Who's to Blame?

This year's edition of the Minnesota Twins has struggled since the onset. Coming out of spring training there was high hopes surrounding the 2-time defending AL Central Champs. There was no reason to believe that the season would begin this poorly. The Twins had a successful spring posting a Grapefruit League best 20-12 record. But the day the regular season started everything changed. The pitching wasn't effective, bats went quiet, and defense which is typically a strength has become a liability. All these factors have contributed to the 4-10 start.

I think the Front Office deserves some of the blame for the current situation the Twins are in. It all goes back to last season when the club acquired Matt Capps for our top prospect Wilson Ramos. Not only did we lose a good prospect we took on Capps' salary or 7.15 Million after we offered him arbitration last winter. Also we allowed Matt Guerrier, Jesse Crain, Jon Rauch, Brian Fuetes, and Pat Neshek (via trade). Also they chose not to resign Nick Punto and Orlando Hudson. Along with trading JJ Hardy and Jose Morales. The Organization has put a lot of faith in its unproven players. There has been a handful of injuries which has hampered the performance of the team. Joe Mauer, Tsuyoshi Nishioka, and Kevin Slowey have already landed on the disabled list.

Also, many of the regulars just haven't produced like we all expected them too considering the amount of money they are making.

Player	Salary	2011 Average	Career Average
Joe Mauer	23    Million	.235	.326
Justin Morneau	15    Million	.208	.285
Michael Cuddyer	10.5 Million	.204	.269
Delmon Young	5.3   Million	.220	.291

Player	Salary	2011 ERA	Career ERA
Joe Nathan	11,250,000	8.44	2.77
Matt Capps	7,150,000	4.50	3.38
Francisco Liriano	4,300,000	9.42	4.11
Brian Duensing	462,000	4.15	3.08

 This shows that many of our key players have underperformed thus far into the 2011 season and they all have the potential to turn it around. We are just 2 weeks into the season but it's going to take an entire team effort to turn the season around get back to where we need to be. Once everyone gets back and healthy I expect our hometown nine to return to form and make a late season run like so many Ron Gardenhire managed teams have done in the past.

--NX

Big Win

Although its early in the 2011 campaign yesterdays comeback win in the Bronx over the Yankees in extra innings may prove to be big for the Twins. The Twins offense has lacked what we had all last season. Last year we could count on Joe Mauer, Delmon Young and Justin Morneau (when healthy) to have timely hitting and hitting for average. So far this season they have a combined .157 (8 for 51) batting average. Last night though we did see some positive signs, the Twins showed some resilence coming back from a 4-0 deficit with a 4 run 8th inning. We did to the Yankees what they so often do to us.

Although it was just one win it may prove to be what we need to get this season jump started. So far the 2011 Twins haven't looked like a Ron Gardenhire managed club typically has in the past. The errors are up, runs are down, and pitching has been less than satisfactory. Through the first 5 games our teams batting average is just .205 and the team era is 5.86 both statistics rank near the bottom of the league. It is just 5 games in and we have made some improvements over the last couple nights, it still may be a cause for some concern. The Twins entered the year with so many question marks and you wonder how many times Ron Gardenhire can piece together division championship ball club.

There has been a few positive signs even though the stars of the ball club have struggled thus far. Jason Kubel and Denard Span are off to strong starts after taking a step backwards last season. Also, Joe Nathan had a 1-2-3 inning last night to save the game for the Twins after looking shaky in his first appearance against Toronto on Sunday. The Twins home opener is Friday against Oakland and I look for the play to be improved in front the 40,000 Twins crazed fans in the friendly confines of Target Field.

Free Kevin Slowey

There are a lot of bad starting pitching in baseball, I mean usually the back end of the rotation is a revolving door of starters due to injuries and also simply in effectiveness. After reading this, I began to think how the Twins rotation should be situated, since they have 3 or 4 pitchers (depending if you count Pavano) that essentially are the same. These pitchers are Kevin Slowey, Nick Blackburn, and Scott Baker. We will leave Pavano out of this because he is slated to be the Twins #2 starter and was never in the battle for the last 2 spots in the rotation.


Going into this season for the first time in quite some time the Twins weakness is there pitching as a whole. They have become an offensive team over the last couple of years. The bullpen is in shambles after the loss of Matt Guerrier and Jon Rauch. But with Joe Nathan back in the mix after missing last year after Tommy John surgery the Twins bullpen should be at least average. But the rotation is the thing that scares me most.


So the question is, did the Twins make the right decision by picking Blackburn and Baker? I believe they made the right call with Baker, but not with Blackburn. I even threw out Blackburn's 2010 season where he had elbow problems. But other then the 2008 Tie Breaker game he hasn't been to impressive.


So I've crunched the numbers. Scott Baker is the best pitcher of the bunch, based on the numbers. So it is down to Kevin Slowey vs. Nick Blackburn.

Predictions

So the baseball season is upon us. As usual it is time for my world famous predictions column.

Usually when I write these types of posts I am a slave to my unrealistic expectations, as I have picked my AL MVP on B.J. Upton's talent and potential instead of actual results.  So this year I plan to base these picks on actual results. 

This is the year Matt Weiters finally "gets it".

After this year everyone will know the names of..

AL- Adam Jones, Carlos Santana, Alex Gordon, Jeremy Hellickson.

NL- Brandon Belt, Dexter Fowler, Jay Bruce.

B.J. Upton will finally put it all together and be the Monster all the scout said he would be. ( I had to, it is a tradition.)

Clay Buchholz is for real.

AROD is back.

Adrian Gonzalez will hit .340.

Joe Mauer will hit .350+.

Troy Tulowitzki will over take Hanley Ramirez for best SS on the planet. (if he hasn't already, he is in my book.)