Minesota Twins Need To Come Out Swinging in Season's Final Round

The Twins are three-fourths of the way done with the roadtrip that was, by all accounts, THE DEFINING MOMENT OF THEIR SEASON.

They are 5-6 in the 11 games they have played so far, with four of the six losses coming at the hands of the bullpen. Joe Nathan, shockingly, has two blown saves, though both could have been prevented by better infield defense.

So, heading into Toronto and armed with the September call-ups, what can we learn from the Twins' roadtrip thus far?

Nothing.

That's right, the "season defining" set of 14 hellish games hasn't changed much at all. They left for Anaheim one-half game out of first place, and they remain just one-half game back. They left needing pitching help, and they still do. They left with offensive inconsistencies, and nothing has changed.

Time is starting to run out for the Twins, but with just one-half game separating them from Chicago, and given that the Sox have a more difficult schedule ahead, one could easily say that time is running out on the Sox.

For the Twins, it is time to carpe diem. From this moment, 'til the time the White Sox march into the Dome for what will amount to the AL Central Division playoff, they play just seven games against teams with a .500 record or better—three against the Jays (70-66) and four in Tampa (84-51).

That said, teams like Detroit, KC, Baltimore, and Cleveland have a knack for playing their best ball late in the season. Cleveland is 7-3 in their last 10, Baltimore played several tough games against Tampa, and Detroit is loaded with good hitters that can change a game at any time.

The next three weeks will not decide the Twins' fate; their three games with Chicago will still probably produce the division champ.

However, it is the road that lies ahead, NOT the current roadtrip that will determine what kind of a position the Twins will be in when the ChiSox come calling in late September.

With any luck, the Twins should be facing a desperate foe, holding a small lead of their own to protect in their own castle.