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* The big story of the last month should be a lineup that continues to flex its muscles. The story should be a mind-boggling hitting clinic from Brian Dozier, and the electric return of Byron Buxton, and Trevor Plouffe reviving his season, and Miguel Sano closing in on 25 homers, and Max Kepler clamping down right field.
All of those threads tie to an emerging offense that has crossed the plate 42 times through the first five contests of the current homestand, and is averaging nearly five runs per game since the All-Star break. That should be the story for a last place team that should be on an upward trajectory.
Instead, the story is that in spite of all that prolific scoring – and in spite of Dozier putting forth one of the most incredible stretches of self-manufactured offense in recent history – the Twins have still managed to drop 21 of their last 26 games.
Minnesota's miserable pitching staff has effectively sapped any enthusiasm these hitters have attempted to generate. Dozier can hit three bombs in a game, and the Twins still lose. Buxton can lift the club with a dramatic grand slam and they still ultimately fall short.
The Twins are on track to surpass 750 runs scored for the first time since 2010, and they're going to lose 100 games. That's because they are also on track to allow more than 900 runs, which has never happened in Twins history.
This staff, designed with postseason aspirations, has been hit with a few key injuries (Phil Hughes and Glen Perkins most notably) but nothing that should've been totally unforeseen. It's almost incomprehensible that they are on pace give up more runs than any of those porous units from the steroid era in the late '90s.
Obviously, they need some help.
* The best hope for providing that help, internally, is Stephen Gonsalves. He wrapped up a dazzling season last week, finishing with a 2.06 ERA and 1.02 WHIP between Ft. Myers and Chattanooga.
The Twins announced on Monday that Gonsalves will be heading to the Arizona Fall League, joining the six who were already named (Nick Gordon, Mitch Garver, Tanner English, Randy Rosario, Mason Melotakis and John Curtiss).
The decision to add Gonsalves is interesting, because it suggests the organization would like him to get a few more innings under his belt before settling down for the offseason. The lefty set a career high by logging 140 frames this year but it wasn't a huge step forward from last year's 134. Adding a few more in the fall league could put his arm in position to approach 200 next summer.
* With rosters expanding over for the final month, the Twins tabbed three players from the minors as September call-ups. Two of them will face considerable pressure. Tyler Duffey is trying to make his case for the 2017 rotation as he winds down a season that has been horrendous. Kennys Vargas is trying to prove his bat is worth a roster spot despite the defensive limitations that may force him out.
James Beresford, though? He'll just be enjoying the ride.
It's been more than a decade since the Twins signed Beresford as a teenager out of Australia. He rose gradually through the system before settling at Triple-A, never a true prospect but always a valued player. The lefty-swinging middle infielder brings a soft bat (he has slugged .330 and hit four total home runs in 1,000 minor-league games) but a steady and reliable glove.
Beresford turns 28 in January. He has played 382 games at Rochester over the past three seasons without showing any real signs of improvement. Paul Molitor basically acknowledged that the promotion was largely in recognition of Beresford's lengthy service in the organization. Presumably he won't play much and will merely serve as extra infield depth.
Still, it'll be fun to see him don a big-league jersey for the final month.
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