Pitching Staff Taking Shape

With Francisco Liriano finally arriving in camp after Visa issues, the Twins can take their first look at a full arsenal of pitchers. The rotation is heavy on young arms who are looking to make their mark while the bullpen is filled with familiar faces. Scott Baker is the current favorite to be the Opening Day starter and the rotation seems pretty settled after him. Assuming Liriano does not suffer any setbacks in his recovery, it appears that there are 11 pitchers who are virtual locks to make the Opening Day roster.


SP-Scott Baker
SP-Livan Hernandez
SP-Boof Bonser
SP-Francisco Liriano
SP-Kevin Slowey
RP-Matt Guerrier
RP-Dennys Reyes
RP-Jesse Crain
RP-Juan Rincon
RP-Pat Neshek
CL-Joe Nathan

The Twins are likely to carry 12 pitchers, leaving the last bullpen spot a wide open race between a number of pitchers in what is sure to be one of the most intense battles in camp. There are plenty of options, but a handful appear to be frontrunners.


Nick Blackburn-26 (RHP)

-There are some, such as Baseball America, who love Blackburn's potential. They feel he can be a solid #3 starter who keeps the ball in the park and eats innings. Others are less bullish on his prospects, feeling he is at best a back-end starter or middle reliever. 2007 was Blackburn's breakout campaign as he dominated Triple-A, posting a 2.11 ERA in 110+ innings, including a 44 inning scoreless streak toward the end of the year. That earned him a September call-up which saw him struggle during a brief stint in the bullpen. Nick responded to a poor MLB debut with a strong showing in the Arizona Fall League that entrenched his status as one of the organization's better prospects. His cutter could be an asset as a short reliever and his ability to spot start certainly gives him value to a team that is nursing its most talented pitcher back from Tommy John. A good spring could move him to the top of the list, but with Dennys Reyes being the only left-hander currently in the pen, the team may favor another lefty as opposed to Blackburn.

Philip Humber-25 (RHP)

-Humber was once a top prospect after being drafted 3rd overall by the Mets in the 2004 draft, but Tommy John surgery dimmed his star a bit, prompting the Mets to include him in a package for Johan Santana. Humber is in a unique situation as he only has one option left, meaning if the team starts him at Triple-A they will have to keep him on the MLB roster once they call him up or risk losing his services. Philip spent most of last season at AAA New Orleans, posting pedestrian numbers that look better once you factor in it was in a hitters league. If Humber can regain the form that made him dominant at Rice he could become a productive back-end starter or middle reliever. For now it appears he may be an odd man out as the team breaks camp.

Glen Perkins-25 (LHP)

-A 1st round pick of the Twins in 2004, Perkins rose rather quickly through the minors and made his big league debut in 2006. He's thrown all 34 1/3 of his MLB innings out of the pen despite being drafted as a starter out of the University of Minnesota. A strained shoulder truncated much of his 2007 season, limiting him to only 19 appearances. The injury should not have any lingering effects and his success as a reliever over the past two seasons could make him the man to beat.

Brian Duensing-25 (LHP)

-Duensing found a niche as a starter in Rochester, posting 11 wins and a 3.24 ERA during the 2007 season after being promoted from Double-A New Britain. His age limits his upside somewhat, but Duensing has succeeded at every level he has been at going back to his time at the University of Nebraska. He could land a role as a left-handed specialist with an impressive showing at camp.

Bobby Korecky-28 (RHP)

-Korecky is already 28 but he has a wealth of experience as a reliever in the minors, having spent the past 4 seasons in that role at New Britain and Rochester. He has a small frame and underwhelming stuff, but a smooth delivery and good command make him ideal for a long-relief role. A scout told Phil Miller of the Pioneer Press that he thought Korecky would be in the bullpen to start the year, so he definitely has a chance to break camp with the big club.


Predicted Winner:

-In the end, I believe Perkins experience will win out, aided by the fact that he is a southpaw. He still holds upside as a starter after having minor league success in that role and with Liriano still on the mend that could prove invaluable. Perkins seems to have an upperhand, but many of these guys are likely to get an opportunity during the year. Juan Rincon still has a balky elbow and has seen his numbers plummet for 3 straight seasons. Jesse Crain is coming off major shoulder surgery and may see a limited workload. Other arms such as Julio DePaula, Randy Keisler, and Oswaldo Sosa could also see time as relief pitching always has a fairly large turnover during the year.