Drew Butera News

Yes, Drew Butera hit 94 mph on the Miller Park radar gun last Sunday, May 20. No, he cannot do that consistently.

Cole De Vries made his first major league start on Thursday, May 24, becoming the ninth pitcher to start a game for the Twins this season.

Don't look now, but the Minnesota Twins are no longer the worst team in Major League Baseball.

Let's pretend the Sunday game in Milwaukee did not happen. Instead, the Twins will try to ride some of the momentum from their recent four game winning streak into the Windy City, where they'll take on the division-rival Chicago White Sox in three rip-roaring thrillers.

Drew Butera displayed a 93 mph fastball this week, which makes him a better pitcher than 3/5 of the team's starting rotation.

Near its 16-4 conclusion Sunday, the Minnesota Twins were pitching a catcher who was hitting 94 on the radar gun.

Nothing has come easy for these Twins, ever since they left spring training needing to find a new starting pitcher for their home opener.

Brian Dozier celebrated his three-run homer Wednesday against the Tigers with Erik Komatsu and Jamey Carroll.

The staff ace by default has not allowed a run this year. He goes for this third win in as many starts.

MAY 16: Collin Balester #31 of the Detroit Tigers watches Trevor Plouffe #24 of the Minnesota Twins round second base after hitting a two run home run scoring Drew Butera #41 in the ninth inning during the game at Comerica Park on May 16, 2012 in Detroit, Michigan.

Minnesota Twins' Darin Mastroianni looks up to see second base umpire Jim Joce call him safe as he beat the tag by Cleveland Indians' Asdrubal Cabrera after Twins' Drew Butera grounded out to first in the third inning of a baseball game Monday, May 14, 2012, in Minneapolis.

The Blue Jays' Brett Lawrie had trouble recalling if he had met fellow Canadian Scott Diamond in the past but he knows who he is now.

Shortstop Brian Dozier made a number of defensive stops on Toronto line drives in the Twins' 4-3 victory Sunday.

Tonight's game wasn't good for the Twins , much like many of the games they've played this season.

Guelph native, Scott Diamond went 5-19 last year in 30 combined starts for Class AAA Rochester and the Twins, so the Angels couldn't help but feel stumped after he blanked them for seven innings Tuesday night.

Outfielder Erik Komatsu, who wasn't with the Twins when they got no-hit last week by Jered Weaver, ended Weaver's hitless string against them with this third-inning single Monday.

The Twins are currently on pace to finish with a 42-120 record. If you put a team of hilariously mismatched characters plucked from a local prison on the field, they could finish 42-120, probably, and you'd be able to make a movie too.

After beginning their week by dropping six of seven on Friday and Saturday, the Twins four full season teams were never able to fight back to .500, finishing with a losing week at 10-15. Two teams are battling for playoff spots, Beloit who won four of five and New Britain who had a winning week at 4-3. Rochester won only one of six with Fort Myers ... (more)

No more Clete Thomas, no Komatsu in time for the game , and Justin Morneau is not in the starting lineup.

With manager Ron Gardenhire back in Minnesota for his daughter's college graduation at Southwest Minnesota State, bench coach Scott Ullger will serve as interim manager.