Thread: Last night's lineup for the Twins could be starting lineup for next season

Yeah TK10, having Mauer get AB's in left or right field makes sense too. When Valencia got off to the putrid start, and before Plouffe got hot, I was thinking it was time for Mauer to get in some time at 3b.

Originally Posted by TK10

Glad to see this thread, I've been thinking about this a lot lately. If you're able to flip Span and Morneau, why not a lineup of:

1- Revere, 8
2- Mastroianni, 7
3- Mauer, 9
4- Willingham, DH
5- Parmalee, 3
6- Plouffe, 5
7- Doumit, 2
8- Dozier, 4
9- Florimon, 6

Bench:
Carroll
Escobar
Butera
Carson

Doumit catches 100-110 games with Butera catching the rest. Or, sign a veteran in the vein of Tom Prince/Mike Redmond to catch the non-Doumit games. With Mauer, Gardy still has is beloved emergency catcher.

Butera cannot be on the roster next year, much less catch 50+ games!!!! Mauer's value as a 2/5-1/2 time catcher is still good, but that value diminishes as a full time RF. That bench is pretty bad. I agree with your MI 100% though. I would like Carson or Ramirez on the bench, but replace Butera with Herrmann and Escobar with somebody. No sub-.600 OPS anymore on the roster, please.

Originally Posted by Shane Wahl

[Butera cannot be on the roster next year,

At this point, I don't see anything stopping it. They're going to continue to flush that roster spot down the crapper until the day Mauer officially moves off the position and they acquire a full-time catcher.

I'm sure a "ML front office" can do no wrong though, giving plate appearances to a historically awful bat while playing a man short nearly every game.

I have no love for Butera so bringing in a salty old vet in the Redmond mold would be fine by me. I think the idea of Mauer having less value in right than he does at catcher is very valid. But I like Parmalee better at first. It seems to me if you want any chance to get Mauer back to his '09 offensive value you have to get out from behind the plate permanently. I love the idea of Mastroianni in left with Revere in center and those guys 1-2 in the lineup. I also think Willingham is the perfect DH, then he doesn't have to worry about anything other than mashing.

Butera rotting on the bench as a third catcher who starts 20-25 games in a season doesn't bother me much.

Butera starting 50 or more games as a part-time catcher is just about the worst idea in the world. The guy is one of the worst hitters in MLB history.