The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Whatever It Takes for the Twins

Stopping a losing streak can be one of the most difficult things for a mediocre team to do. Every team will hit a skid at some point during their year: the good ones end it quickly, the mediocre ones allow it to go on and on until they are mentally fried, and the terrible ones let it define their season.

Paradoxically, it is often in losing that fans can tell what kind of a team they are watching. Bad teams get worse as the streak continues. Good teams remain competitive, even if they cannot instantly break through and end their streak.

Last night's game between the Rockies and the Twins featured two teams on slides. Entering the game, the Twins had lost three straight, while the Rockies had dropped five in a row. One team was going to break theirs, they had to: unless Bud Selig is involved, there aren't ties in baseball.

The Twins didn't play wonderfully, but they certainly made the most of their chances when they got them, and sometimes, that's what it takes to break through.

Example: Adam Everett went 0-2, but with two key sacrifice flies that netted him two RBI.

0-2, 2RBI.

Not a stellar line by any definition of the words, but getting two RBI out of a shortstop that hits .183 is sometimes what a team needs to keep from heading deeper into the morass that is losing.

Everett wasn't alone in his production. Delmon Young went 3-4 with two doubles and reached on an error in his fourth PA, and Nick Blackburn looked fantastic as he improved to 4-2 on the year.

The Twins dropped the Rockies 12 games under .500 and really should have won this game, as they should win the rest of the series. The reality of it is, however, when the team is losing, you don't always beat the teams you should beat. Thus, this win was a good one, and hopefully one that will propel the Twins through the rest of the series.

The Good: Delmon Young: 3-4, 2 2B, 2R. Young finally showed a little power to go with his speed. Hopefully this trend will continue.

Nick Blackburn: 7IP, 6H, 2ER, 0BB, 5K, QS. Blackburn threw 67 of his 88 pitches for strikes, which explains his WHIP of less than one. Three of his six hits went to Clint Barmes, so he effectively dominated the Rockies tonight.

The Bad: Adam Everett: 0-2, 2RBI. Whatever it takes to win. Everett did exactly what the Twins needed him to do, and it lead to a win. Not pretty, but it doesn't matter in the standings.

Juan Rincon: 2/3IP, 2BB, K. Rincon left with runners on first and third, so its by no merit of his own that he didn't give up a run. He was moderately effective, but he was really bailed out by Dennys Reyes. Rincon needs to limit his baserunners more consistently if he wants to remain even a passable setup man.

The Ugly: Michael Cuddyer: 0-5, R, K. I'm not just putting him here because I wrote early that the Twins should leave him in Denver and take Matt Holiday or Garret Atkins back home, Cuddyer was ugly all on his own. Even Nick Blackburn went 1-3, so that goose egg looks even worse.

Cuddyer also misplayed another ball in right on Barmes' triple, which doesn't go down as an error, but also doesn't make Cuddyer look any more deserving of his offseason deal.

The last time he looked this bad (last year) he was injured. Maybe that finger is acting up on him again? I don't know the answer to that, but until they're sure he's 100 percent, the Twins should call up Span and have the fastest OF in the Majors with Span, Gomez and Young.