Minnesota Twins: September a Critical Month for Cuddyer, Plouffe and 10 Others

“This is a big month for them, this month of September,” said Ron Gardenhire, addressing the future of many of his players after the Minnesota Twins’ 11-4 victory over the Detroit Tigers on August 28.

“For some kids and some veterans and everybody else to try to…go into the offseason finishing the season strong and then you see where you’re at come Spring Training time.”

Finishing the season above the 90-loss mark or, at least, with only double-digit losses is important for the pride of the team.

However, for veterans looking for a raise, younger players looking for a spot on the team and pitchers hoping to join the starting rotation, this last month is crucial for their careers.

The following are 12 players that have the most to prove in September.

Tom Schreier is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes were obtained firsthand or from official interview materials from the Minnesota Twins.

The Veterans

Jason Kubel and Michael Cuddyer are competing for money right now. Kubel commands a $5.25 million salary, half of what Cuddyer makes at $10.5 million (No. 4 on the team) according to USA Today.

Jason Kubel

Jason Kubel, who has hit 20 home runs in his last three season, has played less than 90 games this season and, like many players in Minnesota, has seen his production drop.

Kubel has only hit 12 homers so far this season.

Michael Cuddyer

Cuddyer, on the other hand, is one of two players on the Twins Opening Day roster that has not been placed on the DL. (Danny Valencia is the other.)

He has been a workhorse—playing through injuries and carrying the team as the rest of his comrades fall to injury.

“I’m a believer that if you’re here and can play,” says Cuddyer, “then you go out there and play.”

“Michael is more outspoken, he’s not afraid to step up,” says Gardenhire of Cuddyer’s leadership abilities. “When something happens during the course of the game, he’s one of the guys always out there for you.”

In 119 games played this season, Cuddyer has displayed power, hitting 18 home runs.

Cuddyer will most likely be retained as he has been a leader in the clubhouse and productive on the field.

The Pitchers

Joe Nathan has established himself as the closer and Glen Perkins has been removed from the starting rotation and become a great setup man from the bullpen.

Matt Capps is the odd man out. The Twins should look to unload his $7 million salary next year.

Francisco Liriano has the stuff to be an ace, but there are questions if he can do it mentally.

Unless Minnesota pursues an ace in the offseason, he should start the year at the top of the rotation.

Carl Pavano and Scott Baker are established veterans. Odds are they’ll remain in the rotation.

That leaves two open spots for Kevin Slowey, Brian Duensing, Nick Blackburn, Anthony Swarzak and Scott Diamond to compete for.

Assuming all five players come back, it will be a dogfight to see who gets into the starting rotation.

Kevin Slowey

After posting double digits in the win category and never falling below .500 in his first four years with Minnesota, Slowey is 0-3 this season.

He struggled against the AL East in his first two starts, going less than six innings and posting an ERA above six in losses to the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles.

However, his last start against Mark Buehrle and the Chicago White Sox looked promising.

“[I] definitely made some strides in the right direction mechanically,” he said after the Chicago game, “as well as pitch selection and just sorta falling back into a little better groove.”

Slowey will get a few more opportunities to get a win in September.

He, most likely, will begin next year in the starting rotation.

Brian Duensing

With a sub-3.00 ERA and a 10-3 record last season, there was much optimism surrounding Duensing coming into this season.

The former University of Nebraska pitcher has not been plagued by injury (he’s made 276 starts), but has had a rough season (he’s 9-13 with a 5.09 ERA).

Fortunately, he did earn a win in his last outing against Detroit.

“It was, obviously, a better outing than I’ve had in a while,” said Duensing, who went 1-5 in August.

“The ball was down a lot more, I feel like and I was ahead in the count a little more than usual. I think that really helped.”

Duensing also noted that he was able to throw his curveball down in the zone for strikes, which enabled him to mix up speeds.

The team is hoping that his last outing is a good omen going into September.

Nick Blackburn

Blackburn has not has a winning season, or a sub-4.00 ERA, in his five-year career with Minnesota. Currently on the 15-day DL, Blackburn may struggle to get to 10 wins, after reaching that mark in the past three seasons.

He may begin the season in the starting role next season, but he’ll have a small margin for error.

Unfortunately for Blackburn, if he cannot make the starting rotation he may be dealt. He has not proven to be productive from the bullpen.

Anthony Swarzak

After starting all 12 games he appeared in last season, Swarzak has only made six starts this season.

However, his three wins this year match his total from last season (he went 3-7) and his ERA has significantly improved from 6.25 to 4.14.

Swarzak has not been without playing time. He’s made 16 appearances out of the bullpen and has 74.0 innings pitched, 15 more than the 59.0 he pitched last season.

Swarzak was scheduled to start on August 26 against Detroit, but had to come in to relieve Liriano after an injury removed him from the game after just two innings.

After the game he expressed his desire to start.

“It’s always good to know when you’re going to pitch,” he said. “Hopefully I get a couple starts towards the end of the year and finish strong.”

A strong finish could earn the 25-year-old Floridian a spot in the rotation next year.

Scott Diamond

The first pitcher from Guelph, Ontario to start a game since 1883, Diamond has made two starts in Minnesota this season, but will most likely begin the year in Rochester next year.

He is 1-2 on the season with a 4.82 ERA and has lost his last eight decisions in Rochester.

However, he has shown promise in each of his starts and put less stress on his bullpen than other starters on the team.

“Knowing that I can be successful up here and get outs up here, I just try to take that same mentality when I go down [to Rochester] and just continue to try to get outs,” he said, addressing his roller coaster season.

“I don’t know yet,” said Diamond regarding his future after his first win, which came on the last day of August.

“It depends on how many more innings I can get here and what kind of impact I can do, so [I’m] going to keep pitching the way I can and try to contribute any way they need me.”

A strong September would go a long way for a big league opportunity next year.

The Youth

While the veterans are battling for money and pitchers vie for a starting position, Trevor Plouffe, Tsuyoshi Nishioka, Luke Hughes, Ben Revere and Rene Tosoni are looking to stay in the big leagues next year.

“It’s a process, you can’t go by one day, you just hope to see improvement and better at bat and you see them relax a little bit,” said Gardenhire of his players on the bubble.

“When they’re not playing every day they fight it and they press themselves and that’s the norm for kids who come up here. They’re getting out, they’re having some fun and swinging.”

Trevor Plouffe

With 15 home runs and a .313 average in 51 games with Rochester, Plouffe has proven that he has power.

In his 54 games with Minnesota, however, the West Hills, CA native has only a .233 average with six home runs.

A first-round pick out of high school in 2004, Plouffe, 25, is a bit of a late-bloomer, but in his time in the big leagues he’s proven that he belongs.

Plouffe has played his best baseball at short, replacing Tsuyoshi Nishioka, but has moved around frequently depending on team needs.

“I have no preference,” he said when asked about playing at short or in the outfield. “I feel comfortable at shortstop, I feel comfortable in the outfield.

“I played shortstop the longest, so I’ve got to say I’m most comfortable there, but as far as what I’m best at, I don’t know.”

Perhaps with increased time in the big leagues and less change in the field, Plouffe’s latent power will awaken in September.

Tsuyoshi Nishioka

Injuries have setback Nishioka, who came to Minnesota from Japan with lofty expectations.

He has struggled at the plate, only hitting .221 with five doubles, but he was brought in primarily for his defense. Nishioka has played primarily at short, where he has a .970 fielding percentage and turned 32 double plays, but also has eight errors.

Nishioka has only played in 63 games this year, so he should get some leeway, but, as it stands, Plouffe looks like the answer at shortstop.

Luke Hughes

Hughes, a product of the Twins venture into Australia, has displayed power—three home runs in back-to-back games in August and six total on the season, in 73 games played.

“It makes things a little more easier when you’re out there every day,” said Hughes, “seeing pitches every day, instead of trying to play once a week or so, but, hey, that’s the way you start up, where you start off the bench and hopefully make your way to the starting lineup and try to stay there. “

He’s got to get his average (.237) up, however, and display that power more consistently if he’s going to be a full-time major league player.

Rene Tosoni

With a .226 average in the 73 games he played in Rochester and only a .182 average in 40 games in The Show, the Toronto-born, Vancouver-raised Tosoni is not expected to hit for average. But his six homers in Western New York and three in Minnesota indicate he has some power.

His fielding has been stellar and he’s shown the ability to play either left or right.

Tosoni will probably start with the Red Wings or on the bench next season.

Ben Revere

Revere has capitalized on the absence of leadoff man and center fielder Denard Span this season.

The Atlanta native does not have the bat Span has—he’s hitting .253—and frequently grounds out to the pitcher. However, his spectacular play in the field has endeared him to fans in Minnesota.

His arm strength can improve and he needs to hit more consistently, but Revere took big strides toward getting a spot on the major league roster this season.

Conclusion

The Twins are 7-21 in August and in serious jeopardy of losing 90 games for the first time since 2000, after winning the AL Central the past two years.

In September, they must set the tone for next season and ensure that they do not upset their fans in Minnesota, who have packed the brand new Target Field all season.

“I wish we could figure it out,” says Cuddyer, addressing the team’s brutal month. “I wish we could put a finger on it.

“It’s tough when you’re losing a lot, everything’s magnified, it seems like every play is a make-or-break play. When you’re winning it’s not like that. It’s the nature of the game, it’s the nature of winning and losing.”

“August wasn’t a good month for us, too many injuries, too many—not swinging the bat good, too many errors and too many me not managing good. The whole package,” said Gardenhire after the win in Chicago.

“August sucked!”

Hopefully, for Gardie and the team, their fortunes will change in September.

Tom Schreier covers hockey and baseball for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @tschreier3.