Foul tip: 41 reminders why the Twins won't contend this year

Last night's 8-2 loss to Seattle pushed the total runs surrendered by the Twins to 41 in the past four games. Their year-to-date runs-allowed presently stand at 156--the most given up by any major league team through May 1. Only Tampa Bay is close, with 154 runs surrendered. Even the lowly Colorado Rockies, who play half their games in the alternate hitting universe that is Coors Field, look stingy by comparison (132 runs allowed through yesterday).

It's not as if the hometown team has been taking its lumps from the Yankees or Red Sox, either. Before encountering the healing balm of Twins pitchers over the weekend, the Detroit Tigers were tied for 10th in the American League in scoring. And the Mariners, before putting up an 8-spot in last night's game, were likewise mired in 10th place in the league in runs scored. Powerhouses they ain't.

And the Twins offense? In all of baseball, only the Kansas City Royals, San Diego Padres, and Florida Marlins have failed to outscore them.

So sure, you can say this team's a lot better than it's looked so far. But when you're 30th of 30 major league teams in runs allowed and you're tied for 27th in runs scored, that's pretty cold comfort.