Rotating DH's

[GMinTraining]

Hear me out:  Thought process..................Whoever we use at the DH position is probably going to be a guy who is young or new to the MLB [Vargas; Park; Arcia; Kepler; Walker; Santana].  

 

The problem we've had with our young players in the past, is that once teams have a book on our young players, their production tends to diminish.  It happened to Vargas. It happened to Arcia.  It happened to Santana.  It hasn't been voiced much, but I guarantee people are worried regression could happen to Sano and Rosario as well.  That being said:  Let's make teams have to expand their scouting resources as we play various guys at DH from Series to Series.  Look at the upcoming rotations against and select a DH that best meets that series need.  You could even do it by game if travel permits.

 

*Vs a team with a poor infield or poor catcher - MN might benefit with a Kepler  or Santana stroking & running the bases.  

*Vs a team with strong right handed pitching rotation in that series - MN might benefit with Arcia or Vargas

*Vs a team with strong left handed pitching rotation in that series - MN might benefit with Park or Vargas

*Vs a team with strong lefty/righty rotation in that series - MN might benefit with Vargas (switch hitter)

 

Or utilize the guy who is hot for a period of time.  If Kepler is killing AAA in Rochester in April - Bring him up for a series.  If Walker goes on his streaky HR binge in May - Bring him up for a series.  Ride whichever guy is riding high for a span and let them all know that  "this is what is happening".  That will be their motivation and the cream will / should rise to the top. A DH rotation causes more work for opposing teams in regards to extensive scouting for new faces.  It gives our guys a chance to be productive and then go back to the minors to "work on whatever went wrong" (assuming they get figured out).  Our guys won't have to work on exploited flaws at the MLB level and it provides competition for a spot (DH) that doesn't hurt progress long term (defensively).  

 

Santana and Arcia are out of options and would have to be with team throughout, but rotating all those other guys at DH gives them quality MLB experience and allows them to learn on the go.  Think of how we generally do things.  Colabello wins the AL Player of the Month and gets demoted forever a month later.  Same with Vargas and Arcia.  Let's give them Weekly Call Ups.  Series Call Ups.  Game Call Ups and EXPLAIN  "The plan".  Baptism by Fire on short trial runs.    

Match ups are what make baseball special.  Every team wants to get to the late innings so they can utilize their lefty / righty match ups in securing a game.  Why not take advantage in the early innings with a smorgasbord of DH players that you can call up whenever?

 

Not the norm for baseball, but besides Sano, the norm hasn't been the best for us in recent years.  Let's try something outside the box?  .......................................................

 

[nytwinsfan]

Interesting idea that I don't necessarily hate, but it really is the opposite of the kind of thing that Terry Ryan (or Paul Molitor) would go for.

[70charger]

Look, I'm all for playing matchups, but there's something to be said about roster stability. Do you really want to jerk these guys around that much? Do we want to prolong and multiply the adjustment periods?

 

How do you look a guy like Vargas in the eye and say, "yeah, you're doing okay, but there's this guy in the minors who hit a lot of home runs last week, so don't let the door hit you in the ass on your way to Rochester."

 

I couldn't/wouldn't do it. Pick one.

[GMinTraining]

 

Look, I'm all for playing matchups, but there's something to be said about roster stability. Do you really want to jerk these guys around that much? Do we want to prolong and multiply the adjustment periods?

 

How do you look a guy like Vargas in the eye and say, "yeah, you're doing okay, but there's this guy in the minors who hit a lot of home runs last week, so don't let the door hit you in the ass on your way to Rochester."

 

I couldn't/wouldn't do it. Pick one.

You essentially did the reverse each of the last two years with Colabello and Vargas.  Not doing well = demoted! Ask each of them if they were given a plan for a return (promotion).  I bet you they weren't.  Twins prospects often state that they aren't told anything in regards to expectations from them.  Just play.  I'm saying that they could handle the ups and downs of seasonal promotions demotions.

 

Talking to prospects and minor leaguers is not always a bad thing.  Sometimes knowing what you need to do helps with your development.

[Shaitan]

 

Twins prospects often state that they aren't told anything in regards to expectations from them.  Just play.  I'm saying that they could handle the ups and downs of seasonal promotions demotions.

 

Talking to prospects and minor leaguers is not always a bad thing.  Sometimes knowing what you need to do helps with your development.

I'm too lazy to dig up sources, but I feel like I've read the opposite of that many times, that they're most always given a "plan."

 

Denard Span comes to mind, granted that was like 6 years ago. I think Dozier, Hicks, and Arcia are all in that same boat.

 

[70charger]

Sending a guy who is struggling down is very, very different from your suggestion.

 

How does this: "Look at the upcoming rotations against and select a DH that best meets that series need.  You could even do it by game if travel permits.", equal this: "Not doing well = demoted!"?

 

It doesn't, that's how. Stop moving the goalposts. 

[jorgenswest]

Interesting but...

 

Players sent down to the minors need to remain down for 10 days or the equivalent of the next 3 series. If this could somehow be successful, the Twins would need to do it for a longer space than one series. If they send down Park to call up Kepler for a series. Park can not return when Kepler is sent down after the series is over. So maybe the call up Walker but if they want to return him after the series neither Park or Kepler would be available to call up.

 

So maybe they look at the next 3-4 series and select the best guy. I would guess the differences in competition would even things out though. That length time span also wipes out the idea that they bring up a player when they are hot. There isn't evidence that a player who has been hot for a week or two is more likely to be hot in the next two weeks than a player who hasn't been hot.

 

With the 10 day stay mandate, the Twins are probably better off sticking with whoever they assess is the better player.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

How do you accomplish this with a three man bench? Play Vargas at SS when Esco needs a break? Go to a 4 man bench and not carry a backup catcher?

 

Edit: yeah what Jorgenwest said much better than I did