What attrition looks like

Well the Twins lose 5-3 as the bullpen kind of implodes and the offense quiets down. Facing an all-star like Ervin Santana meant that the Twins hitters would have to be on their game, and one of them - Justin Morneau - certainly was. It also meant that the Twins pitchers would have to remain steady against a formidable Angels lineup, and one of them - Kevin Slowey - certainly was.

Unfortunately baseball is about more than one pitcher and one hitter, it is about Carlos Gomez playing like an amateur in center field. It is about the relief staff consistently falling behind hitters and giving pitches to hit. It is about Gardenhire making some questionable decisions (removing Slowey with one out and runners at second and third after 6.1, leaving Reyes in to pitch to Texiera who promptly ripped a double). But most of all it is about 162 games and needing to be one game better than the team in second place on October 1.

That is why baseball is the game of attrition and the Twins are now in the midst of a new war that they cannot shake free from.

Earlier this year we documented the almost absurd meanderings of the Twins record as it stayed right around .500 and never once reached more than three games over .500 or three games under .500. Well, now, they are in a battle with the White Sox to claim first place, and they cannot (either team) shake free of the other.

At the all-star break the Twins were 1.5 games behind the Sox. When the Sox came to town on July 28 the Twins were 2.5 games back.

Here is what the Twins game-back position has looked like since then.

1.5, 0.5, 1.5, 0.5, 0.5, 0.5, 0.5, +0.5, tied, 1.0, 1.0, 0.5, +0.5, 0.5, +0.5, 0.5, 0.5, tied, tied, tied, 1.0, 1.0, 1.0, 0.5, +0.5, +0.5, 0.5.

Through those 26 game the Twins and White Sox have never been separated by more than 1.5 games in either direction, and for the last 23 they have remained within 1 game.

So, today the Twins lose, and the Sox win with the help of another A.J. Pierzynski, Doug Eddings production, and the Twins will trot back out there tomorrow. It is an aggravating and internally churning way to live, but it is also the dream of every baseball fan. A true pennant race. A true chance.