The daily digest of Twin Cities culture | Secrets of the City

Related Content

• Around the Horn: Rookie Road-bump
• Around the Horn: Summer Has Arrived
• Around the Horn: Road Woes Continue
• Around the Horn: Twins 11, Brewers 3
• Around the Horn: Slump Buster

(AP Photo/Jim Mone)

Season Record: 21-23

Up Next: Brewers (7:05 CT, 5/24)

1. Swarzak Impressive

They say that the first impression means everything; for Anthony Swarzak, his first gig in the bigs couldn't have went any better. After an injury to starter Glen Perkins, the Twins opted to make the call to Triple-A Rochester for Swarzak, a highly touted prospect who posted a 2.25 ERA in seven starts.

The first outing is undoubtedly unforgettable, and Swarzak made a great a memory in his first trip to the Metrodome bump. The young righthander lasted seven innings, allowed only five singles, struck out three and saw no runners cross home plate for a scoreless debut. The shutout victory was not only a major league first for Swarzak, but also for the Minnesota Twins. Swarzak became the first rookie in team history to ever pitch a shutout in a debut.

With little emotion and pinpoint control on the outside, inside, up, and down, Swarzak very closely resembles fellow starter, Kevin Slowey. With each out, and each scoreless inning, Swarzak showed little emotion; very similar to the way Slowey manages. The emotion and control aren't the only two things that the two youngsters have in common; they also both had similar results in their major league debuts.

Slowey Debut: 6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K

Swarzak Debut: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K

If Swarzak can do what Slowey has since his debut in Oakland during the 2007 season, the Twins rotation will have another youngster as part of the future.

2. Mauer Power

It's been talked about just about everytime Joe Mauer has put a ball over the fence; Mauer is hitting for power that nobody has ever seen. Last season it took Mauer over 340 at-bats to reach his final 2008 total of 9 homeruns. In his 77th at-bat of the 2009 season, Joe Mauer hit a ball over the left field wall to give him 9 homeruns on the season and in the month of May alone. 

There isn't a clear reason for the surge. Mauer isn't pulling the ball, he isn't swinging at first pitches, and he isn't swinging any harder than he has before. He's doing what he has when he won his two batting titles, except this time, the ball is flying into the cheap seats. 

It was bound to happen with Mauer's patience at the plate, and finally the term "Mauer Power" fits it's counterpart. 

3. One Through Five

The top half of the lineup is finally coming together. From Span to Mauer to Morneau to Cuddyer and Crede, the Twins are getting production. The power potential is starting to come together, and the averages are starting to rise to give the Twins a dangerous lineup for any opposing pitcher. 

Hitters one through five from the most recent lineup have combined for 38 homeruns this season, and the top four hitters are all hitting above .300 or within eight points of the mark (Cuddyer). With Kubel and Young included, the lineup only becomes stronger and the potential for power only increases. The Twins are hitting well, and when they put everything together they could have one of the top hitting teams in the league.