MLB Betting Online: Hope springs eternal in Major League Baseball. Your favorite team made a key offseason move, the prized prospect is ready for his breakout season or the injuries from last year have all healed. Whatever the circumstance, everyone is tied for first at this point.
One of the biggest surprises in all of baseball in 2015, the Twins will try to build on a season that saw them in the American League wild-card race all the way into the campaign’s final weekend. The Twins are armed with one of the best farm systems in the game and many of the club’s top prospects have moved to the upper levels of the minor leagues. They are knocking on the major-league door, ready to make an impact.
MINNESOTA TWINS
+5497 to win 2016 World Series
+2518 to win AL Pennant
It’s said the jump from 70 wins, which Minnesota had in 2014, to the 83 last season will be far easier than trying to replicate a similar jump this year. But the Twins are flooded with upside, from Byron Buxton to Miguel Sano to Eddie Rosario, and they progressed quicker than expected.
There aren’t many questions about Sano at the plate. A shortstop when he was signed out of the Dominican Republic six years ago, Sano moved to third base as he has grown into a 270-pound man. Mostly a designated hitter last season, he will shift to right field to open up the DH spot for import Byung-Ho Park, who, like Sano, has the ability to hit for power.
For the Twins, the central question mark is the rotation. The group was 16th in ERA last season and still doesn’t have a pitcher who is remotely ace-like to lead the unit.
But improvement last season, when the starters slashed nearly a full run off their rotation ERA is a good sign. The Twins overcame a lengthy suspension to Ervin Santana and injury-marred seasons for righties Phil Hughes and Ricky Nolasco.
The trio is expected to live at the top of the rotation and any hope of making noise in the AL Central rests on their right arms.
All-Star closer Glenn Perkins was unable to stay healthy for the second straight year, leaving a void in the back end of the bullpen. Career setup man Kevin Jepsen provides a much-needed insurance policy if Perkins breaks down again.
The Twins are relying heavily on youth and a return to some form from the top of their rotation. They successfully integrated a handful of rookies in manager Paul Molitor’s rookie year at the controls, and the plan is to try the same approach in 2016.
Keeping pace with the Royals is a tall task, but the Twins appear to have stabilized enough to return to prominence in the next few years. If all goes according to plan, the Twins might just be able to enjoy another runs of success.
Key Additions: IF Byung Ho Park, C John Ryan Murphy,
Key Losses: SP Mike Pelfrey, OF Torii Hunter, OF Aaron Hicks,
The good news is that 96 victories probably isn’t needed to win an American League Central Division that doesn’t possess a truly dominant team, at least on paper. Whether the Twins have the horses to challenge the defending World Champion Royals is another question altogether. But, there’s no question that Minnesota is a team on the rise. How quickly the Twins are able make that rise and how high that ascension goes will be something to keep an eye on in the American League this season.
Prediction: 84-78
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