First of all let’s put the 2011 Twins baseball season behind us. In baseball terms, last season was last season. This is a whole new season!
Baseball should be a game of positives. Grown men playing a kid's game doesn’t always mean things go the same way throughout a 162-game schedule, but you get a fresh start the next season.
On Friday, April 6, at 3:05 est., the Minnesota Twins will take on the Baltimore Orioles in Baltimore. Plus it’s my BIRTHDAY! How great is that!!!!!
The starting pitcher for the Twins will be Carl Pavano, who is making his 3rd career Opening Day start, against the Orioles' Jake Arrieta, who will be making his 1st career Opening Day start.
You cannot imagine the excitement and the adrenaline that the players will have on Opening Day. It’s like getting ready for your first day of high school or college, or your first real date, or driving a vehicle for the first time. No matter how many Opening Days a player or coaching staff has been involved in, every Opening Day is exciting and special. It’s also a very nervous day, because both teams want to start on the right track to a good year with a win!
For the Twins there will be 13 of the 25-man roster making their first Opening Day appearance in a Twins uniform. They are:
position players
Sean Burroughs, Jamey Carroll, Ryan Doumit, Luke Hughes, Chris Parmelee, Trevor Plouffe, Ben Revere, Josh Willingham
pitchers
Jared Burton, Jeff Gray, Liam Hendriks, Matt Maloney and Anthony Swarzak.
The Twins are starting with two of their key starting pitchers not on their Opening Day roster. Scott Baker is on the 15-day disabled list with a tender right elbow, and Jason Marquis was optioned to the minors so he could get some innings in before he rejoins the big club. He missed time in spring training to be with his daughter, who was in a serious accident. Our prayers go out to his daughter for a speedy recovery.
Keys to the Twins getting back into post-season are easy for me predict. The everyday players and their pitchers need to stay healthy the entire season. I believe that there are so many players on this roster that are on a mission. Some are with the Twins for the first time and they want to fit in by producing on an every day basis, and some are coming off an injury-plagued season and want to proove to themselves that they can stay healthy and become All-Star players again, or for the first time.
Thank you for reading my blog and please follow me throughout the season on future blogs and on my twitter account @circlemebertHOF.
