Baumann: Are the first-place Minnesota Twins for real?

From SABR member Michael J. Baumann at Grantland on May 28, 2015:

A couple of weeks into the season, it looked like the Royals and Tigers had left the rest of the AL Central behind and gone to a secluded area of the party so they could actually hear themselves talk while discussing the future of their relationship.

Only now the Twins are a part of that conversation, all, “Hey, guys, what’re y’all talking about?” like that douche bag Donnie from high school. In fact, they’re more than just a part of the conversation: After yesterday’s 6-4 win over the Red Sox, they’re 28-18 and tied with the Royals for first place in the division.

The Twins, Cubs, and Astros are the teams most analysts predicted would break out of years of rottenness in the seasons to come thanks to outstanding farm systems. All three are winning ahead of schedule, but while the Cubs are already enjoying Kris Bryant, Addison Russell, and Jorge Soler, and the Astros have shrewdly set the table for their prospects by adding major-league-ready complementary pieces, that’s not the case in Minnesota.

Read the full article here: http://grantland.com/the-triangle/2015-mlb-minnesota-twins-surprising-start/



Originally published: May 28, 2015. Last Updated: May 28, 2015.