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THROWING YOU A CURVE
HOME SWEET HOME Since my last column the Twins have fallen on some hard times. They lost 3-of-4 games to the Chicago White Sox at home and headed on a week-long road trip to St. Petersburg and Kansas City, where they lost 2-of-3 in both cities. Over the last ten games they are 3-7. The White Sox have been playing good baseball and have a 2-game lead in the Central Division. Now the Twins are coming back to Minnesota for a two-week homestand and it couldn’t have come at a better time. With most of the games in the month of May played on the road, it's a good time to spend some time back in their own ballpark. The Twins are 14-8 at home. It’s just a shame that they couldn’t come home to a ballpark like the one they just left, Kauffman Stadium, in Kansas City. What a beautiful complex the Royals and the Chiefs have in Independence, Missouri. Every season there are always a lot of Twins fans that make the six or seven hour trip South on Highway 35, just to see their Twins play outdoor baseball. But that’s for another column isn’t it? The homestand first brings in the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for four games. Then, the Detroit Tigers for a three game weekend series. With Monday, June 7, as an off day, many of the Twins players and staff will be playing in Kent Hrbek’s golf tournament. What a great job Kent and his wife Jeannie have done throughout the years raising funds for ALS. Kent’s dad passed away with this deadly disease and Kent has been raising money to help find a cure ever since. The Hrbek family means so much to the Minnesota area and I’m proud I had a chance to play on the same field with Kent. Better to play on the same team with him rather then against him because he really enjoyed hitting against me. I have told Kent that the only reason he retired was because my pitching days had come to a close. Herbie agreed! Tuesday, June 8, the Twins and all of baseball start playing interleague games. The Twins will first play Mike Piazza and the New York Mets for a three-game series. Then, former Twins starter Eric Milton comes back to Minnesota with the Philadelphia Phillies to close out the home stand with a three-game weekend series. What do the Twins need to do to get back on the winning track? Win at home, of course. Plus, the starting pitching needs to improve. Other than Brad Radke, the staff is putting too much pressure on the bullpen and the Twins offense. The starting staff needs to get into the 7th and 8th innings more often. That’s the only way the Twins will continue to win at home in this important home stand. Chicago has been playing well and the Twins need to stay close. I feel that these two teams will go into September with the division title on the line. I hope everyone had a safe and happy Memorial Day weekend. May all your dreams come true. Dreaming is a good thing if you dream about positive things. Make your dreams a reality by working hard and having fun. Enjoy each and every day because we are not guaranteed tomorrow. My beautiful wife Gayle told me that once and it has stuck with me ever since.
Thanks for reading my columns.
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