Nine crucial questions face Twins entering spring
training
http://www.startribune.com/stories/509/4376295.html

Jim Souhan
Star Tribune

Published February 15, 2004

In the past three seasons, the Twins have resuscitated
a dying franchise, fought off contraction, reached the
American League Championship Series for the first
since 1991 and won consecutive division titles for the
first time since 1970.

Like a listing boat in a gathering storm, they will
discover in 2004 whether winds of change will sink
them, or fill their sails.

Next Sunday, Twins pitchers and catchers will report
to spring training at the Lee County Sports Complex in
Fort Myers, Fla.

The next day, newcomers Joe Nathan, Carlos Silva,
Henry Blanco and Rick Helling, along with phenom
catcher Joe Mauer, will officially begin the process
of replacing the likes of Eric Milton, Eddie Guardado,
LaTroy Hawkins and A.J. Pierzynski, who were traded or
lost to free agency this offseason.

It should be a fascinating spring, with the remnants
of a cohesive core of players who grew up together
trying to integrate players with whom they have no
connection. Here are nine innings' worth of questions
and answers:

1. How will the Twins replace Hawkins and Guardado,
one of baseball's most effective relief combinations?

They hope Nathan, the reliever acquired from San
Francisco in the Pierzynski trade, will become the
closer and J.C. Romero, the Twins' most dominant
pitcher in 2002, will be the primary setup man.

When he throws strikes, Romero has the stuff to
mass-produce strikeouts and double plays. The Twins'
reports on Nathan say he has dominating stuff and the
guts to get key outs in a pennant race. "He's nasty,"
said former Twins outfielder Brian Buchanan, now with
San Diego. "He should be really good for the Twins."

2. What are the prospects for the Twins' rotation, now
that Milton, Rick Reed and Kenny Rogers are gone?

Veteran depth will have to be replaced by dynamic
youth. Johan Santana must prove as durable as he is
dominant, Kyle Lohse must prove more consistent, and
the Twins, for the first time in three years, must
hope unknown quantities fill out their rotation.

They will begin spring with Silva and Helling as their
fourth and fifth starters. Phenom J.D. Durbin and
prospects Grant Balfour, Boof Bonser and Juan Rincon
could all be called upon this season.

"This spring is going to be a little different for us
with that pitching staff," Twins General Manager Terry
Ryan said. "Instead of plugging people in, we're going
to spend the spring evaluating a lot of people."

3. How good can Mauer be?

In the future, the rookie catcher figures to be a
perennial All-Star. This year, the Twins hope he will
be better defensively than All-Star-caliber Pierzynski
was last year, and approach Pierzynski's run
production.

Scouts say Mauer could become one of the best players
in the game.

4. With Shannon Stewart, Torii Hunter and Jacque Jones
in the outfield, what will become of the Twins' many
outfield prospects?

Michael Cuddyer will be used all over the field --
third, second, first, right and left field and DH.
Michael Ryan, if he shows enough in spring training,
will make the team as an extra outfielder.

That leaves two of the Twins' most productive
prospects -- power-hitting Michael Restovich and
capable leadoff man Lew Ford -- at Class AAA
Rochester, unless one of them is traded.

Restovich is the most intriguing case. He could be the
Twins' right fielder in 2005 -- if Jones leaves as a
free agent. He could be their right fielder by August
-- if Jones is traded for pitching.

It's easy to speculate that Restovich will be traded.
More likely, the Twins will hope he can be their right
fielder in 2005, which would free Cuddyer to become
the third baseman if Corey Koskie leaves as a free
agent after this season.

It would be difficult for the Twins to trade
Restovich, a native Minnesotan who has the ability,
along with Justin Morneau, to solve their power woes.

"People look at it like it's a problem," manager Ron
Gardenhire said. "But I think these are the kind of
problems you have when you have a good team, and a
good organization. You should have good players at
Triple-A who can compete for big-league jobs and help
you when you need it."

5. Which players are most critical to the team's
success this year?

Gardenhire cited two -- Koskie and Romero. If Koskie
is healthy and producing runs in the middle of the
lineup, the Twins offense should improve. If Romero
returns to his 2002 form, the bullpen will be better
than expected.

"Among position players, the big guy, for me, is
Koskie," Gardenhire said. "When he was clicking for us
last May, we were killing people."

6. What should the Twins fear?

The influence of new Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie
Guillen and the health of Kansas City's Mike Sweeney,
Juan Gonzalez and Jeremy Affeldt.

Guillen's aggressive personality could transform a
lethargic franchise -- or alienate his clubhouse.

If Sweeney (back), Gonzalez (back) and Affeldt
(blisters) can overcome their recent problems, the
Royals will be a handful in the AL Central.

"I think we're the favorites, because we won it last
year," Gardenhire said. "Someone is going to have to
take it away from us."

7. Which Twins prospects could play the biggest roles
this season?

The Twins expect Durbin and closer Jesse Crain to be
factors in the race -- if not in May, then in August.
If Morneau proves he can handle breaking stuff, he
could take over for Matthew LeCroy at DH.

The likes of Mauer, Balfour, Rincon and new utility
infielder Nick Punto aren't being considered prospects
-- they're being counted upon.

"I'm not counting on Durbin and Crain to help us on
April 5," Ryan said. "But they could be up later in
the year."

8. Who's due for a breakout season?

Jones was the Twins' best player last spring, and he
is increasingly becoming a student of the game. If he
can stay healthy, he could lead the team in almost any
offensive category.

Koskie, Romero, Lohse and Hunter all seem poised to
improve dramatically from last year -- meaning Hunter,
with a few adjustments, could drive in 120 runs.

"Every guy I talked to during the Twins Caravan said
he thought he should have a better year this year,"
Ryan said.

9. Which players could be spending their last year in
Twins' uniforms?

Jones, Guzman, Koskie and pitcher Brad Radke all will
be free agents at the end of the season -- making the
safe assumption the Twins won't exercise Guzman's
$5.25 million option for 2005.

That's why the Twins will be very interested in the
development of players who could replace those four --
Cuddyer at third base and right field, Restovich in
right, Punto and prospect Jason Bartlett at shortstop,
and a host of starters for the rotation.

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