La Velle returns to the Star Tribune baseball command post today. For those who can’t get enough, here are a few extra items heading into the Blue Jays series:

(*) The Blue Jays can definitely pitch, but they are having a terrible time scoring. They are averaging 3.70 runs per game, compared to 4.46 for the suddenly offensive-minded Twins. Toronto just scored four runs combined in dropping three of four to Cleveland.

(*) Delmon Young added this about his recent upswing Monday: “It’s usually about 150 at-bats, about May 15, and that’s when I get going. I always have a timing issue with my rocking leg kick, and that’s why it takes a while to get going. And just getting used to the Dome, with the depth perception.”

Last year, he entered May 15 batting .222/.257/.347 with four home runs and finished the year batting .288/.316/.408 with 13 home runs.

(*) I can’t get over this stat: The Twins are 8-1 in Livan Hernandez’s nine starts.

Manager Ron Gardenhire dreaded the reaction he might get from Hernandez for wanting to pull him Monday after six innings.

“He said to me, ‘Gardy, when I’m out of gas, I’m going to tell you. I’m going to be a good teammate.’ And I don’t blame him for being gassed — not giving up three in first, then the pitching he had to do to keep those guys right there for five more innings,” Gardenhire said.

Added pitching coach Rick Anderson: “Nothing fazes him. Ahead 6-0, behind 6-0, he’s the same. He’s battling.”

How about Dustin Pedroia’s line drive? “OK. Maybe that fazed him,” Anderson said. “That would faze any pitcher.”

(*) Here’s another view of the AL Central from Jon Paul Morosi, in today’s Detroit Free Press:

Manager Jim Leyland, who has long maintained that the Tigers’ competition would be fierce, was asked Sunday what he found surprising about the division to date.

His response: “We’ve surprised me.”

When the subject shifted to Minnesota, he almost immediately mentioned Carlos Gomez, the Twins’ electrifying centerfielder.

Gomez, one of four prospects obtained in the Santana deal, won the starting job in spring training and has provided a needed spark atop the batting order.

He’s only 22. He did not play above Double-A before last season. That inexperience has been evident at the plate, with 37 strikeouts and five walks. But he changes the game by merely taking a lead off first base. He has swiped 16 bases, and he hit for the cycle last Wednesday.

“He’s the igniter,” Leyland said. “He’s impressive. He’s a run producer because he’s got legs.”

(*) Also, be sure to check out Howard’s latest big-picture Twins assessment.

A 20-17 pace plays out to an 88-74 record. I wouldn’t have bet you at the start of the season that the Twins would win 88 games. Now, if you buy the improving team scenario, are we being delusional if we start thinking about them winning 90 or more?

This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 13th, 2008 at 11:05 am and is filed under Around MLB, Twins thoughts. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.