Bold Twins Predictions for 2012

Jim Bowden recently posted an article at ESPN with his bold predictions for 2012. Among them was that he thought the Twins would trade Justin Morneau. I quite frankly do not see any scenerio in which that would happen (if he is healthy and performing, they need him to compete and could not get equal value in return. If he is hurt, nobody would touch him). But it does create an interesting discussion topic. Here are my bold predictions for the year:

- Scott Baker will make less than 10 starts for the Twins, but they will pick up his option for 2013.
- Matt Capps will save less than 10 games for the Twins.
- Joe Mauer will catch over 135 games and bat .330.
- In spite of an inconsistent rotation and subpar defense, this team will win at least 81 games.

Let's hear what you all think.

I think Capps will get more then 10 saves, besides that looks pretty good.

Mine: Morneau hits 40+ HR

Liriano will be an All Star pick.

I can see a scenario where Morneau gets traded this year. If he is healthy and producing he instantly becomes one of the highest value players on the roster. With Parmelee ready to take over @ 1B, Morneau becomes tradeable. We need starting pitching for next year (Blackburn the only one under contract for 2013), and Morneau would be more than a 6th month rental and his $14M salary for 2013 is very reasonable for his production when healthy.

Much improved bullpen, team defense and a healthy middle of the batting order. Twins in a battle for 2nd place with KC. Tigers run away with the divison. A much more competitive and entertaining season than last year.

Here is a few predictions...

~ Plouffe will surprise some with around 20HR's. Hitting between .250 -.265, while being an effective utility guy jumping between the IF & OF
~ Morneau wins comeback player of the year hitting Upper 20 HR's while batting close to .300
~ Mauer has comparable year to 07, 08 & 10 Season
~ Liriano wins 15 games (11 as a Twin)

Mauer and Morneau both stay off the DL the entire year.
Twins take shortstop Merrero (sp) #2 overall and this site explodes

Twins win the World Series.. More realistically though, Parmelee preforms well, and Pavano gets traded.

Gardenhire will be thrown out of a Game. What's the over under on this one?

Much improved, but fighting for second place in July. Revere, Span, Liriano and Hughes have a big first half, and Nishioka and Liam Hendriks tear up AAA. Liriano gets traded for a RF veteran, Span gets traded for a power arm prospect. Plouffe hits big, but can't field well enough to start, and is traded with Butera and a AAA pitcher for a young, fast, high-defense SS. Carroll gets hurt, Nishi gets brought up, Hendricks replaces Liriano in the lineup.

By August, our regular starting lineup is C-Mauer, 1B- Parmalee/Hughes Platoon, 2B Nishi, SS New Guy, 3B Valencia, RF New Guy, CF Revere, LF Willingham, DH Morneau, bench: Casilla, Doumit, Tosoni, Burroughs.

The entire team stays healthy throughout the first half. Terry Ryan becomes so frustrated with the fact that he has nothing to say to the media that he decides to trade Denard Span. Twins Territory goes into meltdown because Span, a 2012 all star, is traded for a closer because Matt Capps blows multiple save opportunities and Glenn Perkins is relegated to mopup duty after eating so many twinkies (hey, he's got to find ways to spend all that money) that he gains 50 pounds and loses form on his delivery.

Danny Valencia, our other 2012 all star, becomes officially adopted by Gardenhire and the new official poster boy for, "we just play the game the right way".

Finally, Liriano's first half is SO good and the team has SO much $$$ going forward with other contracts coming off the books that the Twins sign him to a 5 year extension for$80 million.

I predict Casilla will take over SS and have a big year. He will no longer be Gardenhires whipping boy.

I those calls, does Dozier stay up and establish himself?

I'm betting we don't see Dozier at the major league level until September. If the Twins are sucking and Carroll and Casilla go down, it makes more sense to bring Nishi or one of the other "AAAA" guys up, rather than start Dozier's service time on a bottom dwelling team. If they are hot and Carroll and Casilla go down, it would make more sense to swing a trade and bring a solid defender like Punto to plug the gap, rather than trust a rookie with no big league experience to hold down such a critical position.

Basically, I think it hinges on the idea that a hot young kid at SS isn't going to win us many of games by himself, but an overwhelmed rookie who isn't quite ready for The Show could easily lose us a number of games at SS.

OK - I'll play - Here's mine:

- Morneau appears in less than 30 games,
- Twins win 80 games,
- Nishi "disappears" and is never again seen in the bigs,
- Perkins start his role as closer in mid May,
- Mauer hits 27 homers, - all of them in the 2012 season!
- Gardy is sidelined by a health issue

Mike Scoscia and three Angels players are fined by MLB for falling over laughing at the Twins' opening weekend celebration of the 10-year anniversary of a postseason berth.

Oh, one more. Gardy pulls what's left of his hair out by mid-June

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Highabove

Gardenhire will be thrown out of a Game. What's the over under on this one?

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I'll put the Over/Under at 4.5. I'll take the under.

Matt Capps will record 35 or more saves.

30 or more bloggers here will predict Matt Capps will record 30 or more saves.