Hope springs eternal. No greater proof of this age-old baseball axiom exists than a recent Sporting News survey of broadcasters and former players of the 30 Major League teams. Shockingly, everyone seems to think that their club is going to “surprise some people” and finish higher than they are currently projected. So, take this proclamation with a grain of salt: the Minnesota Twins are poised to win this year’s World Series.
Not just compete for a division title, but a championship. The Twins of the naughts dropped 16 of their final 18 playoff games, including eight in a row at home. The short series format of the postseason provides underdogs an opportunity for sizeable upsets, but not unless teams possess power pitching or hitting that can dominate for a month-long stretch (see: ’06 Cards of Pujols, Carpenter and Wainwright). Minnesota has not opted for that path, leaving them with no other alternative than to construct a deep, balanced roster.
Finally, after hearing about building for the future for the past decade, the present has come, with management pouring nearly $100 million into this year’s club. Most of the increase is a result of holdovers receiving pay increases, but a handful of under-the-radar offseason moves could make 2010 much more exciting for fans than simply enjoying a new stadium.
No bigger move was made than the acquisition of second baseman Orlando Hudson. He solidifies the second spot in the lineup from an on-base percentage perspective that the Twins haven’t seen in years, plus he owns four gold gloves. For everything last year’s Orlando (Cabrera) gave the Twins, his OBP was .316. At their best, Nick Punto and Alexi Casilla were not on the same planet as Hudson. Now, the Twins have two OBP machines at the top of the lineup in front of Joe Mauer, a healthy Justin Morneau, Jason Kubel and Michael Cuddyer. Bam!
Furthermore, with Hudson on board, new shortstop J.J. Hardy can relax into the seventh or eighth position in the batting order, where his extra-base power is more suited. As much fun it was to watch Carlos Gomez’s speed, the trade for Hardy gives Minnesota a solid defensive shortstop with a career .979 fielding percentage who has also slugged 61 homers and 77 doubles the past three seasons. Plus, if Gardy wants to use Punto in the lineup, there is not nearly as much need for him to produce offensively, or he can use Brendan Harris and have a more versatile bench.
Throw future Hall-of-Famer Jim Thome and reliever Clay Condrey into the mix, subtract Bobby Keppel and Brian Buscher and this is easily the deepest roster the Twins have fielded in 20 years. On top of that, instead of grasping at straws with guys like Jeff Manship and Anthony Swarzak when players get hurt, the Twins can turn to veterans Jacque Jones and Mike Maroth or top prospect Danny Valencia.
The past two trips to the postseason for the Twins have been short-lived, last year in large part because the Yankees were simply better, but also because the squad couldn’t pull out close games. The starting rotation was unable to be lined up how it should have been (need I say more than Brian Duensing, Game 1?). The bullpen was exhausted. In 2006, the Twins didn’t win the division until after their regular season was officially over and last year it took 12 innings of a 163rd game. Scott Baker and Nick Blackburn are not C.C. Sabathia and A.J. Burnett, but they give the Twins a shot. Even without them, Minnesota was still tantalizingly close to winning both Games 2 and 3 last year.
So go ahead, fellow Twins fans – grab your sunblock (or winter jacket) and get ready for a title-winning drive for the hometown nine. After all, spring is no time to be timid.
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