Minnesota Twins: The Center Field Battle

There are three main players battling for the center field position this year in Minnesota. I'm going to take a look at all three, and tell you who I think will be starting, and who I think should start at center field.

Just a note: according to Jerry White, Craig Monroe is another possibility for center field, but for the sake of argument, I am not going to consider him in this post.

Carlos Gomez

Twins' first base coach Jerry White believes that Gomez could be the fastest player he's ever seen in the league. That's quite a statement, considering that Alexi Casilla is also on this young, speedy Twins squad.

Gomez only hit .232 last year with 125 at-bats when he was with the Mets. Granted, he didn't get a huge opportunity, but his speed almost makes up for lack of hitting skills.

Gomez stole 12 bases in a limited role last year, only getting caught three times. Manager Ron Gardenhire predicts that if Gomez plays center field in 2008, he will not lead off the lineup, at least until his ability at the plate increases.

Gardenhire suggests that Gomez could improve his hitting if he simply lets himself fall deeper into the count. Gomez's last eight at-bats this Spring Training have produced no hits. In most of his at-bats, Gomez only gets two to four pitches before he whacks away, and Gardenhire doesn't want Gomez to hack anymore.

Gardenhire said he has talked to Gomez, and made it known if he wants to have better at-bats, he needs to hold off on his aggressive nature and be more patient.

I think that Gomez should be the starter in 2008, but I don't think he will start out as the primary player in center field.


Jason Pridie

Jason Pridie is only 25 years old, but is considered a veteran among these three center field candidates. Pridie hit .303 in 524 at-bats last year in the minor league. Pridie played both AA ball (Montgomery Biscuits) and AAA ball (Durham Bulls). He hit 14 home runs, with 66 runs batted in.

Thus far into Spring Training, Pridie is only hitting .273. Despite that, Jerry White has good things to say about him:

"Jason has some know-how, I mean, he knows how to bunt, he moves the ball around, he uses the opposite side of the field, and he has some knowledge of that position [center field]..."

Pridie has dealt with failure in the past, being in the minors since 2002, so he knows how to deal with it. I don't think he will spend another season in the minors, but there is always that possibility.

My prediction for Pridie is that he will start for the Twins' at center field for at least the first few months. I don't think he should, but I think the Twins will give Gomez a chance to learn from someone who has been around a few more years than he has.

Denard Span

Clearly the underdog in this center field race, Span knows that he has to prove himself if he wants a shot at starting for the Twins in 2008.

Span is hitting .267 so far in Spring Training, and scored an important run in a close win over the Marlins, 4-2.

The Pioneer Press recently asked Span which presidential candidate he compared himself to, and Span responded:

"I'm [John] McCain...he's the underdog. Nobody expects him to win, nobody thinks he can do it."

Although the underdog, Span could be performing the best so far out of the three players battling for the center field position.

Despite that, I don't think Span will be on the Twins' 25 man roster this season, and will have another good season playing AAA in Rochester for the Red Wings. (Maybe he will help bring a championship to the AAA ball club.)


Prediction

My gut tells me that Pridie will start this season, (at least for the first few months), but I really want Gomez to be out there, gathering experience. After all, what better way to learn than to play?