Ron Gardenhire is in his eighth year managing the Twins but 2009, at this stage of the season with 45 games remaining, is the most frustrating, according to remarks he made yesterday morning on his KSTP radio show.
“Well, I think right now it is because Andy (pitching coach Rick Anderson) and I are scratching our heads trying to figure out consistency with the starting pitching,” he said. “It’s been hit and miss. You’re going with expectations. Sometimes they work out and sometimes they don’t.
“But the great thing about it is that.. we have a chance (to win the division). We’re still within striking distance. …We could make a run and have some fun and that’s what we’re just clinging to. …There’s still an opportunity here for us to catch some people if we could just figure out some way to pitch.”
The Twins are five games under .500 with a 56-61 record. The team has struggled to play .500 or better all season and to find a lengthy winning streak. All the starting pitchers have been inconsistent and two, Glen Perkins and Kevin Slowey, who were in the five man rotation earlier in the year are not pitching now because of injuries.
Gardenhire said the record should be over .500 right but the Twins didn’t do the things that would have won games to put the team in that position. “I think there’s a run in this team,” he said. “We just gotta get the pitching and some consistency…”
The Twins are six games behind first place Detroit in the Central Division. After yesterday’s 7-4 loss to Cleveland, the Twins have lost five consecutive series and two straight at home. Starting pitcher Scott Baker threw a two hit shutout Friday night but on Saturday rookie starter Anthony Swarzak went only four innings and yesterday Nick Blackburn couldn’t make his way through three innings. Blackburn has pitched a combined four innings in his last two starts and given up 12 hits and 12 earned runs (27.00 ERA).