Countdown to Opening Day: #4 Minnesota Twins

By Andrew Marcus

Sportswriter for Montgomery Media

Follow me on Twitter @amarcus515

To help pass the time between now and the start of the 2011 Major League Baseball season I am going to be examining a different team every day. Starting with the Pirates, working toward the Phillies. I will give you my projected starters, breakout and bust players, biggest spring training question and top prospect

PROJECTED LINEUP

CF Denard Span

2B Tsuyoshi  Nishioka

C Joe Mauer

1B Justin Morneau

LF Delmon Young

RF Michael Cuddyer

DH Jason Kubel

3B Danny Valencia

SS Alexi Casilla

PROJECTED ROTATION

Francisco Liriano

Carl Pavano

Scott Baker

Brian Duensing

Nick Blackburn

PROJECTED BULLPEN
Closer - Joe Nathan
Set-up - Matt Capps

Top Prospect - Aaron Hicks (OF)

Breakout

Scott Baker - A hesitant to call him a breakout, but I do not see any one else taking their game to the next level. Baker has had an up and down career, but he is 29 and I believe will make 30 plus starts and be in that Twins playoffs rotation. Kevin Slowey may be having the better spring, but he is 26 years old and easier to trade. 

Bust

Tsuyoshi Nishioka - Other than the rare breeds like Ichiro and Hideki Matsui there have not been many players that have come from Japan have not exactly become all-stars. I would not expect big numbers, just solid defense in an Aki Iwamura mold.

Biggest Spring Training Question

Who goes where - The clearly is enough talented all over the diamond and in the lineup and luckily it is up to one of the best managers in baseball, Ron Gardenhire, to put them is spots to succeed. Who will be in the rotation? Is Nishioka at second base or short stop? How many at-bats will Jim Thome get and where will Delmon Young hit in the order? All questions that need to be answered in Fort Myers.

LAST YEAR'S RECORD: 94-68

PROJECTED FINISH: 1st in the American League Central

Can Morneau stay healthy down the stretch this season?

***THANKS FOR READING MY TEAM BY TEAM OUTLOOKS TO HELP PASS THE TIME

Check back tomorrow for the New York Yankees