He’s taking more pitches. But I’m more interested in getting on base than his strikeout totals. I’d rather he strike out on six pitches than ground out to the third baseman on the first pitch. At least Harris and Mauer get a chance to see what the pitcher throws if he has a good at bat, even if it ends in a strikeout.

that hyperbole is not just for the media. I think Gomez does a pretty good job of creating it himself.

24 strikeouts to 10? I’m glad that he sees the problem (for that I give him great credit) but it’s a lofty goal.

that he has been making more good contact and has been taking better at bats overall (see his two walks in Friday night’s game). Once pitchers figure out they can’t just bounce them in and get him to swing, then maybe he’ll have to adjust again, but this is definitely a good start.

Delmon Young has, at times, also looked like he is trying to have better at bats. Sometimes he succeeds and sometimes he doesn’t, but I think he is pretty close to breaking out as well.

Even in spring training, Joe Vavra expressed concern about Gomez’s aggressiveness. So I read it as a difference in philosophy between the two coaches as much as anyone else (though I could be wrong). And of course Gardenhire doesn’t have to think too much about what he says because it is not his job to teach Gomez/Young how to hit.

Looking at the season right now, Gomez and Young look ripe to turn it around and get hot for a little while, and Cuddyer is certainly doing well. Which means the Twins, currently first in the division, could stay there awhile if the pitching keeps it up. Obviously, I’m not ready to say they will finish on top of the division or even .500, but they could keep it interesting into the All Star Break which is more than I thought before the season.

A number of good things would happen:

1) He’d draw more walks than he does – if he “refuses” to strike out, there’ll be more “ball fours”.

2) He’d get on base by hitting the ball more – more hits, more reaching on errors, even more fielder’s choices put him on 1st base where his speed gets into the game.

3) He’d likely hit the ball harder more consistently – once pitchers learn he’ll take their pitches out of the strikezone, they’ll come into the zone to avoid walking him.

Here’s a question – we know the Twins don’t like to preach “patience” because they don’t want hitters to be passive, tentative, looking for walks; does anyone else see focusing on “cut down the strikeouts” as another way to approach the same issue?