Relievers Relieve and Closers Close

Allow me: Where on earth have I been? I know. I'm sorry. I've been a bad blogger. It's not like I don't have a lot to say because, well... that's just never true. So let's just get to it.

I could seriously french kiss every single Twin for making this whole thing fun again. I know breaking .400 isn't something typically to get all slobbery over, but come on-- the last time we talked we were hovering at 17 games back and now we're 9. This is a big deal. The Twins are putting together a lot of wins and reminding us all just how fast the standings can change in a very long season that is not yet at the halfway point.

It's been particularly fantastic -- and reminiscent of the old "piranha" baseball that so nicely described Twins baseball (ah, the accidental eloquence of Ozzie Guillen) -- to watch it getting done by a bunch of young scrappers, all of whom I truly believe when they say they are just happy to be here.

For awhile, my only answer to the WTF, Twins? question was something about the Twins being Murphy's Law in cleats: everything that could go wrong was indeed going very wrong. No need to rehash it all, but it seems, at least right now, that many of the issues on that long list of wrongs are on their way to being righted.

Most notably, we seem to have remembered that this is major league baseball and execution matters. Pitchers throw strikes, infielders turn double plays, hitters get their asses to first somehow and then the next guy moves him over to second or they steal their way there themselves, relievers relieve, and closers close. And some other stuff, too.

No, it looks good. I mean, I prefer the 'stach but this is cool, too.

In all honesty, it might be the superb starting pitching that is the biggest part of this turn around-- the effects of these consistent, in-command, efficient, winning performances are evident all over the field, the bullpen, behind the plate and in the stands.

Seriously, what is sexier than back-to-back complete games?

Nothing, Carl, nothing is sexier.

This week we see Nishioka and MAUER return, which, even though we have been on this streak without them, can only be a good thing. I think. I am curious about when Span and some the rest of the big boys start returning... I mean, I kind of feel that maybe Ben Revere is here to stay.



Play on, playas. This is fun.

Ciao.
-christine

p.s., "Fucking sardines" now, Ozzie?

p. p. s., I would pay cash money for a spontaneous Ozzie Guillen breakdown of every MLB team and the fish they correspond to and why. Somebody please ask him that question.