Twins look for good health, third straight AL Central crown

By Bud L. Ellis

Considering Joe Nathan missed all of last season and Justin Morneau did not play after July 7, it’s amazing that the Minnesota Twins made the playoffs.

Yet there were the Twins, winning the American League Central championship for the second consecutive season. If the Twins are going to win a third-consecutive Central crown in 2011, good health would help the cause.

Nathan is back, the Twins’ closer sidelined for all of 2010 after arm surgery. Morneau suffered a concussion and did not play in the second half of the season. He’s back as well, part of a lineup that looks solid.

The Twins added Japanese Pacific League batting champion Tsuyoshi Nishioka to the lineup, and Joe Mauer returns as one of the top players in the game. In the bullpen, Nathan joins Matt Capps, the closer acquired in a trade-deadline deal with Washington.

The Twins begin 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 8:01 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