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Obviously, the young players who are being relied upon as the lifeblood of a return to contention have largely scuffled. Byron Buxton looks nowhere near taking competent major-league at-bats. Tyler Duffey has a 5.59 ERA. Eddie Rosario, John Ryan Murphy, Jose Berrios and JT Chargois are in Triple-A, with nothing to show for their MLB time this season. Miguel Sano has been all right, but far from the MVP-caliber player that some dummy stupidly predicted him to be.
The severity and consistency of these youths' struggles call into question the organization's development and coaching processes. But, at the same time, this is sort of the nature of the beast. Sometimes, it takes a while.
What really dulls any sense of enthusiasm relating to this team is the way things are playing out with entrenched veterans.
Joe Mauer is reaffirming his status as a mediocrity who will continue to bat third indefinitely. It's getting harder and harder to believe that will change.
Byung Ho Park is technically a rookie, but not, in the sense that he's a 29-year-old with four guaranteed years of salary on this contract. He's batting .191 and on the verge of a demotion to the minors. (UPDATE: Park was optioned to Triple-A on Friday.)
Glen Perkins, the only member of the bullpen who could be considered a reliable commodity at this point, is out for the year with surgery for a torn labrum, his career now in doubt.
Phil Hughes, who is under contract longer than anyone else on the roster (through 2019), is also undergoing shoulder surgery. He is three years younger than Perkins, and his operation is somewhat less serious, but a Beyond the Box Score writer who examined the history of thoracic outlet syndrome last year concluded that "counting on a pitcher who has been through this injury is a terrifying proposition."
Since signing the largest free agent contract in franchise history, Ervin Santana has a 4.17 ERA, an 80-game PED ban, and a continually declining strikeout rate.
Ricky Nolasco is Ricky Nolasco. Still on the payroll through next year.
The resurgence of Brian Dozier (and, in fairness, what a freaking resurgence) is the only remote glimmer of optimism regarding any of the team's established players who are locked in. You can bet that there will be plenty of talk about trading him as the deadline approaches, which is understandable but also a statement on just how far this team may be from a return to relevance.
The Twins have given us very little to celebrate as we head into the summer's foremost holiday weekend. On the bright side, there is still half a baseball season remaining, and plenty of time for some positive big-picture signs to emerge.
Boy, could we use them.
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