Exit July: The Twins Best Month of 2016

[stringer bell]

In every big league season, there are peaks and valleys. For the 2016 Minnesota Twins, there have been far more valleys than peaks. After three brutal months, the Twins put together a winning July, going 15-11, improving their record from 25-53 to 40-64. There was improvement across the board, with the possible exception of fielding. The Twins were second in run-scoring with 142 runs, while their pitching was middle-of-the-road, allowing 111 runs (100 earned). They hit 31 homers in July, led by Max Kepler with 8, while allowing 29. The Twins run-scoring wasn't a function of hit-sequencing--they were in near the top in team BA, OBP, slugging and OPS. The staff supplied a 3.80 ERA with low walks and strikeouts.

 

The team the Twins put on the field in July seems talented enough to compete. Can they sustain this for another month or two? What does this mean in terms of how much turnover on the field is necessary for 2017?

[beckmt]

Evan mediocre teams have good months.  August should tell, depending on how many trades change the pitching rotation.  Hitting was always going to be better.

Rest of this season should be finding out which prospects that are close to the majors can help the Twins next year.  Hopefully you can just fill traded holes and not have to DFA players to make room, but you might have to do that.

[LaBombo]

Nice breakdown of the July stats, stringer.

 

It would be much easier to fully enjoy the improved play of the Twins if it didn't come with the apprehension that a winning record to finish the year might help to lure Jim Pohlad into thinking the unthinkable and removing the 'interim' tag from Antony.

 

And even even with that being said, it's been a bit more of a relief than a revelation to see the Twins win ball games again. Kepler has been a pleasant surprise, but Sano appears destined for the far left (DH/1b) side of the defensive spectrum and so far Buxton has provided only defensive value as he continues to take his developmental lumps at the plate. And the rotation is still a mess, with Gibson remaininng the only reliable under-30 starter.

 

It would be nice to see the Twins play .500 or better ball to finish the season, but I'd much rather see the young core players succeeding. Both at once... even better.

[jimmer]

 

Nice breakdown of the July stats, stringer.

 

It would be much easier to fully enjoy the improved play of the Twins if it didn't come with the apprehension that a winning record to finish the year might help to lure Jim Pohlad into thinking the unthinkable and removing the 'interim' tag from Antony.

 

And even even with that being said, it's been a bit more of a relief than a revelation to see the Twins win ball games again. Kepler has been a pleasant surprise, but Sano appears destined for the far left (DH/1b) side of the defensive spectrum and so far Buxton has provided only defensive value as he continues to take his developmental lumps at the plate. And the rotation is still a mess, with Gibson remaininng the only reliable under-30 starter.

 

It would be nice to see the Twins play .500 or better ball to finish the season, but I'd much rather see the young core players succeeding. Both at once... even better.

Gibson is a reliable under-30 starter?  Half of that is true :-)

[ashbury]

Gibson is a reliable under-30 starter?  Half of that is true :-)

You sell the man short. Gibson has been under-30 in every start he's ever made.