In June, the Twins won 15 games and lost 12, their worst month of the season so far, but, as Dick Bremer, their TV play-by-play guy, is fond of saying, it's the first time they've had three winning months in succession since color guy Bert Blyleven last said something intelligent. Actually he didn't say that, it was me trying to be funny. Honestly, though, every time someone hits a homer, or a ringing double, "So-and-so left that pitch up and So-and-so did not miss it!" When the kids aren't at home I like to watch the game at a local dive bar, because the volume is turned down, and the overserved guy on the next stool is comparatively insightful. I've tried turning down the volume at home and listening on the radio but the delay is different and it's unwatchable.
Once, years ago, Blyleven cracked me up. The game was one-sided and slow, and he and Bremer started picking an all-body parts team. They had Bill Hand and Rollie Fingers on their pitching staff, and I think they had named one or two other guys also, but then there was dead air for a few seconds before Blyleven said, "Maybe this isn't such a good idea, Richard." Many pitches left up in the zone since that moment of glory.
The Twins in June had a lot of games against teams in their own weak division and they lost as many as they won—2-1 against the Tigers, 1-2 against both the White Sox and Indians, and 4-3 against the lowly Royals. Their schedule in July is harder—seven games against the Athletics, who have a winning record, and three games against the Yankees, right now the only team in the American League with a better record than theirs. First series after the all-star break is in Cleveland against the Indians, the second-place team in our division. We're currently 8 games ahead of them.
I'm not too worried. The team's had some key guys out with injuries--Buxton and Gonzalez, and soon as they were healed Rosario sprained his ankle--but nothing serious. Their bullpen is spotty, and Jake Odorizzi has of late left off the Don Drysdale imitation, but other teams have their troubles, too. It's a long season and things happen. Still expecting two of them to be that the Twins win their division and 100 games. Well, maybe more like expecting the former and hoping for the latter. Through June, they're 53-30.
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