Brian Dozier is Playing Like a Mythical Creature

Aug 23, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Twins second baseman Brian Dozier (2) poses for the camera before the game with the Detroit Tigers at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 23, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Twins second baseman Brian Dozier (2) poses for the camera before the game with the Detroit Tigers at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports /
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In a long sad Minnesota Twins season, one bright spot is second baseman Brian Dozier who is on an amazing run.

Throughout this season, Minnesota Twins have not had much to look forward to. With the team posting a 51-88 record, they are the worst team in Major League Baseball right now. Brian Dozier has turned a sad season into slugfest, with his bat as of late.

Coming into the season, many fans were hoping the team could take the next step after posting a 83-79 record last year. They had signed Byung Ho Park, a slugger from overseas, and had a lot of hope in their young core.

After starting the season on a historically bad pace, expectations changed very fast. Now the Twins are looking for any bright spot in their season. It looks like they might have found one attraction that could help fill the seats at Target Field.

Second baseman Brian Dozier started the season in a slump. There were many calling for a trade of Dozier while he still had any value left.

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Now looking back, those calling for Dozier’s head would surely be taking back their statements.

Dozier is on a historic pace that can only be compared to Babe Ruth and Barry Bonds(minus the juice). He has put 39 balls out of the ballpark, with 14 coming before the all star break and 25 after.

In the last 30 days, Dozier has hit 17 home runs, and posted 39 runs. In the last 7 days, Dozier has put 8 balls out of the park in 7 games. In the last week he has posted an average of .419, OBP of .455, slugging percentage of 1.226, and an OPS of 1.680.

How is Dozier doing this? Scott Strandberg at FanGraphs took a look at Dozier’s swing last week, and noticed that he’s tweaked his stance since the start of the season. Dozier is keeping his hands much closer to his body as he begins his swing, which may be allowing him to get the bat through the zone much more quickly than before.

Brian Dozier is the first player to hit 22 homers in a 36-game stretch since Shawn Green in 2002 with the Dodgers. By his performance, Dozier holds the best value on the Twins team, and at the second base position in the MLB.

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Hopefully Dozier can keep this up, and give the Minnesota Twins fans a reason to go out to the ballpark. I know for a fact he has saved my coworkers Fantasy Baseball season, as he texts me every time he hits a home run, which has been an awful lot lately.