Twins 7, Tigers 3

Take a look at the heading. Hang on to it in your mind... it may be the only time all year our boys top the Tigers. I hope not... but maybe.

The Minnesota win made it clear Detroit has defense issues.

Miguel Cabrera was sidelined after getting hit in the face. Brandon Inge and Ryan Raburn are competing for second base, though Inge has been manning 3rd.

Let us hope the win is a sign of things to come for the Twins. I can't handle a bad season.

Prince Fielder is a Worry for Twins

A shiver fell over Twins Territory as the Detroit Tigers signed Prince Fielder. While Fielder will bring the recognition to the AL Central that it deserves, the Twins do need to be worried.

Though I think the Tigers overpaid for Fielder, I am concerned about him hitting the ball all over our pretty Target Field. We will have to face Fielder 20 times this season and we need to be scared, in a respectful way.

Prince Fielder hits a ton, but isn't the most fleet a foot, which benefits us if we can get a strong outfield in the game, every game. The Twins have played in 38 games against Fielder. In those games, Fielder is hitting .261 and has 8 home runs and 14 extra base hits.

Fielder will be a decent addition for the Tigers, but it helps that they paid so much for him. He may or may not be a difference maker in the Motor City, but either way the Twins should keep him in their radar. Just to be safe.

Most Anticipated Series of the Year

While it is early to say whether or not the end of the season will matter in terms of the playoffs, I am guessing there will be a lot of weight on the last home series of the 2012. The Detroit Tigers will be in town at Target Field from 9/28 -9/30 and it is going to be a big deal.

What is your most anticipated game of the year?

Justin Verlander Just Kills the Twins

Poor Twins. The Twins had their best chance in the first inning when they had two runners on with one out. Verlander got out of the jam and looked to be in some trouble when he had already thrown 60 pitches through three innings Clearly, that wasn't the case. He buckled down and dominated the Twins lineup and they were toast from there. Manager Ron Gardenhire seemed to agree with my analysis.

"You saw us get dominated by Verlander over there," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "He was pretty filthy."

Verlander has two wins in two starts against the Twins this season with a 1.15 ERA.

Jim Thome Hits 600th Home Run

Welcome to the 600 home run club, Jim Thome! Jim Thome hit his 600th home run Monday night against the Detroit Tigers.

Thome is the eighth player in major league history to hit 600 home runs in his career. The future Hall of Famer joins an elite group that includes Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, Ken Griffey Jr. and Alex Rodriguez.

Delmon Young Traded to Tigers

Delmon Young was traded to the Twins' AL Central rival Detroit Tigers on Monday and did not disappoint in his debut with his new team. In his first at bat against Francisco Liriano, Young hit a home run in his first at bat as a Tiger. It was only Young's 5th home run of the season and Young finished the night 2-4 with just the RBI from the home run.

Young was traded for a minor league pitcher in Class A who has an ERA just south of 5 and was a former 10th round pick. Some trade...

The Twins won the game 9-6 and Young was barely the story of the night. Jim Thome hit his 599th and 600th home runs last night to join the 600 home run club. Thome had not hit a home run since August 4th. The Detroit Tigers honored him by posting a congratulatory message on the scoreboard after he hit number 600. Thome also received a standing ovation from the Detroit Tigers fan as he rounded the bases.

Justin Morneau Set to Return Monday Night

Justin Morneau is hitting the stuffing out of the ball as of lately. Morneau has been rehabbing from his injured neck in Triple A and has been on a tear. He is 8-14 in his last three games and is getting really excited about coming back and playing for the Twins. He is expected to play Monday night against Detroit. Morneau wishes he was getting back sooner:

"Everybody who's come up here not ready hasn't helped us, so we're going to try to make sure he's ready," Gardenhire said. "I know he's champing at the bit. He texted [Bill Smith] that he's going to be here [Wednesday] to face Lester. Billy told him see you in Detroit [next Monday]."

I love it! I can't wait for Morneau to get back in the lineup. I know the Twins are pretty much out of it this year, but it will be good if Morneau can get back in the groove of baseball so that he is ready for next season. He hasn't played consistently for so long that it would be nice if he could just get his legs under him.

Next Minnesota Twins Homestand

The Minnesota Twins return to Target Field next week to take on the Detroit Tigers and the Toronto Blue Jays. It will be another important 5 games for the Minnesota Twins as they look to gain ground in the American League Central Division.

Tue, May 10 vs Detroit 8:10 PM

Wed, May 11 vs Detroit 1:10 PM

Fri, May 13 vs Toronto 8:10 PM

Sat, May 14 vs Toronto 4:10 PM

Sun, May 15 vs Toronto 2:10 PM

Purchase your Minnesota Twins tickets with Ticket King!

MLB Network's 20 Greatest Games

Not being able to watch the Super Bowl postgame because of the winning team, I had to start channel surfing. I came across the MLB Network's Top 20 Games in MLB History. They profiled Game #16: Game 163 with Minnesota Twins vs. Detroit Tigers. It truly must be a good game if a game that happened less than two seasons ago is already considered one of the greatest baseball games played all-time. The one-hour special has Michael Cuddyer in studio analyzing the game and giving some insider information along the way. That game truly was a legendary game and if anyone has the MLB Network, check the listings and be sure to watch it!

Minnesota Twins Swept in Detroit

The Minnesota Twins were swept by the Detroit Tigers over the weekend. It was a weekend to forget and hopefully it will not carry into Cleveland or back at Target Field. Some high notes though included Danny Valencia's two home run day on Saturday, including a grand slam to bring his season total to 7. The lineups the team was using was a little different this weekend, as manager Ron Gardenhire wants to give adequate rest to the primary starters. Fortunately for us, we have already clinched and this series should not be pivotal for going into October.

Minnesota Twins drop New York Mets Series, Opener to Detroit Tigers

In a disappointing weekend, the Minnesota Twins lost 2 of 3 to the New York Mets at Citi Field. The Minnesota Twins dropped the opener 5-2 with Kevin Slowey responsible for the loss. They bounced back on Saturday defeating old Minnesota Twin ace Johan Santana 6-0. Carl Pavano pitched his 2nd consecutive complete game and has easily established himself as the Twins ace right now, allowing 3 hits over 9 innings. In an ironic fashion, the Twins were then beat 6-0 on Sunday by the New York Mets with starter Scott Baker getting roughed up. That left the Twins 1-5 in their last 6 games.

The brightside was that the 9 game road trip was over and the team would return to Target Field. However, the homestand did not start the way they hoped. The Minnesota Twins lost 7-5 to the Detroit Tigers in the first game of the three game series. Starting pitcher Francisco Liriano surrendered 4 runs in the 1st inning and Minnesota was never able to recover. The Minnesota Twins have the next 6 games at home and will need to fix their problems quickly, as the Tampa Bay Rays are up next after the Tigers. Nick Blackburn gets the nod tonight as starting pitcher. Blackburn is winless in his last 5 starts.