It is VERY early in the race, and we are no Nate Silver. That said, here are our projections for the Twins' starting lineup in 2013 as well as the starting rotation:
LINEUP
1) Ben Revere, CF
2) Jamey Carroll, 2B
3) Joe Mauer, C
4) Josh Willingham, LF
5) Justin Morneau, 1B
6) Ryan Doumit, DH
7) Trevor Plouffe, 3B
8) Chris Parmelee, RF
9) Young Shortstop X, SS
Comment: Not much changed here from last year, and we really don't know how much will change before the season starts. Morneau still has the feel of a July move, if he is going to be traded, because of how much money he is owed in this final year of his contract. Willingham is certainly a movable asset, but we just don't feel like that will happen now. If the Twins' payroll is going to be around $95-100 million and they have $25-30 million to spend with Span off the books, every last cent sure seems likely to go to pitching.
ROTATION
1) Scott Diamond
2-5) Starting pitcher X
Comment: Take your pick. Kyle Gibson? Cole De Vries? Liam Hendricks? Maybe, just maybe, Alex Meyer by the end of the year (Matt Garza did it in 2006). And a minimum of two free agents -- hopefully at least one that could, in a good year, be more than just an innings-eater (and we really hate how much that sounds like Francisco Liriano). We're talking about a "perfect" world that includes a starting five coming out of camp that looks something like this: Diamond, Brandon McCarthy, Gibson, Liriano, Hendriks.
If you think the Twins can contend in 2013, you must think a lot of lightning will fit into one bottle.
