THROWING YOU A CURVE
July 27, 2004

THIS IS WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT

It doesn't get any better then this!

After winning 2-of-3 games from the Baltimore Orioles, the Twins head into Chicago for a huge three-game series against the White Sox. Even though it’s only the end of July, the Twins need to win at least 2-of-3 from the Sox.

Chicago has had the Twins number so far this season winning 7 of the 10 games these two teams have already played, so the Twins have to make a point. The point is that they are a better team then the Sox.

Injuries have hampered both teams so far this season but currently the Sox have two of their big offensive players on the disabled list, Frank Thomas and Magglio Ordonez. The trade with the Montreal Expos got Carl Everett back with the Sox for the second straight year but he will have a tough time replacing the numbers that Thomas and Ordonez have put up.

On paper it should be a pitcher's three game series. Both teams have their best starters pitching against each other. The Twins will have Radke, Santana and Silva pitching against Buehrle, Garcia and Loaiza. However, in the first 10 meetings both clubs have scored a lot of runs and have hit a lot of homeruns. The White Sox have hit 19 homeruns and the Twins have hit 12 homeruns in the first 10 games.

I’m not saying that the division will be won or lost in this three-game series but I am saying that the Twins need to find a way to win 2-out-of-3. Anything less will give the advantage to the White Sox as both teams head into the final two months of the long baseball season.

Hope you have a chance to watch or listen to this three-game series. It should be a good one!

Thanks for reading my columns and I wish all my readers my best. Stay safe and thanks for rooting for the Twins.

Your baseball friend,
Bert Blyleven