Travis Harrison

Then I would say we wasted alot of money on high draft picks / FA's who play 3B in the last 4 years. Not going to happen in my opinion. Sano is 3B for the future. Harrison is back up plan. If they do daft a 3B - then Harrison is trade bait. Power hitting 1B are easier to find because you can move guys to 1B as their careers wind down.
Harrison 3B
Goodrum (could move to 3B / I keep hearing)
Sano 3B
Not to mention we still have Plouffe
That's alot of money spent on these guys to project at same position

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Originally Posted by lightfoot789

Then I would say we wasted alot of money on high draft picks / FA's who play 3B in the last 4 years. Not going to happen in my opinion. Sano is 3B for the future. Harrison is back up plan. If they do daft a 3B - then Harrison is trade bait. Power hitting 1B are easier to find because you can move guys to 1B as their careers wind down.
Harrison 3B
Goodrum (could move to 3B / I keep hearing)
Sano 3B
Not to mention we still have Plouffe
That's alot of money spent on these guys to project at same position

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Yes, but the Twins have been decent at loading up on "the best players available" regardless of what position they play and then flipping a few near the top for organizational weaknesses. I guess my point is: our total value of all players is more important than making sure we have minor league depth at ALL positions.

I agreee to a point. The problem is you end up with keeping players at certain levels because you don't have spots to move them up the ladder at the pace they might need. There will be the same problem with outfielders in 2 years. They will be traded or get cheated in their ABs. There has to be a happy medium in drafting best player on the board every year. Sometimes you need to draft a need. Does that mean that the Twins will take High School OF stud from MN in this years draft with 4th pick?

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Originally Posted by lightfoot789

I agreee to a point. The problem is you end up with keeping players at certain levels because you don't have spots to move them up the ladder at the pace they might need. There will be the same problem with outfielders in 2 years. They will be traded or get cheated in their ABs. There has to be a happy medium in drafting best player on the board every year. Sometimes you need to draft a need. Does that mean that the Twins will take High School OF stud from MN in this years draft with 4th pick?

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First off you can never have too many good shortstops and 3b in your system. Considering what a black hole those positions have been for the Twins, it is indeed a wise idea to develop as many as you can. Third base prospects as well as shortstop prospects tend to have more value than corner outfielders. It takes a while to learn and adjust at every level. You hope the athleticism of the individual will carry them.
I would be hard pressed to say a top flight prospect the Twins have held back or was blocked. A C prospects maybe has been blocked here or there. Not trying to get into an argument here either, nor be called an apologist either.
With their draft pick the Twins will take who they feel is the best potential player available. It all works out eventually.

I agree with using 1st round picks on some Shortstops, but not third basemen. Shortstops can usually play anywhere on the field. Most 3rd basemen either go to 1st or hopefully a corner outfield spot. Most 3rd Basemen are somewhat slow. I agree with draftig third basemen - just not giving them all $1million plus for a limited skill set position. And yes they will draft who they want. I'm just stating my opinion as to what they will do. In other words guessing like everyone else :)

I dont think there is any chance the Twins draft Boldt (the MInnesota kid). #4 is wayy too high for him, and the Twins could nab a REAL starting pitcher with that slot. I have suggested O. Mercado or JP Crawford for the Twins, but I think they go with a guy that is 1-2 years from pitching in Minnesota.

I think the thread got a little sidetracked. Harrison should be kept at third as long as he can progress. I don't see where anyone ever advocated drafting one with this year's first round draft pick. However, if there was a high potential power hitting third baseman out there I don't think you could pass that up if he is the best player on the board..

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Power hitting 1B are easier to find because you can move guys to 1B as their careers wind down.

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You move guys to 1B when their defense isn't good enough there. This may or may not happen with Sano but scouts are even less convinced that Harrison will ever play good enough defense at 3B.

And if a player moves to 1B and becomes a starter then it's not money wasted at all. A team should be happy anytime a draftee or int'l signee becomes an MLB starter regardless of position.

Sano should start at third at Fort Myers and Harrison should start at 3B at Cedar Rapids. There is no reason to simply give up on them at those positions. Also, experimenting in the corner OF positions, especially for Harrison, would be good. 1B and DH might be where they end up though. But that move can happen at AA if it is needed.

I agree Shane. Let them both stay at 3B. I was saying that they need not draft another 3B with 1st pick as was suggested (what if?). I like Harrison at 3B. Not saying he is gold glover in the making, but he deserves chance to get better at such a young age.

Nobody is giving up on either of them at 3B. It's just silly to say that there is a lot of money wasted if they don't stick at 3B. And it's also silly to complain about too many 3Bman considering the long list of crap that the Twins have had at the position. It would be awesome to have a legitimate prospect blocked by a legitimately good 3Bman. This is absolutely last on my list of issues that the Twins will have in the future.

I'm pretty sure Amaury Minier will be moving from SS to 3rd base and there is a good chance he'll be in Gulf Coast League this year. There's more 3rd Base depth for you. :)
A good player pushes his way onto a Major League roster. If Harrison has been playing 3B and is killing it with his bat he'll take any opening at RF, 3B, 1B, DH... If Harrison show he simply can't handle 3rd base they'll move him, but it will limit his routes to the majors. So keep him their until he shows he can't handle it. Remember being a below average defender doesn't mean they can't handle 3rd base, being an awful defender does.

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Originally Posted by maxisagod

I'm pretty sure Amaury Minier will be moving from SS to 3rd base and there is a good chance he'll be in Gulf Coast League this year. There's more 3rd Base depth for you. :)
A good player pushes his way onto a Major League roster. If Harrison has been playing 3B and is killing it with his bat he'll take any opening at RF, 3B, 1B, DH... If Harrison show he simply can't handle 3rd base they'll move him, but it will limit his routes to the majors. So keep him their until he shows he can't handle it. Remember being a below average defender doesn't mean they can't handle 3rd base, being an awful defender does.

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And the reports on Harrison's defense are awful. As for Minier, no shot at sticking up-the-middle somewhere?