The Sky is NOT Falling!

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The Twins just returned from the road. East coast trip vs. the Yankees, Blue Jays, and Red Sox! The Twins generally do not do well in these venues and this lack of success continue. The team went 2-5 on the trip. While, this is not a great road trip, the sky is NOT falling. Many in the Twins community would tell you otherwise. Fanatic Jack often thinks the sky is falling or worse. The twitterverse has been rife with people ready to write off the season. They are willing to write off the team after every one of the 17 losses and some of the 24 wins.

Are the Twins frauds? Is the 24-17 record a mirage or even that decent of a record?

Well 24-17, played out for a full season comes out to 95-67 record. That would win the division.

The Twins have been accused of playing poor vs the AL West and AL East.

In 2010, they are 3-1 vs. the West, all on the road vs. Anaheim. Nice numbers, but very small sample.

They are 6-8 vs. the East, 2-5 on the road. 4-3 at home. These numbers are nothing to write home about, but no reason to panic.

More numbers: They are 12-11 on the road. Only 3 AL teams have better records on the road. They are 12-6 at home. They have played 5 less games at home. Their opponents winning percentage is .484. So, they are essentially 7 games over .500 against a schedule that is 1 under.

Fans hold up the Yankees, Red Sox, and Angels as the teams the Twins must beat. I think the Twins need to beat them at home and play competitive on the road.

There has almost been a lot of stress over Detroit pulling even with the Twins at 24-17. Detroit has a slightly tougher strength of schedule at .495, but not a huge difference over the Twins. Detroit has also played 2 more games at home. They are 14-6 home and 10-11 on the road. Detroit may be tough all year, but going 2-5 against the Eastern division, on the road, has nothing to do with Detroit.

The Twins have scored 30 more runs than they has allowed and have allowed the second fewest runs in the American  League.

What does this all mean?

It means the Twins have been slightly better than average through 41 games of a 162 game season. They have not been great yet but certainly have not been poor.

2010 may not end in a championship, but nothing I have seen so far changes my opinion on this team. The 2010 Twins are a good team. It's only May 21st. Kubel and Cuddyer haven't been hitting and Hardy has been hurt.

Inter-league play has just started. The Twins are very successful, over the years, versus the National League. As I write this, they are up 7-0 vs. Milwaukee in the first inning.

The Twins Are Fine!