Catching up with USM Alum Brian Dozier

Personal accolades don’t always translate to team success; just ask Southern Miss alum Brian Dozier. The Minnesota Twins second baseman had one of the best years ever for any player at his position, but somehow his team still led all of Major League Baseball with 103 losses.
A hot topic in trade talks throughout this offseason, Dozier had an even hotter bat in 2016. After slumping his way through April and May with a batting average of .202, Dozier absolutely went off. By the time it was all said and done, the man had gone yard 42 times, a new American League record for second baseman.
But amidst all the losing, it was hard for him to appreciate his career year and believe it or not that’s still the case as he continues to get ready for the upcoming campaign back at his alma mater. “During a long season you don’t ever assess your season and stuff and take note of what you accomplish until after the season is over with, but I’ve said this so many times the numbers and stuff they’re always there, it’s just the fact of when you get to a certain point you want to win baseball games. And it was frustrating for myself and many others on our team last year that we didn’t really get the job done. So you kind of sit back in the off-season, when I’m in a deer stand and assess the season it always reverts back to 103 losses, which is kind of embarrassing”
Dozier hit just 16 home runs combined during his four years at USM. Nineteen of his final 21 long balls last season came in a loss.