Patrick Reusse: If Twins look bleak, save some curiosity for spring

The Cleveland Indians decided to undertake a rebuilding process in 2002. They had three consecutive losing years and then leaped to 93 victories in 2005. It was a tremendous season that ended with disappointment when the Indians faded in the final week and blew a playoff spot.

The Indians came unglued in 2006, played some of the sloppiest baseball imaginable after the All-Star break and finished 78-84.

Simultaneously, the Twins were putting together a historic stretch drive to finish with 96 victories. They won the American League Central on the last day, only to find disappointment in a three-game playoff sweep by Oakland.

The Twins have responded with a season that has a good chance to mirror the Indians' 78-84 of '06. This will end a six-year winning streak. Presuming it will be followed by the free-agent departure of center fielder Torii Hunter, there will be much teeth-gnashing by Twins hardcores.

The record crowds of last January for the winter caravan and TwinsFest will be substantially reduced. There will be a reduction in advance ticket sales. Minnesota's baseball audience will turn lukewarm, as it has so often in the past.

And then will come spring training and renewal for those who truly care about the grand old game.

Torii's gone and the stretch of winning seasons is over. The proper response to all of this when the Twins report to Fort Myers, Fla., in February will be, "Who looks good down there?"

What baseball has going for it in the spring isn't so much hope as curiosity. More than other sports, baseball has a preseason in which clubs -- particularly those of the midmarket and small-market variety -- seek answers.

Next spring will bring wonderful curiosity, since the Twins will be looking for more answers than they have at any time in manager Ron Gardenhire's tenure.

We have been told emphatically that Denard Span, previously advertised as Hunter's heir in center, will not be major league-ready for the start of the '08 season.

Yet, it was 1999 when Hunter, a former No. 1 draft choice who would turn 24 in July, was installed as the team's every-day center fielder. Torii was coming off a season in which the bulk of his at-bats were at Class AA, where he batted .282 with six home runs, 32 RBI and an on-base percentage of .329.

Span is a former No. 1 draft choice. He will turn 24 in February. He started horribly at Class AAA Rochester this season. He finished batting .267 with an on-base percentage of .323. The most distressing number for Span was 30 extra-base hits in 487 at-bats.

He's not ready, but a 24-year-old Hunter wasn't ready either, and the Twins took a chance on talent.

Hunter batted .255 with nine home runs, 52 runs scored and 35 RBI in 384 at-bats as a rookie. He actually was sent back to Class AAA for two months in 2000, before starting the climb to being the beloved Torii who received numerous standing ovations in Sunday's home finale.

A rookie season of .260, 60 runs scored and 50 RBI might be possible for Span as a No. 8 hitter in Gardenhire's lineup. That would make him a young center fielder with a chance to keep getting better -- as did Torii.

Here's the deal: The odds are lopsided that the Twins must emulate Cleveland's period of rebuilding earlier in this decade rather than duplicate the Indians' current turnaround -- from the 78-victory flop in '06 to a runaway title in the Central.

It would be great if Hunter would come back here, but if he doesn't, taking a look at Span next March will be very interesting.

We've also had Gardenhire tell us Nick Punto will be his second baseman in '08, but what if Alexi Casilla has a better grasp on all that talent next spring? He can add much to a lineup with those wheels.

Minnesota baseball fans won't have a real idea on Span or Casilla or Matt Tolbert -- or Kevin Slowey, Matt Garza, Nick Blackburn, Scott Baker, Glen Perkins and Boof Bonser -- until they follow them through Spring Training '08.

The answers are coming, so be happy. The last home game is over but the first exhibition is only five months away.

Patrick Reusse can be heard weekdays on AM-1500 KSTP at 6:45 and 7:45 a.m. and 4:40 p.m. preusse@startribune.com