2013 Team Preview: Minnesota Twins

Notable Numbers

Check out the Twins 2013 depth chart

4.66: That is the FIP of the Minnesota Twins pitching staff for the 2012 season. That tied for the worst in baseball with the Toronto Blue Jays, and it doesn't look like the Twins pitching will be much better in 2013. The rotation was headlined by 26 year old starting pitcher, Scott Diamond. Diamond finished with a 3.94 FIP, and looks like he should be a solid middle of the rotation guy for the next few seasons. There weren't many other bright spots, but Glen Perkins did manage to post a 3.17 FIP out of the bullpen, and appears to be the team's closer moving forward.

.376: 2011 was a year to forget for Joe Mauer. He posted a career worst .321 wOBA and dealt with his share of injuries. In 2012 he appeared like the Mauer that we know, and was one of the few bright spots on the Twins offense. He didn't catch as much, as the Twins are hoping he can stay healthier, while still producing the numbers that we know he is capable of producing.

2012 Season In Review

It's no secret that 2012 was a rough season for the Twins. They finished with a 66-96 record, which placed them dead last in the American League Central division. On offense Joe Mauer and Josh Willingham were the bright spots, each posting a 140 and 143 wRC+ respectively. Ryan Doumit was also a nice little surprise, posting a 110 wRC+. The pitching is what really hurt them, as I stated earlier.

Key Off-Season Moves

Traded Denard Span to the Washington Nationals for Alex Meyer: Denard Span is one of the more underrated players in baseball, and in the short-term losing him will definitely hurt. Alex Meyer is a pitcher who could really help the Twins out down the line though. If he lives up to his potential he's a potential #2 starter that can hit the upper 90s. That's definitely something the Twins don't have all that often.

Traded Ben Revere to the Philadelphia Phillies for Vance Worley and Trevor May: Ben Revere is a solid player, but he's unlikely to get any better than he currently is. Worley is a nice starter who could benefit from spacious Target Field,, and if Trevor May doesn't stick in the rotation he could end up in the bullpen.

Signed Mike Pelfrey to a one year-four million dollar contract: Mike Pelfrey only made three starts in 2012, before having to get Tommy John surgery. He's had a few good seasons in the majors, and if he's healthy he'll give the club a good veteran presence on the mound and in the clubhouse.

Signed Kevin Correia to a two year-ten million dollar contract: Kevin Correia was brought in to help stabilize a rather young pitching staff. They may have slightly overpaid, but Correia should be passable at Target Field.

Depth Chart

Aaron Hicks will be taking over the center field, and lead-off spot, after the Twins traded Denard Span and Ben Revere. Their minor league system was ranked #2 overall by Keith Law, and a lot of that talent is at least 2-3 year away. They don't have a ton of starting pitching that could make a start if needed, but keep an eye on Kyle Gibson. Gibson is over a year removed from Tommy John Surgery, and should see time as a starting pitcher in the big leaguers sooner rather than later.

2013 Minnesota Twins Depth Chart

2013 Outlook

2013 is going to be a rough season for the Twins. They'll likely finish last in the division, and could push 100 losses. The downfall of this team will likely be its' starting pitching, while the offense shouldn't be all that bad. The future is bright for this ball club though, as they have as much young talent as anyone in the league.

Check Out the ZiPS Projections at FanGraphs

Bold Prediction

Aaron Hicks will be the clear rookie of the year winner, and make Twins fans forget about Torii Hunter.