Moving Parts when bench players are in the game

[stringer bell]

We all know Shane Robinson plays all three outfield positions and that his defense is rated as good at all three. Schafer has been rated as better at the corners than center. Arcia is well below average, as is Hunter. When the Twins have both Schafer and Robinson in the game, which of them plays center? There are two ways to look at this--if Schafer is viewed as the regular center fielder, Molitor might want to keep him there 100% of the time. I expect it would improve his defensive metrics to consistently play one position. The other view would be to put the best outfielder (Robinson) in center and move Schafer to a place where he's been better (corner). Gardenhire liked to leave his regulars alone. I am not sure what Molitor will do. There is, of course, the whole question about how strict the platoon between Robinson and Schafer will be, so perhaps Schafer is a regular or perhaps not so much. Another alignment question is what happens if Nunez or Escobar start a game in the outfield in place of Hunter? Would Arcia then move back to right for the day? Nuñez has played a handful of games in right and Escobar has not played any.

 

In the infield, the question would be what if Nuñez and Escobar are in the game together. This spring, the Twins played Nuñez at second more than they played Escobar, but I think they needed to know if he could handle second on more than an emergency basis. My thought would be is 2b-ss is vacant they would use Nuñez at short and Escobar at second, 2b-3b would put Escobar at second, Nuñez at third. SS-3b would go Escobar at short and Nuñez at third. My view is that Esobar's best position is shortstop, but he is better defensively across the board than Nuñez. I think the best defensive position for Nuñez is third base and I think he isn't as bad as many on this board claim.

[Halsey Hall]

I'd start the season with Escobar at 3rd.  And when he spells Santana or Dozier at their positions have Nunez at 3rd base. 

[tobi0040]

Here are the players I count that could play at differnet positions in a pinch

 

3B - Plouffe, Escobar, Santana, Nunez

 

SS - Plouffe, Escobar, Santana, Nunez

 

2B - Dozier, Escobar, Santana, Nunez

 

CF - Robinsin, Schafer, Escobar, Santana.  Our GM thinks Torii could and "we would not miss much"

 

OK, so the tough defensive positions are covered three ways until sunday.

 

Here are the players that could come off the bench in the 9th inning with two outs, down by a run with runners on second and third:

 

ABSOLUTELY NOBODY