This is Kind of a Big Deal... at Minnesota, July 28-31

MINNESOTA TWINS

Well, well, well... Here we are, with just over 2 months left in the season and the White Sox holding a 2½ game lead on the Twins with a very important series in the Metrodome. Cue the early-2000's nightmares.

OFFENSE: 510 Runs (5th in A.L.), 4.90 RPG (5th), 71 HR (last in A.L.), .278 BA (3rd), .315 BA with RISP (1st)

PITCHING: 4.29 team ERA (9th), 250 BB (best in A.L.), .278 BAA (13th), 3.22 Home ERA (2nd), 5.76 ERA in last 7 days (11th)

WHY I'M TERRIFIED: All I need to do is think about seeing eye singles off Keith Foulke find holes in the infield, Carlos Lee losing balls in the white ceiling, and Torii Hunter robbing us of everything from shallow singles to home runs over the baggy in center field. Minnesota is 34-19 at home this season and they've stayed in this race despite every indication they shouldn't.

WHY I'M CONFIDENT: The last time these two teams met in early June, the Sox held a 2½ game lead on the Twins and absolutely mauled them to the tune of a 4-game sweep at the Cell in which the Sox outscored Minnesota 40-15. Despite the Sox's recent pitching struggles, the Twins have been just as bad; they're 5.76 ERA over the past week is one of the worst in baseball and almost a full run worse than the American League average over that time span.

THEIR LAST SERIES: Won 2 of 3 from the Indians in Cleveland.

PROBABLE PITCHERS: We lead off with our ace, Mark Buehrle tonight, who is 10-5 with a 4.02 career ERA at the Metrodome in 17 career games (15 starts). The Twins counter with Kevin Slowey who was rocked by the Sox in his last start against us, pitching only 3 innings and allowing 8 runs on 10 hits.

Tuesday, Clayton Richard makes his 2nd career start of his career and his first on the road. The Twins have not announced who will counter Richard, but that would be Glen Perkins' spot in the rotation. He pitched well in his last start and I can't find any health-related reason why he wouldn't go Tuesday, but if not Perkins; Franciso Liraino?

Wednesday, Gavin Floyd gets the start and 2nd chance to no-hit the Twins. Of course, Floyd took a no-no into the 9th on May 6th before having it broken up by Joe Mauer. Livan Hernandez will look to eat some more innings for Minnesota, however, in 6 starts since his last start against the Sox, Livan has pitched only 34 innings and has an unsightly 5.77 ERA and .336 BAA.

Finally, in the finale, its a battle of staff-low ERA's. John Danks (3.18) and Scott Baker (3.38) tangle for the 2nd time this season. On April 9, Baker defeated Danks in Chicago in a 12-5 Twins win. Danks allowed 7 runs in just over 2 innings of work, while Baker was slightly more effectve, pitching just enough innings to qualify for the win while allowing 3 runs.