Twins need to get busy

By: Larry Fitzgerald
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
Originally posted 05/31/2007

 If the Twins are going to continue their dominance of the American League Central, it’s time to make a move. It’s June this week, and that means two months of the season have just about been completed. Four times in the last five years the Twins have qualified for the playoffs by winning the American League Central. Unfortunately, no World Series banners have been added to the 1987 and 1991 championship years.

Locally, the Twins are Minnesota’s best chance at winning a championship among the major professional sports franchises. Over the last five years, the Vikings are 1-4 — one playoff appearance and four misses. The Timberwolves are 2-3, two playoff appearances and three straight misses, with Kevin Garnett and his prime years slipping away. The Minnesota Wild have twice qualified for the Stanley playoffs over the last five years and appear to have a team that is on the rise.

If the Twins are going to cash in again with Johan Santana, Justen Mourneau, Joe Mauer and Torii Hunter leading the way, it might be a greater challenge this year than last. The Cleveland Indians appear right now to be the team to beat in the Division.

Last year, the American League Central featured a three-team race: Detroit, Chicago and the Twins. The division is deeper this year; all three of those team are solid, but the Indians are leading the pack. Cleveland has already swept Minnesota and Detroit in three-game series and is 31-17 with a dominating 17-4 record at Jacobs Field in Cleveland.

The Twins have struggled at home, winning just 12 of 26 games so far. Last year, the Twins were the best team in baseball, going 54-27, and had the second-best overall record in baseball, going 96-66. As we like to say, it’s still early; but being seven-and-a-half games back with three teams in front of you is no way to go about  defending  a championship.

In baseball it’s no secret — starting pitching is what it takes, consistent good starting pitching. Twins starters Ramon Ortiz and Carlos Silva combined were 1-7 with an ERA of 7.87 in May. That must change if the Twins are going to repeat as division champs.

Hunter has had a career-best 23-game hitting streak and leads the team with 40 RBIs. The five-time Gold Glove centerfielder could cash in next as a free agent. He’s having and outstanding season.

 Fitz Notes & Quotes

San Francisco Giants Star Barry Bonds has hit 746 career homeruns — he’s just nine behind Henry Aaron. In 1974, when Henry Aaron passed Babe Ruth, Baseball Commissioner Bowie Kuhn was not at the ballpark the night Aaron hit the historic number 715 to break Babe Ruth’s longstanding record. That still stands as one of the greatest slaps and oversights in sports history.

 Fay Vincent, another former commissioner of baseball, has advised current Commissioner Bud Selig to also stay away when and if Bonds passes Aaron. “I think if nothing changes…I would say to Bonds, ‘Because you haven’t told us what you did, because we assume and because we believe you cheated, and because you haven’t helped clean baseball up, we will recognize your record, but we will not honor you,’” Vincent said to the Associated Press.

 Larry Fitzgerald can be heard weekday mornings on KMOJ Radio, 89.9 FM, at 8:20 am, and Monday evenings 6-7 pm. He welcomes reader responses to lfitzgerald@spokesman-recorder.com, or visit www.Larry-Fitzgerald.com.