Location: Minneapolis, Minn. | Ballpark: Metrodome (56,000) | Spring Training: Ft. Myers, Fla.
Owner: Carl Pohland | GM: Bill Smith | Manager: Ron Gardenhire | World Championships: 2
--LHP Francisco Liriano, pitching for Triple-A Rochester, has returned to the 3/4 arm slot that was so successful for him in 2006. The Twins had Liriano throwing more over the top during spring training and into the season, but Liriano said he struggled to command his fastball until he dropped back down to the 3/4 slot.
--Minnesota's starting pitchers are 12-2 with a 2.82 ERA and 88 strikeouts over the last 18 games. The starting staff's 4.55 ERA on the season ranks eighth in the American League and the 277 runs Twins starters have surrendered are the fourth most in the AL.
--Minnesota's 411 runs scored are the fourth-most in the American League and puts the Twins on pace to score 783 runs this year. Last season, Minnesota's 718 runs ranked 12th in the 14-team AL.
--LF Delmon Young has driven in nine runs and scored eight in his last 14 games. During that time Minnesota is 12-2 and Young has hit .370 (20-for-54).
--RHP Livan Hernandez has faced Cleveland just once in his career, without success. At Progressive Field in June, Hernandez lasted just three innings, surrendering 12 hits and seven runs in the Twins' loss. Hernandez gets a shot to decrease his 21.00 ERA against Cleveland with a start Friday at the Metrodome.
BY THE NUMBERS .309 -- Minnesota's batting average during their season-high 10-game winning streak. The team piled up a .368 on-base percentage and compiled a staggering .371 average with runners in scoring position, while the pitching staff held opposing batters to a .126 average with runners in scoring position.
QUOTE TO NOTE "Hit it out to my favorite spot in the whole world here at the Metrodome." -- C Joe Mauer, joking about the two warning track hits he muscled before hitting a game-winning, eighth-inning home run Friday night against Milwaukee.
Copyright (C) 2008 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.
I think we have a better team than the White Sox. I think that up and down without question. I think they have big boppers and we have balance. I think we have better starters because of consistency. I think we have a better bullpen just looking at our history and pieces.
I know winning the Central would be nice, but winning the wild card might be even better. Especially if it leaves Boston and the Yankees on the outside looking in. We dont play well against those to teams were we have played pretty well against the White Sox.&nb
Both should be back in the next two weeks - Casilla is back Thursday vs. Anaheim. It'll be nice to have Everett's bat (DL) out of the mix and to limit Punto's time at the dish. We need another firecracker at the top of the batting order. Hopefully Casilla hits the ground running.
I couldn't believe it when I read it in the the paper that the Twins had won the claim on Jarrod Washburn but couldn't get anything done that would have been a pretty good pick up I think. Plus they had put waivers in on Ibanez man them two pick ups would have been huge w
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