Ian Kennedy and TBA vs. Phil Hughes and Adalberto Mejia

The Twins keep making more history this season. Today, it will be the first true doubleheader in Target Field history. Normally, the Twins choose to have a day/night doubleheader so they can charge fans separately for each game (and honor tickets for the rained-out game), but since the Twins have had or will have a total of 3 day/night doubleheaders, the players have to approve any more going on the schedule, so the consensus was to play the second game today 30 minutes after the first one ends.

A straight doubleheader always reminds me of the one I went to. It was a scheduled doubleheader at the Metrodome on Aug. 31, 1985, against the Red Sox. My brother was home from college and took me to the games. This was before I followed the Twins on an everyday basis.

That doubleheader got me started thinking baseball was pretty exciting after all. The Twins rallied with 2 outs in the ninth to win the first game on a Ron Washington RBI single and then held on in the second game despite the better efforts of He Who Shall Not Be Named trying to blow the game.

That day left a lasting impression on me, but that's largely because I smashed my thumb in the heavy first safety door between our garage and our house before leaving for the games. My thumb was bandaged and throbbing for both games, and I dealt with infections and scar tissues for months after. To this day, my damaged left thumb is noticeably longer than my right after being smashed flat.

As for these games, the Twins just need a split today after winning dramatically on Friday. There's no truth to the rumor that the ball Kennys Vargas hit opened a hole in the sky that caused yesterday's rainout.

Phil Hughes and Adalberto Mejia both need a good outing to keep their tenuous hold on their own rotation spots. Hughes' veteran status and contract has helped him remain in the rotation, but it's unclear how patient the new regime will be, especially with the Twins still with a slim lead in the division.

Fortunately for them, the Royals come into the day with the majors' worst offense. It's hard to believe this team won the World Series less than 2 years ago.