Joined: Sat Jun 11, 2005 10:51 pm Posts: 1251 Location: St. Paul - Minneapolis Gender: Male
Spike wrote:
what's sparked the turnaround?
It is really hard to say. The club has been so riddled with injuries, it is a wonder they have been able to make this run. The starting lineup has regularly featured players like Ben Revere, Rene Tosoni, Rene Riveria, Luke Hughes, Matt Tolbert and the like. I don't mean just one of them in the lineup either. Most days nearly every single one of those guys is in the starting lineup. Every one of those players started the season in AAA. I guess the reason has been starting pitching. After a terrible start to the season the starters have been pretty solid over the last 5 or 6 weeks. It still has been pretty remarkable.
It is really hard to say. The club has been so riddled with injuries, it is a wonder they have been able to make this run. The starting lineup has regularly featured players like Ben Revere, Rene Tosoni, Rene Riveria, Luke Hughes, Matt Tolbert and the like. I don't mean just one of them in the lineup either. Most days nearly every single one of those guys is in the starting lineup. Every one of those players started the season in AAA. I guess the reason has been starting pitching. After a terrible start to the season the starters have been pretty solid over the last 5 or 6 weeks. It still has been pretty remarkable.
remarkable indeed. it's threatening to actually make the twins interesting.
Joined: Sat Jun 11, 2005 10:51 pm Posts: 1251 Location: St. Paul - Minneapolis Gender: Male
Rough loss last night. Justin Verlander was his dominant self. The Twins have 3 more games against Detroit left in the series and really need to take at least 2 of 3 (at least) and gain a split. Jason Kubel comes back tonight after 6 weeks on the DL. Morneau and Span are still out.
Joined: Sat Jun 11, 2005 10:51 pm Posts: 1251 Location: St. Paul - Minneapolis Gender: Male
2012 Opening Day Roster
The Twins on Sunday reassigned infielders Brian Dozier and Brian Dinkleman, catcher J.R. Towles and righthander Casey Fien to the minor league camp.
That leaves the roster at 27 players....but wait!
That includes righthanders Scott Baker and Jason Marquis. Baker will open the season on the disabled list. Marquis will be placed on a family emergency list because his daughter is still recovering after being injured in a bicycle accident.
Once those moves are made, the Twins will be at 25 players. So unless there's a late move....
Here are your 2012 Minnesota Twins
Catchers: Joe Mauer, Ryan Doumit
Infielders: Justin Morneau, Chris Parmelee, Alexi Casilla, Jamey Carroll, Danny Valencia, Luke Hughes, Sean Burroughs
Outfielders: Josh Willingham, Denard Span, Trevor Plouffe, Ben Revere
Starters: Carl Pavano, Francisco Liriano, Liam Hendriks, Nick Blackburn
Relievers: Matt Capps, Glen Perkins, Jared Burton, Brian Duensing. Matt Maloney, Alex Burnett, Jeff Gray, Anthony Swarzak
Last edited by PHATJ on Mon Apr 02, 2012 10:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
Joined: Sat Jun 11, 2005 10:51 pm Posts: 1251 Location: St. Paul - Minneapolis Gender: Male
I am actually liking the potential of this team on the offensive side of the ball a lot more then I had expected to going into spring training. I had thought the Twins were going to be pretty futile this season, but I am starting to come around on that a bit. The announced roster and potential lineup looks a lot better then what I had antisipated.
I had expected this to be the lineup:
CF Span LF Revere C Mauer 1B Morneau RF Willingham 3B Valencia DH Doumit 2B Casilla SS Carroll
I am thinking this will be the opening day lineup:
CF Span SS Carroll C Mauer DH Morneau LF Willingham 1B Parmelee 3B Valencia RF Plouffe 2B Casilla
I like the extra pop the lineup has with Parmelee ans Plouffe in and Doumit and Revere out. I like Doumit in the super utility and backup catcher role. I think he should find plenty at bats giving Mauer days off behind the plate and I think he could see a lot of action in right field as well. Revere as a late inning defensive replacement in right field or left field and as a pinch runner is a far better fit then as an every day player. This can give Revere a chance to do what he does best (run and catch). I don't think his bat or arm are strong enough for the starting role.
I love moving Morneau to the DH and giving Parmelee first base for two reasons. Morneau's health and Parmelee's bat. The hope is to get as much out of Justin's bat as possible. Keeping him healthy is objective number one. Keeping him off the field increase his chances of a health(ier) season greatly (in my estimation). Parmelee's strong end to 2011 in the big leagues and his fast start this spring have earned him the opportunity to see how he can produce as a Major League starter. I'm sure there will be some struggles, but he seems to have the makeup of a quality hitter and a solid first baseman.
Plouffe may have the most to prove. Now an outfielder, he will have to show that he can adjust to a new position and find a home in Target Field's quirky right field. The Twins like his bat and his potential for offensive production far exceeds that of Ben Revere's at the same position. Plouffe has shown very good signs at Triple A, but mostly struggled in extended time with the Twins last season. I think the move to the outfield will take defensive pressure off of Plouffe and let his offensive game grow. I like this move quite a lot.
The only change that I hope can happen during the season is at second base. I would love to see Luke Hughes take this position by the throat and never give it back. After several years of the Twins gifting the job to Alexi Casilla I think we all know who he is and who he is going to be. He has shown no ability to give the Twins any consistent offense. And while at times he can look spectacular in the field, there have also been far too many head scratching moments in his daily game. The hope is that if Hughes gets the chance to play second that he can handle the job in the field. If he can make all the routine plays and consistently turn the double play, the job may well be there for the taking. At the plate he is an instant upgrade over Casilla. Although far from a perfect hitter, Hughes has been able to show a good amount of power, something Casilla has virtually none of. It will be interesting to see how this plays out over the course of the next few months. I'll be pulling for ya Luke.
Admittedly, the chances of success of this clubs offense rests heavily on the shoulders of Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau. Can they stay healthy enough to play 130-140 games each? And if healthy, what kind of production can we reasonably expect? If healthy, and if their production can be 2/3 of what it was in their MVP seasons, this team has a chance to score some runs and win some games. Can they score enough and win enough to win the division? Sadly, no. The AL Central should be taken by Detroit in 2012 (barring an injury plagued season that would rival Minnesota's 2011 season). But with some luck and a healthier season then 2011 the Twins could be a very entertaining club that (if all the stars align) could make a run at a Wild Card.
I, however, don't expect the total results to bring the club back to post season play in 2012. Namely because I don't believe the Twins have nearly enough pitching to win enough games. Add that to the fact that either Anaheim or Texas (whichever doesn't win the AL West) will likely be a Wild Card team. And New York, Boston, Tampa Bay and Toronto (a potential sleeping giant) and the vast improvement of the Kansas City Royals all make earning even the second Wild Card a long shot. I think the Twins at best win 83 or 84 games this year and at worst win 75ish, likely putting them at 3rd in the AL Central.
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