| | ESPN.com
It's fairly easy to say where the Twins will be at the end of the 2000 season -- somewhere in the nether regions of the American League Central.
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TWINS LOWDOWN |
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|  | | Brad Radke is unlikely to wear a Twins uniform for the entire year. |
1999: 63-97
Runs: 686, 14th in AL
Allowed: 845, 5th in AL
Key facts
For the fifth straight year, Brad Radke pitched 200 or more innings (218.2) last season.
Eric Milton became the fourth pitcher in club history to throw a no-hitter when he accomplished the feat on Sept. 11.
Milton also finished second among AL starters to Pedro Martinez in baserunners allowed per nine innings.
Tim Kurkjian's scenarios
Best-case: They trade Brad Radke to a contender and get three helpful players in return.
Worst-case: They trade Brad Radke to a contender and get no helpful players.
Prediction: 5th in AL Central
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Trying to predict where Brad Radke will be at the end of the season is another question altogether. But it's hardly a stretch to say that he won't be in Minnesota.
Radke has rejected the Twins' three-year offer for a contract extension, and his agent has requested that talks be suspended until after the season. Since it's unlikely the Twins would want to risk losing Radke to free agency with only a draft pick as compensation, expect Radke to be dealt before the July 31 trading deadline.
Until then, expect speculation about his destination point will continue to dominate the Twins' season. It's not as if there's much else to get excited about.
Radke insists that he can turn out the talk and focus on pitching.
"I'm not worried about the business part of it now," he said. "I'm just concentrating on baseball. If I'm still around at the start of the season, then I won't start thinking about (being dealt) until we get closer to the deadline. When I go out on the mound, I'm not thinking about any of that stuff."
If general manager Terry Ryan can do as well in dealing off Radke as he did in trading Chuck Knoblauch, the Twins may come out of this mess in decent shape.
Forced into moving Knoblauch for salary purposes, Ryan landed shortstop Cristian Guzman and Eric Milton, already the team's No. 2 starter and ace-in-waiting once Radke leaves.
Milton, who learned to polish his changeup last season with the help of Radke, worries about the void that Radke's trade would leave.
Meanwhile, baseball worries about a set of economic conditions which consigns small-market teams to also-ran status, since they find it fiscally impossible to retain their own best players.
-- Sean McAdam
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Lineup comments and grades from ESPN The Magazine
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Player
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Comment
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Grade
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Jacque Jones, CF
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24: Still raw, but has speed, glove, arm to be good CF; bat is work in progress
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C
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Todd Walker, 2B
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26: Trained hard over winter to build strength after sharp drops in HRs, RBI, BA
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B
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Matt Lawton, RF
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28: Only 6 extra-base hits after returning in July from bad beaning. Gun-shy?
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C
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Corey Koskie, 3B
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26: Nice upside, but splits time with Ron Coomer until he learns to hit lefties
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C
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B. Huskey, 1B
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28: Pounds fastballs, flails at breaking balls. Better fielder, baserunner than rep
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C
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David Ortiz, DH
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24: Swatted 30 homers in Triple-A after losing 1B job in spring training
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D
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Chad Allen, LF
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25: Some speed, not much pop; could end up leading off
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D
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Javier Valentin, C
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24: A good receiver, but Twins hope power-hitting rookie Matt LeCroy wins job
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D
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C. Guzman, SS
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22: Good range, good hands, great arm-and no prayer at the plate
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D
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Pitching comments and grades from ESPN The Magazine
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Pitcher
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Comment
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Grade
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Brad Radke, SP
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Only question is when, not if. Sean Bergman moves in when Radke moves on
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A
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Eric Milton, SP
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Strong soph season: K's up, BB down, breaking stuff much sharper
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B
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L. Hawkins, SP
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AL's worst BA, SLG percentage allowed led to worst ERA-6.66. That can't be good
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D
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Joe Mays, SP
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Decent stuff, but gets shaky, starts nibbling at first sign of trouble
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D
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E. Guardado, RP
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Everyday Eddie's sharp curve, 92 mph heat reduce lefty hitters to putty (.176)
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B
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H. Carrasco, RP
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He'll get a shot -- he always does. But there's no real closer here
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D
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