It feels like a life time ago that I was at Game One of the 2010 ALDS between the Twins and the (hated) Yankees. There was hope in the air around Target Field’s first ever playoff game and for a while, we were right to feel that way.
Michael Cuddyer electrified the crowd with a two run bomb shot and the crowd went insane.
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“WE’RE FINALLY GOING TO BEAT THE YANKEES!” this over eager writer and his father exclaimed!
But then Yankees became the Yankees yet again.
On the bats of Mark Teixeira and Robinson Cano, the Yankees exploded back and eventually topped the Twins 6-4. This over eager writer and his father left Target Field disappointed and with an even deeper hatred for The Bronx Bombers.
The Evil Empire of Baseball went on to sweep the Twins out of the playoffs and that was the last time we tasted hope for our baseball team.
But just like every other franchise in the Land of 10,000, the Stinky Twinkies (as my father refers to them) are on the upswing for the first time in five years.
Now granted, right now the Twins are struggling. They are 10-18 after this year’s All Star Game and the pitching staff from top to bottom has been absolutely atrocious.
But this is an article about the future so shut up and keep reading.
Rise of the Prospects
One of the many problems for the Twins over the years is the fact their offense has been anemic. With players like Cuddyer and Justin Morneau long gone, the Twins have lacked the ability to score runs in crucial situations. Not helping this conundrum is the fact that Joe Mauer must have forgotten his ability to hit the long ball in the now demolished Metrodome.
But help seems to be on the way.
Long touted prospects Miguel Sano and Byron Buxton finally got some time in the big leagues this season, and both have shown encouraging offensive signs.
While Buxton did struggle a bit at the plate and is currently recovering from an injury in the minor leagues, he did show signs of his potential, especially in the speed department. I think I can count on one hand how many players I have seen make it from first to third base as quickly as Buxton can.
Sano has been fun to watch as well, but for different reasons.
The kid can flat out hit.
As of the publishing of this article, Sano has hit for.280, 25 RBI’s, and hit seven home runs in the short time he has been in the big leagues. He seems to have a knack for the ball while also sporting an incredibly smooth and impressive swing at the plate.
Twins fans have been hearing about these two prospects for years and now that we have gotten a taste, I can speak for the entire Twins fan base when I say that we cannot wait to see these two studs develop even further.
Oh Captain My Captain
Like all other hopeful Minnesota franchises, the Twins seem to have found a solid skipper to lead them for the time being.
Paul Molitor has been a breath of fresh air that this organization desperately needed. The new manager has taken a squad that lost 92 games and formed them into a completive team that is right in the hunt for a Wild Card spot in the American League. Most people would have figured this club would have been .500 at best, which is a mark they still might hit, but show signs of rising above mediocrity.
Regardless of the ending, Molitor and his new staff have accelerated the process and will have the Twins back to their winning ways in the next few years.
The Old Guard
While the youth is enough to get excited about, do not forget about the veterans on this team.
Brian Dozier is proving to be one of baseball’s best second basemen. The third year man got into his first All Star game this year (rightfully so), leads all 2B with 61 RBI’s, and has provided many clutch walk off home runs and hits when the Twins needed them most.
Joe Mauer may not quite be the hitter he once was, but the Minnesota kid is no slouch either. Mauer currently leads the team in batting average at .285 and is tenth amongst all 1B in RBI’s with 51. He can still be a productive member of the team.
Last but not least is everyone’s favorite Twin, Torii Hunter. The trade to bring back Hunter seemed like a move that would put people in the seats, sell jerseys, and bring some leadership into the club house. Who knew that the old man would actual produce?
At times, Hunter has been the spark the club has needed, with an astounding 60 RBI’s to go along with his 18 homeruns. I say astounding because most 40 year old players are watching the game from the broadcast booth.
While he may not be around the team for that much longer, Hunter has been a great investment for this club and one that will hopefully leave a lasting mark on the young members of this promising team.
A Brighter Tomorrow
This team really does have a nice mix of young potential and veterans who are playing good baseball. The pitching staff is definitely in need of some work, but with young arms coming up the pipeline like Alex Meyer and Jose Berrios, the Twins can start creating a solid rotation that they can count on from night to night.
Just like the Timberwolves though, people need to understand that this change is not going to happen overnight. The Twins were the surprise team of the first half in the MLB to be sure, but they do not look like they are going to have enough in the tank to finish the latter half of the season as strong.
Still though, if you are a Minnesota fan, you should be encouraged by what we are seeing and know that the promised land of the playoffs is not as far away as it once was.
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