Now that the Twins got through their series wit

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h the sad-sack Cleveland squad , let’s take a look at our next opponents: the 1st-place Kansas City Royals. While my introductory statement was..."Now that the Twins got through their series with the sad-sack Cleveland squad, let’s take a look at our next opponents: the 1st-place Kansas City Royals. While my introductory statement was clearly in jest, the Royals are indeed tied for 1st place in the AL Central. They are coming off a three-game series with the sadder-sack Chicago White Sox, and are 2-1. The Twins will be making a quick stop in Kansas City for two contests at the beginning of their first road trip of the season. The Royals are in the midst of a rebuild, coming off a 104-loss season (and maybe headed toward another). Furthermore, they traded away their 2nd-best player, Mike Moustakas, in July of last year. Their best player , All-Star catcher Salvador Perez, was lost to Tommy John surgery this spring, and he will miss the whole year. They offset these losses by adding journeyman catcher Martin Maldonado and speedy (but that’s about all) outfielder Billy Hamilton. One player to keep an eye on, though, is speedy second baseman Whit Merrifield. He is a slick defender and no slouch at the plate. Their pitching staff is similarly in flux, as top starter Danny Duffy will be out until the end of April. The four-man rotation they are rolling with right now is largely unproven, and their bullpen (after losing Kelvin Herrera to free agency) is nothing to write home about either. Without further ado, here is the roster:KC RosterPositionNamePositionNameAll in all , I think the Twins should be able to build on their strong first series. Cleveland’s lineup was very unimpressive, but don’t take too much credit away from the strong pitching performances that were put out. Kansas City’s lineup is no more impressive than Cleveland’s, and their pitching is certainly worse. Jose Berrios is taking the mound in game one, and if he picks up where he left off on Opening Day, the Twins will be able to grab an early lead in the division. Pitching MatchupsTuesday, April 2nd, 7:15 PM CDTJose Berrios vs. Brad KellerWednesday, April 3rd , 12:15 PM CDTKyle Gibson vs. TBD Join our team and help us cover the Twins!"Spring training is just around the corner, and it’s an exciting time for baseball fans. Here at Twinkie Town, we’re looking for some help covering the Twins this season and beyond. If you’re reading this, it’s safe to assume you love the Twins and the community we’ve built here at Twinkie Town. If you want to take your fandom to the next level as part of our team, this may be the right opportunity for you. We’re looking for a writer who is able to a writer who can provide objective advanced statistical analysis of the Twins. Our best candidates will: Have a passion for the Minnesota Twins and news and is already familiar with Twinkie Town.Have a sense of humor and be able to write about the Twins in a lighthearted, but objective, way. Be able to produce and edit clean copy. Be comfortable working in a remote environment. Previous experience writing about the Twins and a high comfort level with advanced stats is preferred. To apply for this role, please submit a resume , cover letter explaining why you’re the best candidate for the role, and a baseball-related writing sample featuring your fluency in advanced statistical analysis via our Vox Media careers page. You must submit all three items to be considered. SB Nation and Twinkie Town are dedicated to bringing you engaging coverage of the Twins from a diverse array of voices and writers of all backgrounds. If your qualifications and experience do not perfectly align with everything we’re looking for, but you believe you have the potential to thrive in this role, we encourage you to apply.

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