The Minnesota Twins locked up a talented 26-year-old today, but not the one that fans have been expecting.

While the club still hasn’t finalized a deal with Joe Mauer, they have ensured consistency in the outfield for the foreseeable future.

Joe Christensen of The Star Tribune tweeted today that the Twins and center fielder Denard Span have agreed to a five-year, $16.5 million contract.

The contract buys out the rest of Span’s team controlled seasons, but no free agent years. There is, however, a $9 million club option for a sixth year.

According to Kelsie Smith of The Pioneer Press, Span will earn $750,000 in 2010, $1 million in 2011, $3 million in 2012, $4.75 million in 2013, and $6.5 million in 2014. The club can also reportedly buy out Span’s $9 million option for 2015 for $500,000.

Span has been a revelation in the Minnesota lineup since joining the club as a replacement for an injured Michael Cuddyer in 2008.

In 2009, Span hit .311/.392/.415 with eight home runs, ten triples, 68 RBI, and 23 stolen bases as Minnesota’s primary leadoff hitter.

When he was selected in the first round of the 2002 amateur draft it was obvious the club envisioned him as the eventually successor to Torii Hunter in center field.

Unfortunately, Span’s success in the minor leagues wasn’t immediate. He posted solid—but not spectacular—numbers for five years between rookie ball and Triple A.

In fact, from 2003 to 2007, Span had posted a batting line of .281/.352/.341 while totally just seven home runs and never stealing more than 25 bases in a single season.

After the 2007 season, however, Span underwent LASIK eye surgery and immediately noticed a difference. Most notably that he felt he was able to tell which pitches not to chase.

In addition to increased vision heading into the 2008 campaign, Span also had increased motivation.

Torii Hunter, the man he’d be drafted to replace, had departed via free agency and the job—in theory—should have been Span’s lose.

The front office, however, felt otherwise.

The dynamic—if not erratic—Carlos Gomez had been acquired as the key component of the Johan Santana trade with the New York Mets. Gomez was a superior defender to Span and much faster.

He did, however, have one small weakness; a complete and utter inability to get on-base.

His ability to reach base notwithstanding, the Twins—who otherwise had nothing at the big league level to show for the Santana trade—tossed Gomez into the mix for the starting center field job, despite his obvious need for more time in the minors.

Span showed up to Spring Training claiming he was ready to “battle” and had no intentions of being a forgotten outfielder. He lived up to his hype that spring and completely outplayed Gomez.

That fact made it all that much harder on Span when the club chose Gomez to be the club’s starting center fielder and sent Span back to Triple A.

Span responded by tearing the cover off the ball in Triple A. He posted an eye-popping .340/.434/.481 batting line with fifteen stolen bases in just 40 games.

Denard Span was proving the Twins had made the wrong choice.

When Cuddyer went down with an injury and Span was called up he continued doing his best to prove the doubters wrong.

He went on to hit .294/.387/.432 with six home runs, seven triples, 47 RBI, and eighteen stolen bases in 93 games whilst playing all over the outfield.

Span finished sixth in the rookie of the year voting and by season’s end had established himself as a cornerstone of the Twins outfield and one of the most dynamic leadoff hitters in the big leagues.

The five-year pact proves that the club is now well-aware of what they have in Denard Span. The offseason trade of Gomez didn’t hurt matters either.

Span’s defensive range and arm may not matchup to Gomez’s and, in all actuality, may be better suited for left field than center fielder, but he figures to hold down the position for the foreseeable future.

In all likelihood, Span will be a left fielder by the end of the deal with Aaron Hicks or Ben Revere taking his role in center field, but for the time being the job is all his.

Just the way it was meant to be.

The Washington Nationals released the veteran Southpaw after two less-than-stellar exhibition performances. Guardado posted an ERA of 18.00 in just two innings of work this spring.

Guardado, 39, is best-known for his tenure as closer for the Minnesota Twins.

He was christened “Everyday Eddie” by Twins fans and sportswriters for his willingness to take the ball whenever he was asked.

Guardado began his career as an unsuccessful starter way back in 1993 and was eventually transitioned to a full-time relief role after stints as an equally-unsuccessful spot starter.

He was a serviceable middle reliever for most of the ‘90s, but “Everyday Eddie” really hit his stride in the 2000s.

Guardado lopped nearly a full point off of his ERA and became an effective late-inning weapon.

During the 2001 season, Guardado seized the closer role from the struggling LaTroy Hawkins and never looked back.

From 2001 to 2003, “Everyday Eddie” notched 98 saves with a 3.11 ERA, a 1.03 WHIP, an 11-9 record, and 197 strikeouts in 199.2 innings pitched.

Guardado left the Twins after the 2003 season to sign a big money contract with the Seattle Mariners.

In Guardado’s absence the Twins decided let a no-name middle-reliever they’d acquired from the San Francisco Giants in the infamous AJ Pierzynski trade have a run at the closer’s role.

That no-name middle-reliever was Joe Nathan, undoubtedly the greatest closer in club history.

Nathan, however, may be finished for the year—and perhaps his career—after the announcement that he has a torn ligament in his arm that may require Tommy John surgery.

As such, one has to wonder whether or not the front office will look to “Everyday Eddie” as a potential solution to the projected vacancy at the backend of the club’s bullpen.

There is certainly an emotional attachment to Guardado among Twins fans and players. After all, he ranks third on the club’s all-time saves list with 116 and is remembered as a big part of the club’s renaissance early in the early 2000s.

The front office is known for making decisions based on emotion rather than practicality (see: Jones, Jacque and LeCroy, Matt) and it isn’t entirely out of the question to worry it could happen again with Guardado.

The big difference here is that Guardado would—in theory—be expected to fill a major role. Jones and LeCroy were both brought back on minor league deals intended to give both a chance to jump-start their fledgling careers.

Guardado’s days as an effective late-inning weapon are clearly behind him.

He hasn’t posted an ERA under 4.15 or served as a full-time closer since 2006 with Seattle. That same season he lost the closer’s role to J.J. Putz and was jettisoned to Cincinnati in a mid-season trade.

He showed signs of returning to form in early 2008 with Texas when we went 3-3 with a 3.65 ERA, a 1.12 WHIP, and 23 holds. All the while Guardado held opponents to a stingy .220 batting average.

So impressive were those numbers that the Twins brought the lefty back to Minnesota prior to the August 31st trade deadline to bolster the bullpen down the stretch.

Guardado responded by going 1-1 with a 7.71 ERA, and a 2.00 WHIP over seven innings. The only ones basking in Guardado’s homecoming were opposing hitters who raked to the tune of a .387 batting average off of the lefty.

In a season that required the Twins and Chicago White Sox to play a 163rd game to determine the division winner, one has to think that had Guardado stayed in Texas, the Twins would be bringing an extra pennant to Target Field this season.

Long story short, Guardado is toast.

He posted an abysmal 4.46 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, and a .267 BAA last season after returning to Texas. At season’s end, the Rangers—who had obviously been looking to catch lightning in a bottle for a second-time—wisely parted ways with Guardado.

Despite his history with the Twins, the club would be wise to follow the Ranger’s example and let “Everyday Eddie” ply his trade elsewhere.

**********************************

This morning, Nomar Garciaparra signed a one-day minor league contract with the Boston Red Sox so that his dream of retiring in a Sox uniform could be realized. After GM Theo Epstein unveiled the signing at a press conference, Nomar took the mic and announced his retirement from Major League Baseball.

It’s the end of an era.

Maybe not for your average baseball fan, but it is for the citizens of Red Sox Nation, and it certainly is for me.

You see, Nomar and I go way back. In fact, it’s for this very reason that Jeremiah decided to pass the proverbial pen to me today, and why a random contributor is gracing the front pages of CSC. (Hi!) JG knew that Nomar’s retirement would mean something to me, and figured I’d have a few things to say about it. And I do. Please bear with me as I get all misty-eyed and rambly.

Growing up, my favorite player on the Red Sox was John Valentin, mostly because he played shortstop like I did. When I heard that he was being shifted to 3rd to make room for this hotshot new guy with a weird name, I have to admit I was a little miffed. Who did this “Nomar” character think he was?!

As the years went by and my waning interest in baseball began to un-wane, I realized that Nomar was – for lack of a better term – freakin’ awesome. He had this electric quality that was hard to describe… just the way he launched curving ropes up the middle, or leapt like a gazelle to throw to first after making what was inevitably an amazing snag at short… he was just really fun to watch. I was jealous of his skill with the glove, in awe of the bombs he could hit for such a skinny guy, amused by his OCD glove-pulling and toe-tapping routine at the plate, and, yes, a victim of a massive crush on him. To a 15-year-old girl obsessed with baseball, he was way beyond dreamy. I had a poster of him in my room that declared him “The Blessing” and “The Anti-Curse” (heh…), and for a few-week stretch during junior year of high school, I would start my day by stroking Poster Nomar’s nose five times. (I’m weird. I’m okay with that.)

Nomar’s prime was cut short when the Sports Illustrated Jinx struck, and after his wrist injury and ensuing rehab… well, he just wasn’t the same. He couldn’t hit the ball with the same laser intensity, he couldn’t come through in the clutch like he used to, he became injury-plagued. And the predatory Boston media started creeping in. People started saying we should trade him. Amidst the encroaching dark clouds, I kindled my flame of hope and love (how’s that for imagery?), declaring to any naysayer I came across that I would gladly whup some GM ass if anyone laid a finger on my Nomar. I naively thought he was untouchable. I mean, at the time, he and Pedro Martinez were the Boston Red Sox. They were fan favorites. They couldn’t possibly be traded… right?!

The day I found out Theo traded him to the Cubs… well, I’ll let a vintage blog post speak for me on that one. Basically, I was gutted. A shortstop-sized hole was left in my heart… and funnily enough, the  same hole was left in the Red Sox. As Jeremiah wrote so eloquently a few months back, the team hasn’t had a reliable starting shortstop since The Dreaded Trade. It’s been a veritable revolving door out there at short since August 2004, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t shake my head, tut, and say, “Told ya so” every time New Shortstop X doesn’t pan out.

It’s funny how being so enamored with a player can make you blind to the fact that your team might not be better off with him. Sure, the Sox have been weak in that position since Nomar left. But could Nomar himself have made things better? He really never was the same after getting plonked on the wrist by Al Effing Reyes, and it seemed like almost every other month I was hearing reports that he was injured again, on the DL again. He drifted from Chicago to Los Angeles, and then again to Oakland, and it was getting to the point where it seemed like teams were reluctant to give him – and his age, and his numerous injuries – a chance.

And while he may have faded a bit from some memories, I was still kindling that flame. I’m a proud owner of a Nomar Cubs shirt and a Nomar Dodgers shirt, and I even finagled some crappy tickets to a Sox-A’s game last season in hopes that I’d get to see him play again. (He sat out the game I attended… figures.)

And you know, only now am I realizing what that little flame of hope was even for. I wanted to see Nomar back in a Sox jersey again, and I wanted to see him finish his career in Boston. If the Hall of Fame comes a-courtin’, I want him to be wearing a blue cap with a red B. And I want to see a 5 hanging up among the other retired numbers over right field at Fenway someday.

Those last two may or may not happen, but at least I can gently snuff out my candle with a smile, knowing that Nomar ended his baseball career at home, with the Red Sox.

And I still think he’s freakin’ awesome.

*********************

Joe Nathan reportedly has a torn ulnar collateral ligament.

At best, it’s partially torn and he’ll be able to avoid surgery and pitch through the pain this season, albeit with a seriously diminished skill-set due to the injury.

At worst, it’s a complete tear and Nathan will have to decide whether or not to undergo Tommy John surgery.

Nathan, 35, is coming off a year in which he set the franchise-record for saves with 47 and posted a 2.10 ERA, a .932 WHIP, and earned a trip to his fourth All-Star Game.

He is also, however, coming off a year that ended with the site of Nathan imploding against the New York Yankees in the American League Division Series.

That implosion had fans and sportswriters alike calling for his head and demanding that the best closer in franchise history be jettisoned out of town.

This was a notion I completely disagreed with, especially when we later learned that Nathan had bone chips in his throwing elbow. He underwent a procedure last fall to remove the chips and was on track to be ready for Spring Training.

All seemed well through the winter as Nathan was throwing free and easy and reportedly felt great on the hill.

After his first performance this spring—a performance that lasted just two batters and roughly twenty pitches—Nathan felt pain in his surgically-repaired elbow and was pulled from the game for precautionary reasons.

It was initially believed to be some scar tissue that had broken loose. Nathan flew back to Minneapolis to have an MRI done. The results, however, were far more dire than Nathan or the Twins’ staff had anticipated.

The club has decided to give Nathan’s arm two to three weeks to allow the swelling and pain to die down before figuring out how to proceed.

In this morning’s clubhouse mini-press conference, manager Ron Gardenhire said that the final say regarding surgery would be totally Nathan’s decision.

As is often the case, the club will operate under the guise that Nathan is lost for the season and potentially longer. It is a serious blow to a club that has made such big strides this offseason to improve and build for a potential championship push.

Nathan is slated to make $11.25 million in each of the next two seasons and the club holds a $12.5 million option for the 2012 campaign.

The current list of in-house candidates for the closers role is headed big right-hander Jon Rauch who has some experience in the role from his time in Washington.

Following Rauch on the list are set-up men Pat Neshek and southpaw Jose Mijares.

Neshek is probably a long shot as he’s coming back from Tommy John surgery himself and figures to be eased back into late-inning situations.

Mijares reportedly showed up to camp in good shape this year and has made strides as a member of the club’s late-inning attack in recent years.

The Twins other late-inning specialists include Jesse Crain and Matt Guerrier, neither of whom figures to legitimately play into the battle for closing duties.

A final dark horse option is Francisco Liriano.

Liriano is coming off a great stint in the Dominican Winter League and currently seems poised to win the fifth starter’s job out of Spring Training.

He does, however, have a number of incentives worked into his contract regarding work done in the bullpen. After last season’s collapse the club envisioned Liriano as a weapon out of the ‘pen and it’s entirely possible that the club could use him as a makeshift closer.

It’s a long shot, but there’s still a shot.

For now the club will monitor the health of Nathan and hope that things progress well in the coming weeks.

All the while, expect an intense battle to heat up for the seemingly-vacant closer role.

*********************

The Minnesota Twins had a great offseason.

Mike Lowell did not.

The Minnesota Twins revamped a previously punchless middle infield, added a big bat to an otherwise lackluster bench, retained an innings-eater for the rotation, and brought in a solid groundball specialist for the bullpen.

Mike Lowell watched the Red Sox sign another third baseman, was reportedly traded to the Texas Rangers (with Boston paying the bulk of his salary), was diagnosed with a torn ligament in his thumb, saw the proposed trade called off, and underwent thumb surgery.

It was clearly a tale of two very different winters for the Twins and Lowell, but the two sides could ultimately have a lot in common by the end of Spring Training.

The current favorite to win the third base job in Minnesota is defensive stalwart Nick Punto.

Although Punto is the real deal with the leather, he doesn’t bring much at the plate and would be best-served in a super utility role.

Right behind Punto on the depth chart is Brendan Harris who—despite signing a two-year, $3.2 million extension—offers no real upside on defense or with this bat.

The club has high hopes for prospect Danny Valencia to serve as the eventual successor at the hot corner, but few expect the 25-year-old to win the job out of Spring Training.

Enter Mike Lowell.

Lowell has no place in the Red Sox future plans.

He is currently being touted by the club as a potential backup at both corner infield positions and as a right-handed compliment to David Ortiz at designated hitter.

In reality, the Red Sox are likely doing their best to appear as though they aren’t desperate to trade the 2007 World Series Most Valuable Player.

Lowell will make $12 million this season and has a no-trade clause.

As such, we won’t be easy to trade and the Sox certainly don’t want to pay him $12 million to ride the pine all season.

The Sox were reportedly willing to pay $9 million of Lowell’s salary in the aborted trade with Texas. Obviously the club will have to eat a big portion of Lowell’s salary in any trade, but first things first, Lowell needs to prove he’s healthy.

Lowell took batting practice Monday for the first time since undergoing the aforementioned thumb surgery and reportedly felt great afterward.

His hitting, however, isn’t what has kept teams from beating down the door to acquire the 36-year-old. In fact, Lowell proved last season that he can still be a major offensive contributor.

Lowell posted a solid .290/.337/.474 line with 17 home runs and 73 RBI in 419 at-bats last season, despite lingering pain in his hip from surgery the previous offseason.

If inserted into a lineup that can get runners on in front of him consistently, Lowell could still be a big-time run producer.

He did much of his damage in 2009 with runners in scoring position, posting an outstanding .313/.359/.516 line with seven home runs and 57 RBI coming in those situations.

His offense figures to play well anywhere, but would prove especially valuable if inserted into a Twins lineup that figures to be very lefty-heavy in the power department.

Michael Cuddyer is the only right-handed hitter on the team who showed significant power last season by hitting 32 home runs. Cuddyer, however, is anything but a sure thing in the power department as his previous career highs were 24 in 2006 and 16 in 2007.

Delmon Young and J.J. Hardy both have significant power potential, but both have obstacles that could keep them from producing at the level at which they are capable.

Hardy is looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2009 and figures to be more focused on getting on base rather than swinging for the fences.

Young is simply hoping to hit well enough to stave off the all-too-popular plan of moving designated hitter Jason Kubel to left field and giving Jim Thome the everyday job at DH.

Lowell would provide another reliable right-handed bat with some serious punch and a penchant for getting on base at a good clip.

Mike Lowell can still hit, period.

As I said, hitting isn’t what has kept teams from kicking the tires on the third-sacker.

The real questions surround his defense, or more accurately, his range. Lowell’s glove is still as slick as ever, but he struggled last season ranging after balls hit in the hole and up the line.

As a result, he posted the worst UZR/150 of his career, largely as a result of the aforementioned lingering effects of hip surgery.

Lowell is now more than a full year removed from that surgery and—barring an unforeseen injury—figures to leave Spring Training healthier than he has been in two seasons.

The Twins will see a lot of the Red Sox and, more specifically, Lowell in Florida this spring as both clubs make Fort Myers their home for Spring Training.

The two clubs square off seven times in March, giving Minnesota a front-row seat to see if Lowell has what it takes to play third base on an everyday basis in 2010.

If Lowell is healthy and has regained some of his range, he’d be a huge addition for Minnesota.

For the deal to work the Twins would need to be open to taking on more salary, something that wouldn’t initially seem likely.

The Twins’ projected Opening Day payroll has already reached an all-time high of $96 million, an increase from $65 million a year ago.

That figure includes just base salaries for the projected 25-man roster and does not account for any incentives or bonuses.

The Twins probably don’t want to push that figure any higher, but—to add an impact bat like Lowell—it could be worth the investment; especially if that additional investment is largely subsidized by Boston.

Minnesota is currently favored by many to win the American League Central and is considered by many experts to be a dark horse candidate to win the World Series.

Adding a player of Lowell’s caliber could be what it takes to put the Twins over the top.

Lowell has plenty of postseason experience (and success) and is well-renowned as a positive presence in the clubhouse.

Ideally, Lowell would spend most of his time at third base, allowing Punto to shift to the aforementioned super utility role.

Additionally, he could get some starts at DH against tough lefties as he’s a career .288/.355/.494 hitter against southpaws, drastically better than both Thome and Kubel.

With the Twins expected to field arguably the best roster in decades, it only makes sense to go all-in and add what figures to be the missing component for a legitimate World Series run.

The Twins have officially parted ways with one of the most popular figures of the last decade.

Don’t worry Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau aren’t going anywhere, for now anyway.

The Dome Dog, however, has been granted an outright release.

The Twins and Hormel—the company that makes Dome Dogs—released statements today regarding the split, which reportedly only pertains to hot dogs as Hormel is believed to be the supplier for other products at Target Field.

“Hormel and the Twins decided to part ways after a great…corporate relationship,” said team spokesman Kevin Smith via e-mail.

The future of the Dome Dog—or some re-branded version of the Dome Dog—has been in limbo for more than a year.

In the end, it seems that the increased cost of sponsorships and advertisements at Target Field was the breaking point.

“After reviewing the change in cost for sponsorships at the new stadium, we decided to focus on different marketing initiatives in 2010,” said Julie Craven, vice president of corporate communications at Hormel Foods.

The Dome Dog was a staple at the Metrodome since 2001 when the Twins partnered up with the local company based out of Austin, Minnesota.

Over the years Hormel played a major role in the Metrodome and not just by filling up hungry baseball fans. Hormel has also played a major role in numerous marketing campaigns and special deals for fans.

Hormel sponsored both the “Hormel Dollar-A-Dog Night” on Wednesdays and the “Hormel Hot Dog Row of Fame,” a nightly event that rewarded one lucky row of fans with free hot dogs.

It was on one of the aforementioned “Dollar-a-Dog Nights” that one of the more infamous events in recent memory took place.

Chuck Knoblauch returned to the Metrodome to play left field for the New York Yankees in 2001 and was showered in cheap—yet tasty—hot dogs from the stands.

The situation got so bad that both club’s managers and legendary public-address announcer Bob Casey had to beg the fans to stop so that the Twins wouldn’t be forced to forfeit the game.

Depending on who you ask, Dome Dogs were either one of the best things about the Metrodome or one of the worst.

No matter your opinion, it is undeniable that the Dome Dog has become just as much a part of watching a Twins game as cheering Joe Mauer and waving homer hankies in October.

As such—be it for taste or merely for nostalgia—the Dome Dog will be missed.

Luckily, Target Field will not be without the baseball staple for long as the organization has already lined up a new local vendor to fill the void the Dome Dog will leave behind.

“Hot dogs and baseball go together hand in glove,” Smith said. “We will be making an announcement in the weeks ahead about what the future of the hot dog is in Target Field.”

Spring has officially sprung for the Minnesota Twins.

Pitchers and catchers for the defending American League Champions reported to Fort Myers, Florida, for Spring Training on Sunday.

That means that the Twins incredible playoff run in 2009 is officially part of the past and it’s time to look forward to the season ahead.

The 2010 season figures to be an exciting campaign for a club that is definitely in transition.

After 28 years, the Twins will be leaving the antiquated Metrodome for state-of-the-art Target Field.

Additionally, the club has—for the first time in recent memory—made some significant offseason additions to address some glaring weaknesses.

In doing so, the franchise gave a considerable boost to the usually diminutive payroll.

The payroll isn’t the only thing increasing in Minnesota this spring.

Expectations are also soaring as many are claiming the Twins could be a legitimate World Series contender this season.

While we won’t know if the Twins are championship caliber team until October, we can start addressing some concerns for the 2010 campaign today.

With no further ado, here are the ten biggest questions facing the Twins in 2010.

Can Carl Pavano stay healthy all season?

Carl Pavano is expected to be an innings-eater and veteran presence for Minnesota’s rotation this year, the same role he was brought in for late last season.

He excelled in the position for the club down the stretch and earned himself an encore performance with the Twins when he was offered arbitration last December.

Pavano, seeing a less-than-stellar market for free agents, accepted the offer and signed a one-year, $7 million deal to avoid arbitration.

Although Pavano, 34, was solid last season, going 14-12 with a 5.10 ERA in 199 1/3 innings, he is hardly a safe bet to stay healthy. Prior to last season Pavano spent four wasted years with the New York Yankees.

During his stint with the Yankees, Pavano pitched in just 26 games for a grand total of 145 2/3 innings over four years and missed the entire 2006 season with a collection of small injuries.

The Twins have depth if Pavano suddenly becomes susceptible to the injury bug once again, but with a $7 million price tag attached to his name the club is expecting a full, healthy season out of Pavano.

Who is the odd-man out in the rotation?

Assuming the aforementioned Pavano stays healthy, the Twins are in an enviable position this spring as the club currently has more starters than rotation spots.

The current list of potential starters includes: Scott Baker, Nick Blackburn, Kevin Slowey, and Pavano, all of whom figure to be locks for rotation spots.

That leaves a competition between the likes of Francisco Liriano, Glen Perkins, Brian Duensing, Anthony Swarzak, Mike Maroth, and a smattering of other dark horse candidates for the fifth spot in the rotation.

Liriano is coming off a very impressive showing in the Dominican Winter League and is considered the front-runner for the final slot with Perkins and Duensing following closely behind.

Perkins may face a rougher road than the other candidates following a litany of arm issues last season coupled with his since-resolved grievance.

Depending on whom you ask Perkins is either deep in management’s doghouse or in good standing with the club. Either way he’s got a steep hill to climb this spring.

One or more of the odd-men out could land a spot in the bullpen, but the others figure to start the season at Triple-A Rochester where the Red Wings would seemingly boast a top-flight rotation.

Is Francisco Liriano ready to be an ace again?

In 2006, Francisco Liriano was touted as the second-coming of incumbent Minnesota ace, Johan Santana.

By year’s end he’d gone under the knife for Tommy John surgery and his future was in doubt. Since then we’ve seen a lot of Jekyll and Hyde action from Liriano.

He missed all of 2007 recuperating. He struggled out of the gates in 2008, then dominated in the minors and briefly in the big leagues, and finally struggled down the stretch.

In 2009, however, Liriano never got on track. He appeared out of shape and uncomfortable on the mound on Opening Day and was never able to right the ship during the season, eventually losing his spot in the rotation.

As such, Liriano re-dedicated himself this offseason and it showed in the Dominican Winter League.

Liriano was solid in the regular season, but did real damage in the playoffs.

He went 3-1 with a 0.49 ERA in seven postseason appearances for Leones del Escogido, including a one-hit, 10-strikeout, five-inning masterpiece in the championship game. All the while he recorded 47 strikeouts and just five walks in 37 innings.

Scouts say that he looks just as nasty on the mound as he did in 2006 and appears to have found the confidence and swagger that played such a large role in his previous success.

If Liriano can translate his DWL success to the big leagues and become an ace again, the Twins rotation should be a force to be reckoned with this season.

Can J.J. Hardy bounce back?

J.J. Hardy was acquired in November with two goals in mind.

First and foremost, he figures to finally solidify the revolving door situation the Twins have been dealing with at shortstop in recent years.

Secondly, he figures to help add some serious right-handed punch to a lineup that is otherwise very lefty-heavy in the power department. Michael Cuddyer is the only right-handed hitter in the lineup to have hit more than fifteen long balls last season.

Hardy is no sure thing as he is coming off a very rough 2009 that saw his numbers and confidence plummet. Things got so bad that Hardy was demoted to Triple-A for a brief stint in August.

Prior to last season’s struggles, the slugging shortstop had put together back-to-back seasons that inspired a lot of confidence. Hardy put up a cumulative batting line of .280/.333/.470 in 2007 and 2008 while averaging 25 home runs and 77 RBI.

His efforts in 2007—his first full-season as an everyday starter—led to an All-Star bid for the slick fielding shortstop.

Hardy figures to start the season hitting low in the lineup, but a return to form could propel Hardy up the lineup and the Twins to the top of the American League Central.

Another disastrous campaign, however, could derail both Hardy’s career and Minnesota’s postseason aspirations.

Will the Twins miss the Metrodome?

The Minnesota Twins spent 28 long years playing in the albatross that is the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome.

The Metrodome is an awful venue for baseball, both for players and spectators. There is absolutely no denying that fact.

The Metrodome did, however, offer a significant home field advantage for Minnesota.

Whether it was another club losing flyballs in the white roof, misplaying a ball off the baggy in right field, or simply being overwhelmed by the noise, the Metrodome certainly equated to home field advantage.

Target Field figures to be a drastically better place to watch a game and certainly a better park to play in for the club. If nothing else, getting off the turf should add a year or two to the career of everyone on the 25 man roster.

The weather, a non-factor for the better part of three decades, will suddenly have a major impact on game play. The field itself will be just as foreign to the Twins as any out of town visitor for at least half a season.

The capacity has been cut drastically and with it much of the noise and intimidation factor has evaporated.

The Twins figure to enjoy the new stadium for its aesthetics and the increased revenue streams, but there’s a very real chance that in early April or in a postseason clash, they’ll miss the cozy confines of the Metrodome.

Can Delmon Young reach his potential?

Delmon Young is just that, young.

Despite being just 24-years-old it feels like Young has already been around forever. Most of this is because of the considerable hype he received as baseball’s top prospect during his tenure with Tampa Bay.

Thus far, Young has yet to live up to the hype and is widely believed to be on his last legs with Minnesota as a result.

Last year, Young dealt with plenty of adversity on the field (limited playing time) and off the field (the death of his mother) and struggled accordingly. Late in the season, however, something seemed to click.

With Justin Morneau’s back injury, Delmon Young became a fixture in the lineup and proceeded to go on a tear down the stretch. He hit a combined .353/.380/.576 over the season’s final three weeks and helped propel the club into the playoffs.

Young seems well aware that 2010 may be his last chance to prove he belongs as an everyday outfielder in the big leagues and he’s shown that awareness by dropping nearly 30 pounds this offseason.

He showed up to camp looking chiseled and appears to be in great shape—both physically and mentally—for the first time during his tenure with the club.

The question now becomes whether he can translate that preparation and late-season hot streak into legitimate results all season long.

Will there be enough at-bats for Thome?

Jim Thome is a future Hall of Famer.

With a resume that includes 564 home runs and a cumulative batting line of .277/.404/.557 there’s simply no doubting his abilities.

There is, however, cause to debate whether or not he’ll be able to garner enough at-bats with the Twins to make a significant impact this season.

The Twins already figure to have a very limited bench and Thome’s inability to play the field limits him to strictly pinch-hitting duties and the occasional spot start as a designated hitter.

There was some initial talk of using Thome as the primary DH against right-handed pitchers and moving the incumbent DH, Jason Kubel, to left field.

Doing so would give the Twins the best statistical lineup on the field, but would figure to negatively impact the growth of Young as an everyday player and would expose Kubel’s fragile knees to excessive wear and tear.

Thome is a beast when given ample at-bats, but the roster—as currently comprised—doesn’t figure to provide him with enough opportunities to do what he does best, crush the ball and get on base.

As great as it is to have a legitimate masher like Thome on the bench, one has to wonder if it was the right move given his inability to play the field will likely keep him from garnering consistent at-bats.

Does the club have enough depth?

Minnesota isn’t known for keeping a bench full of mashers like other clubs in the American League.

Manager Ron Gardenhire, perhaps using more of a National League mindset, generally employs a small legion of good glove, no bat types who offer positional flexibility above all else.

That’s a great system, in theory, but in practice is may leave the Twins in a bind this season. The club currently figures to have a four man bench. We already know that one of those four will be a backup catcher and the other will be the club’s backup DH, the aforementioned, Jim Thome.

That leaves two spots and a whole lot of needs.

Brendan Harris was locked up on a two-year deal, so he’s a lock for a bench role despite his less than impressive glove-work and his average-at-best offensive prowess.

The club could still use a legitimate fourth outfielder who can play center field to spell Denard Span.

The club missed out on the likes of Eric Byrnes, Willy Taveras, and Endy Chavez earlier this offseason. Any of those three would have made a fine fourth outfielder and come at a reasonable price.

The club has a small platoon of players vying for the fourth spot, none of whom is overly inspiring.

The biggest victim, however, may be second baseman Alexi Casilla who is out of options and would benefit from a year under the tutelage of Orlando Hudson, but likely doesn’t offer enough positional flexibility to make the club.

Can Michael Cuddyer repeat last year’s success?

Michael Cuddyer has been a mainstay in the Minnesota clubhouse for the better part of a decade.

In that time he’s bounced around the field and the lineup, but has proven that when he’s healthy, he can be a legitimate middle of the lineup force.

Last season Cuddyer hit .276/.342/.520 with 32 home runs and 94 RBI. It was a monster campaign that prompted the club to exercise his $10.5 million option for 2011.

The question becomes whether or not Cuddyer can replicate last season’s success in 2010. He is a career .270/.344/.457 hitter, so most of those averages were in line with his career marks.

His 2009 power spike, however, may not be as easy to duplicate.

Prior to going yard a career-high 32 times last season, Cuddyer had only hit more than 12 home runs in a season twice. He hit 24 long balls in 2006 and then followed it up with his then-second-best total of sixteen home runs in 2007.

Given that he’ll be 31-years old this season, it isn’t out of line to expect a regression in 2010 and another in 2011.

It is entirely possible that the Twins will regret not “selling high” on Cuddyer this offseason.

Can the Twins sign Mauer long-term?

The Minnesota Twins cannot win without Joe Mauer.

Period.

Joe Mauer is the face of the franchise and a local icon. He is also the reigning American League Most Valuable Player, a three-time batting champion, a three-time All-Star, a three-time Silver Slugger, and a two-time Gold Glove Award winner.

Oh yeah and he’ll be just 27-years old this season. Needless to say, he’s pretty good. He’s also currently set to be a free agent at season’s end.

The Twins have been working to sign Mauer to a long-term deal for most of the winter and— despite considerable hype—have yet to accomplish that feat.

The club is no doubt aware of Mauer’s importance both to the club’s chances in 2010 and the long-term success of the franchise.

If the club is unable to work out a long-term deal, Mauer would undoubtedly become the hottest commodity on the trade market and could reap a huge return for the club.

There is no way that the Twins could withstand the public backlash the club would receive if the biggest star since Kirby Puckett were allowed to simply walk away at season’s end.

Luckily for Twins fans, the common belief is that a deal will get done and is more a matter of when and not if.

Awesome.

Simply awesome.

I think we can safely assume that this will be the must-have facial accessory for every dude [and the occasional, overly-Nordic chick] in Minnesota this spring.

I for one will be doing everything I can to muster some semblance of respectable facial hair to emulate his Mauerness and all his stubblicious glory.

After more than three months and over 100 days, baseball is back in roughly 15 hours.

It’s been a long and winding offseason full of blockbuster deals, major trades, retirements and plenty of spurned superstars.

Tomorrow all of that ends—except for the spurned superstars thing, sorry Johnny Damon—and the boys of summer return to the fields of spring to begin gearing up for another season in the sun.

I realize that games of any kind are still weeks away and meaningful games are at least a month and a half away, but just knowing that the players will be on the field tomorrow gives me a real sense of excitement and, oddly enough, of peace.

Baseball players belong on the field.

That sentiment segues pretty nicely into today’s Major League Moment, one of the most memorable moments of my life:

September 11, 2001 is a day that holds a huge place in the hearts and minds of anyone who was alive to witness the events unfold.

I’m not going to try and talk about the magnitude of the day or the events, because the entire thing is bigger than me and bigger than anything I can put into words. Plus anything I’d say only goes as far as me. Every person has their own view, their own thoughts, and their own opinions of what happened and why it happened that day.

What I want to talk about is what came after 9/11.

For more than a week, the country sat in a standstill. No one knew what to do beyond grieving and mourning.

But on September 21, 2001, the city of New York gathered together to show that life would go on after the attacks and that things could once again have some semblance of “normality.”

September 21, 2001 was my dad’s 39th birthday. My dad, for reasons I’ll never understand, is a Mets fan. So we sat together in our living room that night watching the first baseball in more than a week.

Our biggest connection has always been baseball and this game was a healing moment for both of us, even though we hadn’t been directly affected by the attacks.

It meant baseball was back. It meant that life, as we’d known it, was slowly coming back.

When Piazza stepped up in the eighth, the Braves were leading 2-1 and appeared to have the game in hand.

It was a game that the Braves wanted to win, but more so a game that New York needed to win.

The entire city of New York needed a win.

Piazza gave them that win when he hit a monster two-run homer to deep center field to put the club ahead.

I still get goosebumps every time I hear the crack off Piazza’s bat. Just knowing how important that home run was, and still is, to so many people makes it all the more memorable.

Piazza’s long-ball wound up being the difference as the Mets took the game 3-2 to begin the long, and likely never-ending, healing process for New York.

Both teams proved that night that no matter what the cause for delay—be it a long, cold offseason or something far more serious and sinister—baseball players belong on the field.

As I type this, we’re roughly 38 hours away from the first official day of Spring Training.

Most rosters are set at this point, although plenty of free agents—even the high profile types—are still available, but most figure to find jobs before Opening Day.

Not everyone will break camp with the big league club, however, and that leads right into today’s clip about a career minor leaguer who got one brief, fleeting taste of life in the big leagues:

FYI: There is a little F-bomb action in today’s video, so if you’re watching it at work or around kids, I’m going to recommend some headphones!

Growing up Bull Durham was one of my favorite baseball movies of all-time and to this day, I’d say I still pop the DVD in at least half a dozen times a year.

Baseball movies, just like the real game, are as much a part of the history and allure of the game itself.

Who among us doesn’t like to bust out their copy of Field of Dreams, Major League, or For Love of the Game this time of year to get jacked up for the season?

I generally spend all winter watching baseball movie after baseball movie to help get me through until Spring Training and this year was no different.

Although they aren’t real, baseball movies have much of the same lasting impact on fans as the real-deal.

Who doesn’t remember Roy Hobbs home run at the end of the The Natural just as clearly as they remember Bill Mazeroski’s at the end of the 1960 World Series?

Every time I see an image of Babe Ruth’s “called shot,” I immediately think of catcher Jake Taylor’s “called shot” at the end of Major League.

Baseball movies have left such a lasting impression that they have their own exhibit at the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.

This is the time of year to celebrate the movies and the game.

Heck, you’ve still got 38 hours to kill, why not watch the Bad News Bears series or something…

Joe Crede ain’t coming back.

That’s the message that general manager Bill Smith relayed to fans and reporters at TwinsFest a few weeks ago and with mere days remaining before pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training, it’s pretty evident that he was serious.

That leaves the Twins with a hole at third base, yet again.

On paper there are four likely candidates headed into Spring Training.

First and foremost we have the recently-displaced Nick Punto who just lost his job at second base to newcomer, Orlando Hudson.

Punto is heading into the final guaranteed year of his deal with the club and—in a perfect world—would be best-served as a super utility player.

Second is Brendan Harris, most commonly referred to as “that other guy in the Delmon Young trade.”

Harris, who just signed an ill-advised two-year deal with the club, seems to be the frontrunner for the job in the eyes of most fans and sportswriters.

Third in line for the job is super prospect Danny Valencia who was just ranked as the sixth-best prospect in the Twins farm system by Baseball America.

It is largely believed that Valencia isn’t quite ready for the big leagues on either side of the ball and—at best—should be ready in time for September call-ups.

The fourth—and undoubtedly least-likely—option is light-hitting Matt Tolbert.

In his defense (pun intended), Tolbert is pretty slick with the glove. Based on popular defensive metrics his work at both third and short is very solid, but he doesn’t have nearly enough time at either position to legitimately be in the mix.

Those are the four most-likely candidates. Some believe prospects Luke Hughes and Miguel Jean could eventually surpass Valencia, but for now, neither figures to factor into the mix for 2010.

With that in mind, let’s start handicapping the race for the hot corner, starting with Danny Valencia.

Even if Valencia shows up and had a great spring, the club would be wise to keep him in Rochester until mid-to-late May to push back his arbitration by a year, much like the Rays and Brewers did with Evan Longoria and Ryan Braun, respectively.

As such, Valencia is probably out as an option straight out of Spring Training.

Matt Tolbert doesn’t figure to hit nearly enough to win the job and with both Punto and Harris making more than he is, it’s hardly justifiable to leave both men on the bench.

In all likelihood, Tolbert figures to start the year in the minors unless he quickly adapts to the outfield in Spring Training and latches on as a fifth outfielder.

That brings the fight for the hot corner down to the two original frontrunners, Punto and Harris.

Harris seems to be the favorite among sports writers and Twins fans, but the belief is that Punto will win the role out of Spring Training.

Many will jump to the conclusion that Punto is only in the lineup because of his bloated salary and manager Ron Gardenhire’s affection for the scrappy Italian.

In reality, Punto is simply the better option.

That statement may raise some hairs, as Nick Punto is a very divisive figure in Twins Territory.

Some view Punto with incredible disdain and see him as a black hole in the lineup and as that dude who didn’t know when to hit the brakes in the playoffs.

Others view him as a “scrappy sparkplug” in the Twins lineup and one of the few remaining “piranhas.”

Personally, I view Punto for exactly what he is: a great defensive ballplayer that belongs in the lineup.

Punto’s career Ultimate Zone Rating—or UZR/150—at third base is an astounding 19.9. That means that over the course of a season, Punto saves the Twins nearly twenty runs with his stellar glove work at the hot corner.

Brendan Harris, however, has a career UZR/150 of -19.6 at third base. Essentially he’s the exact opposite of Punto at the hot corner. Harris’ glove figures to cost the club nearly twenty runs a year.

Without even looking at what either man can do with the bat, I’ve got to wonder why anyone in their right mind would want Harris in the lineup on a regular basis.

His defense at second base (-6.8) and shortstop (-9.9) is also bad, so he’s not even an ideal utility player.

Had the club not just signed him to the aforementioned two-year deal, there is a very real chance he could have been cut after Spring Training in favor of Tolbert and his more impressive glove work.

Offensively, Harris clearly has more upside than Punto.

Harris is just 29-years old and Punto is 32-years old, so age is clearly on his side.

Additionally, Harris offers more power than Punto. Granted, that’s not saying much, there’s a pretty good chance that everyone reading this article could post a higher slugging percentage than Punto.

Over the past two years—the length of Harris’ tenure in Minnesota—Punto has posted an average line of .255/.340/.331 compared to Harris’ equally pedestrian .263/.319/.379.

The two have largely been equals during Harris’ time in Minnesota, but with Punto posting a higher on-base percentage and playing far better defense.

When it comes to Brendan Harris, we know what we’re getting. He is a .260 hitter with an awful glove and the ability to pop a dozen homers if given sufficient at-bats.

That’s who he is, nothing more, nothing less.

Nick Punto is a wild card. We’ve seen him get hot for stretches and we’ve seen his glove save numerous games.

In 2006, his hot play invoked the “Puntober” phenomenon that still exists to this day, albeit mostly in muted whispers.

Punto is undoubtedly best-served as a super utility player. He’s a very, very poor-man’s Chone Figgins.

Until Valencia is ready for the big leagues or Brendan Harris learns the fine art of fielding, however, Punto is our best option at third base.

Personally, I’ll take a glove that’ll save nearly twenty runs and a .340 on-base percentage out of the ninth-spot in the lineup any day of the week.

Much like yesterday’s video, today’s clip is another that all baseball fans have seen time and time again over the years.

To set the scene, it’s October 3, 1951 and it’s the ninth inning in the third game of a three-game playoff between the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants. At stake is the National League pennant.

The winner goes on to play the cross-town New York Yankees in the World Series and the loser goes home.

The play—in and of itself—is amazing, but when you factor in the numerous background details it becomes all the more historic.

For example:

• In early August, the Giants trailed the Dodgers by as many as 13 ½ games.
• The Giants went on an absolute tear, winning 37 of their final 44 games to tie the Dodgers on the final day of the season and force the three-game playoff.
• In the first game of the series Bobby Thomson hit a game-winning home run off of Ralph Branca, the same pitcher he took deep for this famous home run.

The situation couldn’t have been bigger or more dramatic as this was back before playoffs were the norm.

Prior to 1969 league pennants were awarded to the team with the best overall record and playoffs only occurred in the rare instances in which teams finished the regular season in a tie.

For me, personally, the most memorable part of the entire clip is Giants announcer Russ Hodges screaming “The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant!”

Few moments can match the pure adulation and joy in Hodges voice, plus as a fan, you can tell he’s totally geeked-out by the whole thing…and that’s pretty freakin’ cool.

Unfortunately, the Nationals don’t exactly have a whole lot of “Major League Moments” to display.

I think the Nationals are definitely a team on the rise, however, and in a few years time the internet could be chockfull of awesome Nats videos.

Today, however, not so much.

As such, I’ve decided to roll with a clip of my favorite player of all-time and a man who is arguably the greatest to ever lace up a pair of cleats, Willie Mays:

Obviously, I wasn’t alive to see that play live.

Heck, my parents weren’t alive to see that catch.

Although it doesn’t change the fact that I’ve seen clips of that catch about ten million times in my life.

It’s become stock footage for every “best of” reel ever produced, much like Hank Aaron’s 715th home run, Jackie Robinson’s steal of home, and Bill Mazeroski’s walk-off home run in the 1960 World Series and a whole host of other classic moments.

Willie Mays is—in my opinion—the greatest center fielder of all-time and without a doubt one of the best hitters ever.

Growing up, my dad would always tell me stories about baseball, but more often than not they circled back to Mays. My dad got to see the end of Mays’ career and always regretted never getting to see Mays in his prime.

I fell into a similar situation with the likes of George Brett, Robin Yount, Nolan Ryan, Eddie Murray, and Dave Winfield among many others, so I know how he felt.

I inherited a lot of fandom for Mays from my father, but having watched hours upon hours of archival footage, I know it is respect and admiration that was well-warranted.

For my money, they don’t get better than Willie Mays.

And they probably never will.

Minnesota Twins reliever Pat Neshek is best-known for his funky sidearm delivery and his blog.

Fans haven’t seen much of his delivery of late as he hasn’t tossed a pitch since arm troubles and an eventual go’round with Tommy John Surgery sidelined the hurler early in the 2008 campaign.

Neshek is throwing again and expects to make a successful comeback this season.

His prognosis is good thus far and a healthy and effective Neshek would go a long way toward stabilizing the back-end of what figures to be a very good Minnesota bullpen this season.

Neshek feels confident he’ll be healthy and has been giving arm updates on his aforementioned blog.

What they’ll also find on the blog is this gem of a “fan letter” posted on Thursday:

Apparently Neshek—known for being very fan-friendly and a big advocate of autographs and autograph collecting—receives letters of this ilk with some regularity as he handled it with a sense of humor saying:

“For some reason I feel like he’s lying about me being his favorite player!”

The worst part of it all is that the letter was probably written by one of the parasites in the memorabilia business posing as a child.

Autograph poachers are some of the worst people in the world. These are the creepy guys in their 40s that you see elbowing kids out of the way at baseball games to get six or seven autographs, all on fresh white baseballs.

They’re pretty recognizable as they all look like the Comic Book Guy from The Simpsons, albeit usually in a baseball t-shirt of some type.

Either way—whether it really is from a small child who should probably re-take “Keyboarding 101” next fall or some autograph poacher—this pretty much has to qualify as the worst piece of fan mail of all-time.

For those who don’t know what Truck Day is all about, it’s simply the day when teams load up their bats, balls, jockstraps and other supplies on trucks and ship it all down to Florida or Arizona for Spring Training.

The “tradition” started with the Red Sox, but has expanded in recent years to include a number of other teams.

Personally, it gets me even more pumped for the season knowing that trucks full of equipment are headed down south as I type this.

With that excitement, let’s take a look at today’s Major League Moment.

Today’s installment is another relatively recent moment, a flashback to Game Four of the 2006 American League Championship Series.

Watching this game I was a little disgruntled because, as a Twins fan, I was spending my first fall in Boston and had to bounce from sports bar to sports bar to even find baseball coverage of the Twins.

I watched the Twins get swept (read: slaughtered) by the Athletics in the ALDS after making a magical run and winning the AL Central pennant on the last day of the season.

The Tigers, who came sputtering into the playoffs—thus allowing the Twins to take the division—handled the punchless Yankees in the ALDS and went on to sweep the Athletics before falling to the Cardinals in the World Series.

The Athletics/Tigers series had all the drama of the previous Twins/Athletics series (read: none), but Magglio Ordonez’s clutch ninth inning walk-off home run was still incredibly memorable.

Authors Note: Watching Placido Polanco leap around like a geeked-out 12-year-old kid after the home run is undoubtedly my favorite part of the entire thing.