We’re heating up down in Ft. Myers 🔥 pic.twitter.com/keo12rPJeo
— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) February 18, 2023
One thing that you will find on the airwaves and online is a relentless barrage of negativity directed at the Twins. Of course, this is a state of being for most of the internet, but even for the Vikings, another local team with obvious flaws, there are no shortage of anapologetic fanboys. Nothing the Vikings do is wrong, but everything the Twins do is.
With that said, I think the Twins are a well constructed team. They were well constructed last year, until an onslaught of bad luck ravaged their rotation, and put an undue burden on their bullpen, which was also struck by injuries. This year, instead of finding bargains of high upside pitchers with injury concerns, the Twins were willing to play full price on Pablo Lopez.
Lopez fills out a rotation with returning workhorses Joe Ryan and Sonny Gray, and returns Tyler Mahle and Kenta Maeda from season ending injury. If those two aren't able to go, the Twins have Bailey Ober, Josh Winder, Louie Varland and Simeon Woods-Richardson as rising prospects who could start. But this need for depth assumes the same record lack of health that the Twins had last season.
A presumption of injury, and blaming the organization for not assuming that all the players they acquire will get hurt is the worst kind of pessimism, because it leaves no room for success. Everything is a mistake. If the Twins AREN'T beset by a plague of injuries again, then one of Ober, Winder, Varland, Woods-Richardson or even Maeda could shift to the pen and make the relief unit better too.
After the Twins ultimately re-signed Carlos Correa, the Vibes were good around the organization. Even when Luis Arraez was traded away for Lopez, the more pragmatic Twins fans were enthusiastic about the direction the team was heading. Sure, some were sad to lose Arraez's personality, which I can understand, but the attitude has been better. With the arrival of spring, the optimism is lingering.
Cracks are beginning to find their way into the positive veneer of the usually negative fandom. Why wasn't Gio Urshela kept? (Because Kyle Farmer provides a better flexibility, Jose Miranda is an abomination at 1st and Alex Kirilloff is healthy). What IS the deal with the bullpen? But neither issue is an issue, unless you presume ill health. So far, everyone is healthy, so for now, let's choose optimism.
