Twins Notes

I think we've all been expecting either Joe Benson or Aaron Hicks to be our new regular centerfielder when the season starts.

That's NOT going to happen.

Unless Darrin Mastroianni gets hurt or is absolutely worthless, the job will be his when the season begins.

Why? Benson had microfracture surgery on his knee this past off-season. That was the same surgery that the NBA's Greg Odom, the big Portland center, had on his knees. Basically, they deliberately put small breaks in the knee cap so that it can heal stronger. Recovery time is several months so he simply will not be ready at the beginning of the season.

Hicks is a different story. We've already sent him up and down so many times that IF we bring him up again and we DON'T use him, we risk losing him. The NEXT time we bring him up will be the last time we bring him up, so we aren't going to bring him up unless he PROVES he's ready, or Mastroianni (I HATE typing that name. It's not like OKC at all.) totally collapses in the roll.

The Twins already know that if this season goes as bad as predicted early, they will trade both Morneau and Willingham before the end of the trade deadline in July. Unless both are having monster years, neither will bring us much in trade. That's the current state of baseball economics.

Chris Parmalee will be our rightfielder until we trade Morneau. Oswaldo Arcia will take his place when Parmalee becomes our regular first baseman. Clete Thomas may figure in there somewhere while we wait for Hicks or Benson.

Tim Wood will be the Twins 12th highest paid player this year. Even though he's had less than a year of major league service the Twins will pay him $675,000 this season to pitch from our bullpen. In comparison, Swarzack, who has over two years of experience, will be making only $530,000 doing the same job. I have no idea why the Twins think he's worth that much.

Who will be our infielders this year? Plouffe at third, a combination of Carrol, Dozier, and Floriman in the middle, and Morneau at first.

I always hesitate reporting things like this because it's so early in spring training BUT, so far, Kyle Gibson looks like our best starting pitcher. His career ERA in AAA was over 4.00 so that could be good news or bad news depending on how you look at it.

The ESPN poll has the Twins listed as the worst team in the American League this season. The worst team in all of baseball? The Houston Astros.