Major League Baseball purists often give the analogy that their game is a marathon as opposed to a sprint. In our part of the world, the season runs from the time the snow melts in spring until the first flurries fly in late October.
Often, teams looking like world-beaters in April and May tend to fizzle as summer approaches and longer stretches of consistency are more difficult to maintain.
Early on, the Minnesota Twins used contributions from various sources to stay near the top of the American League's Central Division.
Carlos Gomez, Jason Kubel and Craig Monroe were among the unheralded players coming to the rescue in key situations. Their unexpected production provided a huge lift to a club searching for confidence.
With Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau providing solid offensive output, and surprising results from the pitching staff, it looked like a team that would be in contention to the end.
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Lately, things have not gone so well. What looked promising just a few weeks ago has become an exercise in frustration as reality sets in.
Losing four straight in alarming fashion to the White Sox last weekend had to be a difficult pill to swallow. After heading into Chicago with a chance of reaching first place, the discouraging results instead brought a swoon that left everyone looking for answers.
The pitching seems to have taken a turn for the worse. The starters, whom got off to a better beginning than most expected, have struggled mightily in recent weeks. The White Sox were hitting everything, scoring 10 runs or more in three of the games.
Livan Hernandez, expected to be the ace of the staff, got off to a terrific start but now has had difficulties in his last few outings.
Youngsters Scott Baker, Nick Blackburn and Glen Perkins have looked good at times, but their inexperience often brings trouble.
With the starters now having problems getting to the later innings, the bullpen has become overworked and is in danger of wearing out. Stalwarts Dennys Reyes and Jesse Crain are having to pitch too often, and these frequent appearances will take their toll as the summer wears on.
The hitting has taken some interesting twists from what was expected at the beginning of the year. Two players being counted on to bolster the middle of the lineup have failed to produce so far.
New acquisition Delmon Young has been a mystery. Expected to provide home run power, he's hit only one all season and is not driving in runs with any regularity. His defense in left field has also been suspect.
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That being the case, it must be remembered that he's still at the beginning of his career. At 22, he's just learning the game, and it might be awhile before he finds his niche.
Right fielder Michael Cuddyer has also had a disappointing beginning. Expected to drive in runs with his power, he's been slumping from the start.
A finger injury in April may be the root of his troubles, but he also chases pitches out of the strike zone more often than before. Many baseball insiders feel he's pressing, trying to find a quick solution to his struggles. The pressure of justifying a multi-million dollar contract may also be hanging over him.
My opinion is that the Twins, as a whole, are not as fundamentally sound as in years past. Manager Ron Gardenhire's teams have always been masters of the basics, but this year's version has provided a maddening display of miscues.
What stands out most is the base running, where it seems mistakes are made on a daily basis by players too eager to make big plays.
The outfielders have also added to the mix, often throwing to the wrong base in a fashion not usually seen at the professional level.
I would guess this club is driving Gardenhire mad, and that on the outside he's showing incredible patience for what's happening on the field.
Fans need to remember this team is still extremely young, with established stars Mauer and Morneau barely in their mid-20s.
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It may not be a championship season, but the organization is doing things the right way with a solid core of talent.
Dave LeGarde is the Duluth Central basketball coach and a sports aficionado. Readers can e-mail questions and comments to dlegarde@charter.net .
