After the Twins lost the playoffs to the New York Yankees, the concern of most fans was the lack of the Twins’ dominating pitching and the hope that general manager Bill Smith would address that issue. During the off-season there was not much of an effort by the front office to remedy that need.
Carl Pavano was re-signed, which gave the team a reliable middle-of-the-rotation starter. A good pitcher, but not one that would give opposing teams nightmares. So the Twins went into and out of spring training with the same starting pitchers they ended the season with: Pavano, Liriano, Blackburn, Duensing and Baker. Only Liriano, of the starting five, has dominating stuff. However, he hasn‚t been able to harness it when most needed.
Those five now compose the staff of the team whose pitchers finished dead last in the playoffs when comparing their statistics with the starting pitchers of the other seven teams. Their opponents’ batting average was .354. They had an ERA of 7.8 and a slugging percentage of .585 against them.
Granted, three games is a small sample. But the small sample came about because of the futility of the Twins’ staff. There is a theory that the poor showing was in part because of the lack of grit within the starting staff. Grit is important, as it was to Mattie Ross in "True Grit."
At the beginning of the third game of the Toronto series, I mistakenly shuddered when I thought Scott Baker was the starting pitcher. Then I found out it was not Baker, it was Nick Blackburn. Why the shudder? It seems to me that Blackburn is more of a competitor. If the team’s success came down to one game, I’d like Blackburn on the mound. He seems to have more "fire in the belly." I think Gardy may think that way for he named Blackburn as one of his starting pitchers early on. That may be the reason that Brian Duensing got the early nod also.
It appears the staff is good enough to carry the team to the Central Division title. It also appears that the Twins will have a competent relief corps before the season ends. Nathan will come on, Matt Capps looks good as does Jose Mijares. As for the rest, Glen Perkins will find his niche, Kevin Slowey will be an asset and the other two relievers will be found, maybe Hughes and Manship, or they may be pitching for Rochester right now. It could well be that a very reliable staff will come into being during the season.
I am satisfied with Blackburn and Pavano getting starts in a possible playoff. Blackburn may well become a clutch performer this year. Pavano is playoff adequate, but there is still the need for a dominating starter. I would be happy with Blackburn starting one game with Pavano the other, with Duensing relieving him if necessary. Liriano may be very effective as a reliever during a short series, but there is a big question as to his starting given his past history.
Perhaps the success of the Twins in the playoffs rests on the shoulders of Smith being able to rent a star pitcher during the stretch drive.
The playoff teams will be the Twins in the Central Division, Boston Red Sox in the East and Texas in the West. It could be that neither the Twins nor anybody else will have to face the Yankees. The wild card may possibly go to them or could very easily be the White Sox, Tigers or Toronto. The Red Sox will meet the wild card and then the Twins for the pennant. If the Twins can get the pitcher they need, the World Series is a strong possibility... if not, no way.
