Article: Feeling 100

[Nick Nelson]

On Sunday, the Twins lost their 100th game. It's a milestone that had previously been reached six times in the franchise's 115-year history, and only once since the team came to Minnesota.

 

With a week to go, this season has already set a new standard for Minnesota baseball futility in my lifetime. So how come I'm not feeling entirely discouraged?In charting the ascent of a prospect core entrusted with restoring the organization's winning culture, we knew there would be growing pains. Unfortunately, they've been a little more severe than expected. But rather than focusing on the pain, let's focus on the growth.

 

Miguel Sano has endured a tough year, from a variety of perspectives. There were the position switches, the adjustments from opposing pitchers, the injuries afflicting his hamstring, elbow and back. Some of his troubles were self-inflicted, as Sano came under fire for his work ethic and his occasional antics on the field.

 

But at the end of the day, through all of that, what you have in Sano is a 23-year-old who has posted a .797 OPS and hit 24 homers in his first full season as a big-leaguer. He'll head into the offseason knowing what he needs to do to take his game to the next level. And, at least according to him, he'll have greater resolve to do so.

 

Similarly, it's easy to find positivity within the tumult of Byron Buxton's season. His makeup and mental fortitude were touted almost as much as his athleticism while prospect publications lavished praise during his rise through the minors. Both were on display while he stumbled repeatedly in his first several tries against major-league pitching.

 

While striking out at a catastrophic rate and failing to find any kind of traction for much of the season, Buxton was undoubtedly frustrated but it never really showed. When demoted to the minors, twice, he didn't let his dejection affect his play or focus. Now, during his fifth major-league stint here in September, the light bulb has finally flipped on.

 

Since his latest call-up Buxton is batting .288 and slugging .625. He shows renewed confidence at the plate. His defense, as ever, is game-changing in center field. He's finally playing like he belongs. If he sticks, his impact over a full season – both in terms of run scoring and prevention – can hardly be overstated.

 

Hitters throughout the lineup are inspiring optimism. Max Kepler hit his 17th home run on Sunday, a tremendous rookie showing for a developing young hitter whose highest total in the minors was 10. Jorge Polanco is a middle infielder that can credibly be written in as the No. 3 hitter, and has been on numerous occasions. Eddie Rosario posted an .812 OPS after returning from his short trip to Rochester. Brian Dozier has emerged as one of the game's biggest stars.

 

On the pitching side, obviously, things aren't so rosy. But I take solace in this fact: it can't get worse. It really can't. This team will come close to matching – and might still surpass – the Twins record for runs allowed set in 1996. That record was set with an atrocious pitching staff, at the height of the steroid era and its offensive inflation.

 

Jose Berrios has taken a beating, no doubt. We haven't seen too many pitchers struggle this much in their introductions to the majors, let alone talents of his caliber. But he's also 22, and fueled by relentless motivation to improve. At this point, I'm more eager to see how he comes back next year than worried he'll never find the strike zone. The stuff is clearly there.

 

The same can be said for J.T. Chargois, who has settled into a nice groove after initially getting roughed up. Over his last 10 appearances, the fireballer has allowed one run and three hits. It is evident that he's a cut above the rest of the erratic hard-throwers that have come through the Twins bullpen in recent years.

 

While the staff has delivered hideous results this year, there is a lot more ability than the numbers would suggest. And the Twins have the luxury of carrying some interesting assets like Tyler Duffey and Trevor May, who appear ill-suited for their current roles but boast undeniable upside.

 

Getting the most out of such assets has been a crippling failure for the club this season, but new leadership will be in place moving forward. Based on the rumblings, it sounds like we might have a name announced before the season ends next Sunday. Then, the focus will turn toward the future.

 

It's a future that will include more mature and experienced versions of Buxton, Sano, Kepler, Berrios, Chargois and more. It's a future that will be overseen by a rearranged front office, which will have at its disposal a premier trade chip in Dozier, a top pitching prospect in Stephen Gonsalves, and the No. 1 pick in next June's draft.

 

This 2016 season has been a hell of a speed bump, but it doesn't feel like much more than that. Plenty of signs still point to a quality product in the not-so-distant future. The bad taste in our mouths after this rotten campaign will only make the final destination that much sweeter.

 

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[operation mindcrime]

Nice job Nick. I'm excited for next year already. I love that we have the #1 pick. We really deserved it with how the season went. Having the largest bonus pool for the draft and the July 2nd intl. signing period is a nice luxury. I'm excited to see who we pick as our POBO & GM. It should be an interesting winter! \m/

[mikelink45]

For some reason that I cannot explain I was actually happy when we got to 100.  Any team can be mediocre, but to be truly bad when a team has so many outstanding young players is historic.  I look forward to seeing the young hitters mature and the new leadership step in.  I hope we will think of defense and find some fixes to the pitching staff that do not gut the developing roster.  From 100+ losses we can now look upwards.  

[twinssporto]

Next year should deliver better results.  I really do like the "core" group of youth coming through the system now:  Sano, Buxton, Kepler, Polanco, Vargas, Rosario.  

 

I don't think its a far fetched idea to say this group will be in a real pennate race someday.  How soon will depend on what we can cobble together for a pitching staff and bullpen.

 

Onward and upward! 

[mazeville]

The fundamental difference between 2016 and 2011, when the Twins first stumbled into oblivion, is the fact that this year's team has assets that could provide for a quicker turnaround.

 

There is the young core of players who could definitely improve.

 

There are players like Brian Dozier and Ervin Santana who could be flipped for younger players who could speed up the rebuild.

 

In addition, the team has the top pick in the draft along with the most money to spend on prospects next year.

 

I'm not nearly as pessimistic as I was back in 2011 when the team had few tradable assets and no high quality prospects. That was bad.

[theBOMisthebomb]

How many more years will we peddle the "It's just around the corner" Kool aid? Agreed that the young core of hitters is promising, it's just that the pitching is so bad it's hard to stay optimistic. This is a critical time in franchise history to avoid a losing culture that might linger for a decade plus. The next few years are critical.

[deanlambrecht]

 

For some reason that I cannot explain I was actually happy when we got to 100. <snip>

 

Oddly, I felt the same way.   A big part of me wanted the dismal performance to continue so that the Pohlad's would have absolutely no grounds to continue stating that the team was anything other than a total system failure.   Given the historically bad performance this season, with a W/L record to show for it, the Pohlad's hand is forced, and if they don't aggressively make the needed changes that are plain for all to see, it will be clear to all where the blame should be placed.

 

Here's to a new era for this team, already intact with incredible offensive potential (and to a lesser-but-still impressive extent, defensive potential).   Here's to the Pohlad's finally doing what it takes to deliver this team from oblivion.

[wsnydes]

 

For some reason that I cannot explain I was actually happy when we got to 100.  

I attended Saturday's game.  I was actually a little disappointed that I wasn't able to witness the 100th loss in person. 

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

I attended Saturday's game.  I was actually a little disappointed that I wasn't able to witness the 100th loss in person. 

I was planning on attending Sunday, so I was rooting for them to win Saturday and stay at 99 for another day.

 

Unfortunately, the 100 loss vibe Sunday was skewed by the Vikings win...

[wsnydes]

 

I was planning on attending Sunday, so I was rooting for them to win Saturday and stay at 99 for another day.

 

Unfortunately, the 100 loss vibe Sunday was skewed by the Vikings win...

So you're to blame!  {shakes fist angrily}  

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

So you're to blame!  {shakes fist angrily}  

Don't worry, the Twins still have a week to make the significance of the 100 loss threshold seem quaint by comparison.

[EddieMatthews]

The new POBO and GM will have good potential to work with in '17.  The outfield is solid with Rosario, Buxton, Kepler.  Infield could be solid also with Sano, Polanco, Dozier, Mauer.  (Rumor is that the discussion on Mauer's health is driven by Trunp.  Just saying, but nobody knows.)  That leaves catcher and pitching.  

 

Maybe the new executives can lure a #1 or #2 starter to pair up with Santana.  There should be good options for the rest of the staff.  I am more optimistic about May, Duffey and Hughes than Gibson.  Relief staff may be OK with addition of one more arm.

 

Hope is always there for the next year.

[Michael (ClassicMNTwins)]

Thanks for the voice of reason, Nick. While I understand the general disenchantment during a horrid season, I have a hard time abiding the "everything sucks, will suck forever, and prove to me I'm wrong" attitude. There is major upside to the Twins franchise, and it's important that people like you clarify that point from time to time. For those of us who endured the '82 season, the 90s one day at a time, this too shalt pass, and then we will have reasons to enjoy coming to Target Field, beyond the TonyO Burger, or what have you

[Platoon]

The blessing in disguise that is the 100, and counting I might add, season is that it required the Pohlads to finally get off the dime. Or off something! With the exception of pitching, there is either some talent, or some trade chips to right some wrongs here. While I don't know what the new guys will do, I do know Ryan would have at best made cosmetic changes, and shot for a .500 finish, and a second WC. Also, if you're gonna be bad. Be epic!

[Jerr]

Nice to read something with some positivity, but I'm not totally sold as I've heard it too many times lately.

New front office and manager/coaches would make me feel better. 2016 made me stop caring about the

Twins.

 

I never went to 1 game, this season. 

 

Come Feb. I probably will wish I spent my time at one game. Right now I'm glad I didn't....

[DocBauer]

Honestly, the 100 losses doesn't mean too much to me. When you start off as poorly as the Twins did, and are eliminated after the first month (2 weeks?) the number of losses becomes a bit moot. (With the exception of earning the top pick in the next draft, etc)

 

But I admit to being strangely excited about this season, despite all the disappointment and frustration. I believe there is real change taking place within the organization from the top down. And it was simply time for this to happen.

 

After waiting so long to see top prospects arrive, last year and this, they have! Now, there have been mixed results to be sure, but to actually see Rosario, Buxton, Kepler, Sano, Vargas, Polanco, Berrios and Chargois actually playing for the Twins instead of being on prospect and watch lists is gratifying.