worm33

Disagree....A more likely scenario would be Appell falling with Stewart available and the Twins taking someone like Reese Mcguire....I do not buy the twins taking Stewart. They have not taken a HS pitcher with their first pick in a draft since Dan Serafini in 1992 26th overall. Let alone one with signability concerns and leverage on his side. This is the 4th pick, I just dont see it. My #1 wish is Bryant followed by Gray.

Casper Wells

Off-speed stuff looks really good and he has good control of it...If he just had a little fastball command....

Beltran and Molina yes. They have 4 major league starters and 1 utility guy...Pretty compareable to a spring training lineup.

All star level lineup? Um no

I think this has mostly to do with the Twins selecting mostly High School position players for the last 10 years or so. For recent examples, Revere Span Parmelee Plouffe Cuddyer were all 1st round draft picks from high school who spent a ton of time in the minors. Mauer was really about the only one that was fast-tracked.

Dont blame you, that was 1 amazing season.

Its funny how you took the 2012 BA and coupled it with the 2009 OBP and SLG?

One of the best bits of news ive heard all spring.

Who cares, lets just hope Rosario sticks at 2b and has a good year and one of Polanco Santana Goodrum etc stick at SS and develop this year. Im optimistic about one thing right now for the Twins...2015 and beyond

To be fair the league AVG OBP the last 3 years is about .322. In 1999-2000 it was .345 But still you think maybe the Giants should have signed Becker in 2001 and had him leadoff in front of Bonds 73 homeruns instead of having Marvin Benard (.320 OBP) or Armando Rios (.332).

Becker was well ahead of his time. Amazing that his last 2 years in the major leagues he posted the following lines... 1999: 327 AB 258/395/371 2000: 357 AB 242/384/375 His last 684 AB in the major leagues he posted a 390 OBP and couldnt find a job after that.

Yes, Rich Becker is a much better comp for Hicks then Hunter.

I think Hicks best comp as a hitter is Milton Bradley. Prolly a better person though

You are without a doubt the most optimistic Twins guy out there and I respect that. But this team is the 2nd or 3rd worst team in the AL without a doubt. They have the worst rotation in the AL, (Yes I will take Astros current Norris Lyles Harell Bedard with Humber/Peacock but just barely) and the 2nd worst bullpen behind only the Astros. Everybody in the AL is loaded in the bullpen this year, and the Twins 4th best reliever is a guy gave up 2.59 HR/9 in AAA in 2011 (Fien). Their defense will also be one of the bottom 3 worst in the league with Plouffe Willingham and Parmalee (RF) all weak spots and Doumit catching 40-50 games or so. This does not bode well for a team who will again have the least strikeouts of anybody in baseball this year (and by a wide margin again. Last year Twins were 5.9 K/9 and 30th in the league. Indians were 29th at 6.78!) I do believe this team will hit. If Hicks starts the year in CF and can at least post a .330 OBP 1-7 (assuming Mauer hits 2) will be pretty decent. IF everything breaks just right this team could be .500 but thats if we catch a ton of breaks AND stay healthy.