Kuzul

As the Twins saw their postseason dreams come to a halt at the hands of the New York Yankees this past October, the team still had plenty to be proud of as they entered the offseason. The organization had brought baseball back outdoors in Minnesota for the first time in three decades, and saw a great deal of success in doing so.

The Twins were an American League best 53-28 at Target Field, removing any doubt as to whether or not the team would still have a home field advantage without the now deflated Teflon top that the Metrodome provided.

If there was one complaint about Target Field however, it was the lack of power that the team displayed within the confines of their home turf. As a team, the Twins only hit 52 home runs at Target Field in 2010, while hitting almost twice as many on the road. The team also struck out more than 100 times at home than on the road, a sign that the players were likely working on compensating for the dimensions of this pitcher friendly ball park.

On paper, the team has the capacity to put up great numbers and score many runs, but if the team doesn’t solve their power struggles and put some pop in their bats in 2011, they may find themselves on the outside looking in come playoff time.

Begin Slideshow

Just one week ago, Minnesotans found themselves in the midst of one of the biggest blizzards in the state’s history. Twenty inches of snow and one collapsed Metrodome roof later, the impact of the storm left a mark on the Twin Cities. But just as people in the Twin Cities finally moved past the storm, a tsunami that goes by the name of “Yoshi” or “Nishi” rolled into town.

Tsuyoshi Nishioka arrived in Minneapolis on Thursday, effectively beginning a new era in Minnesota baseball. Nishioka has become the first Japanese player to sign with the Minnesota Twins. The move takes the Twins off the list of four remaining teams in Major League Baseball that had never signed a Pacific League player.

After seeing second baseman Orlando Hudson leave for San Diego in free agency and trading shortstop J.J. Hardy to Baltimore in exchange for a couple of pitchers, the Twins had two key spots in the infield that needed to be filled.

While it hasn’t officially been confirmed by the organization, it has been widely speculated that Alexi Casilla will finally get his chance to be an everyday starter in the Twins infield. Assuming Casilla finds a permanent home in the starting lineup, Nishioka is the final piece to the infield puzzle.

But the signing of Tsuyoshi Nishioka signifies much more than just the replacement of a position. Nishioka brings an entire nation with him in joining the Minnesota Twins. Elite baseball players in the Pacific League gain the same amount of media attention overseas that movie stars and famous musicians face on a daily basis in the United States.

Entering the conference room at Target Field for the press conference to officially introduce Nishioka as a member of the Twins, it became very apparent that the Twins game day experience will never be the same again.

More than an hour before the news conference was scheduled to start, the room was completely full, foreign media making up around 80 percent of the crowd. As the conference started, even Twins third baseman Danny Valencia found himself scrambling to find an open seat to watch the proceedings.

Flashbulbs and camera clicks took over when Nishioka arrived in the room, and a rousing applause rang out when he put on his No. 1 jersey for the first time. Before allowing his translator to moderate the news conference, Nishioka even tried his hand at speaking English, sharing with the media in attendance the following statement: “I’m excited to be part of the Twins family. Thank you.” Along with Nishioka’s seemingly constant smile, the statement brought another round of applause from those in the room.

As Nishioka continued, it became easier to see how he could be so well-liked in his native Japan. When asked if he would rather be playing second base or shortstop, Nishioka simply responded, “I don’t think I have any say to have a preference of playing second base or shortstop. I’m preparing for both. I’ll do whatever the manager tells me. If the manager wants me to be a ball boy, I’ll do that.”

Speaking with members of the Japanese media who had regularly taken part in covering Ichiro’s time in Seattle, I was told that people in Minnesota should expect a massive following to arrive at Target Field as spring comes around. After asking the reporter to elaborate, I was told, “Fans will come in large groups to every game, signs and banners written in Yoshi’s native language will be everywhere.”

He continued, “This won’t only be for games in Minnesota, but also in other cities. Asian Americans everywhere followed these elite players closely when they were in the Pacific League, and that won’t change now that they’re in the United States.”

It will be interesting to see how the marketing team for the Twins handles their newly expanded fan base in 2011. The Seattle Mariners management made many game-day changes when Ichiro arrived, including expanded concession offerings such as sushi and stir fry. Team chants in Ichiro’s native tongue were played over the PA system regularly when the star rightfielder would come up to bat.

As 2011 approaches, you can bet that Target Field will adopt some of these customs, stretching the reach of “Twins Territory” farther than ever before.

In an offseason where the Twins have seen their division rivals stock up with talent, Twins fans needed to see a move that would show that the team isn’t content to hold its position. The signing of Tsuyoshi Nishioka signifies a major change for baseball in Minnesota, a change that the organization hopes will help catapult the team to the next level in 2011.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Now that the winner of the Cliff Lee sweepstakes has been decided, the attention can turn to the rest of the free agent market. Carl Pavano is now the best free agent starting pitcher on the open market, and with Lee making a surprise move in returning to Philadelphia, teams have been left scrambling.

Pavano turned down the Twins‘ offer of arbitration in late November, effectively starting his time as a Type A free agent. Pavano has said that while he is entertaining offers from other organizations, he will give the Twins the opportunity to match the offers that are placed.

Carl Pavano could potentially solidify the Twins stability at the top of the rotation in 2011, but there is reason to believe that bringing Pavano back into the fold in 2011 could prove to be more harmful than helpful as the Twins look to defend their Central division championship.

With Cliff Lee Unavailable, Pavano’s Stock Has Risen

When Cliff Lee ultimately decided to shake up the free agency period by signing with a team other than the New York Yankees, he sent franchises scrambling for an answer to their own issues. Besides the Yankees, the Texas Rangers and Anaheim Angels were noted as options for Lee.

It would be a shock if the Yankees ended up bringing back Carl Pavano after the his disastrous stay in New York in 2005-08. A 9-8 record with a 5.00 ERA is disappointing for any starting pitcher over a three year period, but when you combine that with the fact that it came with a price tag of $30 million, a second stint in New York seems doubtful at best.

Still, teams like the Rangers and Angels could definitely make a move towards signing Pavano. The Washington Nationals and Milwaukee Brewers have also been identified as teams pursuing his services – and with Pavano being the best option currently available, the asking price could very well go up.

Pavano Wants More Years Than Twins Want to Give

After displaying the success that Pavano has since heading to Minnesota, the Twins starter is seeking longer term stability than arbitration can offer. Since Pavano joined the Twins in late 2009, he has a combined 22-15 record with a 3.97 ERA. Pavano’s consistency has been an important part of the Twins success, as his high number of complete games and ability to control pitch counts have provided the bullpen with occasional breaks from action.

A performance over such a span would warrant a long term deal for almost any pitcher. Pavano’s case is different however –  as he will turn 35 before entering spring training in 2011. A long term deal would be out of the question for Pavano, as his performance will likely decline as the years progress.

Nevertheless, Pavano’s camp seems to be holding out for a suitor that will offer a three or four year deal, while it’s becoming apparent that the Twins would prefer to keep Pavano for two years if he were to remain a Twin.

Twins Need to Move Towards Youth, Bring in Greinke

While bringing back Carl Pavano as a number two starter for the Twins in 2011 may be an option, his age prevents him from being a long term solution for the franchise.

The Twins have been mentioned as a potential suitor for the services of Kansas City Royals pitcher Zack Greinke, a move that would make sense for the team.

Link: 10 Reasons the Minnesota Twins Should Acquire Zack Greinke

It seems a long shot at best for Greinke to end up with the Twins in 2011, as trading within the division typically comes with a higher asking price, and other teams may offer a more attractive package to the Royals. However even if the Twins don’t end up with Greinke, they’ll ultimately need to pursue options that will be long term options to accompany Fransisco Liriano at the top of the rotation.  

The Success of Pavano’s 2010 Likely Won’t be Duplicated

Breaking down Carl Pavano’s 2010 season will show the most consistent numbers of any starter in the Twins’ staff. Pavano’s 17 win season is the second most of his career, bested only by his all-star campaign in 2004. The 3.75 ERA that Pavano was able to earn is also the second best full season of his career, again only lower with the Marlins in 2004.

Pavano’s career numbers have been far more mediocre, with a 97-89 overall record and an ERA just under 4.50. Pavano’s overall performance declined as the innings piled up throughout the 2010 season, and since Pavano isn’t getting any younger, it’s likely that his 2010 stat line won’t look the same in 2011, no matter what team he plays for.

The current state of the Twins’ rotation is far from stable, and with the struggles that pitchers Nick Blackburn, Kevin Slowey and Scott Baker endured at times in 2010, the Twins may feel obligated to bring Pavano in to add consistency. Still, the Twins need to think long and hard about signing Pavano to a contract outside of their comfort zone, as the risk could very well outweigh the reward.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

With the 2010 MLB Winter Meetings heating up, everyone is waiting to find out whether the Yankees, Rangers or perhaps another suitor will win the Cliff Lee sweepstakes. No matter what team Lee ends up choosing, his decision is sure to set off a chain reaction in the baseball world, as Lee’s signing will be just one major move in what promises to be a busy winter.

Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Zack Greinke might be the second hottest topic this offseason, as the Royals seems poised to trade away their Cy Young award winning ace to the highest bidder. Teams that lose out on acquiring Cliff Lee via free agency will be forced to focus their pursuit on the services of Greinke.

The Cliff Lee saga may have passed for the Minnesota Twins this past July when they were unable to make a trade happen, but as we move towards 2011 Zack Greinke appears to be on the radar for Twins management. Given the disappointing finish to this past season and some uncertain circumstances heading into 2011, the Twins would be wise to do whatever possible to bring Greinke to Target Field.

Begin Slideshow

Baseball has long been known as America’s pastime, drawing millions of fans’ attention every summer. Being a professional baseball player is a common dream that boys all over the world aspire to.

In the early 1940s, that dream was put on hold for hundreds of young professional baseball players across the country, as the nation began its involvement in World War II.

As we remember the anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, let’s take a moment to remember just a few of the hundreds who put their careers on hold to serve their country.

Begin Slideshow

The Minnesota Twins have always prided themselves on the amount of talent available in their minor league system. The organization has also always been known for developing their players at a conservative pace.

Current Twins third baseman Danny Valencia spent a full four seasons in the minor leagues before getting the call to the majors this past season.

He made the best of his opportunity, solidifying his place as the team’s starting third baseman for the remainder of the season, and will likely remain there for the foreseeable future.

After seeing Valencia succeed at baseball’s highest level, who else might have a chance to make Minneapolis home in 2011?

Begin Slideshow