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Making the Team Week One: Pitchers |
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Written by TwinsTerritory
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Sunday, 02 March 2008 |
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Last season, we started doing a ‘Making the Team’ series, and a lot of people enjoyed it, so we are going to do it yet again this spring. If you aren’t familiar with the series, this is what it is: every week we have an article breaking down all of the players vying for a roster spot. They will receive a chance rating of up, down or even. Every player will also have a comment explaining their current position. Remember, this is only players who are going after spots. Anybody who already has a spot is not on the list. Also, players who will make the roster but might be going after a starting spot will be included in the list.
We have a lot more players on the list this season, and it is a bit to long for one post. So we’ll do them on back-to-back days in stead.
With that, here is week one of the pitchers:
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Name
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Chance
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Note
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Scott
Baker
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Baker is almost certainly going to make the team, the only question is how soon the Twins hand him the job. He made the list simply because there are so many questions.
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Kevin Slowey
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Slowey is the main starter competing for a spot, but going in he has more experience than most and pitched well in the big leagues last season.
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Boof Bonser
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Bonser, like Baker, will likely make the team. But coming off a season in which he had basically no stamina, nothing is certain. If he hasn’t improved, his job could be in jeopardy.
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Glen Perkins
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Perkins has a good chance to make the team because he is going after two spots: starting pitcher and relief pitcher. Since the Twins are brining twelve north, he currently has the upper hand for the bullpen spot.
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Nick Blackburn
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Blackburn, like Perkins is going for both a bullpen spot or a starting spot. He is definitely in the race for the ‘pen, but Perkins is the early leader.
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Brian Duensing
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Duensing will get a look in camp, but he’ll likely start the season at AAA with so many people ahead of him in the competitions.
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Brian
Bass
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Bass, according to reports, has looked pretty good thus far. He might have a chance to make the team as a long reliever.
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Philip Humber
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Humber will be near the top of the competition for the starting pitcher spot early on. He’ll be going after a spot with Slowey, Perkins, Blackburn and others.
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Zach
Day
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Day is more of a veteran insurance guy, but he should get a look in spring. Look for him to leave or start at AAA.
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Kevin Mulvey
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The Twins likely want Mulvey to pitch more at AAA before he makes the jump, but he’s pitched well at every level so it isn’t out of the question.
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Jason Miller
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Miller pitched out of the ‘pen last season, so he needs to be included in the competition. Especially since he’s left handed.
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Bobby Korecky
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Korecky doesn’t have a big chance, but there is that spot open, and if he pitches well, the Twins are taking the best twelve.
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Julio DePaula
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DePaula’s chance is even because he pitched for the team last season and the Twins seem to be pretty high on him as far as relief pitchers go.
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Carmen Cali
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Cali could have gotten a even chance, but he seems to have more downfalls than the others.
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Rick
Barrett
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Barrett probably needs more work at AAA, but he has a small outsiders chance.
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Randy Keisler
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Keisler was brought in as an invite but will need to play very well to make the team.
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Casey Daigle
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Daigle is much of the same as Keisler. He’ll need to pitch very well to head north in March.
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There may be some players that really don’t have much of a chance, but with a bullpen spot open and rotation spots not completely locked up, we had to include others for the sake of competition. Gardenhire said the best twelve will go north. So we included extras in the bullpen field.
Copyright 2007. All Rights Reserved.  |
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Standings
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Team
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W
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L
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GB
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W. Sox
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9
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6
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--
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Royals
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9
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7
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0.5
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Twins
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7
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9
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2.5
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Indians
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6
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10
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3.5
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Tigers
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5
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11
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4.5
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