Chris Herrmann

[High heat]

Opinions on Herrmann? Watched him the last few years and his swing looks solid but hasn't put together any good numbers. To me his defense behind the plate passes the eye test, and his COF defense is pretty solid as well. He commands the game well as a catcher and a versitial LH hitting catcher is always nice piece. Does this guy have a chance to win the back up catching spot? Do the twins still view him as a catcher? Is he organizational depth as a utility player at Rochester with a guy like fryer behind the plate in Rochester?

 

I've like Herrmann as a catcher since he has come up with the ability to play other positions but he does nothing for me as a COF and emergency catcher. I'd like to see him come north with the twins as the back up catcher and have Pinto continue to work defensively in Rochester. Thoughts? Anyone see this or Em I way off in LF on this guy.

[Shane Wahl]

Since he has been my adopted prospect the past two years, I can try to answer this. I was a fan of Herrmann since 2011 where he demonstrated solid hitting and very good plate discipline in AA. At the time, it was known that he was a plus defender in the OF and a solid catcher too.

 

He does drop a few weird ones behind the plate, though. It happened last night once too. He hasn't been able to get off the ground at all in the majors, but at least he finally mashed AAA pitching last year. Personally, I would absolutely choose him over Nunez for the last bench spot. I think it is finally time for Herrmann to start hitting a little better. He still has a great eye. Most people here are terrified at the thought of a Pinto-Herrmann catching situation, but I would have preferred that over signing Suzuki for two more damn years.

 

Herrmann was one of the players at camp well before the official first day, and the organization likes him. He will stick around and, at minimum, is the guy who can come up for two weeks to fill in at several positions. Speaking of, I think he should have worked on adding 3B as a defensive option. A four corner guy who can also catch will stick around in the league for awhile.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

If Santana is our shortstop then Escobar slides to the UTIL role, making Nunez expendable. Herrmann would seem to be a more useful 25th man in that scenario. (But not at the expense of sending Pinto to AAA)

[High heat]

Would have loved to see a pinto Herrmann combo behind the plate this yr but after the 1st half that Suzuki had and they couldn't get much if anything in return for him at the deadline they had to resign him and they got a decent price maybe they caught lightning in a bottle but I don't think so.

 

No cents carrying Suzuki pinto and Herrmann. But if you think pinto is going to be anything better then a DH or backup catcher he needs to get better defensively and you don't get better sitting on the bench playing once a week.

 

Bring Herrmann north let him catch one day a week. Let him come in in the 8 the and 9th inning as a defensive replacement for Arcia or Hunter.

[Halsey Hall]

I think Fryer has a leg up on the catchers position.  But the Twins do value Herrmann.  He's worked hard to learn other positions, shows up early in the spring, and will do whatever it takes to get to the bigs.  He's had his taste of MLB and wants more of it.  I think he'll but up sometime this season, just depending on injuries and how things shake out. 

[Ben Noble]

I think he should have worked on adding 3B as a defensive option. A four corner guy who can also catch will stick around in the league for awhile.

If Herrmann could play some 3B, I think versatility would give him a very real chance to beat out Nunez as the 25th man. Assuming he spends a good chunk of the season in AAA, I really do hope they work Herrmann in some at the hot corner if Sano is in AA/MLB or has a DH/off day in Rochester.

[iTwins]

I'm on board with keeping Herrmann as the 25th man because I think his overall value is better than Nunez. Nunez and Escobar serve the same role - but Escobar does everything better.

 

Herrmann can play the OF (better than Nunez) and can catch - which adds a bit of depth just in case Pinto and Suzuki both have some bad luck during the same game. It's potentially a "3rd catcher" safety net without wasting a roster spot on JUST a 3rd catcher.

 

Side note: I hope Molitor doesn't subscribe to the "I can't DH Pinto because Suzuki might get hit by a meteor" philosophy that Gardy was so fond of.

[Boom Boom]

If Herrmann is on the team, he has to catch some. He didn't catch one pitch for the Twins in 2014, making him essentially a backup outfielder. If he isn't going to catch, it doesn't matter how versatile he is, and you can do better for backup outfielders than Chris Herrmann.

[Linus]

I think Herrmann does have some potential value in a variety of ways.  However, he has to hit and, so far, he just hasn't at the MLB level.  Until that happens, he has no spot on my 25 man roster.

[stringer bell]

If things break so that there is room, it wouldn't be terrible to have a guy like Herrmann as the 25th player.  I like the positional flexibility he would offer and he would be a left handed bat to pinch hit.  As mentioned above, he has to be some kind of threat with the lumber because he is not a plus-plus defender.  Having a guy who is more than an emergency catcher is a bit of a luxury, but at least it isn't like carrying three guys who can only play catcher.

 

Guys like Herrmann get to spend disproportionate time in the major leagues.  If the Twins were to cut him loose, someone else would pick him up and he likely would get some time in the majors with his new club.  I wouldn't want him to be the backup catcher, and he likely could be send down and recalled all year depending on other roster needs. 

[DocBauer]

Since he has been my adopted prospect the past two years, I can try to answer this. I was a fan of Herrmann since 2011 where he demonstrated solid hitting and very good plate discipline in AA. At the time, it was known that he was a plus defender in the OF and a solid catcher too.

He does drop a few weird ones behind the plate, though. It happened last night once too. He hasn't been able to get off the ground at all in the majors, but at least he finally mashed AAA pitching last year. Personally, I would absolutely choose him over Nunez for the last bench spot. I think it is finally time for Herrmann to start hitting a little better. He still has a great eye. Most people here are terrified at the thought of a Pinto-Herrmann catching situation, but I would have preferred that over signing Suzuki for two more damn years.

Herrmann was one of the players at camp well before the official first day, and the organization likes him. He will stick around and, at minimum, is the guy who can come up for two weeks to fill in at several positions. Speaking of, I think he should have worked on adding 3B as a defensive option. A four corner guy who can also catch will stick around in the league for awhile.

I've also been a long supporter of Hermann. And I've also long stated he should be playing some 3B, something he did in both high school and early in college, I believe. His days of playing any kind of CF are probably gone, but I always thought he was a great candidate for a 5 position corner/catcher bench player with a solid bat with gapper and occassional power.

 

The bat still hasn't come around like I hoped. I don't know if that's related to never getting a single full year at AAA or not, but I've always wondered. Personally, I king of like Nunez, even though I believe he's squeezed out in 2016. You could do a lot worse than an OK defensive player at different positions with some speed, some pop, and the ability to hit a little. Isn't that you hope for in your 25th man?

[Thrylos]

I think Fryer has a leg up on the catchers position.  But the Twins do value Herrmann.  He's worked hard to learn other positions, shows up early in the spring, and will do whatever it takes to get to the bigs.

 

Actually Herrmann played C, 3B and mostly OF at College.  Interestingly he was drafted as a "C/3B" officially and played only in the outfield his first season in the pros (that E-town team had Streich, Pinto and Rams as well), and mostly OF his second... Played a single pro game at third base in New Britain in 2012.  So, really, he knew those positions before.  But he does look like a catcher and he is a good one.  I think that all this screwing around with other positions at this point does not do him good.  He is pretty Parmelean at the OF.  Solid build and pretty slow.  He can catch balls that are going to him, but he will be like Doumit...  Do you call that "versatility"?  Feel free, but...

[USAFChief]

IMO Hermann is an emergency catcher only. He makes Pinto look like a gold glover.

[Seth Stohs]

I like Herrmann. There's a lot to like. As mentioned above, he played 3B at Miami. Twins moved him to catcher right away but his ability in the corner outfield spots are pretty good. He's a good athlete with average speed for a corner OF. He's very athletic for a catcher. I think he's pretty solid behind the plate. Good arm.

 

Offensively, he takes good at bats. He has line drive, gap power. It has only appeared in the big leagues a few times. His playing time has been very sporadic. He is still on the 40 man roster so they must really like something. Fryer was removed. Pinto remains a question mark.

[DocBauer]

Really wish we could go back to a 6 man bullpen and keep the extra bench player.

[Thrylos]

Really wish we could go back to a 6 man bullpen and keep the extra bench player.

 

That was actually a seven man bullpen with 4 starters and the seventh guy being the swing starter. Before that it was 4 + 6.  These days no teams like the idea to go with 4 starters pitching every 5 day, no matter how many days off there are.  I think that it is a good model, because you only need 4 and not 5 good starters.  Also, I really thing that the swing man (or emergency starter) could very well be a rotating spot:  Get the hottest AAA starter up to pitch that extra game, then replace him with a AAA reliever, bring the hottest AAA starter (doesn't have to be the same) to pitch another etc.  Then you do use your 40 man roster better and do not have extra starters sitting around when not needed, but have available relievers...

[jokin]

That was actually a seven man bullpen with 4 starters and the seventh guy being the swing starter. Before that it was 4 + 6.  These days no teams like the idea to go with 4 starters pitching every 5 day, no matter how many days off there are.  I think that it is a good model, because you only need 4 and not 5 good starters.  Also, I really thing that the swing man (or emergency starter) could very well be a rotating spot:  Get the hottest AAA starter up to pitch that extra game, then replace him with a AAA reliever, bring the hottest AAA starter (doesn't have to be the same) to pitch another etc.  Then you do use your 40 man roster better and do not have extra starters sitting around when not needed, but have available relievers...

 

This.  I've advocated this for years and am waiting for it's competitive obviousness to match up with its economic obviousness (ie, No more $5M+ contracts to deadweight 5th starter refugees from the NL).  It seems the Twins are now really close to having more than enough quality depth, along with a huge amount of pitchers with remaining options to finally make this scenario work. (And it makes your offense and defense better with more situational options available- a guy like Hermann gets more Major League chances to develop and show what he's got).

[High heat]

I believe one you are called up and sent back down you can not return to the major league club for 14 days. Thus crushing the possibility of this. You get an injury or a stretch that you play 10 in a row and suddenly you are out of capable players.

 

I really wanna see Herrmann as the backup catcher. What does Pinto do for you early in the season? He is only going to play 1 game a week and isn't likely to DH in the fact that Vargas looked so good.

 

Now if Pinto is going to play 3 or more days a week behind the plate or if Suzuki gets injured I want to see Pinto but I don't like a high ceiling guy who needs work sit on the bench at the major league level. Would rather see a versitial guy who seemingly has worked his but off get a chance to play at the major league level.

[jokin]

I believe one you are called up and sent back down you can not return to the major league club for 14 days. Thus crushing the possibility of this. You get an injury or a stretch that you play 10 in a row and suddenly you are out of capable players.

 

 

 

The return rule is actually only 10 days, and doesn't crush anything when you have multiple options to play with, and in addition, the rule is null and void when someone goes on the DL.  There are 22 pitchers on the 40-man, as long as guys have options remaining, it's not very difficult to stash multiple 5th starters as well as multiple 12th and 13th and 14th arms in the minors.

[jokin]

The return rule is actually only 10 days, and doesn't crush anything when you have multiple options to play with, and in addition, the rule is null and void when someone goes on the DL.  There are 22 pitchers on the 40-man, as long as guys have options remaining, it's not very difficult to stash multiple 5th starters as well as multiple 12th and 13th and 14th arms in the minors.

 

Here's one, where the Angels (who have no problem paying big bucks for proven veterans to fill a hole) may not only have gotten a steal, but he also comes with the increasingly valuable 3 options remaining. Another one, Todd Redmond, was available for free (twice) on waivers in ST, 2013 (with two options left).

 

 

The increasing signing of career minor leaguers to major league deals in free agency is an interesting recent trend, as MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes explored last year. Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register takes a look at one of this year’s examples, Jeremy McBryde of the Angels. “For me, he was one of the most intriguing bullpen guys in the minor leagues,” said GM Jerry Dipoto said. “… All the boxes you’d have for a prospect, he seems to check off those boxes.” As Dipoto further explained, McBryde’s lack of big league service and 40-man time also means that he comes with three option years remaining.

[Reider]

Chris Hermann is well rounded, but he needs to bring his level of play and consistency up if he wants to be an every day MLB player.

[Seth Stohs]

Chris Hermann is well rounded, but he needs to bring his level of play and consistency up if he wants to be an every day MLB player.

 

I really like Herrmann, and I'm sure he wants to be an every day player, but in all likelihood, we're talking about a utility type, and a utility type that can catch well.

[Shane Wahl]

I like the idea of Herrmann sticking around for a few more years to be the last guy on the bench who provides some real super utility capability and the ability to at least get on base and smack a double every once in awhile. I like players who do many things instead of guys who can only do one thing (Nunez) as that 13th guy.

[jorgenswest]

I think Herrmann will be on the 4 man bench.

 

Nunez just doesn't add much. He would never be used for late inning defense. His defense in the infield is not as good as Escobar. His defense in the outfield is not as good as Schafer or Hicks or likely even Herrmann. He can run but he can't run as well as Schafer. He can hit a little but would not be chosen to hit over Pinto,or even Escobar.

 

Herrmann offers more with his left handed bat and his ability to play catcher.

 

The only way Nunez is needed is if Santana is moved back to CF. In that case, Hicks is in AAA and Herrmann is still on the roster.

[High heat]

Here is Hermanns likely last chance with the twins. Suzuki goes down twins trying to make a late season playoff push. Can he play well for a couple games maybe a couple weeks and pull a Matt Tolbert in 2009.

[twinsnorth49]

Maybe....but doubtful.