It was more fun to watch the Twins in 2014 than it was in 2011 through 2013. Maybe that's because the team was a bit better, maybe it's because the pain of the prior three seasons has begun to dull the pain, and maybe it's because we've stopped caring at all and simply watch the games because we're creatures of habit.
Whatever the case, my selection of candidates for the Twins' best hit of 2014 are a combination of good, noteworthy hits...and others, not so much, and those candidates make this list to remind your childrens' childrens' children of what we witnessed this year. Let's begin.
2014 Twins post-season awards: Introduction | (Poll) Funniest moment | (Poll) Twinsiest/Regrettable moment | (Poll) Best defensive play
Chris Colabello homers with mom in stands, being interviewed
I mean, honestly. You can't make this stuff up, because if you do and you put it into a movie people will think you're embellishing the truth. But nope. In this case, you can't make it up because it's true. Near the end of what may be the best few weeks of Chris Colabello's career, his mother was in the stands in Tampa Bay being interviewed as she watched her son take a plate appearance for a Major League Baseball team. He homered, and we got to see the elation on his parents' faces in real time.
Plouffe triples, scores
Hitting the triple was good. But getting hit in the back and being able to head home to give Minnesota a two-run lead? That's Twins Baseball.
Kennys Vargas' first plate appearance
Stepping in against Chris Sale is a dubious proposition for the most seasoned of hitters. Kennys Vargas didn't think too much of it though, driving a ball into the right field corner for a double and giving the Twins a two-run lead.
Plouffe wins the game
It shouldn't have happened, but it did. Maybe it's representative of the Twins' successes in 2014 (accidental?), or maybe it's representative of luck balancing itself out after the baseball gods crapped all over the Twins in the last three seasons. But hey...big "hit," right? You take that win every single time.
Good aim
A raindrop gets Chris Colabello, right in the eyeball. That counts as one hell of a hit. I mean that raindrop came from how far away? And managed to hit Colabello's eye? Outstanding hit.
Brian Dozier's foul ball lesson
Anytime you can get a pointer (see what I did there?) from Jeff Francoeur on the art of hitting a baseball, count yourself lucky. Maybe it's Francoeur who is responsible for Dozier's success this year. Don't give me that look, you don't know.
Escobar hits umpire
Then again, maybe the baseball gods aren't evening out the odds entirely. At least, not yet. What does Eduardo Escobar need another double for? Doesn't he have enough??
Oswaldo Arcia singles
When the revolution comes and the Minnesota Twins have three guys in the middle of their lineup hitting 35 home runs a year, all of whom are making less than a pittance thanks to the rules of team control and service time, know who's going to be the elder statesman of that group at 25 years old in 2016? Oswaldo Arcia. This is just a hint of what's to come.
VARGAS SMASH, PITCHER CRY
One of those three guys? Kennys Vargas. Actually hitting a home run, though.
Kevin Correia doubles, drives in a run
How can you not believe that Coors Field embellishes a hitters' abilities?!? Kevin Correia's OPS at Coors was .750 in 2014. No, I don't care that this double makes him 1-for-16 in Colorado in his career. Bless his heart for giving it his all! You can watch athleticism at its finest right here.