What is up, party people.

First Pitch: 1:10 pm CDT

TV: Twins.TV / ~ / Radio: TIBN, WCCO 830, The Wolf 102.9 FM

This week, I found a 2014 Glen Perkins All-Star Game bobblehead, as well as a Phil Hughes Twins bobblehead that, judging by the uniforms and general design, was probably from the same year (or perhaps a year later, once he’d had his standout debut season with the team.)

They were at a shelf on the Goodwill in St. Paul; my sister had popped over with a friend that week and spotted them near the entrance. One trip and just ten bucks later, I had both in hand.

This was the highlight of the week for Minnesota Twins-related content.

The Twins have been on the most demoralizing skid of the year, worse (IMO) than the 7-15 start which plagued the early vibes. Minnesota is 3-11 since June 15th, and have only won two series since their 13-game winning streak from what now feels like a million years ago. They snapped a six-game skid on Thursday, only to lose 16-7 last night in a game that wasn’t remotely as close as even that abysmal score implies.

Injuries have obliterated the front lines, the depth isn’t performing, a handful of “core” pieces have already been demoted, and the Twins officially hold a losing record, sitting at 37-38, ten games back of first, fourth place in the division, and now seventh in the AL Wild Card.

(Other than that, Cole Escola, how was the play?)

The Twins will face off against an old friend — well, really, an old rival — in Jose Quintana. Quintana, of course, was well-familiar with Minnesota after debuting in Chicago and spending his first five-and-a-half seasons with the White Sox, including his only All-Star appearance in 2016. Since then, he’s spent time on the North Side, time in California, time on the Mets, and has now settled in Milwaukee. Through it all, he’s been wildly dependable; the 36-year-old lefty has had only one major-league season below replacement level, and has racked up 8.3 bWAR in his age 33-36 seasons.

Simeon Woods Richardson gets the ball for the Twins. At this point, the bar for success is pretty low for ol’ Sim. On June 5th, the Twins gave up 14; 16 on the 10th, 16 on the 12th, 10 on the 13th, and 17 last night. Rocco Baldelli will probably take anything in the single digits.

GO TWINS GO!