Could The Minnesota Twins Actually Contend This Year?

Don't look now but the Minnesota Twins are only three games back of the Cleveland Indians for first place in the American League Central; but on the other side it is only mid-May, but at this exact same time last season the Twins were 10 games back. But hey for how horrible the last two seasons have been for the Twins we should throw them a victory parade down Nicollet Avenue for only being one game below five hundred.

Sarcasm aside let's get back to what this story is about, are the Twins serious contenders? The simple answer is no, unfortunately this team is playing a lot better, and those talks about a possible 100-loss season should be long gone, but this team is not playing good enough to contend. That said; it wouldn't shock me if when the calendar shifts into September that this team won't be at least in the hunt. Remember that the Detroit Tigers only won 88 games last season, so if the Twins continue to play five hundred ball for the rest of the season, then they should only finish a handful of games back of the eventual division winner the Detroit Tigers, and finishing a few games back of the Tigers is a pretty could consolation prize given the fact that the Tigers made it all the way to the World Series.

Coming into this season I thought if this team managed to win more than 70 games I would call it a winning season, but now I am not scared to say this team "potentially" could win more than 81 games which would qualify them for a winning season. That would save manager Ron Gardenhire's job, make Terry Ryan look like a genius; and would bring the fans back.

The pitching rotation has been a lot better this season, well only three-fifths of the rotation has gotten a lot better, but still if this team could manage to win three games out of five for the rest of the season then this team could punch their ticket to play in October, but let's face it with the likes of Scott Diamond, Pedro Hernadez, Kevin Correia does not scream World Series champions like the San Francisco has in Matt Cain, Tim Lincecum.

So to be fair this 2013 team is band-aid for 2014 when the likes of Alex Meyer, Kyle Gibson, and Trevor May will be wearing Twins uniforms. The future is once again bright for this franchise, but do not get your hopes up for this season even if this team hangs around the top of the division for the remainder of the season, this team does not have the offense or the pitching to compete for the World Series  but those young guns down in minors have the potential to become great players for this franchise for years to come; and when the years of 2015, 20126 come around do not be surprised to see a victory parade in late October in Minneapolis.