Minnesota Twins: 5 Reasons 2015 Will Be Great

2. The Ceiling And The Floor

A season ago, the Twins finished in the doldrums of the AL Central at 70-92. They were amongst the leagues worst in many pitching categories, and far too often they found themselves fighting an uphill battle. As we head into 2015, there are plenty of reasons to believe the trend of losing is nearing an end.

In 2014, the Twins were actually amongst the major league’s best in scoring runs. Thanks to breakout seasons by players like Kurt Suzuki, Danny Santana, and Brian Dozier, the Twins plated runs at a very respectable pace. Unfortunately this trend was nullified by the fact that they gave up far to many on the other side of each inning. Terry Ryan has looked to address this situation during the offseason, and the improved pitching staff should do just that.

Considering that pitching should be markedly better for the Twins in the upcoming year, projecting another 90 loss season would almost seem a stark improbability. Looking at the division as a whole, the Twins have faired relatively well in the Central in recent years. While some teams have gotten better (Cleveland, Chicago), it’s probably fair to argue that the top teams (Detroit, Kansas City) have regressed to a certain extent.

Knowing where the Twins are at, and believing in what has taken place this offseason, the floor and the ceiling shouldn’t be that far apart. I would expect the Twins on the low-end, to be within games of the .500 mark when the 2015 season draws to a close (76+ wins). On the high-end, and if everything breaks right, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see this Twins club competing for a wild card spot in early September. That thought alone should give you plenty of warmth through the winter.