AL Central: 1st Half In Review
By Brett Pnazek
Jul 14, 2015; Cincinnati, OH, USA; American League second baseman Brian Dozier (2) of the Minnesota Twins hits a solo home run against the National League during the eighth inning of the 2015 MLB All Star Game at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
49-40(4.5 games behind, Wild Card leader)
What went right?
- A team that was destined for the cellar of the AL Central and maybe the worse record in all of baseball has been the surprise of all of baseball.
- MVP candidate, Brian Dozier, is leading the way and looks to surpass his home run totals from last year.
- nce a touted prospect, Kyle Gibson has finally started to get acclimated to the bigs and looks like he could be the cornerstone of the starting rotation.
- Paul Molitor is a rookie manager but Hall of Fame player and while Ron Gardenhire is a good manager the team really seems to have flourished under the tutelage of Molitor.
What’s gone wrong?
- Losing top prospect Byron Buxton to injury shortly after his promotion hurts.
- Former league MVP Joe Mauer is on the downward trajectory of his career and his move to first base hasn’t been as smooth as he and the team had hoped.
What should we expect in the 2nd half?
The Twins, like the Astros, are the surprise of the AL. They had a great first half but I can’t see this team keeping it up let alone winning the division. The lack of a true ace will bite them especially since they don’t have the bullpen that Kansas City has. They may make a small move at the deadline but I can’t see them doing anything big. This team will continue to build its farm system and maybe next year be able to stick around for the whole season.