Jump to content
Twins Daily
  • Create Account
  • The 2022 Twins Are Now Built For October


    Ted Schwerzler

    As the rigors of the 2022 Major League Baseball season continue to take their toll on the Minnesota Twins, it becomes more of a limp to the finish than a sprint. Should they make the Postseason, however, this team may wind up being built for October.

     

    Image courtesy of Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

    Twins Video

    Let’s preface this with an adjustment of expectations. Are the Minnesota Twins legitimate World Series contenders? No, absolutely not. Unless something significant changes, this club will be lucky to win the division. However, if you’re hoping for an end to the nearly two-decade-long drought for a Postseason victory, that could set up well.

    Rocco Baldelli’s club has next to no healthy bodies left. Jorge Polanco was left on the active roster for nearly a week without another player being added because there was not an obvious choice. Tyler Mahle is on the injured list again and won’t be eligible to return until roughly the final two weeks of the season. Sonny Gray has been held back at times, and the return of Byron Buxton does not appear close. All of that said, fighting through one game at a time makes sense for a battered squad.

    Should the Twins find a way to outlast the Guardians and White Sox while they match up plenty over the final month, they can be as good as anyone during a short series. Should Gray find a clean bill of health by the end of the month, Mahle return, or Joe Ryan step up, the top three for the Twins can keep them competitive against any lineup.

    On the offensive side of things, it’d seem likely that Buxton could return for a short term boost. Trevor Larnach will be back, and Polanco is ideally healthy by then. A lineup of mostly Minnesota’s best bats should be a fearsome foe to virtually any opposing pitcher.

    Then there’s the reality that a Twins opponent likely wouldn’t be the New York Yankees. With a 12-team Postseason format, and Minnesota being the third seed in the American League, they’d face the six seed in a three-game Wild Card series. Right now the Seattle Mariners hold that spot, although it could also be the Tampa Bay Rays, Toronto Blue Jays, or Baltimore Orioles. None of those teams are bottom-feeders as you’d expect, but they should present a good opportunity to win given Minnesota would get three straight home games.

    It’d be great to see Minnesota make a run through the month of September, health or otherwise, to establish a stranglehold on the division. Without their depth, it just doesn’t seem like a thought based in reality. If they can hold serve and squeak out a division win while their competition also looks weak, then circumstances could turn in their favor.

    A team lacking health and depth will get exposed in a seven-game series, and probably in a five-game series as well. In a three-game series though, the talent this Twins team has should be enough for a win in October, and even an opportunity to advance.

    Threading the needle between health and positioning will be a tough task for Minnesota’s staff the next few weeks, but this should be seen as an opportunity where getting in could be just enough.

     

    MORE FROM TWINS DAILY
    — Latest Twins coverage from our writers
    — Recent Twins discussion in our forums
    — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email
    — Become a Twins Daily Caretaker

     Share


    User Feedback

    Recommended Comments



    Featured Comments

    I think the title of the OP should be longer, and more accurate, by reading something like "The Twins are built for a possible single short series win in October". 

    Ted is pretty clear in the OP that the Twins aren't a WS contender. No stretch there to be sure. 

    But I do agree with the basic premise that if they actually can rally a bit and finish decently and win the ALC, they have a chance to actually win a playoff series for the first time in YEARS. As ALC Champs, they would be playing a 3 game series against a team NOT at the top of the mountain. A team of comparable ability. With a much improved bullpen, some combination of Gray, Ryan, Bundy...maybe Varland?...actually winning a 3 game series is not a stretch.

    I have no illusions of the Twins making any noise in the post season beyond a possible 1st round win. But I remain hopeful to get that opportunity and possible victory. Ending the year doing so is a lot more fun way to end the season than staying home.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    They were just embarrassed in NY, they've got maybe one SP that can start a playoff game, we've all witnessed the spectacularfailure that is this bullpen, the offense is nonexistent at times, and they're 7 games under .500 since June but yeah, definitely #builtforoctober...

    FWIW Seattle is a better team than NY right now; getting them in a postseason matchup isn't comforting.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    12 hours ago, ashbury said:

    That's true of all science fiction.  With enough ifs, any article drifts into candidacy for publication in Analog Science Fiction and Fact.

    • If Gray has a clean bill of health
    • If Mahle isn't done for the season
    • If Ryan becomes better
    • If Buxton comes back at all
    • If Larnach's batting woes were injury induced
    • If Polanco comes back healthy

    I'm only barely paraphrasing what was the heart of the article, paragraphs 4 and 5.

    My focus on "if" didn't even include taking issue with a statement like "they can be as good as anyone during a short series."  Even fully healthy, no, they can't.  Except in the very basic, literal sense that sometimes even the Nationals beat the Dodgers, and the Twins are indeed better than the woeful Nats.

    If all those If's happen. You are still tethered to a boat load of other "Ifs" that would require a much longer article to cover.

    Ifs that also include each opponent and the boat load of their own Ifs that they bring with them.   

    Can they be as good as anyone in a short series? If... things go right for them... Yeah! ?

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    A September push?  They are 2-7 in their past 9 games.  Some push.  I will admit the injuries have been long but only a few of the players were expected to be producers.  Buxton?  He's hurt basically every year so you can't count on him anyway.  I don't think the players play for Rocco.  They say they like him.  Who wouldn't when they aren't held accountable for poor play.  Too many errors, mental errors, terrible base running, too many manager mistakes, too little clutch hitting and terrible pitching.  The one thing is that when the season is done and we don't make the playoffs,  they will blame it all on injuries.  Then the whole process will start all over again.  Bargain basement pitching.  Twins have the most pitched games in baseball where the starting pitching doesn't go 5 innings.  Their record during that time is 19-41.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Lots of if's , if's and if's....

    Start with FO and manager , they are not leaders in the game as they try to mimic moneyball  ....

    They may like their style of play but the fans sure don't  ... 

     

     

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites




    Join the conversation

    You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
    Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

    Guest
    Add a comment...

    ×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

      Only 75 emoji are allowed.

    ×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

    ×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

    ×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

    Loading...

×
×
  • Create New...