Max Kepler Quietly Climbing Twins Career Leaderboards

Every one knows he should have been DFA and some wonder rookie taken his place!

The guy is a very good when not trying to pull everything and just hit the ball hard.  Since July of last year,  his BA is over .300.  For a hitter that has basically averaged below .240  that is eye catching.   Many have argued that the clock would strike midnight and he would revert back to his past 3-4 year statistics.  That doesn't appear to be the case.  I would love to get him at a decent extension price,  but if he continues this he is effectively a lock to get the qualifying offer.  

It takes talent to stick around as a starter in MLB. Kepler has that.

Though I would call it a longshot and not a "near-lock" to make the Twins HOF. Unless he has a great October/November this year :)

For a guy that most was already carving his tombstone what a resurgence. Good for him, the Twins and the fans.

On TV they keep saying he is doing better since he starting striking out more, to me it looks like he is doing better because he isn't trying to pull every ball over the fence and because of that is barrelling up the ball. Whatever it is Max keep doing what you are doing.

I have always liked Kepler. He can have his month slump, but then comes back and more than makes up for it. His defense is very good. He never has been the weak link on the Twins roster. There are many others I would try to replace before him. The only argument you can give is that he would have been one of the better trade pieces on our roster. He might have actually given us a return. But the Twins history of trades makes me happy he has stayed around. I will be sad to see him leave if it comes to that.

1 hour ago, IndianaTwin said:

Pretzels Getzien

With mustard, ya.

Und beer

50 minutes ago, TwinsDr2021 said:

For a guy that most was already carving his tombstone what a resurgence. Good for him, the Twins and the fans.

On TV they keep saying he is doing better since he starting striking out more, to me it looks like he is doing better because he isn't trying to pull every ball over the fence and because of that is barrelling up the ball. Whatever it is Max keep doing what you are doing.

9 of Keplers 22 hits this season, of which 3 were doubles were to left field.  When the defense continues to play an extremely heavy shift on you,  taking the pitches on the outside of the plate to the opposite field is become an easy hit for Kepler.   He is starting to realize that.  Then when teams start to play him more straight up,  watch the hits to right field explode.  

Interesting to see how close Kep is to Dozier in so many statistics. Puts him in better perspective for me. Kepler did it in 3930 plate appearances while Dozier had 4232 with the Twins.

How often has someone played for nine seasons with the Twins? I am not too surprised that he has worked his way up the leaderboards since it seems like anyone who has the talent to stick around is either traded or allowed to leave before or when they hit free agency. If you are around long enough, you are going to start putting up enough counting stats to move up the list. Also, at 31, Kepler may still have some productive seasons in front of him. 

2 hours ago, bean5302 said:

He's an absolute lock for Twins HoF. Any player who sticks with the team and is a regular player for 5 years is enshrined. Virtually a guarantee since the Twins have so very rarely actually held on to players more than 5 years throughout history. Once a player nears free agency, they've always been traded.

That's how guys like Cuddyer get added.

Youi can say that after free agency kicked in but in the sixties to early seventies, 8 years was about average for longevity.

Hard not to like Kepler (well some others maybe not).  Even in his down times he is playing above average in the field, and a run saved is worth an out at the plate although frustrating.  

You have to think the club house and the front office really like this guy's personality and demeanor, being with the organization so long it will be hard not to see an offer, and with Kepler he probably would accept a lower level offer as he doesn't look for fame or exploitation, just play to his days ability the best he can and have a pretty decent pay check.

a job playing a sports game. 

2 hours ago, minman1982 said:

How often has someone played for nine seasons with the Twins? I am not too surprised that he has worked his way up the leaderboards since it seems like anyone who has the talent to stick around is either traded or allowed to leave before or when they hit free agency. If you are around long enough, you are going to start putting up enough counting stats to move up the list. Also, at 31, Kepler may still have some productive seasons in front of him. 

Great question.  You inspired me to look it up:  Killebrew, Kaat, Mauer, Oliva, Hrbek, Alison, Pascual (counting some years in Washington), Bush, Carew, Guardado, Hunter, Perkins, Puckett, Radke, Aguilera, Blyleven, Cuddyer, Hocking, Morneau, Buxton, Gaetti, Gagne, Perry, Polanco, Reese, and Smalley all got to 10 years or more.  A couple of those names really surprised me.   The vast majority of these guys are in the Twins HOF.

Holy Pickles Dilhoefer! Pretzels Getzien is a great baseball name.
They should both be on the all-deli team.

8 hours ago, Road trip said:

Great question.  You inspired me to look it up:  Killebrew, Kaat, Mauer, Oliva, Hrbek, Alison, Pascual (counting some years in Washington), Bush, Carew, Guardado, Hunter, Perkins, Puckett, Radke, Aguilera, Blyleven, Cuddyer, Hocking, Morneau, Buxton, Gaetti, Gagne, Perry, Polanco, Reese, and Smalley all got to 10 years or more.  A couple of those names really surprised me.   The vast majority of these guys are in the Twins HOF.

I was thinking, what about Tim Laudner? But I checked and he only played 9 years, just missing his decade. 

It looks like Jim Perry played 10 seasons (maybe not all of them full seasons) with the Twins from 1962 to 1972. He won at least 20 games twice for the Twins, but of course he is perhaps best known for being the brother of spit-balling legend Gaylord Perry. 

Do we have a team option on Kepler for next year, or is this for sure his final year of his contract?

Larnach has regained the form he once had with the bat.

His future may be very positive.

I like Max and if he keeps this up would not mind the Twins trying to retain him after this season or giving him the QO in an attempt to get a draft pick back.  That said, I do not feel he is Twins HOF material just like I do not think others who have "longevity" qualify.  I do believe that you need a minimum number of years in the organization, but you also need to be a special player per statistics.  For example, Randy Bush was on the list of players over 10-years but I would in no way consider him Twins HOF material.