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Twins Blog: Minor League Players Of The Year

By Dan Cook, WCCO Radio

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- As the Twins close out their 2014 home slate with a three-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks, both the fans and the organization turn their eyes toward the future.

While the Twins record this season will likely be their best since 2010, that's not exactly a high bar to clear.  Plainly, the Twins will require an infusion of talent if they're going to get back to being a contender in the American League Central Division.

The beginning of that infusion is evidenced by the announcement of this year's Twins Minor League Pitcher and Player of the Year.

This year's Minor League Pitcher of the Year is Jose Berrios, who split time between High-A Fort Meyers, AA New Britain and even got a start in at AAA Rochester.

Altogether, Berrios recorded 12 wins and eight losses with an earned run average of just 2.76.  He threw a total of 140 innings over his 25 starts and struck out exactly one batter for every inning he pitched, while walking only 38 batters.

He was named to both the Florida State League's midseason and post-season All-Star teams.  And speaking of All-Star festivities, Berrios was named the starter of the Futures Game at part of this year's All-Star celebration at Target Field.  In that appearance, he pitched a perfect first inning with a strikeout.

Winning the Jim Rantz Award as the Twins Minor League Pitcher is no guarantee of Major League success.  Past award winners include Liam Hendriks (2011), who's now in the Blue Jays organization, Kevin Slowey (2007), who's currently a free agent and J.D. Durbin (2002), who had a mere cup of coffee with the Twins before bouncing from Arizona to Philadelphia to the Atlantic League.

But that list of previous winners also includes Kyle Gibson (2010), Matt Garza (2006), Francisco Liriano (2005) and Jesse Crain (2003).

Obviously the Twins are hoping Berrios' career follows the pattern of the latter group rather than the former.  Twins fans are hoping he'll be around long enough for them to enjoy it.

The announcement of the Twins Major League Player of the Year shows that the formerly mentioned "talent infusion" is on the way.  This year's Sherry Robertson Award goes to current Twins DH Kennys Vargas.

Vargas put together a .281/.360/.472 slash-line with 17 doubles, 17 home runs and 63 RBI at AA-New Britain before getting the call to join the big league club on Aug. 1.  He was also named to the Eastern League midseason All-Star team.

Vargas, like Berrios, also made an appearance for the World Team in the Futures game. He managed only one hit – a double – in his four at bats in the game, but still flashed that trademark smile that Twins fans have come to know and love.

Since getting called up to the Twins, all Vargas has done is put together a .288/.303/.480 slash-line with nine home runs, 19 extra-base hits and 38 RBI coming into the series against Arizona.  Sure he's riding a sky-high .350-plus BABIP, but he's rarely looked over-matched at the plate and would seem to have carved out a spot for himself in future Twins lineups.

"For me, it's an honor to be selected Minor League Player of the Year," Vargas said, "I worked very hard for that.  That means work for six years, that show the help from the minor league coaches, players, teammates.  I will keep working hard for try to get selected, I don't know, an All-Star player or something on the big league team and make the World Series."

The list of previous Minor League Player of the Year awards is a bit more star-studded. It includes Brian Dozier (2011), Joe Mauer (2003), Michael Cuddyer (2001) and even a player Vargas has become close friends with – David Ortiz (1997).  Oh, and also on that list?  Another young Twins slugger, Oswaldo Arcia (2012).

Berrios and Vargas will receive their awards officially at the Twins annual Diamond Awards dinner on Jan. 22.

The Twins and their fan base have to hope those awards are the first of many which spell the resurgence of a franchise which has struggled mightily these last four years.

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