Writers Note: A weekly review of the Minnesota Twins offseason transactions, including reaction and opinions from fans and myself. Look for future polls on my Twitter account to share your opinions.
Last week I took a look at some Minnesota Twins offseason rumors. With Thanksgiving come and gone I thought what better time to be show thanks. There are so many Twins players to give thanks to.
Now that I am finally getting over all the food I ate on Thanksgiving it is time to take a moment to be truly thankful.
Let’s take a look at who fans are thankful for.
Which Twins player are you most thankful for? #MNTwins
— Martin Schlegel (@mschlegel34) November 26, 2015
It should not be much of a surprise that more fans voted for Miguel Sano. The rookie took Twins territory by storm. He belted 18 home runs and drove in 52 runs. He finished third in American League Rookie of the Year voting.
I would argue that he could have won ROY if he played in the field more. Nevertheless, Sano lived up to the hype. At the age of 22, he will be a power source in the Twins lineup in 2016.
Originally I thought Brian Dozier would come out as the poll leader. He was an all-star last season. He ranked top 5 in most offensive categories among second baseman in the AL.
Dozier’s smile and impressive hair would be enough to win over plenty of fans. He is the heart and hustle of the Twins, also should be enough to earn respect from fans. After Dozier signed a contract extension last season, he will now be signed through 2018 for only $5 million per season. At the age of 28, he is still a valuable piece to the puzzle.
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An all-star the last three years, I would not have guessed Glen Perkins would poll this low among fans. Regardless, there are reasons to be thankful for him.
His 9.8 SO9 and 1.8 BB9 should not be taken for granted. In the first half of 2015, before his second-half injury, Perkins was the best closer in baseball. A 1.21 ERA paired with a lowly .188 batting average against is very impressive.
Not every team can say they have an all-star closer. If Perkins is injury free, he is the best around.
I didn’t think Joe Mauer would lead the poll results but I should have known he would not get many votes. Let’s see if I can talk about him without being labeled a “Mauer apologist.”
I am not here to say he is the best player ever, but I am saying fans should be thankful. Without him, there would be far less revenue in the final years of the Metrodome and first couple years of Target Field. The Twins without Mauer would be like the New York Yankees without Derek Jeter.
Mauer is and will continue to be important to the Twins, whether he is average or not.
As for me, I am thankful for Dozier. His cardboard cutout is in my room with a #VoteDozier button on it. I might be playing favorites but I think he is more important to the Twins than what his contract says. He may not be paid top dollar but his grit and durability should have the front office thankful they extended him for low-cost.
Central Intelligence
In case you missed it, Jordan Zimmermann signed with the Detroit Tigers. Zimmermann officially signed a five-year $110 million deal. His contract has plenty of bonuses and a no-trade clause.
He will earn $18 million for the first two years, $24 million in 2018 and $25 million in the final two years.
Zimmermann has faced the Twins once in his career. In 2013, he pitched seven innings allowing only two hits while striking out eight.
The Tigers new ace could be a thorn in the Twins side in 2016.