Thread: Twins New Infield

I don't get it, really. Carroll hasn't hit for average, but he's leading the team in walks so he's getting on base and he's been better than I'd say most/all expected in the field. Dozier's numbers are good-not-great a level below the big leagues, and that includes his blistering start. It seems like crowding an area of (relative) strength without addressing the areas of more weakness. With a little more thought, it seems even more gloomy because I'm sure they know the areas of strength and weakness and there is probably nothing better to be done. It all is really telling how valuable it would be to have Morneau at 1B. When he moved to full-time DH, it shuffled so many spots on the roster making RF the chaos it has been and really affected how to get Doumit in the lineup as much as planned. Now the move from DH to DL has amplified all of that. It's frustrating.

We all sort of like Carroll, but he's 38 and not going to be the SS on the next good Twins team. Time to start looking for that person. I doubt Casilla is going to be the second baseman on the next good Twins team, so I would start looking for him too, and give Plouffe an extended look at 2b.

Originally Posted by CDog

I don't get it, really. Carroll hasn't hit for average, but he's leading the team in walks so he's getting on base and he's been better than I'd say most/all expected in the field. Dozier's numbers are good-not-great a level below the big leagues, and that includes his blistering start.

I pretty much agree. Carroll is not THE Twins' problem. I think he has done a pretty good job and I think he will get plenty of playing time still. That said, a team on pace to lose 120 games that replaces a 38-year-old shortstop who is hitting around .200 with a top prospect is not a cause for concern. I hope Dozier is ready and capable. In Carroll's favor are the likelihood that Dozier is either not ready or capable and the proven facts that Casilla and Valencia, among others, have very tenuous holds on their respective spots in the lineup and on the team. All but Mauer, Span, Willingham and Morneau are marginal. Everyone needs to make the most of the opportunities they get going forward.

Originally Posted by Seth Stohs

Valencia needs to keep playing.

Why? The guy is a liability at the plate and in the field. He played in 154 games last year and put up these numbers: .246/.294/.393 while drawing the wrath of Gardy for his shoddy defense. He's not going to get better.

Originally Posted by powrwrap

Why? The guy is a liability at the plate and in the field. He played in 154 games last year and put up these numbers: .246/.294/.393 while drawing the wrath of Gardy for his shoddy defense. He's not going to get better.

Yeah, I would have expected Valencia to split the difference between 2010 and 2011. That would have been fine. But this is looking like it may be hard for him to repeat last year's performance. That is not fine at all.

The Twins need to be giving everyone they have a hope of trading as much playing time as possible. Intermixing the soon to be departed with the young blood is going to start clubhouse tension if it hasn't already. Give the trade pieces regular jobs and pray they build value by the deadline. Starting August 1, assuming five or so vets get moved, than the youth movement can begin. Letting all the youngsters play together will help the cohesiveness better than having them play alongside the vets they are going to replace. At that point, when we see a lineup with 4-6 newbies, when we can start to evaluate them against the early 80's and 00's young teams.

Originally Posted by nicksaviking

Give the trade pieces regular jobs and pray they build value by the deadline.

Who do you consider to be trade pieces? That could build more value?

The ones I can think of are Liriano, Span, Carroll, Casilla, Pavano, and Capps. Possibly Morneau. They already have regular jobs. Mauer and Willingham are not going to be traded. Nobody else on the team is worth any trade value. There's no value to build.

Valencia could be a trade piece, but probably only as part of a package or for low-level prospects at this point. Same thing with Parmelee. If Gray and Burton keep the same line they've been pitching, they would be very valuable for contenders looking for one more arm. Revere is an exciting young player, and someone would be willing to give him a shot. Doumit would be a nice addition for a team that has a Butera-esque backup catcher, or loses a catcher/dh to injury.

Originally Posted by CDog

I don't get it, really. Carroll hasn't hit for average, but he's leading the team in walks so he's getting on base and he's been better than I'd say most/all expected in the field. Dozier's numbers are good-not-great a level below the big leagues, and that includes his blistering start. It seems like crowding an area of (relative) strength without addressing the areas of more weakness. With a little more thought, it seems even more gloomy because I'm sure they know the areas of strength and weakness and there is probably nothing better to be done. It all is really telling how valuable it would be to have Morneau at 1B. When he moved to full-time DH, it shuffled so many spots on the roster making RF the chaos it has been and really affected how to get Doumit in the lineup as much as planned. Now the move from DH to DL has amplified all of that. It's frustrating.

Well that coupled with Willingham's inability to move to RF (I know he has been dynamite at the plate, but still). I cannot imagine that the Twins collective RF numbers have been better than Revere would have been as the primary LF.

Originally Posted by shanewahl

Well that coupled with Willingham's inability to move to RF (I know he has been dynamite at the plate, but still). I cannot imagine that the Twins collective RF numbers have been better than Revere would have been as the primary LF.

shanewahl, did you see this? http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/20...tions-to-date/

It lists the worst OPS by team and position so far. Tenth worst is Twins right field with OPS of .492. Revere's OPS last year was .619. Don't celebrate too soon that the Twins only had the tenth worst. Four of the top twenty-five belong to the Twins.

Originally Posted by Curt

shanewahl, did you see this? http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/20...tions-to-date/

It lists the worst OPS by team and position so far. Tenth worst is Twins right field with OPS of .492. Revere's OPS last year was .619. Don't celebrate too soon that the Twins only had the tenth worst. Four of the top twenty-five belong to the Twins.

Ulgh. "Thanks" for pointing that out. That is egregious. And plenty of the positions worse than RF for the Twins are not going to stay that way with Byrd, Alexei Ramirez, Morel, Rayburn, Bartlett, and Barajas all underperforming. What an embarrassment. Komatsu will help, true, but I still have to wonder what the Twins would be like if the OF was Revere, Span, Willingham regularly.

Originally Posted by stringer bell

Even with the dismissal of both Hughes and Burroughs, I don't see Casilla playing much 3B. If somebody moves over there, it will be either Carroll or (less likely) Plouffe.

Gardy did say Plouffe was sort of this year's Cuddyer (Can play awful defense at any position=Versatile). I wouldn't be surprised if Plouffe gets quite a bit of time at third and I am a little intrigued about the possibility.

Originally Posted by YourHouseIsMyHouse

Gardy did say Plouffe was sort of this year's Cuddyer (Can play awful defense at any position=Versatile). I wouldn't be surprised if Plouffe gets quite a bit of time at third and I am a little intrigued about the possibility.

By all means give him a chance to fix this. He's been at Rochester enough so there is no point in trying to send him down. He has to put up or go away.