If you don't have a fire in your belly for spring training and the greatest sport known to mankind, consider this: Rich Anderson, the pitching coach for the Minnesota Twins, has already set the starting pitching for the Twins' first three exhibition games. Carl Pavano, Francisco Liriano and Jason Marquis will start the exhibition games 1, 2, and 3, respectively.
The Minnesota Twins, who struggled with, among other things, starting pitching last year, have 33 pitchers coming in to spring training. A couple of those guys have to be able to pitch... At least enough to round out the starting rotation.
If Scott Baker and Nick Blackburn are healthy, they'll round out the rotation, at least for the beginning of the season. Essentially that would mean Brian Duensing would go back to the bullpen, where he will join Glen Perkins, Joel Zumaya and Matt Capps. This is assuming, of course, that all of the aforementioned pitchers remain healthy and on top of their game... Or that their game is at least better than the next person's game.
Anderson spoke out about Matt Capps and his relationship with the mound and Minnesota Twins fans, "It broke my heart every time people booed him before he even got to the mound." I believe that fans didn't completely grasp what Matt Capps was going through last season, meaning that we booed him in ignorance. Which... is brutal. I also think there is a point to be made that Twins fans were so frustrated and disappointed in the Twins that it was easy to boo Capps because he was often at the transition point that led the Twins from a win to a loss.
Basically, the Twins have to play better this year. And Twins fans need to remain some of the most loyal fans in the MLB.
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