Yes sirree, I did poorly on my 2023 prediction and missed by six “wins” with a 93-69 pick. I have learned my lesson and lowered my level of expectation by two games. The Minnesota Twins will win the American League Central with a 91-71 record but it will not be a cakewalk like it was last season. I think every team in the AL Central could have an improved record in 2024. Well, maybe not the Chicago White Sox who could well be the worst team in the American League and who knows, maybe in all of MLB.
Month: March 2024
The Minnesota Twins and Two Longstanding Streaks That Ended in 2023 – And Two More That May End in 2024
The year 2023 was a landmark year for breaking long-standing streaks in the world of American sports. Two of the most talked-about streaks that ended were the Minnesota Twins’ 18-game MLB playoffs losing streak and the Detroit Lions’ 32-year drought without an NFL postseason victory. As we look forward to the 2024 baseball season and beyond, fans are wondering which long-standing records may yet tumble.
When it comes to the Twins and the MLB in particular, expectations have already reached a fever pitch ahead of the new season getting underway. The Texas Rangers head into the season as the reigning champions after their fairytale campaign last year culminated with a first World Series in franchise history. The Lone Star State side headed into the postseason as rank outsiders after securing a mere fifth seeding in the American League. However, victories against the Tampa Bay Rays, the top seed Baltimore Orioles and the heavyweight Houston Astros secured a trip to the championship series for the first time since they lost back-to-back World Series in 2010 and 2011.
What does AI predict for the Twins in 2024
Just for fun I asked AI Microsoft Copilot powered by GPT-4 to tell me how the Minnesota Twins will do in 2024. Here is what it had to say:
The Minnesota Twins are gearing up for the 2024 MLB season, and there are several intriguing story-lines to watch. Let’s dive into some predictions:
- Royce Lewis Makes All-Star Team, Earns MVP Consideration:
- Royce Lewis, a popular breakout candidate, has been impressive in his 70 career big league games. With a slash line of .307/.364/.548/.921 and 17 home runs, his power potential is evident.
- Staying healthy will be crucial for Lewis. While I don’t think he’ll win the MVP in 2024, he’s likely to draw consideration. Expect him to make the All-Star team and establish himself as a superstar for the Twins1.
- Joe Ryan Bounces Back with an All-Star Season:
- After a promising 2022 season, Joe Ryan faced challenges in 2023, finishing with a forgettable 4.51 ERA.
- Ryan’s 2023 strikeout percentage was higher than in 2022, but he was unlucky. His hard-hit rate increased significantly.
- In 2024, Ryan has the potential for a strong comeback. If he can regain his form, he could have an All-Star-caliber season on the mound1.
- Twins Projected to Win AL Central Again:
- Despite key losses, the Twins are still projected to win the AL Central crown. Fangraphs forecasts them to finish with an 84-78 record, making them a legitimate contender in the American League2.
In summary, keep an eye on Royce Lewis, Joe Ryan, and the Twins as they aim to defend their division title and make a deeper playoff run in 2024! ??
Top 10 offensive seasons by a Twins position player
It is always interesting to look back over the years and try to determine who has had the best offensive season for your favorite team. In the case of the Minnesota Twins I think that is a pretty easy answer, Rod Carew in 1977 and his run at hitting .400. I was lucky that I was able to witness that season as I was able to get out to Met Stadium and see a number of his games in person. Here is a short 3 minute video (don’t forget to turn on the sound) for you to watch about Rod. An interesting point is that none have taken place at Target Field.
But the Twins have had many great offensive seasons by their players and today we going to provide a list of the top 10 (actually 11) for you. All the players on this list have a WAR of 7.0 or above. As you go down the list you can picture the player in your mind or if you weren’t around or didn’t follow the Twins back then this website will hopefully learn more about that player and his contribution to Minnesota Twins history. As always we are going to use Baseball-Reference.com and their nifty tool “Stathead” to help us identify the players for this list by rating them using WAR.
Twins top 10 offensive seasons by a Twins player
Over the years, there have been 141 players with a WAR of 9.0 or more in a season, here is the list. Any surprises? Feel free to leave your comments.