Fan Projection Targets 2/05/10
There’s been a bit of movement on the free agent market this last week, so let’s project the movers: Ryan Garko, Orlando Hudson, Adam Kennedy.
Garko is moving to Seattle and will provide a right-handed bat opposite Casey Kotchman as well as some power off the bench. The big issue for Seattle has been that his signing may necessitate an 11-man pitching staff, almost unheard of in today’s game.
Hudson addresses one of Minnesota’s major issues as he fills a hole at 2B. This likely means that Nick Punto will start the season at 3B (where he is a much better defender by UZR) and Brendan Harris will move to the bench. Are they the team to beat now?
Kennedy moves to Washington, taking over a second base spot that has been in limbo this offseason. It had been speculated that Ian Desmond could start at SS, moving Cristian Guzman to 2B. That scenario seems less likely now – will Kennedy have a starting role after a good 2009?
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Kennedy at 1.5ish with a option for 2 is significantly better than O-Dawg for $5, plus incentives, plus perhaps a second year. I’m not upset with the Nats over this — I think Kennedy can be a 2, 2.5 win player with an improvement in defense from last year.
Weren’t the Twins already the team to beat just on the assumption of a full season of Mauer/Morneau? The Tigers got marginally worse, the White Sox appear to have moved rather laterally despite the Peavy upgrade, and the Indians and Royals might not even qualify as also-rans. I think it’s very safe to call the Twins the team to beat in the AL Central.
A better question to ask is: Does this make the Twins a good* team? I have to go with Yes.
*Good defined as Top 8
They would get trampled in a better division.