Robinson's out-clause

[gunnarthor]

http://blogs.twincities.com/twins/2015/03/18/twinsights-shane-robinson-has-opt-out-clause-in-twins-contract/

 

I guess I didn't know this but Robinson has an out-clause in his contract if he doesn't make the ML team.  Defensively, he's supposed to be really good but his bat is bad and the Twins already have Schafer.  So I don't think he'll make the team but I also think someone else would probably nab him if the opportunity arose.

[nicksaviking]

How's that old Sinatra song about the Twins outfield go?

 

If you can't make it here, you can't make it anywhere?

[Shane Wahl]

I don't think other teams would have to place him on their 25-man roster though, right? 

In any event, I definitely do not care. Danny Ortiz would provide more overall value. 

[Seth Stohs]

If Schafer is the starting CF, Robinson is the 4th OF... 

If Hicks (or the long shot, Rosario) is the starting CF, Schafer is the 4th OF...

[Rosterman]

It all depends on how he plays the spring, and how others play. The Twins don't need to open with Hicks...or Rosario. As much as it pains me, Schafer and Robinson could come north and be the centerfielders, spare outfielders (although if that was the case, I would rather see Santana back inc enter and Escobar at short.

 

What the Twins have going for them this year is that if players want to play in the majors, they have spring training to show what they can do and if they succeed, then every opportunity will arise to go orth with the team. The kicker is that you also have to perform in major league play, otherwise you can be sent packing or to the minors real fast. Or so I hope.

 

The job is everyone's to win (centerfield, bullpen, fourth and fifth starter, bench) and yours to lose. 

 

Robinson signed with the Twins because there was a potential opportunity. There is.  You can even argue if Arcia needs more seasoning. Would he be content to sit at Rochester waiting for a player to hit the DL and getting a shot, or Schafer tanking? We'll see.

 

But the reality is that he is a dime-a-dozen AAAA outfielder who might shine if given the opportunity, but not much above replacement value.

 

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

Schafer is out of options, so he's probably on the 25 Man for sure. Robinson is playing to be the 4th outfielder, and Hicks is just trying to make the team. Hicks might end up as the starting CF again, though at this point I'd rather give Schafer the plate appearances until he cools off.

 

The Twins could start Hicks in AAA, Schafer starting in CF and Sugar Shane could be the 4th outfielder. This seems like the least likely option, but it could happen. Of course, someone could get injured, and then that would make room for someone in a hurry.

 

Hunter has been mostly durable, but ya know, he's going to be 40 years old in a little over a month. It couldn't hurt to have a little depth in the outfield.

[jay]

The Twins could start Hicks in AAA, Schafer starting in CF and Sugar Shane could be the 4th outfielder. This seems like the least likely option, but it could happen.

That's exactly what I'd like to see happen for all the reasons you mentioned. Why does it seem to be the least likely option?

[jokin]

 

That's exactly what I'd like to see happen for all the reasons you mentioned. Why does it seem to be the least likely option?

 

Yeah... it's very arguable that it is, in fact, the most likely option.

[Squirrel]

 

 

 

The Twins could start Hicks in AAA, Schafer starting in CF and Sugar Shane could be the 4th outfielder. This seems like the least likely option, but it could happen. Of course, someone could get injured, and then that would make room for someone in a hurry.

 

 

Concur with Jay and jokin ... I think this is what it will be ... at least to start the season.  But ... who knows?  I certainly don't.

[jay]

... at least to start the season.

And that's an important caveat to why I'd prefer that arrangement.

 

- Hicks needs to prove he deserves another MLB opportunity

- Hicks would likely benefit from additional development time at AAA, his experience there is minimal

- Danny Santana seems to be penciled in at SS, not CF

 

If Santana is in fact at SS, the MLB team isn't forced into Hicks at CF due to the lack of other higher-ceiling options. While Schafer is ideally a 4th OFer (on a contender), starting the year with him in CF isn't a big issue for me. He might just as well perform serviceably as he did last year. If not, then you'd hope to have Hicks or even Buxton ready to step forward.

[jay]

Oh, and specifically on the topic of the thread....

Robinson is fine as the 4th OFer until Hicks or Buxton are ready to force Schafer to that role. With the possibility of injury or other underwhelming performance, he could even stick around in that role longer.

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

 

That's exactly what I'd like to see happen for all the reasons you mentioned. Why does it seem to be the least likely option?

Least likely because Hicks starting in CF happened the last two seasons despite very similar thoughts from the fanbase, replacing Robinson and Schafer with Presley or Mastroianni or free agents looking for jobs the last two offseasons (guys like Fuld, Bonifacio, etc etc). 

 

Least likely because it makes the most sense to me as a fan... I'm sure there's lots of info that we don't have access to that made Hicks the best option in 2014 and 2013, so who really knows if Molitor/Ryan will have a different opinion in 2015 than Gardy/Ryan had in 2013 and 2014.

 

There's no Jason Bartlett safety net to fall back on this time around, so I hope they make the right call!

[VandyTwinsFan]

After reading this I'm going to take a moment of silence in appreciation that there has been very little talk this year of infielders playing the outfield. I believe last year there were references to Escobar, Plouffe, Nunez, Kubel (a DH at that age), Colabello, Bartlett, and probably Mauer. This year, I think the only talk of it is whether or not Herrman will make it as a super-utility guy. This...(inhales deeply) is a good thing. 

 

Smart play on Robinson's part. There are always injuries in ST and if he gets blocked here there may be a different ballclub that needs a 4th OF by the end of March. I think yesterday he was the one who pulled a potential home run back over the fence. It came out of his glove and ended up being a triple, but nice place regardless. 

[jimmer]

 

After reading this I'm going to take a moment of silence in appreciation that there has been very little talk this year of infielders playing the outfield. I believe last year there were references to Escobar, Plouffe, Nunez, Kubel (a DH at that age), Colabello, Bartlett, and probably Mauer. This year, I think the only talk of it is whether or not Herrman will make it as a super-utility guy. This...(inhales deeply) is a good thing. 

 

Smart play on Robinson's part. There are always injuries in ST and if he gets blocked here there may be a different ballclub that needs a 4th OF by the end of March. I think yesterday he was the one who pulled a potential home run back over the fence. It came out of his glove and ended up being a triple, but nice place regardless. 

Well, we still don't know if our shortstop will play CF again this year or if Nunez will also be an option for OF as a utility guy and then Hermann as you mentioned, so certainly less talk about IF for OF spots, but that's mostly due to options available.

[jorgenswest]

Career OPS against lefties

 

Hicks 758

Schafer 470

Robinson 591

 

Hicks is the only one young enough to realistically improve.

 

Why not play Hicks against all lefties? On the bench he is available to pinch hit against a lefty and play defense in a corner. Why aren't these skills valued?

 

Platoon Hicks and Schafer to start the season and use the one on the bench for late inning defense.

[ashbury]

 

Why not play Hicks against all lefties?

Because the other manager won't allow it unless you are willing to sit through Hicks batting against some righties?

 

Usually the half of a platoon that hits against LHP isn't the part that drives the decision to platoon, is it?

[jorgenswest]

Because the other manager won't allow it unless you are willing to sit through Hicks batting against some righties?

 

Usually the half of a platoon that hits against LHP isn't the part that drives the decision to platoon, is it?

It takes two to platoon. If Schafer's .470 OPS against lefties isn't enough to drive a decision to platoon, what would it take?

 

Hick's OPS against lefties was bested only by Escobar, Suzuki and Dozier, It was better than everyday players Willingham, Plouffe, Vargas, Mauer, Arcia and Santana. It was better than Pinto.

 

There are over 200 (x3) plate appearances against lefties available to someone who can play outfield. Are there three better candidates than Hicks?

[ashbury]

In an age where 12-man pitching staffs are standard and sometimes they go to 13, I'm just concerned that planning a platoon at any position puts too much pressure on the in-game flexibility of the 25-man roster.

 

And I'd be more inclined to do it if the thinking started with a player who absolutely killed RHP and you needed to figure out how to supplement his production with someone who is decent against LHP.

[Old Twins Cap]

Hicks is getting the short shrift here on TD, but on any other club, he would be the preferred option.  Young, switch-hits, takes walks, can run, excellent on defense, cannon arm -- dare I say "upside", even if for just trade value with BB waiting in the wings?

 

Put away the hickory switches is what I say.   Hicks did not do what the APs of the world wanted in his first two years in MLB.

 

But, other clubs are not impressed that the Twins would start their primary hope for CF in AAA and build value that way.  Hicks has been here now, knows the routine.   This year, if he fails to perform, a team can legitimately give up on him. 

 

But, handing CF to Shane Robinson or the kid from Atlanta, because, I don't know, Hicks is hitting over .300 and stealing bases and playing stellar D, but, once, when the scoreboard had the wrong outs, he didn't run on a popout.  Please understand:  Shane Robinson and the guy from Atlanta are, in fact, "filler" guys, who can hang around, shag balls, run the bases, but who have no real "upside".   Why would you keep them on the roster?  Ever?

 

Castoffs.

 

Well, Twins fans sometimes get what they deserve.  I suppose we deserve to see another former Twin go elsewhere and perform.

 

 

[jay]

Why not play Hicks against all lefties? On the bench he is available to pinch hit against a lefty and play defense in a corner. Why aren't these skills valued?

 

Platoon Hicks and Schafer to start the season and use the one on the bench for late inning defense.

Those skills are valued. The issue is that Hicks still has some level of potential to be more than that and playing him in the weak side of a platoon gives up on that. If every last win was likely to matter this year, sure, platoon him. As is today, send him to AAA to face both sides and show he can be successful. If he can't do that at the AAA level, then I could buy in to platooning him.

[Platoon]

If the Twins record was important this year I would start Schafer for speed and defense. But it's not. It is a perfect time to take one last flier at Hicks, and see if he sinks or swims? Schafer can back him up, and Buxton can marinate in Chattanooga. Then if and when Buxton makes it, you have given the Hicks question due diligence. Next year if Hunter is gone, if Hicks makes it, you have options. He and Rosario can fight it out. Or one can be traded. In any case Robinson should be a non entity in this discussion.

[jay]

It is a perfect time to take one last flier at Hicks, and see if he sinks or swims?

Why force that at the MLB level in April? Wouldn't he and the Twins be better served by letting him do that at the AAA level, hopefully have success and then look to build on that in MLB?

[SydneyTwinsFan]

I think it would take both Hicks and Rosario to tank over the next couple of weeks to see a Schafer/Robinson CF combo go North.

If either of Hicks or Rosario continues to hit and gets to the end of ST with an OPS north of .800, I think the CF job is theirs with Schafer backing up. 

I honestly didn't think Rosario had any kind of shot a few weeks ago, but the comments coming from Molitor and Ryan seem to suggest he may do if Hicks falters and Rosario keeps swinging a hot bat

[jokin]

 

Hicks is getting the short shrift here on TD, but on any other club, he would be the preferred option.  Young, switch-hits, takes walks, can run, excellent on defense, cannon arm -- dare I say "upside", even if for just trade value with BB waiting in the wings?

 

 

 

But, handing CF to Shane Robinson or the kid from Atlanta, because, I don't know, Hicks is hitting over .300 and stealing bases and playing stellar D, but, once, when the scoreboard had the wrong outs, he didn't run on a popout.  

 

Preferred Option?  More like "None of the Above"

 

And hey! Look!  'Hitting over .300.'  Yup, Hicks is having his third  consecutive great ST!

 

 

Hicks 2013:  "Fooled me once, shame on Terry for no Plan B after trading all other CF options, and continuing to run Hicks out there with a .045 BA was cruel and unusual punishment."

Hicks 2014:  "Fooled me twice, shame on Terry for willful stubbornness against implementing a Plan B when the personification of Plan B, Bonifacio, was available on the waiver wire for peanuts."

Hicks 2015:  "Fooled me three times, shame on anyone who would accept the status quo based on past history and the assumption and forlorn hope that this time will be different."

[jokin]

 

I think it would take both Hicks and Rosario to tank over the next couple of weeks to see a Schafer/Robinson CF combo go North.

If either of Hicks or Rosario continues to hit and gets to the end of ST with an OPS north of .800, I think the CF job is theirs with Schafer backing up. 

I honestly didn't think Rosario had any kind of shot a few weeks ago, but the comments coming from Molitor and Ryan seem to suggest he may do if Hicks falters and Rosario keeps swinging a hot bat

 

Barring injuries, I would have to surmise that the odds of Rosario going north out of ST are less than 10%, perhaps much less.  First call-up, sure, provided he starts off on fire at the plate... but always in the back of the minds of the braintrust is the fact that this is a guy who is less than a year removed from a 50-game suspension for substance abuse.

[TheLeviathan]

I can't think of a greater indictment of our CF situation than debating the merits of keeping Shane Robinson and Jordan Schafer as our starting CF combo.

[Willihammer]

Why not just stick Santana out there for a few weeks? He was fine. Hicks and Rosario to the minors, er-assess in a few weeks. That would obviously allow Escobar regular PT at SS and avoid having the black hole of Shafer / Robinson in the lineup.

[kab21]

 

In an age where 12-man pitching staffs are standard and sometimes they go to 13, I'm just concerned that planning a platoon at any position puts too much pressure on the in-game flexibility of the 25-man roster.

 

And I'd be more inclined to do it if the thinking started with a player who absolutely killed RHP and you needed to figure out how to supplement his production with someone who is decent against LHP.

 

The team needs a 4th OFer that can play so nothing is hurt if the platoon also fills that role.  I have liked the Schafer/Hicks idea the most out of any of the bridges to Buxton.

[Shane Wahl]

I understand no scenario that has Shane Robinson on the roster instead of Aaron Hicks. 

[Shane Wahl]

 

I can't think of a greater indictment of our CF situation than debating the merits of keeping Shane Robinson and Jordan Schafer as our starting CF combo.

 

There is no way that Molitor is going to do something like this. He seems like an intelligent manager.