2015 Twins: For Better Or For Worse

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As we enter the 2015 Major League Baseball season, the Minnesota Twins have a fresh start and a new opportunity. With four seasons of 90 losses behind them, sights are set on beginning the climb up the AL Central division standings. For that to happen, the club is going to need to take steps forward this season, and the expectation should be that they will.

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After a successful offseason in which the Twins addressed areas of need, the organization has been supplemented with talent to pair with the rising youth movement. Minnesota will open with the second largest payroll in club history, and that should translate to winning on the diamond as well. To better understand where both strengths and weaknesses lie, we take a look at a positional breakdown of better or worse comparisons.

Take a look…

Apr 10, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Twins catcher Josmil Pinto (43) tags out Oakland Athletics second baseman Nick Punto (1) in a rundown in the sixth inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

Catcher

Why They’ll Be Better:

In 2015, the Twins will have a new manager in the dugout, and Paul Molitor likely won’t carry the same feelings that Ron Gardenhire did previously. Gary became synonymous with wanting to have catcher insurance, and at times overloading the bench with them. Look for the Twins to roll with only two this season, Kurt Suzuki and Josmil Pinto. Getting Pinto’s bat up to the major leagues for good is no doubt a plus, and he should be able to be one of the club’s best home run hitters. Minnesota extended Suzuki on a team friendly two-year deal, and coming off an All-Star season, he should once again be big for the Twins.

Why They’ll Be Worse:

In 2014, Suzuki came out of nowhere for the Twins and competed at an All-Star level. His offensive game was the best it had been in years, and he was a consistent option for the Twins behind the plate. None of that can be expected to continue. Suzuki is not a great defensive catcher, and Pinto has proven to be horrible behind the plate. While the Drew Butera types do nothing for any fan, having no defensive catchers could prove costly. Suzuki should regress at the plate, and Pinto hasn’t yet proven he can contribute in large sample sizes.

Aug 19, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Twins first baseman Joe Mauer (7) catches a ball at first against the Cleveland Indians at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

First Base

Why They’ll Be Better:

If there’s a position the Twins have a significant amount to gain over 2014, it’s at first. Minnesota watched as the transition of Joe Mauer out from behind the plate went about as bad as possibly imaginable. He continued to miss time in the field, and hit for one of the worst averages in his career. There’s absolutely no reason to think that another season of acclimation won’t turn this around. Mayer should return to a high performer at the plate, and he should be able to use the second offseason as preparation for both his body and mind when it comes to playing the position. Look for a big bounce back from Joe in 2015.

Why They’ll Be Worse:

Likely no one is missing the removal of Chris Parmelee off of the Twins 40 man roster, and eventually out of the organization. However, with Parmelee gone, the Twins now have a very little amount of depth behind Mauer. Kenny Vargas is on the roster to be a hitter more so than play the field, and there are no other conventional options. The Twins would need to get creative if Mauer misses time or Vargas continues to be a defensive liability.

Sep 26, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; Minnesota Twins second baseman Brian Dozier (2) makes a throw to first in an attempted double play as Detroit Tigers shortstop Andrew Romine (27) slides into second in the sixth inning at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Second Base

Why They’ll Be Better:

It’s really hard to imagine Brian Dozier being even better than he was a season ago, but it’s really not out of the question. He hit for what has become his career average (right around .240) but his power stroke so a significant uptick. Last season his 23 home runs were the best of his career and landed him in the home run derby. After the All-Star break however, the Twins watched Dozier lose that power, and look like a different hitter at the plate. Instead of having a tale of two seasons, Dozier could put himself on the same level as Robinson Cano with a campaign of consistency in 2015.

Why They’ll Be Worse:

At this point the Twins know they have one of the best second basemen in the major leagues in Dozier. With that in mind, the best thing to note here is that the floor is still very high. However, if Dozier continues to struggle at the plate as he did down the stretch for the Twins a season ago, his value would drop significantly. It’s not a likely scenario, but it’s probably the only one in which the Twins would find some cause for concern.

Sep 21, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Twins shortstop Danny Santana (39) throws to first in the fifth inning against the Cleveland Indians at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

Shortstop

Why They’ll Be Better:

In 2014, the opening day shortstop for the Minnesota Twins was Pedro Florimon. He lasted all of 33 games before being sent down and never again being recalled by the big league club. No longer with the organization, the starting shortstop role is going to be decided by Danny Santana and Eduardo Escobar. Santana burst onto the scene for the Twins last season and played out of the outfield, but there’s absolutely no doubt that both players represent a much higher caliber than what the Twins had in Florimon.

Why They’ll Be Worse:

Minnesota is going to have a competition at short this spring between both Santana and Escobar. While Santana has to be considered the favorite to win the job, he may in fact pose the biggest liability. His bat is probably a better asset than that of Escobar’s, but his range and defensive ability leaves something to be desired. No matter who the Twins run out to short, both players should see offensive regression in 2015, and if that’s paired with poor defense things could go downhill fast.

Sep 1, 2014; Baltimore, MD, USA; Minnesota Twins third baseman Trevor Plouffe (24) throws out Baltimore Orioles designated hitter Nelson Cruz (not pictured) at first base during the seventh inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Minnesota Twins defeated Baltimore Orioles 6-4. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Third Base

Why They’ll Be Better:

Trevor Plouffe put a lot of things together in 2014. He was able to find a consistent power stroke for parts of the season, and he took significant strides forward in the field. With Miguel Sano back in the picture, Plouffe will be asked to replicate the high level of play he proved capable of a season ago. At some point Sano will surface in the big leagues, and whether or not that pushes Plouffe to a different position, it’s only going to be a gain for the Twins offensively.

Why They’ll Be Worse:

Although Plouffe had a solid season in 2014, it ended with an injury that required surgery. Yes, he had a full offseason to heal and is all systems go heading into Spring Training, but there will still be some rust to shake off. The Twins have to hope that Plouffe’s 2014 wasn’t an outlier and will be replicated. Also, Sano has yet to confirm the notion that he can handle the hot corner at the highest level. His bat is going to play, but he may cost a couple of runs when he arrives.

Aug 23, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Twins right fielder Oswaldo Arcia (31) dives and attempts to catch a fly ball in the second inning against the Detroit Tigers at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

Left Field

Why They’ll Be Better:

A season ago, left field was occupied mainly by Josh Willingham for the Twins. However, Eduardo Nunez, Chris Parmelee, and Eduardo Escobar all spent time out there as well. This season, the position belongs to Oswaldo Arcia, and while he struggled at times in right, things should be expected to be different. Aria will have less man-made distractions in left field, and should be able to continue to focus on his improved hitting approach. While his arm strength may be somewhat nullified in the new position, he represents a vast upgrade over Willingham.

Why They’ll Be Worse:

Already this offseason we have heard of Arcia having back issues in Venezuela. With the club leaning on him heavily, an injury is going to significantly throw a wrench into the outfield plans. On top of the injury situation, Arcia probably profiles best for right field, especially in an outfield as big as Target Field. Moving to a new position, we could see many of the same gaffes that Willingham made so common a year ago.

May 26, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Twins center fielder Aaron Hicks (32) fields a ball hit by the Texas Rangers in the 5th inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

Center Field

Why They’ll Be Better:

To this point in his career, Arron Hicks had never been given the opportunity to progress through the minor leagues. Having played in Triple-A for the first time a season ago, he was able to hit at a consistent and competent level. Translating that to the major leagues is the next step, and in a make or break year for him, he will be all in. On top of the possibility that Hicks emerges as an asset, the Twins are anxiously awaiting the arrival of Byron Buxton. He will be with the big club in 2015, and when he makes his debut, the Twins will immediately receive a big boost.

Why They’ll Be Worse:

If Hicks fails to stick as the option once again, the Twins will be forced to turn to Santana or Jordan Schafer while waiting for Buxton. Santana isn’t a bad option, but removing him from the infield makes your quality options around the diamond decrease as a whole. Schafer is not going to hit like he did last season, and he’s also not capable of being a starting centerfielder. With question marks on the corner outfield spots, having the middle position up in the air could be a doomsday scenario at Target Field.

Sep 9, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Tigers right fielder Torii Hunter (48) makes a play against the Kansas City Royals at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Right Field

Why They’ll Be Better:

Statistically, better and worse in right field fall very close together. The Twins brought back Torii Hunter this offseason, and while he’s no longer the defensive asset he once was, he brings a veteran prowess with him. His bat is going to be a big plus in an offense that needed to add another veteran capable of consistent production. While his defensive ability has fallen off, his intellect remains. Replacing Arcia in right field actually could benefit the Twins, with Hunter having a better capability of getting reads off of fly balls hitting the overhang or high off of the wall.

Why They’ll Be Worse:

We saw how last season played out for Arcia in right. Target Field is a difficult outfield with a lot of ground to cover, and Hunter no longer has the range of even an average outfielder. Should his bat fail to continue along the path he has tread and he begins to press defensively, the intellect of using his veteran know how to his adverting could fail him. Hunter isn’t going to track balls like a typical right fielder might, and with a pitching staff needing help in the outfield, that could prove costly.

Sep 13, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Phil Hughes (45) throws a pitch against the Chicago White Sox during the third inning in game one of a doubleheader at U.S Cellular Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

Rotation

Why They’ll Be Better:

To say there are too many reasons to list is not even close to an overstatement. Minnesota got a tremendous year out of Phil Hughes a season ago, and while they don’t need the walk-to-strikeout ratio to remain where it was, he can be expected to be an asset once again. Ervin Santana is a huge addition, and a rebounding Ricky Nolasco is virtually another free agent acquisition. Kyle Gibson should take steps forward and having multiple options for the 5th spot is huge. Putting Alex Meyer into the rotation at some point only raises the bar.

Why They’ll Be Worse:

It’s hard to think of a scenario that the Twins starting rotation could be worse than it was a year ago. Having to cycle through pitchers left and right due to injury, while watching underperformance across the board, 2014 was ugly. Minnesota will need to stay clear of the injury bug, and get the production counted on from those at the top of their rotation. If those things don’t happen, the Twins could unravel quickly.

Sep 16, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Twins relief pitcher Glen Perkins (15) looks on after giving up a three run home run in the ninth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Target Field. The Twins won 4-3. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

Bullpen

Why They’ll Be Better:

Last season, the Twins saw more individual performances out of the bullpen than they did as a whole. Guys like Casey Fien and Brian Duensing thrived while consistent players like Glen Perkins struggled. Adding a veteran like Tim Stauffer, as well as having in-house options to step up immediately makes the Twins back-end better. The emergence of Nick Burdi or Jake Reed will be a plus at some point, and a revamped rotation should provide some relief. The Twins have some very nice pieces that should fill out a solid bullpen staff.

Why They’ll Be Worse:

In 2015, should the bullpen fail, it would once again need to be turned back on the starting pitching. It would appear that the Twins have plenty of quality options, and that the biggest reason for a downfall would be in them being overworked due to short starts. Minnesota will be giving the ball to plenty of new names out of the pen in 2015, and they will be expected to go out an compete right away.

Looking back at things as a whole, I think it’s fair to say that there’s plenty more good than bad. The Twins have an opportunity to take some significant strides forward in 2015, and it will come on the heels of the team as a collective whole taking the next steps forward. We’re just a few days away from the kickoff off Spring Training. Hold on and get ready for things to get started.

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