Metrodome Memories

While the snow raged outside, the Twins were able to stay dry and win their home opener 3-2 over the Angels. Though the team only scored 3 runs, they were able to collect 10 hits off of Halo youngster Jered Weaver. Perhaps the most anticipated event was the return of Torii Hunter which was emotional, as expected.

Carlos Gomez had a triple double of sorts, getting 2 hits, scoring twice and swiping 2 bases, while chipping in a double. Delmon Young and Brendan Harris also had 2 hits. The larceny didn’t stop with Gomez as Michael Cuddyer and Young stole once each as well. Joe Mauer singled home Gomez in the first after the latter singled and stole second. Cuddyer and Mike Lamb got the other RBIs.

Livan Hernandez turned in a good outing, limiting the Angels to 2 runs on 7 hits while striking out one and walking none over 7 innings. Pat Neshek gave up a hit but struck out 3 in the eighth, while Joe Nathan also gave up a hit while fanning one Halo for the save.

Opening Day wins always seem to be one of the best as it sets the tone and fills the team with optimism for the coming season. Tonight the Twins started off on the right foot, beating the presumed AL West winners Angels.

With Opening Day for the Twins tomorrow, the team is beginning the season with optimism. There is reason for it too. Despite losing stars Johan Santana and Torii Hunter over the winter, the Twins will field a competitive team that will be hard to play.

The lineup has plenty of players who will hit and score runs.  Topping them is former MVP Justin Morneau at first, homeboy Joe Mauer behind the plate, corner outfielders Delmon Young and Michael Cuddyer and Mike Lamb at the hot corner. The team will be sound defensively, especially with new shortstop Adam Everett. The only weakness on the offensive side might be speed, where Carlos Gomez is the only real threat on the basepaths.

The team’s Achilles heel might be its starting pitching. With Liriano beginning the season in the minors and several starters battling various ailments throughout the Spring, the outset looks a little shaky. This is even more apparent given that the Twins’ Opening Day Starter is Livan Hernandez, a pitcher who logs innings but will frustrate Twin’s fans with his inconsistency.

The bullpen will be a strength, especially since closer Joe Nathan signed an extension recently, and he will be aided by solid relievers such as Pat Neshek and Jesse Crain. The bullpen might have more work on their hands if the rotation struggles.

Losing players of the caliber of Santana and Hunter will hurt any team and many people have written off the Twins for this season. While it is unrealistic to expect another AL Central crown, the best the Twins can possibly achieve is fourth in the division, ahead of the Royals. Cleveland is too loaded and could win the division if Detroit can’t find pitching. Kenny Williams always keeps the White Sox in the discussion. Then again something always seems to happen to teams that is not expected at the outset of the season, like the White Sox’s step back last season. The Twins will be competitive, but might not contend for the AL Central for a few years.

The Twins rode a three run seventh and withstood a late rally to beat the Pirates 5 to 4. With the win, the Twins evened their Grapefruit record to 15 and 15. It was a game punctuated by errors on both sides that allowed runs to score.

It was an all-around good effort at the plate for the Twins. Michael Cuddyer drove in a run in the third and Delmon Young launched a solo home run in the fourth. The team rallied to tack three runs on the board in the seventh off of Pirates closer Matt Capps. All three were unearned, due to an error by Pittsburgh center fielder Edward Garcia.

In his final spring work, Kevin Slowey was decent, giving up 2 runs on 6 hits and no walks while making three Pirates whiff over three innings. However, the best pitching came from  the 6 relievers who combined to hold the Pirates  scoreless until  Danny Vais  gave up two unearned runs in the  ninth and still managed to get the save.

The Twins now turn their attention to Opening Day on Monday against the Angels, and will send Livan Hernandez to face Jered Weaver. The game is also anticipated because of the return of Torii Hunter to Minnesota, which is sure to make it an emotional game for the team, its fans and Hunter.

With less then a week to go before Opening Day, the Twins lost 5-1 to the Reds. The team is looking towards their first game of the season as many prospects were given playing time in the loss.

There was not alot of offense as the Twins only generated one run and 5 hits total, with only 3 of them in the first 7 innings. Infielder Matt Tolbert had two of the 5, Jason Kubel tripled and Nick Punto and Brandon Roberts each got a hit.

Rotation hopeful Nick Blackburn turned in 5 solid innings as he surrendered just one run on three hits and two walks while fanning four. Relievers Jesse Crain and  Anthony Swarzak each surrendered two runs in their respective innings while Joe Nathan went scoreless in the eighth.

While it was a loss, the most important part was the effort by Blackburn. With injury uncertainties surrounding starters Francisco Liriano and Scott Baker, Blackburn may need to step into the rotation and has been making a strong case to do so throughout Spring Training. Liriano has the ball today against the Pirates in what could determine if he is ready for  a rotation spot for the regular season.

In one of their final contests before Opening Day, the Twins beat the Rays 4-2 to jump just one game above 500 in Grapefruit League play. They got on the scoreboard early and held on for the win.

Joe Mauer went 2 for 4 with an RBI and also crossed home once himself, while Delmon Young chipped in an RBI as well. Recent Center Field winner and Santana trade centerpiece Carlos Gomez hit a double and scored a run, but had to leave in the fifth with what was described as a hamstring injury and is listed him as day-to-day. The Twins were also able to take advantage of 3 errors by the Rays.

Livan Hernandez tossed 6 innings, giving up 1 run on 6 hits and a walk while striking out 5 for the win. Newly extended Joe Nathan gave up a run in the eighth, but otherwise the bullpen went scoreless.

Up next the Twins will face the Reds. Everything is falling into place for the season as the final roster spots are being nailed down.

Joe Nathan will be a Twin beyond this season. The rumored contract extension is finally a reality. Nathan signed a 4 year extension with a club option for a fifth year. The yearly salary of $11.25 and guaranteed overall money of $47 million put the contract on par with those of other elite closers.

Twins fans can now be relieved that Nathan will be a Twin for the next 5, perhaps 6, years. The fact that the Twins need Nathan cannot be understated. If he were to leave, there would have not been a real legitimate replacement for him as the Twins have several good setup men, but no real closers. Twins fans can now be excited anew that they have one of the best closers in the game on their team.

Twins starter Kevin Slowey turned in a very solid start in a 4-0 win over the Reds. He tossed 5 shutout innings, while striking out 5 and giving up 3 hits and no walks. Adam Everett went 2 for 2 and Carlos Gomez went 2 for 4 with a double, further solidfying his case to be the center fielder on Opening Day. Prospect Drew Butera had a 2 out, 2 RBI single in the seventh.

While it was an all around great effort by the Twins, the most important aspect is Slowey’s start. This is the kind of outing the Twins will need all season long from their young starters. The lineup looks solid, with Morneau, Mauer and Cuddyer and the bullpen is set, especially if Joe Nathan is signed to an extension before the season starts. The area of concern for the Twins is the rotation, with the departure of Santana, the recovery of Liriano and the rest being inexperienced. Slowey and the other young starters will need to provide solid outings like today if the Twins are to be any sort of successful this season.

Joe Nathan and the Twins are getting closer to a deal. His agent and the Twins have met and the gap in salary appears to be narrowing. A deal could happen as there will be more meetings between the two sides in the days to come. The star closer has remained steadfast in his wish to get an extension done before Opening Day.

After watching Johan Santana and Torii Hunter leave due to salary demand, the Twins are understandably pursuing a new Nathan contract with great interest. To lose Nathan like they did Hunter would be a major blow to the team and possibly create some discontent among fans. Getting an extension for Nathan would be a major boost for the team and help stabilize the bullpen for years to come.

New Twin Livan Hernandez is not letting Sunday’s outing affect him. He was ruffed up for 6 runs and the Blue Jays were able to steal three times on him in 4 innings. Manager Ron Gardenhire hopes Hernandez will be able to keep the running game in check. Hernandez himself is not worried and is focusing on getting ready for his Opening Day start.

Hernandez’s performance this season is important to the team’s success. With Francisco Liriano’s performance after coming off Tommy John surgery uncertain and a rotation that is relatively young and inexperienced, Hernandez will need to provide stability and veteran leadership. He will give the Twins 200+ innings but probably won’t do anything spectacular, but then again the Twins aren’t exactly expecting him to win the Cy Young.

There has been recent contact between the Twins and Joe Nathan’s agent about a contract extension. With the start of the season getting closer and closer, and both sides preferring to get a deal done before Opening Day, time seems to be running out.

The sticking point, as always, is money, and both sides are far apart. Nathan is looking for a salary on par with that of other elite closers. The bad news for the Twins is that recent contracts of that nature have been climbing and climbing and it could cost more then $10 million a year to keep Nathan.

There’s no denying that Nathan is one of the best closers in the game. However, with the Twins being a mid-market team, and after having lost both Torii Hunter and Johan Santana to high contract demands, the outlook for a Nathan extension doesn’t look good. Both sides do remain optimistic something can get done before Opening Day.