The view from Minnesota

[KevHead0881]

They are singing a different tune these days, and they don't sound very confident that they'll catch us.

 

Twins battling odds in Central

Sid Hartman

Star Tribune

Published June 23, 2005

 

The Twins' chances of catching the first-place Chicago White Sox in the American League Central are not very good, even though it is only June 23.

 

The White Sox are 49-22 and 10 games ahead of the Twins. If the White Sox play .500 the rest of the season, they would finish with 95 victories. The Twins, 38-31 after losing 8-1 to Detroit on Wednesday at the Metrodome, would have to go 58-35 to finish with 96 victories.

 

"The White Sox have done just about everything right, and I don't see them coming back to the pack," Twins General Manager Terry Ryan said. "Obviously, they're hot. But they're there for the long haul. They are that talented."

 

The Cleveland Indians, in addition, are only 1½ games behind the second-place Twins.

 

"Cleveland is a good team. They're starting to hit, and I think their pitching staff has been solid, their bullpen has been good, "Ryan said. "And it was a matter of time, I think, before they started hitting. They're hitting now, and they're making a charge."

 

The Twins have lost four consecutive series at home. They have lost nine of their past 11 and are hitting .167 in the first two games of the Tigers series. Detroit entered the series with one complete game this season; it now has three.

 

"We'll get on a roll," Ryan said. " We'll get everybody back, and I suspect, in time, we'll get going here, but obviously, the White Sox are going to have to cool off for us to catch them."

 

Ryan doesn't dispute that the Twins might have to make a trade if they are to win a fourth consecutive division title.

 

"There's always a chance of doing that," he said. "It's just a matter of the fit, what you're willing to give up. As you approach June and late July, certainly, you're going to have a lot of exchange with various clubs throughout both leagues, who's available and who's not."

 

Ryan is confident that owner Carl Pohlad will agree to add a little money to the payroll if the Twins can acquire the right player that will help the team. But Ryan won't make a trade unless it is for the right player.

 

"It depends on how long you'd be able to have the player. If it's just a rental player, you're less apt to do something like that, but if it's a guy that is going to stay with you, you give it more consideration," Ryan said.

[Soxy]

Ryan is confident that owner Carl Pohlad will agree to add a little money to the payroll if the Twins can acquire the right player that will help the team.

 

Hahahahaha, funniest thing I've read all day. He's got to be the worst owner in baseball.

[Dick Allen]

Its far from over, teams can go on big rolls. Houston last year for example. I was at the game Monday when they were running one of those this day in White Sox history things on the scoreboard. On June 20,1983 Lamar Hoyt pitched the Sox to victory, and moving them to within 2 games of the .500 mark. They finished 99-63.

[Dick Allen]

Hahahahaha, funniest thing I've read all day. He's got to be the worst owner in baseball.

 

He is cheaper than Bill Wirtz.

[Soxy]

He is cheaper than Bill Wirtz.

I've heard Mr. Burns on the Simpsons was based on him....

 

They used to have mock interviews with "Pohlad" on the radio and it was always a Burns voice.

[RockRaines]

I've heard Mr. Burns on the Simpsons was based on him....

 

They used to have mock interviews with "Pohlad" on the radio and it was always a Burns voice.

nope, Mr Burns was based on JD Rockefeller

[MinnySoxFan]

He made his money on foreclosures during the Depresession, so what does that tell you.

 

Although for as bad as everybody makes him out to be (he definately is bad) I'm not sure he's quite THAT bad. He's got an awful stadium and I don't doubt that he hasn't made much money (if he hasn't lost money) during several of the seasons over the past decade. And he has finally ponied up some to put a decent team out there.

 

The dude is still a cheap bad owner based just on the fact he tried to contract his own team, but I don't think he's quite as bad as he's been made out to be.

[Frankensteiner]

Twins were 44-49 (7.5 GB) at the break 2 years ago. That coupled with our brutal 2nd part of July and August still makes me very nervous.

[The Ginger Kid]

Its far from over, teams can go on big rolls. Houston last year for example. I was at the game Monday when they were running one of those this day in White Sox history things on the scoreboard. On June 20,1983 Lamar Hoyt pitched the Sox to victory, and moving them to within 2 games of the .500 mark. They finished 99-63.

 

 

That's a great point. Twinkies have notoriously played mediocre ball in June then turned it on in the second half. Expect no less this time around. If we can go into those key series in September with a five or six game lead I'll be a very happy man. And frankly, I want to see the Sox win it in September, not June. For once I want to see them kick their ass in September, not have some big lead and then just hang on for dear life and hope for the best. f*** that.

[witesoxfan]

Twins were 44-49 (7.5 GB) at the break 2 years ago. That coupled with our brutal 2nd part of July and August still makes me very nervous.

 

The Sox not having Thomas and Ordonez in the second half of last year killed any chance that team had of winning the division. They were a .500 team without those 2.

[nitetrain8601]

The Sox not having Thomas and Ordonez in the second half of last year killed any chance that team had of winning the division.  They were a .500 team without those 2.

 

He's talking about the year before when we did have Ordonez and Thomas.

[SoxFan1]

He's talking about the year before when we did have Ordonez and Thomas.

Wasn't that the year of Frank's shoulder injury?

[nitetrain8601]

Wasn't that the year of Frank's shoulder injury?

 

Don't remember that.

[nvxplorer]

This year's team is much different than last year. The Sox have won without Ordonez, Thomas and Lee. Last year's pitching staff sucked. Buehrle was the only starter with an ERA under 4.00. Shingo and Marte were the only reliable bullpen arms. As long as the pitching holds up, the chance of collapse is slim.

[Steve9347]

Wasn't that the year of Frank's shoulder injury?

 

No, that was the year Frank hit 41 homers (2003)... he tore his biceps in 01 or 02

[WSoxMatt]

He is cheaper than Bill Wirtz.

 

 

 

There is no such thing as cheaper than Bill Wirtz

[Steve9347]

There is no such thing as cheaper than Bill Wirtz

 

Yes, I agree. Whoever posted that must not have been paying attention to the 'Hawks the last 9 years.

[Dick Allen]

There is no such thing as cheaper than Bill Wirtz

 

I believe Pohlad actually is worth more than Wirtz. A couple years ago, his revenue sharing check was actually for more than his payroll. He also tried to get a big payout to have his team contracted and almost did. Even Wirtz has never stooped that low.