The Twins are 45-18 since the All-Star break. That .714 pct., as I mentioned last week, was the same one the 1927 Yankees had. The Twins were 46-42 at the break.
Who predicted, or could have predicted, that they would do so well in the 2nd half, especially without Morneau? Jim Thome has an OPS+ of 219 in the 2nd half, pretty close to what both Ruth and Gehrig had in 1927 (for the year Thome has an OPS+ of 175-that would be 3rd in the league if he qualified but he has only 335 PAs). His AVG-OBP-SLG since the break are .310-.450-.722.
Since the break the Twins' pitchers have given up just 39 HRs in 63 games while they gave up 92 in their first 88. I gave more details on their run last week. Scroll down to see some of those posts.
Update at 9:17 a.m.: Here are the OPS, OPS allowed and OPS differential for the 4 AL playoff teams in the 2nd half
Twins: .787-.690-.097
Yanks: .795-.733-.062
Rays: .737-.742-negative .005!
Rangers: .743-.696-.047
So the Twins clearly have been playing the best, although an easier schedule might have helped.
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2 comments:
I've slowly become a bit of a Twins fan since I live near their AAA city. & this is pretty exciting.
I also notice in the standings that they're 1 GB of the Yankees for homefield advantage throughout the AL playoffs.
The rest of the Twins schedule is against the Indians (1), Tigers (3), Royals (4), & Blue Jays (4)... mostly a softer schedule than the Yankees, who have to face the Rays (2), Red Sox (6), and Blue Jays (3).
On top of that, in the 2nd half...they're
2-2 @ Tampa
1-3 @ Texas
3-0 vs Texas
...they haven't play the Yankees since May 27th, but it looks like the Twins have a good shot at doin' really well in the playoffs.
That's the incredible thing that they could get the best record and home field advantage, especially, as you point out, since they have the easier schedule. HFA, along with the way they have been playing, gives them a good shot to make it to the series. That should be interesting, a World Series at night in Minnesota during the last week of October.
Here are the OPS, OPS allowed and OPS differential for the 4 AL playoff teams in the 2nd half
Twins: .787-.690-.097
Yanks: .795-.733-.062
Rays: .737-.742-negative .005
Rangers: .743-.696-.047
So the Twins clearly have been playing the best.
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