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And the 2015 Twins MVP and MVP will be...

DocBauer

By DocBauer
in Minnesota Twins Talk

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DocBauer All-Star

DocBauer

Old-Timey Member
Posted
Posted

OK gang...2 weeks until the sun shines a little brighter, and the world is just a little better, and Spring Training start!

 

OK...to be fully honest, as I write this, it's actually 13 days and 13 hours according to the TD countdown clock. But while I long to round down, math makes me round up in this case. (damn you math!

 

I think it's a perfect time for all of us to pause, reflect and project a bit, and list, discuss and debate who, in our opinion, will be the 2015 Twins MVP and MVP. That is, the '15 Most Valuable Player and Most Valuable Pitcher.

 

Now, some of you may be saying to yourself something along the lines of: "But Doc, it's two weeks until pitchers and catchers report. We haven't seen a single fungo yet, much less a pitch or AB against so&so college team in the opening game, how could we possibly guess as to the team MVP or MVP for the upcoming season?" And some of you may be saying a few more things to the old Doc at this time. LOL

 

BUT, held still in the crux of winter's pessimistic grip, we are ALL anticipating the optimism of spring. And ALL of us have already speculated over, and over, and over in private, and in conversation, and on TD, and on napkin and scratch pad, our thoughts/hopes for the 2015 season. Some of us have even been bold enough to pen projected numbers for our favorite Twins. So...with the 40 man set...invites announced...and little to no expectation for any roster changes between NOW and 13 and a little over a half day from NOW...(come on TR...trade for a CF!)...we know who the candidates should be.

 

Who is your projected choice for 2015 Twins Most Valuable Player going to be?

 

Top candidates:

 

Danny Santana: The athletic youngster defied every expectation last season, over and over, to be a catalyst for the Twins improved offense. And he did so despite not only being rushed to the majors, but being forced to play out of position in CF for roughly 2/3 of his games played. A position he had played scantly earlier in his milb career. Where might the Twins have been in '14 if not for the athletic and talented Santana? And while there are those who project various degrees of regression for him in 2015, he has already repeatedly exceeded expectations. Can he do it again? Can he translate all of his vast athleticism to play a quality SS defensively and continue to produce and even grow offensively?

 

Brian Dozier: All he did in his milb career was hit and be productive and play solid defense. All he did in his first go-around with the ML club was NOT hit and NOT play defense. So the Twins moved him to 2B and all he's done since is provide OB%, power and speed and excellent defense. The only thing he hasn't really done yet is the one thing he was known for, which is hitting. Point blank, Dozier is a fine 2B, one of the best in the ML's, and the best the Twins have had since Knoblauch. He's coming off a rare 20/20 season with 33 doubles. He was asked to hit leadoff, 2 and 3 in the lineup. Bouncing around the lineup, and with limited to no protection at times, what could we expect if allowed to sit in one spot in the lineup and just produce? Could we finally see a .270 AVG? I believe we could.

 

Joe Mauer: Does it get more obvious than this? Perhaps. But reflect for a moment. Mauer, whatever barb or excuse you wish to use...pause for a moment. I won't debate being a fairly new husband with brand new Twins as any sort of excuse. I will, however, debate being a brand new full time 1B trying to overcome a bad concussion that seemed to linger and affect my entire life/world as well as a little thing called off season preparation. Before anyone wants to bash Mauer again for his 2013/2014 seasons, wonder what it would be like for your brains to be scrambled for a few months, not to mention some minute motor skills that your entire career depends upon. Mauer is not old. He showed flashes the second half of last season. If his mind and body are OK, think what he could mean as a .310-320 hitter with an OB% roughly around .400 with 40 doubles and anywhere from 12-16 HR's for a full season in the #3 spot.

 

How about Kennys Vargas? The big switch hitter has shown the ability to hit and provide power and RBI from both sides of the plate. The young 24yo jumped from AA to provide a nice bit of juice to the remainder of the Twins season last year. He's been compared to David Ortiz in appearance, but also in ability to produce. He has that ugly word "potential" attached to him. But really...he has that kind of potential if he's willing to keep working at it. And from all reported indications, he's a kid who's willing to put in the necessary sweat.

 

Suzuki? Escobar? Plouffe? Arguments could be made to the degree of "importance" to last season's team. And arguments could be made to Suzuki's game calling and control THIS season, to Escobar repeating what he did offensively and defensively last season to this season, or the continued growth and development of Plouffe as to real MVP candidates.

 

Will one of these be your choice? Or do you see someone else stepping forward to play an important part in the development for the 2015 version of the Twins?

 

Who might your choice be for the Twins Most Valuable Pitcher award?

 

Hughes is realistic. Hughes is easy. But if he's your choice as the bell-cow of the 2015 Twins, more power to you. Just tell us why.

 

Perhaps you view Santana as your choice. If Hughes is, more or less, a given, perhaps Santana having one of his better years, winning 14-16 games with impressive numbers and stabilizing the performance and depth of the Twins rotation makes him truly valuable.

 

Nolasco fully healthy and pitching to form to deepen the Twins rotation and chances to win?

 

Gibson to take his 60/40-70/30 good to bad performances of last season and improve at least 10% to take over the #3 spot in the rotation...perhaps #2 by seasons end depending on the whole of his improvement...further deepening the rotation.

 

Or is it a fully healthy Perkins, ready to stabilize and lead a re-worked bullpen to 40 saves and 20 total wins?

 

Or perhaps Fien? Or Oliveros? Or someone else to establish himself as a top setup man for that re-worked bullpen in the vein of Berenguer or Willis and a lineage of top Twins setup men that stabilized the bullpen until the closer could finish things off.

 

Or does another pitcher stabilize and excel the rotation or bullpen?

 

Who are your choices for 2015 Twins MVP or MVP?

D. Hocking FCL Twins

D. Hocking

Verified Member
Posted
Posted

Torii Hunter and Ricky Nolasco, just to drive up traffic on TD.

 

I predict  there is a good chance either Hunter or Nolaso will also get the media good guy award - one of them having a slightly stronger chance than the other.

 

I am going to go with Dozier and Hughes - although hope it is Mauer, because it will show last year more as an aberration.  Hopefully both Mauer and Dozier will have strong years and make the MVP be a real contest.  Same with Hughes and Gibson for pitching.

DocBauer All-Star

DocBauer

Old-Timey Member
Posted
  • Author
Posted

To toss out my own personal choices:

 

Santana and Vargas.

 

Santana is not going to surpass Hughes, of course, I just think his addition does a lot to deepen the rotation like it hasn't been in a while. Vargas because he offers a potentially real, dangerous cleanup option.

Platoon Cedar Rapids Kernels

Platoon

Verified Member
Posted
Posted

Torii Hunter and Ricky Nolasco, just to drive up traffic on TD.

The Chief should get a trolling warning for that remark! :)

 

Arcia and Mauer.

Platoon Cedar Rapids Kernels

Platoon

Verified Member
Posted
Posted

Which one is the pitcher?

Hmm. U got me, I re read it and notice now that MVP has two meanings! Kind of like "not to bright" and "not too bright".

 

Mauer

 

Nolasco (he wins in abstentia, because he got HOT and was traded to a contender after the ASG)

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