April 1st

LONG SEASON AHEAD FOR THE TWINS?

Even though the baseball season started overseas in Japan last week, and the Washington Nationals opened their new park in dramatic fashion with a walk-off extra-inning home run against the Atlanta Braves Sunday night in the US opener, the Baseball season is finally here and thus the Twins opener on a snowy Monday.

The Twins are coming off a 79-83 season, their first below .500 season in the Ron Gardenhire Era and first losing season since 2000. Depending on your point of view last season was a disappointing one considering the miracle run the season before in which they found new ways to win games late, including 22 of 24 in June and July that helped them win the Central Division with a 96-66. Oakland swept Minnesota in the Division Series, and I thought that the Twins were a better team then one to be swept in the first round, but in the same breath not one that was gonna go all the way and win the World Series. 2006 was a miracle season, but it was just that, and not one that would be duplicated in 2007 or any other season by any other team, even though several fans were expecting it.

2007 was a step back for Minnesota but not totally unexpected by those who are true baseball fans, and not the casual fan who just sees Baseball as a filler until the football season starts.

With the 2008 season starting for Twins and every other team, there are several questions surrounding the soon to move outdoor dome dwellers that myself and every other Baseball fan could and has spent the whole off season nitpicking.

The main question really is are the "New Look" Twins gonna be better or worse than last season?

As the season starts I would have to say that Minnesota will be an under .500 team for the second straight season.

While the Twins did make several moves, I don't know that you could say that those moves improved the team for this season, but instead filled some of the holes from the players they lost.

The biggest loss for the Twins was two-time Cy Young award winner Johan Santana. It was suggested in the local media that he would never win another Cy Young and that his better pitching days were behind him and the Twins should make a Frank Viola type trade for prospects, as when that trade was made in 1989 a few of the players played a key part in Minnesota winning the 1991 World Series.

It's funny how right after that talk started, the consensus of "Twins Fans" was that they should make a Viola type trade with Santana, as history might repeat itself, and that Francisco Liriano is a younger better version of Santana and he'll be able to step right in after missing all of '07 with Tommy John surgery, so it's a wash.

Of the players acquired in the trade with the Mets for Johan, only outfielder Carlos Gomez made the roster. Should history be repeated, I wouldn't go so far as to call it another miracle, but with a money pitcher like Santana, and another certain former Twins second baseman, the Mets are looking like the preseason favorite in the National League.

Liriano has yet to throw a regular season pitch post Tommy John surgery and isn't on the opening day active roster. When he does come back many would like to believe he'll be exactly the same pitcher who out-dueled Roger Clemens on that ESPN broadcast and went 12-3 with a 2.16 ERA and 144 K's in 121 innings pitched in 2006. Until he makes his way onto the active roster and makes at least 20 starts the jury's still out.

With Matt Garza also traded to Tampa Bay and Carlos Silva lost to Seattle in free-agency the Twins are without 3/5 of their starting rotation from last year. Not to mention two pitchers who ate up 200+ innings in Silva and Santana. Say what you want about Silva, but he had an around .500 record and could be counted on for 6-7 innings a start and 200 a season.

Minnesota did sign Livan Hernandez to a one-year contract, and in a sense replaced Silva, but if it's just a fix for this season or not remains to be seen.

Delmon Young (Career .289 AVG, 16 HR, 103 RBI in 193 Games) and Carlos Gomez (Career .232 AVG, 2 HR, 12 RBI in 58 Games) are good young prospects and possible replacements for Torii Hunter, but of the two only Young last year played a full season and was runner up for rookie of the year. A full season this year will determine, mostly in Gomez's case, if he's ready or needs another year or two to develop.

--On a side note speaking of Hunter, what may be forgotten by most is that the Kansas City Royals offered him a five-year 80-million contract, and that he turned that down before signing with the Anaheim Angels (I still refuse to call them LA, as that would be like if St. Cloud had a pro sports team, but called themselves the Minneapolis _______).--

This season really comes down to what the Twins will get out of their starting rotation, and if Joe Mauer can play a full season (and tough it up and play when he's hurt).

As much as I'd like to say Minnesota is gonna have a better then .500 record this year, on opening day it looks as though it'll be hard for them to do so as everyone in the Central Division, including Kansas City, got better while the Twins were only able to fill holes left from last season departures.

There's a reason why the games aren't played on paper, and once June 1 comes we'll have a better idea of what sort of team the Twins are and can reevaluate the hand that Gardy has been dealt.