Twins 4, Cleveland 0: What a Difference a Week Makes

That was a fun series. I missed almost all of it. 

I just came back from Marquette, MI and this game entertained me for most of the ride from Ashland home.  What fun.  This is baseball at its most enjoyable.  I did expect an implosion many times, but Santana squirmed out of harm each inning  

I just came back from Marquette, MI and this game entertained me for most of the ride from Ashland home.  What fun.  This is baseball at its most enjoyable.  I did expect an implosion many times, but Santana squirmed out of harm each inning  

That was a fun series. I missed almost all of it. 

Just finished watching today's game. I guarantee that today would have been a blowout for the Indians a year ago- a guy who's struggled all year took the game over and a patchwork pen bears down right when you least have the right to expect the good times to keep on rolling.***

Last night, Buxton stole a game from the Tribe, despite the homeplate umpire's attempt to hand it to Kluber.

Friday night, Mejia did his best Deduno-esque impression and then combined with the previously-struggling BP- threw the most unlikely, early-on-ugly shutout that one could imagine- with Mollie ultimately entrusting a non-assuming 22nd RD draft pick to debut and close out the game against the defending AL champs, just hours after being called up.

This series had all the elements of a team shaking off its shaky recent past, this weekend was why we watch.

*** Challenge ?s for intrepid statheads among us....

1) Can anyone recall the last time the Twins had 3 shutouts in 4 games?

2) Can anyone recall the last time the Twins swept the defending AL champs on the road?

Baseball.

Love it.

The last 6 seasons the Twins exceeded my expectations- for levels of futility and ineptitude.

This year they're exceeding my expectations practically on a game-by-game basis- I penciled them in @ ST as 2 years away from being competitive and 1 year away from daily being fun to watch- gotta say... it's much more enjoyable to be wrong on this side of the expectations game.

1987- after 73 games- 41-32 Two game lead

2017- after 73 games- 39-34 Half-game lead

1987- ERA 4.79

2017- ERA 4.83

1987- wRC+ 100

2017- wRC+ 97

Of course, we all know there's no way the Twins are going anywhere this year. And my old Gardy-inspired fear and loathing of the AL East is kicking up something fierce this evening as Fenway looms. But then again, I had the same dread for this weekend in Cleveland. Baby steps... learning to adjust my expectations a bit higher...

For those that jumped off the bandwagon last Sunday, your seats were saved. Feel free to jump back on, and let's get PUMPED UP around here! On to the next one. 

Would like to see this road trip wind up 7-4 or better.