Minnesota Twins Need Good Performances Against the Indians
By Jordan Ison
Entering the third week of the MLB season, the Minnesota Twins may have the most important series of their early season coming up against the Indians.
The Minnesota Twins have proven that this team has a lot more talent than the 2016 team. Though the year is young, fans have already seen vast improvements on both the defensive and offensive end. This series against the Cleveland Indians may be more important than it seems.
Right now, the Tigers lead the AL Central, but the season is young. It’s clear to all teams in this division that the team to beat is the Cleveland Indians, as they are the reigning AL Central champs and AL pennant winners.
The Minnesota Twins have shown spurts of being a solid team this year, but in such a long season, consistency is key. An early series against the reigning AL champions could easily boost this young team’s morale or sink it in a matter of 4 games.
Last season, the Twins held their own against the Indians, considering the direction both teams went. Minnesota finished 9-10 against them, which was their best record against any division opponent.
Being only 13 games into the season, it’s hard to see why this series would be so important. It’s all about one word – confidence. For a young team like the Twins, playing exceptional against such a talented team would do wonders for this team’s confidence.
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This series could also make a statement for the Minnesota Twins to the Indians and the rest of the division. If they perform well, it could show other opponents that this team is not a joke and is coming to play in 2017.
After a tough game 1 loss to the Indians, the Twins now sit at 7-6 on the season. Winning out in this series could lead to a 10-6 record and possibly a spot atop the AL Central. Losing out would mean they sit at 7-9 and would drop below the Indians in the standings.
It’s not all about the record though. The Twins have done well in riding their early season success, but this series will be a huge test for them. If they do well and pass this test, their confidence could most definitely leak into the rest of the year. If not, this could be the beginning of a downhill slide for Minnesota.
It’s easy to see why the Twins need to perform well in this series, even if we’re not even 20 games into the regular season. Only time will tell how this series will turn out, but we can hope and root for the best!