29 replies to this topic

[Danchat]

In the wake of Denard Span's trade, the Twins will likely have Ben Revere bat first.
However, that creates a hole, because he batted in the #2 hole last year. Jamey Carrol and the infield carousel aren't good enough to bat there. Chris Parmalee (if he starts in RF) isn't a typical #2 batter.
So, who do you think will bat #2? Will a free agent come bat there?

[Thirty-three]

Could be Mauer, and they'd just slide the whole lineup one spot? They've tried it before, and Gardy likes lefties in the two spot.

[AllhopeisgoneMNTWINS]

JOE MAUER. But lets wait until the offseason is over to see if the twins acquire or trade anyone else before we even think about the line up.

[SpiritofVodkaDave]

I'd prefer they bat Mauer in the leadoff hole bc IMO you want your best hitters batting the most, then find a decent hitting SS/2B to hit #2 (think Stephen Drew/Kelly Johnson)

1.Mauer
2.Drew/Johnson
3. Willingham
4. Morneau
5. Doumit
6.Parmelee
7. Plouffe
8. Whatever scrub is playing the other MI spot
9. Revere




The second Hicks is ready, he moves to the leadoff spot and Mauer goes to #2

[mike wants wins]

Hicks is my first choice, but I am not holding my breath. It should be Mauer, other than speed, he is the ideal number 2 hitter.

[The Greatest Poster Alive]

I like Mauer at the #2. If Revere (or deep sleeper to lead off Hicks) is consistently on base in front of him, their speed will force pitchers to throw more fastballs at Joe, if they're over the plate hopefully Joe smacks them into the outfield. Also, with a player like Revere Mauer may be gifted extra balls in the count due to pitchouts. Mauer given a free 1-0 gives him an even better opportunity to work the count and draw more walks.

[Thirty-three]

I like your idea of Revere giving Mauer better at-bats. Mauer may see more fastballs in an at attempt to keep Revere from stealing so easily.

Now if he would just swing at some of those first-pitch fastball cookies...

[mbents]

It SHOULD be Mauer. You want your best hitter in the #2 spot (I think they cover it in The Book: Playing the percentages... if I remember correctly). It wouldn't surprise me if it's a light-hitting middle infielder, though. Seems like that's another thing that Gardy likes.

[snepp]

There's only one right answer, of course.




Play second, bat second!

[The Greatest Poster Alive]

There's only one right answer, of course.




Play second, bat second!

Case closed!

[Riverbrian]

I like Mauer at the #2. If Revere (or deep sleeper to lead off Hicks) is consistently on base in front of him, their speed will force pitchers to throw more fastballs at Joe, if they're over the plate hopefully Joe smacks them into the outfield. Also, with a player like Revere Mauer may be gifted extra balls in the count due to pitchouts. Mauer given a free 1-0 gives him an even better opportunity to work the count and draw more walks.

I agree with you completely...

Personally... Whatever the order is... It is... But Revere needs to hit in front of Mauer. If that's Revere in the 9 and Mauer in the 1... That's OK with me... Or Revere in the #2 and Mauer in the #3. Or #1 and #2.

Don't break these guys up.

Keep Revere in front of Mauer because he was a clear distraction for pitchers and a fastball producer for Mauer.

[snepp]

Keep Revere in front of Mauer because he was a clear distraction for pitchers and a fastball producer for Mauer.

Mauer saw the lowest percentage of 4-seam fastballs in his career this past season. If you combine 4 and 2-seam it was the same as the previous two seasons.

[The Greatest Poster Alive]

Keep Revere in front of Mauer because he was a clear distraction for pitchers and a fastball producer for Mauer.

Mauer saw the lowest percentage of 4-seam fastballs in his career this past season. If you combine 4 and 2-seam it was the same as the previous two seasons.

That's very interesting. I completely assumed the opposite.

[Riverbrian]

Keep Revere in front of Mauer because he was a clear distraction for pitchers and a fastball producer for Mauer.

Mauer saw the lowest percentage of 4-seam fastballs in his career this past season. If you combine 4 and 2-seam it was the same as the previous two seasons.

Snepp... I hate it when you use actual facts to bring down my well thought out and plausible theories. That kind of stuff may work in South Dakota but up here in North Dakota... We are all about the theory.

I'm going with... That Mauer never saw a fastball when Revere was not on base... And Always saw a fastball when he was on base. Yeah... That's it... I'm going with that.

[YourHouseIsMyHouse]

It should be Joe Mauer, but it's likely it will be whoever gets tossed into the middle infield. I'm more interested in who gets the new outfield position. I'm almost certain it will be Chris Parmelee, but I also wonder if there's a chance Arcia or Hicks earn it in Spring Training. If Morneau is traded too, that makes predicting what we see in April really difficult at this point. Trading Span is a sign the Twins will likely be competing for 2014, but to compete in two years, it's important to add good players this year.

[snepp]

I'm going with... That Mauer never saw a fastball when Revere was not on base... And Always saw a fastball when he was on base. Yeah... That's it... I'm going with that.

This I cannot refute.

[YourHouseIsMyHouse]

2013 Midseason
1. Hicks/8 S
2. Mauer/2 L
3. Willingham/7 R
4. Parmelee/3 L
5. Youkilis/5 R
6. Arcia/9 L
7. Doumit/DH/Rover S
8. Plouffe/4 R
9. Drew/6 R

Bench is good enough to include:
BE Carroll
BE Mastroianni
BE Revere
BE Herrmann

[Boom Boom]

The answer, of course, is Florimon.

[Willihammer]

Naturally, Florimon's a switch hitter and will need to bunt a lot. That's what the 2 hole guy does, he bunts. You don't want to be asking someone who can actually hit the ball, to bunt. That's what your 3 hole is for.

[AllhopeisgoneMNTWINS]

Naturally, Florimon's a switch hitter and will need to bunt a lot. That's what the 2 hole guy does, he bunts. You don't want to be asking someone who can actually hit the ball, to bunt. That's what your 3 hole is for.

Florimon is a #9 hitter. Your thinking is like Gardy's so your probably right....

[Brock Beauchamp]

Naturally, Florimon's a switch hitter and will need to bunt a lot. That's what the 2 hole guy does, he bunts. You don't want to be asking someone who can actually hit the ball, to bunt. That's what your 3 hole is for.

Can't tell if serious.

[Fire Dan Gladden]

Whoever is batting second is probably no currently on the team. Looking at the team is it is currently constructed, Carroll is the logical choice (being as Gardy won't move Mauer out of the 3 hole).

[Kwak]

The Twins need to bunt less. The value of lots of OBP guys is to lengthen innings, not shorten them. Once the table is set--keep the ball rollin'--don't give up an out to make it more likely to score one run, but less likely to score three or more. The Twins don't posses a shut-down pitching staff, they can't limit themselves to one run in an inning when they don't have the staff to make it stand up.

[ericchri]

Twins OBP from last year (people I assume will be in the lineup):

Mauer - .416
Willingham - .366
Carroll - .343
Morneau and Revere - .333
Doumit - .320
Plouffe - .301
Parmelee - .290
Florimon or Dozier - blech


I'm betting on Carroll. Not because I think it's the right move, but it's how the Twins do it. MI with a decent OBP means #2 hitter. But if he can keep his OBP above .330, I don't think it'll be horrible using Carroll there. He got off to a terrible start last year (as did almost everyone else), but was actually a pretty good hitter by the end.

Using Carroll there also leads to:

Revere - L
Carroll - R
Mauer - L
Willingham - R
Morneau - L
Doumit - S
Plouffe - R
Parmelee - L
Dozier/Florimon - R

Edited by ericchri, 30 November 2012 - 01:51 PM.

[Riverbrian]

If it was my call... Mauer would bat 2nd and I would never worry about it again.

[CDog]

If it was my call... Mauer would bat 2nd and I would never worry about it again.

I've got as much confidence in Mauer's hitting abilities as anyone, but even I know that he's likely to decline in his late-50's or so. Never's a pretty long time. Haha.

I do agree, though: Mauer would be my choice.

[Riverbrian]

LOL... C'mon CDog... With that Swing... He will be stroking it until he's 60 and his contract does last until 2044.

[YourHouseIsMyHouse]

LOL... C'mon CDog... With that Swing... He will be stroking it until he's 60 and his contract does last until 2044.

I wonder how long of an extension the Twins would have to give Mauer for other teams to finally stop asking about him? 32 years doesn't seem to do.....

[Brock Beauchamp]

Mauer has always been a perfect candidate for the second spot in the lineup. Hopefully, Gardenhire will move him back to that position.

[Big City]

CF Revere
C Mauer
LF Willingham
1B Morneau
3B Youkillis
DH Doumit
RF Parmalee
2B Carroll
SS Florimon

Bench:
Plouffe
Mastrionni
Escobar
Butera (until mid-season when he's waived and Hermann gets the call)

A lot of what the lineup might look like will depend on Morneau and how he's swinging the bat. If he's rekindled his stroke than I see him batting 4th if not, then they might think about moving him to #5, Mauer to #3, and Willingham to #4, with Carroll sliding to #2.

I also slotted Youkillis as our 3B. What's TR talking about that the Twins are looking for a 3B? Is this his way of lighting a fire under Plouffe this off-season or are we seriously in the market for an upgrade?