Twins 2009 Season Thread

[RabbitObsessed]

Baseball is here!!!!!

How do you guys think the Twins will do this year? Baker and Mauer on the shelf to start the year hurts. I don't like the logjam in the outfield. I think Morneau hits 10 homers more than last year, where his homers went down and his doubles went way up. Even if Carlos Gomez doesn't progress as a hitter he is still one of the best defensive center fielders in the game. I think Span and Casilla regress. LOVE the rotation if Baker gets healthy. Bullpen on the way back to Nathen blows.

87 wins and a second place finish to someone.

[Jacks-02]

Re: Twins 2009 Season Thread

Baseball is here!!!!!

How do you guys think the Twins will do this year? Baker and Mauer on the shelf to start the year hurts. I don't like the logjam in the outfield. I think Morneau hits 10 homers more than last year, where his homers went down and his doubles went way up. Even if Carlos Gomez doesn't progress as a hitter he is still one of the best defensive center fielders in the game. I think Span and Casilla regress. LOVE the rotation if Baker gets healthy. Bullpen on the way back to Nathen blows.

87 wins and a second place finish to someone.

Pretty much agree with the projection. 85 wins and second place finish if the bullpen is as bad as last year and Baker spends more than 15 days on the DL.

90 wins plus and playoffs if Cuddyer returns to form, Crede gives us some power at 3B, and the new arms in the pen get things done.

[mango4]

Re: Twins 2009 Season Thread

Baseball is here!!!!!

How do you guys think the Twins will do this year? Baker and Mauer on the shelf to start the year hurts. I don't like the logjam in the outfield. I think Morneau hits 10 homers more than last year, where his homers went down and his doubles went way up. Even if Carlos Gomez doesn't progress as a hitter he is still one of the best defensive center fielders in the game. I think Span and Casilla regress. LOVE the rotation if Baker gets healthy. Bullpen on the way back to Nathen blows.

87 wins and a second place finish to someone.

The Mauer injury really worries me, Baker really doesn't. I think Baker will be fine and back with the club in a few weeks. Mauer on the other hand, no clue when he is going to be back. The bullpen was overworked last year to protect the young starters, should be better this year...I hope.

Indians are going to be better than last year, Tigers will improve but they can't pitch at all, the core of the White Sox are getting older, and the Royals are the Royals. I could see the Twins in the 85-90 wins range and taking first place.

[Evolution Prime]

Re: Twins 2009 Season Thread

I think the Twins have enough to win the AL Central this year. Baker is only scheduled to miss his first start, hopefully. The Twins have a nice backup for Mauer in Redmond, so I don't think the drop off will be too drastic. Crede will be an upgrade at 3B offensively while Punto moving to SS will be great defensively. The Twins bench will be deep. Bucher and Harris will be good for the 3B/SS positions should Crede's back problems arise. The "logjam" and the OF positions will allow for substitutions without really losing things defensively plus will give them a good option at DH besides Kubel. I'm hoping that Span doesn't regress with his bat, Gomez gets more patient at the plate, and Young breaks out for power like they expected out of him. Cuddyer still has a cannon for an arm and will hopefully justify this year for his big contract. The younger pitchers have another year under their belt and should hopefully be able to go deeper into games which should spell the relievers for extended outings and wearing them out early in the year. Crain and Guerrier need to return to their previous forms to hold leads to get to Nathan. The Twins, as a team, don't have the power to belt a couple out consistantly. That may change depending on how Young and Cuddyer turn out, and maybe Mauer can start hitting for more power.

The Twins should have the best starting rotation in the AL Central. However, their bullpen, except for Nathan, needs to improve. They should be good enough offensively to win games, but definitely not outslug anyone should it come down to that. The have the speed to get things done on the bases. As always, their defense should be top notch. Barring any major disasters and injuries, they should have the top team in the AL Central.


My predictions for the AL Central:

Minnesota Twins: 91-71 --> Overall should be the best all around team, great SP and defense.
Cleveland Indians: 87-75 --> Have too much offense and decent pitching not to finish near the top.
Detroit Tigers: 82-80 --> Should improve from last year, but not enough to win it this year. Still a dangerous team.
Kansas City Royals: 74-88 --> An improving team that will show on the field, but may not in the record. I think things are turning around in KC.
Chicago White Sox: 0-162 (Ok, so I hate the White Sox, 72-88) --> Getting old and didn't do a lot to improve from last year. Over achieved last year, like the Twins. Unlike the Twins, don't have the youth to improve this year.

[RabbitObsessed]

Re: Twins 2009 Season Thread

Gotta say I'm with Prime with my hate for the White Sox. Only teams that can compete with my hate for them is the Yankees. I was at the last Yankee series in the Dome last year and one of the late White Sox series during the huge comeback in 2006 (Cisco Kid!). Now I'm not a violent person, but I can honestly say I wanted to punch every Yankee and White Sox fan I saw in the face.

So go Twins!

[mitchellrabbit]

Re: Twins 2009 Season Thread

Gotta say I'm with Prime with my hate for the White Sox. Only teams that can compete with my hate for them is the Yankees. I was at the last Yankee series in the Dome last year and one of the late White Sox series during the huge comeback in 2006 (Cisco Kid!). Now I'm not a violent person, but I can honestly say I wanted to punch every Yankee and White Sox fan I saw in the face.

So go Twins!

make sure you dont punch me, ok. im a yankee fan first and a twins fan second.

[Evolution Prime]

Re: Twins 2009 Season Thread

make sure you dont punch me, ok. im a yankee fan first and a twins fan second.

I suggest 3 month ban just for this statement.

[mango4]

Re: Twins 2009 Season Thread

Gotta say I'm with Prime with my hate for the White Sox. Only teams that can compete with my hate for them is the Yankees. I was at the last Yankee series in the Dome last year and one of the late White Sox series during the huge comeback in 2006 (Cisco Kid!). Now I'm not a violent person, but I can honestly say I wanted to punch every Yankee and White Sox fan I saw in the face.

So go Twins!

With you on that one, might as well add the Red Sox in there as well just because of ESPN.

[EQguy]

Re: Twins 2009 Season Thread

im a yankee fan first and a twins fan second.

Me too mitchell.

[mango4]

Re: Twins 2009 Season Thread

make sure you dont punch me, ok. im a yankee fan first and a twins fan second.

It didn't go well for either one of us tonight

[mitchellrabbit]

Re: Twins 2009 Season Thread

I suggest 3 month ban just for this statement.

awwww, doesnt being a jack fan override being a yankee fan?

LETS GO RABBITS clap clap clap LETS GO YANKEES clap clap clap

[Evolution Prime]

Re: Twins 2009 Season Thread

I'll let it slide this time. Don't let it happen again.

[Jacks-02]

Re: Twins 2009 Season Thread

Great rally for the win tonight!

[Coyote_Fan]

Re: Twins 2009 Season Thread

Very nice win and a couple of my favorites Span and Casilla having a big part in the end of the rally. It took 17 and 2/3rds innings but finally Twins baseball is back. I have been critical of Cuddyer and what seems like his permanent spot in right field but he has come up with a couple of big hits so far this year.

[RabbitObsessed]

Re: Twins 2009 Season Thread

Very nice win and a couple of my favorites Span and Casilla having a big part in the end of the rally. It took 17 and 2/3rds innings but finally Twins baseball is back. I have been critical of Cuddyer and what seems like his permanent spot in right field but he has come up with a couple of big hits so far this year.

Gotta say I love the Span/Gomez combo in the outfield. They play some really really good D and cover tons of carpet. Those 2 should be the 2 everyday starters with Cuddyer/Kubel/Young splitting the other OF/DH spot depending on the lefty/righty match-up.