Twins 2009: Year Long Thread

[Fandango]

The 3-7 spots (maybe even the 2-6 spots) most days would be Mauer, Morneau, Crede, Kubel, and Cuddyer . That could be our most productive middle in a long, long time. It would, at the very least, lessen how often teams pitch around Morneau like has happened a lot the last two years when he is on one of his mean streaks.

Though i still believe that Mauer is a better #2 hitter than #3 hitter, it is very obvious to me that Gardy sees him as our #3. Plus with Span, lefty, as our likely leadoff hitter to start the season there is no way that Gardy is going to put three straight lefty's at the top of the order. I think that the order will end up looking like this:

Span - LF
Casilla -2b
Mauer - C
Morneau 1b
Crede - 3b
Kubel - DH
Cuddyer - RF
Punto - SS
Gomez - CF

Delmon Young will be sharing time with Cuddyer/Span/Gomez/Kube. I personally think that Span should star the year in CF and Gomez should start in AAA or the bench, with Young in LF and Cuddyer in RF.

[ducky]

Well the reason is finally out. Bonser has shoulder tendanitis. I guess that is the reason that Smith hasn't been able to move him. Just got a cortisone shot to try and get rid of the pain....if that doesn't work who knows what will happen with him.

If they would have just done what they should have last year around the deadline and got rid of him at least we would have got something for him. The Twins are just awful at dragging their feet sometimes.

Also of scary note....Joe Mauer hasn't swung a baseball bat because of his kidney problem since the end of last season and he is completely out of shape because he hasn't been able to do anything all offseason essentially. This could be a VERY bad sign for him playing well and healthy for a full season this coming year....although if any major league guy can do nothing all offseason and still have a good year, it would be a natural like him.

[ducky]

Span - LF
Casilla -2b
Mauer - C
Morneau 1b
Crede - 3b
Kubel - DH
Cuddyer - RF
Punto - SS
Gomez - CF

That's pretty much how I see it too.

Bench will consist of:
Young (although I was surprised to learn that he could be sent to the minors still)
Harris
Tolbert/Buscher
Redmond

Starting rotation:
Liriano
Baker
Slowey
Perkins
Blackburn

Bullpen:
Nathan
Crain
Mijares
Ayala
Guerrier
Brelsow
Bonser/Humber

....and that's 25.

...and if Crede isn't signed than Buscher and Tolbert both make the roster. Although it is entirely possible that Gardi decides to keep 3 catchers too depending on how Mauer feels and looks by opening day (Morales) and lose his precious 4th utility infielder.

Certainly very little roster intrique entering spring training this year.

[Big Mafia]

The latest version of PECOTA has us as a 79-83 team, good for 2nd in the division behind Cleveland at 83-79.

Some things of note:

Its really down on Morneau, although it was last year too, so I'm not too worried.

For some reason its WAY WAY WAY down on Blackburn. Basically has him as a replacement player.

Liriano is about at the Scott Baker/Kevin Slowey value.

It has our SS mess even a bigger disaster than 3B. Is Punto really expected to be the starter?

[The Q]

The latest version of PECOTA has us as a 79-83 team, good for 2nd in the division behind Cleveland at 83-79.

Some things of note:

Its really down on Morneau, although it was last year too, so I'm not too worried.

For some reason its WAY WAY WAY down on Blackburn. Basically has him as a replacement player.

Liriano is about at the Scott Baker/Kevin Slowey value.

It has our SS mess even a bigger disaster than 3B. Is Punto really expected to be the starter?

Blackburn had some pretty bad peripherals and an FIP over 4.50 last year. But as a fly ball pitcher with that Twins OF, they can cover up for some of it.

I personally think Boof will end up in the rotation as both Perkins and Blackburn weren't anywhere as good as advertised last year.

[Big Mafia]

Oh damn, .84 G/F. For some reason I thought he was more of a groundball guy. PECOTA really liked him coming into last year.

[Fandango]

It has our SS mess even a bigger disaster than 3B. Is Punto really expected to be the starter?

Unfortunately yes, Punto will be starting for us at SS. What really sucks is that Gardy gives little Nicky such a long leash. I personally think that is more likely that Punto has a year offensively closer to 2007 (which was historically bad) than what he did in 2008. As I am sure we all remember with despair, in the 2007 season, despite the fact that Punto was doing horribly, he was allowed to be the unchallenged starter at 3b for over half the season, and I think this would likely happen again in 2009 if he again does badly; Gardy will just keep trotting him out there because Punto "does all the little things" and "plays such great defense" and is "a pirahna" and [insert corny Gardy-ism here].

[The Q]

Oh damn, .84 G/F. For some reason I thought he was more of a groundball guy. PECOTA really liked him coming into last year.

Did it? I thought the book had his ERA over 5.

Edit: I looked and it was 5.80 ERA with a 1.55 WHIP.

[Big Mafia]

Then I can't recall why I switched my mind on him. I remember being down on him for a long time last year then switching my mind. But damn if I can remember what it was (other than his performance).

[Big Mafia]

BP has Punto at .241/.310/.318, good for -3.6 VORP. It also sees him as a below average defensive player.

Big dropoff from '08, and being that he's 31, thats probably not all that surprising. $4 mill/yr for 2 years. In this market for basically a replacement player. Killer move.

I still want to try Casilla at short. Move Harris to 2nd and play Hughes at 3rd. Although I've heard bad things about Hughes' defense. You'd still have Punto's money to maybe get a Abreu when we had the chance.

This division is there for the taking right now.

[twolvesguy]

BP has Punto at .241/.310/.318, good for -3.6 VORP. It also sees him as a below average defensive player.

Then you can toss out BP's opinion on everything.

[The Q]

BP has Punto at .241/.310/.318, good for -3.6 VORP. It also sees him as a below average defensive player.

Big dropoff from '08, and being that he's 31, thats probably not all that surprising. $4 mill/yr for 2 years. In this market for basically a replacement player. Killer move.

I still want to try Casilla at short. Move Harris to 2nd and play Hughes at 3rd. Although I've heard bad things about Hughes' defense. You'd still have Punto's money to maybe get a Abreu when we had the chance.

This division is there for the taking right now.

Your INF alignment is what I would've done with the Twins.

And while Abreu would've been a great fit, it would've meant trading Kubel since they can't even platoon at DH.

[PsychoViking]

BP has Punto at .241/.310/.318, good for -3.6 VORP. It also sees him as a below average defensive player.

Big dropoff from '08, and being that he's 31, thats probably not all that surprising. $4 mill/yr for 2 years. In this market for basically a replacement player. Killer move.

I still want to try Casilla at short. Move Harris to 2nd and play Hughes at 3rd. Although I've heard bad things about Hughes' defense. You'd still have Punto's money to maybe get a Abreu when we had the chance.

This division is there for the taking right now.

Harris was terrible at 2nd and no one has any idea how Hughes will do right now. They made the Poopto move to get rid of the trash defense up the middle and now you want to go right back to it???? Hughes and Harris in the same infield (at 3B/2B respectively) is not a good idea.

[The Q]

Then I can't recall why I switched my mind on him. I remember being down on him for a long time last year then switching my mind. But damn if I can remember what it was (other than his performance).

I believe he had a really strong GB rate in the minors.

I think the Twins should've sold high on him and gotten a bat, paid to make sure Boof ended up at API this winter and improved both their offense and their rotation in one fell swoop.

[Fandango]

I think the Twins should've sold high on him and gotten a bat, paid to make sure Boof ended up at API this winter and improved both their offense and their rotation in one fell swoop.

Why would the Twins try to continue to force Bonser into the rotation when it is plainly obvious that he just isn't that good of a pitcher? Despite what his beloved "peripherals" suggest he should be, reality has shown us what he actually is.


Big Mafia, Baseball America's John Manual had Blackburn listed as our #1 prospect coming into the 2008 season, perhaps that is what changed your mind on him.

And perhaps it was the fact that he, unlike Boof, has shown himself to be a good pitcher on the field, rather than just in the statisticians' peripheral handbook.