When we last checked in on the 2006 Twins, they were being walked-off in Seattle on June 6 and falling 11.5 GB the division-leading Detroit Tigers.
The next day, GM Terry Ryan and manager Ron Gardenhire rattled some cages:
- Kyle Lohse was removed from the starting rotation (and my Metrodome-outing nightmares)
- Tony Batista was DFA’d in favor of regular playing time for Nick Punto at 3B
- Juan Castro ceded shortstop to Jason Bartlett
- Michael Cuddyer became the everyday RF-er
- Jason Kubel largely took over the DH role
The shuffling worked immediately. From June 7-15 the Twins went on a 6-1 run, including one of the most epic contests ever played at the Metrodome. With opposing starters Johan Santana & Curt Schilling dealing, the Twins & Boston Red Sox went deep into extra innings. I could narrate
it for you—but Dick Bremer already has…
After sweeping the Sox, the Twins embarked on their then-confined-to-June interleague play swing. They ran roughshod over the not-so-Senior Circuit, compiling a 16-2 mark against the NL.
A key cog in MN’s epic June ‘06? The emergence of SP Francisco Liriano, whom the Twins had acquired—alongside Joe Nathan & Boof Bonser—in the A.J. Pierzynski trade three years earlier. After being installed in the rotation mid-May and stretching out to starter length, Liriano dominated Baltimore (7 IP, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K) on June 11. He further bamboozled Pirates plunderers (7 IP, 2 ER, 1 BB, 11 K) on June 16.
This set up one of the most exciting pitching matchups in Twins history. On June 22 in Houston, Frankie would oppose Texas’s own Roger “Dad of Kody” Clemens.
The Rocket was okay (5 IP, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K), but Liriano was sparkling (8 IP, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 K) in a Twins victory!
For good measure, the Cisco Kid’s June 28 mound tilt against the Los Angeles Dodgers was just as scintillating (7 IP, 2 ER, 0 BB, 8 K). Another ace seemed to be in development to pair with Johan Santana & Brad Radke atop the rotation.
When the dust had settled on June, Minnesota found themselves a far more respectable 43-35. The problem? Only a half-game in the standings was gained on the equally-as-scorching Detroit denizens. It still looked like a long climb to regain AL Central supremacy, with a Wild Card berth seemingly a more reasonable target halfway through this up-and-down campaign.
