I've been a fan of the Minnesota Twins for nearly 40 years. In all that time I don't recall a more hideous start to a season than this year's first series in Detroit. The Twins were shutout the first two games (4-0 and 11-0, respectively) and somehow managed to not even have a base runner reach third base. The series culminated Thursday with a 7-1 loss, snapping a streak of 24 scoreless innings to start 2015.
Because it's the first three contests of the new season, the hideous play is that much more magnified. I can guarantee the Twins have had a worse stretch of three games in their history. In fact, being outscored a combined 22-1 by the Tigers isn't even the worst drubbing they've endured in a three game series at Comerica Park. Nearly nine years ago, the Twins we're obliterated by the Tigers in a three gamer by a cumulative score of 33-1. I remember that series well and how infuriated I was at the utter futility. Despite the season being a mere 3-1/2 weeks old after that series debacle, I wrote a blog post demanding a complete dismantling of the team. Needless to say, I was never so ecstatic to have been made to look a fool when the Twins won 96 games that season (including an other worldly 71-33 record over their last 104 regular season games) and usurped those same Tigers in the A.L. Central Division on the final day of the year.
I guess what I'm trying to say here is that things are never as bad as they seem. But that's also not to say that the 2015 Twins have in them a similar run to their 2006 counterparts. The good news is the Twins have been in this position before (i.e. that '06 season) and weathered the storm. The bad news? There's no Johan Santana type ace on this current squad.
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