A New Year for the Twins: Call your shot now!

[dougkoebernick]

One year ago, I seriously doubt that anyone would have made a New Year's prediction that said the Twins would be in the playoffs in 2017 (if you did let all of us know!). 

 

Now here we are on December 31, 2017 and all the avid readers of Twins Daily are looking forward to 2018. What is everyone thinking? What are your hopes and dreams for the new year?

 

Before you post anything, here are a few of my thoughts as I drink and l get ready to cheer in the new year:

 

1) Everyone who gets all negative on every off-season move needs to relax.

 

2) I am thankful for Twins Daily!

 

3) Will Yu become a Twin? Probably not but it is nice to be considered in the conversation. 

 

4) The tired mantra of the Pohlads not wanting to spend money, etc. is an easy out and a tired excuse from fans.

 

5) Joe Mauer's contract was a great one for everyone involved.

 

6) Who will be the breakout player for the Twins this year? I am going with Max Kepler.

 

7) I always hear how Ervin Santana isn't a #1 starter but how many starters would everyone actually call a #1, 30? If so, then he is.

 

8) How many games will the Twins win this year? I am going with 91!!

 

9) What's your favorite memory as a Twins fan (other than 1987 and 1991)? Mine is visiting the old Met as a t-baller from Estherville Iowa. The Twins were playing the A's and Reggie Jackson was in right field. For the last out of one of the innings Reggie caught a foul ball in right field and my best friend and I begged Reggie to throw us the ball. He did! Actually, he didn't. But I didn't hold it against him.

 

Happy new year to one and all!

[AlwaysinModeration]

Ok, I’ll play.

 

Mauer wins batting title and gold glove.

 

Too much? Ok, Mauer gets 2,000th hit on April 22.

 

Jim Thome gets enshrined in the Hall of Fame. Johan does not.

 

Miguel Sano gets a 50-game suspension.

 

Twins lose out on the Darvish sweepstakes, but sign Jake Arrieta.

 

Buxton steals third base.

 

Brian Dozier starts the season slow.

 

Ervin regresses.

 

Brent Rooker gets big league at bats.

 

That’s all I’ve got.

[Blake]

Twins win 95 games and have a 1 game playoff against Cleveland even after signing Darvish.

 

 

[ashbury]

1) Everyone who gets all negative on every off-season move needs to relax.

Mod note: Happy New Year everyone, but please let's make a resolution to not keep going down this "Positivity/ Negativity" rabbit hole in 2018, nor cast fellow posters as "always" anything.

[ashbury]

Now here we are on December 31, 2017 and all the avid readers of Twins Daily are looking forward to 2018. What is everyone thinking? What are your hopes and dreams for the new year?

Let me be the first here to go all the way out on the limb and say that everything comes together and the Twins get redemption against the Dodgers in the 2018 World Series.

 

2015 was our new 1984, and three years later it's 1987 again. The hitting and defense come through big-time and we get just enough pitching.

 

Well, you did say hopes and dreams. But these are not implausible ones.

[bunsen82]

1. No major free agent additions, one more additional replacement starting pitcher.  

 

2. Sano receives a 5-10 game suspension.   

 

3. Dozier hits 35+ homeruns, .260 BA. Also gets 2nd Gold Glove award. 

 

4. Mauer has a similar season to last year. 

 

5. Santana regresses slightly, but offset by pure dominance by Berrios

 

6. Eddie Rosario scores 100 runs, bats in a 100 runs, hits 30 home runs.  

 

7. Record 90-72 (Does a lot of damage within the division).  Wins the division the last day of the season. 

 

8.  Comes in as the 3 seed, loses in the divisional round.  

 

9. Mejia, begins to take better care of his body,  has a 4 or slight less ERA, and is solid #3 pitcher for the twins.  

[theBOMisthebomb]

The Twins will make the playoffs.

[strumdatjaguar]

Twins are just above.500 (82-79), as we wait for a big push in 2019.  2018 top six highlights:

1.  Jose Berrios leads the staff with 17 wins. Establishes himself as a "potential" ace by the end of the year.

2.  Byron Buxton is an All-Star finishing the year with another Gold Glove, batting average of .304, 22HRs, 90 RBI.;

3.  Max Kepler has a break-out season.   .285, 20 HRs, 80 RBI  Twins plan for annual Kepler Bratwurst Night starting in 2019.  Plans to bring back Nickle Bier Stein night are rumored and then scrapped to the dismay of some fans.

4.  Steve Gonsalves joins team at midseason and struggles for two games before establishing himself as a legitimate #3 starter and maybe better.

5.  An ever-heavier Miguel Sano has an injury around August 1rst which ended a troubling season which included a 10 game suspension and many disparaging newspaper articles from Reusse and Souhan.  There are rumors of clubhouse riffs with players choosing sides regarding allegations of assaulting a photographer during an autograph event a few years earlier.  However, Nick Gordon is called up and provides help with other infielders (Adrianza, Polanco)  in filling up what looks like a pretty good infield by the end of the season.  Wander Javier and Royce Lewis continue to rise thru the farm system.  The infield future is bright!

 

Biggest surprise of the year:

Phil Hughes returns to be a very reliable 7th and 8th inning set-up man, who closes some games. 

[PDX Twin]

I'd like to be optimistic, but there are a few black clouds on my horizon. (Of course, there are always clouds on the horizon at this time of year in Portland!)

 

First, the Twins were very lucky with injuries last year. Sano was out at the end, but otherwise I can hardly remember a key player on the DL. That won't happen again and I'm not sure that the Twins have the quality depth to win with 3-4 key players out of the lineup for a month or more.

 

Second, there cannot be a happy ending to the Sano controversy. From the comments I've read, I won't be surprised if this is not an isolated incident. If there is more to come out, it's hard for me to see him having a productive season with the Twins, or maybe even having a season at all with the Twins. Escobar was surprisingly good last year, but I don't think we can expect the same this season.

 

Third, I'm not confident that the Twins are going to acquire a good starting pitcher. 2018 may be a year of tryouts for Gonsalves, Romero, and a few others, which will help in the long run. But they will take their lumps in 2018 much as Berrios did in 2016. 

 

All of these things put together make me think that the Twins will struggle to repeat their 2017 form in 2018. I predict a .500 season, missing the postseason by 3-4 games.

 

I hope I'm wrong!

[sftwinsfan]

1. Yu-I'm going to guess he will not sign with the Twins, too many big-market teams after him.  More money and a better chance to win elsewhere.

2. Break-out player of the year-tough call-flat out guess it finally comes together for Ryan Pressly.

3. Break-down player of the year-Sano-pretty easy call.  Between the off-season surgery and allegations-could be a disaster.

4. Wins-78.  Could be a little higher depending upon if they acquire a good starter.  Only thing keeping this team around .500 is the weak division opponents.  They just don't match up with any of the better teams offensively, in the rotation, or in the bullpen.  Offense could click if Buxton and Kepler have big years and Sano surprises.  Pitching looks pretty bad right now unless a probably unrealistic number of young guys steps up.  

5.  Favorite Twins moment-possibly that Dozier walk-off HR to cap a 7-run 9th to beat Detroit a few years ago.  Tied with the Thome walk-off against the White-Sox hit out by the flag pole.

[mikecgrimes]

 

One year ago, I seriously doubt that anyone would have made a New Year's prediction that said the Twins would be in the playoffs in 2017 (if you did let all of us know!). 

 

I did I did I did.  Offense can go a long ways, and I was all in on the real value of pitch framing.

[mikecgrimes]

A lot of offseason left so really tough to know what we have.  I was hoping all offseason for a Sano trade when he's hot he wins you games but overall he is more exciting to watch then productive (the homerun is overrated).  If he takes care of himself a suspension might not even be that bad of a thing as shortening his season could keep him healthy at the end.  He isn't a key factor to my excitement of this teams potential and his defense is statistically negative or meaningless, he might as well already be a DH occasional 1B only playing 3B in a desperate situation.  Buxton Berrios and any pitching additions are the key to this team being a borderline .500 team and clear playoff contender and I have a lot of hope for those three factors.  I like the potential of the bullpen and really think the Duke signing could pay off.  Between those two additions and guys ready to step up to the majors at some point I really like the bullpen depth it's a matter of finding lights out guys of which we basically had none consistently last year with Hildenberger emerging towards that direction.  I'm guessing there is a back up plan to Yu Darvish, if so I trust the pitching.  If Buxton takes a step and Kepler takes a step we can deal with any regression/suspension/injuries from Sano.  Should be in that 80 to 90 win range so clear playoff contender in my mind but the bar will rarely be as low as it was last year to get in.

[Monkeypaws]

A few humble hopes:

 

Buxton garners MVP attention.

 

Berrios garners Cy Young attention.

 

Meija pitches better than almost all the UFAs out there.

[DocBauer]

A few predictions of my own. The envelope please:

 

 

1] Darvis will not sign with the Twins, though he came closer than we may ever fully know. The Twins will, however, sign Lynn, Cobb or Arietta as a less expensive consolation prize and will still improve the rotation.

 

2] Santana will regress slightly, but only slightly. Barring injury, there is no indicator to predicate a sudden precipitous drop for next season. Berrios will improve. Mejia will become more consistent and do a better job of putting away hitters when he gets ahead. Gibson's improvement the second half last season was not all smoke and mirrors. Gonsalves will make about 6 starts, and while he won't dominate, and may have a couple rough ones, we will also see real ability and potential. May will begin the season in the minors. The velocity will be there, but he needs endurance and a feel for secondary pitches. He will make a couple pen appearances and a dozen starts sharing the role of 6th and 7th starter with Gonsalves.

 

3] The bullpen may not be truly dominant, but it will be solid and more consistent overall, and will definitely be better the first half this season than the first half of last season. Rodney and Dukemprovide stability and are both solid. Duke in particular will be mid swason trade bait with Rodney a possibility. Second halfmof the yeat, just like 2017, the pen will be a bit better as well as a bit younger.

 

4] Kepler is also my choice for the next breakout player. Too much talent to contain, and too nice a swing to not start hitting LH pitching better. (*can't pick Buxton or Polanco here anyway as strong finishes last season and tons of ink doesn't necessarily allow them to be qualified as breakthrough candidates. Besides, Buxton's real explosion will be in 2019. Better be signed to an extension by then.)

 

5] The team still doesn't have an ACE,but the over all depth and talent of pitching is better, the hitting and defense remain strong, and the team wins 90+. I'm going to go out on a limb and say 92 games.

[Squirrel]

These are my bold predictions:

 

1. We’ll see some good baseball, maybe even great at times.

 

2. We’ll see some not so great baseball, maybe even dismal a game or two.

 

3. We’ll see something awesome that we haven’t seen before.

 

4. Win or lose, we’ll still be unrepentant fans.

[AlwaysinModeration]

These are my bold predictions:

 

1. We’ll see some good baseball, maybe even great at times.

 

2. We’ll see some not so great baseball, maybe even dismal a game or two.

 

3. We’ll see something awesome that we haven’t seen before.

 

4. Win or lose, we’ll still be unrepentant fans.

Bold. Also, some of us will declare some games over before they are over, and some will renounce our fandom forever but still be back. And Riverbrian will be MVP of game threads, which will be tangential as ever.

[Doomtints]

Without some nicer pitching, regression will be the theme. This was a down year for the AL, next year won't be so generous.

 

This isn't necessarily a negative. The Twins offense will still be nice. They should still sufficiently beat up on the division. And, maybe, with some regression the FO won't be so slow to address the pitching next year. One has to think that Cleveland is the team to beat, and the reason they are the team to beat is their pitching. The offense is nice but it alone won't get this team to the WS or probably even the playoffs.

[Blackjack]

My predictions:

 

1) No Yu signing or anybody else of any consequence.

 

2) Buxton gets hurt and goes on the disabled list for an extended period

 

3) Sano won't play 60 games.

 

4) Breakout player, Gibson. He's got the ability and it seems like late last year he was starting to figure it out.

 

5) Second breakout, Berrios. He's got the ability and the mental toughness, now he's had enough experience to put it together.

 

6) I think the hitting will be worse than we all predict and the pitching will be better than most people predict, enough struggles that I predict an 82-80 record.

[Riverbrian]

 

 

 

1) Everyone who gets all negative on every off-season move needs to relax.

 

2) I am thankful for Twins Daily!

 

3) Will Yu become a Twin? Probably not but it is nice to be considered in the conversation. 

 

4) The tired mantra of the Pohlads not wanting to spend money, etc. is an easy out and a tired excuse from fans.

 

5) Joe Mauer's contract was a great one for everyone involved.

 

6) Who will be the breakout player for the Twins this year? I am going with Max Kepler.

 

7) I always hear how Ervin Santana isn't a #1 starter but how many starters would everyone actually call a #1, 30? If so, then he is.

 

8) How many games will the Twins win this year? I am going with 91!!

 

9) What's your favorite memory as a Twins fan (other than 1987 and 1991)? Mine is visiting the old Met as a t-baller from Estherville Iowa. The Twins were playing the A's and Reggie Jackson was in right field. For the last out of one of the innings Reggie caught a foul ball in right field and my best friend and I begged Reggie to throw us the ball. He did! Actually, he didn't. But I didn't hold it against him.

 

Happy new year to one and all!

 

1. Already been addressed by Ashbury. In the absence of concrete information on what the overall plan is... we will be left with the only option available to us. That is to fill in the blanks ourselves.

 

2. Long Live Twinsdaily. 

 

3. I hold out hope and remain hopeful until Yu Darvish signs elsewhere. 

 

4. I tend to agree with you and I've always considered the possibility that maybe Terry Ryan was a careful spender or the possibility that maybe the timing wasn't right to open the wallet. However... We have changed the front office... we have a team that made the playoffs... If moths continue to come out of the wallet. I will have no choice but to assume that Pohlad is the reason. In short... any excuse that I have come up with previously is gone. There are no excuses left... the wallet has to open up this off season. 

 

5. Joe Mauer's contract was the cost of doing business. Sometimes they work out and sometimes they don't. I truly believe that offering Joe that contract was a no-brainer at the time and the production that followed was the production that followed. All in All... I hope Joe is a Twin for life (although... his next contract has to be less expensive). I also assume that at some point... Joe will play less as the organization moves forward. 

 

6. Breakout Player? I'm hoping and praying that it's Kennys Vargas although I'm not sure he will get the chance to be that breakout player so I'll go with Byron Buxton... He still has the breakout designation officially waiting for him because he hasn't done it for a full year yet. 

 

7. I refuse to label pitchers 1 2 3 4 or 5's. A 1 can be a 6 one year and then back to a 1 again. I simply want pitchers who can hang zero's and keep the crooked numbers to a minimum. 

 

8. I'm gonna wait on my prediction until the off season is complete. Right Now... I believe in the offensive talent... I believe that the American League will have quite a few weaker teams to play against however... I'd like to see the Front Office bring in some serious pitching help. OPEN THE WALLET!!! MAKE SOME TRADES!!! FIX SOMEONE SIGNIFICANTLY!!! 

 

9. Favorite Memory!!! Kent Hrbek Grand Slam Game 6 1987. I remember that it took me a long time to calm down afterwards. 

[Riverbrian]

 

Bold. Also, some of us will declare some games over before they are over, and some will renounce our fandom forever but still be back. And Riverbrian will be MVP of game threads, which will be tangential as ever.

 

I had to look up tangential. 

 

I've never been called a small citrus fruit with loose skin before. 

[Doomtints]

 

9. Favorite Memory!!! Kent Hrbek Grand Slam Game 6 1987. I remember that it took me a long time to calm down afterwards. 

 

Wasn't, "Calm down, Buckwheat!" one of the phrases used in 1987? Did anyone use it on you then?

[tarheeltwinsfan]

 

These are my bold predictions:

1. We’ll see some good baseball, maybe even great at times.

2. We’ll see some not so great baseball, maybe even dismal a game or two.

3. We’ll see something awesome that we haven’t seen before.

4. Win or lose, we’ll still be unrepentant fans.

Beautiful true predictions! Thanks.

[Squirrel]

Beautiful true predictions! Thanks.

I’m a horrible prognosticator, especially in baseball, so that's all I had.

[Dave The Dastardly]

I ducked into my secret chamber, waved my frozen fingertips over the crystal ball while chanting "Ghosts of Past Minnesota Sports Disappointments, speak to me!" between sips of bourbon until a cold chill swept over me (the furnace died). Then, as if magic, the closet filled with cigar smoke and he appeared... Halsey Hall.

 

Could've been Sid Hartman. It was awful smoky.

 

Whatever.

 

"Can you tell me what will happen to the Twins this year?" I asked timorously.

 

"Read my column," he said. "You will know all."

 

"Yeah, but I can't wait for you to print your predictions until the season ends. I'm looking for something to go on right now. You know, in case I want to place a bet in Vegas."

 

He broke into hearty laughter. "A fool and his money..."

 

"Okay, okay. Not for betting purposes. Just something I can put on Twins Daily without sounding like a complete fool."

 

"That horse has already left the barn," he grunted. "Is that real bourbon?"

 

"That horse has pretty much left the barn," I shot back, swirling the last swallow around in the near-empty bottle.

 

"Tell you what, son. For a taste of your whiskey I'll give you some advice."

 

"Kenny Rogers?" I asked in surprise.

 

"The pitcher?" he countered. "Forget him... though the Twins might not. He's washed up, ain't he?"

 

"What about Yu?" I asked hopefully.

 

"What about me?" he responded before downing my last swallow.

 

"No. Not you. Yu."

 

"How long you been locked in here, kid?"

 

"Look, Halsey, Sid, whoever you are. What can you tell me about the Twins?"

 

"Here's the scoop; Sano's going to shoot up to 315 lbs, the Twins will trade him to the Vikings to help Linval plug running lanes for the right to play at least one rain-out game in their stadium... excuse me, the taxpayer's stadium."

 

"Makes sense. How about Berrios?"

 

"The kid's magic. He'll throw a couple near no-hitters, but Molly will jerk him in the bottom of the 8th both times after he throws 99 pitches. You know, like 99 beers on the wall..."

 

"Kepler?"

 

"He runs like a hossenpfeffer. You heard about putting english on the ball? The kid will put some german on his homeruns."

 

"What does that mean?"

 

"You never heard of the blitzkrieg, boy?"

 

"Okay. How about a closer?"

 

"I'm done already?"

 

"No, who's going to close for the Twins this year."

 

"They'll audition three retreads, they'll all get slapped around like your old hockey puck before they finally bring up Shaggy. Some nitwit at the paper will start calling him Sudden Death Chargois 'cause he'll wrack up more saves than a lifeguard in LA. You know, 'cause you can now go 'boarding with a joint in each hand. Legally, that is."

 

He flicked the ashes off the end of his cigar, which started the carpet on fire. I was jumping around like a hossenpfeffer trying to put out the fire. The closet filled up with smoke and by the time I extinguished the flames, he was gone.

 

So was my crystal ball.

 

And the bourbon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ashbury]

He flicked the ashes off the end of his cigar, which started the carpet on fire. I was jumping around like a hossenpfeffer trying to put out the fire. The closet filled up with smoke and by the time I extinguished the flames, he was gone.

 

So was my crystal ball.

 

And the bourbon.

There's a game thread starter in the schedule for early April, with your name on it. Just a reminder.

[gman]

Final record for 2018 of 84-78 and don't make the playoffs. While they don't make the playoffs, they get closer to the team that will be a constant playoff contender for 2019-25. With several World Series pushes during that time. 

 

Upside - the pitching staff continues to grow through constant introduction of minor league starters and relievers. Gonzalves, Romero and Littell make starts and Jay, Chargois, Curtiss, Moya and Anderson show up in the pen.

 

The lineup and defense continue to mature. Granite moves into the leadoff with more than 30 steals.as a 4th outfielder/DH. Buxton, Polanco, Rosario, Kepler and Vargas prove to be a solid core. Gordon puts in a second half appearance.

 

The downside - 2017 proves to have been Mauers sunset season. Dozier is traded. Santana begins to regress and Sano plays less than half the season recovering from off season sugery, suspension and lawsuits.

[Blake]

 

My predictions:

 

1) No Yu signing or anybody else of any consequence.

 

2) Buxton gets hurt and goes on the disabled list for an extended period

 

3) Sano won't play 60 games.

 

4) Breakout player, Gibson. He's got the ability and it seems like late last year he was starting to figure it out.

 

5) Second breakout, Berrios. He's got the ability and the mental toughness, now he's had enough experience to put it together.

 

6) I think the hitting will be worse than we all predict and the pitching will be better than most people predict, enough struggles that I predict an 82-80 record.

I like your Gibson idea. 

 

Would be nice if Mr. Gibson turned the corner.

[AlwaysinModeration]

The closet filled up with smoke and by the time I extinguished the flames, he was gone.

 

So was my crystal ball.

 

And the bourbon.

Reminds of when John Kruk was on David Letterman, recounting how he sold his number to Mitch Williams for two cases of beer. He said “it’s a sad story, Mitch got run out of town, I didn’t get the number back, and the beer’s all gone.”

 

It’s a country music song waiting to be sung.

[terrydactyls]

Favorite Twins memory... Watching Harmon Killebrew put one in the upper deck at Met Stadium, measured at 522 feet (and probably understated). And then, the following day, hitting one off the facing of the upper deck about 30 feet more towards center field. Many baseball historians think both were probably in the 600-foot category. No bat flip. No pigeon wing prancing around the bases. Just a guy doing his job.

[Post-Concussive Blues]

Twins suffer spirit crushing loss to Yankees in the AL wildcard game.