A Lost Weekend

Even the Tigers know Minnesota sucks right now. We thought our team needed a little home cookin', and Friday, Francisco Liriano devastated Detroit, allowing Twins' Fandom thoughts of a sweep. I'll even admit that after the seventh inning on Saturday, I was entertaining the idea that our team could rip through the homestand without sustaining so much as a loss. Then the "Grim Reaper Crew" (GRC) happened. And by that, I'm talking about our stable of relievers that we just KNOW are going to blow the game when they come in. And Saturday, Dennys Reyes came in with one out and served up a game-tying, two-run shot. Then, after he waddled off the mound, our boy Matt Guerrier proceeded to allow ANOTHER two-run dinger to give Detroit the lead at 6-4, and eventually the game. 

Led by Guerrier, Boof Bonser, Jesse Crain and Reyes, the GRC have sabotaged game after game with their late-inning antics. Bonser is going the wrong way right now... Reyes/Crain combined to lose the game Saturday in stomach-punch fashion... Eddie Guardado is embarrassing. For god's sake - the bullpen is something like 1-7 in since the 14-game road trip. In fact, only Crain and Craig Breslow have been bearable lately, as the rest of the non-Nathan relievers own a 13.00 ERA over the past seven days. If you thought Pat Neshek's injury was devastating at the time, look at us now... look at us now.

And Sunday, Glen Perkins gave the team a chance to win for five innings before succumbing to the longball, giving up a homer and three total runs in the sixth. The Tigers tacked on a couple more runs vs. Bonser in the seventh, effectively ending the game. I'd like to fight Bonser right about now. 

On top of all this, the White Sox gained a game on us this weekend to push the lead to 2.5 with 19 games left... hopefully they won't be able to solve the Blue Jays and A.J. Burnett tonight (7:11 p.m. CST). Toronto has been on fire in September, winning eight straight after sweeps of Minnesota and Tampa Bay. They're in "spoiler mode", and I'm hoping they keep that mojo workin'. 

Despite all this negativity, the Twins get Kansas City for three games starting Tuesday, where they'll send Nick Blackburn (9-8, 3.71 ERA), Kevin Slowey (11-9, 3.75 ERA) and Francisco Liriano (5-3, 3.33 ERA) to the mound against Brian Bannister (7-14, 5.56 ERA), Kyle Davies (6-6, 4.59 ERA) and Brandon Duckworth (2-1, 6.60 ERA). That's right, we're not even going to see Gil Meche or Zack Greinke. It's like they're throwing the series. Seriously.

Thanks for reading today, and GO VIKINGS!!!