Guess the Opening Day lineup: Round 2
Posted on April 4th, 2009 – 12:12 PMBy Howard
Let’s pass the final day of spring training by predicting the Twins starting lineup for the opener. I’m betting on Morneau to be healthy after testing his back today. My version is the lineup that I think Gardy will choose, as opposed to what I might do.
Span, cf; Casilla, 2b; Cuddyer, rf; Morneau, 1b; Kubel, dh; Crede, 3b; Young, lf; Redmond, c; Punto, ss.
And for Game 2, against lefty Eric Bedard, Gomez gets the start in center and the 5-6-7 spots go Young/Kubel/Crede.
Crede batted .122 (10 for 82) against lefties last season, with no home runs. His career splits are pretty left/right neutral, so I’m using his back problems as an explanation for now.
Here’s what we were thinking a couple of weeks ago, when we took our first shot at Mauer-free batting orders.
Have at it and stay civil.
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42 Responses to "Guess the Opening Day lineup: Round 2"
Since Cuddter has a hard time against King Felix, I’m hoping this is the line up:
Span RF
Casilla 2B
Gomez CF
Morneau 1B
Kubel DH
Crede 3B
Young LF
Redmond C
Punto SS
Stubborn Gardy will probably put this line up out:
Span LF
Casilla 2B
Cuddyer RF
Morneau 1B
Kubel DH
Crede 3B
Redmond C
Punto SS
Gomez CF
The Opening Day lineup will be this with the only question regarding Young/Gomez IMO. Span and Kubel are locks against the dominate RH Felix on the hill.
1. Span, LF/CF
2. Casilla, 2B
3. Cuddy RF
4. Morneau, 1B
5. Kubel, DH
6. Crede, 3B
7. Young/Gomez, LF/CF
8. Red Dawg, C
9. Punto, SS
If I had to make a guess, I would say Gomez starts and hits in the 7th spot.
1. Casilla 2b
2. Young LF
3. Cuddy RF
4. Morneau 1b
5. Kubel DH
6. Crede 3b
7. Gomez CF
8. Redmond C
9. Punto SS
Span and Kubel are locks against the dominate RH Felix on the hill.
Span was only marginally better than Young against RHP last year and was likely worse in September and was certainly worse over the last two months.
1. Denard Span (RF)
2. Alexi Casilla (2B)
3. Joe Crede (3B)
4. Justin Morneau (1B)
5. Jason Kubel (DH)
6. Delmon Young (LF)
7. Carlos Gomez (CF)
8. Mike Redmond (C)
9. Nick Punto (SS)
I agree with the above versions except I’ve got Kubel 3rd and Cuddy 5th. Especially against Hernandez.
1.Span-RF
1.Casilla-2B
3.Gomez-CF
4.Morneau-1B
5.Young-LF
6.Kubel-DH
7.Crede-3B
8.Redmond-C
9.Punto-SS
What I think Gardy will do:
1) Span, LF
2) Casilla, 2B
3) Cuddyer, RF
4) Morneau, 1B
5) Crede, 3B
6) Kubel, DH
7) Redmond, C
Punto, SS
9) Gomez, CF
I personally would hit Gomez 7th, Red Dog 8th, and Punto 9th
that was supposed to be a 8 in fron of punto, not some stupid sunglassed smiley face
Gomez CF
Casilla 2B
Cuddyer RF
Morneau 1B
Kubel DH
Crede 3B
Young LF
Redmond C
Punto SS
Game 1:
Span CF
Casilla 2b
Cuddyer RF
Morneau 1b
Kubel DH
Crede 3b
Young LF
Redmond C
Punto SS
Game 2:
Casilla 2b
Gomez CF
Cuddyer RF
Morneau 1b
Kubel DH
Crede 3b
Young LF
Redmond C
Punto SS
If you bat Gomez down in the order, you would never put him between Crede and Redmond.
Young needs to be in that lineup everyday one way or another, be it in left field or at DH. He’s going to make the leap this year if he can get some consistent at bats and get a little confidence back.
Here’s what opening day will be:
Span LF
Casilla 2B
Cuddyer RF
Morneau 1B
Kubel DH
Crede 3B
Redmond C
Punto SS
Gomez CF
Gomez might move up to 7th and Redmond and Punto down.
[…] A Fan’s View – […]
I think until Mauer comes back they should bump Morneau to the 3rd spot and have Kubel bat clean up, They are the twins two strongest hitters right now by far
Game 1
Span
Casilla
Cuddyer
Morneau
Kubel
Crede
Gomez
Redmond
Punto
Game 2
Span
Casilla
Cuddyer DH
Morneau
Young
Crede
Gomez
Redmond
Punto
Game 3
Span rf
Casilla
Young
Morneau
Kubel
Crede
Gomez
Morales
Punto
Game 4
Span
Casilla
Cuddyer
Morneau
Crede DH
Harris
Gomez
Redmond
Punto
A hot bat or a tweak can change all of this. Also, Buscher will get in there somehow.
Span
Casilla
Morneau
Kubel
Cuddyer
Crede
Redmond
Punto
Gomez
I think your opening night lineup is correct Howard. I’ll be in Tampa Monday night. How am I going to get a Sports Bar in Florida to put the Twins-Mariners game on with the NCAA Championship game on as well?
Cuddyer had his best year hitting 4th because he was between the M&M boys-Morneau will hit fine in 5th because he has the ability to drive the ball to left and he’ll get the pitches to hit because of Crede/Young hitting behind him. Cuddy in right a combo of Span,Young & Gomez in LF/CF depending on opposing pitcher.
Game 1:
Gomez CF
Casilla 2b
Cuddyer RF
Morneau 1b
Kubel DH
Crede 3b
Young LF
Redmond C
Punto SS
First outfielder to go o/3 bring in Span or two bad at bats ie: 0/2 with strikeouts
Game 2:
Span cf
Casilla 2b
Cuddyer RF
Morneau 1b
Kubel DH
Crede 3b
Young LF
Redmond C
Punto SS
First outfielder to go 0/3 bring in Gomez or 2 bad at abats ie: strikeouts
Span LF
Casilla 2B
Cuddyer RF
Morneau 1B
Kubel DH
Gomez CF
Crede 3B
Redmond C
Punto SS
Personally, I would go with Young over Gomez, but I don’t think Gardy will agree opening night.
I agree with Stratman,with Mauer out, Morneau should third.With that in mind my preference would be…
Gomez CF
Casilla 2B
Morneau 1B
Cuddy RF
Kubel DH
Young LF
Crede 3B
Reddog C
Punto SS
But I think Gardy will sub Span for GoGo in the lead off spot and go Cuddy,Morneau,and Kubel through the heart of the order.At this point I really don’t care.I’m just glad that the season is less that 48hrs away!!
Well this is not my preference just me trying to read the mind of a crazy man they call Gardy….
1.Span LF 2.Casilla 2B 3.Kubel dh 4.Morneau 1B 5.Cuddyer RF 6.RedDog C 7.Crede 3B 8.Punto SS 9.Gomez CF
Span
Casilla
kubel
Morneau
Cuddy
Young
Crede
Reddog
Punto
Cuddy will be in to get his feet wet after an injury plagued 2008—Span will be in for condidence after a torrid spring—The rest makes sense. Gogo will go in Game 2. 92 wins minimum—Take it to the bank!!
gomez-cf,casilla-2nd,cuddyer-rf,morneau-1st,crede-3rd,kubel-dh,young-lf,redmond-c,punto-ss perfect!
Span
Casilla
Morneau
Cuddy
Kubel
Crede
Gomez
Redmond
Punto
Really, Buscher deserves to be in there. He was the best hitter in spring training and his bat has been better than Crede’s defense. I hope Young starts almost every game but no matter who starts, every game with a late lead should have Span in left, Cuddy in right, and Crede at 3rd. That’s a nice D for when Nathan comes in.
Span LF
Casilla 2B
Cuddyer RF
Morneau 1B
Kubel DH
Crede 3B
Redmond C
Punto SS
Gomez CF
I think that this will be Gardy’s lineup on opening day. I think he will sit Span on day two and play Young in left and possibly insert Harris for Kubel at DH.
1. Span, LF
2. Casilla, 2B
3. Morneau, 1B
4. Kubel, DH
5. Cuddyer, RF
6. Crede, 3B
7. Redmond, C
8. Gomez, CF
9. Punto, SS
I’m probably wrong, but this is what it should be. Might not be a bad idea to trade Cuddy and Kubel in the order.
Put DY in the 4th spot. See what he can do.
Was last year not enough? I’d personally like to see someone with an OPS of over .741 hitting in the spot that demands the most power.
1. Span, CF
2. Casilla, 2B
3. Cuddyer, RF
4. Morneau, 1B
5. Kubel, DH
6. Crede, 3B
7. Young, LF
8. Redmond, C
9. Punto, SS
1. Span LF
2. Casilla 2B
3. Kubel DH
4. Morneau 1B
5. Crede 3B
6. Cuddyer RF
7. Redmond C
8. Punto SS
9. Gomez CF
Span LF
Casilla 2B
Cuddyer RF
Morneau 1B
Kubel DH
Gomez CF
Crede 3B
Redmond C
Punto SS
Span sits against the lefty on Tuesday, with Young in left.
*comparing mine vs. Cheif’s and seeing it the same… not sure which one of us should be concerned that we’re in agreement on this! 
LF Span
2B Casilla
DH Kubel
1B Morneau
RF Cuddyer
3B Crede
C Redmond
SS Punto
CF Gomez
I think the Twins have the players to put together a better line-up than this, but think this will be what Gardy goes with game 1.
Everybody’s on the same page, Cuddyer starts. Gardy stated as much on the radio Sunday morning. His defense will keep him there, of course poor offense could send him to the bench. Good problem to have.
My projected lineup:
Span CF
Casilla 2B
Crede 3B
Morneau 1B
Cuddyer RF
Young LF
Redmond C
Punto SS
Gomez DH
Span CF
Casilla 2B
Magic Man RF
Morneau 1B
Kubel DH
Crede 3B
Young LF
Reddog C
LNP SS
Am I the only person who looks at these potential lineups and am actually “impressed” that the Twins have the kind of players that guy like Young or Crede could hit 7th and it still looks pretty plausible?
With the exception of Redmond/Punto, there’s a number of lineup combinations that can be made that look pretty solid. Put Mauer in for Redmond and they all look REALLY good.
Suppose I should patch my “projected”
Span (though I don’t think it’s “for keeps”)
Casilla (These two worked well together)
Cuddyer (I’d rather it be Young)
Morneau (No brainer)
Kubel (Protects Morneau at this point better than Young)
Young (Will be Cuddyer later on)
Crede (Show some power and he’ll potentially move up)
Redmond (Odd seeing a catcher batting so low for the Twins)
Punto (no brainer)
If things go like I hope they do this season, I’d like to see this lineup become the most common…
Gomez
Mauer
Young
Morneau
Kubel
Cuddyer
Crede
Casilla
Punto
However, if Span gets his swing back…put him leading off, remove Cuddyer, and put Gomez between Crede and Casilla.
Cuddyer could become trade bait at that point. Or a viable bench option.
Gomez
Casilla
Cuddy
Morneau
Young
Kubel
Crede
Redmond
Punto
Actual lineup:
1. Denard Span, LF
2. Alexi Casilla, 2B
3. Michael Cuddyer, RF
4. Justin Morneau, 1B
5. Jason Kubel, DH
6. Joe Crede, 3B
7. Carlos Gomez, CF
8. Mike Redmond, C
9. Nick Punto, SS
I count exactly one correct prediction: JA got it exactly right on 4 April, 3:46 post.
Several posters got the lineup right except for flip-flopping 2 hitters.
JA was kind enough to let us know what the lineup will be Tuesday and Wednesday as well…it’ll be interesting to see how close JA comes.
