The Minnesota Twin won their second division title last night on a White Sox loss to the A's 7-2. The Twins are the first team to win their division and will head to the postseason right now with the second best record in baseball behind the Yankees (91-60). So my pick in the start of the 2010 season is right as I did pick the Twins to win the Central and this team could make a good 5 game series either against the New York Yankees or the Tampa Bay Rays.
The Twin head into the postseason with a good 1 - 2 punch in their pitching staff and pretty good third starter as well. In a 5 game series in the ALDS their number one starter has to be Carl Pavano who has really turned it up in 2010 with an ERA of 3.60, 17 wins, 11 losses, and 112 strikeouts so far. Their number two start is probably going to be Francisco Liriano who at one point of this year was the ace of this pitching staff and has done really well for the Twins with an ERA of 3.44, 14 wins, 8 losses and 191 strikeouts. Now their number three starter is up for grabs between Kevin Slowey and Scott Baker. Now Slowey has done a very good job and has been one of their best pitchers on this team. His numbers don't show it but he at least gives you 6 innings in almost every outing with an ERA of 4.18, 13 wins, 6 losses and 115 strikeouts. Now Baker on the other hand just came off the DL and I'm pretty sure he will be used in the bull pen along with Nick Blackburn. I just think you have to go with those three pitchers in a 5 game series and if they make it to the ALCS then maybe you can use Baker if you have to.
The Twins bull pen this year has been pretty good with Brain Fuentes, Jesse Crain, and their new closer Matt Capps who came over in a trade with the Nationals this year. Fuentes this year has been pretty good and has 24 saves under his belt with an ERA 3.16 and has got the job done. Jesse Crain has been their step up man for Capps and pitched very well with an ERA of 2.49 and 21 HLD. Then their Capps who is one the best closers in the American League with 41 saves with an ERA of 2.52 and it's going to be interesting to see how well he handles himself in the postseason because he has never save a game in a big moment.
The Twins line-up is by far one of the best in the AL. They have speed, power, and power. We all know the leader of the ball club is catcher Joe Mauer who won the 2009 MVP Award and this year he has been off and on the DL but he's still batting .331, with 9 HR, and 74 RBI's. Then they have a really good outfielder in Delmon Young who had really turned it up this year hitting .297, 18 HR and driving in 104 RBI's. WOW! Then you have who I think should win comeback player of the year in the AL and that's big Jim Thome, man what a year he is having as the Twins DH this year. Thome is batting .280, 25 HR, and 59 RBI's. Talk about a guy who wants to win. Now over to Michael Cuddyer who has done pretty well over at first base filling in for Justin Morneau who was put on the DL this year due to a head injury. Cuddyer has hit .272, with 14 HR, and 77 RBI's, not bad at all. Then their Right Fielder Jason Kubel who has been doing pretty good and has hit for power this year batting ,253, with 19 HR, and driving in 85 RBI's.
Now last year the Twins were done in 3 games against the Yankees in the ALDS and I think this year they might be a different team winning the division with a 12 game lead over the White Sox. Where as to last year they had to have a one game playoff against the Tigers to decide the division and make the playoffs. Last year I think that didn't give them time to set up their pitching staff and what not, where to this year they will have more than enough time to get ready for the postseason. Now I'm not sure how good their pitching will be and how far it will take them but watch out for the Twins because their a new ball team and I wish them the best luck in the postseason.
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