Just another day at the office: Torii Hunter crashes into the outfield fence. Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images

Baseball's most acrobatic, aggressive and athletic center fielder doesn't wear a cup. "As long as I'm playing the outfield I won't be wearing one," says Twins star Torii Hunter. "I need the freedom. I need to feel free out there. But I've already gotten hit twice there this year." He grimaces as if he's reliving the pain. "It's been a bad year. Last year I didn't get hit at all. The other day I fouled a ball off, it bounced off the ground and hit me right there. During Spring Training I was fielding groundballs during batting practice and got hit right in the nuts. I was out for the count. But no second thoughts about it. I'm not going to wear one ever."

Hunter is the fearless face of the fearless Twins, who were a fashionable preseason pick to win the World Series but are at this moment baseball's forgotten championship contender. Though they're four games back of the legit White Sox, the Twins are stealthily on pace to have their finest season in four decades. And the boisterous Hunter has led the Twins' charge: In June, during which Minnesota has won six of seven games, the center fielder is batting .552 with a 1.034 slugging percentage and is on pace to have the finest all-around season of his career despite bone chips in his elbow, a separated joint in his left shoulder, and a broken toe. "You name it, I've got it," says Hunter. "Some players have to be at 100 percent [to play], but I don't."

Here's why the rest of baseball needs to take note of the Twins: The AL Central has long been dismissed as baseball's version of the WB -- a second-rate network airing substandard material. But the White Sox's starting pitching staff is too good not to keep Chicago winning all summer, and the Twins have their best team since their run of division titles began in 2002. Seven out of the 10 AL wild-card winners have come out of the East; never has the AL Central produced a wild-card entrant. That will change this year.

Which is to say, the Boss should keep the Dramamine close by. "Both the Twins and the White Sox look like they're going to keep this up and win 90-plus games," says an NL executive. "I'm not sure that another non-division winner is going to do the same. And that includes the Yankees."

The Twins are more loaded than ever. Johan Santana is the best pitcher in baseball. Carlos Silva (three walks allowed in 74 innings pitched) is finally realizing his potential. Joe Nathan (AL-best 17 saves) may be the most dominant closer in baseball. And they have more pop than ever with Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer, who are only going to get better as the summer days heat up, in the middle of the order.

While the Twins are soaring, another perennial playoff contender, the Braves, are sinking faster than the U.S. dollar. In March I spent a week with Atlanta and GM John Schuerholz and wrote about his bold moves -- signing Raul Mondesi and Brian Jordan and trading for Dan Kolb. All three acquisitions have been Kingdom of Heaven-like busts, and now the Braves probably won't have Chipper Jones until the All-Star break. I'd have more confidence that Atlanta's run will finally end -- betting against the Braves is like saying that this is the year Hardee's outgrosses McDonald's -- but no team in the NL East looks strong enough to run away with the division.

"The Braves still have [John] Smoltz and [Tim] Hudson and the best manager [in baseball]," says an AL scout. "If there's a team that you should have faith in, it's them."

A year ago on this date the Braves were 29-28 and in third place in the NL East. They won the division by 10 games. Expect a similar storyline to evolve this year from the Braves. But -- as a sage green friend would put it -- have the look of a World Series contender they do not.