Article: The 5 Best Things To Happen To The Twins In 2015

[Nick Nelson]

The Twins emerged from the darkness this year, breaking a string of four straight 90-loss seasons by adding 13 wins to their 2014 total.

 

Many good things happened to make this possible. Here are five worth focusing on.1. Miguel Sano showed MVP-caliber hitting ability.

 

We knew Sano, a top prospect and big performer in the minors, was going to be an impact player in the lineup. It was hard to anticipate him being quite this good, this fast.

 

Sano played 80 games for the Twins this year – about half a season's worth. If you double his production, you get 36 home runs, 34 doubles, 104 RBI and 106 walks. Among players that logged 300 or more plate appearances in the majors, his OPS (.936) ranked 11th and his walk rate (15.6 percent) ranked sixth. He did all this as a 22-year-old coming off an entire missed season and getting his first taste of the majors.

 

Sano will enter the 2016 campaign as a 23-year-old with a bit of experience under his belt, and as the unquestioned cornerstone of the Minnesota lineup. He'll be a popular preseason MVP sleeper among analysts, regardless of what position he's playing.

 

2. Eduardo Escobar locked up the shortstop position.

 

Shortstop has been a constant problem area for the Twins for many years. Over the last decade they have had nine different Opening Day starters at the position, and with few exceptions, all have been bad.

 

That's why Escobar's strong season was such a revelation for the franchise. If there were questions about the legitimacy of his breakthrough offensive performance in 2014 (.721 OPS and 35 doubles in 133 games), he did plenty to silence them with an even better 2015. After taking over shortstop from Danny Santana for good at the end of July, Escobar hit .278/.337/.505 with eight homers in 56 games.

 

He did that while providing a steady and reliable glove at shortstop, committing only four errors there on the season (compared to 16 for Santana). Since the start of 2014. Escobar has piled up 90 extra-base hits in 260 games. His power is a rare commodity at shortstop, where the average AL player slugged .380 this year, lowest of any position. His .445 slugging percentage on the season would have ranked second among MLB shortstops, ahead of Troy Tulowitzki.

 

Escobar turns 27 in January.

 

3. Jose Berrios maintained his luster at the highest levels.

 

In 2014, Berrios had a monster season that saw him climb from Single-A to Triple-A, while also climbing prospect lists and establishing himself as a clear cut top-tier talent in the minors. His 2015 season was better by leaps and bounds.

 

The right-hander basically replicated his production from a year ago, but did so while spending the entire season in Double-A and Triple-A. Despite being one of the youngest players to throw a pitch in the International League, he dominated it as he has every other, posting a 2.62 ERA and 0.96 WHIP with a phenomenal 83-to-14 K/BB ratio in 75 innings.

 

The huge season was rendered all the more crucial by Alex Meyer's unraveling. Berrios now stands as the lone pitching prospect in Minnesota's high minors with true top-of-the-rotation potential. Fortunately, he's a hell of a prospect. He's the best young arm the Twins have brought along since Francisco Liriano, and he seems capable of making a similar impact based on his demolishment of opponents at every level.

 

4. Trevor May excelled in two different roles.

 

Following his disastrous seven-walk MLB debut in Oakland, May posted an excellent 44-to-13 K/BB ratio in his final nine appearances last season. Though his 7.42 ERA didn't show it, he was on the right track.

 

This year, May took a big step forward, with the results backing up the rock-solid peripherals. He showed steady improvement as a starter through the first half, and was just hitting his stride in June before being sent to the bullpen as victim of a numbers crunch. There, May showed the makings of a lock-down reliever.

 

He gives the Twins a dynamic weapon on the pitching staff, and one they sorely needed. He looks like a solid mid-rotation starter with potential to be more, or else a dominating late-inning reliever. He's young and will be cheap for many years. Major asset.

 

5. Eddie Rosario's exceptional athleticism paid big dividends.

 

I'll admit to being a little skeptical of Rosario due to his production drop-off in the high minors and his questionable plate discipline. The latter was on display during his rookie year but it didn't seem to matter a whole lot. Rosario displayed stunning power for his smallish frame, racking up 46 extra-base hits – including a league-leading 15 triples – after being called up in early May. While his approach at the plate was anything but patient, his quick wrists and coordination enabled him to make hard contact with tough pitches.

 

With his speed and strength, if he starts to get a better handle on the strike zone he has All-Star upside, especially since he's a fantastic defender in the outfield corners.

 

These five players, all under the age of 28, present five reasons that Twins fans should feel very good about the team's future.

 

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[mickeymental]

good list. 

 

6. byron buxton, regardless of how good he really is, got some serious big-league seasoning under his belt after a lost 2014.

[dbminn]

1. The sum better than the whole.

2. Miguel Sano

3. Tyler Duffey

4. Eddie Rosario

5. Trevor May/Kevin Jepsen in the bullpen

[HitInAPinch]

Great article!  Nice to read positive again! 

 

I love watching Rosario play.  Just a little better control of the strikezone....

If not for the self-manufactured rotation mess, there would be no doubt May would be a starter.

Sano seems as cool as they come.  This off-season he's working on getting in better shape [from a reported 270lbs], which is key for next year.

It's a very short sample size, but which pitcher was key down the stretch?  Duffey.  See my May comment.

Escobar was a revelation last year. He is a proven SS.

Berrios:  it's time.  See comments on May and Duffey.

 

Edited November 16, 2015 by HitInAPinch

[Blackjack]

I would like second the idea that Duffy was a big positive. With good starting pitching so hard to come by, if he can have a full season comparable to his partial season, the Twins will really have something!!

[clutterheart]

#6 Mike Pelfrey pitched his last inning as a Twin (hopefully)

[Shane Wahl]

Yeah, I almost think Duffey should be number two on this list. The reason is because he was actually quite dominant while coming out of the "second tier" of Twins pitching prospects in 2015. That is the kind of thing that can happen with prospects, jumping from 15ish to near the top quickly (which is why long lists are valuable!).

 

Anyway and regardless, this is a good article. Add Duffey and Buxton and there are 7 real things here.

[dxpavelka]

The fact that "Escobar wrapped up the SS position"  made this list shows how much work remains undone.

[James Richter]

Remarkably, the opening day rotation might not have room for #3 & #4.

 

[hybridbear]

I wonder if the Twins could get a big return for Escobar in a trade. Perhaps he'd be a good candidate to flip at the deadline this coming year for a top starting pitcher, especially if Polanco or Danny Santana makes enough progress to be an acceptable replacement for Escobar.

 

Brad of Kevin Slowey Was Framed predicted Escobar's performance at the start of the 2014 season.

[RedBull34]

 

The fact that "Escobar wrapped up the SS position"  made this list shows how much work remains undone.

Why?  I don't understand this argument at all.  Escobar showed he can be an above average SS for the second year running.

 

It's not like he is much worse then the Flores, Tejada, or other Escobar.

[birddog]

It is so refreshing to read positives about the Twins and more importantly, how the present is looking good. We've been reading for way too long that the future is bright. That future is now here. By the way, I too would have included Duffy even if you had to call this the top 6. He was surprisingly dominant with a curve that had even Bert salivating. If he has a good spring, he deserves to go north as a starter.

[Madre Dos]

3 of the 5 are mine!  Way to go Miguel, Jose and Eddie! 

[Brandon Brooks]

That Escobar is finally going to get a spot in the lineup to open 2016 -- barring any surprise transactions or injuries -- is going to be a welcome change to the makeup of the roster.

 

Part of me wonders whether or not Escobar will play in five different positions in 2016 if he has a more permanent role up the middle -- he played short, third, second, left, center, and right at different junctures in both '14 and '15.

 

If Double-E is playing opposite Dozier every day, who takes on that super-utility role? Nunez?

[nytwinsfan]

 

The fact that "Escobar wrapped up the SS position"  made this list shows how much work remains undone.

 

I wonder if the Twins could get a big return for Escobar in a trade. Perhaps he'd be a good candidate to flip at the deadline this coming year for a top starting pitcher, especially if Polanco or Danny Santana makes enough progress to be an acceptable replacement for Escobar.

 

A non-prospect just developed into an above-average player at the first or second-hardest position to field, where the Twins have not had an above-average multiple-season talent for 20 years, so let's (A) poo-poo it, (B] trade him when we don't even have a potential average replacement ready. Makes sense.

 

[nytwinsfan]

 

I would like second the idea that Duffy was a big positive. With good starting pitching so hard to come by, if he can have a full season comparable to his partial season, the Twins will really have something!!

I totally get the Duffey thing, and I think if he had had time for a few more quality starts, he'd be on this list. I am guessing Nick left him off because even though he far exceeded expectations, and is a tantalizing dark horse for a #2 starter, his season still was mostly a small sample size. But there is no question in my mind that if Duffey continues what he started in the last third of 2015, he would deserve to be in the top 3 or 4 of this list.

Edited November 17, 2015 by nytwinsfan

[mikelink45]

Don't forget Aaron Hicks.  He turned his career around and made value for a good trade. 

[gocgo]

 

A non-prospect just developed into an above-average player at the first or second-hardest position to field, where the Twins have not had an above-average multiple-season talent for 20 years, so let's (A) poo-poo it, (B] trade him when we don't even have a potential average replacement ready. Makes sense.

...if you don't think about it.  Also, Esco is one of those guys that makes the clubhouse and enjoyable place to be through a long season.  Sort of the glue that holds the team together.

[Nick Nelson]

 

I totally get the Duffey thing, and I think if he had had time for a few more quality starts, he'd be on this list. I am guessing Nick left him off because even though he far exceeded expectations, and is a tantalizing dark horse for a #2 starter, his season still was mostly a small sample size. But there is no question in my mind that if Duffey continues what he started in the last third of 2015, he would deserve to be in the top 3 or 4 of this list.

Yep. Duffey and Kepler were definitely in the running for the fifth spot but ultimately I went with Rosario because he did his thing over almost a full season in the majors. 

[NotTorii]

VERY happy you didn't say anything about Torii

[DocBauer]

That Escobar is finally going to get a spot in the lineup to open 2016 -- barring any surprise transactions or injuries -- is going to be a welcome change to the makeup of the roster.

 

Part of me wonders whether or not Escobar will play in five different positions in 2016 if he has a more permanent role up the middle -- he played short, third, second, left, center, and right at different junctures in both '14 and '15.

 

If Double-E is playing opposite Dozier every day, who takes on that super-utility role? Nunez?

 

Barring some numbers crunch that I don't see at this time, there should be room for both Nunez as well as Santana. Santana will play INF and OF and PR. He still has tremendous athleticism and potential. He might even surprise one of these days. Nunez is OK glove wise, just not great, and Molitor himself commented this season on his improved leather. And he's got a solid bat with pop and decent speed. They are a nice combination off the bench IMHO.

[Mike Sixel]

I would also put Duffey in the top 5........huge positive. 

[kab21]

I think Duffey and May could be combined into one best thing.  Finding two potentially MOR starters or a setup guy out of the midrange prospects is a huge thing for the Twins.  Depth on the pitching staff is key for the Twins going forward.

[Kwak]

I"m not sure if this one belongs in 2014 instead--replacing Gardenhire/Anderson.