A Few Bright Spots in Twins Season

The Minnesota Twins have had a dreadful season up to this point in 2011.  Injuries have stockpiled to the point where they are fielding a Triple-A squad.  The lack of action at the trade deadline angered loyal fans. Most importantly, the lack of wins has gotten to the heart of the fanbase.  There have been a few bright spots this year though that cannot be overlooked.  These highlights include the resurrection of Glen Perkins, Francisco Liriano's no hitter, and Jim Thome's 600th career home run.

Ever since being drafted out of the University of Minnesota in 2004, Glen Perkins had been a disappointment.  He was the hometown kid who every avid Twins fan thought would bring joy to their faces.  Unfortunately, that had not been the case.  Perkins has turned that all around this year, though.  He is pitching with reckless abandon and well.  Perkins' 2.20 ERA is the best for all regular pitchers on the team and so is his 1.04 WHIP.  He has exceeded everyone's expectations and more over the course of this year and Twins fans all over the country will be hoping to see more of this in the future.

On May 3, 2011, Francisco Liriano went to the ballpark on the South Side of Chicago just expecting a routine day as a major league pitcher.  Three hours later he came away with something more.  Liriano threw the first no hitter of the year in the major leagues and the first of his career.  This no hitter was an unusual one in that Liriano gave up six walks and had only two strikeouts, but on his 123rd pitch of the night he got Adam Dunn out to record the last of the 27.  Of all the surprising things that have happened to the Twins this season, this one is probably the most surprising.  Liriano was off to the worst start of his career and even with this no hitter his ERA was an abysmal 6.61.  Predictably, Liriano has failed to duplicate this feat again this year.

The last of the few brightspots to shine on the Twins this year was the amazing game of Jim Thome last night.  In the top of the 6th, Thome hit his 599th career home run off of Rick Porcello.  It was a blast to deep left-center field.  He came up to bat again in the top of the 7th and hit his 600th career home run off of Daniel Schlereth.  Everyone at Detroit's Comerica Park, applauded the shot and Thome got to hug his family.  Thome joined the exclusive "600 club" which puts him in really great company.  Thome was just glad to get this off of his shoulders and is ready to move on with the season.  Overall, this feat was a great shining moment during this dreary Twins season.