Too Close for Comfort

I love it when the Kansas City Royals Landed Gentry come to town. I mean, no offense against KC, but they present a glorious opportunity to end all sorts of streaks you wish you'd never started in the first place. Streaks like losing, and stranding a hundred runners a game on base.

50/50 isn't bad, I suppose. The Twins broke the losing streak, winning 5-4 last night. They stranded nine runners in the process--KC had a much more efficient 2.

This shouldn't have been a close game. Jose Lima, the Gentry's starter, was not at his best (And his best...? Well, let's just say it hasn't been Lima Time in a while). He walked three in five innings, throwing 99 pitches over that span. And yet, the Twins were trailing or tied for five innings.

Not that Johan "Holy Toledo" Santana was at his peak, either. Sure, he struck out ten and walked none in seven innings, but he gave up four earned runs, and that's just not Johan-like. He was probably thinking about his youngest daughter, born a mere hour before the game, who he had yet to see. It's understandable.

But still. Santana vs. Lima? I expected a final score of 16-2, you know?

This whole stranded runner thing has got to stop.