The Starting Lineup

The Bench

The Staff

Team Synopsis, by Gantry

Minnesota is a tier-two team in straight pitch. They don't have the offensive muscle to beat the Big Three consistently, but can be competitive on any given day. Their pitching is diverse and effective, while their bench is extremely subpar. You need production out of the middle of the order and some crafty pitching to come out on top...

Pitching

You gotta love Bert Blyleven, he kicks butt in both styles. In curve has has a ton of movement and in straight he can pitch forever. He does have the highest endurance rating in the game, so he can get you an extra inning or so. Sometimes Blyleven is throwing faster in the 5th inning than in the frist. Viola is a lefty, which definitely comes in handy. Even if it's for the one-batter clutch lefty-batter out, he should make an appearance. Senor Smoke throws very very fast , but has no movement or endurance. Great way to get another clutch out, as he's very hard to time at first. Reardon is a decent, but not great, reliever. All-in-all the Twins have a potent staff that can cause matchup problems in either style...

The Lineup

1. Sub that piece of shit Gladden immediately. Right-handed and no power, the worst of both worlds. You definitely want to bring in Minnesota's top sub, Randy Bush. Bush is Gladdens polar opposite - a lefty with power. He hits homers and gets on base, making Vagina a solid all-around player.
   
   
2. Ahhh, the Gar... When batting with Gaetti, you should be yelling "GAR!" on just about every swing. He and Doug Decinces were separated at birth - slow, righty and prone to the double play. He does have the power stroke though, and makes this team much stronger when he's leaving the park. Consistency is his biggest problem.
   
   
3. Kirby Pucket is, without a doubt, the most disappointing player in RBI Baseball. His stats tremendous, yet he can't get on fucking base. He's a complete waste of space, but occasionally has his moments. Don't expect much, yet he has to stay in. If were just a guy who was .270 and 12 homers (which is how he hits) I don't think I'd have such a problem with him...
   
   
4. Kent Hrbek is one of RBI's most underrated players. A lefty with a VERY big bat, he's easily the best player on this team. He ain't the quickest of players, but his power speaks for itself. Everything should be for the fences with Hrbek, and he'll deliver most of the time.
   
   
5. There's a pretty large Brunansky fanbase on the forums - some even think he's one of the top five hitters in the game. I won't go that far, but he is a solid player. I wouldn't put him in Jim Rice's league, but he has a shitload of power. He and Hrbek are the keys to winning with Minnesota. Score with them and score often...
   
   
6. This is where Minnesota really starts to go downhill. You have a piece of crap here with Gagne, yet your only other respectable sub (Gene Larkin) has to go in for the even worse Lombardozzi at #8. So it's either a total sack of crap with Gagne or sub in the total sack of crap Roy Smalley. I usually bring Smalley in, yet I don't know why. He never does anything for me. So expect nothing here...
   
   
7. "Laudner is capable of a powerful game but unfortunately he doesn't show up every time" - Potsie said it best in his review. The Laundromat can be huge, but he can also lay an egg depending on his mood. So basically he is like every other seven hitter in the game. They are all hit or miss...
   
   
8. Dee Nee!!. It was that fateful day back in college when Potsie uttered Dee-Nee for the first time. It was to sub in Gene Larkin for the worthless Steve Lombardozzi. The rest is RBI History! I will never say anything bad about Gene "Dee-Nee" Larkin and I suggest you all do the same...
   
   

The Rest

While you should put Randy Bush and Gene Larkin in immediately, the ass-end of the Minnesota bench shouldn't see much action. You can be an idiot like me and put Smalley in at the six spot. He is lefty, which I guess helps minimize double-plays. But he is terrible, and Davidson is worse. Davidson is strictly a end of the game pitcher sub. And expect an out when you bring him in...