Brian Kimmes
The Major League Baseball season recently started. MLB is the only professional sport that I consistently attend. Each summer, I head home to the Twin Cities, where I frequent the Metrodome to watch my beloved Minnesota Twins.
The Twins have not started the season well. They lost their first two series, including getting swept by their division rival, the Cleveland Indians. In their first two series, the only game the Twins won was when they scored 13 runs against the Toronto Blue Jays. It is early in the season and the Twins have a long way to go, but the first week of the season looks to have the 2006 Twins with the same problem as the 2005 Twins: lack of offense. The Twins have already been shut out once this season.
I look for the Twins to have a better year this year than last year, though. I believe the offense will come around during the season. The Twins added three players in the off-season: Rondell White, Tony Batista and Luis Castillo. Batista and White have both had productive seasons in the past. White is a former all-star, and Batista has hit at least 25 home runs in his past six major league seasons. However, I am not convinced either player will have a stellar season. Also, I think the two players will have about the same numbers as the players the Twins lost. Jacque Jones, one of the team leaders in home runs and RBIs the past few seasons, has left the Twins. I look for White to put up about the same numbers Jones had. I also expect Batista to put up close to what Matthew LeCroy and Michael Cuddyer combined for last year.
The big addition for the Twins is Castillo. He is a significant upgrade at second base, both in fielding and hitting. Castillo brings quality hitting to the top of the lineup. Also, he is a three-time Gold Glove winner and was on the most recent Florida Marlins World Series team, so he has playoff experience.
In addition to Castillo, the Twins’ young stars Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau have a full season in the big leagues under their belts. Mauer was the Twins’ leading hitter last season, batting just below .300 in his first full season in the majors. Morneau was among the team leaders in home runs and RBIs. Both players should improve this year, boosting the offense.
Shannon Stewart and Torii Hunter are both healthy this year, giving the Twins another boost. Both players struggled with injuries last year.
The pitching for the Twins will be solid again. The top four starters from last year are back with the team. In place of Joe Mays, the Twins add solid pitching prospect Scott Baker. Baker made nine starts last fall, and showed signs of promise. He is one of the players the Twins refused to trade because of his potential.
The bullpen for the Twins has a couple of question marks. They do not have their left-handed setup J.C. Romero anymore. The disgruntled pitcher was traded during the winter. The only left-handed pitcher in the bullpen is rookie pitcher Francisco Liriano. Liriano is considered the best young pitcher in the Twins organization, but he is unproven at the major league level. The Twins also have another rookie in the bullpen, Willie Eyre.
The Twins still have experience in the bullpen, though. Joe Nathan, Juan Rincon and Jesse Crain are back for another season, so the bullpen does have some experienced, quality pitchers who can strike out right-or left-handed batters.
I look for the Twins to improve upon last year’s 83-79 record. The Twins will win 88 games and miss the playoffs for the second straight season. When the team finds itself out of the playoff picture halfway through the season, they should insert Jason Bartlett at shortstop and Jason Kubel in right field. Those are two of the Twins’ best prospects, and both need to see plenty of time in the field this year. If the Twins can develop those two players, along with Mauer and Morneau, they will have a good nucleus for the next few years.
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