COLUMN: The Twins may make you a believer (and other selected tidbits)
ESPN Magazine called the Minnesota Twins “The Best Triple-A Team in the Major Leagues” in its baseball season preview this year and picked the squad to finish at the bottom of the American League Central Division.
It’s time the magazine took back those words. Guess who’s currently on top of the AL Central? None other than the Twins.
“Win Twins” has long been a slogan associated with the team. This year it’s actually happened – and with a bargain basement payroll no less. Owner Carl Pohlad looks like a genius right about now. His payroll is one of the lowest in the majors and he even made a profit on the team the last few years.
And the Dodgers think they can buy a winning record. Shame on them. Bet they’re not making much of a profit.
Twins fans haven’t had much to cheer about for the last eight years. The last time they finished above .500 was in 1992. But the year before that, 1991, they won the World Series.
Hopefully, this season the squad will maintain its winning ways. More power at the plate is one reason for the success so far this year.
The Twins were last in the majors in homers during the 2000 season. During the first eight games this year alone they’ve connected on 13 dingers. In that same span they recorded five multi-homer games. In a 12-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers last Wednesday, three players – Luis Rivas, Tom Prince and Cristian Guzman – homered. The Twins have owned the Tigers this season – outscoring their Detroit counterparts 43-15 in five games.
“We’re tired of hearing that we’re mathematically eliminated on the first day of the season,” Twins first baseman and Olympic gold medalist Doug Mientkiewicz told the Associated Press after the victory over the Tigers on Wednesday. “And we’re tired of getting beat around.”
May the power hitting and winning record continue so Mientkiewicz and his mates can silence all their critics – then that “Win Twins” slogan can be officially reinstated.
The dome is falling?
Loads of baseball games in outdoor stadiums have been canceled because of rain or other inclement weather.
You wouldn’t think games would be in jeopardy of being postponed in a domed stadium, but a few were last week in Toronto. Metal pieces fell from the SkyDome’s roof, forcing stadium officials to cancel two games with the Kansas City Royals last week.
Finally an occasion when Chicken Little was right.
Addendum
In my “Spring Sports Preview” a couple weeks ago, I forgot to mention another one of my new favorite spring sports – .22 shooting.
If you are lucky enough to have a .22, for a good time simply buy some cheap soda at Wal-Mart, go to a remote location in the valley (preferably with no “No Shooting” signs around), set up the cans and go at it.
It’s an excellent way to relieve the aggression and frustration you may feel while trying to complete all of your end-of-semester commitments, i.e. finals and research papers. But if you’re not a good shot, the sport may become just as frustrating as finals and research papers. The key is to relax and not think about it, then you’ll do well.
And be sure to use hollowpoint rounds – they make things blow up better and lead to greater satisfaction.
Reuben Wadsworth is the assistant sports editor of the Statesman. He welcomes comments at reubwads@cc.usu.edu