Minnesota Twins: A Call to Arms for a Team that needs them

After weeks of thinking the Minnesota Twins could win a World Series without a true ace and bullpen I have given up hope

I’ve resisted, I’ve encouraged others, remained optimistic, I held out hope, now I relent.  I’m saying it, the Minnesota Twins may need to acquire a true ace and a little more help for an overworked bullpen to have a real chance at the World Series. “Why now?”, you ask. “Why the change of heart?”

The Twins lost 2 hard-fought games 4-2 and 6-3 to the Cleveland Indians the last couple nights. This series was foresight to similar postseason match ups in the upcoming weeks. Rich Hill and Jose Berrios were good, but not great. The bullpen failed to hold and the Twins lost a 2 game lead in the division.

The Twins have solid pitching right now, currently ranking around 5th statistically across Major League baseball. Being 5th best makes the playoffs, but doesn’t win championships. The great pitching generally wins out in the end.

When it gets down to it, to win multiple playoff series, you have to hold a team to 3 or fewer runs per game over the course of a series. There’s always exceptions, but looking back at past World Series Champions, the average runs scored by the losing team was 3 or less.

The last time the Minnesota Twins won a World Series, the case was the same. The Twins won in Game 7 in part because of a performance like this:

Have you ever watched a sci-fi show where a swirling vortex is closing as the only escape route? I see this as some of the Twins current talent pool will disperse at years end. There’s no guarantees of playoffs in the future, no matter how bright the prospects may look.

I’m afraid we may be doomed to another season of almost and could have been unless something changes. The Twins appear to be content with staying with the current roster, but that may not be good enough. Without help, the Twins may be on the receiving end of more 4-2 and 6-3 type play-off losses. Please Twins, answer this call to arms.