Minnesota Twins 2010 preview
Article By cbahr.tsn on 30th March, 2010
Once mentioned as a contraction candidate, Minnesota will christen its new outdoor Target Field on April 12 and will boast a payroll that suddenly ranks nowhere near the small-market range. However, the new ballpark won't include a money tree in the outfield. As a result, a cloud will hang over the franchise until it can lock up catcher Joe Mauer to a long-term deal. Mauer is signed through this season, however, and that is just one reason the Twins are primed to repeat as AL Central champions. (UPDATE: The Twins and Mauer agreed to an eight-year, $184 million extension earlier this month.)
Three questions 1. How will the new park affect the team?
Say what you will about the aesthetics of the Metrodome, but you could count on temperatures in the low 70s and a zero percent chance of a rainout/snowout. And it provided quite a home-field advantage; Minnesota's 393 home wins since 2002 rank behind only the Yankees' and Red Sox's totals. Target Field figures to be a challenging place to play early and late in the season when the temperatures hover around/below freezing.
The Twins, with largely the same pitching staff as in 2009, went 55-40 with a 4.35 ERA indoors last season but 32-36 with a 4.72 ERA outdoors. Offensively, they hit 1.01 homers per game in 68 outdoor games and 1.08 homers per game in 95 indoor games. However, the ball doesn't figure to travel well in the frigid outdoor air.
Does Francisco Liriano have any of the 2006 magic left in him? 2. Is Francisco Liriano back?
The majority of the chatter in Minnesota revolves around whether Mauer will be back in 2011, but a bigger question for this season is whether the 2006 Liriano will reappear. That season, Liriano went 12-3 with a 2.16 ERA and 10.7 K/9 ratio in 28 games (16 starts) and showed the promise of a future ace. Then came Tommy John surgery. In 2009, his first full season back from the procedure, Liriano went 5-13 with a 5.80 ERA and lost his ro...
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Three questions 1. How will the new park affect the team?
Say what you will about the aesthetics of the Metrodome, but you could count on temperatures in the low 70s and a zero percent chance of a rainout/snowout. And it provided quite a home-field advantage; Minnesota's 393 home wins since 2002 rank behind only the Yankees' and Red Sox's totals. Target Field figures to be a challenging place to play early and late in the season when the temperatures hover around/below freezing.
The Twins, with largely the same pitching staff as in 2009, went 55-40 with a 4.35 ERA indoors last season but 32-36 with a 4.72 ERA outdoors. Offensively, they hit 1.01 homers per game in 68 outdoor games and 1.08 homers per game in 95 indoor games. However, the ball doesn't figure to travel well in the frigid outdoor air.
Does Francisco Liriano have any of the 2006 magic left in him? 2. Is Francisco Liriano back?
The majority of the chatter in Minnesota revolves around whether Mauer will be back in 2011, but a bigger question for this season is whether the 2006 Liriano will reappear. That season, Liriano went 12-3 with a 2.16 ERA and 10.7 K/9 ratio in 28 games (16 starts) and showed the promise of a future ace. Then came Tommy John surgery. In 2009, his first full season back from the procedure, Liriano went 5-13 with a 5.80 ERA and lost his ro...
Read Complete Article at Latest Sporting News Articles for MLB
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