MLB Bullets has a secret good Twin

I hope you are enjoying your Memorial Day weekend and remembering those who gave their lives for this country.

• Jonah Keri looks at the first-place (???) Minnesota Twins and thinks that while the worst-team in baseball in 2016 probably aren’t real contenders, it is true that they’re much, much better than they were last season.
• Dave Hogg agrees, although he does think that with some breaks and moves at the deadline, the Twins could snag a Wild Card spot.
• Joe Mauer may not be close to what he once was, but on Sunday he became the first Twin to reach base seven times in one game since Rod Carew.
• Manny Randhawa has five surprising trends so far this year, including one Twins pitcher.
• Five games behind the Twins in fourth place are the Detroit Tigers. They got more bad news as second baseman Ian Kinsler went back on the disabled list with a hamstring problem.
• If things don’t change for the Tigers soon, they will sell at the trade deadline. Dayn Perry looks at who could be leaving Motown this summer.
• Ken Rosenthal looks at the upcoming trade deadline. (Video) Stuff on the Dodgers, Rays and White Sox as well as the Tigers.
• One thing that Rosenthal addresses in that video is the possibility that Athletics pitcher Sonny Gray is moved to Los Angeles. Craig Edwards looks at why Gray is so much better in 2017 than he was last year and agrees that he could be the top prize on the trade market.
• One minor deal as the Reds acquired Darnell Sweeney from the Dodgers for that oft-traded player, cash considerations.
• Joe Sparacio looks at five players who could have a big impact on the pennant races by simply coming off the disabled list.
• Pirates right-hander Jameson Taillon made his first rehab appearance after going on the disabled list for surgery for testicular cancer.
• The Indians have moved right-hander Danny Salazar to the bullpen. Salazar was an All-Star just last season, although he did miss most of the second-half with an elbow injury.
• Speaking of injured All-Stars, Mike Trout injured his thumb sliding into second base yesterday. X-rays were negative, but Trout will undergo an MRI today.
• Things could get very ugly for the Angels if Trout misses a significant amount of time.
• Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor has had a huge power surge this season and he has no idea why.
• Dodgers rookie Cody Bellinger is the fastest in team history to ten home runs, taking a mere 31 games.
• Joe Sparacio thinks we don’t appreciate Joey Votto’s amazing plate discipline enough.
• Kate Morrison is dubious that Rangers pitcher Andrew Cashner will be able to continue to get major league hitters out at the same rate he has so far this year.
• Mets manager Terry Collins is coming under a lot of fire in the media, but he reportedly still has the support of owner Fred Wilpon.
• Grant Brisbee notes that some teams are better than others at producing first basemen.
• The Rays have a scheduled doubleheader coming up in June, but Chris Archer is not a fan. He also notes that the team is pretty divided over it, as it was scheduled so the team would have an extra off-day.
• Buster Olney notes that Pirates starter Tyler Glasnow goes to extreme lengths to demonstrate his love of rap music.
• Yankees slugger Aaron Judge loves his bubblegum (the gum, not the music) and he has some pretty strong superstitions about it, notes Andrew Marchand.
• David Schoenfield takes his stab at expanding the “Judge’s Chambers” dedicated fan cheering sections to other teams. I’m not sure about “Bryzzo’s Bistro,” but my word, do the Cardinals need to set up “The Gyorko Store.” They’ll certainly be all out of Cardinals.
• Sad news as Hall of Fame pitcher and former US Senator Jim Bunning has died. Jack Dickey has an appreciation of this underappreciated ballplayer.
• Joe Posnanski tries to figure out how much more would Nomar Garciaparra have needed to do to make Cooperstown. Leading the Cubs to a World Series title would have been a good step in that direction.
• Alex Rodriguez is going to work for ABC News and will be doing pieces for “Good Morning America,” among other shows. Remember when everyone hated A-Rod?
• The Yankees dressed up as superheroes to visit some sick kids.
• Mark Kiszla profiles rookie Rockies pitcher Antonio Senzatela and the importance of breathing.
• Bryce Harper is no fan of participation trophies.
• Down in the minors, Dodgers farmhand Trayce Thompson let a walkoff home run go right off his glove and over the fence.
• That’s nothing. One minor leaguer hit a home run after the ball bounce off not one, but two outfielders.
• And finally, we started with the Twins and we’ll finish with them. Third baseman Miguel Sano scared the bejesus out of pitching coach Neil Allen with a rubber snake.

And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster.