The Twins have their home opener tonight and all anyone is talking about is the fact that Torii Hunter, the Twins former centre-fielder, who is now with the LA Angels, is in town with the Angels for the first four games of the season. I just read on ESPN.com that with the loss of Hunter, a “huge” hole has been left in the Twins lineup. My response? What the —-?!?!?!

There is no question that Hunter had an amazing glove. He was, and maybe still is, the best defensive centre-fielder in the game but defensively. But losing him leaves major hole in the Twins’ batting lineup? Come on! Not at all. I have never seen a hitter like Hunter swing at so many bad pitches over the years and look so foolish doing so. No disrespect meant to Hunter, but I have seen him swing at pitches that barely made it across home plate, bouncing in the dirt and into the catcher’s mitt. Then, on the next pitch, I have seen him swing at a fastball eye level.

I have no doubt that it is difficult to hit Major League pitching but when one of Hunter’s best years batting (which was last year) boasts 28 HR’s and 107 RBI and a sub .300 BA, I can’t agree that losing him is leaving a “huge” hole in the Minnesota line-up. Especially when we have replaced him with Delmon Young (for the LF platooning from last year) and Carlos Gomez. Gomez will play in centre, and while I have no idea what his bat will be like, his fielding should be excellent when he gets used to the Dome (which he won’t have to in two years). And Young (who will play in LF)? Well, I wouldn’t be surprised if he surpassed Hunter’s 28 HR’s and 107 RBI from last year which is a huge improvement compared to the platoon of LF’s that the Twin’s had last year.

The gaping hole for the Twins’ comes every 5 games and that is the loss of Johann Santana. But, and this is a big but (don’t laugh), but if Fransisco Liriano makes a comeback this year then I ask, how big will the hole left by Santana be? We might wish that Santana was still there to team up with Liriano et. al. but I don’t agree with all of the prognosticators who are predicting that the Twins will stink. There is no doubt that the Tigers and Indians are strong (imagine that, the AL Central probably being the deepest division in baseball) but the Twins are not weak. I like what Ron Gardenhire said, and that is the Twins are going to do their best to drive all those who said they weren’t going to be any good crazy this year. Make all of them, including Hunter tonight, leave scratching their heads Gardy! GO TWINS!

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