Minnesota Twins

Leading up to the 2009 season for the Minnesota Twins, the question was how the team was going to find playing time for their five main outfielders.  

Michael Cuddyer, Denard Span, Jason Kubel, Carlos Gomez, and Delmon Young were all candidates to see significant playing time, but Ron Gardenhire was supposed to have a difficult time divvying up the playing time among them.  

Well, we are 35 games into the season and the play of the five aforementioned outfielders thus far have dictated their roles.  

Originally published by me at my blog, TwinsFix.com.

The 2009 June Draft is just around the corner and I'm sure quite a few of you weren't aware of it. Unless your name happens to be Buster Olney I'll bet you couldn't list the top ten prospects. 

Over the next few weeks I will be reviewing the last 15 years' worth of Minnesota Twins' drafts. Up first: 1994.

The 1994 MLB Draft
 

First Round

Last Saturday, I went to my first Twins game of the year. I was very excited that they played well, both offensively and defensively, and won.

The Minnesota Twins are off to a 15-17 start and are currently three games back in the division to Kansas City. For the Twins to win the division, they will have to improve a little bit to be a better team.

In the brave new world of the steroids era, nobody is above suspicion in organized baseball.

Not when five of the top 12 all-time fence busters (Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire, Rafael Palmiero, and Alex Rodriguez) are suspected of amassing their home-run totals under questionable circumstances.

Not when the pitcher who's ranked ninth in career wins, Roger Clemens, may forever have to pay the admission price to Cooperstown when he wants in.

Baseball fans, pundits, beat reporters, and major league managers and general managers alike, look to the usual suspects when a team is below the .500 mark at this stage of the season.

Things such as a lack of clutch hitting, an erratic starting rotation, an ineffective bullpen, sloppy fielding, and inattentive base-running.

The Minnesota Twins have suffered breakdowns in all these departments at one time or another thus far this season.

That's why they sit at 15-17, mired in third place in the American League Central Division.

When the Minnesota Twins traded for Delmon Young prior to last season, everybody thought the team was bringing in a hitter with big power potential. The assumption was rightfully so; Young had hit .288 with 13 homeruns and 93 RBI with the Rays and was just barely 21-years old.

In his first season with the Twins, Young hit .290 with 10 homeruns and 69 RBI. The numbers weren't bad; Young upped his average from the year before and also struck out 22 fewer times. Yet the expectations that the homerun totals would rise with age caused most to be critical of Young and the trade.

What if your wildest dream came true?

Do you dream of winning the lottery, being president, or just finally having that hot chick at work talk to you?

Well my dream would be to coach the Minnesota Twins.

As it seemed on Friday, the planets have finally aligned. With one mighty swing from Joe, the Twins still have much room for improvement.

The Minnesota Twins held their own and kept themselves near the top of the American League Central with an 11-11 record in the first month of the season.

To say the least, they did a good job; they had no Joe Mauer, and in recent history, April has not been a month of strength for the team.

Last season, the Twins never once reached the .500 mark in April. In 2006, the year in which the magical run took place, the Twins faltered in April and struggled mightily until the month was over.

Jerry Lewis had Dean Martin, Barney Rubble had Fred Flintstone, and Ed Norton had Ralph Kramden. Each good enough to stand by themselves but with their sidekick, they are that much more enjoyable. Now Justin Morneau has his Joe Mauer back in the lineup.

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If one team actually played the game perfectly (which would mean the other team couldn’t, quite), baseball would be dull. Tonight, in the first of a weekend series against the Royals, the Twins produce a dull second inning and eight other exciting ones as they hoist themselves over .500.

Kevin Slowey starts for the Twins. In his last outing against the Indians, he was masterful and he has assembled a pretty 3-0 record, though the journey there has required some nail biting.