So, it's not time to say "mission accomplished" or even "problem solved" after the Twins finally checked into the win column last night, becoming the final MLB club to so this season. They still have pitching issues (5 starts, zero quality starts. Say what you want about the quality start stat. At least it's an ethos). Sure, Nick Blackburn and Carl Pavano pitched well "except for a couple of bad pitches." Guess what? That's what usually dooms a pitcher. And according to an e-mail exchange with RJ Bell of Pregame.com, "the next time Twins could reasonably be expected to be favored is during the April 27-29 series - at home vs. KC. I bet tons of people will be surprised by how far out those games are! Actually, probably not. It's just Vegas looking at the early schedule and knowing what's what.
But still: Ryan Doumit sent out the warning a few days ago. The Twins offense, presumably it's top asset, had slumbered through the first four games, scoring six total runs. Don't wake up the sleeping dragon, Doumit said. Once one player starts hitting, everyone just might. We even asked for entries in a Sleeping Dragon Coloring Contest, which we will sprinkle in through the rest of this post:
Six runs on nine hits doesn't quite constitute an outburst in most cases, but when the run total equals your entire output from the first four games, you take what you can get. Seven players had hits -- including Doumit, whose single leading off the seventh inning was the beginning of the three-run winning rally.
After such a dismal start, it did -- at the very least -- feel rather cathartic to watch the Twins celebrate last night. Scott Baker is out for six months ... Kevin Love became the latest Timberwolves casualty last night ... Detroit, bullpen meltdowns in Justin Verlander starts not withstanding, might win 100 games with ease. But at least the dragon has been disturbed, if not fully shaken from slumber.
