Minnesota’s little piranhas lead Wild Card race

By: Larry Fitzgerald
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
Originally posted 8/30/2006

CHICAGO — It’s time to tip your hats to the Minnesota Twins, who have rallied from an awful 9-15 April start to take the lead in the race for the American League Wild Card. It’s been said before that Major League Baseball is a marathon, not a sprint, playing 162 games from April to October 1.

 

After beating the World Champion Chicago White Sox 5-4 Friday and 8-7 Saturday night in one of the best games of the year, the Twins moved to just four games behind the Division-leading Detroit Tigers in the tough American League Central race. “I’d rather do anything in baseball than face those piranhas,” said Ozzie Guillen, manager of the White Sox, of the Twins.

 

“They’re hungry, and they show people they’re hungry. That’s special stuff over there. No big names, no big money people, no big stars. But the way they play and go about their business is awesome. I call them little piranhas because those guys bite little by little, and all of a sudden you’re dead. I love it, I’m sorry.”

 

The Twins appear to have the White Sox’s number after losing five of the first six games; the Twins have beaten the White Sox eight of their last 10 games. The Twins won the big three-game series two games to one. The White Sox hit four homeruns off Twins starter Carlos Silva Sunday in a 6-1 win.

 

So far this year, the Twins are 9-7 against the White Sox. Three games remain between the two teams, September 29 and 30, and October 1 at the Metrodome.

 

Twins Manager Ron Gardenhire said, “I want Ozzie to send us little piranha T-shirts. I think he just respects the way we go out and play the game, and there is nothing wrong with that.”

 

The Twins had another successful road trip, winning four of six, and now are 32-33 away from the Dome. The Twins are baseball’s best team at home at 44-20, and return Tuesday, August 29, through August 31 against Kansas City (47-85), baseball’s worst team.

 

Over the last 71 games dating back to June 8, the Twins have the best record in baseball at 51-20. The Twins are also baseball’s best hitting team with a team average of .287, led by Joe Mauer (.360), Jason Bartlett (.347), Justin Morneau (.317), and Nick Punto (.309). Centerfielder and five-time Gold Glove winner Torii Hunter hit homeruns in a career-best four straight games for the Twins, all on the road, and the Twins won all four games.

 

Hunter is hitting .344 (11 for 32) with six homeruns, eight RBI, and a .969 slugging percentage in his last nine games. The man is hot and so are the Twins, who are now leading the Wild Card race by a half game over Chicago.

 

The Twins trail Detroit by five games in the Division race with 33 games left. Four of those games are at the Metrodome in September, and three are with Chicago, also at the Dome. The Twins are 5-10 vs. Detroit and 9-7 against Chicago. This could be another special year for the Twins if they keep this up.