It might be unfair to say that the Twins are a minor league All Star team, but they’re pretty close to it.

     They come into this season with a lot of next faces in the field and on the mound.

     Not to discredit the Joe Mauers and Justin Morneaus of the world, but Minnesota is undoubtably in rebuilding mode.

     The club brought in some veteran arms this offseason, in Vance Worley and Kevin Correia, to go along with some of their upcoming contributors.

     Scott Diamond had one of the more impressive seasons in 2012, showing flashes of his upside.

     Unfortunately, he’ll start the season on the DL.

     The most important newcomer is closer Glen Perkins.

     Minnesota has been utilizing a closer-by-committee mindset lately, primarily due to injuries and poor play.

     Matt Capps seemed to be the answer during Joe Nathan’s absence, but the team decided that it was time to invest in another direction.

     Perkins is a seven-year veteran that has been primarily used out of the bullpen, with one instance as a starter in 2008.

     He actually went 12-4 that season, but had a 4.41 ERA.

     Since then, Perkins has battled with his ERA, fluctuating between a 2.40+ and 5+ ranges.

     He had 16 saves as a part time contributor last year, sporting a respectable 2.56 ERA.

     If Perkins is going to be the answer in Minnesota, the Twins will need him to perform at that same level this season.

     The Twins have also needed an upgrade in their lineup.

     They let both of their centerfielders, Ben Revere and Denard Span, walk this offseason.

     It was a head-scratcher at the time, but they just continue to produce quality outfielders.

     Aaron Hicks and Chris Parmelee will be the two players to watch this season.

     Hicks recently won the job over utility-man Darin Mastroianni in Spring camp, and will look to be a solid contributor in his first major league season.

     Parmelee is a natural first baseman that Rod Gardenhire just wants to get in the lineup because of his potential.

     Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer don’t appear to be going anywhere, unless it’s by trade, so Parmelee will be slated in right field for the meantime.

     The Twins have quality players in their lineup, but they have a bandaid staff.

     They’re not going to be an automatic victory on anyone’s schedule, but they’re not going to be contending for a divisional title during this transition season.

     The main questions that will determine the success of this team are : can Glen Perkins be an effective full-time closer, can their staff keep them in games, and can these new players be productive throughout the season.

     Let’s take a look at who could make an impact on your fantasy team this season…

TWINS PROJECTED LINEUP

1. Aaron Hicks CF Rookie that brings a lot of speed to the table. He’s a .280-type of hitter that can get you around 15+ home runs and 60+runs/rbi’s.

2. Jamey Carroll 2B When in his 11 seasons has he ever been worth a look in fantasy? Keep looking.

3. Joe Mauer C He hasn’t had the power that he had in his MVP ’09 season. The Team has tried to trade him, but his contract is too big. The reason why he remains so valuable is the fact that he plays as much 1B as he does C, which translates to more at bats/points for you. He’s still a top 10 catcher.

4. Josh Willingham LF Great source of home runs, but that’s about it. His batting average rates somewhere around .260, but he’ll get you 25+ home runs. He’s coming off of a career-high season, so expect him to level out from hitting 35 homers in 2012.

5. Justin Morneau 1B He’s not longer elite. His average had dropped to around .270 nowadays, and can barely get to 20 home runs anymore. He’s nothing more than a late or post-draft option at 1B.

6. Ryan Doumit DH His catcher eligibility keeps him in fantasy conversations. He’s the Twins’ ultimate utility player, which offers many opportunities to play everyday. He can hit home runs, but doesn’t hit for average. He’s a late round option.

7. Chris Parmelee RF He’s not a rookie anymore, but he’s not a big name yet either. He’s not going to steal bases, but he’ll contribute elsewhere. A solid balanced player that’ll be worth a look in post-draft pickups. 

8. Trevor Plouffe 3B Exploded onto the fantasy scene last year as a home run threat, but quickly crashed and burned. He’s a .230 hitter that does bring a lot of power, if you can deal with how many times he’ll strikeout. He’s not a must-own by any means, but he can be a sneaky power contributor that you can get late.

9. Brian Dozier SS Another .230 hitter that doesn’t bring an overwhelming source of contribution to the table. Wait for him to develop before thinking about investing in him.

PROJECTED ROTATION

1. Vance Worley Had a horrible year, after breaking out in 2011. He was successful as a mid-rotation starter in Philly, so the pressure of being an ace could further affect his production. The only reason you invest in him is if you’re in a large league and you’re desperate for pitchers late in your draft. 

2. Kevin Correia He performed miracles at times in Pittsburgh, but not as a number two starter. Keep looking elsewhere.

3. Mike Pelfrey Never did anything impressive with the Mets, so why would a new environment spark his career? Don’t bother.

4. Liam Hendriks He appeared in 16 games last season and got shelled. He takes a lot of risks with his approach, but being overly aggressive, which leads to his 5+ ERA. Don’t invest.

5. Brian Duensing He’s a 5+ ERA type of pitcher that is just keeping the seat warm until Scott Diamond returns from the DL.

RP-Glen Perkins He was a decent part-time option as a closer last season, keeps his ERA under 3, and can get a strikeout here and there. Could get a lot of opportunities because the team should be in a lot of close games, but he’s not someone that you need to go after immediately if closers start flying off the draft board.

FANTASY X-FACTORS

Aaron Hicks just might be the lone bright spot for the Twins this season. He has officially won the centerfielder job in Spring camp and will look to hold down that position for a long time. Hicks brings a lot of speed to the table and can hit around 15 or more home runs. He’s more of a player that’ll hit for average than power, but he’ll be a balanced contributor. It’s not official on whether or not he’ll be the everyday leadoff hitter, but he has the tools to assume the role. His fantasy value will increase if he wins that role, otherwise he’s a decent option as your third outfielder while he goes through some growing pains.

If you’re going to invest in a Twins pitcher, it’ll be Scott Diamond. He’s going to start the season on the 15-day DL, but you can still pick him up once he’s healthy. He appeared in 27 games last year for Minnesota, producing a decent 12-9 record in his first full season of action.His 3.54 ERA was the best on the team, and will likely be again this year. Diamond will be towards the bottom of the rotation when he returns, which sets up for favorable pitching matchups. He’s working on increasing his strikeout totals, he’s very durable, and he can go deep into games. When you need some help later in the season, consider the upside of Scott Diamond.

 

     A triple crown winner and a Cy Young candidate were not enough to get the Detroit Tigers even one win in the World Series against the Giants.

     Justin Verlander and Miguel Cabrera were two of the hottest players in the league last year, showing no signs of slowing down.

     They’ve been the faces of the franchise for a number of years, but even the addition of Prince Fielder wasn’t enough in the postseason.

     Cabrera became the first triple crown winner since 1967 when Carl Yastzremski won it for the Red Sox.

     Tigers skipper Jim Leyland has looked at the 2012 season for about five minutes and decided that it was time to add more weapons to beef up the lineup.

     They have great continuity, as far as key components in the infield, but they needed to drastically improve their outfield.

     Detroit brought in former Angels outfielder Torii Hunter and could have an emerging star in their top prospect Nick Castellanos.

     They’re going to get back a key bat in Catcher/DH Victor Martinez, to replace a slumping Alex Avila.

     The lineup should be much rejuvenated, but the biggest question could come from the bullpen.

     The Tigers allowed Jose Valverde to walk this offseason and are hoping that prospect Bruce Rondon will be a viable replacement.

     Rondon hasn’t had a very good spring, which is why they could be in the market for a closer.

     Detroit has been rumored to take a look at former Giants closer Brian Wilson, but he’s still recovering from a season-ending surgery in 2012.

     If the Tigers can establish chemistry with some of their new pieces and solidify the closer role, there’s no reason why Detroit shouldn’t be one of the more dangerous teams in the league.

     Let’s see if they have what it takes to get the job done this season…

TIGERS PROJECTED LINEUP

1. Austin Jackson CF All of his numbers were up in ’12, except with his base stealing. Jackson continues to work towards being a more well-rounded player and he is slowly becoming a viable fantasy OF, but he’s still a late option.

2. Torii Hunter RF Hits for a great average, doesn’t steal a lot of bases anymore, 90+ runs/rbi’s, but needs to get his home run totals back up. He’s a great option for your OF spots late if you’re scrounging at the end of your draft.

3. Miguel Cabrera 3B The guy won the triple crown last year, is there any reason he shouldn’t be one of the top 5 players off the board?

4. Prince Fielder 1B He’s a home run hitting machine, he hits for a great average, and should be gone by the mid 2nd round.

5. Victor Martinez DH You’re not sure how to view V-Mart in his return this season. He’s one of the best catchers to own because of the power he brings, but it might take him a while to warm up. He’s a .300 hitter that can get 20+ home runs, so what’s not to like. 

6. Andy Dirks LF His job isn’t safe, as the Tigers are waiting for prospect Nick Castellanos to be ready by June. Don’t bother in investing in him.

7. Jhonny Peralta SS His numbers are down for batting average, runs, rbi’s, and home runs. He’s nothing more than a mid-season desperation waiver wire claim. 

8. Alex Avila C Battled injuries throughout the 2012 season. He could be a sleeper option this year, but one that you’ll want to wait and claim in waivers after your draft. The catcher position is so deep that Avila is no longer elite.

9. Omar Infante 2B He was one of the hottest bats out of the gate last season, but slowed down to his typical numbers with a .270 AVG and  50+ runs/rbi’s. He did have a career high in stolen bases with 17 and his highest HR total in 7 seasons with 12. Infante is nothing more than a second tier 2B option.

PROJECTED ROTATION

1. Justin Verlander He’s one of the best pitchers to own in fantasy, do you really need convincing to draft him?

2. Doug Fister He shows flashes of brilliance at times,but took a step back from his stellar second half in 2011. He can strikeout a lot of batters, he’s durable, and consistent. Look for him in the later rounds.  

3. Max Scherzer Had career highs in just about every category since being a full time starter. He had a career-high 231 strikeouts last season and will look to get close to that number against this year. If he can continue to sport a 3+ ERA, with those strikeout totals, then Scherzer could be one of the best late round draft choices. 

4. Anibal Sanchez He doesn’t produce a lot of strikeouts, his ERA is near a 4, and he’s only registered double digit wins twice in his seven year career. Look elsewhere.

5. Rick Porcello  Detroit’s been trying to trade him, so you might not want to invest in Porcello. His strikeout totals and ERA are pedestrian anyways. Don’t bother considering him. 

RP-Bruce Rondon He’s on a short leash this season, you can invest in him on draft day, but just keep in mind that he could be replaced if he doesn’t pan out instantly.

FANTASY X-FACTORS

Nick Castellanos is one of the top prospects in Detroit’s minor league system. He’s naturally a third baseman, but there’s some triple crown winner that’s got that position locked up. The Tigers will look for move him to the outfield, specifically left field. He hits for more average than he does for power, but can contribute in every category. In order to avoid early arbitration, the Tigers sent Castellanos back down to the minors, but is projected to be promoted somewhere around June. Keep him on your watchlist as he could be a great second half contributor.

Brian Wilson is just one season removed from being a must-own fantasy closer. If he hadn’t had the season-ending injury in 2012, he’d be right back up there with the other elite options. Right now he’s 80% recovered and will not try out for any teams until he’s completely healthy. He did have a lackluster tryout with the Mets, but that isn’t the end of the tryouts. The Tigers have reportedly reached out to Wilson, with interest in bringing him in later in the season. Rookie closer Bruce Rondon is on a short leash and Wilson’s health could put pressure on him. If Wilson is signed by the Tigers, he could start off as a setup man, but could be a key second half closer option to get in waivers.