Jim Bowden recently posted an article at ESPN with his bold predictions for 2012. Among them was that he thought the Twins would trade Justin Morneau. I quite frankly do not see any scenerio in which that would happen (if he is healthy and performing, they need him to compete and could not get equal value in return. If he is hurt, nobody would touch him). But it does create an interesting discussion topic. Here are my bold predictions for the year:

 

- Scott Baker will make less than 10 starts for the Twins, but they will pick up his option for 2013.

- Matt Capps will save less than 10 games for the Twins.

- Joe Mauer will catch over 135 games and bat .330.

- In spite of an inconsistent rotation and subpar defense, this team will win at least 81 games.

 

Let's hear what you all think.

I think Capps will get more then 10 saves, besides that looks pretty good.

 

Mine: Morneau hits 40+ HR

Liriano will be an All Star pick.

I can see a scenario where Morneau gets traded this year. If he is healthy and producing he instantly becomes one of the highest value players on the roster. With Parmelee ready to take over @ 1B, Morneau becomes tradeable. We need starting pitching for next year (Blackburn the only one under contract for 2013), and Morneau would be more than a 6th month rental and his $14M salary for 2013 is very reasonable for his production when healthy.

Much improved bullpen, team defense and a healthy middle of the batting order. Twins in a battle for 2nd place with KC. Tigers run away with the divison. A much more competitive and entertaining season than last year.

Here is a few predictions...

 

~ Plouffe will surprise some with around 20HR's. Hitting between .250 -.265, while being an effective utility guy jumping between the IF & OF

~ Morneau wins comeback player of the year hitting Upper 20 HR's while batting close to .300

~ Mauer has comparable year to 07, 08 & 10 Season

~ Liriano wins 15 games (11 as a Twin)

Mauer and Morneau both stay off the DL the entire year.

Twins take shortstop Merrero (sp) #2 overall and this site explodes

Twins win the World Series.. More realistically though, Parmelee preforms well, and Pavano gets traded.

Gardenhire will be thrown out of a Game. What's the over under on this one?

Much improved, but fighting for second place in July. Revere, Span, Liriano and Hughes have a big first half, and Nishioka and Liam Hendriks tear up AAA. Liriano gets traded for a RF veteran, Span gets traded for a power arm prospect. Plouffe hits big, but can't field well enough to start, and is traded with Butera and a AAA pitcher for a young, fast, high-defense SS. Carroll gets hurt, Nishi gets brought up, Hendricks replaces Liriano in the lineup.

 

By August, our regular starting lineup is C-Mauer, 1B- Parmalee/Hughes Platoon, 2B Nishi, SS New Guy, 3B Valencia, RF New Guy, CF Revere, LF Willingham, DH Morneau, bench: Casilla, Doumit, Tosoni, Burroughs.

The entire team stays healthy throughout the first half. Terry Ryan becomes so frustrated with the fact that he has nothing to say to the media that he decides to trade Denard Span. Twins Territory goes into meltdown because Span, a 2012 all star, is traded for a closer because Matt Capps blows multiple save opportunities and Glenn Perkins is relegated to mopup duty after eating so many twinkies (hey, he's got to find ways to spend all that money) that he gains 50 pounds and loses form on his delivery.

 

Danny Valencia, our other 2012 all star, becomes officially adopted by Gardenhire and the new official poster boy for, "we just play the game the right way".

 

Finally, Liriano's first half is SO good and the team has SO much $$$ going forward with other contracts coming off the books that the Twins sign him to a 5 year extension for$80 million.

Edited March 29, 201214 yr by silverslugger

I predict Casilla will take over SS and have a big year. He will no longer be Gardenhires whipping boy.

I those calls, does Dozier stay up and establish himself?

I'm betting we don't see Dozier at the major league level until September. If the Twins are sucking and Carroll and Casilla go down, it makes more sense to bring Nishi or one of the other "AAAA" guys up, rather than start Dozier's service time on a bottom dwelling team. If they are hot and Carroll and Casilla go down, it would make more sense to swing a trade and bring a solid defender like Punto to plug the gap, rather than trust a rookie with no big league experience to hold down such a critical position.

 

Basically, I think it hinges on the idea that a hot young kid at SS isn't going to win us many of games by himself, but an overwhelmed rookie who isn't quite ready for The Show could easily lose us a number of games at SS.

OK - I'll play - Here's mine:

 

- Morneau appears in less than 30 games,

- Twins win 80 games,

- Nishi "disappears" and is never again seen in the bigs,

- Perkins start his role as closer in mid May,

- Mauer hits 27 homers, - all of them in the 2012 season!

- Gardy is sidelined by a health issue

Mike Scoscia and three Angels players are fined by MLB for falling over laughing at the Twins' opening weekend celebration of the 10-year anniversary of a postseason berth.

Oh, one more. Gardy pulls what's left of his hair out by mid-June

Gardenhire will be thrown out of a Game. What's the over under on this one?

I'll put the Over/Under at 4.5. I'll take the under.

Matt Capps will record 35 or more saves.

30 or more bloggers here will predict Matt Capps will record 30 or more saves.

-Morneau hits for the cycle

-Span hits.325 and is an All-star

-Perkins converts more saves than Joe Nathan

Parmelee wins AL ROY.

Perkins sets the MLB record for holds in a season.

Capps gets 40+ saves.

Valencia becomes a 20 HR, 100 RBI hitter.

4 players surpass 20 HR's (Morneau, Valencia, Willingham, Parmelee)

Gardy loses the rest of his hair because he misses Ozzie.

Gardy is walking down some street in Ft. Myers this spring. Suddenly there is a flash! From nowhere appears a DeLorean and Dr. Emmitt Brown emerges from this vehicle. Dr. Brown shouts, "Gardy! We have to fix the future, come with me!" Gardy being the age of 27/28 at the time of the release of the movie "Back to the Future" feels a little nostalgic and agrees, not knowing what he is getting into. Dr. Brown and Gardy get into the DeLorean and travel back to 1982, where Dr, Brown instigates the kidnapping or coercion of talking the 24/25 year old Gardenhire into coming to the future. Dr. Brown, Old Gardy and Young Gardy get back to present day Ft. Myers and Old Gardy immediately installs Young Gardy as his starting Shortstop. Old Gardy then convinces Terry Ryan to trade Aaron Hicks for Nick Punto and Punto is installed as our starting 3rd baseman. Danny Valencia is shocked, but is convinced by Emmitt Brown, that as a 3rd baseman he would be an offensive and defensive baseball star in the 1910's and he will take him there. As Dr. Brown and Danny Valencia are about to leave in the DeLorean, traveling to the 1910's, Dr. Brown has a thought: Hmmm, I wonder if 1992 Jeff Reboulet could help the 2012 Twins... Let's find out!

86 wins -- Mauer wins another batting title and belts 22 HRs 105 RBI (All-Star)

Mourneau plays well but only plays about 100 games 70 or so as DH... 25 HRs .277 BA

Liriano (All-star) wins 18 games 3.35 ERA -- flip side Baker pitches little and his option is NOT picked up.

Big breakout for Parmalee at 1B (15 HRs and 75 RBI) and everyone is talking about Morneau's future with Twins by end of season.

Middle Infield and Starting Pitching continue to be Achillies heal (Dozier is given a shot but doesn't play that well)

86 wins -- Mauer wins another batting title and belts 22 HRs 105 RBI (All-Star)

Mourneau plays well but only plays about 100 games 70 or so as DH... 25 HRs .277 BA

Liriano (All-star) wins 18 games 3.35 ERA -- flip side Baker pitches little and his option is NOT picked up.

Big breakout for Parmalee at 1B (15 HRs and 75 RBI) and everyone is talking about Morneau's future with Twins by end of season.

Middle Infield and Starting Pitching continue to be Achillies heal (Dozier is given a shot but doesn't play that well)

Let's up the ante for Mauer:

[TABLE=class: sortable stats_table row_summable]

[TH=class: tooltip sort_default_asc show_partial_when_sorting, align: left]Year[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip sort_default_asc show_partial_when_sorting, align: center]Age[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip sort_default_asc show_partial_when_sorting, align: center]Tm[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip sort_default_asc, align: center]Lg[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]G[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]PA[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]AB[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]R[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]H[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]2B[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]3B[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]HR[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]RBI[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]SB[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]CS[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]BB[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]SO[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip hide_non_quals, align: center]BA[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip hide_non_quals, align: center]OBP[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip hide_non_quals, align: center]SLG[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip hide_non_quals, align: center]OPS[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip hide_non_quals, align: center]OPS+[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]TB[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]GDP[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]HBP[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]SH

[/TH]

[/TABLE]

 

[TABLE=class: sortable stats_table row_summable]

[TR=class: full hl]

[TD=align: left]2012

[/TD]

[TD=align: right]29

[/TD]

[TD=align: left]MIN

[/TD]

[TD=align: left]AL

[/TD]

[TD=align: right]143[/TD]

[TD=align: right]606[/TD]

[TD=align: right]456[/TD]

[TD=align: right]135[/TD]

[TD=align: right]185[/TD]

[TD=align: right]33[/TD]

[TD=align: right]3[/TD]

[TD=align: right]37[/TD]

[TD=align: right]120[/TD]

[TD=align: right]2[/TD]

[TD=align: right]4[/TD]

[TD=align: right]147[/TD]

[TD=align: right]27[/TD]

[TD=align: right].406[/TD]

[TD=align: right].553[/TD]

[TD=align: right].735[/TD]

[TD=align: right]1.287[/TD]

[TD=align: right]234[/TD]

[TD=align: right]335[/TD]

[TD=align: right]10[/TD]

[TD=align: right]3[/TD]

[TD=align: right]0[/TD]

[TD=align: right][/TD]

[/TR]

[/TABLE]

We absolutely do not want to witness this in the regular Season. Our Bullpen going up in smoke!

 

http://a1.ec-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/32/29a8f043ef224d3f898bf7949167263c/l.jpg

Edited March 30, 201214 yr by Highabove

I agree with just about everything Itwedt says, particularly with Grady and his health. There could be trouble ahead. I disagree in that I think Morneau will play more than 120 games. One prediction: Luke Hughes will become a starter and hold a position for for 7+ years.

We absolutely do not want to witness this in the regular Season.

 

http://a1.ec-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/32/29a8f043ef224d3f898bf7949167263c/l.jpg

True dat. True Dat. True Dat.

Drew Butera will make the team and bat over .200

Gardy is walking down some street in Ft. Myers this spring. Suddenly there is a flash! From nowhere appears a DeLorean and Dr. Emmitt Brown emerges from this vehicle. Dr. Brown shouts' date=' "Gardy! We have to fix the future, come with me!" Gardy being the age of 27/28 at the time of the release of the movie "Back to the Future" feels a little nostalgic and agrees, not knowing what he is getting into. Dr. Brown and Gardy get into the DeLorean and travel back to 1982, where Dr, Brown instigates the kidnapping or coercion of talking the 24/25 year old Gardenhire into coming to the future. Dr. Brown, Old Gardy and Young Gardy get back to present day Ft. Myers and Old Gardy immediately installs Young Gardy as his starting Shortstop. Old Gardy then convinces Terry Ryan to trade Aaron Hicks for Nick Punto and Punto is installed as our starting 3rd baseman. Danny Valencia is shocked, but is convinced by Emmitt Brown, that as a 3rd baseman he would be an offensive and defensive baseball star in the 1910's and he will take him there. As Dr. Brown and Danny Valencia are about to leave in the DeLorean, traveling to the 1910's, Dr. Brown has a thought: Hmmm, I wonder if 1992 Jeff Reboulet could help the 2012 Twins... Let's find out![/quote']

 

Umm...What?