Walks and runs

Beleaguered Blue Jays catcher Dioner
Navarro to J.A. Happ, the third
reliever of the eighth inning: Do you
suppose you could, you know, throw
some strikes?

Even for a team whose offense seems based on the base on balls, the Twins' eighth-inning rally in Thursday's nightcap was excessive: Eight walks in the inning, plus three wild pitches and two stolen bases. Five runs on one hit.

The Twins as of this morning (15 games) have scored 86 runs, second most in the American League and just one behind the first place White Sox (another unlikely offensive juggernaut, who have the advantage of having played an extra game).  The Twins have drawn 82 walks, which is by far the most in baseball (Oakland is second with 68, 14 fewer than the Twins — the Twins are drawing almost a walk a game more than anybody else in baseball.)

The Twins' team batting average (.245) is just a bit above average (the AL is hitting .243); their team slugging percentage (.380) is just a bit below average (.382). But the on-base percentage is .353, and that leads the AL by 15 percentage points.

All those walks are adding up this month.