The Twins have dealt 23-year old righty reliever Billy Bullock to the Braves for the right to keep Rule 5 Draft Pick Scott Diamond. Bullock piotched in 58 games (0 starts) in A+AA-ball last year and he was 2-8 with 27 saves, a 3.53 ERA and a 1.59 WHIP. He pitched in 91 games (0 starts) in his two years in the minors with the Twins and he was 6-8 with 38 saves, a 3.18 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP.

53-year old manager Ron Gardenhire stresses the fundamentals and that has really helped the Twins win a lot of games during the regular season under him. The Twins were 94-68 (58%) during the regular season in 2010 but they were 0-3 against the Yankees in the playoffs. The Twins are now 802-656 (55%) during the regular season in Gardenhire’s first 9 years in charge. But, Gardenhire’s post season record with the Twins is downright pathetic as they are 6-21 (28.6%) under his watch. Maybe this will be the year that the Twins take the next step under Gardenhire.

The Twins have lost a lot of quality relievers in the off-season, so they are hoping for some young guys to step up as well as a good return year out of Joe Nathan. 36-year old righty Joe Nathan missed all of last season due to Tommy John Surgery. But, he appears ready to resume his role as the closer of the Twins in 2011. Nathan has pitched in 412 games (0 starts) in his first six years with the Twins and he is 22-12 with 246 saves, a 1.87 ERA and a 0.93 WHIP. He only has given up 271 hits in his first 418 2/3 innings with the Twins and he has 518 whiffs, which shows just how dominating he has been.

27-year old righty Matt Capps will be the Twins’ top set-up man in 2011 and he will also be a fallback option in case Nathan runs into some issues. Capps pitched in 27 games (0 starts) for the Twins last year and he was 2-0 with 16 saves, a 2.00 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. He pitched in 74 games (0 starts) overall for the Twins & Nationals last year and he was 5-3 with 42 saves, a 2.47 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP. Capps has now pitched in 345 games (0 starts) in his first six years in the majors and he is 24-22 with 109 saves, a 3.37 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP.

26-year old lefty Jose Mijares will be the top lefty in the pen for the Twins in 2011. Mijares pitched in 47 games (0 starts) for the Twins last year and he was 1-1 with a 3.31 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP. He has now pitched in 128 games (0 starts) in his first three years with the Twins and he is 3-4 with a 2.49 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP.

27-year old righty Anthony Slama comes into this season as the Twins’ #28 prospect according to Baseball America, so he will likely get another chance with the Twins in 2011. Slama pitched in 5 games (0 starts) for the Twins last year and he was 0-1 with a 7.71 ERA and a 2.36 WHIP. He also pitched in 54 games (0 starts) in AAA-ball last year and he was 2-2 with 17 saves, a 2.20 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP.

35-year old righty Clay Condrey had elbow problems last season. He only pitched in 5 games (3 starts) in Rookie+A+AAA-ball last year and he was 0-0 with a 5.79 ERA and a 1.71 WHIP. Condrey last pitched in the majors back in 2009 with the Phillies. He has now pitched in 179 games (9 starts) in his first six years in the majors and he is 18-12 with 4 saves, a 4.10 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP. If Condrey is healthy in 2011, he will help the Twins.

23-year old righty Alex Burnett looked overmatched as a rookie for the Twins in 2010. He pitched in 41 games (0 starts) for the Twins last year and he was 2-2 with a 5.29 ERA and a 1.57 WHIP. The Twins will need to see a lot of improvement out of Burnett in 2011 before they can really trust him.

27-year old righty Jeff Manship has not gotten a big audition by the Twins to this point in his career but that will likely change in 2011. Manship pitched in 13 games (1 start) for the Twins last year and he was 2-1 with a 5.28 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP. He has now pitched in 24 games (6 starts) in his first two years with the Twins and he is 3-2 with a 5.49 ERA and a 1.55 WHIP.

24-year old lefty Scott Diamond was a Rule 5 Draft Pick off the Braves’ roster over the winter and the Twins like him. Diamond pitched in 27 games (all starts) in AA+AAA-ball last year and he was 8-7 with a 3.46 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP. He has now pitched in 76 games (74 starts) in his first three years in the minors and he is 28-20 with a 3.28 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP.

28-year old lefty Dusty Hughes also will have a decent shot of making the Twins at some point in 2011. Hughes pitched in 57 games (0 starts) for the Royals last year and he was 1-3 with a 3.83 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP. He has now pitched in 65 games (1 start) in his first two years in the majors and he is 1-5 with a 4.09 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP. His control sometimes gets him into trouble but the Twins would likely help his straighten that out.

29-year old lefty Chuck James will also be a interesting guy to keep an eye on. James pitched in 26 games (7 starts) in AA+AAA-ball last year and he was 10-1 with 2 saves, a 2.32 ERA and a 0.94 WHIP. He last pitched in the majors back in 2008 as he has been recovering from shoulder surgery the last couple years. He has pitched in 64 games (55 starts) in his first four years in the majors and he is 24-19 with a 4.48 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP. If James can stay healthy this year he might be able to help the Twins at some point in 2011.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE TWINS BULLPEN IN 2011: B-

The Twins have lost 30-year old righty reliever Pat Neshek on waivers to the Padres. Neshek pitched in 11 games (0 starts) for the Twins last season and he was 0-1 with a 5.00 ERA and a 1.67 WHIP. He pitched in 132 games (0 starts) in 4 years with the Twins and he was 11-6 with a 3.05 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP. Neshek isn’t all the way back from Tommy John Surgery as he was only throwing 85-86 mph in spring training, so the Twins felt that they could sneak him through waivers. But, they were wrong.

The Twins re-signed 35-year old righty Carl Pavano over the winter to serve as the ace of the starting rotation. He started 32 games for the Twins last season and he was 17-11 with a 3.75 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP. Pavano has now started 44 games in parts of two years with the Twins and he is 22-15 with a 3.97 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP. Pavano is a workhorse at the top of the rotation who generally gives the bullpen a break every five days.

27-year old lefty Francisco Liriano has the best stuff on the Twins’ pitching staff. He started 31 games for the Twins last season and he was 14-10 with a 3.62 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP. He has not pitched in 108 games (89 starts) in his first five years with the Twins and he is 38-32 with 1 save, a 3.97 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP. The Yankees are trying to pry Liriano away from the Twins but they should be smart and just say no.

28-year old lefty Brian Duensing will be in the rotation for the Twins from Day #1 in 2011. He pitched in 53 games (13 starts) for the Twins last season and he was 10-3 with a 2.62 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP. He has now pitched in 77 games (22 starts) in his first two years with the Twins and he is 15-5 with a 3.02 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP. It’s smart for the Twins to use Duensing in the rotation to give the them a nice right/left balance.

29-year old righty Nick Blackburn will get a job in the rotation this season basically because of his contract. He pitched in 28 games (26 starts) for the Twins last season and he was 10-12 with a 5.42 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP. Blackburn has now pitched in 100 games (92 starts) in his first four years with the Twins and he is 32-36 with a 4.50 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP. Blackburn doesn’t really deserve a job in the opening rotation for the Twins.

29-year old righty Scott Baker will likely be the #5 starter for the Twins in 2011. Baker started 29 games for the Twins last season and he was 12-9 with a 4.49 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP. He has now pitched in 140 games (138 starts) in his first six years with the Twins and he is 55-42 with a 4.32 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP. He’s a better pitcher than Nick Blackburn and should be a lock for the starting rotation.

26-year old righty Kevin Slowey is likely to be traded before opening day by the Twins unless one of the other five projected starters gets injured. Slowey pitched in 30 games (28 starts) for the Twins last season and he was 13-6 with a 4.45 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP. He has now pitched in 86 games (82 starts) in his first four years in which he is 39-21 with a 4.41 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP. Slowey is better than Nick Blackburn but he’ll be much easier to deal because of his smaller contract.

28-year old lefty Glen Perkins might also get a shot to start some games for the Twins if the need arises. Perkins pitched in 13 games (1 start) for the Twins last season and he is 1-1 with a 5.82 ERA and a 1.57 WHIP. He has now pitched in 80 games (44 starts) in his first five years with the Twins and he is 19-12 with a 4.81 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP. Perkins has fallen behind some of the other starters on the Twins depth chart the last couple of years.

25-year old righty Andy Swarzak will also try to get back to the majors with the Twins in 2011. He pitched in 22 games (all starts) in AAA-ball last season and he was 5-12 with a 6.21 ERA and a 1.62 WHIP. His only major league experience came back in 2009 with the Twins when he started 12 games and was 3-7 with a 6.25 ERA and a 1.63 WHIP. He will have to pitch well in the minors to get another chance in 2011 with the Twins.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE TWINS STARTING ROTATION IN 2011: B+