The Minnesota Twins are closing in on mid-season and the All-Star game is upon us. A traditional time of reckoning for Major League teams. When all teams sit back and take a look at where they are in the standings and try to determine the future from the past. For some it’s not very difficult to decide to rebuild for the future. I’m talking your Cleveland Indians and Kansas City Royals. It’s time to take stock and decide what’s best to do for next year. I think sometimes the plug is pulled too early. Cleveland did that several years ago when they got rid of their high priced players while they were still is in the race.

The Minnesota Twins also folded their tent a little early in 2007 when they traded their all-star second baseman Luis Castillo for a couple of minor leaguers. I felt the Twins were still in the race and I think the Castillo move gave Johan Santana the impetus to move on. Looking at the Twins in 2010 they are not going to dismantle, in fact just the opposite, they are looking to add a player or two.

Our team has reversed their typical M.O. of starting slow and then coming on. They started the season on a high note and jumped out to a nice lead in the central division. What with the new stadium and the imposing new line-up it looked like our Twins were going to wrap up the division by Labor Day. Then came June and the failure of starting pitching and with that failure, the team began to show its flaws.

When one takes an objective look at the team there appear to be areas that could be improved. Prior to June the thinking was, who can we get to pitch in the playoffs? Now it’s just can Baker, Slowey and Blackburn pitch consistently well? Can they string together two good games? Another worry is closer Jon Rauch. While he has done as well or better than we could expect, he is no Joe Nathan. Should the Twins make the playoffs, would he be effective in a showdown with the Yankees?

Ron Gardenhire has been experimenting with a new line-up, putting Michael Cuddyer at third base and Jason Kubel in right field with Jim Thome taking over the designated hitter spot against right handed pitching. The change helps the offense with Thome tearing the cover off the ball recently. Kubel looks better than expected in right field and may actually go back on fly balls better than Cuddyer. He doesn’t have Cuddyer’s rifle arm, and they both have limited range. While it’s difficult to judge on TV, the entire outfield defense is average at best. I’ve seen fly balls drop that Torii Hunter and others would have gotten. And although Delmon Young has improved by leaps and bounds he does take awkward routes and occasionally misses a fly ball. There is not much that can be done about the outfield without subtracting offense. It’s a trade off. Offense for defense. And perhaps the biggest question is whether trading offense for defense at third base is a positive or negative for the entire season.

One positive is that a pennant winning team usually has one player with a break out year. The Twins look like they have such a player in Delmon Young. If he can keep his upward curve going he will help the Twins immensely.

If the third base shift works, J.J. Hardy plays as well as he is capable of and the Twins come up with a dominant pitcher we may yet have a “Midsummer Night’s Dream.”