Offseason Preview Series – Part 2 of 24
The 1995 Minnesota Twins finished the season 77–85 — just good enough to convince nobody of anything. Not quite contenders, not quite rebuilders, and definitely not inspiring confidence among fans. After years of treading water, the front office enters the winter needing to decide: Is it time to push chips in… or start over?
Bright Spots: Who’s Worth Keeping?
Despite the murky identity, there are pieces here that make sense — particularly in the heart of the lineup and at the front of the bullpen.
✅ Pat Combs, SP – Nothing flashy about him other than the fact that he can eat innings and be league average at doing so. Depending on price, with absolutely no cap space, he should come back.
✅ Todd Zeile, C – Been a lineup staple for this team and has been consistent behind the plate. In a feast or famine lineup, the Twins can’t afford to lose him.
❌ Time to Move On
Lots of guys – Easy decisions to make on everyone else – random depth and pieces of nostalgia, everyone else can walk.
Rotation Roulette
The rotation was healthy, durable, and aggressively fine.
- Pedro Astacio (11–13, 4.51 ERA, 185 K) led the team in wins and finished the year on a tear (3-0, 1.71 ERA last 4 starts).
- Hideo Nomo struck out 256 and had the lowest ERA among starters (4.10), but won just 9.
- Darryl Kile (9–11, 4.31) and Darren Oliver (8–13, 5.10) were serviceable innings-eaters.
- Pat Combs (9–13, 4.91) made more news for his 9.19 ERA in September than anything he did all year.
The back-end depth (Steve Parris, Mike Oquist, Tyler Green) is cheap and passable, but if this team’s going to matter, someone needs to step up — or get acquired.
Bats: A Tale of Two Offenses
It was bombs or bust.
- Frank Thomas, Kal Daniels, and Larry Walker combined for 125 homers and 318 RBI.
- Geronimo Berroa added 19 HR and 72 RBI, but hit just .217 with -0.6 WAR.
- Todd Zeile posted a respectable 3.1 WAR season behind the plate with 14 HR and a .242 average.
But the supporting cast was mostly noise.
- Mark Grudzielanek hit .247 with 31 stolen bases and played strong defense — a bright spot at short.
- Brent Gates hit .241 across 157 games, offering durability if not dynamism.
- Arquimedez Pozo (.220 AVG, 1 HR, -0.5 WAR) and Norberto Martin (.203 AVG) were walking vacancies at third and backup short.
- Reggie B. Williams, the closest thing this team had to a center fielder, posted a .226 average and 133 strikeouts.
There’s star power, yes. But behind the stars? You’d get more offensive production from a cranky toddler with a Wiffle bat.
Five Burning Questions Heading into 1996
1. Keep the core or cash out?
Thomas, Walker, and Hoffman are huge chips. Do you build around them — or sell high and reset?
2. Is Nomo the ace of a contender — or trade bait?
He’s signed through 1999 on a steal of a contract. If someone offers a significant package, do you listen?
3. When does the youth movement arrive?
Minnesota is tied with Montreal for the weakest farm system, having graduated some guys to big league level. Can they have success drafting this year to build that pipeline?
4. What’s the plan in left field?
Daniels, Berroa, and Stone all bring issues — be it age, defense, or general competence. This has to be addressed.
5. What about the cap space?
The team currently has less than $90,250 in cap space, since the 1st round pick cap hold hasn’t been applied yet. Much like last season, they’ll face a significant roster crunch. The obvious guy to trade is Koji Akiyama – in the final year of his contract, there may be a team out there open to dealing for him.
Outlook for 1996
This isn’t a team that’s one piece away. It’s a talented group caught between ambition and inertia. If the front office has the courage, they’ll pick a lane: trade veterans for youth, or double down and chase 85+ wins in a weak middle of the division.
📬 Fan Mailbag: Twins Edition
Q: Can I continue to wear by Koji Akiyama jersey? – Danny in Duluth
A: Hard to say – local legend Akiyama had gigantic expectations placed on him with this contract and as he nears the end, hard to believe he’s a piece the team priorities spending more money on. I’d anticipate a trade this offseason.
Q: Is there a world where we flip Thomas and get an ace? – Marcus in Mankato
A: Absolutely. But brace for riots in Bloomington. You only trade Frank if you get a package that everyone agrees is an overpay. Larry Walker or Kal Daniels? That’s a different story.
Q: Who’s our best young player? – Sara in Saint Paul
A: Grudzielanek — which says more about the system than him. He had 0.5 WAR and led the team in infield dust inhaled.
Q: Do we have a team identity? – Karl in Kandiyohi
A: Yes: “1990s baseball purgatory.”
Q: Where do we go from here? – Everyone in Minnesota
A: Kudos to the Minnesota owner, who has been one of the most loyal owners in the league – he has kept players around which has created goodwill with this fanbase. That being said, something needs to shake and an offseason focused on moving Akiyama (for cap space), Rob Dibble, and Kal Daniels may provide the flexibility (and trade returns) to turn the corner.