Twins eye third-consecutive AL Central title

By Bud L. Ellis

The past two Octobers have found the Minnesota Twins playing in the American League playoffs, winners of the AL Central Division title.

If the Twins are to secure a three-peat in the Central in 2011, good health will need to be on their side. Injuries nearly derailed their title drive a season ago, and a healthy season would help bolster the Twins’ chances.

First baseman Justin Morneau is coming off a concussion that shelved him for the second half of last season. Closer Joe Nathan missed all of last season after surgery, forcing Minnesota to acquire closer Matt Capps from the Nationals at the trade deadline.

Minnesota figures to have the eighth and ninth innings locked down with Nathan and Capps. The Twins also added Japanese Pacific League batting champion Tsuyoshi Nishioka to the lineup, and Joe Mauer returns as one of the top players in the game.

The Twins open the regular season April 1 at Toronto. Following a seven-game road trip through Toronto and New York, Minnesota opens the home portion of its schedule April 8 against Oakland.

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Thursday, March 24, 2011 at 7:55 pm by bud

Tags: Japanese Pacific League, Joe Nathan, Justin Morneau, Major League Baseball, Matt Capps, Minnesota Twins news, Minnesota Twins schedule, Minnesota Twins tickets, New York Yankees, Oakland A’s, Tsuyoshi Nishioka, Washington Nationals