Winston Churchill & Joe Crede – A MN Twins ’09 Preview

Winston Churchill once said of the valiant defense of Great Britain by the outnumbered Royal Air Force – “Never before have so many owed so much to so few.” It’s very like this weekend for the Minnesota Twins…. And by “it’s very like” , I mean “not really, but I don’t believe in passing up the opportunity to draw moderately successful parallels involving Winston Churchill”.

All winter, Twins fans have been blitzkrieged by the melancholy voices of print commentators and hosers on The Fan radio saying it was another typical Twins off season. We knew we needed a third baseman and at least another difference making reliever, but yet our miserliness would leave us without either. We would stand pat because that is what we do, by harry. Well take this, you lugubrious denizens of pessimism – we signed Joe Crede!

It’s always delightful to pick up someone who has practiced his trade with your archival, the much-loathed White Sox. Even better, this guy is in his prime at age 30 and has a real history of genuine power hitting potency. Here are even statistics if you so desire to be informed. The issue, of course, is the back problem he’s been experiencing in each of the past two seasons. To dampen the fear that could arise from this – the Twins won’t be paying Joe an excessive amount at all (2.5 million as a base, with gobs of incentives that kick in if he plays certain numbers of games), and they do have Brian Buscher and Brendan Harris to back him up. And onto some other optimism-laden things I’ve just realizing in my newly acquired festive attitude.

Mike Cuddyer has the potential to function almost as a free agent acquisition too, if you think about creatively. Having him to succumb last year to three separate injuries made his 2008 pretty much a wash. It was as if he didn’t exist statistically. Consider this fact alongside the bullpen’s epicly disappointing performance AND the fact that newcomer Delmon Young didn’t proffer the pop we hoped he might. Then realize we were only one goofy playoff game away from making the post-season. A little Cuddy, a bit more power from Delmon, a semi-healthy Joseph Crede, and a bullpen that at the very least isn’t the emotionally perplexing buzzard it was last year combine to give you a situation in which you could even stand to have a little statistical slippage from the M and M boys and still be a real force in the playoff discussion. This is increasing my festive-ness the more I think about it.

All this and we haven’t even talked pitching. That whole buzzard is a horse of a different color. Five youthful hosers that all had some success last year. Scot Baker really seemed to come into his own, and if he could begin to be even more consistent that would be glorious. Glenn Perkins laid an egg down the stretch, but had some very encouraging stretches and showed he is a rather plucky brute. Kevin Slowey has great control and doesn’t appear to be afraid of much at all. Nick Blackburn started strong, faded a bit like Perkins down the stretch, but then had an insanely gutsy performance in the legendary playoff game against the hated Illinois dwellers. A very encouraging statement aboot that man’s potential upside. And then there is the one they call the Franchise – Francisco Liriano. He has gone from insane prodigy to Tommy John victim to something between really good and not so much at points last year. This season, with a full year of action betwixt he and his surgery, I cannot help but experience some glee when I think about what the bloke could do to hitters!