Uncustomed Heroes of 2020: Twins

 

Suffice to say, the Twins' follow-up to their monster 2019 was a bit of a letdown. Yes, they won the AL Central this year, but they did so after trailing the Indians and White Sox for half the season and slipping into first at the very last minute...followed by a first-round loss to the SEVENTH-SEEDED ASTROS. Losing to a strong Yankees team last year is one thing, but losing to a team that finished 29-31 is another thing entirely. 

Miguel Sano is the perfect example of this Twins team. Yes, he was back and healthy this year, which was nice, but he also struck out 90 times in 53 games, while hitting .204 with 13 home runs and 25 RBIs. Yes, those are good power stats, but they came at the expense of contact hitting and striking out a bunch of times. So Sano still remains a double-edged sword for the Twins- keep him and continue to lead the league in power hitting, or dump him and actually get someone good to play 1st base.

2021 Prediction: He's gonna lose a starting gig and get DFA'd by July. 

Jorge Polanco, one of the most overrated players in the game right now, had, you guessed it, an okay year at short after his HUGE 2019. Almost as if his 2019 was a fluke or something. Anyway, Polanco hit .258 with 19 RBIs, giving him a WAR of 0, his lowest since 2016. The one thing setting him apart in past years, his batting numbers, have declined. 

2021 Prediction: Either traded at the deadline or made a bench player thanks to a rookie call-up.

Meanwhile, Luis Arraez, the team's second baseman, is going the exact opposite direction as Polanco. Arraez, who spent 32 games starting at 2nd, hit .321 this year with 36 hits and 13 RBIs, a pretty solid offensive register for the rising defensive infielder. Arraez has a strong hold on the position for 2021, and looks to be a key piece in the next stage of this team.

2021 Prediction: A gold glove, or at least consideration for one, and some great contact stats upon Arraez' first full-season performance. 

Mitch Garver's stock took a big hit in 2020, with injuries limiting him to 23 games, and a .167 average with only 2 homers limiting him even further. The once-strong backstop felt like he was taking a step backwards from his breakout last year, and it was tough to see.

2021 Prediction: An improvement in terms of average, but he'll have to contend with Ryan Jeffers for the starting gig now.

Randy Dobnak had an immaculate start for the Twins this season, going 5-2 in his first 7 starts, with a 2.43 ERA and 17 strikeouts. Dobnak wasn't exactly a fireballer, but he had good control, and was fantastic at keeping opposing offenses at bay. His 6.75 ERA in September dive-bombed his strong season, and led to him being phased out as a starter as the playoffs began.  

2021 Prediction: More control, a few more strikeouts, and a held rotation position throughout the season.

Rich Hill's late career success is just a really heartwarming factor of this modern era of baseball. Everyone wrote him off after 2009, and since 2015 he's been 43-22 with a 2.92 ERA and 584 strikeouts, seeing playoff time with Los Angeles and Minnesota, and impressing the hell out of people despite injuries limiting his seasons. His 2020 was only 8 games, but he had a 2-2 record, a 3.03 ERA and 31 strikeouts. At age 40, those are excellent stats. 

2021 Prediction: He still wants to play. I honestly think Minnesota re-signs him. If not, maybe he returns to his hometown team in Boston. 

Marwin Gonzalez spent his second season as the stock utility man in Minnesota as a backup for Josh Donaldson at 3rd, which paid off when Donaldson hit the IL early in the season. Gonzalez hit .211 with 5 homers and 22 RBIs over 55 games, which isn't GREAT, but it's not bad at all, especially given Donaldson's disappointing year.

2021 Prediction: More utility work elsewhere. 

Taylor Rogers continued to be a strong choice for the ninth for the Twins.  Rogers notched 9 saves in 21 appearances, and struck out 24, despite a 4 ERA weakening his WAR numbers. 

2021 Prediction: 30 saves and a low ERA again.

Of course, one of the flashiest bullpen options for the Twins continued to be Sergio Romo, who followed up his strong, low-ERA year last year with a more human one with a 4 ERA and some horseplay resulting in an ejection. Romo is still one of the more trusted relievers in the game, but he's beginning to lose his footing while keeping his character fully intact. 

2021 Prediction: More setup work somewhere. Maybe the Phils sign him, that'd be something..

In Mitch Garver's absence, the Twins called up Ryan Jeffers to catch for a bit, and he had a heck of an audition, batting .273 with 7 RBIs and 3 homers in 26 games. He seems more of a contact type than Garver, and while he does have 'backup' written all over him, him and Mitch Garver vying for a starting job next year is gonna be interesting.

2021 Prediction: Will get the backup gig, but will still hit .280 with some RBIs. 

And after finishing a suspension, Michael Pineda still made some starts for the Twins this year, and did fairly well, with a 2-0 record and a 3.38 ERA in 5 starts, with 25 Ks. Again, his status as an elite fireballer has completely subsided, but he's still useful for a few starts here and there.

2021 Prediction: A fuller season, but I bet the magic begins to wear off for Pineda here.

Coming Tomorrow- The White Sox team that finally figured out how to make the playoffs. 

Uncustomed Heroes of 2019: Twins

The Minnesota Twins hit more home runs than any other team in baseball this year. And were subsequently swept in 3 games by the Yankees. Baseball's fickle like that.

I was still very impressed with how the Twins bounced back by taking low-rent free agents and making them soar under circumstances. CJ Cron, with a photo taken after Tyler Skaggs' death, had a season very similar to his 2018 in Tampa, with a 25-homer year with a .253 average. Not bad, but not the best 1B numbers coming from this team (that'd be Marwin Gonzalez)
Why Him in 2019?: 25 homers on a one-year deal.
2020 Prediction: Will hit 30 in Detroit and double Brandon Dixon's team-leading total from this year.

 The other 2019 Twins starter headed to Detroit is Jonathan Schoop. Despite losing playing time to Luis Arraez late, Schoop bounced back from a down second half of 2018 with a .256 average and 23 homers.
Why Him in 2019?: Stumbled in July to let Luis Arraez conquer the position for 2020.
2020 Prediction: Will slowly lose playing time to Harold Castro.

 Speaking of Castros and lost playing time, Jason Castro struggled with an injury in 2018 and had to battle this year with Mitch Garver for that starting spot. Garver hit .272, Castro hit .233. So Castro became the backup very quickly.
Why Him in 2019?: Conceded to Garver, and his lessened playing time led to Garver hitting 31 homers.
2020 Prediction: Will be signed somewhere as a backup.

 Kyle Gibson's stock rose slightly in 2019, as a very steady third-starter in a rising team. Gibson had a 13-7 record with 160 strikeouts, which is a sharp enough year for a guy who's never really been a standout.
Why Him in 2019?: Probably the most consistent, non-showy arm in Minneapolis this year.
2020 Prediction: Will win 15 games in Arlington.

 Speaking of Arlington, they slung Martin Perez to Minnesota, and Perez responded with decent numbers, 10 wins, and the highest rotation WHIP.
Why Him in 2019?: Hung onto the fourth spot even when rookies came in late.
2020 Prediction: Will be a mediocre fifth man in Boston

 And then you have Michael Pineda. His numbers were fine [11-5 with a 4 ERA], but he once again got busted for illegal drugs, and you're left thinking what this guy has when you take away all the cheating. What is Pineda without the pine tar on his cap, or the PEDs or drugs or anything?
Why Him in 2019?: Fell so Smeltzer and Dobnak could rise
2020 Prediction: Will pitch a similar season for the Twins after coming back from the suspension.

 Randy Dobnak was one of the feel-good stories of 2019. A former Uber driver, he jumped through the minors to start some games late down the stretch, and held a 1.59 ERA in 9 starts. Dobnak became one of the more inexperienced starters to be trusted with a playoff start, and...he tried. I felt bad for him, because the Yankees fans heckled him, but he's still a solid arm.
Why Him in 2019?: Started Game 2 of the ALDS.
2020 Prediction: A full season of similar production.

 And the other big starter rookie in 2019 was Devin Smeltzer, a guy who's from the town next to mine, was a hometown hero, and had a 3.86 ERA over 11 appearances, with 32 Ks.
Why Him in 2019?: A good preview of an arm to come for the Twins
2020 Prediction: Will start 25 games, win 10 of them and nobody will question him again.

 After a scorching rookie start in 2018, Willians Astudillo, affectionately referred to as La Torguga, had some similar numbers right out the gate. Astudillo played some infield spots, caught a bit, and was a wonderful lineup presence. Then he got injured, missed some time, and the Twins got by anyway.
Why Him in 2019?: Twins mascot in April
2020 Prediction: Hopefully more playing time. This guy's a gem.

 The other infield utility guy was Ehire Adrianza, and he was a bit more present for the Twins, appearing in 83 games and hitting .272 with 55 hits. Not bad at all.
Why Him in 2019?: With the exception of Luis Arraez who was starting by the end, most valuable utility/bench guy.

 After Blake Parker fouled up, the closing spot went to relief specialist Taylor Rogers, and to say he rocked it was an understatement. Rogers had 30 saves, 90 strikeouts, a 2.61 ERA and a 1 WHIP.
Why Him in 2019?: Closed 30 games for the AL Central champs.
2020 Prediction: Will close THIRTY-FIVE games for the AL Central champs.

Rogers was perfectly steady in the ninth...cause from August on he had SERGIO ROMO in the eighth. Not just Sergio Romo, but the Sergio Romo of yore, the untouchable relief specialist who got rings with SF, was back in FULL FORCE. Romo, after coming over from Miami, had 27 strikeouts and 3 saves in 27 appearances.
Why Him in 2019?: Fueled the bullpen renaissance in August.
2020 Prediction: Another season of solid work in Minneapolis.

Coming Tomorrow- Just a few White Sox. Consider it the calm before the storm.

Uncustomed Heroes of 2018: Rays

Pop quiz: out of all 20 teams that missed the playoffs this year, which one had the best record?

...Okay, having this being a Rays post is kind of a giveaway, but...say you didn't have the title as a clue? You could have guessed Colorado, or Seattle, or the Cardinals or Nationals...but the Rays, with their mega-September, and their...incredibly strange tactics, finished with 90 wins, which would be impressive in a division that didn't have the Yankees or Red Sox.

Again, this is thanks to Kevin Cash's impressive managing, the homegrown oddball quality of the roster, the team's ace winning a Cy Young, and the pitching staff embracing the 'opener' concept after losing two of their strongest starting pitchers.

And the guy that was thought to be the star of the show this year, Kevin Kiermaier, was...not really a factor. In missing a few months to injury, he effectively handed the reins to the team to...okay, first to Denard Span, but then to Matt Duffy, who's trying to Travis Shaw his way to a leadership thing in Tampa. Kiermaier is still a sharp player, but his .217 average doesn't bode well.

Carlos Gomez, seen here clutching a gigantic glove yet still sporting a .967 fielding percentage, was hired as a veteran bat. But...his bat didn't really show up, did it? The guy batted .208 with 9 home runs. Far from his Milwaukee days, I think. Honestly, his success may have a geographical component- some cities, like Milwaukee and Arlington, suit him well. And some, like Houston...and Tampa...do not.

Daniel Robertson was a utility infielder/outfielder that had been stewing in the minors, waiting for a chance to start, and thanks to the rise of the rookies he got his chance, and did fairly well. He notched 34 RBIs in 87 games before an injury sidelined him for the remainder of the year.

 Thankfully Willy Adames was on hand to keep the rookie train going, putting up some fierce rookie numbers while vying for the starting 2nd base position with Joey Wendle. He was so good that he was essentially handed the shortstop gig, and managed to hit 10 home runs, which is not bad for a primarily defensive standout.

 But, again, we can't talk about the 2018 Rays without mentioning the bullpen. Ryne Stanek was one of the more impressive bullpen pieces the Rays had, because he could do middle relief, and he was the most likely to open games for Tampa, notching 29 opener appearances. This is definitely a similar reliever to Josh Vader, the long-haired, hard throwing tall dude. And hopefully his role in this bullpen will expand further in 2019.

 Jose Alvarado was the more traditional reliever, used for holds and saves in place of the main closer, and he did a nice job, getting 8 saves, and leaving with a 2.39 ERA.

Plus...Sergio Romo got to hold down a closing gig for the first time since the Giants were a contending team. He put up 25 saves (alright, granted, on 33 opportunities), but was one of the voices of experience in a very young bullpen.

Tommy Pham was a surprise deadline acquisition for Tampa, as the Cardinals thought they were in a dealing mode in July, when in reality they were just freeing up a starting space for Harrison Bader. But...Pham hit 7 home runs in 34 games, with a .343 average. The guy clearly has mastered hitting for average, and he's turned his career around from being a bench mainstay. Hopefully he keeps it up.

Coming Tomorrow- They're big, bad, and they won the whole thing.

Wendle Gee

(Music Pun streak begins here, because I'm not letting that R.E.M. pun go by)

I don't understand it. Even if the Rays trade a lot of their guys, they're still a weird-ass team. Things are happening here that shouldn't be.

-They brought Tyler Glasnow's arm back to life. They guy had been a disappointment in Pittsburgh, and the second he gets to Tampa, he becomes a new pitcher, finally hitting the numbers they promised he would, and becoming a great starting option in place of Eovaldi and Archer.

-The team's marquee player, Kevin Kiermaier, is batting below the Mendoza line, and playing legitimately poorly, which is a new thing for him.

-Only one person currently on this team has more than ten home runs, and it's CJ Cron, a guy who's new to the team. Wilson Ramos had 16, but now he's playing for Philly.

-Four starters are rookies. Joey Wendle, Daniel Robertson, Jake Bauers and Willy Adames.

-Blake Snell, Yonny Chirinos and Glasnow are the only actual starters on this team. Everyone else, including Ryan Yarbrough and Ryne Stanek, are used as long-relievers and 'openers', by Kevin Cash and his goofy new bullpen plan.

-Sergio Romo is the closer. He hasn't been successful as a closer since roughly 2014. If that. Also, he may be the only closer in baseball right now to have an ice cream flavor named after him. Yes, it's been discontinued since he left the Giants, but it still happened.

-They're still in third place, and one game above .500

Crazy, crazy stuff.

Coming Tonight: Mets pitcher, one that's doing pretty well, which could be anyone except Vargas.

Uncustomed Heroes of Baseball: Giants

Both of these customs are awesome enough to eclipse the fact that the team was pretty subpar this year, especially for a Defending Champion. However, you could argue that they were like that in 2011, too.

Scutaro has blossomed from a 'sure, we'll take him' utility dude to an everyday all star shortstop for a decent team, and for that, he has my respect. He's getting up there, but he's still pretty good at his position.

Sergio Romo was left with the daunting task of replacing Brian Wilson as the facial-hair-friendly closer for the Giants, and he certainly excelled, sporting a different, possibly easier-to-replicate chin-bush, and having a more consistent season. In two seasons, he's proved he can go for the long run, and hopefully the Giants will keep him around.

Coming Tomorrow- A few members of the Indians, a favorite team of mine, besides the Yankees and Phillies of course.

Year by Year Customs: 1971

 

Not much going on with the customs today, but I thought it'd be fun to put them in numerical order. What does that mean? Well, let me explain.

Sergio Romo is shaking his fist. A fist means 'zero'.

 

Harrell is pointing at the crowd, and in doing so, holding up ONE finger.

 

Garza is holding up TWO fingers. Also, that's apparently how many years his career lasted in Chicago. 

 

And, while Ian has no number, one of the ones on his back is a THREE (he's #31). So yeah...that was fun.

Coming Tomorrow- A couple of really good customs, two of which featuring people I saw play recently.