Thread: Question about Parmelee

Alright, I am just curious about something here... Why in the world do the Twins send him down and have him play first base the whole time then bring him back up and stick him in the outfield. I am not complaining about Gardy putting him out there, but wouldn't it make sense for him to get some time in the oufield down at AAA? Maybe I am out of line on this but it seems like an odd situation. Lets give the kid every opportunity to succeed.

The only thing I can think of is that since they were in a race the AAA manager wanted the best lineup on the field which included him at 1B. But I agree with you 100%, and again its not the first time something like this has happened either.

Short Answer - I have NO idea!! Makes no sense to me!

Originally Posted by Coach J

Alright, I am just curious about something here... Why in the world do the Twins send him down and have him play first base the whole time then bring him back up and stick him in the outfield. I am not complaining about Gardy putting him out there, but wouldn't it make sense for him to get some time in the oufield down at AAA? Maybe I am out of line on this but it seems like an odd situation. Lets give the kid every opportunity to succeed.

Yes, you're entirely out of line here. There is a secret master plan which includes Terry Ryan misdirection and double-speak during press interviews and it isn't polite to question or challenge the braintrust as they continue along, executing the "simple stuff" the Twins Way.

It was like going through three waiver wire OFs in April and May, when they had Ben Revere right there the whole time.....Like figuring out that Danny Valencia can't play 3B anymore two years later, and then turning to Plouffe out of sheer desperation.....Cutting Diamond to the Minor League camp practically on the first day of Spring Training....and most like opening up all the mega-marketing opportunities to Japan by signing Nishioka to a 3-year mega-deal when you had one of the best SS in baseball already, and then throwing it back in the fans faces in early August, calling back Nishi, who immediately proceeded to perpetrate likely the biggest MLB farce since Bill Veeck signed Eddie Gaedel 60 years ago.

Lets hope his defense doesn't carry over to the plate

The Twins really handled the whole Parmelee situation this season poorly.

1. He starts the year out with the big club, he plays every other day.

2. They send him down, he starts to get his offensive engines running, they call him up, he does not play.

3. There is no spot for him at 1B this season with the Twins and he is the best available offensive prospect we have in the minors that can help at this juncture and the organization chooses not to get him more accustomed to playing in the OF. Not even one game played in the OF at Rochester! Holy Hell!

This season, the Twins screwed the pooch with Parmelee.

Much ado about very little. It's a corner OF spot, easiest position on the diamond to play, and it's not like he's never played there before. It's not ideal, but it's not a catastrophe either.

Most any major league position player could play a corner OF spot and not embarrass himself if necessary.

Originally Posted by USAFChief

Much ado about very little. It's a corner OF spot, easiest position on the diamond to play, and it's not like he's never played there before. It's not ideal, but it's not a catastrophe either.

Most any major league position player could play a corner OF spot and not embarrass himself if necessary.

Yes. And he's back up and in the lineup, shouldn't that be a good thing? It's pretty much him or Doumit out there.

Originally Posted by USAFChief

Much ado about very little. It's a corner OF spot, easiest position on the diamond to play, and it's not like he's never played there before. It's not ideal, but it's not a catastrophe either.

Most any major league position player could play a corner OF spot and not embarrass himself if necessary.

I agree with this. If Willingham can do it and not embarrass himself, Parmelee can. Just get the bat in the lineup. That's what he's there for.

People aren't concerned about his play out there as much as why they didn't at least give him reps in AAA at the same position they'd be calling him up for. That's just better preparation, even if the position is easier than others.

Originally Posted by jokin

Cutting Diamond to the Minor League camp practically on the first day of Spring Training

This is common for the Twins and for all teams. Players on the 40-man roster that you KNOW without a doubt are not going to make the Big League Club are amongst the 1st ones sent to minor league camp. This is done so that they don't have to waste service time and money in the event that they get injured and have to be kept on the MLB DL.

Originally Posted by TheLeviathan

People aren't concerned about his play out there as much as why they didn't at least give him reps in AAA at the same position they'd be calling him up for. That's just better preparation, even if the position is easier than others.

Outside of plans to heavily shop Morneau in the offseason (which JR has stated he's not necessarily going to do), I don't know why he didn't get more reps in the OF. It makes sense to keep him at first in Rochester if you're going to trade Justin in the offseason. If you're not, I don't understand why Chris didn't get more OF time in AAA.

I guess that's my point. it's not that playing RF is hard. He has played in the OF, like 5 years ago, so he wouldn't completely lose that ability. It's just the preparation of even just throwing him into RF once a week in Rochester. The time in Rochester didn't hurt him at all this season. he was able to rake and gain some confidence which is a great thing.

Originally Posted by Coach J

Alright, I am just curious about something here... Why in the world do the Twins send him down and have him play first base the whole time then bring him back up and stick him in the outfield. I am not complaining about Gardy putting him out there, but wouldn't it make sense for him to get some time in the oufield down at AAA? Maybe I am out of line on this but it seems like an odd situation. Lets give the kid every opportunity to succeed.

I didn't even want to get started on this, but you asked for it!

It's another ludicrous thing that this team has done with their good-ish prospects. This really concerns me that they could be actually serious of trading Span instead of Morneau and rolling out an OF next year of Willingham-Revere-Parmelee. That's not a good situation at all, and who knows what it might do to Parmelee's bat. My word, the guy has gone ape in AAA and the first thing they do when they promote him is CHANGE POSITION!!!

Originally Posted by Seth Stohs

I guess that's my point. it's not that playing RF is hard. He has played in the OF, like 5 years ago, so he wouldn't completely lose that ability. It's just the preparation of even just throwing him into RF once a week in Rochester. The time in Rochester didn't hurt him at all this season. he was able to rake and gain some confidence which is a great thing.

That was the point of the post.. Not arguing which position is tougher. Just makes no sense to not at least give him some time down there just to get familiar with the way the ball slices and such. I do believe a players defense often times carries over to his offense. We saw it with Cuddyer when they tried him at third base in 05. Had a very tough year both offensively and defensively. They moved him to the outfield and he really broke out in 06. I just wish they had handled it a little differently.