Seeing that so much of my attention to the Twins is devoted to their prospects and younger players, if key prospects continue at their current rate of success as they advance, I'd be pretty happy with that for starters. Hopefully, a MLB staff can help the big club escape the Central cellar and maybe even approach .500. So, prospects keep kicking butt + free agents pan out = success.
That pic of Kirby running the bases after his game winning homer, screaming at the top of his lungs and clenching his fist, is forever etched in my memory.
•No real leadoff hitter •No real cleanup hitter •Weak bottom of the order •Lots of guys prone to strikeouts •General lack of clutch hitting Those were the problems that plagued the Twins last season. We dropped Morneau and added Suzuki and Kubel. Unless guys like Hicks, Arcia, and Plouffe step up to a higher level, there isn't much to be optimistic about offensively.
I saw on Yahoo today that now the Yanks have passed the luxury mark, that they were going to make a run at Drew. http://sports.yahoo.com/news/yankees-interested-ss-drew-163108104--mlb.html
There wasn't dramatic progress, but coming to a new team, he did make marginal improvements in every statistical category, more innings pitched, lower ERA, fewer walks, and more strikeouts. One step at a time I guess.
I remember the shock and outrage when Puck pioneered the 3 million per season contract. Tickets were a lot cheaper back then too, less than $10 to get in. Coincidence?
Not an albatross, but you don't want to many guys making 10 million + on your roster that aren't producing. Bad contracts tie up resources better spent elsewhere. Not that I think Garza wouldn't give some bang for the buck on those terms.
For the Twins, having a surplus of anything would be good - starting pitching? I can't imagine a Twins team with that. Maybe the 65 Twins. 87 and 91they won World Series with short staffs.
Pedro had some flashes in his first full season in the bigs. If he shows any progress at all, fewer errors, higher batting average, fewer whiffs, he will be a decent MLB shortstop.