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March 16, 2009

Team Health Reports

Minnesota Twins

by Will Carroll

MINNESOTA TWINS Team Audit | DT Cards | PECOTA Cards | Depth Chart

Head Trainer: Rick McWane
Days Lost: 607
Dollars Lost: $5.9 million
Injury Cost: $18.2 million

Trend: Neutral. The Twins under Rick McWane have been a bit better than average in most of the major indicators, with less variance than expected. Some might think that the combination of mid-market economics and young players would hurt these stats, and yes, the gap between actual dollars lost and injury cost is huge. Injury cost attempts to measure the true value of the players lost, rather than the often undervalued salaries of pre-arbitration players. Given the turf as an additional complication, McWane and his staff deserve some credit for the mid-pack finish, but it's clear that their focus on rehab is leaving holes in their game. Getting Francisco Liriano back is one thing, but having him end up injured in the first place was troubling. The injuries to Joe Mauer could be blamed on the field staff and front office more than on the medical staff. Their true test will be to keep the young pitching staff healthy over the next few years; losing more than one to an extensive injury will doom this team. The Twins might be most affected by their upcoming stadium switch.

The Shape of the Season: