The on-field product has been solid, though far from spectacular thus far in 2010. Francisco Liriano has that "stud" look to his game again. His quick start has him re-acquiring the title of staff ace, and has Twins fans breathing a sign of relief that he wasn't forced to make the switch to closer after the Joe Nathan injury. Give credit to coach Ron Gardenhire for being willing to work with what he had and let Liriano stay in the rotation despite pressure from local and national sources to put the kid with the electric stuff into the 9th inning role. Meanwhile, Jon Rauch has held his own as closer. He’s not blowing anyone away, but he’s been mostly effective at closing out games, which is a big reason the Twins are off to such a hot start.
The bats have offered mixed results early in 2010. Newcomers Jim Thome, JJ Hardy and Orlando Hudson have all been solid contributors. Delmon Young looks more like the player the Twins thought they were trading for than the player they’ve had the past two seasons. Mauer, Morneau and Cuddyer are hitting the ball well. And Denard Span has been solid in the leadoff spot, as well as defensively in center field. Even so, the Twins are struggling to come up with clutch hits early in the season. They’ve had no problem getting guys on base, even loading the bases an average of once a game, but haven’t had luck driving in the runners in those situations. Even so, they came out of April with a 15-8 record. They won their first six series of the season before dropping two of three to Detroit on the road. It’s the best start in team history, with a club not getting clutch hitting. How good will they be when that kicks in?
Even if you ignore the fast start, however, Twins fans would still be happy. The reason is simple: Target Field. Outdoor baseball is back in Minnesota, and mother nature has helped fans enjoy it. With outstanding sightlines, a beautiful state-of-the-art scoreboard, an enormous variety of food options, and – most importantly – lush green grass to play on, the new ballpark has thrilled fans early in the season. The concourses are wide (though beware the bottleneck in the right field corner), the bathrooms are plentiful, the accessibility can’t be beat (metro transit continues to make adjustments to rail schedules to best accommodate fans), and the skyline in the background is pleasing. With amenities to suit the most die-hard or casual fan equally, and loads of Twins history rolled up inside, the stadium is a true gem in downtown Minneapolis and something that all Minnesotans can be proud of. And the way things are going, fans should stock up on warm clothes for outdoor games at Target Field in October.