2010 Rewind: There was plenty of excitement in Minnesota last year as the Twins opened their new ballpark, Target Field. And although the venue may have changed, the result was very similar – another AL Central Division crown. It was the second year in a row the Twins won the division and the sixth time in nine years. But the regular season success has yet to translate into any post-season fun. The Twins were again swept in the Division series by the Yankees. They have lost 12 straight playoff games and have not won a series since 2002.

The Good: The pitching staff was the force behind the 2010 winning season. Carl Pavano led the team with 17 victories while Francisco Liriano posted a team-leading 3.62 ERA and 201 strikeouts. The bullpen was just as good as the starters. Jon Rauch saved 21 games before giving the job to Matt Capps, who was acquired in late July. The Twins finished the season with 4th best ERA in the American League.

The Bad: While Target Field may not be a hitter’s paradise, injuries to some of the key members of the Twins didn’t help. Justin Morneau was shut down just after the All-Star break with a concussion. Joe Mauer had surgery in the off-season to repair his knee that had bothered him for most of the year. Both should be ready for opening day and the Twins need them to stay healthy if they plan on winning another title.

Biggest Loss: The bullpen was so good in 2010 that most of its members left the club for more money. Matt Guerrier, Jesse Crain and Jon Rauch all signed with new clubs in the off-season.  And while those guys aren’t the ones people go to the ballpark to see, they are the ones that keep the club in the win column. The Twins will have a difficult time re-building as good of a bullpen in 2011.

Best Addition: The Twins did not make a lot of news in the off-season, but they did revamp the middle of their infield. In December they signed Tsuyoshi Nishioka from Japan. Nishioka has won Gold Gloves at both shortstop and second base. Last year he won the Japanese batting title with a .346 average. He also has speed with 174 stolen bases in his career. He’ll be batting at the top of the order for the Twins while likely playing second base.

Fantasy Slant: Mauer is the stud Catcher in fantasy baseball, but injuries are certainly a concern. Morneau was on an MVP-pace before the concussion last year. If he can put that behind him, he has the ability to win another MVP award and could be a steal after the top 7 or 8 first basemen are off the board. Pavano, Liriano and Scott Baker will all find their way on fantasy squads in the later rounds of drafts. Michael Cuddyer’s HR total went from 32 in 2009 to 14 last year but he still drove in 81 runs and batted .271 making him a nice fourth outfielder. Delmon Young is coming off of his best season and may still improve upon his 21 HRs and 112 RBI.

Final Take: The Twins are rarely favorites at the beginning of the season but generally prove the experts wrong every year. While they did improve their defense and should have a healthier offense, questions loom in the bullpen. It does not help that their two biggest opponents in the AL Central made strong improvements in the off-season. Still, don’t count the Twins out as the division race is likely to go down to the wire…2011 Record: 88-74, third place in the AL Central

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