Minnesota Award Winners

Pete Says : OK, we have a line-up with Luis Castillo, Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau scoring runs every way you can, possibly the best bullpen in baseball with possibly the best closer in the AL in Joe Nathan supported by top lefties Juan Rincon and Dennys Reyes and tough righties Matt Guerrier and firecracker Jesse Crain and they can roll out the best pitcher in baseball every fifth day. Not a bad place to be.

Much has been made about how rookie phenom Francisco Liriano is out for the year and obviously thats a blow but Boof Bonser (that can't be a real name) and Matt Garza showed great promise last year and the likes of Carlos Silva and Glen Perkins can give good innings so it shouldn't be as big a concern as some seem to think...although admittedly its not as secure as they would have hoped but thats what an awesome pen and a line-up that includes a batting champ and MVP is for.

I know this is brief but this is, simply put, another great team that Terry Ryan has put together (it would be so easy to call him the best GM in baseball) with speed and power in the line-up, strong D and good arms throughout the system. The only problem they have is that they are in the toughest division in baseball and even the slightest slip could cost them but I still like them for the Central.

Conor C Says : Arguably the most stable bullpen in the AL. Superb set up men (wow isn't Jesse Crain something to watch!) and Joe Nathan should notch up forty plus saves if the team performs. All in all, this bullpen won't give up too many leads after the 6th inning if their starters can get them that far and for me that's what the problem is.

After Santana (the best pound for pound pitcher in baseball), I don't see where this rotation is going to be strong. Carlos Silva had a very average year last year and he has flat out sucked this Spring. There is alot of media talk about him being sent to the bullpen, and it's hard to argue given his dismal 11+ ERA this Spring.

Matt Garza seems a solid player, but it will be interesting to see how he copes with a first full season in the majors.

Offence wise, this team has the players to compete with anyone with the best hitting catcher in baseball in Joe Mauer and a first baseman who is going to be a perennial MVP candidate. The outfield perhaps lacks a little pop for an AL team and even more so from the left side of the infield. However this is a team that should compete and if Liriano was to come back ahead of schedule it would be a huge boost for the stretch run.

Pete J Says : If there were any chance that Liriano would be back this year I would be saying this team is the front runner to win it all (although I still like them to make it anyway). If they can get some good innings out of Santana's support staff then this team can do it but, then again, anyone who comes out of that division has a great chance in the post-season.