So at what point does Molly/TR realize that Escobar and his sub .600 ops has no business in the DH/LF spot?

[DaveW]

Arguably has already cost the Twins multiple games. Should be 12 games above .500 at this point, not 10 games and losing 1-0 games.

 

Escobar has zero business DHing on a 95 loss team, the fact he is doing it on a "competitive team" is a complete disaster.

Free Vargas

Free Pinto

[John Kelsey]

It is ridiculous, and what does Santana have to do to get sent down?

[DaveW]

After the double header tomorrow it's an easy fix IMO:

 

DFA Stauffer

Send down Santana

send down Hermann

 

Call up:

Vargas

Pinto

polanco

 

Start Polanco at SS (If he can stick), move Escobar to Util, and have Vargas be the regular DH.

 

Give pinto 2 starts a week at catcher and one at DH.

 

Eventually figure out a way to Trade some scrub to Atlanta so we can put Graham in AAA for a bit and call up Oliveros

[Vanimal46]

Escobar must have some incriminating photos of TR while he was on the road... It's the only logical explanation for continuing to play him everyday.

[Vanimal46]

Free Vargas!!

[luckylager]

 

Escobar must have some incriminating photos of TR while he was on the road... It's the only logical explanation for continuing to play him everyday.

Can we declare a moratorium on these "incriminating photo" comments?  Eduardo has been a contributor. Might be in a bit of a slump. Should not be DHing, But belongs on the team. 

[twinsnorth49]

Yeah, it's borderline embarrassing.

[Bark's Lounge]

For the 2015 season Escobar should have been the starting SS to open the season, but the guys upstairs believed it was time to push the Santana agenda and see what could come of it. Santana had a great year last season and who am I too argue? The guys upstairs should've know better. They should have prepared for the regression, his unproven play at SS and of course his ridiculous BABIP from last season.

 

Escobar has been a good soldier for the Twins and has been yanked around. He's off to a slow start this season as are a few other guys. Esco is not some waif of a player, the guy might be shorter in stature, but he has some meat on his bones. The guys has some pop and is a very adequate fielder up the middle IF.

 

For future purposes beyond this year, I am am not saying Esco is our starting SS, he should be right now, but he is a valuable asset on the bench on a contending team with the ability to play good defense and have some thunder in his bat.

 

Escobar is a damn good player. His circumstance could have hindered him a bit, but I believe he is off to a slow start. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

He is a top of the line utility infielder, maybe more.

[drock2190]

Well it wouldn't be so bad if he was the only shortstop not hitting.

 

The bottom of the order is like a grind to go through. Only hitter I feel optimistic about up at the plate is hicks.

 

Rosario has been okay but he has a very ugly walk to strikeout ratio and he's going to experience some regression

[twinsnorth49]

 

For the 2015 season Escobar should have been the starting SS to open the season, but the guys upstairs believed it was time to push the Santana agenda and see what could come of it. Santana had a great year last season and who am I too argue? The guys upstairs should've know better. They should have prepared for the regression, his unproven play at SS and of course his ridiculous BABIP from last season.

 

Escobar has been a good soldier for the Twins and has been yanked around. He's off to a slow start this season as are a few other guys. Esco is not some waif of a player, the guy might be shorter in stature, but he has some meat on his bones. The guys has some pop and is a very adequate fielder up the middle IF.

 

For future purposes beyond this year, I am am not saying Esco is our starting SS, he should be right now, but he is a valuable asset on the bench on a contending team with the ability to play good defense and have some thunder in his bat.

 

Escobar is a damn good player. His circumstance could have hindered him a bit, but I believe he is off to a slow start. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

He is a top of the line utility infielder.

I agree Bark, he's no LF/DH but he's a good guy to have on the bench to spell the middle infield and even 3B a bit, with enough pop in his bat to pinch hit.

[KirbyHawk75]

We need Arcia to come up and stay healthy and play DH.  Or Call up Vargas.  

[sftwinsfan]

I do like Santana, but even I'll admit he's looking a little lost on the field and could probably use some time at AAA.  Escobar should probably be getting time right now at SS, but doesn't belong in LF or DH. He's not as bad as he's been hitting lately, nor do I think he's as good as he played last year.  Overall he's a solid player at SS.

[kab21]

Escobar has become the new Nick Punto. 

 

But he shouldn't be starting at DH/LF.

[Bark's Lounge]

 

I agree Bark, he's no LF/DH but he's a good guy to have on the bench to spell the middle infield and even 3B a bit, with enough pop in his bat to pinch hit.

Yeah, the LF/DH thing seems to be a sympathy card from the Twins on how they have handled him. He should be utilized much more wisely and for the betterment of the team. I see Esco as a guy who will get 300PA as a UT guy and serve as a pinch hitter with something to be reckoned with.

 

Right now, I want him to be the Starting SS, but that will be short lived, especially beyond this year - you would think?

 

I have more faith in Vargas than I do Arcia as a hitter - get Vargas back up as our DH!

 

Right now, I am liking the Rosie, Hicks, and Hunter OF way too much to throw Arcia back out there. It's really nice to see a couple of hotshot outfielders making the plays and beyond. I believe it to be a big reason we destroyed May (the month).

[bird]

We're assuming a lot here. Is it possible Molitor believes, right now, that Escobar stands a better chance at the plate than Vargas, Arcia, or Pinto? Why is everyone so sure Vargas at DH at the moment changes the outcome of even one game over Escobar or Nunez? And why is everyone pinning the Vargas demotion on Ryan but not Molitor?

 

Clearly, the longer-term consensus is that Vargas and Arcia will produce more offense than Escobar, that's a given. But isn't it possible that Molitor's and other's judgment is different than yours regarding these last few games when it comes to the DH situation?

[gunnarthor]

I think Arcia comes up as DH soon.  And, unless he gets going soon, Santana will go down and Escobar will take over short for a bit.

[stringer bell]

Stauffer will have a longer trial than I think he deserves.  His status plus the need for an extra pitcher because of Nolasco's one-inning start leaves the Twins one hitter short for right now.  I would hope that when they recover from the doubleheader, they will add a hitter (either Vargas or Arcia). 

 

Escobar/Santana is a separate issue IMHO.  If Danny plays well in the field, he will stay in the majors, I think.  If he gets sloppy, back to Rochester.

[twinsnorth49]

 

We're assuming a lot here. Is it possible Molitor believes, right now, that Escobar stands a better chance at the plate than Vargas, Arcia, or Pinto? Why is everyone so sure Vargas at DH at the moment changes the outcome of even one game over Escobar or Nunez? And why is everyone pinning the Vargas demotion on Ryan but not Molitor?

 

Clearly, the longer-term consensus is that Vargas and Arcia will produce more offense than Escobar, that's a given. But isn't it possible that Molitor's and other's judgment is different than yours regarding these last few games when it comes to the DH situation?

Of course their judgment is different than mine, who said it wasn't? Both Vargas and Arcia are explosive players who have the ability to punish mistakes and hit the ball a long way. Do they need to do it more consistently? Yep. Do they need to be working on it with the big club? Yep, one of them anyway.

 I'm sure Molly and or TR have their reasons, I don't know them but even if I did I wouldn't necessarily have to like them.

[DaveW]

I think Escobar is fine as a Util and stop gap at SS, the prob is when you are wasting him in LF and DH where you literally have two guys who can post .150- .200 more in ops then him with Vargas and pinto in AAA.

 

The Punto thing was interesting, I loved Punto as the UTIL guy and could live with him at SS, but it was frustrating to see him as the starting 3B ( a position that you should have someone with pop playing)

 

Escobar in LF/DH is even more upsetting IMO as you could easily toss in a AAAA type like Colabello, Jones, etc etc the twins have had and get much more production. Plus as mentioned they have pinto and Vargas who would both put up better DH numbers guaranteed

[Shane Wahl]

Vargas will be up July 2. That is after an extended trip to the NL parks. Pinto should have been up awhile ago. Or hell, if they need a left fielder, Danny Ortiz could hit better than Escobar.

 

I am surprised that I am thinking this way already in 2015, but I think Polanco should be fast-tracked. I would like to see him get some PAs at AAA for a bit first, but whatever.

[Danchat]

Free Stauffer's Roster Spot

[Rosterman]

Santana played well last season and was a lead-off guy we could like, and was in centerfield.I don't think he is the shortstop of the future. He is a place-setter. At most, the Twins need him to show value so he can become a tradechip.

 

The shortstop of the future is Nick Gordon. Before him, we might find time for Polanco, but Polanco may be better served being the next...Escobar.

 

Yes, Escobar has no business being the leftfielder or batting DH. At the worst, we have Nunez or Herrmann being the DH. We have Rosario right now. Hicks is tumbling thru centerfield not making the most of his opportunity. We have two guys, Robinson and Schafer, who will force a roster decision.

 

When Arcia comes back, make him DH who COULD also play the outfield. At some point, we add back in Vargas as backup at 1B and a bench bat, or a DH perhaps when Arcia plays the outfield.

 

RIght now, we have no DH, we have an inconsistent outfield (still) and we suffer at catcher. We have too many shortstops, but no one taking charge.

 

Amazing that we are where we are in the standings.

 

Again, the twins can be put down by solid pitching. They could've lost a simiiar game to Boston last week, but didn't. Tomorrow's double-header will be a tell about the real state of our offense and who plays where (and who plays where they shouldn't).

 

Yes, Pinto needs to finally come north, too!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[howeda7]

Agreed, that after the double-header, Stauffer, Santana and Hermann should go, Milone, Pinto and either Arcia or Vargus up. I don't think you go straight Polanco at SS at this point. Escobar hit well when he played every day and didn't have to move around. He deserves 3-4 weeks playing SS every day to see if it can turn his bat on. But this BS at DH needs to stop.

[hotshot031]

 

We need Arcia to come up and stay healthy and play DH.  Or Call up Vargas.  

Not Arcia yet. He is not ready/healthy. I like the call up Vargas idea....

[kab21]

 

The Punto thing was interesting, I loved Punto as the UTIL guy and could live with him at SS, but it was frustrating to see him as the starting 3B ( a position that you should have someone with pop playing)
 

That's exactly why I mentioned it.  Punto was a great utility guy and a fine short term option at 2B/SS but he became one of the most hated players on the Twins because he was given a starting job.  Escobar is headed in the same direction.  He's valuable but starting him at DH/LF is going to win him no fans.

[h2oface]

Escobar is also just hitting .167 on the road, too. It would have been so cool this series to have the Big Papi and the Bigger Papi.... both in the lineups. I really like Vargas better than Arcia, but 20 homers last year is in Arcia's pocket. Escobar's value is not in leftfield or manning the DH, especially on the road. I hope this bench we are carrying is overhauled soon.

[h2oface]

 

............Hicks is tumbling thru centerfield not making the most of his opportunity. .............

 

............RIght now, we have no DH, we have an inconsistent outfield (still).........

I am loving this outfield. With this pitching staff, a staff that doesn't miss bat, Hicks and Rosario have been great out there, and needed. I don't see Hicks anywhere close to tumbling thru centerfield, and his bat is about .250 for both sides of the plate. I wish Vargas had never been sent down, and he is a switch-hitting DH. Pinto - he hardly even catches in Rochester, and could be traded. Arcia is a quandary. No real room for both Vargas and Arcia.

[jimbo92107]

 

Free Vargas!!

Unleash the Vargas!

[Craig Arko]

Agreed one of the big boppers should be in the lineup. Preferably a lefty.

 

And the pitching staff should settle back down to 12.

[TheLeviathan]

Send down Santana, call up Vargas. Problem solved.