Minnesota Twins

Success on the baseball diamond has its own timetable.

Witness Minnesota Twins manager Ron Gardenhire's occasional on-again, off-again experiment batting Joe Mauer in the two-hole.

The recent move has kick-started the Twins' offense, enabling them to halt a six-game slide that had many of the players questioning their choice of profession.

The Twins produced a 20-1 victory Thursday against the Chicago White Sox. Mauer, hitting second in the batting order for the first time this season, contributed a pair of doubles and a grand slam for six RBI.

If you're a White Sox fan, I'm sorry, today was not a good day at all.

First, the Twins decide they're going to light you up for 20 runs, including a Joe Mauer grand salami and three 4+ run innings. Well, at least you scored that one run in the eighth right?

Craig Breslow might have been the best move for the Minnesota Twins last season; Bill Smith gave up nothing for the lefty when he claimed him off waivers, and the Twins received 42 outings and a 1.92 ERA to help stabilize a tremendously inconsistent bullpen.

With the strong numbers, the Twins were comfortable enough to move forward without lefty Dennys Reyes, and the Twins allowed him to move on this past off-season. Breslow had put up solid numbers, and if everything would have gone according to plan, he would have been the lefty specialist in '09 and possibly beyond.

The Twins continued their search for backend starters and consistent relievers Wednesday when they called up Anthony Swarzak from Triple-A Rochester. Swarzak will pitch in place of the injured Glen Perkins against the Brewers on Saturday.

Many minor league watchers had been calling for this move for weeks. Swarzak's record, just 3-4, is a better reflection on the state of the Red Wings' offense than on how well he has pitched.

The story for Joe Mauer keeps getting better.

The two-time American League batting champ spent this last offseason recuperating from surgery to remove a kidney obstruction.

Mauer then missed all of spring training—and the first 22 games of the 2009 season—with an inflamed joint in his back that kept him on the disabled list.

No one could predict whether these injuries might add up to a lost season for Mauer.

Not to worry.

It's been all systems-go for Mauer thus far in 2009.

The "Good" Outfield Problem

Five outfielders for four positions: Denard Span, Carlos Gomez, Delmon Young, Michael Cuddyer, and Jason Kubel. Here is a brief run-down of each and what their playing time should look like:

This is the final year of the Metrodome, home to the Minnesota Twins since 1982. There have been many memorable moments in Metrodome history. From Kirby Pucketts game winning homerun in the World Series to Minnesota winning the AL Central on the last day of the 2006 season. Along the way, many great names in the gam called Minneapolis home. From Puckett to Morneau, Blyleven to Santana, the list goes on and on. Here are the top 10 Twins players to call the "Homerdome" home.

During the off-season, Scott Baker signed a four year, $15.25 million deal. Other than a few Joe Mays-related rumblings, the public response to this deal was quite positive.

Why wouldn't it be? Baker was coming off of his best season as a professional, going 11-4 with a 3.45 ERA and 141 strikeouts. He held batters to a .247 BAA and posted a WHIP of just 1.17.