Article: The Big Switch: Brian Dozier

[Nick Nelson]

You can view the page at http://www.twinsdaily.com/content.php/2985-The-Big-Switch-Brian-Dozier

[highlander]

Dozier is a big piece of the World Series Championship puzzle. Two years Buxton, Sano, Meyers, ect. will be banging on the door!!

[drock2190]

I'm not sure about this but I read his batted ball distance is about the same as last year so far so the homerun pace will come down but more doubles will arise.

[stringer bell]

29 homers in 189 games is good. 28 in about 155 is much better and Dozier has done that. There is a nice article on Dozier in the PP. It points out when the power stroke started and where Dozier ranks in home runs in the last 51 weeks. The transformation has been incredible.

[clutterheart]

So..Sounds to me like we should be calling Dozier:

 

The Next Big Thing!

 

Is it time for those of us on the internet who mocked this to eat some crow?

[jokin]

I'm not sure about this but I read his batted ball distance is about the same as last year so far so the homerun pace will come down but more doubles will arise.

 

As will his warning track outs. Topping 18 HRs from last year seems likely, 25-28 is not out of the realm of possibility, as there are still a lot of bad pitching staffs and warm weather coming....sure to help him in his quest, will be Mauer when Joe finally starts hitting Mauer-like right behind him.

[ericchri]

Give Escobar a shot at leading off, leave Mauer at 2, and move Dozier to 3?

[Beezer07]

I would much rather that Dozier stay where he is and the Twins come up with a legitimate 3rd, 4th, and 5th offensive options on the team. He's fast, can steal a base, runs the bases well, and gets on base at a good clip. All of those are things you want in a leadoff guy. If the bottom of the order hadn't hit .250 (when you ADD the BAs together) for the first month of the season, he wouldn't be 4th on his own team in RBIs

[Siehbiscuit]

Escobar is a little too much of a free-swinger for Gardy to put him in the leadoff spot.

[brvama]

Personally, I'd leave him at the lead-off spot. His base stealing ability would be diminished at #3. He reminds me a "bit" like Ricky Henderson who had tremendous ability to swipe bases but also put the ball in the seats. Dozier isn't in the same league as Henderson but certainly has some of the same tools.

[tjsyam921]

I would guess part of the reason so many of his homers are solo is because he gets better pitches to drive when no one is on base.

[blindeke]

I wish Hicks made better contact, because then he'd be a great leadoff guy. [sigh]

[Seth Stohs]

I would guess part of the reason so many of his homers are solo is because he gets better pitches to drive when no one is on base.

 

Completely agree. Of course pitchers/catchers are going to pitch differently with runners on base. That said, I think two of his last three have been 3-run shots, so a good hitter is still going to take advantage of a mistake.

 

I'm in agreement that they should just leave Dozier at leadoff for now. If Escobar can keep up what he's doing for another week or two, then maybe make that move. Also, Hicks has had a nice 3-4 game stretch. I agree that he'd be an ideal leadoff candidate with his OBP. Maybe having Mauer behind him (as opposed to Florimon/escobar/etc) will give him some more pitches to hit.

 

But to go with the theme, it was about 1 year ago in a week that Dozier made a big switch in his approach and mechanics and he's been as good as any 2B in the game since then... or at least right up there with Cano, Kipnis and Pedroia.

[kdrupp09]

Completely agree. Of course pitchers/catchers are going to pitch differently with runners on base. That said, I think two of his last three have been 3-run shots, so a good hitter is still going to take advantage of a mistake.

 

I'm in agreement that they should just leave Dozier at leadoff for now. If Escobar can keep up what he's doing for another week or two, then maybe make that move. Also, Hicks has had a nice 3-4 game stretch. I agree that he'd be an ideal leadoff candidate with his OBP. Maybe having Mauer behind him (as opposed to Florimon/escobar/etc) will give him some more pitches to hit.

 

But to go with the theme, it was about 1 year ago in a week that Dozier made a big switch in his approach and mechanics and he's been as good as any 2B in the game since then... or at least right up there with Cano, Kipnis and Pedroia.

 

I agree with the thought about Escobar, if in another week or two he is still hitting good, make the move. With Hicks, I believe the Twins are looking for a solid month or two from him before placing him back in the pressure situation he would be in as lead off hitter.

 

I must say it is nice to say we have a 2nd baseman who can be spoken of in the same sentence as Cano, Kipnis, and Pedroia. How long has it been since the Twins had an elite 2nd baseman? Knoblauch?