2015 Minnesota Twins: Winning On The Horizon

By Ted Schwerzler |

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To say the Minnesota Twins find themselves in a rough spot coming into the 2015 season is an understatement. The team has lost over 90 games every year since 2011. After being a perennial AL Central powerhouse, the organization has fallen into the cellar and has yet to find a way out. With one of the best farm systems in major league baseball, there is hope on the horizon.

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For a minute however, let’s forget what the minor league system even looks like, and take solace in the fact that we can almost guarantee this year should bring significant reason for hope. To understand why 2015 should be better, we must first understand why the past has been so tragic.

Starting from the beginning, 2011 can provide us the first look as to why the arrow is point up, and Minnesota finds themselves in a much better starting point. The crux of the understanding stems from the construction of each opening day roster.

Let’s take a look…

Credit: Zimbio.com

2011 Minnesota Twins (63-99, last in the AL Central)

The offseason preceding 2011 was highlighted by one big splash. A foreign acquisition from Japan, Tsuyoshi Nishioka, was destined to be the first strong Twins shortstop since Cristian Guzman. Unfortunately, he didn’t.

Your 2011 Twins Opening Day roster looked like this:

Rotation: Carl Pavano, Francisco Liriano, Brian Duensing, and Nick Blackburn

Bullpen: Kevin Slowey, Joe Nathan, Matt Capps, Jose Mijares, Dusty Hughes, Glen Perkins, and Jeff Manship

Starters: Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, Nishioka, Alexi Casilla, Danny Valencia, Michael Cuddyer, Denard Span, Delmon Young, and Jason Kubel.

Bench: Matt Tolbert, Drew Butera, Jason Repko, and Jim Thome

A resounding notion that remains to be proven true each October is that winning teams have a 25th player that is better than your 25th player. Forget the absolute atrocity that Nishioka was, Tolbert, Repko, Hughes, and Mijares had little right to be on a major league roster.

The Twins were coming off of a season in 2010 in which they secured yet another AL Central division title, and the roster they went into 2011 with was doomed from the get go. Despite some big name highlights, the guys being relied upon to be role players were overmatched before they stepped on the field.

Jul 1, 2013; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Twins third baseman Jamey Carroll (8) throws the ball to first base in the fourth inning against the New York Yankees at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

2012 Minnesota Twins (66-96 Last in the AL Central)

Nishioka had been scrubbed from the Twins roster and the veteran addition of Jamey Carroll was expected to boost the middle infields ability as a whole. Once again, this didn’t go as planned, but hindsight says that adjustments to that plan may have been in order.

Here’s the 2012 Twins Opening Day roster:

*Rotation: Carl Pavano, Francisco Liriano, Liam Hendriks, and Nick Blackburn

Bullpen: Matt Capps, Glen Perkins, Brian Duensing, Jared Burton, Matt Maloney, Alex Burnett, Jeff Gray, and Anthony Swarzak

Starters: Joe Mauer, Chris Parmelee, Alexi Casilla, Danny Valencia, Jamey Carroll, Josh Willingham, Denard Span, Trevor Plouffe, and Justin Morneau.

Bench: Ryan Doumit, Ben Revere, Sean Burroughs, Luke Hughes

Once again, the Twins 25th man was nowhere near setting them up to be competitive. Luke Hughes is now back in Australia playing baseball, while much of the Twins youth continued to struggle. Morneau was a designated hitter to protect his health, and Mauer had plenty to prove coming off of his “bilateral leg weakness” season.

Maloney made it through only nine games in the bullpen, and Gray was nearly as awful. Pitching throughout once again spelled doom for the Twins.

* Minnesota had an off day after their first four games, allowing them to being with a four man rotation.

Mar 15, 2014; Port St. Lucie, FL, USA; Minnesota Twins center fielder Aaron Hicks (32) connects for a base hit during a game against the New York Mets at Tradition Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

2013 Minnesota Twins (66-96 Fourth in the AL Central)

In 2013, the excitement heading into the season came in the form of a speedy centefielder that the Twins used a first round pick on. After tearing up spring training, Aaron Hicks would jump from Double-A to claim the starting spot on Opening Day.

Despite having plenty of intrigue surrounding the roster, it appeared as if any and all replacements were of equal or lesser value.

Check out the 2013 Opening Day roster:

Rotation: Vance Worley, Kevin Correia, Mike Pelfrey, Liam Hendriks, and Cole De Vries

Bullpen: Glen Perkins, Jared Burton, Casey Fien, Brian Duensing, Tyler Robertson, Josh Roenicke, and Ryan Pressly

Starters: Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, Brian Dozier, Trevor Plouffe, Pedro Florimon, Josh Willingham, Aaron Hicks, Chris Parmelee, and Ryan Doumit

Bench: Jamey Carroll, Darin Mastroianni, Eduardo Escobar, and Wilkin Ramirez

Willingham was coming off a massive year in which the Twins missed an opportunity to find a return in their slugger. The lineup saw the additions of Hicks as well as an exciting new second basemen in Dozier.

Sadly for the Twins, pitching was once again an issue. That probably could have been expected with a staff that had Correia in the second slot, a guy returning from Tommy John slated third, and a guy who is now a realtor pitching at the back-end.

Injuries did the 2013 Twins no justice, and dealing assets throughout the season delivered a further blow, but this team wasn’t set up in a good place.

Sep 27, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Ricky Nolasco (47) pitches in the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

2014 Minnesota Twins (70-92 Last in the AL Central)

Last season, the prospects seem to truly be on the horizon, the turnaround was gaining steam, and then it happened. Byron Buxton was slow to get out of the gate, and Miguel Sano watched his season end before it started. With the excitement of those names off of the board, the Twins would have to rely on those in place to carry them.

On paper, the changes seemed to make sense, but things didn’t play out all to kindly.

Your 2014 Twins Opening Day roster:

Rotation: Ricky Nolasco, Phil Hughes, Kevin Correia, Mike Pelfrey, and Kyle Gibson

Bullpen: Glen Perkins, Jared Burton, Casey Fien, Brian Duensing, Samuel Deduno, Caleb Thielbar, and Anthony Swarzak

Starters: Kurt Suzuki, Joe Mauer, Brian Dozier, Trevor Plouffe, Pedro Florimon, Josh Willingham, Aaron Hicks, Oswaldo Arcia, and Jason Kuble

Bench: Josmil Pinto, Chris Colabello, Eduardo Escobar, and Jason Bartlett

The band getting back together was a brutal idea as it played out. Bartlett looked lost, and Kubel offered very little. Mauer struggled in his first season at first base, and the Twins big splash pitching free agent Ricky Nolasco, never got it going.

Chris Colabello not only led the Twins in RBIs for a good portion of the season, as well as having a themed giveaway night. Week later he became a guy that was virtually worthless to the club, essentially writing the narrative of the season.

With that much negativity to dwell on in recent years, it’s now time to understand why there is renewed hope.

Aug 5, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Phil Hughes (45) delivers a pitch in the first inning against the San Diego Padres at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

2015 Minnesota Twins (To be determined)

While the value in the parentheses above states “Yet to be determined,” part of the determination can already be made. This team is going to compete, it should be better, and raising some eyebrows should definitely be part of the goal.

Looking at plenty of the principles that previous rosters have already shown us, applying them to what could be the way the Twins open 2015, leaves no reason for anything but excitement.

Here’s your projected 2015 Minnesota Twins Opening Day roster:

Rotation: Phil Hughes, Ervin Santana, Ricky Nolasco, Kyle Gibson, and Tommy Milone

Bullpen: Glen Perkins, Casey Fien, Brian Duensing, Tim Stauffer, Caleb Thielbar, J.R. Graham, and Mike Pelfrey

Starters: Kurt Suzuki, Joe Mauer, Brian Dozier, Trevor Plouffe, Danny Santana, Torii Hunter, Aaron Hicks, Oswaldo Arcia, and Kennys Vargas

Bench: Eduardo Escobar, Josmil Pinto, Jordan Schafer, Eduardo Nunez

Looking at a grouping at a time, the Twins have to feel absolutely ecstatic. Should Milone round out the rotation, the Twins will have quality major league pitchers, with front end dominance, at each rung of their rotation for the first time in years. The bullpen has more options than the club will know what to do with, and names like Alex Meyer and Trevor May don’t even appear.

On the offensive side of things, the Twins are coming off a season in which they were one of the best in the majors at scoring runs. Not only should Mauer return to form, but Hunter adds another bat to the lineup. Should Hicks bring any of his minor league success of 2014 with him this season, the Twins are in a good spot.

With plenty of talent on the horizon, including Sano and Buxton pushing for time, along with a guy like Eddie Rosario, Twins Territorians absolutely have to see a difference in the construction of the team this time around. Sure, there’s plenty that can happen up until that point, but give me the over on 77 wins, with an outside chance that September is a lot of fun.

Italics were used to signify players believed to be locks for the 25 man roster.

Next: Positional Battles; Who's In The Pen For The Twins?

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