Tsuyoshi Nishioka’s return to the Twins will provide local fans plenty to talk about. The Twins’ first year middle infielder is near the end of his rehab from his April broken leg, but instead of rejoining the team as a second baseman he will play shortstop.
Nishioka’s arm strength has been questioned and coming out of spring training the Twins decided to play the 26-year-old native of Japan at second base. The move to shortstop is expected to make it easier for him to turn double play balls and may allow him more emotional security after breaking his left leg while attempting a double play.
There’s more to the story, though, than Nishioka’s arm strength. The Twins have won nine of their last 11 games. Shortstop Alexi Casilla will be headed for second base, when and if, Nishioka is playing shortstop. Casilla has been playing outstanding shortstop and is hitting much better, improving his average from under .200 earlier in the spring to .264 now.
His frequent double play partner, second baseman Matt Tolbert, has been effective in the field, too. Both players are key contributors to the team’s new found speed and hustle.
Nishioka was a shortstop in Japan. Last year he played 144 games at the position. Back in 2007 he was a Gold Glove winner playing for Chiba Lotte. But excelling in Japan isn’t the same as playing MLB, the best baseball league in the world.
Do the Twins alter a winning lineup when Nishioka is ready to rejoin the team? Maybe, but presumably he will have to produce in a hurry for a club that is desperate to get back into the Central Division race before it is too late. Nishioka is still learning not only major league baseball, but the American culture. Pressure could understandably bother him more than a more experienced player.
Nishioka has a three year, $9.25 million contract with the Twins, according to Cot’s Baseball Contracts website. That’s the best money deal among club infielders except for Justin Morneau’s $80 million contract. The Twins may well want to play Nishioka every day to maximize their financial return, but it’s not like the team has been suffering of late without him.