FELDY: Hey, Phersy, remember a couple of weeks ago when I was gushing about the Twins adding Jason Marquis and Joel Zumaya to their pitching staff? Zumaya's season is over before it started because of another arm injury, and Marquis did his best Kevin Slowey impersonation in his first spring training start on Monday, lasting less than two innings. Is it too late for me to change my mind about this team's fate?
PHERSY:Well, it's certainly not a great start to spring training. But when a team signs a guy like Zumaya, that team better have known the risks. He's always been an incredible talent, but he's never been able to stay healthy. That said, this weather has me pumped for baseball. With spring in the air, it's tough not to get excited about being outside, watching the boys of summer. I wouldn't give up on Marquis just yet Feldy. Or the Twins, for that matter. Are you at least excited to see Justin Morneau swinging a bat again?
FELDY: That's what gives this team hope. With Cuddyer and Kubel gone, Morneau and the catcher who shall remain nickname-less have to return to MVP form for the Twins to have any shot to compete for a playoff spot. Morneau has hit the ball hard, but let's see if he's still doing that (or is even still healthy) in July before we get too hyped about his play. Phersy, are you buying the "new" Joe Mauer? The one who has been lifting weights, eating his vitamins and cardio cross training all at the same time?
PHERSY:Feldy, you've in Minnesota long enough now to know that Joe Mauer can do anything. ANYTHING! It is time for him to step up, though. Yes, he's Minnesota's golden boy, but Mauer must produce this season. If he doesn't, I hope fans in the Land of 10,000 Lakes are smart enough to understand this organization can't pay that kind of money to an above average catcher who plays three or four days a week. Feldy, what would satisfy your Mauer thirst? Are 20 home runs, 100 RBIs and a .320 average required to keep a critic like you happy?
FELDY: When Mauer accepted enough money from the Pohlads to build a mini Target Field in his backyard, he inherited the pressure to produce at a MVP level, whether he liked it or not. So, yes, .300, 20 homers and 100 RBIs should be expected, not just hoped for. The question is, does Mauer expect that of himself? He's never driven in 100 runs and has hit more than 13 home runs in a season just once. The Twins couldn't afford to NOT sign him to that $184 million deal two years ago, but how much longer does he get before it's considered a mistake?
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PHERSY:I considered it a mistake at the time, even though I felt like it was a mistake the organization had to make from a PR standpoint. I'll give Mauer this season to make me feel better about the team spending that kind of cash. ... Now Feldy, there's a lot of talk about the new-look Tsuyoshi Nishioka. Are you buying this or will we see the same Class A-type production from the Twins' diminutive middle-infielder?
FELDY: Nishioka was so bad last season that his best bet to stick with the big league club is as a utility infielder. The Twins will give him every opportunity to earn that role. He's only been in Major League Baseball for one season, and he only played 68 games in that season. He has hit the ball hard so far this spring, but needs to improve defensively. It's not like the Twins have Derek Jeter and Ryne Sandberg up the middle, so if Nishioka puts some effort into his game, he can help this team.
