The Minnesota Twins return all five opening day starters from last season, but at least one spot is open.
Assuming Scott Baker, Nick Blackburn, Francisco Liriano and Carl Pavano will maintain their spots in the rotation, there are plenty of options to take the final spot.
The in-house candidates for the fifth starter spot:
Pros: He is a lefty that works in the strike zone. He throws strikes and doesn’t issue very many walks. He can pitch in a starting or relief role.
Cons: He doesn’t throw hard enough to pitch from behind. He gets hit and doesn’t get a high number of strikeouts.
Pros: He is a strike throwing, control and pitch-to-contact type of pitcher. He doesn’t issue very many walks and works in the strike zone. He works quickly and changes speeds well.
Cons: He doesn’t throw hard and doesn’t get a high number of strikeouts. He projects as a back-of-the-rotation type of starter.
Pros: He has Major League stuff and mentality. He pitched in the Futures All-Star Game in each of the last two seasons. He has four above average pitches and has a very good minor league strikeout-to-walk ratio at nearly 6:1.
Cons: He doesn’t have ideal size. He gets hit and doesn’t get a high number of strikeouts. He has topped 150 innings in one season just once (last season). At least one more year in the minors could be beneficial. He has just 29 appearances at the higher levels (double-A, triple-A and the majors), again all last season.
Pros: He gets a lot of ground balls. He pitches to contact and keeps the ball in the park. He throws a lot of innings without throwing a lot of pitches. He annually is one of the top pitchers before the All-Star break.
Cons: He is a notorious bad pitcher after the All-Star break. He recorded a better ERA in the second half of the season just once in the last seven seasons. He allows a few too many base runners with nearly 13 per nine innings. He gets hit and doesn’t strike very many batters out.
Pros: He has good size and Major League experience. He throws strikes and pitches to contact. He battles on the mound and doesn’t appear to get rattled. He can start or be used in relief. He pitched really well on the road with a 3-1 record, 3.34 ERA and a .230 opponent’s batting average last season.
Cons: He pitched better in relief than as a starter. He struggled at Target Field with a 1-6 record, 4.84 ERA and .297 opponent’s batting average last season. He is vulnerable to the long ball when he nibbles at the corners and does not strike very many batters out.
Top Free agents:
Jeff Francis. The 31-year-old left-handed pitcher is a crafty veteran. He is not overpowering, but finds ways to get outs. He may not be a front of the rotation type of pitcher, but will still provide value in the middle to back end.
Rich Harden. The 30-year-old right-handed pitcher is a very talented pitcher with a history of injuries. He has topped 30 starts and 150 innings once in his career, which came in 2004. Since his highest totals for games was 26 in 2006 and innings pitched was 148 in 2008.
Edwin Jackson. The 28-year-old right-handed pitcher has the most electric stuff of any pitcher on the market. However, with that talent comes inconsistency and wildness. Many teams want him, but then get rid of him. He has been traded five times since 2006.
Roy Oswalt. The 34-year-old right-handed pitcher is the best pitcher on the market. He has the best stuff of any pitcher, but also comes with the risk of injury. He started 23 games and pitched in 139 innings while missing about a month and a half with a back injury. The rumor is that he may be headed to Boston.
Joe Saunders. The 30-year-old left-handed pitcher is the most talented southpaw on the market. He has one All-Star appearance and is coming off his second best statistical season.
Javier Vazquez. The 35-year-old right-handed pitcher is a former All-Star. He has struggled in hitter-friendly ballparks and succeeded in pitcher-friendly parks. He is one of the better pitchers on the market that does not have a history of injuries.
Brandon Webb. The 32-year-old right-handed pitcher was one of the best pitchers in baseball and an annual Cy Young candidate. But, he was roughed up (six earned runs in four innings) in his only start since the end of the 2008 season.
Chris Young. The 32-year-old right-handed pitcher is a former All-Star. Since his All-Star appearance, he has not pitched in more than 18 games and thrown more than 103 innings in a season. He has pitched just eight games over the last two seasons, but has pitched very well in those games with a 1.43 ERA.
My early choice for the rotation would be:
Liriano, Pavano, Baker, Blackburn and Marquis. They all are veterans with Major League talent. They all have moments of brilliance and can lead a team to the playoffs.
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