Why is everyone on ESPN blowing the Twins

[Rick Diesel]

Looking at the experts predictions on ESPN for the upcoming baseball season and four of the first five "experts" (including both Gammons and Stark) picked the Twins to win the World Series. Am I missing something here? Did they trade for a bunch of players overnight that I didn't know about?

[tbach24]

Because they love taking no-risk plays in order to try and look smart. Twins aren't a team that anyone can blame you for picking, but if you pick them over the Sox, Angels or Yankees in the AL and you're right, then you'll look intelligent to the non-intelligent audience.

BTW, I haven't checked ESPN in a while, did Neyer predict anyone?

[Soul Daddy]

Because blowing the A's got old?

[mason55]

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Because blowing the A's got old?

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Pretty impossible without Hudson and Mulder

[Soul Daddy]

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Because blowing the A's got old?

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Pretty impossible without Hudson and Mulder

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But they've got Billy Beane! He's the greatest mind of our time!

[Edge34]

[ QUOTE ]
Looking at the experts predictions on ESPN for the upcoming baseball season and four of the first five "experts" (including both Gammons and Stark) picked the Twins to win the World Series. Am I missing something here? Did they trade for a bunch of players overnight that I didn't know about?

[/ QUOTE ]

We've got THE best starting pitcher in baseball, the guy nobody wants to face.

We're probably in the top 3 defensively.

We've got a lot of good solid bats.

We don't need to buy our talent like the friggin' Yankees, and we didn't get rid of half our players like Boston. Once the Yankees rotation finds its way to the DL, the Twinkies should still be in the thick of things. Not to mention, we didn't LOSE anybody from last year's team, which was mere hits away from defeating the Yankees in the Divisional series.

SPs: Santana, Radke, Mays
Setup: Rincon
Closer: Nathan
Bats: Mauer, Torii, Jones, Stewart, Cuddyer...

We're a solid team, and its just because we're NOT the Yankees that the haters say we don't have a chance.

[Soul Daddy]

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Not to mention, we didn't LOSE anybody from last year's team, which was a competent manager away from defeating the Yankees in the Divisional series.

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Fixed your post

[Edge34]

[ QUOTE ]
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Not to mention, we didn't LOSE anybody from last year's team, which was a competent manager away from defeating the Yankees in the Divisional series.

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Fixed your post

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I know you're right, but look at the overall job Gardy's done since taking over for TK. I just can't bring myself to diss him... [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

[Rick Diesel]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Looking at the experts predictions on ESPN for the upcoming baseball season and four of the first five "experts" (including both Gammons and Stark) picked the Twins to win the World Series. Am I missing something here? Did they trade for a bunch of players overnight that I didn't know about?

[/ QUOTE ]

We've got THE best starting pitcher in baseball, the guy nobody wants to face.

We're probably in the top 3 defensively.

We've got a lot of good solid bats.

We don't need to buy our talent like the friggin' Yankees, and we didn't get rid of half our players like Boston. Once the Yankees rotation finds its way to the DL, the Twinkies should still be in the thick of things. Not to mention, we didn't LOSE anybody from last year's team, which was mere hits away from defeating the Yankees in the Divisional series.

SPs: Santana, Radke, Mays
Setup: Rincon
Closer: Nathan
Bats: Mauer, Torii, Jones, Stewart, Cuddyer...

We're a solid team, and its just because we're NOT the Yankees that the haters say we don't have a chance.

[/ QUOTE ]

Now Santana obviously had a great year last year, but it takes more than half a season to name someone THE best starter in baseball.

Mauer is unproven. Yes, it sure looks like he will be great, but Todd Van Poppel was unstoppable until he got to the major leagues. So was Ban McDonald. Wait until he actually plays a full season before anointing him the chosen one.

Jacque Jones might be THE most inconsistent player in baseball.

Radke and Mays are nothing better than fifth starters on some of the good teams in baseball.

I don't doubt that the Twins will have a good year. I just can't believe that so many writers are picking them to win it all. Yes, they do have a good team that should win a division, but can they get through the lineups of Anaheim, Boston or New York in 2 playoff series? Assuming that Santana only pitches two games in a seven game series, do you really want the ball in Brad Radke's hands in a deciding game?

Please note that I was not trying to "hate" on the Twins with my original post. I just found it unbelievable that all kinds of writers were picking them. If one or two writers picked them I understand, but four of the first five they asked picked them. That does not make sense to me.

[Boris]

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Radke and Mays are nothing better than fifth starters on some of the good teams in baseball.

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Radke is a solid #3 starter for pretty much every team in baseball.