Hard to believe that there are still 48 long winter days until Twins pitchers and catchers report to sunny Ft. Meyers for Spring Training on February 18, 2012.  The only other team reporting that early is the World Series Champion St. Louis Cardinals, so the Twins are in pretty good company.

If Terry Ryan and the Twins do not make any additional moves leading up to Spring Training, the starting roster should look something like this:

C – Joe Mauer

1B – Justin Morneau

2B – Alexi Casilla

SS – Jamey Carroll

3B – Danny Valencia

LF – Ben Revere

CF – Denard Span

RF – Josh Willingham

DH – Trevor Plouffe

With Tsuyoshi Nishioka, Luke Hughes, and Ryan Doumit on the bench.  That leaves room for an extra positional player, such as Joe Benson, Chris Parmelee, Drew Butera or Rene Tosoni to make the team.  With questions about Morneau’s health and ability to play 1B on a regular basis, Parmelee could have the inside track after a strong showing at the end of last season that led to a 1.035 OPS in 88 plate appearances.  With Doumit serving as a potential 3rd catcher, the team will be able to give Mauer’s knees some rest playing 1B, and moving Morneau to DH, leaving Revere and Plouffe to platoon in Left Field.  However, Butera has been with the team each of the last two seasons, pitchers have apparently enjoyed his low catching target, and Ron Gardenhire seems enamored with the light hitting catcher, so it will be an interesting Spring Training for fringe bench guys.

While there is really only one spot open for a positional player heading into Spring Training, things are much more uncertain among the 12 man pitching staff.  The Twins’ projected starters are:

Carl Pavano – RHP

Scott Baker – RHP

Francisco Liriano – LHP

Jason Marquis – RHP

Nick Blackburn – RHP

Blackburn is arguably the weakest of the five starters, but if he can stay healthy he is not a terrible option as a #5.  Marquis pitched well in the first half of last season before breaking his leg, and if he can return to that form and eat up innings 200+ innings in 2012 then he will earn every penny of his $3 million dollar 1 year contract.  Liriano comes into 2012 with huge question marks.  After a successful 2010 campaign Liriano was unable to find the strike zone consistently with his fastball, and was pitching from behind in counts, allowing opposing hitters to lay off of his slider.  Liriano didn’t pitch winterball this year, instead working out at the Twins’ Dominican facility.  Carl Pavano needs to continue to avoid injuries and eat innings.  He should benefit from an improved defense behind him, but his inability to strike hitters out could come back to haunt him if either Jamey Carroll or Alexi Casilla can’t hold down their starting spots.  (more…)