Could it be the Beginning of the End for the Minnesota Twins?

I always pride myself on being quite the optimist, but after watching all three games from the Twins in Cleveland as well as their four game beat down in Toronto last week, it may be the beginning of the end for the Twins this season.

Over the last five contests, no Twins starting pitcher has been able to make it through five innings.

Over the three game series against a lowly Indians team, the Twins gave up a total of 34 runs and somehow pulled out a victory in Game 1 of the series.

The skeptics have been waiting for a moment like this during a surprise season for the Twins and they may have found that moment.

I love the future of this team, but the future might not be now.

We all know how starting pitching not only carries you to the postseason, but it carries you through the postseason too and with too many inconsistancies, it may eventually be their downfall.

During the great start and even as the Twins stayed in or near first place in the AL Central, their run differential was always positive, yet this recent run since the All Star break has them now sitting at -36.

Since the All Star break, the Twins haven't been able to win consecutive games and it seems like it may be taking its toll on the optimism moving forward.

I sure hope these guys can turn things around.  The two Wild Card system now in Major League Baseball has many teams feeling August hope and dreams of October and with the Twins 4.5 games out as of Monday, some magic is needed immediately.

There are clearly positives regardless of a postseason berth or not, like Miguel Sano's emergence as a clear force at the plate, Dozier's exposure as a star and just the experience of being in a race to this point.

The Twins now will take on the Rangers for a three game set at Target Field and maybe some home cooking will get them going in the right track.