Post by Ex-Minnesota Twins GM on Nov 3, 2008 18:43:29 GMT -5
The Minnesota Twins have caught a few people by surprise this season in the AL Central. The twins have a 53-37 record at the all-star break, which puts them 5 games back of the Cleveland for the Central lead and tied with Boston for the wild card race.
The Twins offense has been one of the most prolific in the majors this season. As a team they are batting .295 which leads the league, and also have hit 107 homeruns on the season. David Ortiz and Todd Walker have definitely been the brightest spots in a lineup full of them. Ortiz has 19 home runs and 73 RBI's and has been on an absolute tear the last month or so. As the lead off hitter Walker has been getting on base for this monster offense, having a .352 BA. He has alsoshown some power himself, hitting 18 home runs thus far.
As for the pitching, Brad Radke, Eric Milton, Octavio Dotal have carried this struggling staff. Radke has been ol' reliable, posting an ERA of 3.84 and winning 7 games. Eric Milton has been dominant to say the least. If he continues to put of these numbers he should be right in the thick of things when it comes to the Cy Young in the American League. The lefty has a 10-2 record and an ERA of 3.52. The surprise of the staff though has been the MLB saves leader Dotel, with 31 saves at the break. The Twin's closer came to Twin Cities in the Hunter/Santana trade at the very beginning of the season and he has not disappointed.
Asked what the Twins need to do the second half of the season to stay in contention Brad Radke had this the say about the pitching staff, "We would really like to get more production from the 4 and 5 spots in our rotation. Weather it's Sean Bergmann or Rick Ankiel improving from their subpar first half or management going out and bringing in someone who can get the job done."
The Twins look forward to the second half of the season and if they can stay healthy and get better production from the rotation like Radke said they could very well be playing games in October.
The Twins offense has been one of the most prolific in the majors this season. As a team they are batting .295 which leads the league, and also have hit 107 homeruns on the season. David Ortiz and Todd Walker have definitely been the brightest spots in a lineup full of them. Ortiz has 19 home runs and 73 RBI's and has been on an absolute tear the last month or so. As the lead off hitter Walker has been getting on base for this monster offense, having a .352 BA. He has alsoshown some power himself, hitting 18 home runs thus far.
As for the pitching, Brad Radke, Eric Milton, Octavio Dotal have carried this struggling staff. Radke has been ol' reliable, posting an ERA of 3.84 and winning 7 games. Eric Milton has been dominant to say the least. If he continues to put of these numbers he should be right in the thick of things when it comes to the Cy Young in the American League. The lefty has a 10-2 record and an ERA of 3.52. The surprise of the staff though has been the MLB saves leader Dotel, with 31 saves at the break. The Twin's closer came to Twin Cities in the Hunter/Santana trade at the very beginning of the season and he has not disappointed.
Asked what the Twins need to do the second half of the season to stay in contention Brad Radke had this the say about the pitching staff, "We would really like to get more production from the 4 and 5 spots in our rotation. Weather it's Sean Bergmann or Rick Ankiel improving from their subpar first half or management going out and bringing in someone who can get the job done."
The Twins look forward to the second half of the season and if they can stay healthy and get better production from the rotation like Radke said they could very well be playing games in October.