Spring Training - Game 27 - 3/28/12 - vs Philadelphia

[Seth Stohs]

Twins Lineup:

Denard Span CF
Jamey Carroll SS
Joe Mauer C
Justin Morneau DH
Josh Willingham LF
Luke Hughes 1B
Danny Valencia 3B
Ben Revere RF
Alexi Casilla 2B

SP Francisco Liriano

Phillies Lineup:

Jimmy Rollins SS
Carlos Ruiz C
Hunter Pence RF
Ty Wigginton 3B
Hector Luna 1B
John Mayberry Jr CF
Luis Montanez LF
Miguel Abreu 2B
Vance Worley RHP

[Gernzy]

Revere in RF. We'll see if he has a chance to make some plays.

[Gardy32]

I see the Phils got their A lineup in today........ Hopefully Frankie can keep 'em quiet.

[TwinVike61]

Revere in RF. We'll see if he has a chance to make some plays.

In Bollinger's recap of yesterday's game he said "the Twins executed a great relay, as Ben Revere got the ball to Alexi Casilla who threw Andino out at third." I'm curious about whether Casilla had to position himself 100 feet further out as someone suggested or if Revere found his missing arm.

[Seth Stohs]

John Shipley just tweeted that in the AAA game, Trevor Plouffe is 3-3 with a double and two home runs. Not too bad!

[Yoshii]

John Shipley just tweeted that in the AAA game, Trevor Plouffe is 3-3 with a double and two home runs. Not too bad!

What does this mean for Revere? Back to AAA to start the season?

[rinkratfrits]

I still can't believe the team is believing that Revere is a major leaguer! Plouffe can hit. Revere cannot. Then throw in the fact that he can't throw, it blows my mind!

[Yoshii]

Morneau Homer!!! #3!

[Seth Stohs]

What does this mean for Revere? Back to AAA to start the season?

I don't think one 3-3 game will alter what anything means for Revere. My guess is he's up as the 4th OF and pinch runner... Plouffe likely the 5th OF and pinch hitter.

[Twins Fan From Afar]

Wow, continues to be a great week for the big guy!

[Seth Stohs]

According to Dustin Morse, Trevor Plouffe was 4-4 with a double and THREE home runs in that AAA game against the Orioles.

[rinkratfrits]

I don't think one 3-3 game will alter what anything means for Revere. My guess is he's up as the 4th OF and pinch runner... Plouffe likely the 5th OF and pinch hitter.

Does this bother anyone else? Besides his range, what does Revere offer?

[Twins Fan From Afar]

I still can't believe the team is believing that Revere is a major leaguer! Plouffe can hit. Revere cannot. Then throw in the fact that he can't throw, it blows my mind!

Well, perhaps he's not a starting MLB outfielder, but he can track down fly balls that Plouffe could not reach, and he can steal bases at a good clip (and just generally run faster than Plouffe can), all of which are important attributes for a major leaguer. He'll probably be pretty good off the bench.

[James]

Well, perhaps he's not a starting MLB outfielder, but he can track down fly balls that Plouffe could not reach, and he can steal bases at a good clip (and just generally run faster than Plouffe can), all of which are important attributes for a major leaguer. He'll probably be pretty good off the bench.

Well said.

[edavis0308]

Does this bother anyone else? Besides his range, what does Revere offer?

If hitting .300 at each minor leaguer classifies as not hitting...then...I wish he could not hit as a 4th OF on the team.

EDIT: I'm not saying I want him to make the team, but if you could guarantee me he was going to hit .300+ and have 30-40+ steals...

[rinkratfrits]

Well, perhaps he's not a starting MLB outfielder, but he can track down fly balls that Plouffe could not reach, and he can steal bases at a good clip (and just generally run faster than Plouffe can), all of which are important attributes for a major leaguer. He'll probably be pretty good off the bench.

TFFA - My opinion is that they should put the time into Benson and Hicks, not Revere. I'm not saying that Revere doesn't have his uses, but how often do you need just a glove and range in the OF? If you bring him in as a defensive replacement, what good is that if a guy gets on second? A single will always score that run. Plouffe has his problems too, I'm not denying that. I just think that it's time the Twins started to think about out-scoring their opponents now because the pitching staff is going to need it. Plouffe can produce more runs than Revere can save.

[Gernzy]

Morneau Homer!!! #3!

Just got back from lunch and saw this. Got to love it! Morneau might be a good fantasy waiver pickup.

[Twins Fan From Afar]

TFFA - My opinion is that they should put the time into Benson and Hicks, not Revere. I'm not saying that Revere doesn't have his uses, but how often do you need just a glove and range in the OF? If you bring him in as a defensive replacement, what good is that if a guy gets on second? A single will always score that run. Plouffe has his problems too, I'm not denying that. I just think that it's time the Twins started to think about out-scoring their opponents now because the pitching staff is going to need it. Plouffe can produce more runs than Revere can save.

That's fair enough. I just think that some people that rag on Revere's poor arm or lack of power/OBP (both valid and significant faults, mind you) fail to acknowledge the fact that he's one of the few in the lineup that can score from first base on ball in the gap, or can be called on to steal second in a pinch, and have a pretty good shot at doing so. Parker Hageman had a good post several months ago, using some advanced defensive stats, that basically indicated (I'm really paraphrasing) that, what Revere lacks as a result of the arm he makes up for by having exceptional range.

But I agree in the sense that he's probably not the guy you want a sacrifice fly hit to if it's a tie game, and the winning run is on third!

[wavedog]

Revere might have more value as a bench player than starter: Defensive replacement, pinch-runner, pinch-hitter to start off an inning.

[Twins Fan From Afar]

Was anyone on base for Morneau?