibson

3. May

4. Hughes

5. Santana

 

Then move Pelfrey to May's role in the pen. We've all seen that the Twins don't really have an "ace" per se, but Tommy Milone has been putting up ace numbers, so why not ride that wave? He's not the kind of guy that will get nervous just because he's number 1 in the rotation. It's simply more work for a pitcher that's currently doing his job better than the others. The Twins should be ready to make these kinds of adjustments whenever they can during the season, simply playing the odds.

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

The probable starters are from MLB.Com . They might be officially announced, or just their best guess.

 

I think the Twins want to wring as many starts as possible from Santana in the second half as they can.

[Brock Beauchamp]

4-5 is a success. Anything better than that is a big success. Six road games against the A's and Angels is brutal.

[RichardMcBeef]

 

4-5 is a success.

ok

[Old Twins Cap]

It comes down to:  Do Twins get the big hit with runners in scoring situations? 

 

And:  Who gets the big hit with runners in scoring position?

 

Traditionally, on the road, that has been the problem, not so much their pitching. 

 

This year, between Dozier, Mauer, Plouffe, they have been able to hang around .500 on the road, a touch below.  I really like having the young guys, Sano, Rosario and Hicks playing up and seeming somewhat oblivious to the idea of pressure on the road.  And having Hunter, whatever his frailities, he is in leadership mode and could be a difference maker by getting big hits when needed.

 

All that said, if they can win 4 of 9, that keeps them in serious contender mode.  Above that is gravy.  Below that is living to fight another day.

 

 

 

I

[Cast of Thousands]

 

4-5 is a success. Anything better than that is a big success. Six road games against the A's and Angels is brutal.

I'm prepared for 3-6.  This will be a tough road trip.