Twins/MLB 2022 preview

Twins:

For sure, there is a lot more reason for optimism surrounding the 2022 Twins than there was when the lockout ended. On that day, this was a team coming off one of the most disastrous seasons in franchise history, with almost no starting rotation. 

Now? Well, in the last few weeks they have stunned us all by signing Carlos Correa, and also have added Sonny Gray, Gary Sanchez, Gio Urshela, Chris Archer, and Chris Paddack, while trading away Josh Donaldson, Mitch Garver, Brent Rooker and Taylor Rogers.

As the dust settles from all this movement, I see this as an improved team but still very lacking in the most important thing they need to be a real contender for anything meaningful. 

They don't have the pitching. They start the year with 6 starters, plus rookie Josh Winder, who is a starter but may come out of the bullpen. But they never made that big pitching move to build off the Correa signing. Gray is solid, but he is not the #1 of a title contending rotation. After that we have nothing but young guys and reclamation projects.

This lineup should be very good. Buxton is an MVP candidate if he stays healthy. Correa will be a beast. Polanco is very good. Sano will have his hot streaks. There are no gaping holes in this lineup, so I think the expectation should absolutely be to have a potent offense. 

If the pitching staff can exceed expectations they will have a shot. But they need 4 legit SPs to be taken seriously and as of now they have only 1 (Gray) that I feel is for sure going to be good. Fact is we don't know yet on Ryan, and while Ober was a good rookie, these guys now have tape on them. I would hope the reclamation projects at least fare better than last year's disasters. 

The bullpen, sans Rogers, has no clear closer, and has a mix of a few established guys, a couple waiver guys, and a couple flamethrowers. Well I'm sure pitcher management mastermind Rocco Baldelli will figure it out. 😒😒😒

I just don't see it. The newly added 3rd wild card will help (the whole AL East can't get in), but I still see at least 7 teams clearly better than the Twins. I don't see this team as having either a low floor.or a high ceiling. If they go 81-81 it would not surprise me. 

AL Central:

Elsewhere, the White Sox look to have one of the most complete rosters in all of baseball, and are probably the biggest single favorite in any division. The now Cleveland Guardians always seem to have enough pitching to remain competitive. Detroit has made a few smart additions and could surprise. Kansas City appears to be the worst team in the division, but one of the better bottom feeders anyway. 

AL East:

Look, my yearly default is just to expect the worst and assume the Yankees will dominate a sport set up for them to do so. Toronto is pretty loaded and should contend. One would be foolish to ever write off Tampa. Boston made the ALCS last year but carried a whiff of fluke. All of the above will feast on the sorry ass Orioles. 

AL West:

Fuck it, I'm picking the Angels to finally live up to their talent this year and win the west. If I'm wrong (as if THAT ever happens) then obviously the still loaded Astros are the favorites here. Seattle will at least flirt with ending their 20 year playoff drought. Texas made a couple big additions but have a long way to go. Oakland is in the tear down stage of their usual rebuild cycle, but they always seem to exceed expectations anyway. 

NL East:

The Braves actually underachieved some in the regular season last year before rolling to a world series title. They will probably be better this year. The rest of this division is pretty weak. The Phillies seem to be the 2nd best team here. The Mets have some talent but always fail to match it. The Nationals (sorry, Boomstick) and Marlins bring up the rear. 

NL Central:

Milwaukee's pitching seems to have them the favorites here by a wide margin. St. Louis will be in the mix, cause they always are. Hope Pujols can get to 700 homeruns. The Cubs have fallen way back. The Reds don't seem like much of anything. Pittsburgh is awful. 

NL West:

The Dodgers remain the Dodgers, a loaded team sure to win 100 or close to it. The Padres were a huge disappointment last year but still have a ton of talent. The Giants were the runaway surprise last year, and will likely be in the playoff mix, but 100+ wins again? No way. Colorado doesn't have much going for them. Arizona has even less. 

American League playoff teams: White Sox, Yankees, Angels, Astros, Blue Jays, Rays

Spoiler team: Twins (if the starting pitching is good)

ALCS: Yankees over Blue Jays

National League playoff teams: Dodgers, Braves, Brewers, Padres, Giants, Cardinals

Spoiler team: Phillies

NLCS: Dodgers over Brewers

World Series: Yankees over Dodgers. Look, if I keep expecting the worst then if/when it doesn't happen that's all the better.