My Twins Award Ballot

Doesn't May still qualify as a rookie this year? He has to be at top of atlas the pitchers. Wasn't he statistically speaking our best starter when he was moved to the pen?

Also I like that there are several deserving.candidates for.twins rookie of the year.

MVP: Sano, Dozier, Gibson, Plouffe, Hunter

Rookie: Sano, Rosario, Duffey

Pitcher: Gibson, Perkins, May

Most Improved: Escobar, Hicks, Milone

I'm a firm believer that a MVP should be a full-season player.  If we don't hold true to that, then is Tyler Duffey a Cy Young candidate?  Of course not.

MVP:  Dozier.  He carried the team when few others could have.

ROY: Rosario.  Year long production on both offense and defense. 

Best Starting Pitcher:  I really don't know.  Of all the full-time starters this year, I'd say Gibson.  A season long starter with a .500 record and an ERA under 4.00.

Best Relief Pitcher:  Perkins.  If the Twins keep running him out there in the 1st half like they did, get used to the 1/2 year success.

Most Improved:  Hicks.  You can't really say Escobar, because he produced like this last year, when he was the starting SS.  Hicks, sent down a 3rd time, got his head and swing together and produced, well, better than he had and show a lot more confidence.

This is one of those seasons where individual awards seem particularly silly, almost like Torii Hunter's whimsical dance awards. So many different guys have contributed in various ways and at various times, any one of them decided games that could have eliminated the Twins from the late-season contention we're enjoying right now.

That said, I like Eddie Rosario for team rookie of the year because he has provided such a steady, high level of competitiveness since the first day he stepped on the field. I see multiple All-Star games in his future.

For MVP, I go with Torii Hunter for bringing together a team of such volatility and forming one positive spirit.

For pitcher of the year I go with Kyle Gibson. He's been the closest thing to a rock of stability in an ever-changing starting rotation. He's an innings-eating horse, a great fielder, and he's developing into a consistent threat to shut down opponents for 7 innings or more.

Escobar went from a 102 OPS+ to a 104 OPS+ and is most improved? Hicks went from 76 to 96. I think you've got to give it to him. Or maybe going off the board and give it to Gibson, who went from an 87 ERA+ to a 105.

I don't see how Dozier can be the MVP. The second half when his team is trying to make a playoff push and he has a .212/.284/.368/.652 line with an ops+ of 77.

That's not what an MVP does in a playoff race, imo.

I'd vote for Sano, everything Dozier hasn't been in the 2nd half Sano has been.

Without Dozier's great first half, I doubt we would have had a 55% winning percentage.  I'm pretty sure with or without Sano's great second half performance, we'd still have a losing record in the 2nd half like we do now. :-)

MVP Sano. Why? This teams offense was poor and getting worse when he arrived. It's been so long since we had a stick like this I don't think we knew what we were missing. Without him holding down the 4 hole this team would have been done two weeks ago.

ROY.... Co winners. Duffy because without him, there would be no playoff game this evening. And Rosario, because he gave us a second above average defensive player in the OF, and had a lot of big hits. His strike zone discipline can be cringe inducing, but so can his triples to the opposition.

Most improved. Hicks in a landslide. Escobar was the starting SS last year, and ended up the starting SS this year. Hicks was what last year?? Vs what this year. That's not even close.

Most valuable pitcher. May. Pretty good starter, then moved to the bullpen for reasons that could be debated, but won't be here. Adjusted well and was the type of 8th inning guy we need, and likely still would be if his hip/back were healthy. Gibson a very close second. On a side note, Mays comments about his back a starter vs as a reliever might preclude his return to the pen next year.