Next Roster Moves?

[Linus]

 

Agree here, except Pelfrey to the pen instead of May. That way you're staying competitive and still developing may as a starter. Pelfrey has been poor the last two times out and may be hitting the inevitable wall. Also, why haven't they called up Fryer?  He's hitting well in AAA and Hermann isn't hitting at all.  Is Fryer that bad as a catcher? 

I believe Fryer is supposed to be a good defensive catcher.  His challenge in the past has been with the bat.  Now that he is hitting in Rochester, seems like a logical move.

 

The reason why I would keep Pelfrey in the rotation for the short term is to boost his potential trade value, assuming that he pitches well. 

[SwainZag]

 

Two starts ago IIRC, Pelfrey was locked in a low-scoring game with the White Sox. He lost the game in the seventh when he should have been removed, but the Twins stuck with him (in part because the bullpen alternatives were horrible). It still qualified as a quality start and really was better than that. Fryer is slipping pretty badly at Rochester, he's nearly 30 and never profiled as a hitter. His "D" is fine, but he's not on the 40-man roster. It would be a 40-man disruption to change irrelevant pieces IMHO. Also, FWIW, Herrmann is an acceptable outfielder. Apparently Molitor doesn't think much of that since, the Twins have started EE in left 26 times.

 

Or he thinks that Escobar brings more to the table with the bat than Hermann does.

 

[Linus]

 

Or he thinks that Escobar brings more to the table with the bat than Hermann does.

Pretty much no doubt about that.  As the old farmer saying goes, Herrmann couldn't hit a pig in the ass with a spade.

[stringer bell]

 

Or he thinks that Escobar brings more to the table with the bat than Hermann does.

He does. Escobar's OPS+ is 90. Team--91.

 

Individuals:

Dozier  133

Nuñez  132

Hunter  115

Plouffe  105

Mauer    96

Rosario  94

Escobar 90

Vargas   76

Robinson 72

Suzuki    68

Hicks      66

Herrmann 53

Santana   46

 

 

 

[Craig Arko]

@RhettBollinger: The Twins placed Shane Robinson on the family emergency list and activated Aaron Hicks from the DL.

[stringer bell]

 

@RhettBollinger: The Twins placed Shane Robinson on the family emergency list and activated Aaron Hicks from the DL.

Curious about the Robinson situation. He earlier took family emergency time at an opportune time for the Twins and now the situation recurs (I guess). I don't want to appear insensitive, but is it known what the family issue is? I like Robinson, he is a pro who has made about as much out of his limited talent as he can. Watching him taking BP in ST with the likes of Vargas, Hunter and Hicks, he looked very small and very pale compared to those guys. He looks particularly geeky when wearing sunglasses (I think of Ant-man).

[nytwinsfan]

Let's please leave Escobar at SS for a while and let someone else (Hicks, Rosario, Hunter and Santana as backup) play outfield.  Escobar is finally starting to hit again and looks more and more like the SS of the next year or two, if not longer.  Since the beginning of the 2014 season, he has an OPS of .713, which is better than all but 7 major league SS during that same period (one of whom is, admittedly, Danny Santana and his bloated BABIP).

[jorgenswest]

If you have to write "don't want to appear insensitive" it is probably a clue that you shouldn't press post.

 

An article from two weeks ago.

 

http://m.1500espn.com/pages/sportswire.php?sPL=dealing_with_family_medical_issue_robinson_balances_baseball_life062115

[TheLeviathan]

I really hope all turns out well for Robinson and his daughter. I can't even imagine.

[stringer bell]

 

If you have to write "don't want to appear insensitive" it is probably a clue that you shouldn't press post.

An article from two weeks ago.

http://m.1500espn.com/pages/sportswire.php?sPL=dealing_with_family_medical_issue_robinson_balances_baseball_life062115

Thanks for the information. Best wishes to his daughter. I guess I never saw any information about the Robinsons situation. 

[beckmt]

Hicks is slipping here into the 4th or 5th outfielder on a decent team. Good to Great Defense, little hit. Could see him traded or included in a package this offseason. Too bad.

[Halsey Hall]

 

If you have to write "don't want to appear insensitive" it is probably a clue that you shouldn't press post.

An article from two weeks ago.

http://m.1500espn.com/pages/sportswire.php?sPL=dealing_with_family_medical_issue_robinson_balances_baseball_life062115

Well now I know what's up.  That's gotta be a hard thing to go thru and still keep your mind on playing the game.  Good luck to them. 

[mudcat14]

Trade Plouffe to the Pirates for #10 & 11 prospects, Mitch Keller & Elias Diaz. Plouffe shores up Bucs defense at 3rd where Harrison is abysmal, who can then resume his super utility role. Diaz provides plus defense behind the dish with adequate to better offensive potential. Keller is a hard-throwing 19-year old who would project to pitch in his home town (Cedar Rapids) next summer.

[darin617]

So if they dealt Plouffe they we just slot Sano into 3rd base? If you want to be a playoff team you cannot weaken your defense that much. Plouffe is no superstar at 3rd but Sano is definately not an upgrade defensively.

[mudcat14]

 

So if they dealt Plouffe they we just slot Sano into 3rd base? If you want to be a playoff team you cannot weaken your defense that much. Plouffe is no superstar at 3rd but Sano is definately not an upgrade defensively.

Sano is the Twins future at 3B.  I'm not so concerned about a playoff run in 2015, as I am about 2016 and beyond.  We've still got Escobar & Nunez, who will enable us to spoon-feed Sano at 3B for the rest of the season.  There are about $90mil reasons why 1B is not an option going forward.  We have a logjam of OF candidates that are, or are nearly ready. It would be folly to condemn Miguel to a DH role at 22-years old, with the talent he possesses.  We gave Plouffe 4 years to become an average (at best) contributor at the Hot Corner.  Sano warrants at least 80 games. 

[darin617]

Sano may have more of a future at his current postion DH. What does it tell you when they have not given Plouffe a day off and inserted Sano into 3rd for at least a game. I would expect this to happen at least during the Baltimore series to see if he can handle it before we start trading away players for lottery tickets.

Yes I said lottery tickets, that is all prospects are and most turn into nothing. I am not talking about Sano.

[Thegrin]

In case you haven't noticed, Nunez has been a very productive hitter.  His defense is no worse than Santana.  I like it that he has been getting regular opportunities at SS.  

[darin617]

 

In case you haven't noticed, Nunez has been a very productive hitter.  His defense is no worse than Santana.  I like it that he has been getting regular opportunities at SS.  

Santana is clearly not a major league player at all. Nunez is playing good at the moment but what would happen to his numbers if he played regularly.

[USAFChief]

So...what's the word on Pressly?

[jokin]

 

Sano may have more of a future at his current postion DH. What does it tell you when they have not given Plouffe a day off and inserted Sano into 3rd for at least a game. I would expect this to happen at least during the Baltimore series to see if he can handle it before we start trading away players for lottery tickets.

Yes I said lottery tickets, that is all prospects are and most turn into nothing. I am not talking about Sano.

 

 

Uhh, no.  What Sano not playing yet at 3rd in favor of Plouffe tells me that Plouffe is the superior option at this point in tme, while in the midst of a pennant race.  And that Sano's bat is always going to be his superior tool.  At this very early point in Sano's major league career, what it doesn't mean is that Sano has "more of a future at his current position DH."  

[kellyvance]

 

And yes, I am pro trading Torii Hunter. Don't hate me for that. If you don't like that then remove Nunez from the above list.

Twins didn't sign Torii as an off season priority, only to trade him just as they are calling up the young guys. 

[stringer bell]

Something needs to be done with the bullpen. Thompson should be sent down now. The team needs another arm or two. Within the system, I'd say try Rogers and Achter.

[drjim]

 

Something needs to be done with the bullpen. Thompson should be sent down now. The team needs another arm or two. Within the system, I'd say try Rogers and Achter.

 

I'm not against trying it but that strikes me as little more than shuffling deck chairs

[Jham]

 

I'm not against trying it but that strikes me as little more than shuffling deck chairs

 

Maybe I'm not remembering right, but I feel like Caleb Thielbar has never been as bad Aaron Thompson has been for the last 2 months.  Thielbar has experience.  He'd be my call.  Thompson has been garbage, and needs to go back to AAA and find his April form.

[Danchat]

 

Twins didn't sign Torii as an off season priority, only to trade him just as they are calling up the young guys. 

What? Then why'd they give him a no-trade clause? The Twins will not be trading him - I guarantee it.

 

 

Something needs to be done with the bullpen. Thompson should be sent down now. The team needs another arm or two. Within the system, I'd say try Rogers and Achter.

Yes, please. I'd try Achter and Thielbar, and send Rogers to the bullpen in AAA in preparation for a future call-up.

[USAFChief]

I'm not against trying it but that strikes me as little more than shuffling deck chairs

Shuffle away, please. Shuffle like madmen. Keep shuffling.

 

It might not work, but at the least it would give me the illusion somebody is paying attention.

[TheLeviathan]

As Chief said, I'll gladly take different bad at this point.  Anything that gives even the illusion of hope coming out of the bullpen.

[nicksaviking]

 

Something needs to be done with the bullpen. Thompson should be sent down now. The team needs another arm or two. Within the system, I'd say try Rogers and Achter.

 

I'm in favor of jettisoning everyone in the pen who doesn't have a K/9 above 7.  I'm getting really tired of late in games watching other teams move the runners over a base with each at bat regardless if it's an out or a hit.

 

Let me do a quick head count and see who would still be on the roster using this criteria.

[drjim]

 

As Chief said, I'll gladly take different bad at this point.  Anything that gives even the illusion of hope coming out of the bullpen.

 

I don't think you can shift half the pen, but by all means try two guys. Maybe a guy can catch fire like Thompson/Boyer did earlier in the year.

 

I suspect Perkins, Fien, Graham, Pressly (if healthy) won't move, but anyone past that.

[diehardtwinsfan]

I think Plouffe is traded or moved at some point in the near future, though I do think there's some wisdom in letting Sano acclimate with the bat a bit first.  He's certainly hitting fairly well right now, but we are definitely in SSS territory, and I'd like to see how major leaguers adjust to him once the scouting reports get out.  Plouffe is an offseason trade at the earliest in my opinion.   

 

That said, I really hope they get a good ML ready catcher for him.