How bad will the Twinkies be this year?

[toughguy]

I saw that they just sent Liriano to the Single A team. He was their only shot at a +500 record if you ask me. They will be lucky to finish better then 4th in the division.

[Craig Plummer]

.435 winning percentage is my guess

[CrappiesNCats]

chicago and the royals are still much worse. and the Twinkies? give me a break.

Liriano will not be back in full form for another season. don't expect big things from him this year.

sure we lost the best pitcher in the game, but this years offense IS better

[Dahitman44]

I would say 70 wins

[mike morris]

I'll give them 80 wins. 3rd place finish.

[Caesarfishinguytoo]

First off --- if you are true Twins fan at least call them the Twins

Second - again a true twins fan would state how "good" are the Twins going to be this year....

Now with that said...I am pretty confident they will finish ahead of last place and behind first place...but with the Twins that is about as good as you can get...Just when you think they are going to be avg they end up competing for first

So my opinion not ready for first yet...but will have to watch and see how the young pitching staff comes together!!

GO TWINS!!!

[Dahitman44]

Mike -- thinking through it you might be right on the money -- Might even look at 85 wins if all the stars line up, but the Motor City Kitties will be tough to beat.

[zamboni]

 Originally Posted By: Caesarfishinguytoo

First off --- if you are true Twins fan at least call them the Twins

Second - again a true twins fan would state how "good" are the Twins going to be this year....

Now with that said...I am pretty confident they will finish ahead of last place and behind first place...but with the Twins that is about as good as you can get...Just when you think they are going to be avg they end up competing for first

So my opinion not ready for first yet...but will have to watch and see how the young pitching staff comes together!!

GO TWINS!!!

I was going to say the same thing- I hate when people call them the Twinkies. Someone interviewing Tom Kelly did that when he was managing, TK took his mic off and said this interview is over.

[mike morris]

 Originally Posted By: Dahitman44

Mike -- thinking through it you might be right on the money -- Might even look at 85 wins if all the stars line up, but the Motor City Kitties will be tough to beat.

85 isn't out of reach if these kids in the rotation can perform. I like our offense this year. Our bullpen is solid as always.

I see Detroit taking the division, but their bullpen will struggle. Cleveland won't be as good as they were last year. If we stay injury free, and everything goes right, I could see us competing for 2nd/wildcard with the Tribe. But that's a lot of "if's" for me, so for now, I'll stay with my prediction of 80 wins and 3rd place.

[Rippinlip]

I say in the 80's, but i would not be surprised one bit to see them in the upper 80's and pushing a few teams for the wild card.

One thing about our Minnesota Twins it seems to be consistence year after year is that they give 100% and stuf just seems to work out. I heard on ESPN last year the one thing they can never figure out is how this team just keeps going strong when adversity (trades and injuries) just keep happening and the club has that feeling of it will just be fine.

With this rambling I will finish with

"Welcome to the Metrodome and please welcome your MINNESOTA TWINS"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Windy City Walleye Hunter]

My guess is the TWINKIES will be about as bad as my Pale Hose were last year. I peg them at about 72 wins which will be enough to hold off the Royals for the cellar. I would put my Pale Hose in 3rd place in a battle for the wild card with the Kitties and I see the Tribe taking the whole enchilada, World Series included!

Windy

[Eric Wettschreck]

I have to agree with the wind-bag and his Tribe taking the whole enchalada prediction.

I see the Twins in 3rd, over the Pale Hose and KC , but not in contention for anything.

[knoppers]

detroits line up is unreal, but there picthing is a big question. the tribe look solid and probally will win the division. I put the twins at 3rd in the division.

only white sux fans and there stupid annoucers call the twins, twinkies.

[IFallsRon]

It's hard to say. When the regular lineup doesn't play against regular starting pitching, you can't make any kind of evaluation. I'd guess that the manager will have more to be blamed for how the season progresses than the players.

[Dahitman44]

actually detroit has solid young pitching. They could have one of the best staffs in baseball in a year or two. Right now they are pretty darn good.

[CrappiesNCats]

 Originally Posted By: Dahitman44

actually detroit has solid young pitching. They could have one of the best staffs in baseball in a year or two. Right now they are pretty darn good.

they traded Miller. they have one legit pitching prospect left, but he is a dandy.

Bonderman is a headcase, he'll probably never put together what he should be (verlanders equal) Nate Robertson is avg at best. Verlander is the real deal.

i'm not excited about the twins pitching by any means, but Detroit staff and future staff are pretty "meh"

[CrappiesNCats]

starting pitching in the central is pretty weak. sure we have Sabbathia/Verlander, but after that?

Fausto-doesn't have the stuff or the K/9 to repeat what he did last year which was a statistical oddity.

Buerhle-just not what he was during the magic run the sux put on a few years back.

KC-some nice potential but not ready to step it up

Willis-the mighty have fallen, but could possibly have one year of success before his pitching gimmick is hit,HARD. a bad ERA in the NL doesn't transfer over well.

[Windy City Walleye Hunter]

Knoppers,

Don't hate the messenger, hate the message! I have seen Twinkie home games where fans with Twins shirts on are wearing empty boxes of Twinkies on their heads as some weird Jerry Springer-esque hats or something. Don't shoot me, I'm only the piano player!

Windy

[maros91]

 Originally Posted By: CrappiesNCats

a bad ERA in the NL doesn't transfer over well.

See Livan Hernandez.

[maros91]

My prediction will be 75-87.

[CrappiesNCats]

 Originally Posted By: Biff Tannen

 Originally Posted By: CrappiesNCats

a bad ERA in the NL doesn't transfer over well.

See Livan Hernandez.

oh i know, i hated that signing. still do. lots of other pitchers with better stuff (even lohse) signed for less money.

[Jarrod32]

This is a team built for the new stadium in 2010. A rotation including Bonser, Slowey, Baker is going to be a bit inconsistent yet this year (still a bit on the young side) but could be very good in a couple years. Add Liriano to the mix in 2009 and 2010, and the rotation can be very, very good. Cuddyer, Morneau, Mauer, Nathan...all signed through the 2010 season or beyond.

Let the young guys...Delmon, Gomez, and even Harris get some playing time and develop...

Look for some rough stretches this year...that will happen with young teams...and some good stretches, as we will see flashes of how good these guys can be...

If the young pitching pans out, this can be a very good team in 2009 setting the stage for a strong 2010...in the new stadium.

And for God's sake, don't rush Liriano back...half the year in the minors with a limited workload and limited pressure to get the arm strength back is far preferable to rushing him back and risking further injury.

In a couple years, Detroit won't look quite as good (Sheffield, Ordonez, I-Rod, and Guillen will all be a bit older)...same deal with the Sox, as Konerko, Thome, Dye, and a couple of those starting pitchers are in the same boat.

Cleveland has a good young base...they will be tough for a few more years, if they keep that team together.

This year, Detroit and Cleveland are the class of this division. Twins and White Sox (they still have a strong offense, though the bullpen is a bit suspect) are next, and KC not far behind, albeit in last (pitching has holes all around, but a good core of young position players).

[zamboni]

I got Livan Hernandez in our fantasy draft for a $1. What a bargain.

[toughguy]

 Originally Posted By: Caesarfishinguytoo

First off --- if you are true Twins fan at least call them the Twins

Second - again a true twins fan would state how "good" are the Twins going to be this year....

First - I am a Twins fan and I will always call them the Twinkies. Just like a call the Vikings the Vikes and the Wolves the Timberpuppies. Lots of people do. It's a nickname get over it. I;m not interviewing TK I'm posting something on a fishing HSOforum.

Second being a fan doesn't mean I have to think they will be good this year because they won't be. I'm a realist. 75 wins at best.

[mr_jman]

Why not be an optimist??? Heck, I'll be the only one to say they'll win the division!!!!! Call me crazy.....

I know its HIGHLY UNLIKELY but stranger things have happened. I would consider myself a diehard Twins fan who watches or listens to about 90% of the games each year, and catches the highlights of every game! I'm not saying that to brag or pretend to know anything special, but I love the Twins win or lose! No I don't honestly believe they'll contend for the division with such an inexperienced pitching staff, but what kind of fan are you if you can't dream big!!!!!

A Little History For Everyone!

In 1991 the Twins were predicted to finish anywhere from 5th (The Sporting News) to 7th or last(ESPN magazine, etc.) in the AL WEST. What happened? Yup, we won the best World Series that has ever been played. Don't rule this team out!

Remember 2006? Even though we spent all our energy getting there then failing in the playoffs!

Needless to say as were about 15 minutes from the first pitch of the 2008 season. I'll say this team will be .500 and competing for 3rd! I don't believe the Twins will finish 4th or 5th as predicted!

The Angels will probably win the World Series this year IMO!