Kuzul

In Major League Baseball, teams need a superstar to carry them into contention. But what if the superstar is enduring a painful slump? Or what if the team isn't developed enough to have a legitimate superstar?That's where having a solid, under-the-radar player on the roster can pay dividends.There are several of these players in the American League Central that help make an impact for their teams through breakout years or solid play.Here's a look at some of the top players who have made a contribution that's not noticed by most baseball fans.Begin Slideshow

April is a tricky month to figure out the game of baseball. Usually, fields are thawing from the absurd amount of snow they've received while the players have the same time trying to live up to their offseason hype.In the American League Central, that comparison is accurate to what's going on in the division.Behind the Detroit Tigers, who are the heavy favorite to win the division, the other teams in the central have spent time trying to figure out who they are.That has led to some players coming out of nowhere to carry their teams to unexpected starts. It also has seen some highly regarded veterans showing that their best is yet to come.Here are some players who have turned themselves into household names during the first two weeks of the season.Begin Slideshow

In 2010, the Minnesota Twins introduced Major League Baseball to Target Field. The new stadium replaced the dump that was the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome as the home for the franchise.It's been hard to get a ticket to a Twins game since, as the team ranked 12th in the major leagues in total attendance in 2012, according to ESPN.The reception for the ballpark has been great, even when the product on the field hasn't. ESPN Magazine called Target Field the best stadium in North America in their 2010 Ultimate Standings. The stadium dropped to 13th in 2012, but it still has its reputation as one of the best in baseball.Still, with all of the accolades, some Twins fans have a problem with the crown jewel of downtown Minneapolis:It's too cold in April.Twins fans are beginning to moan as the team has their first season opener at Target Field on Monday ...

The end of the National Football League season means that the sports calendar is about to give way to Major League Baseball.This is the time of year when baseball fans' minds start to cut through the clutter of sub-zero temperatures and blowing snow to find green grass, blue skies and warmer climates.By the time that the last strand of confetti is swept off of the turf of the Super Bowl, optimism springs in the minds of fans across MLB's 30 teams, thinking that their team can be this year's surprise team.That optimism may be hard to come by for the Minnesota Twins, who are coming off of their second straight season at the bottom of the American League Central standings.It's been a cold winter under the watch of Terry Ryan, who has sent both Denard Span and Ben Revere packing while restocking a farm system that desperately needed an overhaul.That's ...

Minnesota Twins prospect Alex Meyer has a tall order on his hands as he attempts to climb the ladder for his new team in 2013.As the prospect sent over from the Washington Nationals in the Denard Span trade, Meyer was the 23rd overall pick in the 2011 MLB June Amateur Draft.Between Low-A Hagerstown and High-A Potomac, he went 10-6 with a 2.86 earned run average in a performance that will make him a top-100 prospect on many lists this spring.With Meyer expected to begin the season at Double-A New Britain, it's unlikely that he'll be able to crack the major league rotation.However, Meyer will already make an impact in 2013 at the major league level even if he doesn't debut for the Twins.Meyer has assumed the position of the top pitching prospect in the Twins' farm system. For a system that used to be loaded with young talent, Minnesota has ...

The Minnesota Twins are in a position where they need to make moves to improve the active roster. In such situations, a team may decide to trade their biggest piece in order to make a quick upgrade.On the surface, the Twins may not have that piece. However, that could change if they decide to make Joe Mauer available.The 29-year old catcher has had difficulties staying on the field over the past two seasons and may be considered damaged goods by some teams. Still, he has a bat that teams covet at the catcher position and could provide an immediate upgrade for any lineup.With a $23 million salary due through 2018, the Twins will need to pay a team a fair amount in order for a trade to work.Minnesota will also need to get either an impact player or high quality prospects to restock their meager farm system.With that, here are ...

Building a baseball team is a delicate process. If a team is too aggressive in its approach, it will have a one-  or two-year window to win a World Series. If a team isn't aggressive enough, it will toil in mediocrity (or worse) and rarely give hope to its fanbase.Fans of the Minnesota Twins want to see the aggressive approach at the moment, as they've been screaming for general manager Terry Ryan to do something this offseason to solve one of Major League Baseball's worst pitching rotations.So far, the Twins haven't done much of anything on the free-agent market. Instead, they've opted to make trades to improve their farm system more than building something at the major league level.The approach is the correct one to take with the current state of the Twins. Here's why the Twins should stay away from the free-agent market.Begin Slideshow

The New York Mets are close to dealing reigning National League Cy Young Award winner R.A. Dickey to the Toronto Blue Jays, according to CBS Sportsline's Jon Heyman, who broke the news on Twitter early Saturday morning: word is, there is agreement on players in dickey trade with #jays. @martinonydn suggests medicals being reviewed.— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) December 15, 2012   reminder: a deal isnt a deal until it's a deal. multiple deals have been derailed by medicals this winter alone.— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) December 15, 2012  Per an ESPN New York report, the Mets would get catching prospect Travis d'Arnaud from the Blue Jays in return for Dickey.There may be a sense of panic when it comes to dealing a pitcher coming off a career season, but Mets fans should not worry as general manager Sandy Alderson is making the right move.Over the last three seasons with the Mets, Dickey has gone 39-28 with ...

If you've been following the Minnesota Twins at all this past offseason, you probably know that they must fix their pitching rotation if they want to get back to relevance in the American League Central. For the Twins to do that, they must take a look at every possible avenue (as they've done recently according to ESPN 1500 AM's Darren Wolfson) and decide which pitchers can help their team the most.That process sounds like it's a case of playing fantasy baseball, but the Twins have to go deeper than that to fix what is arguably the worst starting rotation in Major League Baseball.If the Twins aren't careful with who they select to fill their void of solid starting pitching, they could wind up signing another version of Jason Marquis or Ramon Ortiz. A failure like that could see the Twins rotation become even worse and subject their fans to more ...

The National League Divisional Series between the Washington Nationals and St. Louis Cardinals will turn one way or the other when the two teams meet for Game 3 Wednesday evening at Nationals Park.The two games at Busch Stadium couldn't have been more different. Game 1 produced a pitching duel that gave the Nationals the early advantage.However, Game 2 was all Cardinals, as Carlos Beltran battered Nationals pitching en route to a 12-5 St. Louis victory.Obviously, the team that can break the 1-1 tie will have a huge advantage and could close out the series in Game 4 Thursday night.Here is a look at what matchups will decide Game 3 between the Cardinals and the Nationals.Begin Slideshow