Good job on your first blog! It seems every day the future gets a little bit clearer, but congratulations on taking the first shot.

Here's my take on a 2014 Opening Day lineup, something between what I realistically think it could be and what I wish it would be:

Batting order:

8 Hicks

4 Dozier

5 Mauer

DH Willingham

3 Morneau

7 Arcia

9 Parmelee

2 Herrmann

6 Florimon

OF Clete Thomas

IF

Util Doumit

I think Morneau still has the fire but is maybe out of tread. He'll be on 1-yr deals until he retires and maybe that comes in a couple years with Mauer moving to first when Sano is ready. Mauer needs to move from behind the plate asap but maybe catch once a week to make him happy. Plouffe I'm sure is a nice guy but needs to go far away from here.

Pitching

1. Free Agent

2. Gibson

3. Diamond/Deduno

4. 5. Swarzak, Albers, Worley, etc

closwr Perkins

I'm convinced the Twins already have the arms to build a solid staff, they just need some coaching to guide them at the big league level. I don't envision Gardenhire and his boys managing here again next year. Detroit will still be the class of the AL Central but quick turnarounds can happen!

Let me add several thoughts on future starting pitchers. I agree with Stewart, Meyer, and Gibson. I would go with Eades and our first college starter drafted in 2014 also. I would include Berrios as the next up and Wimmers as a dark horse. Jim Callis at BA has May as a reliever, and I believe everything he says.

Eades was the #2 starter at LSU for 2 years and is a hard thrower. I really like pitchers from top college programs and no college program is better than LSU.

The 2014 draft is much stronger than the past 2. If the BPA to the Twins is a college starter, he should be available by 2016.

Once again rikker49, great idea for a blog. I can't get myself to even think about what our starting rotation will look like in 2014. I'm hoping our scouts really like Tanaka in Japan, we have 100M, and everyone else is out of money.

Go Twins!

Fun stuff rikker49.

Cannot see any reason Hicks would lead off next year. In fact I believe it is more possible that he starts the year in AAA than leading off for the Twins.

Sadly, that 2014 lineup is not one I expect to score a great many runs.

Hmmm...