Minnesota Twins

Since starting the season with a 37-20 record in April and May and looking like they would run away with the AL Central, the Minnesota Twins have gone 15-23 in June and July and now find themselves 4.5 games back of the unbelievably hot Chicago White Sox.

I think the Twins desperately need to trade for an ace in order to turn things around. Let’s see what has been going on with the Twins…

Justin Morneau has been placed on the 15-day disabled list “as he continues to recover from a concussion that he suffered on July 7,” according to the Minnesota Twins' official website.

Morneau was attempting to break up a potential double play at second base, when he was accidentally kneed in the head.

This is Morneau’s second trip to the disabled list with concussion symptoms in his career. In 2005, he was hit in the head by a Ron Villone pitch that subsequently landed him on the DL.

After starting the season with most everything clicking, the Minnesota Twins have experienced a rough couple of months. Injuries, rotten luck, and even simple incompetence has contributed to the Twins' drop to third in the AL Central, and the future doesn't look any better.

Of course, as does every blogger, I know exactly how to fix the team. Here are three steps Minnesota needs to take in order to have a successful second half of the season.

The baseball world has lost a legend.

George Steinbrenner, though he never played a game in a Yankees' uniform, was by far, one of the sport world's most influential persons. 

Arguably, outside of Manchester United, the New York Yankees are the most recognizable franchise on the planet.

He did it by re-establishing the Yankees glory by winning championships.

When he purchased the team in 1973, it had been 15 years since their last world championship.

The best players in baseball don't always make the All-Star teams. It's a fact of life that we have come to accept.

And yet, each year, we (or at least, I) are shocked by the idiocy of the fan, player, and coach selections. With all of the slumping stars, humdrum homers, and straight-up head-scratchers that end up filling out the rosters, it's hard not to keep thinking about the deserving players who got left off.

I feel terrible for the players who are sitting in their living rooms this All-Star Break, watching their inferior peers being honored on national TV.

Let's face it: The AL Central is the Minnesota Twins' division to lose, and they did just about everything they could to lose it in the last month or so before the All-Star break. The starting pitching was atrocious and the offense faltered. 

So what should the Twins do? With Mauer and every starting pitcher besides Pavano underperforming, it's looking pretty rough. I've got a few ideas to entertain:

Trade for Dan Haren or Ted Lilly

Before I begin with the grades, allow me to say this: Had I decided to write this article right after that 7-4 debacle against the Tigers on Saturday to continue their slide, I would have given every Twin an F, and then lit my laptop on fire. Luckily, the Twins won on Sunday, and I have had an additional day to cool off, so my grades will be (more) objective. The only other thing to keep in mind is that grades are partially based off of expectations, since not every player is created equal. Alright, let's get started.

The Twins closed out the unofficial first half of the season salvaging the third game against Detroit with a 46-42 record.

Good enough for third place in the AL Central.

One definition for 'frustration' is when expectations exceed reality.  For Twins' fans the first half of 2010 has been a lesson in dealing with frustration.

Even before the first pitch was thrown in 2010 the expectations were high.

With the All-Star break not getting here fast enough, the Twins have fallen from decent to mediocrity. Their once potent lineup has now proven to have many more holes then it let on and has given the Twins a lot to gather in their three days off.

An optimist would say the Twins play better in the second half. However, one shouldn't bank on such thoughts because the pure fact that Minnesota's starting rotation has fallen to an atrocious level.

A Rotation in Decline

Compared to most fans in Twins Territory, I can be considered an optimist. When things on the field start looking bad, I can usually find a silver lining.