Do not count out Eddie Rosario

[KirbyHawk75]

http://www.1500espn.com/sportswire/Keep_an_eye_on_Eddie_Rosario_who_could_make_Twins_Antony_says031215

 

 

I also know I heard Joe Schmit on "Mackey and Judd" say this morning to not be surprised if the Twins go with Rosario as the starter and Hicks as the fourth due to his defense and switch hitting. 

[gunnarthor]

I would be stunned if that happened.

[Danchat]

I would be elated if that happened.

[kab21]

This would be surprising but not completely shocking.  He was on pace to come up this season (or even last season) until everything bad that could happen to him happened.  It would be nice if he had a few more AB's in the upper minors but when your competition is Hicks and Schafer then it's possible to win the job.

 

He could struggle and we might be hoping for Hicks/Schafer by May but he might be able to outperform them at this point.

[Thrylos]

Who is Joe Schmit? 

 

Rosario can make the team, but he is really competing with Schafer and Robinson and Nunez at this point.

[dxpavelka]

I've been saying since he returned from suspension last year that he's the most big league ready of our prospects.  I still believe that.

 

[Thrylos]

 

I've been saying since he returned from suspension last year that he's the most big league ready of our prospects.  I still believe that.

 

No. That would be Polanco (and Meyer) if you are counting pitchers.  Burdi too, and Reed close. All of those are more MLB-ready than Rosario. 

[jorgenswest]

It will be a good sign in midsummer if they have Rosario, Buxton, Arcia and Hicks as their outfield core. Hicks in a role of playing against left handed pitching and late inning defense for Arcia.

 

As soon as that happens, somehow magically Arcia will have adjusted to the overhang while playing LF and move back to RF. Rosario is a much better fit in LF.

[nicksaviking]

Rosario is a much better fit in LF.

Than Arcia? That's a pretty bold statement.

[jorgenswest]

Than Arcia? That's a pretty bold statement.

Rosario skills fit LF better than RF. His range is better than his arm. if that happens, the Twins will regret moving Arcia to LF for a he short term.

[Kwak]

Better than Arcia? Defensively? If he isn't better than Arcia, he should not have got out of Class A. Offense? The Bavg and OBP bars set by Arcia are certainly attainable, SLG would be a problem.  However, if the OPS of Rosario were to be close, defense would see him through.

 

Arcia fans, don't despair. Hunter isn't long for the Twins. 

 

 

[Linus]

I think people are getting ahead of themselves with Rosario.  I believe he has a much higher bust potential than other prospects with similar minor league numbers simply because his swing is closer to awful than good.  I think he is getting by on tremendous eye / hand coordination and that the lack of fundamental "soundness" will be exploited by MLB pitchers. 

 

I hope I am wrong.

[Platoon]

I would be stunned if that happened.

  

I would be elated if that happened.

. I would be elated, AND stunned if this happened!

[diehardtwinsfan]

I'm not sure I like the idea personally. Rosario has yet to hit well in AA (something Hicks was able to do I might add). Not sure I like the idea of repeating the Hicks mistake. I haven't seen him out there, so who knows, but I don't get the warm and fuzzies about it, that's for sure.

[iTwins]

I'll preface this by saying I'm aware that not every player is the same, and that just because things worked out a certain way with one guy, that doesn't mean they will work out the same way with another guy.

 

Now, with that said:

 

Didn't we learn anything from Aaron Hicks? Hicks was pushed from AA right to the bigs and has yet to fully settle in, almost three years later. While I agree that Rosario does appear to be close to big league ready, let's give him some transition time. Start Hicks in CF and give Rosario the same opportunity in AAA. If Hicks bombs or Rosario starts hitting bombs in AAA, THEN move him up.

 

[insert warning about not learning from history and being doomed to repeat it]

[stringer bell]

If the Twins want to protect their prospects, Schafer and Robinson should be in center field.  I certainly don't think the CF competition has narrowed to Hicks and Rosario.

 

Now to the meat of the above comment.  The situations between Aaron Hicks in 2013 (and 2014) and Eddie Rosario this year is vastly different.  First, this club is closer to contending, secondly the prize of the farm system may be ready to play this year and he certainly would then supplant either player.  Third, Hicks least developed tools have been hitting for power and average for his entire career.  Rosario's always hit until he ran into a drug suspension and I think his performance in the AFL plus a solid spring might undo a lot of what happened last year.  Players don't develop the same and if Rosario won the job and then tanked, it would be important to replace him sooner.  The Twins major error was sticking too long with poor performance, not once but twice, with Hicks.

[Parker Hageman]

The Twins were really impressed with his fall league performance. From my conversation with Mike Radcliff in November:

 

 

I don't know if all evaluators agree on his readiness: http://twinsdaily.com/articles.html/_/minnesota-twins-news/minnesota-twins-minor-leagues/twins-feel-prospect-eddie-rosario-close-to-major-league-ready-r3212

[Parker Hageman]

Heh. See?

 

https://twitter.com/MikeBerardino/status/576421241445298176

[nater79a]

Disagree with a lot of you on this board...I think Rosario will be a stud.. Very quick hands will allow his bat to play well against big league pitching.

[Brock Beauchamp]

I'm not sure I like the idea personally. Rosario has yet to hit well in AA (something Hicks was able to do I might add). Not sure I like the idea of repeating the Hicks mistake. I haven't seen him out there, so who knows, but I don't get the warm and fuzzies about it, that's for sure.

This, this, and this.

 

Let's not repeat the Aaron Hicks mistake. Throw a Hicks/Schafer platoon out there to start the season, hope one of them succeeds, and then hope either Rosario or Buxton rises quickly if that doesn't happen.

 

Eddie Rosario isn't Aaron Hicks. He might succeed immediately... But given how rusty he was in 2014, there's no reason to take a gamble like that in April. Let the kid figure it out in the minors and then promote him if he proves he's ready.

[TheLeviathan]

I will say this - he LOOKS like a big league hitter.  His approach, his build, his tools - I see why there was a ton of excitement about him not that long ago.

 

Do right by this kid, I think he's a big part of the future.  But the future doesn't have to be now.

[dxpavelka]

 

Disagree with a lot of you on this board...I think Rosario will be a stud.. Very quick hands will allow his bat to play well against big league pitching.

I'll be the last to disagree.  I'll also go against the grain and make the statement that if Dozier's second half last year were to repeat itself, Rosario's 2B possibility may be of some value to this team in the future as well.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Still seems very strange to say Rosario had a "fantastic" AFL.  He had .080 ISO (career low), 4.5 BB% (career low), 17.3 K% (career average), and a .385 BABIP (career high).  And it was just 24 games against minor league competition.

 

It was definitely encouraging after his career low AVG/OBP in AA for 2014, but it doesn't look remotely like evidence he is ready to jump to MLB right away.

[Steve Lein]

I think Rosario will hit eventually, but I don't think he's the MLB-ready guy quite yet. It's more likely he'll struggle if thrust in right now. But I'm not against that...

 

However, I like Hicks as a centerfield defender, but he does get have plenty of criticizers in that regard. The connecting point with that remark is Eddie Rosario is not the defender Hicks is.

 

[Parker Hageman]

I mean...

 

https://twitter.com/RhettBollinger/status/576455188883603456

[Seth Stohs]

Molitor said some really good things about Rosario after yesterday's game. 

 

http://twinsdaily.com/_/minnesota-twins-news/spring-training-2015/game-day-notes-after-a-win-r3437

 

[mikelink45]

Just do it.  Everything that pushes the envelope and gets the prospects on the field is appealing.  What do we have to lose?  Look at all the pre-season rankings by non-Minnesota writers and you can see that we are not at a level where we have to have a "veteran" in the field at any position.  If Rosario looks good - give him a shot.  We can call up replacements.

[scottz]

The jump from AA to the bigs doesn't work for everyone, but just because it doesn't work for everyone is no reason to keep from trying that approach on anyone. It didn't work with Hicks. It worked fine with Vargas last year. Danny Santana has all of 24 games at AAA. I think Arcia has something around 60 games at AAA and people generally still like his potential. If Rosario is the best option they think they have based on their criteria, then why not?

 

Baseball is a tough sport to excel at, even if you appear to have all the "tools". Bring the best players you have when you think they are ready and when the plan/approach/team has a need for them/their position. Some will succeed, some will require trips back to the minors and more time, and some just won't ever quite get it. Keep trying anyway.

 

I think it would be awesome if Rosario gets started this year. Let's see what happens.

[stringer bell]

Agree with scottz above. Beyond that, aren't we really looking for a good defense corner outfielder? Buxton is the #1 prospect in baseball, by some accounts, and he is a fleet centerfielder. The Twins have a logjam of corner player/DH types and the missing piece in the outfield should also be a good defender plus a good hitter. I like Rosario for that role a whole bunch more than Hicks. I don't think Hicks will ever hit enough to be a full-time regular corner outfielder. I think Rosario can hit that much more than Hicks, just an unscientific opinion.

[beckmt]

Are we going to compete this year, possibly but not likely.  We should be better, but this is the year to see what we have and which of the rookies will be able to contribute down the road.  Do not waste time not giving the prospects playing time at the major league level.  If Rosario is the best at the end of spring training give him the job.  Understand the Twins had to generate some buzz to sell tickets, but still do not like the Hunter signing as it just blocks prospects.  Let the prospects weed themselves out at the major league level.