Jun 11, 2013; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Twins relief pitcher Glen Perkins (15) and catcher Joe Mauer (7) celebrate after beating the Philadelphia Phillies at Target Field. The Twins won 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

STANDINGS

1. Detroit Tigers   36 – 28
2. Cleveland Indians   32 – 33
3. Kansas City Royals  31 – 33
4. Minnesota Twins   29 – 34
5. Chicago White Sox  28 – 35

POWER RANKING/WEEKLY RECORD

1. Detroit Tigers   4 – 2
2. Kansas City Royals   5 – 1
3. Minnesota Twins   3 – 2
4. Chicago White Sox  3 – 3
5. Cleveland Indians   2 – 4 

• It was tempting to elevate the Royals into the first slot this week…until I considered that the TIGERS were one strike away from taking the rubber game on Wednesday at Kansas City and reversing their records…We have been begging Jose Valverde to throw his splitter more, I guess maybe he knew better than we did after all, eh?.. How good must the other dugout feel when Detroit’s starter leaves the game right now?…And how much pressure do the Tigers hitters have to be putting on themselves to add-on runs and “bullpen-proof” a lead?…All that said, I am still not in favor of paying a high price in young talent for a closer. Would you really feel better with Tom Wilhelmsen, Luke Gregerson, or Kevin Gregg pitching the ninth day-in, day-out? If we were to go that direction, my first choice is in the opponents bullpen this weekend – Glen Perkins. But I still feel like this will sort itself out, and Rick Porcello is more valuable than anything he would bring in return.
• The ROYALS solid starting pitching and flamethrowing bullpen has powered them back into contention, as they allowed just 11 runs in the past 6 games. George Brett’s influence on the bats has not been outwardly evident; however, Lorenzo Cain perked up in the past week, clipping at .318 with the game-tying jack off of Papa Grande’s splitter-that-wasn’t. A trip to Tampa awaits, let’s see how they fare against the pesky Rays.
• The TWINS managed to win once in Washington before coming home to sweep the fightin’ Phils. Brian Duensing vultured a couple of wins, and Glen Perkins continued to slam the door in the ninth with 3 saves. Erstwhile Tiger farmhand Clete Thomas contributed a 4-for-4 night, and he will certainly be eager to face the team that cast him adrift this weekend.
• The WHITE SOX managed to put together a .500 stretch this week, helped along by an Adam Dunn hot streak – 4 homers in 4 games, plus a 4-for-4 night, raising his BA all the way up to .182. Gordon Beckham indeed provided a bit of a spark, returning from the DL and going 5-for-18 with 4 runs scored. With an offense like the Pale Hose, those are heady numbers. Cheer up, Hawk Harrelson!
• The INDIANS stopped an 8-game skid by winning a pair in Texas. The renaissance of Ubaldo Jimenez continues, winning three of his last four starts and striking out a batter per inning. Jason Kipnis is starting to show his gap power and flashing his speed on the basepaths, and our old pal Ryan Raburn was last seen dropping a pair of balls on the bullpen roof at Comerica. The Tribe kicks off a nine-game homestand vs. the underachieving Nationals, the improving Royals, and the grinding Twins. Closer Chris Perez should rejoin the team next week, providing he finds his way out of the doghouse.

LAST WEEK”S FOCAL POINTS:

•  Tigers-Indians showdown in Motown: Detroit managed to out-pitch and out-hit their interstate rivals in a three-game sweep, putting some distance  between them and the division for the first time all season.
• The Brett Effect on KC Bats – The jury is still out. The Royals put some runs up on the Astros, but were handcuffed by the Tigers starters.
• The Twins hanging around .500 – Still hanging. Interesting weekend series vs. the Tigers upcoming.
• White Sox offense heating up? – They had averaged two runs per game over their previous 14 – last week, 30 runs scored for an average of 5 per game.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR THIS WEEK:

• Tigers weekend series in the Twin Cities – who gets the ball in the ninth?
• Will some home cooking boost the Indians closer to the top of the division?
• Chicago goes on the road for 4 in Houston and 3 in Minny…will they keep hitting?
• The Royals on the road in Tampa and Cleveland – will they stay red-hot?

June 6, 2013; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Tigers manager Jim Leyland (10) shakes hands with relief pitcher Jose Valverde (46) after the game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Comerica Park. Detroit won 2-5. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

For the most recent week passed – Friday, June 1- Thursday, June 6.

STANDINGS

1. Detroit Tigers   32 – 26
2. Cleveland Indians   30 – 29
3. Minnesota Twins   26 – 31
4. Kansas City Royals  25 – 32
5. Chicago White Sox  25 – 33

POWER RANKING/WEEKLY RECORD

1. Detroit Tigers   3 – 3
2. Minnesota Twins   3 – 3
3. Kansas City Royals   3 – 3
4. Cleveland Indians   1 – 5
5. Chicago White Sox  1 – 6

• Six games, six great starts for the TIGERS rotation… Offensively, the runs keep coming in bunches; amazing that this team can be handcuffed by a slop-balling lefty like Brian Matusz, then light up one of the AL’s best in Matt Moore… Ponder for a moment, this team would be in 5th place in the AL East – only in the AL Central can you go 3-3 and pick up two games… A .500 record from now until the end of the season would net 84 wins for the Tigers – and that might be enough… Prince Fielder must have read this column last week – he pushed 3 singles and a double the opposite way and rang in June to the tune of a .412 BA with 3 HR’s… Lightning-rod Don Kelly continues to get way too many starts – and continues to do what Don Kelly does;  play outstanding defense, chunk in a RBI here, a run scored there. Which makes the outcry over the release of Quintin Berry even more astonishing. As Sparky Anderson said regarding Milt Cuyler, “Ain’t no way to steal first base.” … Taking two of three from a rugged Rays team was a nice start to the homestand – need to do the same to the stumbling Tribe this weekend.
• The TWINS received a gift from the Mariners on Sunday – Jeremy Bonderman toed the slab as Seattle’s starter. The results were predictable… Samuel Deduno had his second strong outing in a row vs. KC the next day as their rag-tag staff  manages to push Minnesota toward the .500 mark. Ryan Doumit‘s bat heated up as he blasted 4 HR’s – his 3 o’clock shadow would sparkle behind the dish compared to Alex Avila.
• The ROYALS finally snapped an 11-game home losing streak at home on Wednesday. They are banking on George Brett’s expertise to awaken their slumbering bats – especially those of supposed up-and-comers Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakos. Speculation is rampant that he will quickly ascend to Ned Yost‘s tentative throne – at least we know he can handle an argument with an umpire.
• The INDIANS slide continues, as they make news on the injury front again but not much else. Tiger-slayer Asdrubal Cabrera joins Chris Perez on the DL. Ryan Raburn has cooled off a bit, although he is at .293 with 5 HR’s and 16 RBI. Tuesday marked the anniversary of one of the most legendary forfeited games in MLB history – Ten Cent Beer Night.
• The WHITE SOX  battled their way back to .500, then proceeded to lose 8 straight. They broke that streak with one of the most bizarre 16-inning wins you will ever see – scoreless through 13-innings but a 7-5 final. Jake Peavy is heading to the DL with a broken rib and is expected to miss 4-6 weeks. The offense is last or next-to-last in the league in every category, and they are relying that the return of Gordon Beckham will turn that around. Good luck.

May 30, 2013; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Detroit Tigers first baseman Prince Fielder (28) waits his turn to bat in the on deck circle against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

For the most recent week passed – Friday, May 24- Thursday, May 30.

STANDINGS

1. Detroit Tigers   29-23
2. Cleveland Indians   29-24
3. Chicago White Sox   24-26
4. Minnesota Twins   23-28
5. Kansas City Royals   22-29

WEEKLY RECORD/POWER RANKING

1. Detroit Tigers   3-4
2. Minnesota Twins   5-2
3. Chicago White Sox   3-3
4. Cleveland Indians   2-5
5. Kansas City Royals   1-6

• The TIGERS continued to get dominant performances from their starting rotation. The offense is beginning to show the strain of absent leadoff batter Austin Jackson, and  struggled to score unless Miguel Cabrera delivered the big blow. OBSERVATIONS: – Prince Fielder may need a day off; at the very least, he needs to take the easy singles that over-shifted infields are gifting him. And would Victor Martinez playing first a couple times a week improve the infield defense? I think so…Avisail Garcia delivered a huge three-bagger on Sunday, and I am ready to see him get everyday playing time until AJax returns…Brayan Pena continues to impress – not ready to see him as an everyday player yet, though…and on that subject, would Alex Avila be in Mudhens threads already if his dad wasn’t on staff? Hmmmm….
• The TWINS avoided a sweep at the hands of the Tigers, then pasted the moribund Brewers four straight. Joe Mauer had a nice week, belting 3 dingers, and veteran slugger Josh Willingham is showing signs of life after a slow start. P.J. Walters delivered a strong start against Detroit after his recall from Triple-A. Still, it appears the Twins biggest concern will be who gets shipped out at the trade deadline, with Willingham, 1B Justin Morneau, and closer Glen Perkins all likely to be coveted commodities.
• The WHITE SOX continued on their destined path to a .500 season, sweeping the sinking Marlins but returning the favor to the cross-town Cubbies. Sluggers Adam Dunn and Paul Konerko have been little help to the sputtering offense, and catalyst Alex Rios had a 3-for-25 week. Pitching coach Don Cooper continues to work miracles with a staff of no-names like Dylan Axelrod and Jose Quintana, but I am still looking for an 81-81 finish from this squad.
• The INDIANS have outperformed expectations to this point, however, their schedule for the next month could be a litmus test – contender or pretender? They were swept at Fenway and by the Reds in Cinci, before bouncing back and beating the Reds twice  at home. Now they get Tampa at home, travel to Yankee Stadium and Comerica Park, then visit the Rangers in Arlington; host the Nationals, Royals and Twins, and finish the month of June with back-to-back four game sets at Baltimore and Chicago. With closer Chris Perez on the shelf with shoulder tendinitis, the bullpen chairs will be shuffled for a while. Seeing Terry Francona in the Indians dugout should bolster the confidence of Indians fans – I expect them to keep the Tigers in sight throughout this stretch and be a pain in the rear into September.
• The ROYALS keep stacking up the losses – 8 in a row vs. Houston, the Angels and St. Louis, before finally snapping the streak on Thursday. Ned Yost‘s seat is getting pretty warm, and it isn’t from the humidity in K.C. The Royals only managed to score 15 runs in 7 games, wasting some good starting pitching (James Shields has a 2.92 ERA but is just 2-6). Expectations were high coming into this season, and unless all the young bats come around in a hurry, Yost may be the scapegoat.