MN Twins Talk!!!

With so many fair-weather reports coming from MN fans, I can't help but weigh-in on the team's recent moves.  However, let me shorten things up by only writing summaries and giving a few bullet points:
*Management
*Kubel / Cuddyer
*Health
*The Real Problem

MANAGEMENT - Terry Ryan steps in.  Not a bad decision.  However, Bill Smith did a good job.  2010 is nothing more than a bad luck season where Murphy's Law was the rule and not the exception.  I can't name a previous GM who was able to talk the Pohlad family into some of the moves which were made... Finally, Ron Gardenhire is the best MGR the Twins have ever had.  Too many fans lose perspective of how small of a market MN is and expect NYC players, budget, results... now they want to give an NYC reaction.  Why would you want to get rid of a coach who has turned AAA-level players into pros for the last decade?  Maybe the Vikings could take a few cues from the Twins organization.

KUBEL / CUDDYER - Regardless of who stays or goes, this is getting old.  Cuddyer and Kubel both have plenty of talent to offer the Twins or any team they play with next year.  Cuddyer is great for the MN community and was the most healthy player last year.  He fought through a lot of ailments others would have gone on the DL for.  Something must be calling him elsewhere.  Don't kid yourself, he knows the budget situation and although a team should reward a loyal, community-known player, he hasn't been a consistent All-Star talent.  Cuddyer is above average, but at his age not enough to warrant this much attention.  He is a team leader, but in the unfortunate circumstance of his absence another player would step-up.

Kubel is a tough one for me.  I like him, but I don't.  He's been mostly consistent, but until last year he hasn't made a strong case that he needs to be an everyday starter.  I equate it to Nick Punto leaving (if it has to happen).  You want the guy to stick around, but you know there is room for a prospect to show his talent.


HEALTH - This was a big one last year.  Most of the team was hit by the flu within the first  month of the season last year.  This year no Twins player should be allowed on public transit, out of the country or in a daycare for 40 days before the season starts.  It is good to know Mauer is working out now.  After last year's weak explanation of his injury (basically, his legs were out of shape) it'll be great to see the talent the Twins have locked so much budget into.  Speaking of big budget, when are we going to see a full season of return for Morneau?  This is a tough subject because I am a HUGE Morneau fan.  However, on opening day it will have been 20 months since the concussion incident which has held him back from peak performance.  I'm not Morneau.  I don't have first-hand knowledge of the lingering effects of the injury.  However, if Morneau can't play this year due to the old concussion, he needs to retire and stop playing tease with the fans. 

THE REAL PROBLEM - Regardless of the offensive injuries last year, the injuries and inefficiencies with the pitching staff proved to be the downfall.  If the Twins would have won most of the 1-run games which they lost last year (mostly due to giving up leads), they would have been in Central Division playoff contention.  There are too many fans saying we need the big power pitcher.  I disagree.  We've done quite well riding hot streaks from consistent pitchers like Carl Pavano and Scott Baker.  When you add in a hot streak from Liriano and the various 4 & 5 slot guys from the past few years, the Twins usually make wins happen. 

In conclusion I wish a majority of the Twins "fans" would shut up.  Baseball, like most things, is a game/business of happenstance...whatever happens on a day-to-day / game-to-game basis determines your team stance.  Also, the Twins are in the AL Central.  The Twins don't need to put up a team 'capable of stomping the Yankees' each year.  What the Twins need to do is put together a team which can consistently win a majority of the games within the AL Central division in order to make the playoffs.  Apparently consistent success isn't good enough for some fans...