Why Twins Will Win the AL Central
Stan McNeal - SportingNews.com
Jul 02, 2009
Despite being a trendy World Series pick in 2008, the Detroit Tigers finished last in the A.L. Central. Picked by Sporting News to finish last in 2009, the Tigers have a three-game lead over the White and Twins. But this weekend will provide a test, as Detroit travels to Minnesota for a three-game series. So, who is the division favorite: the Tigers, Twins or White Sox?
Chris Bahr says Detroit is poised to go from worst to first, but Stan McNeal explains why Minnesota is the team to beat:
As certain as the mosquitoes on Lake Minnetonka, know this about the Twins: Their pitchers will throw strikes. Their fielders will not make errors. Their manager, Ron Gardenhire, will go off on an umpire or two. Their hometown superstar, Joe Mauer, will do something amazing and shrug.
Add this to the list: The Twins will win the A.L. Central.
So far, they haven't played like world-beaters, especially on the road (17-24 record). They have hovered around .500 most of the season, almost as if they are waiting for the right time to pounce. After their best road trip (6-3) of the season finally got them to two games over .500, their time might be near. Five reasons why:
Francisco Liriano is getting it. The young lefthander has been more down than up while learning to deal with diminished stuff after Tommy John surgery in late 2006. "He's learning to pitch, and that's a little hard for him," Gardenhire said. "He's got to get away from the bobblehead shaking (off of signs). He's even said, 'I'm confused. I don't know what pitch to throw.' " The solution? "He's gotta trust his catchers more," Gardenhire said. Liriano did just that in his most recent start, holding the Cardinals to two runs in seven innings while shaking off only Mauer only a couple of times.
The schedule soon will turn favorable. After three at home against the Yankees next week, the Twins are done with the Red Sox, Yankees and Rays, arguably the three best teams in the American League.
The Twins have Joe Nathan. The Tigers have Fernando Rodney. Nothing separates close teams like a dominant closer, and Nathan is as dominant as any.
The Twins have deeper starting pitching. Minnesota's young rotation gained valuable experience last season, and that should pay off down the stretch. The Tigers are hurting at the back of their rotation, which puts more pressure on Justin Verlander, Edwin Jackson and 20-year-old Rick Porcello. The rookie righthander can't be expected to pitch as well in September as he did in May.
The Twins haven't been on a roll yet. While the Tigers have played better than many expected and the White Sox are surging, the Twins still are waiting to find a groove. Minnesota went through June without winning more than two in a row or losing more than three straight. Gardenhire thinks his club is close. "You try to stay on an even keel, and all of a sudden you find something that's working and you take off as a baseball team," he said. "We're playing better now."
Watch out, Tigers.
Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at smcneal@sportingnews.com.
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