StaTuesday: Twins may not have 15-steal player for first time in 30 years
From Dan Gladden and Chuck Knoblauch to Torii Hunter and Ben Revere, the Minnesota Twins have, over the past few decades, always had a player that could swipe a bag or 40.
While as a group, they rank right in the middle among MLB teams in steals over the last 30 years, individually they really seem like a burgling bunch. Indeed, in every season since 1985, the Twins have had a player -- and often more than one -- steal at least 15 bases. Only twice has the team leader stolen fewer than 20.
Playing small ball on a small budget would seem to beget a pilfering identity, and when your manager is a guy who's among the all-time leaders (OK, he's 37th) in steals, you'd think they'd be thieving more than ever in 2015.
Not so, however.
Paul Molitor's team is 22nd in the majors in steals this year (57 entering Tuesday's game against the Chicago White Sox). What's more, Minnesota doesn't have a player in the top 60. The team's co-leaders are Brian Dozier and Eddie Rosario, both of whom have 10 steals.
At Dozier's current pace (10 in 127 games), he would finish the regular season with maybe 13 (12.5). Even at his faster pace (10 in 94 games) and if he played in all of the Twins' remaining 32 contests, Rosario would also only finish with around 13.
So barring a major increase, and unless Byron Buxton figures out a way to get on base and then goes on a bag-taking tear, Minnesota will not have a player reach the modest, 15-steal mark this season. Of course, when guys like Miguel Sano are able to leisurely jog around the bases, stealing them is not as much of a concern.
Here's a listing of the Twins' season leader in steals for every year since 1985:
Twins stolen-base leaders by season
| Year | Player | SBs |
| 1985 | Kirby Puckett | 21 |
| 1986 | Kirby Puckett | 20 |
| 1987 | Dan Gladden | 25 |
| 1988 | Dan Gladden | 28 |
| 1989 | Al Newman | 25 |
| 1990 | Dan Gladden | 25 |
| 1991 | Chuck Knoblauch | 25 |
| 1992 | Chuck Knoblauch | 34 |
| 1993 | Chuck Knoblauch | 29 |
| 1994 | Chuck Knoblauch | 35 |
| 1995 | Chuck Knoblauch | 46 |
| 1996 | Chuck Knoblauch | 45 |
| 1997 | Chuck Knoblauch | 62 |
| 1998 | Otis Nixon | 37 |
| 1999 | Matt Lawton | 26 |
| 2000 | Christian Guzman | 28 |
| 2001 | Luis Rivas | 31 |
| 2002 | Torii Hunter | 23 |
| 2003 | Christian Guzman | 18 |
| 2004 | Torii Hunter | 21 |
| 2005 | Torii Hunter | 23 |
| 2006 | Luis Castillo | 25 |
| 2007 | Jason Bartlett | 23 |
| 2008 | Carlos Gomez | 33 |
| 2009 | Denard Span | 23 |
| 2010 | Denard Span | 26 |
| 2011 | Ben Revere | 34 |
| 2012 | Ben Revere | 40 |
| 2013 | Pedro Florimon | 15 |
| 2014 | Brian Dozier | 21 |
