What's To Like?

[youngpadawan]

Disclaimer!! This article jumps to conclusions based on spring training (SSS). Also, its views can be disputed with facts and logic, I asked that you don't attempt to argue the articles "facts." If you do, you will be presented with additional "facts" that may not look like "facts" because they are not "facts" but have been stated as though they are "facts." It will be a vicious cycle. Please just share your uneducated opinion on my uneducated opinion. There is no need for thought and in-depth analysis.

 

The Twins having shown me a few things this spring that I really like; they have put together multiple quality starts in a row, they have hit home runs, and they have been aggressive on the base paths. They still have shown flaws that are admittedly alarming, but it is nice to see some progress in areas that we have lagged far behind competitive teams.

 

The quality starts thing:

I have noticed that Santana, Gibson, Hughes, and Milone have been able to look like a decent group of pitchers. I feel good about our starting rotation going into this season (it feels kind of funny even typing that about the Twins). Santana is not an "ACE," and that is okay. He is a guy that can go out and win more than he will lose. He can strike people out once in a while (What a bonus!). Best of all, Erv (do you think he will mind if I call him Erv?) is the kind of guy you can count on to put an end to a funk. If the team gets in one. Which they will. All teams do. Don't hate on the Twins when they do. It's completely normal!

Gibson has managed to make me believe that he can strikeout a significant (for him) amount of batters. I have felt better and better about him each year. I think this is going to be another step in the right direction for him. We should all feel comfortable about him being in our rotation for years to come.

Last year was a down year for Hughes. I think it is completely reasonable to expect Hughes to pitch better than last year but maybe not as good as 2014. He is still a good pitcher that can give you a lot of 7-8 inning outings with only 2-3 runs (all solo shots?). That should equate to quite a few Twins wins.

Milone is boring! With any luck, he will strikeout 1-2 batters in 6 innings. That is not fun and exciting. Oh, but guess what! He doesn't have to be fun and exciting! He can strikeout 1 batter a game as long as he keeps getting ground balls and pop ups. He is the "Twins Pitcher of the Year Scott Diamond!" Not the "get that Scott Diamond out of here, Scott Diamond."

 

The hitting the ball over the fence thing:

The Twins have hit more home runs this spring training than they have in the last 20 years! (see disclaimer) They have been hitting the ball out a bit more frequently than I can remember them doing. It's nice to see everyone from Sano to Kurt hitting home runs. Heck, Even Joe hit one! Sure the Twins have been striking out a ton, but you can afford to strikeout a few times if you are also hitting some dingers. We have quite a few players that can exceed 20 home runs this year, and that is enough excitement to make up for Milone.

 

The being aggressive on the bases thing:

We are as willing to attempt an extra base as a WWE wrestler is to walk into a clothes line (I'm not sure how well a wrestling joke will be received on Twins Daily..... I got!). We are as willing to attempt an extra base as Mauer is to take a first pitch strike (nailed it). It is nice to see us trying to stretch, singles into doubles, doubles into triples, and going home on from second on an infield single. That last one is a bit extreme but I do believe it happened this spring. I would just like the team to try and force the defense to make plays instead of playing it safe. It can definitely come back to bite you once in a while but it shows a desire to win and play hard and I like that.

[spinowner]

 

 going home on from second on an infield single. 

Made me remember this play.

http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/6479266/v4608765/minnyy-mauer-gets-the-runner-at-home-in-the-ninth