We are less than 3 weeks away from the sights and sounds of spring training and you can start to feel the buzz in the air. College Football is done and there's just 1 football game left, a little thing known as the Super Bowl. But after that, its basketball, hockey, and very soon baseball. It's fun to start thinking about baseball because the sport has to be played in decent weather, which means there's an end to winter in sight!
As a die-hard Twins fan, I take any opportunity to review the latest info on the Twins and articulate our chances for ultimate glory and or just for another exciting baseball season. The Twins have unveiled their spring training roster and the Courtesy Wave has broken it down for your convenience. Enjoy!
STARTERS
Catcher - JOE MAUERDuh. The best catcher on the planet returns for his 8th big league and Twins season. A standout from every angle, the Twins are one lucky team to have this guy and of course, the hometown boy angle plays into the hearts of every Twins fan. People think Mauer had a down year last year, well if you consider .327, a gold glove, all-star, and silver slugger award winning season down, then you're standards are pretty high. Mauer's 2009 performance may not be repeated, but I'll take .327 and 75 RBI's every year from the catcher spot. His numbers would almost certainly be higher with Morneau behind him.
First Base - JUSTIN MORNEAUNext to Joe Nathan, this is the biggest question for Twins fans. Can Morneau return back to the form that has made him a perennial all-star and MVP candidate? Morneau was well on his way to hitting over 30 home runs and bringing in over 100 RBI's. The Twins were able to adjust after his departure thanks to super position player Michael Cuddyer, but there's no way you can justify having Morneau out of the lineup that makes the team better. Over a full season, the Twins will need Morneau, if not for any other reason than he's making way too much money to sit on the bench. However, the brain is fragile and I'm sure the Twins are putting his health before the team's health first, which is important to remember.
Second Base - TSUYOSHI NISHIOKABefore this season, Nishioka was in the Marines. Not those Marines, the Chiba Lotte Marines of the Japanese Pacific League. He's a slick fielding speedy youngster with some pop in his bat, not too mention also the ability to switch hit. A career .293 hitter in Japan, he also won 3 gold gloves and a gold medal for Japan in the 2006 World Baseball Classic.
Shortstop - ALEXI CASILLAIt's hard to believe, but this will be Casilla's 6th season in the bigs with Minnesota. Every time we think Casilla has been given his last shot, he gets another. Thus is the case again with Alexi as the Twins surprised a few people and brought back Casilla after arbitration for another year.
Third Base - DANNY VALENCIAThere were many fans who thought Valencia's call up in June was a little premature. Well he quickly put to rest any notions that he wasn't ready. By season's end, and with 2 months less than most players, Valencia wound up 3rd in the Rookie of the Year Voting. He also posted these impressive rookie numbers: .311 batting average, .448 slugging percentage, and .799 OPS, which were the highest among AL rookies with 300 or more plate appearances. He came in 3rd among AL rookies in hits (93) and total bases (134). In 65 games after the All Star break, he led AL rookies in batting (.311), RBIs (37) and doubles (16). Oh and he can play the outfield too; Valencia had the 5th-best fielding percentage among AL third basemen (.973). These numbers aren't all worldly, but for a rookie, there good and we should see more of this in 2011.
Left Field - DELMON YOUNGThe 2010 season ended up being Young's best offensive season to date by any measure. Young hit .298 with 21 home runs and 112 RBI, finished tenth in the voting for AL MVP, and was a finalist for a spot on the American League All-Star roster through the online All-Star Final Vote. Young, who was a #1 overall draft pick, continues to have high expectations, but his 2010 season did assure the Twins that the Garza/Bartlett for Young trade may eventually pan out. It's interesting to note that neither Matt Garza or Jason Bartlett play for the Rays anymore. If he posts numbers like he did last year, the Twins may get the last laugh on what was thought to be one of the worst trades in team history.
Center Field - DENARD SPANThere was no reason to suspect a down year for Span in 2010. His progression from 2008 to 2009 showed an increase in nearly every statistical category, mainly because he was playing more, but he showed that '08 wasn't a fluke with a consistent '09. Now fans are left to wonder if 2010 was more of a fluke year or something to be expected? Span's average dropped from .311 to .264 and his slugging went down to .348 from .415. However, if there's one trait that defines Span, than its speed. He gives the Twins their best base-runner and the best ability to stretch a single into a double and double into a triple. He reminds me of a Christian Guzman type player, good fielder, great speed, with occasional power. His 24 doubles, 10 triples, and 26 stolen bases in 2010 are nothing to be ashamed about.
RIGHT FIELD - MICHAEL CUDDYER (we think)It is widely known that Cuddyer is the team magician, and in 2010 he had to be a magician in order to play all the positions he was asked to do. Cuddyer spent time in Right Field, Center Field, 1st Base, 2nd Base, and 3rd Base. He actually played more games at 1st than right field, 84 to 66. Cuddyer's numbers from 2009 to 2010 are almost identical with one glaring omission, his power. Cuddy had a team high 32 homers in 2009, but just 14 last year. Yet his batting average took just a slight tumble to .271 (he's a career .270 hitter) and his hits and doubles were slightly up. This will be Cuddyer's 11th season with Minnesota and he's quietly become one of the most versatile and well liked players in the team's history. He's just 4 hits shy of 1,000 and will likely join the Twins top 10 list in Career Home Runs this year.
4TH OUTFIELDER/DH - JASON KUBELAnother year will begin and Kubel will find he doesn't have a permanent spot, again. With Morneau's injury last year, Kubel slid into right field when Cuddyer moved to first. It worked out perfectly for the Twins last year, but with Morneau expected back, it begs the question where to put Kubel. Kubel needs to play everyday or near that, he's had 3 straight seasons of 20 plus home runs and 75 or more RBI's. However, his .249 batting average was a big red flag last year along with his 116 strikeouts. It's a good problem to have when you've got a guy like Kubel who can step in and replace any of the other outfielders with his bat. His DH time will depend on how much the Twins want to utilize their Hall of Fame-in-waiting Designated Hitter.
DESIGNATED HITTER - JIM THOMEJim Thome made a lot of Minnesotans happy last year with his bat and his charm. He certainly fit the mold of what the Twins have come to represent. His 25 home runs was more than anyone would have guessed, especially since he did so in just 276 at-bats, a blistering 11.04 AB/HR ratio, which was 2.5 AB's better than his career ratio of 13.6, of which he's 5th all time. Even at age 40, Thome is one of the most revered power hitters in the game today. He's been making pitchers sweat and continues to do so. Thome currently sits at 8th on the all-time home run list, and he's likely to only jump 1 more spot this year, but along the way he'll pass 600 home runs, just 11 short right now. If he does that, he'll join an elite club that includes Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Ken Griffey Jr., Alex Rodriguez, and Sammy Sosa. Not too shabby.
Starting Pitcher 1 - FRANCISCO LIRIANO - LHPLiriano is coming off his best post-surgery season after posting career highs in Wins (14), IP (191.2), and strikeouts (201). Liriano's 2006 season remains his most dominant so far. There are many who say Liriano was as good or better than Johan Santana was that season. That may be a stretch, but it begs the question will we ever see that Liriano again? We can table that question for now and watch Liriano impose his will against hitters.
Starting Pitcher 2 - CARL PAVANO - RHPPavano tested the market after 2010 and found that teams weren't ready to shell out the big dollars that his recent play has earned. The biggest reason is health, at 35, Pavano is entering the twilight of his career. Even if it's his best years, most teams couldn't pull off a 3 plus year deal. But the Twins were willing to give Pavano 2 years and $16 million, which isn't too shabby either. So the Stache is coming back to the Twins for a 3rd year and his 13th major league season. Pavano is the workhorse of the Twins staff. A guy you can count on to give you 7 plus innings each start. He threw 221 innings last year while leading the league in complete games (7) and shutouts (2), going 17-11 with a 3.75 ERA. It was his best season since going 18-8 with a 3.00 ERA for the Marlins in 2004, the year that earned him the huge Yankee contract that was plagued with injuries. If he stays healthy, he'll likely put up similar numbers, which the Twins will be very happy with.
Starting Pitcher 3 - BRIAN DUENSING - LHPDuensing has had a lot of luck on his side when it comes to roster moves and has taken advantage of every opportunity given to him. In 2009 and 2010, Duensing started the year in the bullpen, only to finish in the starting rotation due to injuries or lack of production ahead of him. In just 2 short years, Deunsing has gone 15-5 with a 3.02 ERA in 214.2 innings. Last year's 10-3, 2.62 ERA was just the spark the Twins needed with the Slow-Bake-Burn combo struggling mightily. It's looking like Duensing will have the job from the get-go and as far as I'm concerned should be locked into the #3 spot, unless Baker outperforms in Spring Training.
Starting Pitcher 4 - SCOTT BAKERIt's hard to believe, but Baker will be starting his 8th season with the Twins. I was there the day he was called up, as an Intern working for the Twins, I remember seeing Baker outside of the clubhouse and wondering how this kid got a uniform. He seriously looked like he was 15 and was quite shy at the time. Baker has always been a good pitcher, but he's never been great. His fastball is about average and he's got a slightly above average curve, change and slider. He's won 11 or more games in 3 straight years, going 12-9 last year with a 4.49 ERA. Consistency will be the key for Baker this year, as the Twins have started to put Baker on a shorter leash as far as productivity goes. Last year he was the opening day starter. This year, he'll likely be 4th in the rotation. In which case 12 to 15 wins is acceptable.
Starting Pitcher 5 - KEVIN SLOWEYI had slated this spot for Blackburn until the Twins announced they had signed Slowey through arbitration to $2.7 million, making me believe they want Slowey in the rotation instead of the bullpen. Although, that's where he finished last year. Slowey has often been compared to long time Twins great Brad Radke because he's a control type pitcher with a low 90's fastball considered to be his best pitch, a good changeup, a good slow curveball, and a tight slider. His 13-6 record last year is a little misleading as he did get a lot of run support, but still he has a 39-21 career record and when healthy has been a fairly consistent pitcher.
Long Reliever - NICK BLACKBURNBlackburn will be a big mystery for the Twins on what they should do with him. He signed a 4 year contract that's good until 2013, yet he hasn't shown anything more than just average stuff. In his last 3 years, he's gone 32-34, with a 4.44 ERA, an averaged 187 IP. Numbers that are good for a 5th spot in the rotation at best. He'll compete with Slowey and Baker for the back end of the rotation.
Left Hand specialist - GLEN PERKINSA left handed reliever is not a commodity in this league and because Perkins is a lefty, he's got a lot going for him. Despite his conflicts with upper management, Perkins held the cards after the bullpen departures and the Twins decided they needed to keep him and signed Perkins for the 2011 season. Perkins actually has a decent fastball and an above average curveball. Originally brought up as a starter, he's transitioned to the bullpen as the need for starting dissipated. He missed nearly all of 2010, being held in the minors until a September call-up. He still has a lot to prove and should consider himself lucky to still be with the Twins after a couple tumultuous years on and off the field.
Right Hand specialist - PAT NESHEKNeshek has a lot in common with Perkins. There both Minnesota natives, both considered bullpen specialists, and both have had their discontents with upper management of the Twins. Last year, Neshek made the team out of Spring Training, but an inflammation to his middle finger placed Neshek on the DL which irritated him and in turn he made a public outcry about how the Twins managed the situation. He then spent almost the entire season at Triple A Rochester, and like Perkins, was called up in September at which point both players said their situations were resolved. Neshek is trying to return to his pre-surgery form where he went 11-4 with a 2.68 ERA and 127 strikeouts in 107 innings. He's only pitched 9 innings in the majors since and has struggled to find the magic that made him a fan favorite. He's definitely a unique character with a funky rotation who chronicles his life through blogging. He'll have to fight to earn this spot for 2011.
Left Hand Set-up - JOSE MIJARESMijares returns to the Twins for his 4th season. In 2008 and 2009, Mijares was pretty dominant, going 2-3 with a 2.13 ERA, with 60 strikeouts in 72 innings. He took a little step backwards in 2010, going 1-1 with a 3.31 ERA and pitching just 32.2 innings in an injury riddled season. Since Mijares is a lefty, he holds a lot of power to stay in the bullpen, with the limited options the Twins have, but if his numbers continue their upward trek, the Twins might look to the minors to see what else they have, same goes for Perkins.
Right Hand Set-up - ALEX BURNETTBurnett made it on the squad last year after spring training, a surprising move by many who thought it was just a short term thing. Burnett, just 22, actually made it all the way until July 19th, when he was sent back down to Triple A, but was recalled in September. His numbers were less than impressive, but he gained valuable experience in throwing 47 innings, going 2-2 with a 5.29 ERA with 37 strikeouts. He'll fight with Manship, Neshek, and Anthony Slama for a righty spot out of the bullpen.
8th inning Set-up - MATT CAPPSThe Mad Capper was an all-star in 2010, just not for the Twins. He came over in a trade right before the deadline when the Twins decided to swap their highly touted catching prospect Wilson Ramos for Capps in a questionable move by many who thought the Twins could get much more in return for Ramos. Capps took over the closer role which had been filled adequately by Jon Rauch, but not well enough that the Twins could trust Rauch in late season and playoff games. Capps played very well but with high expectations, he couldn't please everybody. Still, he went 2-0 with 16 saves and a 2.00 ERA. He possesses a noteworthy slider and a mid nineties fastball, with excellent command of both. Provided Nathan returns to form, they'll be a formidable 1-2 punch, and if Nathan can't return, he's a great insurance option as closer.
Closer - JOE NATHANNathan enters his 11th big league season and 7th with the Twins (not counting last year). Along with Morneau, he's one of the biggest question marks for 2011. What will Joe Nathan be post Tommy John surgery? Will he still be the dominant closer that led the majors in saves for a 6 year period from 2004-2009 with 246 saves, an average of 41 per year? Or will we see the results that so many have suffered post TJ surgery, ala Liriano, Neshek, Joe Mays, etc. There's no one that doubts Nathan can do it, although at 36, there's more restraint from his backers than normal. As an optimist, I'd like to think the 4 time all-star still has a lot left in the tank. We'll see what happens come spring training when he sees live action for the first time. (If the Twins think he's ready).
Utility Infielder - MATT TOLBERTGoodbye Nick Punto, hello Matt Tolbert. Punto held this title for 7 years with the Twins and despite a lot of flaws at the bat, he'll be hard to replace on the diamond. Tolbert is no stranger to playing multiple positions. In 2010 he spent time at 2nd, 3rd, SS, LF, and RF. A career .986 fielding percentage should calm some fans nerves, but a career .246 batting average wont. Tolbert doesn't have this spot locked up, but the Twins have always had high hopes for Tolbert and its likely he'll start the season with the big league club.
5th Outfielder - JASON REPKOThe Twins are bringing back Repko after he filled in as the back-up outfielder from June on last year. Repko is actually a veteran, at age 30, he was a first round draft pick of the Dodgers and spent 4 years in the big leagues with them before being released and picked up by the Twins in a minor league deal last year. Repko hit .228 in 58 games for the Twins last year, but was mainly used a valuable defensive replacement as he holds a career .979 fielding percentage.
Back-up Catcher - DREW BUTERAAs part of the only father-son combination in Twins history, Butera played the entire 2010 season in the big leagues, surprising many who thought he would never make it the entire year. But for the Twins, he's the perfect back-up solution to Joe Mauer, because they don't see Butera as an every day starting catcher for the future, meaning that they don't need him to play every day like other catching prospects. Butera has enough of a bat to keep him up as the back-up, hitting .197 in 49 games with 6 doubles, 2 home runs and 13 RBI. He's an excellent defensive catcher though, which is really what kept him on the team. A .985 fielding percentage last year, Butera threw out 42% of base runners, which if he qualified, would have been good for 2nd in the AL.
Others who will contend for the 25 Man Big League Roster
Up-the-middle Back-up - TREVOR PLOUFFEPlouffe will compete with Casilla for extended time at shortstop and will spell any relief for Nishioka at 2nd base. Plouffe is a former 1st round draft pick in 2004 and still has high expectations with the Twins. He made his major league debut last year, playing in 22 games and mustering just a .146 batting average. But Plouffe has proven himself in the minors and the Twins like that he's got some pop in his bat too. He'll have his chance to prove himself a big league starter and should get time behind a the mystery combination of Nishioka/Casilla.
Back-up Outfielder - BEN REVEREA late first rounder in the 2007 draft, Revere is likable to a Denard Span type player. A 5 tool athlete, he got a cup of coffee with the Twins during last year's September call-ups batting .179 in 13 games. He'll get his chances again this year, just not likely right out of the gate.
Back-up Infielder - LUKE HUGHESHughes will always be an answer to a trivia question for as long as he lives when last year he became the 5th Twin ever to homer in his first major league at-bat, and 106th overall. Hughes played in just 2 games in the majors last year, but he made it count with that one swing. The sweet swinging Aussie is just 26 and has time to develop into a contributor and will likely see time again in September this year.
Right Hand Reliever - ANTHONY SLAMASlama was highly hyped when he received his call-up in late July last year, but the mustached reliever didn't fare too well, offering up 4 runs and 5 walks in just 4.2 innings, posting a 7.71 ERA. Slama has blazed through the minors as a closer and will need another year of seasoning, but should get a call sometime this year again.
Right Hand Reliever - JEFF MANSHIPManship has certainly logged some frequent flyer miles in the past couple years, having multiple short-term call-ups as an injury replacement spot starter and bullpen reliever. His 5.49 ERA over 60.2 innings pitched is a concern, but to be fair, Manship has never had the time to get comfortable when he's called up. He'll be seriously considered for a spot in the bullpen at the start of the season.
Right Hand Starter - KYLE GIBSONGibson is one of the top ranked prospects in baseball right now. Just 23, Gibson has flown through each level of the minors with impressive stuff. In 26 minor league games he's 11-6 with a 2.96 ERA including a no-hitter. He could challenge for the 5th spot in the rotation. But not the bullpen, the Twins want him a starter and will keep him in Triple A if needed. If he's called up, he might be the most hyped pitcher since Matt Garza.
Right Hand Reliever - ANTHONY SWARZAKSwarzak hasn't seen the big leagues since 2009, failing to get the call last year. t was a little surprising considering he got 12 starts in 2009. But after a few decent starts, he finished rocky, and collected a 3-7 record with a 6.25 ERA. He's pretty far down the list and will really have to impress just to get a call-up this year.
Back-up Catcher - DANNY LEHMANNLehmann will give Butera some competition at the back-up catcher spot. With New Britain, he batted .243 with three RBIs; with Fort Myers, Lehmann batted .286 and caught nine of twelve would-be base stealers to earn himself a Florida State League All-star selection.
Well I hope this gave you some food for thought to chew over for the next few weeks. We'll check back in when the players hit the field and see how the position battles start to play out. There could be competition from someone not named above too, you just never know what's going to happen with February/March baseball.
Until then, make sure you stock up on your seeds and chewing gum!
Brock from the Block
the Courtesy Wave
but with a slightly quicker fastball. After sitting on offers from other teams, Pavano returns to the Twins for his 3rd year (2nd full), which has made his fans very happy. Pavano's has created a cult following in the upper midwest with his patented mustache. After a slow 2010 start, Pavano grew out a Super Mario'esque 'stache and his luck seemed to turn around. He finished the season 17-11 with a 3.75 ERA, his 2nd best big league season. Like Liriano, Pavano was troubled with injuries during what was supposed to be the prime of his career. He'll likely be remembered that way, but is trying his best in the twilight of his career to put make a mark and establish himself as the elite pitcher everyone thought he would be. His perfect spring has Twins fans salivating for what could be in store for 2011. 
taking full advantage of the situations that have presented themselves, mainly taking over for injured players. He came up in 2009 and was nearly flawless out of the bullpen and when injuries opened up a spot in the rotation, Duensing filled it remarkably for a newbie. However, despite starting game 1 of the playoffs that year (because of game 163), he was back to the bullpen after all 5 spots were sewed up. It didn't take long to realize Duensing belonged in the rotation. Another injury opened up an opportunity and Duensing seized it, posting a 10-3 record with a 2.62 ERA and 78 strikeouts. This will be his first year starting right out of the gate, from which high expectations will be had. If anyone can handle it, Duensing has proven he's up to the challenge. 
After struggling in the bullpen coming up for a cup of coffee in 2007, the Twins moved him to the starting rotation in 2008 where he had a solid rookie campaign, going 11-11 with a 4.05 ERA. His 2009 was neither better nor worse, it was deja vu. Blackburn again went 11-11, had a 4.03 ERA, gave up just 2 more homeruns, 2 more walks and had 2 more strikeouts. It was eerily bizarre. Unfortunately, Blackburn took a step backwards last year, although posting a similar record at 10-12, he had career lows in IP and Strikeouts. The Twins patience on Blackburn is growing thin, another mediocre season is not what this team is looking for. If he's headed for another 10-11 win season, he'll likely be headed for another team. 
Gardy hasn't given the nod to either and in the press he has stated that it could come down to the final days. Both starters have looked good enough this spring to be in the rotation. Baker is the more veteran of the two and was at one point considered the team's #1 or #2 starter, but health and inconsistency plagued Baker in 2010, while the other starters have stepped up their games. Baker is only 1-3 this spring, but more importantly he has a 2.84 ERA and 11 strikeouts in nearly 13 innings. This will be his 7th season as a Twin and with a career 4.32 ERA we can't expect anything stellar from Baker. But he has thrown 170 plus innings with a 140 plus strikeouts the last 3 years and with a career 55-42 mark Baker's proven that he's still a winner when it comes down to it. Still it might be put up or ship out time for Baker as a Minnesota Twin.
But then again, that's a good problem to have, after all we want to see both Baker and Slowey succeed and regardless of who wins the spot, there's a good chance we'll see both as a 6 month season almost never goes as planned. Slowey really strengthened his case last Monday with 4 innings of shutout baseball against the Marlins, retiring the first 6 batters. Slowey's 2010 stats are a little skewed, he finished 13-6 but had a 4.45 ERA and was often the benefactor of some healthy runs support. While Baker has 2 more years experience, their career stats are quite similar. Slowey holds a 39-21 career mark with a 4.41 ERA. And if there ever was an indication that springs stats don't hold a lot of water, you can look at Slowey's perfect 7-0 spring record with a 2.11 ERA. 
