stringer bell

In the last year, Buxton (shoulder), Meyer (arm), Sano (elbow) and Pinto (shoulder) have all missed at least some time with injuries. Combine that with Rosario's looming suspension and there seems to be many reasons to be concerned about the team's top prospects. However, it looks like all will be healthy this spring. It shows to me that counting on the prospects to carry the team to championships is not a sure thing.

Should have been, but the award was given to Mauer.

Have there been reports that Kubel's struggles were injury-related? I know that he's spent time on the DL and I wonder if health has something to do with what looks like decline. He isn't that old and he is less than two years removed from All-Star caliber hitting. It could be that sporadic at-bats would spur the downturn. Since Kubel is offense-only", if he's not hitting he's not playing.

I understood that if a player was outrighted to the minors once, then made it to the majors, he couldn't be outrighted again without his consent. PJ Walters comes to mind as a guy who went through that scenario, also Clete Thomas.

I am somewhat of a Parmelee fan. I think he's had a chance and has failed. He might have the good fortune of having one last chance. Both he and Worley looked kind of dumpy in the uniforms. Maybe he'll show up in great shape and win a spot.

Kubel almost made the All-Star team and fell off pretty dramatically in the second half of '12. 2013 was a disaster and cost him big money. Yeah, he's probably in decline, but for the price of a minor league contract, it is worth seeing if he can "find it" again. Just two years ago, he was pretty good. I think anyone that has been above average in this decade has a chance to do it again in 2014. That would include Willingham, Diamond, Worley, and Plouffe, as well as Kubel and perhaps Doumit.

I don't know if Garza can be had for the numbers quoted here. Garza is the superior option for next year and beyond. He hasn't been an ace, but he is a decent #2/#3. Pelfrey figures to be improved. I'll make the fairly weak prediction that he'll have better numbers than at least one of the three free agents currently in the rotation. Two years for $12M is not a bargain, but it would be fair value for a 30 y.o. #3/#4, which I think he'll pan out to be.

While Mauer's BABIP was obscenely high last year, his K rate was also (for him) stratospheric. I expect that he will strike out considerably less, so that he will maintain a high batting average.

I'm going with Brian Dozier as a long shot choice. The Twins will be hosting the game this year and if Dozier continues his offensive and defensive improvement of 2013, he'll be a decent candidate.

Mauer is already an All-Star, albeit at a position he won't be playing. Who will be the next Minnesota Twins position player named to the All-Star team?

Perkins doesn't count, he already is an All-Star. Who will be the next pitcher named to the All-Star team as a Minnesota Twin?

According to the PP, Josmil Pinto has been removed from his Venezuelan winter league team. He hasn't caught in several weeks because of a sore shoulder and has only pinch hit. He only hit .179 in his limited at-bats. Pinto has a sore throwing arm at midseason, rested it, and was okay the rest of the year. How big of a red flag is this injury? Will we see the Twins getting serious about a veteran catcher? Will Eric Fryer start Opening Day? Scary!

The easy answer is Hicks. I am going with Scott Diamond (probably one of the few) who came from nowhere to be good, now is back to nowhere and I am prognosticating a return to middle of the rotation starter (for no particular reason).

In my continuing series of polls about the Twins in 2014 and beyond--which disappointment from 2013 will bounce back and be considered part of future success for the Twins (2015 & beyond)?

I'm pretty sure that Mastroanni and Presley start the season as the Twins' center fielders. Hick's play in 2013 has put him in Rochester to start 2014. After the first of May, I can see Hicks in center and "Prestroanni" in left. Doumit and Herrman figure in as well. Hammer and Doumit should be the primary DHs. It is not ideal, but decent production from the veterans, a bounceback from Hicks and an OPS of around 100 from Presley and Mastro would be a nice improvement over last year. Most likely, of the five I've mentioned here, somebody will disappoint and somebody else might step up, but I expect major improvement, both offensively and defensively from center and left and also better production from the Twins' DHs.

Save me a place by the batting cage, Halsey. It looks like I'll be making my third straight trip to ST in March.

Sorry for the inaccuracy.

The Rockies signed a guy who played a minute for the Twins. I can't remember his name right now, but he made a key error in Toronto and then signed on with the Mets or Orioles (or both) and then got busted for PED. Maybe he'll lead the ex-Twin Rockies in long balls. I found him on BB ref--Jason Pridie!

Sorry! Let me clarify. The title says "leads the Rockies in HR". I meant the question to be between the ex-Twins on the Rockies, which would hit the most homers? If healthy, Cuddy is pretty certain to get between 20 and 25. That would then put forward whether Morneau would a) be healthy and find his long-lost power stroke (except for his August of last year, where he did hit a lot of homers).

Which ex-Twin will hit the most home runs for the Rockies in 2014?

Which Twins pitcher leads the team in victories? I know wins aren't the measure of a pitcher, but the sad thing here is I'm listing nine names and I am not sure I've picked the one who will lead the team.

Who leads the 2014 Twins in home runs? Last year's leader--Brian Dozier--will be back with the team, but I would consider him a long shot.

Which player starts the most games for the Twins at catcher? Again, we know it won't be the same as 2013--that answer was Joe Mauer.

To provoke conversation, I am going to start a few polls about the Twins. I also will post one poll about ex-Twins and I hope that is OK. Number 1--Which player starts the most games for the Twins in the outfield? BTW, I believe the answer to this question for 2013 was the immortal Clete Thomas.