2012 Minnesota Twins Predictions

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The Minnesota Twins were the class of the American League Central from 2001-10 with six division titles and just one season with a losing record. But after a 63-99 mark and last place finish in 2011, it looks like it could be awhile before the Twins sit atop the AL Central again.

Projected Pitching

Starting rotation: Carl Pavano (R) – Pavano’s the workhorse of the staff. His 222 innings were nearly 61 innings more than the next closest starter. He wasn’t quite as sharp as he was in 2010 when he went 17-11 with a 3.75 ERA. He finished 9-13 with a 4.30 ERA in 2011.

Francisco Liriano (L) – He has ace-quality stuff when he’s on but wasn’t on often enough in 2011, finishing 9-10 with a 5.09 ERA. Injuries have played a role in keeping him from realizing the potential he showed in 2006 when he went 12-3 with a 2.16 ERA.

Scott Baker (R) – Baker went 8-6 last season and led all starters with a 3.14 ERA. It was the first time in four seasons he failed to win at least 11 games.

Nick Blackburn (R) – Like Baker, 2011 marked the first time in four years Blackburn failed to reach double-digit wins. He went 7-10 with a 4.49 ERA last season.

Jason Marquis (R) – Minnesota didn’t add any star power to a lackluster staff, but it did add an innings-eater in Marquis. He went 8-6 with a 4.43 ERA between Washington and Arizona in 2011. Injuries have cut into his reputation as a workhorse in recent years, but he’ll have a chance to regain that status in Minnesota.

Closer: Matt Capps (R) – Capps showed promise as a closer in 2010 when he posted a 2.47 ERA and saved 43 games, but his ERA slumped to 4.25 last season.

Projected Lineup

Joe Mauer (Catcher) – Not having him healthy really hurt the Twins in 2011. He hit just .287 in 82 games after hitting batting at least .327 each of the previous three seasons.

Justin Morneau (First Base) – After four straight seasons with at least 23 home runs and 100 RBIs, Morneau has only totaled 22 homers and 86 RBIs the last two seasons as he’s been dealt a harsh dose of the injury bug. The Twins need him healthy if they’re going to claw their way out of the division basement.

Alexi Casilla (Second Base) – Casilla will be in stiff competition with Trevor Plouffe and Luke Hughes for the second base job but should get the first crack at it after posting a .322 on-base percentage last season.

Danny Valencia (Third Base) – Valencia hit .311 in 85 games in 2010 but batted just .246 in his first full major league season.

Jamey Carroll (Shortstop) – The Twins are counting on the former Los Angeles Dodger to play sound defense and get on base. He had a solid .290 average last year.

Ben Revere (Left Field) – He struggled at the plate in 2011, hitting .267 with no round trippers and 30 RBIs, but his speed makes him an asset on defense.

Denard Span (Center Field) – Concussion symptoms derailed Span’s season following a hot start. He has the speed and power to be a star, and I’m expecting a bounce back campaign out of him.

Josh Willingham (Right Field) – He appears to be a pretty good pickup. He blasted 29 homers and totaled 98 RBIs for Oakland last year.

Ryan Doumit (Designated Hitter) – We’ll also see Mauer and Morneau in this role, but I expect Doumit to get the most swings at DH. He batted .303 for Pittsburgh in 2011.

Prediction5th Place AL Central: Even if Mauer, Morneau and Span bounce back from injury-plagued seasons, the Twins likely don’t have the starting pitching to dig their way out of the Central cellar. Baseball odds makers have listed the Twins at +2000 to win the AL Central.

About the Author: Jimmy Boyd is known for his consistency. He's a proven winner in college and pro football, college and pro basketball and pro baseball. He finished as the No. 1 ranked MLB handicapper in 2007 by earning $1,000/game bettors $50,050. He also finished as the No. 1 ranked basketball handicapper in the 2008-09 season, profiting $1,000/game bettors 38,530. His basketball plays have banked $1,000/game bettors nearly $80,000 the last five years. Check out Jimmy's premium picks for tonight!
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