Twins Tailspin Continues, Familiar Scenario For Minnesota Sports Fans

The Minnesota Twins (55-55) have gone from an amazing May, to a so-so June, into a sputtering July -- to now what appears to be a total collapse in August; with starting pitching largely to blame. Losers of 11 of their last 14 games, the Twins have seen their starters give up 35 runs in the last 24 innings -- including 17 last night.

None of the Minnesota starting pitchers has lasted five innings on the current road trip, which saw the Twins swept in four games by Toronto, and a split of the first two games in Cleveland (despite giving up 26 runs in those two games), with the third and final game of the series against the Indians this afternoon.

It's not that a .500 record is so devastating -- it's how it has happened that is so disappointing.

Once commanders of the Wild Card standings, the Twins have now fallen to fifth in the race (the top-two non-division leaders make the playoffs as Wild Card teams), 3.5 games behind the Blue Jays and Angels who occupy those spots, with the Detroit and Baltimore sandwiched in between.

Amazingly the Twins are still in second place in the AL Central (which doesn't say much for the rest of the division) a whopping 10.5 games behind Kansas City -- holders of the largest first place cushion in the majors.

Following today's rubber game in Cleveland the Twins head back home for a three-game series against the Rangers at Target Field, followed by a weekend series hosting the Indians.

I've got tickets for Saturday night's game against Cleveland. The Twins website says there will be post-game fireworks. Must be the ones purchased to use after home runs and home victories -- got use 'em up before they go bad I guess.

What time does the Vikings game start tonight?