Entering Tuesday night’s game with the White Sox, Twins’ starter Francisco Liriano held a 9.13 ERA. In his previous start, he lasted just three innings and there were rumors that Kevin Slowey would replace him in the rotation.

So naturally, Liriano no-hit the ChiSox on Tuesday. Granted, it wasn’t a masterpiece as he walked six and struck out just two. But it was the first no-hitter of the 2011 MLB season and Minnesota’s first no-no since Eric Milton accomplished the feat back in 1999. Still, for a guy who came into the game with an 18/18 K/BB ratio and a 1.90 WHIP, Liriano’s performance was rather stunning.

Or was it? Entering the night, he was 5-0 in his last five starts against the White Sox, who were utterly helpless against the lefty on Tuesday. Plus, the Twins claimed a few days ago that the thought they had discovered inconsistency in the Liriano’s delivery. Maybe the adjustments coupled with the opponent created a perfect storm for Liriano to get his groove back.

The talks of being replaced in the rotation will certainly die down now for Liriano. He’s bought himself a couple of more starts, although if he reverts back to the same awful pitcher he was before Tuesday night then the Kevin Slowey rumors will no doubt arise again. Here’s hoping for Liriano and the Twins’ sake, this will light a fire under this struggling club.

From Rotoworld:

We’ve heard discussion about the Twins possibly trading Liriano from a variety of sources, so it appears this rumor has legs. The Yankees have an obvious need in their rotation, but the Twins would be trading away the closest thing they have to an ace at the moment. According to Nightengale, the Twins would acquire either Ivan Nova or Joba Chamberlain, in addition to other pieces. Stay tuned, because it sounds like things are about to get very interesting.

If the Twins acquire Chamberlain, I wonder if they’ll consider him a starter or a reliever. Because obviously the Yankees’ brass doesn’t feel that he’s a starter or else he would be mentioned along with the other 25 candidates that are trying out for the No. 4 and No. 5 spots in New York’s rotation.

If they do wind up trading Liriano, it’s hard to like Minnesota’s chances in the AL Central this year. The White Sox and Tigers have retooled and the Twins’ bullpen took some big hits in the offseason. Getting healthy seasons out of Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer would become even more vital given the losses the Twins have (or will) absorbed in their pitching staff.

Assuming Liriano could handle pitching in the Bronx, he would give immediate hope to the Yankees’ pitching situation. Now all of a sudden, less would be expected of A.J. Burnett and Phil Hughes, which is huge in the case of Burnett (who succumbed to the pressure last season after pitching well in 2009).

USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reports that the Yankees are keeping a close eye on Twins’ starter Francisco Liriano, while Minnesota is keeping a close eye on the Yankees’ prospects.

From Rotoworld.com:

Interesting. We heard earlier this month that the Twins’ front office could be open to the idea of dealing Liriano, and the Yankees, of course, immediately popped up as a potentially interested party. The southpaw is under team control through the end of next season, but if the Twins don’t think they’ll be able to lock him up on a long-term deal, exploring a trade does make some sense. Liriano, who had 201 strikeouts in 192 innings last season, would force the Yanks to give up at least one blue chip prospect.

The Yankees will need to make a move at some point because their starting rotation looks like a poorly constructed Jenga tower right now. CC Sabathia is the bottom holding everything together, while Phil Hughes, A.J. Burnett, Bartolo Colon, Ivan Nova and Sergio Mitre comprise the rest of the shaky tower.

But I wonder whether the Yankees and Twins are a match. The Bombers have two catching prospects in Jesus Montero (who is probably viewed as un-tradeable) and Gary Sanchez that would fetch them a major-league starter, but it’s not like the Twins need a catcher. It would be interesting to see what Minnesota would ask for in exchange for Lirinao.

In order to help get you ready for the MLB season, we’re doing division-by-division rankings with quick overviews on how each club could fair in 2010. Next to each team, you’ll also find a corresponding number written in parenthesis, which indicates where we believe that club falls in a league-wide power ranking. Be sure to check back throughout the next two weeks leading up to the season, as we will be updating our content daily. Enjoy.

All 2010 MLB Preview Content | AL East Preview | AL Central Preview | AL West Preview | NL East | NL Central | NL West

Next up is the AL Central.

1. Chicago White Sox (9)
Some folks will think that this is too high for the White Sox – that they should be behind the Twins and out of the top 10 in terms of the overall power rankings. Some folks will say that Jake Peavy won’t be healthy all season and that the Chi Sox will once again falter as they try to live station to station on offense. Well, I say the folks that disagree with my opinion are friggin idiots. Harsh? Yeah, but it also needed to be said. I realize that I’m taking a risk by moving the Sox to the head of the AL Central, but really, it’s hard to argue that this division isn’t a crapshoot anyway. Every team has question marks heading into the season but at the end of the day, pitching makes or breaks a team. I realize Peavy missed all of last year due to injury, but the Sox were second in the AL in pitching last season with a 4.14 ERA without him. If he stays healthy, Peavy will only add to Chicago’s solid rotation (which also features Mark Buehrle, John Danks, Gavin Floyd and Freddy Garcia) and the addition of J.J. Putz should bolster the bullpen as well. Outside of injuries, the only thing that could potentially hold Chicago back this year is its offense. What do you mean that’s kind of a big deal? I’m banking that youngster Gordon Beckham develops quickly and that Carlos Quentin and Alex Rios return to form. I also think the Sox will get key contributions from the additions GM Kenny Williams made this offseason in Andruw Jones, Juan Pierre and Mark Teahen. I’m not expecting the Sox to magically transform into the Yankees of the AL Central, but I do believe they have enough offense to get by while their pitching carries them to a playoff berth.

2. Minnesota Twins (10)
Boo! Hiss! Why do you have the Twins behind the White Sox, moron? Minnesota fans aren’t going to appreciate this – especially considering they’re still all hopped up on the Joe Mauer contract juice. But the pitching staff scares the bejeuses out of me. I’m well aware of what Mauer and Justin Morneau can do with 42 inches of lumber and I think the offseason addition of Jim Thome was great. But does this team have enough starting pitching to make a run? Based on the starters’ performances thus far in spring training, the answer to that question is “yes.” Scott Baker, Nick Blackburn, Kevin Slowey, Carl Pavano and even Francisco Liriano have all looked good thus far but the Twins will need consistency out of this group throughout the entire season. Plus, Jon Rauch (or Heath Bell or Jason Frasor) has to step in for Joe Nathan, who was lost for the season after deciding to undergo Tommy John surgery. Even though Rauch has looked good himself this spring, Nathan left some pretty big shoes to fill. Another factor that I can’t shake is that the club is moving out of the Metrodome this year into the brand new outdoor Target Field. The Twins have gone 102-61 at home over the last two years and just 73-89 on the road. While it may sound trivial, they had a distinct advantage inside the dome – a distinct advantage they no longer have. That said, after I spent an entire paragraph doubting them, I do believe that the Twins have enough talent to run away with the Central. If the success that the starters have had this spring carries over into the regular season, then they should win the division. And if Rauch pitches as well as he did last season and in spring training this year, then he’ll ease the pain of the club not having Nathan. But something tells me that the Twins take a step back this year – the excitement about Mauer’s new contract be damned.

3. Detroit Tigers (16)
It’s hard to get a read on the Tigers. Are they a team moving forward or are they a team that’s ready to blow itself up and start rebuilding? Justin Verlander is a serious Cy Young candidate and Miguel Cabrera is a serious MVP candidate now that he has vowed to stay sober. (He was actually a serious MVP candidate when he was hitting the bottle the night before games, but being sober only helps things.) But here’s where my concern comes in with the Tigers: If things go bad in the first half, will the front office hold a fire sale at the deadline? No club in baseball has been hit harder by the downturn in the economy like Detroit has and I could see the Tigers creating financial relief for themselves by clearing some big contracts off the books – including Cabrera’s. That said, it’s not hard to see why Detroit fans are excited about the Tigers’ chances this year. Behind Verlander is 21-year-old phenom Rick Porcello and then promising, hard-throwing right-hander Max Scherzer, who was acquired in the Edwin Jackson deal. The Tigers also overpaid to watch Johnny Damon’s power decrease dramatically now that he won’t be hitting in Tornado alley, but fans seem excited about what he can bring to a lineup (i.e. patience at the plate, speed) and a clubhouse (i.e. orange slices and Capri Sun). As I wrote in the write up for the White Sox, the AL Central will be a crapshoot again this year. All three teams at the top of the division – the Sox, Twins and Tigers – have a legitimate shot at winning the Central and it wouldn’t surprise me in the least if Detroit wears the crown at the end of the year. But after they parted with Curtis Granderson in a cost cutting move this offseason, I worry about whether or not the front office is committed to winning. The Damon deal suggests that they are, but we’ll see what their intentions are around the trade deadline.

4. Kansas City Royals (25)
There’s just nothing to say about the Royals that hasn’t been said for the past 10 years. They’re so bland that sometimes you forget they’re even there. “Hey, who do the Sox play today?” “The Royals.” “Who? Christ, they’re still in the league?!” The problems that the Royals have from top to bottom are a mile long. They lack the basic fundamentals on the field, including but not limited to: base running, situational hitting and overall defense. This is also an organization that refuses to spend and what’s worse is that they have a brutal scouting department. So basically, it’s the worst of both worlds. That said, there is some hope on the horizon. Zach Greinke gives fans a legitimate reason to show up at the ballpark every fifth day and Billy Butler gives fans a legitimate reason to return from the concession stand when the Royals are up to bat. There’s also a lot of excitement surrounding 19-year-old Cuban defector Noel Arguelles and there is still one or two people left that believe Alex Gordon will develop too. But outside of that, the Royals (who?) will battle the Indians for fourth place in the division once again this season.

5. Cleveland Indians (28)
It just seems like yesterday that, after years of rebuilding, the Tribe had set themselves up with a solid core of players that would help them win for years to come. Then, after just one trip to the ALCS (2007), the club is now back in rebuilding mode. Cleveland fans must be thinking to themselves, “All right – who’s the jokester? Seriously guys, where’s CC Sabathia, Cliff Lee and Victor Martinez? I’m not kidding around – they were supposed to help us compete for a decade and now somebody has misplaced them.” If enough things break right, the Indians could actually finish near the middle of the pack this year. But a lot has to happen. Jake Westbrook and Fausto Carmona have to have solid seasons and Chris Perez has to fill Kerry Wood’s (out until early May with a strained right latissimus dorsi muscle, which can also be found in dolphins I think) shoes. Grady Sizemore and Travis Hafner also have to bounce back from injuries and some of the young pups like Matt LaPorta and Asdrubal Cabrera have to contribute as well. All in all, the Tribe probably won’t be as bad as many think, but obviously expectations should be kept low seeing as how they are in rebuilding mode. “Rebuilding mode? Again? Are you serious?! Come on!”

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]]> http://www.scoresreport.com/2010/03/23/2010-mlb-preview-al-central/feed/ 0 http://www.scoresreport.com/2009/04/02/fbb-notes-liriano-to-start-opener-street-named-closer-wilson-hurt/ http://www.scoresreport.com/2009/04/02/fbb-notes-liriano-to-start-opener-street-named-closer-wilson-hurt/#comments Thu, 02 Apr 2009 16:22:40 +0000 Anthony Stalter http://www.scoresreport.com/?p=16118

- The Twins placed RHP Scott Baker on the 15-day DL with right shoulder stiffness, which means Francisco Liriano will start for Minnesota on Opening Day. (Rotoworld.com)

- It appears that Huston Street has officially beat out Manny Corpas for the right to be named the Rockies’ Opening Day closer. (Denver Post)

- Giants’ closer Brian Wilson (who saved 41 games last season and made the All-Star Game) hasn’t pitched in eight days because of an infected middle finger and could miss Opening Day. San Fran would likely choose either Jeremy Affeldt or Bob Howry to close in Wilson isn’t ready by next Tuesday. (San Francisco Chronicle)

- Cardinals’ third basemen Troy Glaus might not return before the All-Star Break as he continues to rehab following shoulder surgery. (St. Louis Dispatch)

- The Reds are showing interest in outfielder Gary Sheffield, who was released by the Tigers last week. (Reds.mlb.com)

- Fernando Rodney has been named the Tigers’ closer for Opening Day, although manager Jim Leyland indicated that Brandon Lyon could still get the opportunity to close games early on. (Detroit Free Press)

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Offseason Movement: The Twins were rather quiet this offseason, but they did sign free agent third basemen Joe Crede (formally of the White Sox) and pitcher Luis Ayala, who could contribute as a setup man this season.

Top Prospect: Aaron Hicks, OF
The Twins selected Hicks with the 14th overall pick in the 2008 draft in hopes he could become the next Torii Hunter. Hicks is a switch-hitter, with above average power and has demonstrated excellent bat speed. He could turn out to be a five-tool player, but it’ll be a couple years before we see him in the big leagues because he’s only 19. Believe it or not, many teams preferred him as a pitcher in last year’s draft; that’s how good of an athlete Hicks is.

The Big Question: Will Joe Mauer’s back injury keep the Twins from competing?
There’s no question that a lot of the Twins’ success this year will revolve around the health of catcher Joe Mauer. He underwent kidney surgery earlier this offseason and had been slow to recover. But he was also diagnosed with an inflamed lower back in mid March, which is now the chief concern for the Twins. It already appears that Mauer will miss Opening Day and as of right now, there is no timetable for his return. There’s no doubt that Minnesota needs their star 25-year old catcher healthy, or else the Indians, Tigers and/or White Sox will overtake them in the AL Central.

Outlook: The Twins won 88 games last year and it’s hard to believe that the team that they’ll put on the field this year will be any worse. This club has a balanced lineup from top to bottom, with most of its power coming from Justin Morneau, Joe Crede and emerging youngster Jason Kubel, while Denard Span and Carlos Gomez bring the speed. But the nucleus is Joe Mauer, who (as previously noted) has some major health concerns right now. If his back doesn’t become a long-term problem, then the Twins could compete for the AL Wild Card, if not the division depending on whether or not the Indians and Tigers can bounce back from horrid 2008 seasons. But if Mauer’s injury sticks around for a while, it’s hard to see this club being competitive over the long haul, especially considering the starting rotation is a bit unproven. (Albeit the top three of Scott Baker, Francisco Liriano and Kevin Slowey are all solid.)

Projection: 3rd AL Central

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Admit it, you passed on Tim Lincecum last year. You took one look at his 2007 record (7-5), his ball boy-type frame (he only stands 5’11” and is 170-pounds soaking wet) and the fact that he played on a team with one of the worst offenses in baseball and you said, “no thanks.”

But there was one owner (the smart one) in your league that bought into the hype, took a shot and reaped the benefits of Lincecum earning the NL Cy Young Award while going 18-5 with a major league-leading 265 strikeouts and 2.62 ERA.

Don’t feel bad; you weren’t the only fantasy owner last year that just couldn’t pull the trigger on Lincecum. Truth be told, he was a bit of a risk last season given his inexperience and the fact that the Giants weren’t expected to give him much run support. And assuming you’ve played a fair share of fantasy baseball, you’ve probably been burned once or twice in the past by taking a risk on that perfect young sleeper that everyone is gaga for in spring training, yet fizzles once the season starts.

But Lincecum proved last year that you could find diamonds in the rough that can wind up anchoring your pitching staff for the entire season. You have to be willing to take a risk, however, and select one of those potential gems a round or two before they are projected to go.

Below we’ve put together a group of young pitchers that might not become the next Tim Lincecum, but ones that could certainly turn out to be tremendous values once the top 15 arms come off the board. We’re talking about pitchers who haven’t seen their 28th birthday yet (most haven’t even seen their 25th birthday yet), but ones that could post 15-plus wins, 150-plus strikeouts and an ERA south of 3.80.

Joba Chamberlain, New York Yankees
Don’t think for a second that you’ll be pulling a fast one on everybody if you take Chamberlain as your second pitcher – everyone already knows about Joba’s potential. But he has struggled thus far in spring training, which means he could drop into your lap as other owners flock to safer pitching choices. Chamberlain has the potential to win 15-plus games, sniff 200 strikeouts and close in on a 3.20 ERA, but he obviously has to cash in on his immense physical talent. If he continues to struggle in spring training, you might land him later than you projected and if you do, he could wind up being the best pitcher on your roster by season’s end.

Yovani Gallardo, Milwaukee Brewers
Gallardo will scare away plenty of potential owners after only making five starts in 2008, but he has the talent to post 185-plus strikeouts and produce 15-plus wins. If he stays healthy, he should also keep his ERA south of 3.50 and although you’ll land him in the middle rounds, he could project to being a top 25 pitcher. Remember, he had knee issues last year – nothing arm related. The future ace should once again be healthy and he’s definitely worth taking a shot on.

Jon Danks, Chicago White Sox
Danks turned down an opportunity to play in the World Baseball Classic, which should only help the youngster’s fantasy value. Not unlike Matt Cain, Danks needs better run support in order to cash in on his talent, but he has the potential to total 160-plus strikeouts and 15-plus wins. He might not keep his ERA around 3.30 like he did last year, but it won’t go north of 3.90 either. Again, as long as he doesn’t get stiffed in the run support department again this year (which is hard to project), there’s no telling how good this 23-year old stud can be.

Matt Garza, Tampa Bay Rays
Garza only fanned 128 batters in 184 innings last year, but he was a strikeout machine in the minors so hopefully that will eventually transfer to the big leagues. If the Rays don’t take a step back after reaching the Series last year, Garza could notch 14-plus wins and 140-plus strikeouts, all while keeping his ERA south of 3.60. Of all the pitchers we’ve listed, he certainly doesn’t have the highest ceiling, but Garza would be a major value as a No. 2 or No. 3 on your staff.

Scott Baker, Minnesota Twins
Ready to take a shot on a potential stud? Baker is an ace in the making and while he competes in a tough AL Central Division, he could amass 12 to 15 wins and total upwards of 170 strikeouts this season. He probably won’t keep his ERA lower than 3.80, but Baker has increased his K/9 rate every year he’s been in the big leagues and posted an all time low WHIP last season of 1.18.

Ricky Nolasco, Florida Marlins
Nolasco had a breakout year in 2008, posting 15 wins, 186 strikeouts and a 3.52 ERA. Is there a chance he could take a step back this year? Of course, but you have to like taking a shot on a guy who you can select in the mid to late rounds that could potentially be a top 20 pitcher by the end of the year. Thirteen wins, 160 strikeouts and a 3.70 ERA would be a safe projection for Nolasco this season.

Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers
Much like Joba Chamberlain, you’re not going to sneak Kershaw past anybody on draft day because by now, most owners are well aware of the 20-year old’s potential. But like Lincecum last year, don’t be the guy that passes on Kershaw because you’re worried about his lack of experience and the high risk that comes along with drafting him. Kershaw could easily post 170-plus strikeouts and 12-plus wins, although his ERA will probably near 4.00 and he did post 52 walks in 107.2 innings last year, which is high. Still, he’s worth a long look on draft day.

Matt Cain, San Francisco Giants
Don’t be fooled by his 8-14 record last year; if Cain got any run support, he could easily be as good as teammate Tim Lincecum. Cain posted a 3.76 ERA and compiled 177 strikeouts last year, but since the Giants’ offense clearly has a vendetta against him, his effort only amounted to eight wins. Trust us, he has the potential to amass 12 to 15 victories, even though it would appear that his ceiling is right around 10 wins. If he can get a little run support and cut down on the walks, he could turn out to be a top-25 pitcher that you can wait to select in the middle to late rounds. Another Giants’ starter to keep an eye on during your draft is Jonathan Sanchez.

Jair Jurrjens, Atlanta Braves
Some fantasy pundits are concerned about Jurrjens taking a big jump in pitches and innings last year compared to 2008. Those concerns are valid since he clearly wore down at the end of the season last year, but he decided not to pitch against The Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic, which is good because he didn’t throw any extra pitches in March when needs to save his arm for the regular season. His strikeout numbers won’t blow you away (you’ll be lucky if he fans 140 batters this season), but he’ll keep his ERA around 3.70 and should post 11-plus wins, which is certainly decent output for a No. 3 pitcher.

Below is our official ranking of starting pitchers.

1. Johan Santana, NYM
2. Tim Lincecum, SF
3. CC Sabathia, NYY
4. Roy Halladay, TOR
5. Dan Haren, ARI
6. Brandon Webb, ARI
7. Cole Hamels, PHI
8. Jake Peavy, SD
9. John Lackey, LAA
10. Roy Oswalt, HOU
11. Josh Beckett, BOS
12. Cliff Lee, CLE
13. Chad Billingsley, LAD
14. James Shields, TB
15. Scott Kazmir, TB
16. Ricky Nolasco, FLA
17. Francisco Liriano, MIN
18. Felix Hernandez, SEA
19. Rich Harden, CHC
20. Adam Wainwright, STL
21. Daisuke Matsuzaka, BOS
22. Ervin Santana, LAA
23. Edinson Volquez, CIN
24. A.J. Burnett, NYY
25. Joba Chamberlain, NYY
26. Carlos Zambrano, CHC
27. Javier Vazquez, ATL
28. Jon Lester, BOS
29. Justin Verlander, DET
30. Brett Myers, PHI
31. Yovani Gallardo, MIL
32. Zack Greinke, KC
33. Matt Cain, SF
34. Aaron Harang, CIN
35. Ted Lilly, CHC
36. Max Scherzer, ARI
37. David Price, TB
38. Chris Young, SD
39. Josh Johnson, FLA
40. Erik Bedard, SEA
41. Ryan Dempster, CHC
42. Matt Garza, TB
43. Chien-Ming Wang, NYY
44. John Danks, CHW
45. Brandon Morrow, SEA
46. Johnny Cueto, CIN
47. Jered Weaver, LAA
48. Kevin Slowey, MIN
49. Derek Lowe, ATL
50. Scott Baker, MIN
51. Clayton Kershaw, LAD
52. John Maine, NYM
53. Jair Jurrjens, ATL
54. Randy Johnson, SF
55. Fuasto Carmona, CLE
56. Gavin Floyd, CHW
57. Ubaldo Jimenez, COL
58. Jonathan Sanchez, SF
59. Oliver Perez, NYM
60. Justin Duchscherer, OAK
61. Manny parra, MIL
62. Andy Pettitte, NYY
63. Joe Saunders, LAA
64. Gil Meche, KC
65. Chris Carpenter, STL
66. Mike Pelfrey, NYM
67. Hiroki Kuroda, LAD
68. Wandy Rodriguez,
69. Chris Voldstad, FLA
70. Bronson Arroyo, CIN
71. Kenshin Kawakami, ATL
72. Armando Galarraga, DET
73. Jeremy Guthrie, BAL
74. John Smoltz, BOS
75. Paul Maholm, PIT
76. Aaron Cook, COL
77. Joe Blanton, PHI
78. Todd Wellemeyer, STL
79. Rich Hill, BAL
80. Jesse Litsch, TOR
81. Andy Sonnanstine, TB
82. Dave Bush, MIL
83. Edwin Jackson, DET
84. Jeremy Bonderman, DET
85. Nick Blackburn, MIN
86. Mark Buehrle, CHW
87. Tommy Hanson, ATL
88. Neftali Feliz, TEX
89. Brad Penny, BOS
90. Aaron Heilman, SEA
91. Carlos Carrasco, PHI
92. Shawn Hill, WAS
93. Doug Davis, ARI
94. Carl Pavano, CLE
95. Tim Wakefield, BOS
96. John Lannan, WAS
97. Jon Garland, ARI
98. Dontrelle Willis, DET
99. Kyle Lohse, STL
100. Jamie Moyer, PHI
101. Sean Marshall, CHC
102. Braden Looper, MIL
103. Randy Wolf, LAD
104. Anibal Sanchez, FLA
105. David Purcey, TOR