Twins vs. Royals: News and Notes

Probables

• Tuesday, 7:10pm, FSN: Mike Pelfrey vs. Ervin Santana
  
• Wednesday, 7:10pm, FSN: Kevin Correia vs. Jeremy Guthrie
  
• Thursday, 12:10pm, NO TV SO TAKE WORK OFF: Scott Diamond vs. James Shields

Royals Notes

• Kansas City has won six in a row, is up to the .500 mark, and has pulled within five games of the second wild card spot. I suspect a few Royals fans are daring to dream, and I hope they do, the poor dears. This whole season, every time you looked at the AL Central standings, you could hear - just off in the background, sort of at the limit of your hearing - the sound of a sad trombone. That was the Royals' year, and their frustrations were doubled by Wil Myers, who is crushing the ball in Tampa Bay. Maybe they can get back in the race. I kind of hope they do.
• During this six-game winning streak, KC hasn't allowed more than three runs in any game. They even managed to beat Chris Sale 1-0 on a night that Sale went the distance.
• We'll see if outfielder Lorenzo Cain plays tonight for the Royals; he left the game Saturday with a groin strain, and did not play Sunday.
• Kansas City swears they aren't going to be sellers at the trade deadline, and in fact had scouts in Seattle over the weekend, watching the Mariners and the Twins.
  
• In conclusion: THIS IS THE YEAR

Twins Notes

• The biggest question for the Twins is where Justin Morneau will land at the trade deadline. Some think the Orioles, some think the Blue Jays, some say the Pirates, but the one thing that seems certain is this: the Twins won't be getting much back.
• Here's my gut instinct on the odds of various Twins being traded:
  
  • Morneau: 1 to 4
  • Pelfrey: 3 to 2
  • Brian Duensing: 4 to 1
  • Jamey Carroll: 6 to 1
  • Glen Perkins: 6 to 1
  • Jared Burton: 6 to 1
  • Trevor Plouffe: 10 to 1
  • Ryan Doumit: 10 to 1
  • Joe Mauer: 1,000 to 1
• Prior to the Seattle series, I pitied Chris Colabello for his struggles. In Seattle, he got on base in eight of 16 plate appearances, hit two homers and was robbed of a third at the fence, and drove in four runs. I shall continue to find things to pity him for until he stops raking. This week: I pity Chris Colabello because, even though he's listed at 6'4" and 220 pounds, somehow his baggy jersey makes it look like he is 5'7", 150.