That’s right, all I’m asking of our Twins is to give us something. So far, they’re playing well, almost teasing us with a relatively strong start. And since our expectations are as low as a pile of used sunflower seeds, we need to keep our guard up for a major tease.
Yes, we’re pretty used to teases by our pro teams.
But the positive start has been both surprising and fun, and has made us open our eyes, and our brains with questions we otherwise might not bother to ask.
Do we have a team that can compete for the long haul? Do we have a pitching staff that will be one of the best in the American League? Is Luke Keaschall and Josh Bell for real? Is our new manager the right man for this team? Will Byron Buxton play more than half the games, or will he sprain something next week?
We’ll find out. After all, it’s only April and Rome wasn’t built in 24 hours.
But it was built. So, give us something, Twins. That is, give us hope that this will be a team worth following when it’s 94 degrees outside, not a team that fades away and finds itself 15-1/2 games out of first by Fathers’ Day.
Give us something to bridge the gap between the NFL Draft and the start of Vikings training camp. Give us something to make listening or watching the Twins worthwhile. Give us something to inspire us to maybe actually go to a game or two.
Give us more over-achievement. This, I know, is asking a lot. After all, we’re talking about a team that no one gave a chance before the season started. Well, no one gave the ’87 Twins a chance, either. Or the ’91 team.
But I’m not even asking for a championship. I’m not asking for new car for Christmas, but I don’t want just a pair of socks, either. I want something I can use, something that will bring a smile to my face. Something I need. And I need a competitive Twins team this summer.
I enjoy covering our area amateur baseball teams and our Legion team because I love baseball — still the best sport ever invented. But the Twins are different, and having a team I look forward to listening to on my radio — not just having on knowing a win or loss won’t matter because we’re so far out of first — is No. 1 on my summer wish list.
Will it happen? Maybe…? The cool thing about following a team with low expectations is that if, by chance, the Twins continue to win more than they lose, it’s even sweeter than if they were favorites. And if they flounder like most expect them to do, well, we’re no worse for wear. But the more they win in April, the more interesting and fun the summer will be.
However, once again, this will be psychologial warfare. We’ve been down this road time and time again. A team we love gives us hope, then the rug gets pulled out underneath us. Yes, we’ve grown accustomed to it, but why can’t one of our squads actually reach the promised land? I love the Lynx and have Star Tribune front sports pages on a wall in the office, but let’s face it, a WNBA title — at least back then — didn’t carry the caché as a championship from one of the four main pro sports on the male side. It just never has, although that tide might be turning (and I hope it does).
So, here we are, slowly building hope in our hearts that this could very well be another magical year for our Twins. And anytime the Twins do something great, it’s worth more than a celebration because of cheapskate owners.
Going into this season, the Twins ranked 24th among 30 MLB teams in payroll. Because of that, no one expects us to do anything. No one expects us to compete with big spenders like the Dodgers, Mets, Yankees and Phillies.
Just in the American League alone, the Twins rank 12th in payroll. There are 15 teams in the A.L. And we all know what happened when the Pohlads gutted the bullpen and slashed payroll after a nice playoff run in 2023.
Our frustration over the Pohlads is so old it has rust on it.
I want this team to reward diehard fans for sticking with them and turn people who really couldn’t care less about the Twins to be intrigued for a few months. I believe every team has a bandwagon, and I want it to be full in June.
I’ll drive.
