It will be a magical day when the Hubert H. Hump-"me" dome gets torn down. But like the Chicago Cubs, everyone will have to "wait till next year" for the new Target Field. Hopefully the lovely bear comes with.
Until then, the Minnesota Twins will gear up for another run at a AL Central division crown after losing 1-0 in the division "championship game" to the Chicago White Sox in 2008.
Much like the White Sox, the Twins retain everyone of worth in 2009 with an addition here and there.
Former Chicago third baseman Joe Crede is literally the only addition to the lineup. Frankly, my guess is that the signing merely leaves a bad taste in White Sox fan's mouths and doesn't mean the difference between a title or not.
Crede has a history of a balky back that tends to get worse on the artificial grass. Minnesota claims that Crede will be the designated hitter at home games but that defeats the whole point of having him in the first place.
He had a career year in 2006 with 30 home runs and 94 RBIs but hasn't played a full season since. Even before that, Crede wasn't exactly an offensive force, it was his underrated defense that kept him around.
There isn't much to say about the Twins that wasn't already said in 2008. The season still hinges on a young rotation and can become outstanding if Francisco Liriano returns to full strength and dominance.
The rotation isn't all that much different from the one the White Sox have and the lineup is well-rounded and suited for playing on the carpet at the dome.
I'm not sure what could possibly derail this team either, although the bullpen features a slew of new faces. I'll put out who I think my playoffs teams are in a week or so after I finish the Pale Hose preview but until then, I'll pencil them in as tied atop the standings again in 2009.
Photo Credit: Flickr.com
0 comments:
Post a Comment