Well, they're back in last place again (then again, in the rough and tumble AL Central, that's not as bad a thing as it might otherwise appear).

After golf on Thursday, a group of people were sitting around talking about baseball, when the subject of Joe Mauer came up. I was expecting the worst, but the near universal consensus was that we're watching a Hall of Famer do Hall of Fame-y things. The couple dissenters were looked upon with a sort of cocked eyebrow pity. I got the sense that maybe all isn't lost. There are people - even those who aren't so statistically inclined - who can see that Minnesota's in the midst of watching one of the very best to ever play his position.

Those that can't see that? Well, they can choke on their own tongues when Joe is inducted into the Hall of Fame as they lie and say they were with him every step of the way.

Diamond vs. Dempster today (I didn't realize Dempster has been around as long as he has). Hopefully, Diamond bounces back from his last start (5 2/3 innings, 6 runs on 3 home runs), while Dempster expands upon his (5 innings, 6 runs on 3 home runs).

Twins on Leaderboards

rWAR (position players) - Mauer, 5th (2.0)
Batting Average - Mauer, 3rd (.349)
OBP - Mauer, 3rd (.431)
OPS - Mauer, 7th (.931)
Hits - Mauer, t-7th (51)
Doubles - Mauer, 3rd (16)
Triples - Dozier, t-5th (2)
RBIs - Morneau t-10th (28)
Bases on Balls - Willingham, t-3rd (25)
Bases on Balls - Mauer t-10th (21)
OPS+ - Mauer, 6th (157)
Runs Created - Mauer, t-4th (33)
Times on Base - Mauer, 4th (72)
Hit By Pitch - Willingham, 1st (6)
Hit By Pitch - Plouffe, t-4th (4)
Sacrifice Hits - Dozier, t-9th (2)
Sac Flies - Morneau, t-1st (4)
Sac Flies - Doumit, t-4th (3)
Intentional Walks - Mauer, t-4th (3)
GIDP - Dozier, t-9th (6)
Caught Stealing - Dozier, t-3rd (3)

Joe Mauer. Good at baseball? You decide.

BB/9 - Correia, 4th (1.342)
Games Pitched - Fien, t-3rd (20)*
Games Pitched - Burton, t-9th (19)
Saves - Perkins, 7th (8)
Games Started - Worley, t-1st (9)
Hits Allowed - Worley, 2nd (72)
Hits Allowed - Correia, t-10th (58)
Losses - Worley & Pelfrey, t-7th (4)
Earned Runs - Worley, 8th (31)
Games Finished - Perkins, 7th (14)

* I would expect (injury excepted of course) Fien to be high on this list at season's end.