Twins Table Not Being Set

Entering Sunday's game against the Chicago White Sox, the first place Minnesota Twins are among the major league leaders in runs scored with 24. It certainly makes sense that they have only lost once since they are right up there toward the top in terms of scoring runs. What doesn't make any sense whatsoever is that they are winning and scoring runs while getting so little from their table setters. The top two batters in the Twins lineup, Denard Span and Orlando Hudson, are both off to terrible starts at the plate. Lead-off hitter Span is batting a paltry .125 (3-for-24) entering play on Sunday. Oh sure, he's walked three times but that only lifts his on base percentage to .214.  Meanwhile, Hudson is sailing along at .192 (5-for-26) and a .222 on base percentage.

The two have combined to score two runs. Yes, you read that right: two runs.

To put that in perspective, backup second baseman Alexi Casilla has scored two runs himself...in ONE at bat. For the record, he scored one of his runs when he was used as a pinch runner, but still, the fact that Casilla has as many runs in one at bat as Span and Hudson have in 50 at bats is both weird and remarkable.

Want another odd stat considering the Twins lofty position in the standings? Just five Twins batters are hitting over .200 right now: Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, J.J. Hardy, Michael Cuddyer, and Delmon Young. Yeah, I get that the season is less than a week old and the sample size is very small. I just find these kinds of stats pretty interesting given how well the team is playing overall right now.

My preseason prediction that Span would lead the American League in runs scored isn't looking too hot right now, but as we've said we're only five games in so none of these stats mean very much, right? Twins fans should feel thankful for the long ball and a quality pitching.

Just think what might happen when Span and Hudson actually start setting the table.