When the umpires call “Play Ball” for the Twins/Orioles game on Monday it will Twins opening day number 56. No I have not attended all the openers but I usually watch them on TV or listen to them on the radio, this time I will be listening or watching on my computer in Cape Coral, Florida.
So who will be in the Twins opening day line-up this year? You can never know for sure until they run on the field but I think that it is a safe assumption that only four players that were in the 2015 season opening loss in Detroit will be in Paul Molitor‘s starting line-up for the start the 2016 season for Minnesota in Baltimore. Those player’s being Kurt Suzuki catching, Joe Mauer at 1B, Brian Dozier at 2B and Trevor Plouffe at 3B. You probably can’t even remember the Twins 2015 opening day line-up, can you?
Here is a chance for you to look back to the last 10 years worth of Twins opening day line-ups. Some players are obviously familiar and others you probably have forgotten even played for Minnesota and some younger fans may have never even heard of some of these guys. For me it is interesting to see how much baseball teams turn-over from year to year and what positions the Twins seem to have trouble with.
| C | 1B | 2B | 3B | SS | LF | CF | RF | DH | SP | YEAR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Kurt Suzuki | Joe Mauer | Brian Dozier | Trevor Plouffe | Danny Santana | Oswaldo Arcia | Jordan Schafer | Torii Hunter | Kennys Vargas | Phil Hughes | 2015 |
| 2014 | Kurt Suzuki | Joe Mauer | Brian Dozier | Trevor Plouffe | Pedro Florimon | Josh Willingham | Aaron Hicks | Oswaldo Arcia | Chris Colabello | Ricky Nolasco | 2014 |
| 2013 | Joe Mauer | Justin Morneau | Brian Dozier | Trevor Plouffe | Pedro Florimon | Josh Willingham | Aaron Hicks | Chris Parmelee | Ryan Doumit | Vance Worley | 2013 |
| 2012 | Joe Mauer | Chris Parmelee | Alexi Casilla | Danny Valencia | Jamie Carroll | Josh Willingham | Denard Span | Ryan Doumit | Justin Morneau | Carl Pavano | 2012 |
| 2011 | Joe Mauer | Justin Morneau | Tsuyoshi Nishioka | Danny Valencia | Alexi Casilla | Delmon Young | Denard Span | Mike Cuddyer | Jason Kubel | Carl Pavano | 2011 |
| 2010 | Joe Mauer | Justin Morneau | Orlando Hudson | Nick Punto | J.J. Hardy | Delmon Young | Denard Span | Mike Cuddyer | Jason Kubel | Scott Baker | 2010 |
| 2009 | Mike Redmond | Justin Morneau | Alexi Casilla | Joe Crede | Nick Punto | Denard Span | Carlos Gomez | Mike Cuddyer | Jason Kubel | Francisco Liriano | 2009 |
| 2008 | Joe Mauer | Justin Morneau | Brendan Harris | Mike Lamb | Adam Everett | Delmon Young | Carlos Gomez | Mike Cuddyer | Craig Monroe | Livan Hernandez | 2008 |
| 2007 | Joe Mauer | Justin Morneau | Luis Castillo | Nick Punto | Jason Bartlett | Rondell White | Torii Hunter | Mike Cuddyer | Jeff Cirillo | Johan Santana | 2007 |
| 2006 | Joe Mauer | Justin Morneau | Luis Castillo | Tony Batista | Juan Castro | Shannon Stewart | Torii Hunter | Jason Kubel | Rondell White | Johan Santana | 2006 |
| C | !B | 2B | 3B | SS | LF | CF | RF | DH | SP |
I am writing this from the Norwegian Pearl as we cruise in the Caribbean Sea on our way to dock in Roatan, Honduras tomorrow morning after leaving Costa Rica last night. Then on to Belize City, Belize and Costa Maya, Mexico before returning to Miami and Cape Coral Florida on Monday. Hot and humid here, I hope you have the same where ever you are when you attend a 2016 baseball season opener. I can’t wait for REAL baseball again.
I almost forgot to mention that while I am in the Caribbean stopping in places like Columbia, Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras, Belize, and Mexico I have and will continue to be on the lookout for some potential ace pitchers that the Minnesota Twins can sign. But sadly, I must report that like most of the Twins scouts that have looked for good pitching for the last 56 years I too have struck out.
Keep your eyes open John.
You’re not likely to find an ace pitcher if you’re not looking for one.
I didn’t see any in South Dakota last month either, but never give up!