Twins Finish Spring Training Strong
Hooray, Minnesota Twins! They finish their 2011 Spring Training with a big win over the Atlanta Braves. They end up with a Grapefruit League-leading record of 20-12. They have the day off tomorrow, and then the real season starts on Friday, with the Twins at Toronto.
I don't put too much stock into the outcome of the Spring Training games. For the first bit, they're trying out new players, and many of the committed players don't even practice. The players that will make it blend into more play as the training continues, with the players we don't know fading away. Sure, some will return later in the season, but they're not quite ready yet, and the play in which they participate shows.
Still, it's fun to peek, especially when the home team comes out on top!
American League division rivals Kansas City Royals finished the Cactus Leauge with as many wins, but only ten losses, giving them just a squeaker of a better record for all American League teams (the Twins coming in a close second). The Detroit Tigers still have a game to play tomorrow, so they could improve their 20-14 record, but not enough to pass the Twins. The Cleveland Indians finished near .500 with a 15-14 record.
The expected-to-win Chicago White Sox finished with an abysmal 11-20 record!