RealGM

My best guess:

CF Span
2B Hudson
C Mauer
1B Morneau
LF Kubel
RF Cuddyer
DH Thome
SS Hardy
3B Punto

I'd rather have Young in the OF and DH Kubel. Just use Thome as a pinch hitter and then a DH when we face good right handed pitching.

CF Span
2B Hudson
C Mauer
1B Morneau
DH Kubel
RF Cuddyer
LF Young
SS Hardy
3B Punto/Harris

That's a pretty good lineup.

I agree with links, I'd expect Young to be in the opening day lineup.

links wrote:I'd rather have Young in the OF and DH Kubel. Just use Thome as a pinch hitter and then a DH when we face good right handed pitching.

Yeah, I was debating this too. On the one hand, we are facing a pretty good RHP Opening Day, on the other hand, what you said....

Thome is late inning PH at this point.

Agree with the solidness of links' lineup.

Klomp wrote:

links wrote:I'd rather have Young in the OF and DH Kubel. Just use Thome as a pinch hitter and then a DH when we face good right handed pitching.

Yeah, I was debating this too. On the one hand, we are facing a pretty good RHP Opening Day, on the other hand, what you said....

Yeah I agree. Opening day it could be different, depending on who we face. I guess what I put down would what I expect the everyday lineup to be.

Young and Thome are about the same average vs right handers, but Thome has way more power, so I'd play him against righties w/ Kubel in LF, against left handers Kubel at DH, Young in LF. I definitely want Thome's bat in the lineup more than just pinch hitting, just not against lefties.

Young is clearly going to start more games, but as the Twins said there will be plenty of at-bats for Thome. Also I think Harris will be the starting 3b over Punto (hopefully, or even better Valencia will be ready). Why would we move Cuddy from the #4 spot that has worked fine in the past.

What's the rotation?

Baker
Pavano
Blackburn
Slowey
Liriano (hoepfully)/Perkins/Duensing

dunkonu21 wrote: Why would we move Cuddy from the #4 spot that has worked fine in the past.

Pretty sure most of last year Cuddy hit in the 5 or 6 spot, depending on if Mauer hit 2 or 3. After Morneau went out I think Cuddy went to 4 or 5. Cuddy was on fire after Morneau went out, but you have to put Morneau back into the 4 spot.

I agree on the rotation, hopefulyl Lirinao in the 5 spot.

Devilzsidewalk wrote:Young and Thome are about the same average vs right handers, but Thome has way more power, so I'd play him against righties w/ Kubel in LF, against left handers Kubel at DH, Young in LF. I definitely want Thome's bat in the lineup more than just pinch hitting, just not against lefties.

I don't think Thome will start against all right handers, I think he'll probably start once or twice a week at the beginning of the season and if he does well he'll get more, if he sucks he'll get less. I think the Twins really want to give Delmon a chance to succeed.

he's had 2 seasons, granted he's still young, but he seems like a guy w/ mediocre power w/ tons of strikeouts

Could be, but they gave up alot for him and he was studly at the end of last year. He's still got some upside, so I think the Twins want him to win the spot. If Thome is badly outplaying him at the beginning of the season I don't think it will take long for Delmon to lose at bats.

I'll be shocked if Punto doesn't start 90 games this year.

Heres our lineup when they tested the scoreboard:

links wrote:I'd rather have Young in the OF and DH Kubel. Just use Thome as a pinch hitter and then a DH when we face good right handed pitching.

CF Span
2B Hudson
C Mauer
1B Morneau
RF Cuddyer
DH Kubel
SS Hardy
LF Young
3B Punto/Harris

That's a pretty good lineup.

fixed