Article: Twins Searching For Answers at Short and Center

[Nick Nelson]

You can view the page at http://www.twinsdaily.com/content.php/2874-Twins-Searching-For-Answers-at-Short-and-Center

[the_youngster]

Hopefully the days of consistent inadequacy at shortstop will end soon, which it very well might with some promising signs from Vielma, Santana, Mejia, Michael, and Polanco. All could be the eventual SS of the future (or second base if they keep getting moved).

[Fatt Crapps]

Search Curacao up and down til you find the next Andrelton Simmons.

[Brandon]

Florimon's OPS since April 10 s .722. I don't necessarily think he can sustain that, but I do believe he has turned a corner and will contribute closer to a .620-.660 OPS from here on out which is enough with his defense and the other bats contributing. Hicks on the other hand needs some sort of jolt. Of course there is still a SS available on the market should the Twins decide to be serious about the SS upgrade.

[Paul Pleiss]

Nick, I agree Flo and Hicksy are generally offensive liabilities. Will Gardy actually start to platoon this year? It seems he MAY, especially with a roster that has some natural platoons, but will he? What's the difference between Fuld and Mastro?

 

What's the answer if Flo goes down or continues to be an offensive black hole? Nunez isn't a hit first player, and his defense is suspect (at best), he's just not consistent.

 

This team has a lot of corner IF/OF/DH guys, but not nearly enough up the middle. Is Eduardo Escobar the stop-gap at short? Is Fuld a legitimate contender to steal CF if Hicks can't hack it? And can he bridge that gap until the eventual (hopeful) rise of Buxton in 2015?