In baseball, it is very arguable that two of the most athletic players on the field play shortstop and centerfield. Both positions operate as leaders of their respective portions of the field. For the Twins, even despite the recent futility, stability at the shortstop (and really center field for that matter) has been non-existent for quite some time.
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The last time the Twins had a shortstop start at the position for more than two successive seasons in a row, his name was Cristian Guzman. Guzman was an All Star for the Twins, and he compiled a respectable .271 career average. He played a solid defensive short, and he was a key cog in many Twins teams at the top of the AL Central.
Guzman was sent to the Washington Nationals in 2005, and the Twins have never fully replaced him since. In what was once a position of stability filled by players like Guzman, Pat Meares, and Greg Gagne, Minnesota has since turned into a revolving door.
Looking at how we got to where we are now in 2015, things appear to be a breath of fresh air. Starting from 2004 and Cristian Guzman’s last season with the Twins, take a look.