Article: Attitude a Difference for Twins in 2019

[Ted Schwerzler]

You may have heard that the 2018 Minnesota Twins weren’t very good. By the end of the season there was plenty of division in the clubhouse and reports of it being a toxic environment that players couldn’t wait to leave began to become a thing. De facto leader Brian Dozier had publicly voiced displeasure multiple times in recent years and found himself shipped out down the stretch. While winning fixes everything, it’s often preceded by a number of factors. In 2019, the script has been flipped.On the latest Gleeman and the Geek Parker Hageman noted that, in talking with a Twins official, the feel in the clubhouse is decidedly different in 2019. It’s one thing for that to be the case when you have the best record in baseball, but the reality for this team is that this is how things have been from the beginning. In constructing this roster Derek Falvey and Thad Levine were both calculated and decisive, but maybe there was more to it than a talent overhaul.

 

From an internal standpoint the two linchpins have long been Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano. Buxton was the guy who put in all the effort and had plenty of hurdles placed in his way. Sano was the talented slugger that looked to rely on that alone. Byron went home and got his confidence back. Miguel put in work and looked to commit for the first time in his career. From the two guys most necessary on the roster, the front office got the buy in they desperately needed.

 

In looking at the external additions there seems to be a common theme. Blake Parker was non-tendered by the Angels as was Brewers second basemen Jonathan Schoop. C.J. Cron was DFA’d by the Rays. Ryne Harper was a 30-year-old minor league journeyman, and Matt Magill was an unproven commodity. All five of these players began the 2019 season on the 25-man roster, and it seemed to lead to the desired outcome.

 

The trio of former big leaguers had all seen previous success. Parker worked in a high leverage closer role the season before, Cron was coming off a career high in homers, and Schoop was once an All-Star at an offensively starved position. Feeling snubbed could be a motivating factor for each of them, but it would be coming through the lens of a team that believed in their resurgence and wanted them on board.

 

A season ago Minnesota was able to land veterans Lance Lynn and Logan Morrison on friendly pacts with the market scrutinizing their value. The snub there likely had the players feeling a level of frustration toward potential suitors, all while missing out on valuable ramp-up time in Spring Training. Those emotions of discontentment spilling over into the clubhouse or regular season would be an understandable thing to grasp. In a free agency redo prior to 2019, the group brought in represented a different narrative and could likely feel an immediate sense of buy-in regarding their individual abilities.

 

There’s plenty of reason to be weary of unproven commodities, and both Magill and Harper represent that category. Neither of them had seen a high level of big-league success, and in a bullpen that was going to include question marks, counting on both was a big ask. That again was a level of buy-in shown by the front office that could certainly be responsible for fueling the 2019 production. Both have been backed by vocal support and have been put in position to succeed.

 

In recent seasons it has been hard to tab the “leader” of Minnesota’s clubhouse. Paul Molitor wasn’t seen as that presence and Joe Mauer wasn’t necessary cut of that cloth. Brian Dozier was always the guy, but it wasn’t ever a role for which he seemed destined. Now it’s hard to examine that clubhouse from afar and not assume that the room is made up almost entirely of leaders. Nelson Cruz is a strong veteran presence, and perspective is offered by some of the acquired talent. Kyle Gibson has done important work to take a stand, and the developed talent are all carrying their individual loads.

 

Juggling a room of personalities is never going to be an easy ask in any situation and creating the right infrastructure will always be the desired goal. Rocco Baldelli appears to be the empowering leader, and his staff looks to play the part of a collaborative group. From the day the front office was changed over, it is that collaboration word that became a tag line. Although it took a couple of years for them to reinvent the wheel in the organization it appears now that we’ve come full circle.

 

The Twins are winning and it’s a ton of fun, both for fans and those in the room. We can sit here and assume that the cohesiveness and leadership followed the results, or we can assume that, more than likely, it’s a driving factor in getting the ball rolling.

 

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[Aerodeliria]

I agree for the most part, but I haven't yet gulped down the Sano Kool-aid. Blasting a few homers in a couple of games does not a season make. There are signs pointing in both directions at the moment. As a sports analyst here in Japan recently said about Yokozuna (highest sumo rank) Kakuryu after he lost his bout, "Old bad habits have a way of re-appearing at the worst moments."

[Aichiman]

Hey Aero delideliria.  I'm a Twins fan living in Japan too.  I'm in the Nagoya area.  Been here 20 years.  How about you?

 

I agree for the most part, but I haven't yet gulped down the Sano Kool-aid. Blasting a few homers in a couple of games does not a season make. There are signs pointing in both directions at the moment. As a sports analyst here in Japan recently said about Yokozuna (highest sumo rank) Kakuryu after he lost his bout, "Old bad habits have a way of re-appearing at the worst moments."

 

[arby58]

 

I agree for the most part, but I haven't yet gulped down the Sano Kool-aid. Blasting a few homers in a couple of games does not a season make. There are signs pointing in both directions at the moment. As a sports analyst here in Japan recently said about Yokozuna (highest sumo rank) Kakuryu after he lost his bout, "Old bad habits have a way of re-appearing at the worst moments."

 

I don't 'get' the Sano critics.  The guy had a pretty darn good  first three years in the league (at ages 22-24).  For players not named Trout, that is impressive. Yes, last year was not good, but let's also give him some 'law of averages' benefit of the doubt.

Right now, through 42 ABs, he has 5 HR, 11 RBI, 11 Runs scored.  Sure, his average is around .230, but his OPS is 1.048.  I'll take that in the middle of the line up every time.  

[KFEY93]

 

I agree for the most part, but I haven't yet gulped down the Sano Kool-aid. Blasting a few homers in a couple of games does not a season make. There are signs pointing in both directions at the moment. As a sports analyst here in Japan recently said about Yokozuna (highest sumo rank) Kakuryu after he lost his bout, "Old bad habits have a way of re-appearing at the worst moments."

If he hits between 30 and 40 HRs a year I could care less about his strike out numbers, BA, or OPS. He is here to play decent to good defense at 3rd and hit homers. That's it. With the line up we have, he doesn't NEED to be a batting champ to be useful. 

[MABB1959]

In the workplace if you knew a co-worker was making 10x more than you and contributed the same or less it would be toxic.  It is human nature. 

[Doomtints]

I agree the attitude is different. When the Twins bang out a home run, the look in the dugout is that they are taking care of business. Regardless of what happens, they don't look surprised, they don't look put off, they simply get ready for the next at bat.

 

Another team that looked like this was the 2002 Twins.

[jkcarew]

I reject out of hand the author's narrative of...

"Buxton was the guy who put in all the effort and had plenty of hurdles placed in his way. Sano was the talented slugger that looked to rely on that alone."

 

So, Buxton is fit and fast, therefore he's a tireless worker who's faced a bunch of bad luck, he gets hurt because he's unlucky...Sano should be able to hit every pitch 800 feet, but he can't because he's overweight and doesn't work hard, he gets hurt because he's out of shape. It's a narrative that keeps popping up here from time-to-time. It's purely speculative, and as such, based on personal prejudices for/against the players.

 

It's one of 1000 reasons/examples that demonstrate why I try to base conclusions based on the way the player plays the game...what I can see, not what I can't see or can't know.

[Ted Schwerzler]

 

I reject out of hand the author's narrative of...

"Buxton was the guy who put in all the effort and had plenty of hurdles placed in his way. Sano was the talented slugger that looked to rely on that alone."

 

So, Buxton is fit and fast, therefore he's a tireless worker who's faced a bunch of bad luck, he gets hurt because he's unlucky...Sano should be able to hit every pitch 800 feet, but he can't because he's overweight and doesn't work hard, he gets hurt because he's out of shape. It's a narrative that keeps popping up here from time-to-time. It's purely speculative, and as such, based on personal prejudices for/against the players.

 

It's one of 1000 reasons/examples that demonstrate why I try to base conclusions based on the way the player plays the game...what I can see, not what I can't see or can't know.

Their physique literally has nothing to do with either of those derived narratives, and I've been vocal on Twitter as well as posting blogs swatting down notions of Sano's weight be the issue as opposed to the result of an issue.

 

Buxton has proven, it's been reported, and I've physically seen his work ethic. He's gotten hurt and had unfortunate luck along the way, but he's taken in many coaching directives from Twins staff long gone. He's tirelessly tried to accommodate everyone. He's reworked and reconfigured everything each time he was vying for success.

 

Miguel has all the talent in the world, but he relied heavily on that in his early years. That has also been reported, vetted, and viewed personally. I like him a lot as a person in the brief interactions we've had. I've never seen him put in a more dedicated effort than what we've seen from afar over the past 6 months. We'll need to see it bear fruit longer than this small sample size, but that flip switching was an integral change in his development.

[Riverbrian]

I have no idea what is happening in that clubhouse but I do know this. 

 

I've seen Momentum. I've seen teams that win continue to win and you notice the confidence, good times and good play. All of that is a natural by-product of winning.

 

I've seen teams that lose continue to lose as they smash water coolers trying to figure out why things are just not happening for them and I've seen the finger pointing when the missed cuts occur and all the frustration that is a natural by-product of losing. 

 

 

Chicken or the Egg?

 

I have no idea but if all it takes for winning is clubhouse chemistry and happiness.

 

Put Bobby McFerrin on a loop over the loudspeaker and go wins some baseball games with the positive mojo that you create for yourself.  

[Linus]

A much bigger factor is that the Twins are literally better at every position than last year. The rest is hocus pocus

[Aerodeliria]

 

Hey Aero delideliria.  I'm a Twins fan living in Japan too.  I'm in the Nagoya area.  Been here 20 years.  How about you?

 

That means you must be a Chunichi Dragon fan like me. (My wife is from Nagoya!) Of course, since I am in Gunma, there are many Yomiuri fans. I watch as many of their games as I can--always hoping they lose.

 

I've been here only 19, so you have me beat. Twins Daily is a great site. I love the discussions and info and even the back-and-forth banter.

[Aerodeliria]

 

If he hits between 30 and 40 HRs a year I could care less about his strike out numbers, BA, or OPS. He is here to play decent to good defense at 3rd and hit homers. That's it. With the line up we have, he doesn't NEED to be a batting champ to be useful. 

 

I have no beef with any of what you have said, but he has played in exactly 11 games.

 

And, I also don't care if he becomes Joey Gallo, BUT note that Joey Gallo takes walks--a ton of them. I don't think anyone thinks that Joey Gallo is going to be a batting champion, but he is going to drive in about 100 runs. 

 

My contention is that we let the dust settle before we say that Sano is now the most productive player on planet earth. Nobody wants the Sano that we had last year, including me, but I am taking the long road. Let's see how he is playing by the all star break before we crown him an all star.

[Aerodeliria]

 

Their physique literally has nothing to do with either of those derived narratives, and I've been vocal on Twitter as well as posting blogs swatting down notions of Sano's weight be the issue as opposed to the result of an issue.

 

Buxton has proven, it's been reported, and I've physically seen his work ethic. He's gotten hurt and had unfortunate luck along the way, but he's taken in many coaching directives from Twins staff long gone. He's tirelessly tried to accommodate everyone. He's reworked and reconfigured everything each time he was vying for success.

 

Miguel has all the talent in the world, but he relied heavily on that in his early years. That has also been reported, vetted, and viewed personally. I like him a lot as a person in the brief interactions we've had. I've never seen him put in a more dedicated effort than what we've seen from afar over the past 6 months. We'll need to see it bear fruit longer than this small sample size, but that flip switching was an integral change in his development.

 

Exactly my point; Thank you.

[Aerodeliria]

 

I don't 'get' the Sano critics.  The guy had a pretty darn good  first three years in the league (at ages 22-24).  For players not named Trout, that is impressive. Yes, last year was not good, but let's also give him some 'law of averages' benefit of the doubt.

Right now, through 42 ABs, he has 5 HR, 11 RBI, 11 Runs scored.  Sure, his average is around .230, but his OPS is 1.048.  I'll take that in the middle of the line up every time.  

 

Again, it is just 42 at bats. Let's see what happens over a five week stretch.

[KFEY93]

 

I have no beef with any of what you have said, but he has played in exactly 11 games.

 

And, I also don't care if he becomes Joey Gallo, BUT note that Joey Gallo takes walks--a ton of them. I don't think anyone thinks that Joey Gallo is going to be a batting champion, but he is going to drive in about 100 runs. 

 

My contention is that we let the dust settle before we say that Sano is now the most productive player on planet earth. Nobody wants the Sano that we had last year, including me, but I am taking the long road. Let's see how he is playing by the all star break before we crown him an all star.

I never claimed he was going to be the most productive guy. Just hit HRs. Thats all I want to see out of him. A couple of HRs a week. All we need. Doesn't even need to walk. Will it be nice if he does? Sure. But not 100% necessary. 

[Aerodeliria]

 

I never claimed he was going to be the most productive guy. Just hit HRs. Thats all I want to see out of him. A couple of HRs a week. All we need. Doesn't even need to walk. Will it be nice if he does? Sure. But not 100% necessary. 

 

There is no question he will hit home runs, but there is a point where home run power does not balance missed opportunities. I don't want the Sano who hits 30+ home runs but has an OBP of .215. A guy who hits 15 home runs with an OBP of .340 would be far more valuable and far more productive. Even the Sano we had last year could hit home runs, but he wasn't productive on other scales including WAR.

 

In any case, don't get me wrong. I'm not down on Sano with the hope that he fails. I just want to see how things look in a month. As it stands right now, he is doing fine, but the sample is miniscule.