One Second-Half Prediction for Each Minnesota Twins Starter

The All-Star break is time for fun and relaxation, unless you’re Terry Ryan or any member of the Twins' front office staff. It’s time to wheel, deal and look forward to the future. During that looking-forward phase the team will predict how the main cogs of the machine go together and how they will fare in the second half of the season.

Twins fans sure hope it will be better than the first half of the 2012 campaign.

Joe Mauer: Will Win the AL Batting Title

I don’t know if Joe Mauer can do anything to quietly while playing in Minnesota. He has a huge magnifying glass on him since signing that huge contract, but it seems like he’s been playing very well, very quietly.

Mauer is currently fourth in the AL batting title chase. In the last seven games, Mauer is hitting .345 resulting in an average of .326 for the season. The AL leader is the Angels’ Mike Trout, with an average of .341. Mauer will chase that down and win the batting title.

Justin Morneau: Will Reach 90 RBI

We all know about Justin Morneau’s health history and Twins fans are more than happy that it hasn’t flared up too much this year. Twins fans remember vividly the player Morneau used to be, the player who won the AL MVP in 2006 and finished second in voting in 2008.

Morneau will never be that player again, but he is playing at a higher level, which has led to some trade rumors flying around. I don’t believe Morneau will be dealt and he will improve his current 38 RBIs to at least 95 by the end of the season.

Jamey Carroll: Will Hit Two Home Runs

Jamey Carroll wasn’t brought in for his power numbers, at all. He was brought in to give the Twins a steady glove, steady bat and some veteran clubhouse leadership. He has given the Twins all of that thus far.

Carroll will find a little muscle, though. He hasn’t hit a home run since 2009, but I have a feeling that will turn around. Carroll will knock out two home runs before the Twins' season concludes.

Trevor Plouffe: Will Hit 40 Home Runs

Remember when Danny Valencia was the Twins' third baseman of the future? That wasn’t all that long ago… but Trevor Plouffe has made Twins fans quickly forget about Valencia. Chicks dig the long ball and that’s what Trevor has been hitting a lot of.

So far Plouffe has 19 home runs, he’ll double that for sure now that he has a regular spot with regular playing time. Plouffe will hit 40 home runs this season.

Brian Dozier: Will Hit a Rough Spot

For a rookie, Brian Dozier has been pretty solid. Sure, he’s had some costly errors, but everyone does and that’s to be expected.

That being said, Dozier will hit a rough patch and it will last for a while. In the second half of the year there will be a time when people are calling for him to be benched. Don’t listen to those calls—the patch will be rough but it will make him a better player in the end.

Josh Willingham: Will Also Hit 40 Home Runs

Josh Willingham was a pretty big name signing in the Twin Cities sports market until the Wild signed some Zach Parise and Ryan Suter guys… but Willingham has not disappointed.

He and Plouffe are tied for the team lead with 19 home runs and both will hit 40 before the end of the year. That’s a lot of home runs for just two guys.

Denard Span: Will Be Traded

Rumors, rumors and more rumors. They were flying around Target Field last year during this time about Denard Span being traded to the Washington Nationals. That might just happen again.

I’m not saying that Span will be traded to the Nationals specifically, but I expect for Span to no longer be on the Twins' roster when the trade deadline passes.

Ben Revere: Will Be Starting Center Fielder

Sometimes the pressure from the public will win. A good portion of the public wants Ben Revere to be the starting center fielder instead of Denard Span. I think that will happen.

Be it the trading of Span or the Twins just finally breaking down and realizing the Revere is meant to be in center, by the end of this season Revere will be the Twins’ everyday center fielder.

Ryan Doumit: Will Find a Steady Home in Right Field

Ryan Doumit has been a kind of amoeba floating between catcher and designated hitter after starting the year as the Twins’ right fielder. I expect that Doumit will find his way back out to the outfield again.

One way or another, right field is going to open up and Doumit is the man to fill that spot. The Twins are the best team they can be with Mauer behind the plate, Morneau at first and Doumit out in right.

Team: Will Finish Better Than Last Year

It doesn’t take a lot, but the Twins will finish better than last year. They just have way too much talent not to. I’m not saying they will be anywhere close to a playoff spot, but they won’t lose 99 games like last year.