Our ace.

It's amazing how a couple of well-pitched ballgames can change the entire perception of a ballclub.  A couple of days ago, the Twins had lost four out of five and had given up more than six runs a game in that stretch, even with one of the games being a shutout.  It was starting to feel like that bad stretch we've been dreading all season.  Now, the Twins have taken two out of three from the AL East-leading Blue Jays and allowed them only seven runs over the three games.  Instead of fearing that the bottom might fall out, we're now thinking that maybe this team can get back to .500 again.*

*The other night Dick Bremer wondered what the Twins needed to do to separate themselves from the cluster of teams around .500.  I realize part of his job is to be optimistic, but I'll be quite happy if the Twins manage to stay within that cluster of teams.

I'm not sure when we decide that we're beyond a small sample size, but through thirteen starts Phil Hughes is on his way to the best season of his career, at least as a starter.  His FIP is even lower than his ERA, so I assume that means it's not a matter of luck, that he's earned the record he has.  This may be the first time since Johan Santana was traded that the Twins had a starting pitcher we felt like we can really rely on every fifth day.*  If Hughes can continue pitching like this, it makes it much less likely that the Twins will have a long losing streak and more likely that they can stay around .500 for the season.

*Carl Pavano and Francisco Liriano were both pretty good in 2010.  I can't remember whether, at the time, I felt as confident in them as I currently feel about Hughes.

It is also good to see the guys who are supposed to be the good hitters hitting.  Willingham was 2-for-5 with a two-run homer.  Morales was 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles.*  Arcia was 2-for-5 with a double.  Even Joe Mauer was 3-for-4 with a walk and a double.  Those are the guys who are supposed to carry the offense.  If they can actually do it, the Twins will be in a lot better shape.

*While I was not high on the Morales signing, it was not because I thought Morales couldn't hit.  It was because I didn't want to see the at-bats taken away from Pinto.  I still think they should bring up Eric Fryer and let Pinto go back to Rochester so he can play.  I also know Morales is probably not going to hit .462 all season.  So far, though, he's done everything he could be expected to do and then some.**

**And after I wrote this, I saw that the Twins had sent Pinto out.  I did not read who they were bringing up, but presumably they don't want to go with Mauer (or Escobar) as the backup catcher, so unless they have another deal in the works it pretty much has to be Fryer.

So, the Twins get a day off on the road, then take on Detroit for a three-game series.  Kyle Gibson, coming off one of his best starts of the season, will take on Anibal Sanchez, who has only two wins in ten starts despite not really pitching badly in any of them.  In his last three starts, he has given up a grand total of three runs and has been rewarded by getting three no-decisions.  Unfortunately for Anibal, his bad luck is going to continue Friday night.  We're on a season-ending one hundred game winning streak!  We're still on track for 129-33!