Thread: Ben Revere

Originally Posted by Mauerzy4Prez

Way too much is made of Ben's arm strength (or lack thereof) and even though I agree it is his greatest weakness I don't think it counts him out as a big league outfielder. The Twins mentality is fundamental baseball, and all Ben needs to do is use his vast range to make up for the weak arm, and be as accurate as he can when hitting the cut off.

People!! There is a reason teams take infield/outfield practice everyday, there is a reason the cutoff man exists... This guy is a premier player, a great asset to our team, and just flat out fun to watch. I think the signing of Buxton last night may show us all that the Twins do think highly of Revere, because the may be setting themselves up for an outfield like this in a few years: Revere (LF) Buxton (CF) Hicks (RF).

Premiere player? No. A guy who can get on base and set things up? yes.

Concerns. Seeing guys go first/third on any single hit his way, regardless of how deep it is when he's in RF
Seeing the outfield play so shallow that singles with RISP at 2nd are a huge risk on sending guys.
Accuracy, or lack of. The throws to the plate from LF have not been very close.

Yes, I can. It was mentioned during the broadcast last night that Gardy wanted to keep Willingham off of his feet for the night, but still wanted his bat in the lineup. Hence, a start at DH.

Originally Posted by Mr. Ed

Premiere player? No. A guy who can get on base and set things up? yes.

Concerns. Seeing guys go first/third on any single hit his way, regardless of how deep it is when he's in RF
Seeing the outfield play so shallow that singles with RISP at 2nd are a huge risk on sending guys.
Accuracy, or lack of. The throws to the plate from LF have not been very close.

I am not a "Stat guy" but I would be curious to see just what the scoring rate is when a man is on 2nd base for Ben compared to any other major league outfielder... singles with a man on 2nd usually end up in a run, as long as the base runner isn't Jim Thome out there. To your point however, going 1st to 3rd on a single is a concern and something that Ben will need to work on. The nice thing about arm strength is that you can build it, and from what I can see in Revere, he is a hard worker and a pretty athletic individual. I am confident this is something he will work to improve upon (maybe even more so than his bunting) and even though it may always bee his greatest weakness, it won't be such a great point of debate like it is today.

If they're going to play him, keep him in a corner OF spot. I just don't think in CF the arm is going to help them. Not that Span has a cannon either. Just bugs me to see teams run, run, run on them, and the Twins too often are plodding base-to-base.

That said, seeing more aggression on the bases, such as Monday night, is a welcome sight. Overdue.

Revere has to get more line drives, less chops on the ground. Some gaps. He could, IF he can figure it out, lead the league in 3-baggers.

Originally Posted by Mauerzy4Prez

Way too much is made of Ben's arm strength (or lack thereof) and even though I agree it is his greatest weakness I don't think it counts him out as a big league outfielder. The Twins mentality is fundamental baseball, and all Ben needs to do is use his vast range to make up for the weak arm, and be as accurate as he can when hitting the cut off.

People!! There is a reason teams take infield/outfield practice everyday, there is a reason the cutoff man exists... This guy is a premier player, a great asset to our team, and just flat out fun to watch. I think the signing of Buxton last night may show us all that the Twins do think highly of Revere, because the may be setting themselves up for an outfield like this in a few years: Revere (LF) Buxton (CF) Hicks (RF).

It's a long ways away, but from what I've read on Buxton and what I've seen from Revere, I expect Revere will more likely be our CF if/when Buxton gets to The Show

I don't remember hearing that Revere didn't play LF well. He can't be worse over there than RF.

Pretty sure the real reason that Willingham moved to LF was because the Twins wanted Morneau to DH, which meant Doumit had to play a position other than C, and he was most comfortable in RF. Of course, Doumit hasn't played in the outfield in a long time (and for good reason). But if Willingham is the DH there's no reason to keep Revere in RF.

Originally Posted by spideyo

It's a long ways away, but from what I've read on Buxton and what I've seen from Revere, I expect Revere will more likely be our CF if/when Buxton gets to The Show

I actually agree with your take... looking back at my original lineup I think Ben's speed is best used in CF, then you take care of the runners advancing 1st to 3rd on singles issue because his throw is the most direct to 2nd from CF.

Originally Posted by Boom Boom

I don't remember hearing that Revere didn't play LF well. He can't be worse over there than RF.

Pretty sure the real reason that Willingham moved to LF was because the Twins wanted Morneau to DH, which meant Doumit had to play a position other than C, and he was most comfortable in RF. Of course, Doumit hasn't played in the outfield in a long time (and for good reason). But if Willingham is the DH there's no reason to keep Revere in RF.

The real reason Willingham is in left is A. He is most comfortable defensively there, B. His defensive liability is less of a risk in left over right and center. Willingham DH'd last night because we needed to get Jamey back in the lineup at 3rd, Ploufey still needs to play everyday with his bat starting to pick up, and Mauerzy sat because of his thumb so you insert Doumit at C instead of RF.

Originally Posted by John Bonnes

It would really have been a joy seeing him get to that double in the fourth inning that Plouffe couldn't get to.

But it would have sucked for him not to be in RF and thus not get to that drive off Capps in the 9th inning of a game over the past weekend in Cleveland.

Range works in both LF and RF.

Originally Posted by USAFChief

I don't understand why this is hard to comprehend. With Revere in right, and Willingham (or Plouffe) in left, more runners will go 1st to 3rd on a single. But...some runners will not go 1st to 3rd on a single to left, respecting Willingham's arm. Fewer, but not zero. Likewise, a runner here and there will not tag up and score on a fly ball to Willingham, but would tag and score were Revere in left. A couple times a year, a runner on 2nd will stop at third on a sharp single to left if Willingham is there, but would go 2nd to home were Revere in left. So yeah, right field is the worst place for Revere's arm, but it's not a zero sum game. Revere's arm in left, with Willingham in right, will still result in some runners advancing on Revere's arm that would not have advanced were Willingham in left. The net loss of Revere playing RF isn't as big as people make it out to be. There are also generally slightly more balls hit to right than left, so Revere's range is worth slightly more in right than left.

As long as you admit that there is a net loss, that's fine. It's another little thing, like not batting Mauer second (for instance) that just seems bizarre. And little things add up. That's all.

Originally Posted by Mauerzy4Prez

I think the signing of Buxton last night may show us all that the Twins do think highly of Revere, because the may be setting themselves up for an outfield like this in a few years: Revere (LF) Buxton (CF) Hicks (RF).

That is what I was telling my friends earlier today, that the Twins probably picked him with the intention of keeping Revere and dealing Span when people are desperate for a solid center fielder and willing to give up a solid pitching prospect or two. This would allow the Twins to shift Revere to center, keep Willingham in left, and probably give Plouffe more playing time in right.

Originally Posted by Mauerzy4Prez

The real reason Willingham is in left is A. He is most comfortable defensively there, B. His defensive liability is less of a risk in left over right and center. Willingham DH'd last night because we needed to get Jamey back in the lineup at 3rd, Ploufey still needs to play everyday with his bat starting to pick up, and Mauerzy sat because of his thumb so you insert Doumit at C instead of RF.

I understand, but LF is bigger than RF at Target Field. It would be one thing if Gardy matched defense with ballparks, wouldn't it!!! I understand DHing Willingham and think it should happen more often. But to want the Twins to maximize their OF defense when that happens isn't out of the question, right? I mean no one believes that Revere in RF instead of LF makes or breaks the Twins season, but still matters, in part because it shows the incompetency of the manager.

Originally Posted by J-Dog Dungan

That is what I was telling my friends earlier today, that the Twins probably picked him with the intention of keeping Revere and dealing Span when people are desperate for a solid center fielder and willing to give up a solid pitching prospect or two. This would allow the Twins to shift Revere to center, keep Willingham in left, and probably give Plouffe more playing time in right.

And who bats leadoff?

Originally Posted by J-Dog Dungan

That is what I was telling my friends earlier today, that the Twins probably picked him with the intention of keeping Revere and dealing Span when people are desperate for a solid center fielder and willing to give up a solid pitching prospect or two. This would allow the Twins to shift Revere to center, keep Willingham in left, and probably give Plouffe more playing time in right.

Denard Span may be dealt, now or in the future, but that and the Twins 2012 OF has nothing...NOTHING...to do with Buxton.

Sheesh.

Originally Posted by Mr. Ed

Revere has to get more line drives, less chops on the ground. Some gaps. He could, IF he can figure it out, lead the league in 3-baggers.

Remarkably he does have 6 extra base hits in 82 AB's. He also has 6 SB's in that short time.

Originally Posted by shanewahl

And who bats leadoff?

Ben Revere

Originally Posted by Montecore

I had a great arm. I played RF on a sandlot team with Amos Otis in CF and Garrt Alexander in LF. If it was just my arm alone - I'd have been a first ballot Hall Of Famer. I don't understand how a guy can make the bigs without a cannon or close to it.

God doesn't hand out the talent equally. There's not much correlation to throwing hard and with accuracy to hitting a major league breaking pitch; if there were, we wouldn't have a DH.

I continue to believe that Revere belongs in center field, because of his amazing range, and because he is more fun to watch in center than Span. This is a crappy season anyway, so why not at least let the fans enjoy more Revere webgems.

Revere is so fast that he could shade towards left field to provide some support for Willingham, and Span could play right field and shade a bit towards center. It seems to me that such configuration would make for a superior defense that would be fun to watch.

Originally Posted by glunn

I continue to believe that Revere belongs in center field, because of his amazing range, and because he is more fun to watch in center than Span. This is a crappy season anyway, so why not at least let the fans enjoy more Revere webgems.

Revere is so fast that he could shade towards left field to provide some support for Willingham, and Span could play right field and shade a bit towards center. It seems to me that such configuration would make for a superior defense that would be fun to watch.

That might hurt someone's feelings, and we can't have that.

Originally Posted by snepp

That might hurt someone's feelings, and we can't have that.

Revere does not seem to be very thin skinned, but I could be wrong. I just don't understand why the faster guy is not playing in center field, and I have seen plays that Span failed to make that I believe that Revere would probably have made.