Twins Video
In the forty-plus years since 1973, the Twins have out-homered their opponents in only three seasons and those by narrow margins.
The 2014 Twins scored a lot of runs, but would have been an elite offensive club had they hit more long balls. What is exciting is the promise that in the future they will have the players to turn games around with one swing. Oswaldo Arcia hit 20 homers in just 400 plate appearances last season. If his homer rate stays unchanged, he would hit 30 in a full season with 600+ PAs. Kennys Vargas hit nine homers in an extended trial late in the season. Again, with full-time plate appearances, that total should be in the mid-twenties for a full season. Add top prospect Miguel Sano, who homered 35 times in fewer than 500 PAs in his last minor league season (in pitcher-friendly and homer-averse leagues), and the Twins have a prospective middle of the order cluster that could easily hit 90 or more homers. Sano, Arcia and Vargas are all young and figure to increase their power numbers.
I haven't mentioned yet the Twins leader in home runs the last two years--Brian Dozier. He brings significantly above average power to a position that the Twins traditionally have filled with slap hitters. His last two seasons both set records for home runs by a Twins second baseman. Beyond that, current Twins backup catcher Josmil Pinto would also profile to hit a lot of homers with full-time plate appearances.
When Sano arrives, the Twins figure to have above-average home run production. I expect that the Twins will close the gap in long balls next year and perhaps out-homer their opponents for the first time in more than a decade. An increase in power might cover regression in other areas.
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