Twins Have Seemingly Learned Little

May 6, 2016 the Minnesota Twins graced headlines as owner Jim Pohlad called the season a "Total System Failure." The club had started 0-9 and now owned a 6-20 record on the year. By all defining terms, "Total System Failure" seemed accurate. The problem is that it doesn't seem to have resonated all that much.

Fast forward to June 6, and the Twins find themselves in similar territory. They own a 16-40 record, meaning they responded to Pohlad's comments by replicating the ugly 8-20 output. What's worse than the record itself however, is how it's been achieved.

In their latest loss, the Twins went down 7-5 to end a four game series at Target Field with the Tampa Bay Rays. Forget the fact that Minnesota pitching gave up 11 home runs (5 to Evan Longoria alone) in those contests, and dwell on the idea that the rolled over. In the 6th inning of a tie game, leading hitter (.331 average), Eduardo Nunez dropped down a sacrifice bunt. He had decided that the club needed to play for one run, with Byron Buxton on first, and gave himself up.

Following the game, manager Paul Molitor noted that Nunez acted on his own accord with his sacrifice. What Molitor didn't do was show any sort of anger or discipline for the decision. Nunez made a poor baseball decision, and the Twins went on to leave the 6th without a run. Compounding problems, a similar position presented itself in the very next inning. Still tied, Robbie Grossman walked, and Molitor called upon Eduardo Escobar to drop down a sacrifice bunt. Again the Twins didn't score, and their decision to agree that they weren't capable of generating a base hit came back to haunt them.

In a vacuum, there's been plenty of these situations over the course of the season. Despite being an elite baseball mind, Paul Molitor has looked like the stage is above him quite often. The Hall of Famer seems confused to best practices during in game scenarios, and there's been far too many head scratching opportunities.

That brings us somewhat full circle on Pohlad's comments. Despite being an indictment of what had taken place, the response from the Twins has been to stay status quo. They record is an exact replica on both sides of the quote, and the execution has been similar as well. Molitor has been poor in his own right, and Terry Ryan has followed suit.

If it isn't happening on the bench, then it's been in Ryan's hands. His star slugger hit the disabled list due to a pulled hamstring, and currently has an outfield spot to return back to. Former top pitching prospect Alex Meyer was made to wait 28 days prior to an exploratory MRI, only to be placed on the DL some 30 days after he last pitched. For all Ryan has done well in roster manipulation over his tenure, I don't remember a time with more negatives packed into a brief period of time than now.

What it all comes down to isn't a quote, but rather a direction. No negative public comments from an out-of-touch owner are going to turn this dumpster fire around. The Twins need to commit to some changes, and they have to be made sooner rather than later.

Sure, I believe both Paul Molitor and Terry Ryan need to go. It appears neither are capable of doing their jobs to a satisfactory level. Even before that though, Minnesota needs an identity. With underperforming veterans littered across the roster, a purge or shift should take place soon. It's time to move on from what you can, and allow the Buxton's, Sano's, Kepler's, and Polanco's to make this team theirs. Bring them up, let them invest in the process, and do what they can to put their stamp on 2016. The results aren't likely going to turn much for the better, but it would suggest a shift in process that should prove beneficial in the long run.

For this club, things have gone far from as expected or desired. While that's unfortunate in and of itself, Pohlad, Ryan, Molitor, and the rest of the organization have done nothing to turn the tide either. At some point, it can't be about the newspaper fodder; there has to actually be actionable change.

The Twins Chips Ready To Move

It's June, and the Twins are the worst team in baseball. They've currently been swept half as often as they have won games, and this season has gone the opposite of any expectations could have laid out. With a couple of months left to the trade deadline, it may be time for Terry Ryan to start sending his chips to the table. Minnesota doesn't have many any big names, but there's pieces that are worth moving.

Despite Major League Baseball dictating trades being allowed (in the traditional sense) up until July 31, the Twins would be best served to act well before then. As a handful of their current commodities may have short shelf lives, moving them prior to any downfall would be a good idea. If you've begun reading trade pieces on the interwebs at all, you know who is considered as trade chip for Minnesota, but I'm prepared to tell you who the club should move.

With that said, let's get into it.

Fernando Abad- Level of trade necessity 10

Easily Ryan's best free agent signing of the offseason, Abad came in as a non-roster guy that the Twins believed they saw something in. Commenting that he was tipping his pitches, Minnesota thought that the 4.15 ERA in 62 games for the Athletics in 2015 was an outlier, turns out they were right. Currently, Abad owns a 0.93 ERA in 19.1 IP. He's posted an 8.4 K/9 and walked just 2.3 per 9, a career best.

Abad is a lefty reliever capable of getting batters from both sides out. He's a luxury that the Twins don't need to afford. Their pen is bad, and so are they, his value doesn't push the needle much. Sending him to a contender to solidify their pen is the most realistic plan of action, and he should have plenty of suitors.

Eduardo Nunez- 9

If there's a reason the Twins shouldn't send Nunez to the All Star game, it's because he shouldn't be with the organization when that time rolls around. Considering Abad a must trade, Nunez should be considered a must trade now.

I'm not in favor of taking a bag of balls back for Nunez, but his value is never going to be higher than it is currently, and waiting only invites the opportunity for it to fall. Nunez's .329/.356/.494 slash line is well above his career norms (.274/.314/.401) and he's continued to be a poor defender. For now, he's been one of the lone contributors on a bad club, and making sure to get some return on that is a good plan of action.

There's reason to believe a return for Nunez won't equate to much, he's got a decent track record that says this is a mirage. That being said, if someone is willing to cough up a mid-level prospect, the Twins should be all over it.

Robbie Grossman- 5

Despite making few well timed moves during the offseason, and a poor display of roster control throughout 2016, Terry Ryan seems to have come up well with Grossman. The 26 year old is finally doing something he never has before, hit. An on-base machine, Grossman's bat has turned in a .359/.457/.667 line over his first 12 games with the Twins. He's already amassed 6 doubles and has two homers to his credit. Right now, Paul Molitor and crew have to be hoping the carriage doesn't turn back into a pumpkin.

Sure, Grossman is 26, and not arbitration eligible until 2018. The team control he possesses makes him valuable if you believe this sort of thing continues. However, he was cast aside by the Astros for a reason, and couldn't find his way into the Indians plans. Grossman will probably always find ways to get on base, but betting on his bat is a risky gamble.

With the ability to be a 4th outfielder at worst, I'm not going to simply give him away. I'd rather have Grossman in the organization as opposed to a retread like Darin Mastroianni in a pinch. However, Minnesota should be able to find a contender needing that type of lift immediately, and could maximize their return by flipping the recently claimed asset.

Trevor Plouffe- 7

Over the offseason, my number on Plouffe would have been a 4. I am of the belief that Miguel Sano has been virtually as expected in right field, and while some may see that as an abomination, I'd put it as simply below-standard. Sure, playing the hulking Dominican in the outfield is about as suboptimal as it gets, but the Twins and Plouffe were tied to each other.

Despite coming off a solid season for the Twins, Plouffe's winter trade market was non-existent. David Freese settled for nothing with the Pirates, and the Twins watched that all play out. The reality remained that Plouffe was more valuable to Minnesota than he was to anyone else. The unfortunate thing now is that I'm not sure that has changed.

As much as I've been ok with sano in right, it's probably time to get him back on the dirt. Plouffe though, has hit for a career worst .648 OPS and he's walked significantly less than at any other point in his career. The power numbers haven't been there, and he's merely capable at third. I'm for dealing him to open up the roster spot, and get Sano to a more comfortable position. The problem I see is that the market may dictate the Twins simply give him away, and I'm not sure that's the best plan of action.

The Others: 10

Only two guys fall into this category for me, and it's the combination of Phil Hughes and Ricky Nolasco. Remember, the numerical values represent the level of trade necessity for the Twins. I can't see either pitcher being coveted, but I'd look to move both for whatever you can get.

Nolasco was poor money allocation from the get go, and Hughes' contract extension has turned out to be a significant blunder. The Twins have starting depth, even if it isn't all top tier, but opening up the roster spots and freeing the case is a plus in and of itself. Nolasco needs to go back to the National League, and Hughes may very well be pitching hurt. There's no real scenario in which I want to lean on either guy going forward, and offloading them makes that much easier.

I can't imagine the Twins would be getting much, if any, of a return for Hughes or Nolasco. With Ricky, they may have to eat some money, and Hughes' extension pays a hefty price tag if he continues to trend the way he has. Ryan should be making it his mission to call, unload, and move on from the pair in whatever way possible however.

Outfield Fixtures Set For Twins

Recently, Byron Buxton was brought back into the fold for the Minnesota Twins. I've talked plenty about why I think he can stick this time, and how Buxton along with Miguel Sano, can begin to usher in a new era for the Twins. It's in the latest outfield roster move that continues to further cements the Minnesota future though.

In a game against the Oakland Athletics, Sano was trying to hustle out a grounder to break up a double play (he ended up being safe), but unfortunately pulled his hamstring in the process. The hulking star was lifted from the game immediately, and Oswaldo Arcia took over as a pinch runner.

With Sano injured, and a disabled list stint now on the docket, Max Kepler is back in the fold for the Twins. What absolutely has to take place for the German-born prospect however, has to be nearly the opposite of what took place at the beginning of the 2016 Twins season. Having been recalled from Triple-A Rochester just two games into the year, Kepler was making his 2016 debut with Minnesota. Unfortunately, skipper Paul Molitor asked him to ride the bench in 12 of the 14 games he was present with the parent club. That's a mistake that should be avoided this time around.

Over the course of his minor league career, Kepler has dealt with his fair share of injuries and missed games. However, when healthy, he's been one of the most reliable all-around prospects in the Twins system. Despite not having the ceiling of uber-prospect Buxton, I'd wager it a fair suggestion that Kepler may have a bit higher floor as well. There are few things that Kepler doesn't do to at least an above-average level, and the patience in his game should translate well to the big leagues.

A career .281/.363/.446 minor league hitter, it's really been the past two seasons in which he's put it together. At Double-A Chattanooga in 2015, Kepler owned a .322/.416/.531 average while racking up the Southern League accolades. This season at Triple-A Rochester, after knocking off the rust Molitor put on him to start the year, he's batted .365/.452/.587 since May 7 (17 games). Kepler is capable of playing all three outfield spots, and has speed that is often overlooked as an asset in his game.

Considering the Twins current roster construction, replacements in right field for Sano come down to either Arcia or Kepler. While it's understandable to want to get the Venezuelan some time, he's been used sparingly as a player out of options on the season. It appears that Arcia's future with the Twins may be as a bench bat at best, which means Kepler should be given the opportunity to run as a regular.

We've seen this scenario play out not too long ago for the Twins. Molitor was handed a two week trial of Jorge Polanco when Eduardo Escobar hit the disabled list. He squandered the opportunity by getting him very few starts, and really didn't find out anything about Polanco at the big league level. The same can't play out again with Kepler. Knowing Sano will miss at least the next 15 days for the Twins, Molitor needs to get Kepler regular starts, and allow him to settle in. A positional shuffle may need to take place if Kepler hangs onto the job, but that's absolutely the kind of forced hand a bad team should be welcoming with open arms.

Right now, the Twins have a trade candidate in Trevor Plouffe, a struggling designated hitter in Byung Ho Park, and a defensive liability in Miguel Sano. Musical chairs can be played among the three of them, but that thought process can be shelved for a while. It's Kepler's turn to show off his ability to be paired with Buxton for the Twins foreseeable future. We just have to hope Minnesota doesn't get in its own way.

From Walls to the Hall: A Minimalist Masterpiece

Artwork has a way of inserting itself into pop culture, mainstream media, and especially sports. While there's an abundance of offerings in the world of art, it's the pieces in which we truly connect with that not only bring the work, but also the artist to life. There's been few people I've ever come across who embody these notions more than S. Preston, maybe better known as @PootPoot, or the Minimalist Stadium Guy.

Preston's artwork first caught my eye near the entrance to the Metropolitan Club at the newly built Target Field. His Minimalist Stadium series was an undertaking that was so flawlessly executed, it's perfection was displayed in its simplicity. With displays throughout a host of Major League Baseball stadiums, Preston's art has been handed imparted to the masses.

As his popularity has grown, so have his offerings. What started out with stadiums, has now grown to Disney Ballpark Princesses, as well as Minimalist Mascots. The way in which he's been able to connect with fans, through his art, really continues to grow. What's most impressive however, is that it's that connection that has taken things to an entirely new level, even more so than the art itself.

“Create artwork that augments and connects sports fans to their deepest love for the game”- S. Preston

Despite being far from a goal when starting out his Minimalist Ballpark venture, S. Preston has reached the ultimate pinnacle in baseball circles. He, and well maybe more correctly put, his art, are now members of the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.

To understand how he got there however, you must first understand where he's been. Despite being a native Canadian, and now residing in California, Preston's tale begins in Minnesota. Having just been licensed by Major League Baseball, he displayed his Minimalist Ballpark collection at the All Star Game held at Target Field in 2014, and was met by people from all walks of life. Of those attending the show, a group from the Hall of Fame ran into him as well. In talking and understanding his work, those from the committee saw that Preston was as much about the work itself, as he was the connection to the great game of baseball that it provided. The groundwork had been laid.

As time went on, Preston continued to do exactly what he set out to do, use art as a medium to connect with baseball fans. It is in this practice that he's set himself apart and made buying and owning his art as much about the product, as it is about the person. He's social media savvy, connecting with fans throughout the Twitterverse. He uses his Ballpark Princesses as giveaways while at games. He's even made getting mascots behind the minimalist versions of themselves a serious goal. In short, Chuhon sees his art as part of a larger story that he's telling.

“My artwork makes people smile.”- S. Preston

Based on that reality, the Baseball Hall of Fame seems to see the bigger picture as well. Calling up S. Preston shortly after his display at TwinsFest last winter (and imagine the level of excitement he had on that call, he tells the story with such exuberance), it was deemed that his artwork embodied significant parts of baseball history. The Hall of Fame had decided that Preston's Minimalist Ballpark collection needed to be included among the very few pieces of art that the museum now owns. He, err his work, was going into the Hall.

Throughout talks with the Hall of Fame, it was determined that the four oldest Major League Baseball stadiums would be the best pieces to welcome into the archives. Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, Dodgers Stadium, and Kauffman Stadium in all their minimalist glory were now providing Chuhon an avenue to sign H.O.F. behind his name.

Unfortunately, S. Preston won't be getting a plaque or a bust of himself in Cooperstown any time soon, but his art's inclusion in the heralded Hall does provide some pretty cool benefits. Not only is he now among the very select few artists that ever see their work get accepted, but he is official a member of the Hall of Fame and it lasts for life. With his lifetime membership, and his work down in the archives, he is also afforded the opportunity to tour the archives, something the general public never sees, at his desire. While on a mission to see his art, the amount of baseball history he walks by and touches along the wall is equally as exciting.

What's great about where S. Preston and his minimalist style, is that it's simply a by-product of where he's come from. A truly genuine person, his path to success is one he should be easily able to continue to replicate. In creating amazing works of art, he's opened a door. Because of how he uses Twitter and other avenues to connect beyond what's printed on a piece of paper, he simply can't be knocked off. As much as you may like his work, you buy equally because of who he is. It was what the Baseball Hall of Fame saw, what I have witnessed, and what you likely have as well.

This chapter is written, and the next one is starting. You can bet @PootPoot will have the next great thing up on his website for purchase soon, and this time, he can sign it "S. Preston H.O.F."

Twins Transition Starting To Begin?

There were to pretty distinct narratives that were expected to play out for the Minnesota Twins over the course of the 2016 Major League Baseball season. Many in the area saw this group as a potential playoff contender, and it was expected that their young stars would begin to emerge. While the playoff picture has been erased, the transition towards youth may now be getting off of the ground.

After putting together an impressive rookie campaign, expectations for Miguel Sano in his sophomore season were through the roof. He was going to strike out a ton (and he has), but he was also going to push the envelope for home runs. Early results were indicative of a guy pressing a bit too hard, but of late, Sano seems to have found his stride.

Fresh off of a stretch in which he homered in four straight games, Sano became the first Twins player to reach double digits in longballs during the 2016 season. Sure, his .237 average through 25 games in May might be a tick lower than desired, but his .851 OPS more than makes up for it. Over the course of the season's second month, he's launched eight homers and contributed 15 runs batted in. Since hitting his first homer of 2016 on April 18, Sano has owned an .875 OPS and has paced the Twins in the power department.

While he continues to acclimate to right field, Sano has turned down the dial on the talk of him being out of position in right field. Sure, he's a defensive liability having been worth -8 defensive runs saved out in right. That mark however is better than Jay Bruce's -11 for the Reds, and nearly on par with sluggers J.D. Martinez (-7) and Jose Bautista (-5). In short, his power has done what should have been expected, in making his defensive game less of a narrative.

Through the first two months of the season, Sano has been worth just 0.8 fWAR, but as I pointed out a couple of weeks ago, that number is on the rise. His process suggests the results will come, and the recent stretch of power is indicative of that.

Then there's Byron Buxton...

Recently being recalled from Rochester to replace an injured Danny Santana, this new look Buxton may be the second half of the tandem Sano needs. I outwardly wondered if Buxton's progress at AAA shows that he's turned the corner, and there's plenty of reason to believe he may have.

Down at Rochester this time around, Buxton went back to something the Twins asked him to move on from post being drafted into the organization, a leg kick. His timing has been an issue at the big league level, and while being fooled quite often, he struggled to get his hands to the ball and make contact while driving pitches.

Over the weekend, I checked in with a teammate of Buxton's and questioned about his progress. He told me, "He's playing with some much more confidence. He's on everything. When he gets out, it's because he just misses it. Whatever he changed is really working. We faced a guy a couple of days ago that was throwing 100 and Buck just smashed a ball up the middle like it was nothing." Coming from someone watching up close and personal, it's hard not to take that as more than just a grain of salt.

Buxton leaves Rochester in 2016 with a .336/.403/.603 slash line in 29 games. Over the last month, he's hit safely in all but four games (out of 23) and has slashed .375/.444/.682. His gap power has resulted in seven doubles and a triple, while he's also launched six homers in the month of May. What may be most promising is that Buxton has decreased his strikeout rate to just 20% of his plate appearances at AAA, as opposed to 49% at the big league level.

It's fair to immediately expect Buxton to be a defensive asset for the Twins, and among the best outfielders in all of major league baseball. If his bat travels north with him this time as it seems it may, he'll be ready to provide the two-headed monster that the Twins can ride throughout the rest of the season.

Sure, things haven't worked out the way in which the Twins would have wanted. Terry Ryan and Paul Molitor have both made some pretty significant mistakes. There's guys not performing, and really, the season is all but lost before the summer begins. That all being said, the transition of a youth takeover is something Minnesota has to be excited about, and June could definitely be ushering that in.

Is Buxton Ready To Go?

Baseball and the Minnesota Twins, have watched as the number one prospect has scuffled in his first few tastes of the big leagues. Byron Buxton has just 63 major league games under his belt, but they've gone anything but according to plan. Following his latest Triple-A stint though, is a corner about to be turned?

Having won the starting centerfield job out of the gate, Byron Buxton was given the reigns for the Twins. He played a strong centerfield as was expected, but turned in a dismal .156/.208/.289 slash line through 17 games. His 24/2 strikeout to walk ratio was among the worst on the club, and he was struggling to get anything going.

For the mega-prospect, the problem was really just getting that bat to the ball. He owned a 26.3% line drive rate, and was putting the ball on the ground an equal 26.3% of the time through his first 17 games. With the amount of speed at his disposal, that's truly a decent recipe for success. Unlike teammates such as Eddie Rosario, Buxton wasn't chasing bad pitches either. His 28.6% O-Swing suggested he had a fairly decent grasp on the zone. The problem was, actually getting to those pitches he knew to swing at.

Prior to his demotion, Buxton totaled a 13.9% swinging strike percentage, while making contact on just 68.5% of his swings. If he was a big time power guy, those numbers would be far from terrible. The reality is however, that's not his game, and eventually led to his downfall.

Fast forward to where we are now, and Buxton has made adjustments that have him looking like a different hitter. Having incorporated a leg kick at Triple-A Rochester, his timing looks to be much smoother. Through 24 games, he's slashing .333/.394/.576. His average in the month of May is north of .380, and his last 10 games have seen him hit nearly .500. Buxton's new timing mechanism has aided him to the tune of 6 homers in his last 17 games, and he's found extra gap power as well. The transformation that has taken place is Buxton fulfilling the expectations that were laid out for him.

While the offensive numbers are all exciting, it's the adjustment to his strikeouts that create the most reason for promise. Having struck out in 49% of his MLB plate appearances in 2016, he's lowered that percentage to just 22% at Triple-A. He's taking more walks, and Buxton noted that one of his adjustments has been to stop swinging at pitches he doesn't believe he can do anything with.

Considering the outfield that the Twins currently employ, Buxton's emergence is pushing for a role back at the top. Miguel Sano is entrenched in RF, but the LF and CF spots are far from locked down. Danny Santana has been in over his head as a starter in center, and he figures in best when used as a super utility option. Getting Buxton back up to man the middle, while letting the other pieces fall where they may, is in the Twins best interest.

The Georgia native hasn't been on the farm too terribly long, but it would appear he's made significant strides and figured something out. A return to the Twins as they come back home to play the Rays on June 2nd would seem to make a lot of sense. Terry Ryan and Paul Molitor want to see this version of Byron Buxton helping the Twins, and it sure seems like he's got the right approach to make that happen.

It's a rare occasion when a guy comes up and gets it right away. Sometimes the process is a bit slower of a transition than you would hope. In reality though, Buxton is a 22 year old future superstar, and it may very well be that the third time is the charm.

Dozier Is The Sellout The Twins Needed

The 2016 Minnesota Twins are an absolute dumpster fire. Through 45 games, they own an 11-34 record, and there's really no reason to believe there will be a significant change any time soon. What seemed possible to be a second straight exciting season for the Twins has turned into nothing short of a nightmare. At the middle of it all is their newly appointed leader, Brian Dozier.

Recently, I touched on the defiance of Dozier's approach at the plate, and how it's there that his leadership has failed the Twins the most. Deciding that everything has to be yanked to left field has not only hurt himself, but has done in his 24 teammates as well. Upon further consideration however, there's significantly more to Dozier's story.

I think Brian Dozier was the sellout that he needed to be, and the one the Twins so desperately wanted.

Minnesota made Dozier an 8th round selection out of Southern Mississippi in the 2009 Major League Baseball draft. He was anything but a slam dunk, but had nice projectables being taken in the top 10 rounds. Without the fanfare that follows first round picks, Dozier's grind started from day one.

From 2009 (his age 22 season) up until 2011 (then 24) Dozier hit for average. He slashed .349/.414/.422 in his pro debut at the Rookie level, then turned in a .275/.350/.349 performance at High and Low A the next season. Upon finishing out at Fort Myers and reaching Double-A New Britain in 2011, he totaled a .320/.399/.491 slash line. His professional career to this point was one of a high average shortstop that got on base and collected plenty of doubles.

After a strong spring training in 2012, and with a Twins team desperate for a breath of fresh air, Dozier saw his opportunity. He started the first 28 games of the 2012 season with Rochester slashing .276/.339/.371. In turn, it led to his MLB promotion for the Twins. During his rookie season, Dozier slashed .234/.271/.322 and played all 83 of his games for Minnesota at shortstop. He made 15 errors, wasn't a fit for the role, and was sent packing.

Now, before we move forward, we have to take a minute to look back again. As a minor leaguer, from 2009 to 2012, Brian Dozier played in 365 games on the farm. Across that action, he hit a total of 16 home runs, and never picked up more than 9 (in 2011 between Fort Myers and New Britain). During his rookie season for the Twins, his total was six, in just 84 games. Something had changed.

As a big leaguer, Dozier worked with an approach that was seemingly the opposite of what he rose through the minors with. No longer a high average guy, and sacrificing some of his on base skills, he'd transitioned his game to play with power. Becoming a dead pull hitter, Dozier saw balls begin to fly over the fence. As his career has gone on, that approach has only become more drastic. Here are his pull percentages in the big leagues:

• 2012- 39.6%
• 2013- 42.0%
• 2014- 53.8%
• 2015- 60.2%
• 2016- 50.8%

Starting in 2012, Dozier went from hitting 6 home runs to, 18, 23, and then 28 (he has four through the first 45 games of 2016). What took place was a hitter that went from being ok with something that worked, to an approach that he was determined to make work. In fact, it absolutely did.

In becoming a dead pull hitter, Dozier harvested power he'd never displayed at any point in his career previously. He now looked the part of a 20/20 hitter, and could lay claim to being one of the Twins greatest power threats. Despite the fall in average, he'd elevated himself to be among the best hitters at his new position, second base, in the big leagues. The culmination of his efforts came to a head in the summer of 2014.

Snubbed from the All Star game despite looking like a logical candidate, he was instead selected to participate in the Home Run Derby. Taking place at Target Field, and with 18 homers to his credit, it was far too good of an opportunity to pass up. Unsurprisingly, he didn't hang with the likes of Yoenis Cespedes and Todd Frazier, totaling just two homers in the contest. The event though, brought forth his gain, and the Twins fall.

On March 24, 2015 the Twins signed Brian Dozier to a four-year, $20 million contract extension. They bought out his arbitration years, and did so with a power hitting second basemen almost certainly going to cost them more in the long run. The problem though, was that only would be true if the production continued.

In believing, and making himself out to be a home run hitter, Dozier elevated his career beyond where it may have went, but also likely shortened it significantly. Now still a dead pull hitter seemingly lost on the possibility of using the other field, his ineptitude at the plate has the Twins on the hook for $15 million over the next two years. Pitcher's aren't allowing Dozier to be the hitter he created, and thus far he's failed to adjust.

A one time average and gap power guy, Dozier became enamored with the long ball. It allowed him to land a nice contract, he secured the right side of the Twins infield for the better part of the past four years, and it may have elevated his career to heights he never could have imagined. When things crash though, they do so hard.

At the end of the day, I can't find any reason to fault Dozier for taking the approach at the plate that he has over the past few years. In fact, it's even hard to fault him for failing to adjust as he has in 2016, and may very well continue in the future. If there's fault to be had here, it's on the Twins. While the cost certainty of the contract extension may have looked nice initially, understanding that such a drastic change in approach may not be sustainable was an oversight, and one that could be incredibly costly.

Minnesota could still very easily trade Dozier. He doesn't have no-trade protection, and his contract is relative peanuts in comparison to the going rate of a guy one year removed from an All Star appearance. That said, whether playing at Target Field or not, whoever employs Brian Dozier has to bank significantly on him continuing to get mistake pitches into his thirties, because the days of pitcher's allowing him to sell out and pull pitches into the left field seats appear to be over.

Had things gone differently, Brian Dozier may have had a similar career arc to that of a guy like James Beresford. A good minor league hitter that hits for average but doesn't do anything to an extraordinary level. Instead, Dozier capitalized on his moment; it gave him his rise, and now will likely contribute to his fall as well.