Tagged: Detroit Tigers

It Begins Now

Literally the season starts in April, but figuratively, for the Twins at least, their trip through Cleveland and Detroit marks the beginning of the ‘real season’. For the first four months of the year, the Twins have managed to play .500 ball and stick within two games of the lead in the American League Central; now the team will focus on divisional opponents for the final two months in an attempt to play meaningful games in October.

In the first half of the season, the Twins played only 29 of their total 72 divisional games. The second half schedule consists of 43 divisional games, and beginning with the team’s stop in Cleveland, 40 of 58 remaining games will be played in the Midwest against the Central.
The first half of the season wasn’t easy for the Twins as they played one of the top five toughest schedules in baseball. They completed all scheduled games with the Yankees and Red Sox while their foes, Chicago and Detroit, did not. 
The second half of the season is statistically easier, and with Cleveland’s recent fire sale, things could be easier than what other teams will face in August and September. No team will roll over however, and many players are out to prove they belong – thus the team will need to play well despite an easier opponents winning percentage.
Up to the start of a week long road trip, the remaining schedules for Detroit, Chicago and Minnesota are as follows:
Detroit:
Minnesota – 10
Kansas City – 9
Tampa Bay – 7
Cleveland – 6
Chicago – 6
Boston – 4
Toronto – 4
Baltimore – 3
Seattle – 3
Oakland – 3
Los Angeles – 3
Chicago:
Boston – 8
Minnesota – 6
Los Angeles – 6
Seattle – 6
Kansas City – 6
Detroit – 6
Cleveland – 6
Oakland – 5
Baltimore – 3
New York – 3
Cubs – 1
Minnesota:
Cleveland – 12
Kansas City – 12
Detroit – 10
Chicago – 6
Texas – 7
Toronto – 4
Baltimore- 3
Oakland – 3
While the Tigers and White Sox each have 11 remaining games against the American League East powers (Boston, New York, Tampa Bay), the Twins have completed that portion of the schedule. That section alone could help the Twins as the Tigers have a .385 winning percentage against the East this season.
The Twins have positioned themselves well for the final two months, and consistency against their own division in the next eight weeks could help the Twins to a division title. Nothing will be given to them however, and while the Indians and Royals have struggled and take up nearly half of the remaining schedule, the Twins must be prepared for a new season, one that starts now.

Deadline Aftermath

Heading into the trade deadline, all eyes were on the big market teams: the Yankees, Red Sox, Blue Jays, and others. All the talk was about Roy Halladay and what his destination would be. In the end, Halladay would stay put and the Yankees were inactive in any big moves.

The big markets for the most part stayed put (with the exception of the Red Sox acquiring Victor Martinez), and the division that currently has three teams making a run at the playoffs, the American League Central, made the moves.
The first big move came when the Detroit Tigers unexpectedly jumped in and acquired Jarrod Washburn from the Seattle Mariners. Washburn will be gone at the end of the season, but for the final two months, the move has a chance of bolstering an already pretty good rotation.
Hours later the Twins countered with a move of their own; they sent a minor league shortstop, Tyler Ladendorf, to Oakland and brought in shortstop Orlando Cabrera with hope that the middle infield in Minneapolis will see more production. 
As the deadline passed, it seemed as though the Tigers and Twins were the only contenders in the Central to make major moves. Reports then began rolling out with word that for a second time, the White Sox had traded for pitcher Jake Peavy.
The deal was soon finalized and Peavy will indeed be in Chicago. Whether or not Peavy will help the team this season however is questionable. Peavy has been on the disabled list since the first week of June, won’t be back before the first week of September, and may not pitch again this season.
While the Cleveland Indians scrapped their team and looked to the future by trading Ben Francisco, Ryan Garko, Cliff Lee, and Victor Martinez, the Tigers, Twins and White Sox each took shots at bolstering their rosters for the final two months of the season.
Only time tell who exactly made the biggest move, but for now at least it seems as though the Twins and Tigers, with Peavy’s current injury, made the biggest impact on the 2009 season.