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Start 'Em/Sit 'Em

You know what I can't stand? Those guys who just go nuts on your bench. It's just really a pain. Just like in the majors, when guys are hot, you need to find them a way into the lineup. Just the same, it maybe a smart move to sit some one for a bit until heats up again. So here are a few suggestions my loyal reader.

By the way keep the comments coming! We love to know what people think.

START THESE GUYS IMMEDIATELY

Mike Lowell
This fellow is on fire the last week. If you need any proof, check out his two homers against the Yankees Sunday night. Third base is a really deep position, but wherever you can get this guy in the lineup. He's raking like your dad after the leaves fall. Lowell looks like he's fully recovered from his injury and 2005, and fits in nicely in that stacked lineup.

Pat Burell
Pat the Bat catches a lot of flack from the public eye, but he's off to a fast start this season and now faces a four game stretch in which he'll play the Astros and Nats. Sometimes you may be scared to play Burrell, who his manager benched against Matt Belisle, but don't worry, he'll be fine this week.

Xavier Nady
The Pirates aren't as bad as you think, but they still aren't very good. One of the better and unheralded players on the team is Xavier Nady. The X-Man, who enjoyed success last year with the Mets before being traded, has come into his own with Pittsburgh. Once Adam LaRoche heats up, Nady will have a lot more RBI oppurtunities.

OK, THESE GUYS NEED TO SIT

Akinori Iwamura
No one was hotter or more suprising to start the season than the D-Rays main man Aki. However, major league pitchers may have begun to figure him out as he has experienced a bit of a cool off lately. It would be wise to keep the Ak-man on the bench till we know what kind of player he will be in this league.

Mike Cameron
The reliable Padres CF has a couple of tough matchups on slate this week as he's due to face Randy Johnson, Brandon Webb and Derek Lowe. This not bode well for the strikeout heavy Cameron. There are most likely better options on your bench, so please play them.

Mark Texiera
Sit, Texiera?! Are you crazy?? No I'm not. Tex is becoming the worst first half player of our generation. Last year, I had to sit him until the All-Star Break, and I advise you do the same till things change. Tex shows no signs of turning it around and don't let him kill your team until he does.

-David Cassilo
asuhouse@aol.com

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Streaming Starters April 21-24

Here's your list of pitchers to pick up for spot starts or potential spots on your permanent roster. While these may be good matchups, I never guarantee the success of these pitchers.

Saturday April 21
Paul Byrd Cleveland at Tampa Bay Jae Seo
Paul Byrd has been solid in his first 2 starts. Ok so the first one which was a 4 2/3 inning no hitter didn't count because of the snow, but he was solid again in his next start giving up no runs. This could be another solid start as he goes against the D-Rays and Jae Seo.

Sunday April 22
Ramon Ortiz Twins at Kansas City Jorge De La Drosa
Am I actually saying this? Well Ramon Ortiz may already be owned in your league because of his great start, but if he's not, there is a good chance he could keep it going against the Royals and De La Rosa. Of course this could also blow up in your face and Ortiz could get lit up

Monday April 23
I got nothin...

Tuesday April 24
This is a bad week for streaming starters....


~Brian Melnick aka Grande Mel
Contact at bigmel2k5@yahoo.com

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FANTASY MD: The Doctor is In

Why hello there loyal readers! Remember me? I'm back and if you enjoyed my Fantasy MD column from the football season, you'll be sure to love this. Busy night last night with the no-hitter and Felix injury, so if you're looking for your fantasy fix, I do not disappoint.

Felix Hernandez- I actually own Felix and lost a good amount of sleep last night due to the horrific possibilities of the injury. It's an elbow injury which is never good. Luckily, King Felix had the sense to pull himself from last night's contest really early. A DL stint seems inevitable, and let's just hope this isn't too serious. Losing Francisco Liriano and Felix Hernandez in back to back seasons would be devestatiting to baseball.

Ryan Howard- One of the noticeable problems for the struggling Phillies has been the lack of production from last year's MVP Ryan Howard. Last night, things almost went from bad to awful when Howard appeared to injure his leg. However, after an MRI today, it's been confirmed that Howard is merely day to day. It's likely he will see some action this weekend.

Howie Kendrick- Originally, Kendrick was thought to be just day-day after being hit in the head with a pitch on Tuesday. However, things have esacalted rather quickly, and he will now most likely miss between 4-6 weeks. Kendrick has been decent this season but it is time to start looking for other second basemen to fill the void. In a related story, in my draft this season I was forced to choose between Ian Kinsler and Kendrick to be my starting second baseman. I went with Kinsler and so far the rest is history.

Jason Schmidt- It has been a truly ugly start for Schmidt this season with his new team. The ex-Giant has been less than stellar in all of his outings so far this season and now finds himself on the DL with shoulder inflammation. Schmidt didn't believe health was an issue, but an MRI confirmed he was wrong. This is probably the best thing for Schmidt who could use a little time off to get his game back. Mark Hendrickson will fill in for the next few weeks.

-David Cassilo
asuhouse@aol.com

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Streaming Starters April 17-20

I know many of you fantasy baseball players draft hitters early and often and go with the "Streaming Starters" strategy. For those of you who don't know, this is the strategy of picking up decent pitchers on the waiver wire that have a good matchup, and then dropping them right after the game for a starter with a good matchup the next day. I won't 100% recomend this strategy, but I will tell you that I won my Head 2 Head league last year using this strategy, which caused a change in the rules this season to a 75 move limit. For those of you in Roto leagues, this may not be the best strategy, because even against the Nats, a below average pitcher could get hammered which would hurt your total stats. Anyway, if you are looking for starters to stream this week, here are the matchups you should look at from Tuesday to Friday.
*I do not gauarantee the success of any of the following pitchers*

Tuesday April 17

Mike Maroth Tigers home against Royals Jorge De La Rosa
Mike Maroth is having a decent start to the season with a 2-0 record so far. If he's available in your leage this is a great opportunity for a W. He is pitching at home against the improved, but still horendus KC Royals and a below average pitcher De La Rosa. If he has a quality start in this game he may be worth holding onto as he pitches for one of the best offensive teams in baseball.

Steve Trachsel Orioles @ Devil Rays Casey Fossum
If slow and steady wins the race, the Trachsel is on his way. Steve rarely pitches a shutout, but rarely gets lit up, so this game against the D-Rays and the inconsistent Casey Fossum would be a good game to stick Trachsel in your lineup.

Wednesday April 18

Claudio Vargas Brewers home against Pirates Paul Maholm
The Pirates and Paul Maholm are bad, and Vargas is at home pitching for a decent offense. Unless you are desperate, I wouldn't even use this as a spot start.

Thursday April 19

Darrel Rasner Yankees home against Indians Fausto Carmona
A yankee pitcher always has a chance to get a W even if he gives up some runs. Picking up Rasner for this game is not a bad idea, especially at home and against Fausto Carmona who is just plain bad.

Friday April 20

John Danks White Sox @ Tigers Chad Durbin
Even in Danks' 2 losses, he has pitched well posting a 3.97 ERA. He could put it all together at any time, and even if he doesn't on Friday against the Tigers, Thome and the gang should be able to crush the Tiger's 5th starter Durbin.

Randy Wolf Dodgers home against Pirates Tony Armas
Randy Wolf has started off strong with a 2-1 record and a 4.00 ERA. The Dodgers are a strong offensive team and should win at home against the perenial bottom dwelling Pirates.

~Brian Melnick aka Grande Mel
Contact at bigmel2k5@yahoo.com

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2007 TEAM OUTLOOK: CHICAGO WHITE SOX

OFFSEASON OVERVIEW: You could make a very compelling argument that the White Sox had the worst offseason of anyone in baseball. They would have been better off if they just did not make a move. Their offseason was highlighted by two puzzling trades they made. The first was when they traded starting pitcher Freddy Garcia to Philadelphia for Gavin Floyd. Alone this trade is not bad for Chicago. They not only saved some money, but also opened up a rotation spot for young arm Brandon McCarthy. However, just a few weeks later the White Sox dealt McCarthy to Texas for a few middle level prospects. Once blessed with a surplus of quality starting pitchers, the White Sox now have a shortage. These trades will almost surely come back to haunt them at some time during the season. The rest of their offseason did not make as many headlines. Chicago brought in former Angels' outfielder Darin Erstad to compete with Brian Anderson in center field. Erstad has had several injury problems over the last few years, and it would be a surprise to see him play close to a full season. The only loss that may be felt this season in free agency was David Riske. He was quality reliever, but should be easy to replace.


OFFENSE: The White Sox will go with almost the same group of guys in their lineup as they did last season. Speedster Scott Podsednik should see most of the leadoff duty to start the year, but if he struggles again he will most likely lose some playing time to Pablo Ozuna. Batting behind him will be Tadahito Iguchi. He has proven to be both reliable at second base and at the plate, and his job should not be in any question. The heart of the Chicago order could be one of the best in baseball. Jermaine Dye, Paul Konerko, and Jim Thome are all coming off monster seasons, and there is no evidence that they are close to slowing down. As long as these players stay at the level they have been playing at, the White Sox should be in the playoff race all season. Batting behind them will be third baseman Joe Crede, who took a major step towards reaching his potential last season. Another solid season could give the White Sox the best lineup in baseball. Towards the end of the lineup will be catcher AJ Pierzinski. He is a very good hitter for a catcher, and the White Sox are a lot better when he is playing. Darin Erstad and Brian Anderson will split time in center field. Any offensive production out of either would be an added bonus to Chicago. The only question mark in the order is shortstop Juan Uribe. He has been a solid contributor the last few season and would be a lock to play were it not for his legal issues. If he is forced to miss the season, Alex Cintron will be the starter and hit ninth.


PITCHING: The White Sox rotation consists of several talented pitchers who have been known to underachieve. The best case of this is number one starter Mark Buehrle. Going into last season, Buehrle was considered one of the few sure bets to give you a good start in the major leagues. A completely out of character 2006 season has people around baseball questioning if the year was a fluke or a sign of things to come. Both Jose Contreras and Javier Vasquez are blessed with great stuff, but they seem to never be able to go an entire start without imploding in one inning. The other familiar sight in the rotation is Jon Garland. Although Garland gives up a lot of runs for an 18 game winner, he seems to always find a way to win. Battling it out for the now vacant fifth spot will be Gavin Floyd, Heath Phillips, and Charlie Haeger. The bullpen has a bit more uncertainty than the starting rotation. One definite is that Bobby Jenks will be the closer. He has done a very effective job the last few years and has developed into one of the better young closers in baseball. Outside of Jenks and setup man Mike MacDougal, there is little consistency and experience within the White Sox bullpen. Matt Thornton, David Aardsma, and Andrew Sisco will all fight for spots within the pen.


X-FACTOR- After a dreadful 2006 season, the White Sox will be counting Mark Buerhle to bounce back. Last year his ERA rose by a run and a half while his strikeouts dropped by more than 50. The White Sox have a rotation full of second and third starters, but to go anywhere some one will need to step up and be the staff ace. Buehrle must be the pitcher to fill that role again for Chicago.


BEST CASE SCENARIO- All the White Sox starters pitch to their potential, Jermaine Dye continues to play at an MVP level, and people become more reliable in the middle of the bullpen. With all these things taking place, it would not be a surprise to see the White Sox return to the World Series.


WORST CASE SCENARIO- Buerhle is awful again, both trades come back to haunt Chicago, and Jim Thome begins to show his age. Once again the White Sox will be on the outside of the playoffs looking in if a season like this occurs.


-David Cassilo

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2007 TEAM OUTLOOK: LOS ANGELES ANGELS OF ANAHEIM

OFFSEASON OVERVIEW: It seems as though every season the Angels are always competing with the Athletics for the AL West crown. With the Athletics losing Barry Zito this offseason, the Angels looked to upgrade enough to regain their division title. The move that made headlines was giving Gary Matthews a five year 50 million dollar contract. A lot of people, including myself, consider this a bit of a risk considering Matthews Jr.'s 2006 season could very well have been a fluke that was overrated by one catch he made in center field. In addition to Matthews Jr., the Angels added controversial Shea Hillenbrand to the offense. Although he may make a stupid comment here and there, there is no question that Hillenbrand has a pretty solid bat. He will fill in at DH until Juan Rivera heals from his injury. The Angels spent the rest of their money on middle reliever Justin Speier and long reliever Darren Oliver. Both players did a very good job last season and should only improve an already strong Angels' bullpen. Anaheim did lose two mainstays on their team for years when Darin Erstad and Adam Kennedy opted to sign with other teams. The Angels should only miss them in the clubhouse because Erstad was injury prone and Kennedy's replacement is the young and talented Howie Kendrick. They had no problem in letting them leave this offseason. While the jury is still out on the Matthews signing, the Angels on a whole did a very good job addressing their needs and filling them this offseason.


OFFENSE: The Angels have one of the more balanced offenses in the American League but their problem could lie in the power department. The only big bat in their lineup is Vladimir Guerrero. Granted, Vlad has been known to carry a team by himself, however the Angels would like to have some serious protection behind him. The player that used to carry this tag was Garret Anderson, but he has been on the decline due to injury and age. The Angels will have plenty of men on base this season, starting with Chone Figgins and Orlando Cabrera. Both players did a terrific job setting the table and stealing bases so that Guererro would hit with runners in scoring position. Other veterans that should help this team score are the previously mentioned Gary Matthews Jr. and budding star Howie Kendrick. The young second baseman has shown the tools to be one the best everyday second basemen in the majors this season. At designated hitter, the Angels planned to go with Juan Rivera but the injury to his left tibia forced the them to sign Shea Hillenbrand. The biggest question marks in the lineup are at first base and catcher. Casey Kotchman is the front runner to play first base, but he is clearly a better fielder than hitter and may give way to Hillenbrand once Rivera returns to play DH. At catcher last season the Angels were disappointed with the way Jose Molina played. It would not be a surprise to see Mike Napoli get significant time there this year.

PITCHING: Like their lineup, the Angels pitching staff is very solid from top to bottom. Their staff ace may not be on every one's radar, but John Lackey has evolved into one of the best pitchers in the AL. Towards the middle of the rotation will be Ervin Santana and Kelvin Escobar. Both pitchers have their problems, but on a whole they are productive middle of the rotation guys. Santana stuggles mightily on the road, and if he was ever able to put those problems behind him he would be a very good number two starter. Escobar's struggles come from injuries but in 2006 he was able to have a pretty much injury free season, so those troubles may be behind him. The young Jered Weaver will also be on the staff, and if he can pitch anywhere as well as he did last season he should be a big boost to the Angels rotation. The fifth spot in the rotation will be held by Joe Saunders until Bartolo Colon comes back from his injury. The bullpen gives the Angels a lot of depth and flexibility with their pitching. Theri closer, Francisco Rodriguez, has established himself as one of the best in baseball, and the Angels are always confident that he will get the job done. Joining K-Rod are the durable and talented Scott Shields and Justin Speier who will do the set-up work. Hector Carrasco and Darren Oliver also should prove to be solid contributors to the bullpen before the season is over.

X-FACTOR: As mentioned earlier the Angels rely mainly on Vladimir Guerrero for most of their homers and RBIs. The player that did a good job helping out last season with these categories was Juan Rivera. The key for the Angels is to get back a healthy Rivera before they dig themselves a major whole. If he returns and shows some improvement on his 2006 numbers, he will be the reliable presence that should offer some protection to Vlad in the lineup.

BEST CASE SCENARIO: Kendrick evolves into one of the best second baseman in the league, Weaver continues to improve, Rivera returns and picks up where he left off last season, and Matthews Jr. proves that 2006 season was no fluke. If all this happens, we could be seeing the Angels return to the World Series

WORST CASE SCENARIO: Escobar gets hurt again, Anderson's production significantly drops off again, Hillenbrand is once again a clubhouse cancer, and no one steps up as a reliable cleanup hitter. If this is what the Angels will be facing this season, then it will be their first losing season since 2003.


-David Cassilo

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2007 TEAM OUTLOOK: NEW YORK YANKEES

OFFSEASON OVERVIEW: We're used to seeing the Yankees spend money like its their job, so considering the past, it was a relatively quiet offseason for the Boss. Rather than blow all their money on one player, the Yankees tried to both sign players to help them win in 2007, while also strengthening their farm system. Their two biggest moves were trading veterans Jaret Wright, Gary Sheffield and Randy Johnson. Both players had proven to be susceptible to injury, and the Yankees were lucky to unload them for quality prospects. The Yankees used the rest of their offseason to reassemble a pitching staff that was devastated by season's end in 2006. They re-signed Mike Mussina and brought back familiar face Andy Pettite to the team. Also, the Yankees took a risk on Kei Igawa, a Japanese starter that should fit somewhere in the middle of the Yankees rotation. The only other notable move of the Yankee offseason was the signing of Doug Mientkiewicz, who will play first base and gives the Yanks a lift defensively. The only losses to free agency that the Yankees suffered were that of hardly used middle relievers, but it should not be a hard to overcome because they replenished their bullpen with solid arms Luis Vizcaino and Chris Britton. On a whole it was very successful offseason for GM Brian Cashman and company.

OFFENSE: Like usual, the Yankees are stacked with possibly the best offense in baseball. The lineup will look very similar to last season with Johnny Damon and Derek Jeter hitting at the top of the order. Also, Bobby Abreu would be the logical choice to hit third considering his high OBP and decent power. Their ability to get on base should once again give plenty of RBI oppurtunities for Alex Rodriguez, Hideki Matsui, and Jason Giambi. Newly acquired Doug Doug Mientkiewicz should hit towards the bottom of the order with Jorge Posada and Robinson Cano. Despite having very solid numbers, the Yankees will most likely keep Cano ninth to act as their second leadoff hitter. Bench player Andy Phillips could see a decent amount of work as well if Mientkiewicz, struggles against lefties like has in the past.

PITCHING: Clearly the biggest question mark on this team is the pitching staff. Veterans Andy Pettite and Mike Mussina will headline the rotation. The third starter will be Chien-Ming Wang, who's tremendous sinker ball led him to a terrific 2006 season in which he led the AL in wins. He is quite possibly the most reliable pitcher on the staff. Japanese pitcher Kei Igawa will most likely start the season as fourth in the rotation, while Carl Pavano, the highly touted Phillip Hughes, and Jeff Karstens will all compete for a chance to start. The bullpen is as strong as ever and will once again be headed by the league's best closer Mariano Rivera. The fire ballers Scott Proctor and Jeff Farnsworth will be the main set-up guys, and Luis Vizcaino, Chris Britton, and Mike Myers should all see significant work this year.

X-FACTOR: In an odd scenario, the Yankees X-factor is not even a member of the team. The player I speak of is Roger Clemens. The Rocket clearly seems poised to pitch in 2007, and if he chooses the Yankees over the Red Sox and Astros, it will provide a huge lift to the rotation. While the Yankees have several solid starters, Clemens would give them the one ace that is both an ace and a big time postseason pitcher. With Clemens it may once again be the year of the Yankee.

BEST CASE SCENARIO: Clemens signs with the Yankees, Igawa is even better than Daisuke Matzusaka, and A-Rod sheds the label of baseball's biggest loser. If all this happens, it would be hard to find any reason why the Yankees would not be celebrating their 27th World Series title.

WORST CASE SCENARIO: No one steps up as the fourth and fifth starter, A-Rod continues his postseason struggles, and the team is once again plagued by injuries. A season like this could be the first one in over decade that will see the Yankees missing the playoffs.

-David Cassilo

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Position Battles "The Rise of Rondo"

With the all-star break coming up, lets see who might be taking over starting jobs for the rest of the year. I'm sure I can find some beef around the league.

Washington Wizards-C
Brendan Haywood vs Etan Thomas
I have to mention this because the two got in another fight during practice and Etan Thomas was suspended for 2 games. I have to assume Thomas won the fight in practice because he was suspended, but as for playing time, I think Haywood has the edge. I don't feel that either player has much fantasy value, but I guess Haywood could be a decent sourece of rebounds if thats what you need.

Boston Celtics-pg
Rajon Rondo vs Delonte West
It seems that for now there will be a peaceful end to this battle as for the past two games, both players have started. Rondo at pg and West at sg. Going forward, I see West as having more value as the inexperienced Rondo will struggle through the ups and downs of a young player.







San Antonio Spurs-sg
Brent Barry vs Manu Ginobli
For the time being, Barry is the starter. However, Ginobli's value shouldn't deminish much because he is still getting plenty of playing time. It does, however, look like Manu's play is not what it used to be. Maybe he has lost some confidence. Maybe he is playing with an injury. I guess that's why he lost the starting job. Hmmm it seems like I haven't really cleared anything up with what I've just written.....Oh well.....as long as Barry is starting, he should hit at least two 3's per game. As a matter of fact, I think I'll pick up Brent Barry right now....I'll be right back.





Where was I.........






Los Angeles Lakers-C
Andrew Bynum vs Ronny Turiof
Right now it seems like Turiof may get more minutes, but I think it's clear that Bynum has more value. Bynum is a nice source of rebounds, blocks, and FG% as long as Kwame Brown is injured.

Toronto Raptors-pg
T.J. Ford vs Jose Calderon
T.J. Ford has regained his rightful position in the starting lineup and from here on out he should gain more and more of the percentage of playing time and will ultimately have more value than the now-hot Calderon.

Portland Trailblazers-C
Joel Przybilla vs Jamal Magloire vs LaMarcus Aldridge
Who cares?

Golden State Warriors-sf
Pietrus vs Barnes
Pietrus had the starting job, but after leaving last night's game with an ankle injury, it makes sense to me for Barnes to take over that slot. Although I can't make any promises because Nellie, as always, may have other plans.

~Brian Melnick aka Big Mel
contact at bigmel2k5@yahoo.com








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2007 TEAM OUTLOOK: MINNESOTA TWINS

OFFSEASON OVERVIEW: We have come accustom to quiet offseasons in Minnesota and nothing changed this year. You know your team plays in a small market when the only two free agents you signed were Ramon Ortiz and Jeff Cirillo. Since there is really nothing else to speak of in this section, I'll take a few moments to speak about the minimal impact they will have for the team. Cirillo is the team's best bat off the bench, and he will get some time at third base if Nick Punto struggles this year. The veteran Ortiz will compete for a starting spot towards the back end of the rotation. The Twins did lose a big part of their recent success this year when pitcher Brad Radke decided to retire. His veteran leadership and steady production will be hard to replace. The Twins will be without Shannon Stewart and Phil Nevin this season, but both players are past their prime and should not be major losses in any sense.


OFFENSE: Once again the Twins will be playing with one of the better everyday lineups in the American League. The Twins have quite possibly the two best hitters in the AL in Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau. Both are perennial MVP candidates and tough outs for any pitcher. Both players would not be as much of a threat if it weren't for the excellent protection around them. While Torii Hunter may have lost a step, he still has 30 homer potential and cannot be taken lightly by any pitcher. While Hunter may be on the decline, it was Michael Cuddyer who has a breakout year for Minnesota last season. For the first time in his career he went over 100 RBIs. Cuddyer's ability to play several positions was also a huge help to Minnesota when they experienced their share of injuries. Outfielder Rondell White should also be able to add his share of home runs if he is able to stay healthy. Adding speed to the lineup will be second baseman Luis Castillo. His ability to get on base makes him a catalyst for the Twins offense. Rounding out the lineup are designated hitter Jason Kubel and shortstop Jason Bartlett. Both are light hitters and may be replaced before the season is over. Some positive contributors off the bench should be outfielder Lew Ford and infielder Jeff Cirillo.


PITCHING: The Twins' staff will again be lead by the league's best starter, Johan Santana. There is not a better pitcher in baseball who has proven to be better or more durable than last year's Cy Young. There is no reason to doubt that he won't be at this level for the upcoming season. The rest of the rotation is a giant question mark for Minnesota. Carlos Silva will start the season as their number two starter, but his inconsistency makes him too unreliable of an option. Young arms Boof Bonser and Matt Garza will be counted on to fill major spots in the rotation. They both have excelled in the minor leagues but have not shown that high level of pitching in their short major league stints. Glen Perkins, Sidney Ponson, Scott Baker, and Ramon Ortiz will all compete for the last spot in the rotation. Their bullpen is led by dominant closer Joe Nathan. He may not get the headlines that fellow closer Mariano Rivera gets, but he has been just as effective the past few years. Their set up men Juan Rincon and Jesse Crain have also bene very steady the past few years, and together they make one of the better late inning bullpens in baseball. As good as they are late in games, the Twins do have some trouble in middle relief. Several current minor leaguers will be counted on to fill roles in the sixth and seventh innings of games.


X-FACTOR: When the young superstar Francisco Liriano went down last year with arm trouble, the Twins learned that they would be without him for not only the end of 2006 but also all of 2007. Without him and Radke this season, the Twins are in search of some one who can step up and be the number two starter on the staff. That responsibility will fall on the shoulders of young pitcher Matt Garza. His impressive minor league numbers led to his rise to the top of many prospect lists. Garza struggled in his first major league action, and he must show this season that he can be as effective in the majors as he was in the minors. If this happens, he will be the number two starter they are looking for.


BEST CASE SCENARIO: Morneau and Mauer continue playing at their MVP level, Cuddyer shows that last season was the beginning of a good career, and Garza becomes this year's Liriano. If everything falls into place, the Twins will be making their first return to the World Series in over decade.


WORST CASE SCENARIO: Hunter's play experiences a major drop off, Santana is the only reliable starter in the rotation, and pitchers begin to figure out Justin Morneau. A year like this would almost certainly result in a failure to make a repeat appearance in the playoffs for the Twins.

-David Cassilo

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