What moves would you make right now?

[howeda7]

I think it's time for a roster move or two and a line-up tweak. I'd do the following:

 

Send Park down. He's in a bit over his head and it couldn't possibly hurt to hit AAA pitching for awhile. Meanwhile Sano is pressing big time. The RF thing isn't helping. At least push pause on it and get him back to DH (and down in the line-up).  I'm not sure it matters who comes up since Kepler is already here. It would only be until Santana is back.

 

Line-up shake-up:

 

1. Escobar

2. Mauer

3. Dozier

4. Plouffe

5. Arcia RF; Kepler platooning.

6. Sano DH

7. Rosario

8. Murphy (he should play at least 50%)

9. Buxton

 

[Ncgo4]

First thing either play Kepler or send him back down to Richester. Sitting a potential star in the bench Is beyond rediculous.

[Ncgo4]

Let's see...our starting outfield plus the DH is hitting a combined:

 

.159 Batting average

4 Hits (1 each so we have no one they need to pitch around)

4 RBI's (1 each...consistency is the key with our power players)

 

We have gotten ourselves into a hole. What do you do? Well for one thing I might give Kepler and Arcia some at bats. All 4 look alike at the plate. No ability to recognize pitches and each look like they watched Sano's highlights from last year and have decided to only hit when they have 2 strikes and a walk is out of the question.

 

Who'd a thunk that starting pitching woulda been our strength to start 2016. 0-7 is bad. Last year we started 1-7 but recovered, but only because we went about 17 wins (or some crazy number) above 500 after the start. The problem is that we played way beyond our talent by hitting some crazy number with men on base, not likely something that is repeatable this year.

 

Lots of us complained about and made fun of Hunter last year, but who is the leader in the clubhouse this year? Mauer...are you kidding? Who else? Don't know if there is someone else. Wish I had an idea, but we can't send the whole outfield down to AAA can we?

[Han Joelo]

I'd DFA Fien.  It is harsh and a bit unfair based on what, two outings? I know this is probably selective memory, but it seems like things went bad as soon as he entered that first game.  From that point on, the Twins have sucked and the Orioles...

 

I'm suggesting make him the sacrifice to Jobu.  It is going to happen sooner or later anyway.  Maybe if the younger guys see that someone lost his job over this, rather than someone just getting demoted, it will light a fire.  I don't even care who they bring up.  Cripes, bring up Shaggy, or better yet, see if Latroy will come out of retirement.

 

I have to agree about DHing Sano for a while.

[Platoon]

The only thing that would make Dozie jerk his head more to the LF corner than now is moving him to the 3 hole.

[Brock Beauchamp]

I'd get rid of Fien. Call up... Hell, I don't care. Someone. I'd bench, not demote, Park... At least for awhile. I'd play Kepler. Sano back to DH. Maybe May to closer. Not sure on that one. Perkins deserves one more game, hopefully with warmer weather.

 

Oh, and Escobar to the two slot. Mauer in the three.

[clutterheart]

I don't love Fien, but he is not the problem.  The offense is the problem.  

 

I agree with moving Park to AAA.  Let him work things out there and hopefully Sano at DH would let him relax a bit and focus on his bat.  

 

Yesterday Park came up in some big situations and just looked....bad.

 

 

[bluechipper]

I don't love Fien, but he is not the problem.  The offense is the problem.  

 

I agree with moving Park to AAA.  Let him work things out there and hopefully Sano at DH would let him relax a bit and focus on his bat.  

 

Yesterday Park came up in some big situations and just looked....bad.

That short fly ball with Mauer on third was pretty impressive... I was so expecting another K right there.

[alarp33]

My changes (assuming I can't trade anyone)

 

- Arcia or Kepler would be in the lineup vs righties instead of Park

 

- I would pinch hit for Suzuki in late innings, I'm really unclear why Molitor has no issues replacing Sano on the basepaths or in the field, but lets Suzuki hit in key spots.  

 

- When not replacing Park, Kepler would also play LF and Rosario would sit (not every day, but many)

 

- Danny Santana would spend the maximum amount of time in Rochester on his rehab assignment, because my manager can not help himself putting his terrible bat in the lineup.  

 

- I'd be fine cutting Fien as others said, or else he's only pitching mop-up duty

 

Wednesday lineup (vs Rodon)

1) Dozier

2) Escobar

3) Mauer

4) Sano 

5) Plouffe

6) Park

7) Kepler (LF)

8) Murphy

9) Buxton

 

Thursday Lineup  (Latos)

 

1) Dozier

2) Mauer

3) Sano (RF or DH)

4) Arcia (DH) or Kepler (RF)

5) Plouffe

6) Escobar

7) Rosario

8) Suzuki

9) Buxton

 

One other note, I know he's looked practically as bad as anyone, but I'm not real far from just putting Buxton at leadoff and letting the lineup fall into place from there. I mean 0-7 can't get any worse, and I don't buy the extra "pressure" of hitting 1. 

[Mike Sixel]

These are moves I would have made at the beginning of the year:

 

DFA Fien. Old, not good players should not be on a rebuilding team that has invested MANY high picks on RPs.....where are all those RPs that are so awesome?

 

Hit Escobar in the 1 or 2 spot. This isn't even that hard to figure out to do.

 

PH for Suzuki in every game past inning 6, if there is a man on base. Seriously, this isn't rocket science.

 

Arcia is in RF vs Righties, with Sano or Park at DH.

 

Kepler would be in AAA, not wasting 2 weeks sitting around doing nothing at all.

[Homer Hanky]

I would send Park Down

 

and 

 

It kills me to say this... 

 

Fire Bruno!!!! 

 

[HitInAPinch]

Not sure how a team that has a good Spring Training could start the season so poorly.  Overrated?

 

I don't care how old he is, Sano is a DH, only. 

Buxton was and is overrated.  PA's are better, still a hacker.

Bullpen is more bull than pen.

I was hoping the plan for Fien was to keep the better RP prospects in the MiLB a little longer.  Need wins out.

Starting pitchers are middle relievers.

 

Twins have been prepping D. Santana to take over CF.  Send Buxton down.

The Arcia fantasy should be over by now:  Cut Arcia, keep Kepler.

Bunch Escobar and Mauer together, on the off chance the only 2 guys hitting over .200 can generate a run.

 

Order liquor by the case.  

[HitInAPinch]

http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0535/6917/products/despairdemotivator.jpeg?v=1403275969

[lukeduke1980]

Maybe have a team discussion about situational hitting.  Perhaps become aware of what the opposing pitchers can throw and how they will try to exploit our own swing charts.

 

Also make Perkins show he can throw a clean 7th inning before sending him back to save anything.

 

And what everyone else says on Fien.

[alarp33]

I'd also leak something to Reusse about how Perkins doesn't take care of his physical condition and that's why he breaks down every 2nd half, and is throwing 91 now.  

 

Hey, it worked well for Sano, right??

[Vanimal46]

Not much else to add beyond what others have already said... 

 

Move Sano to DH until he figures out the bat again. 

 

If they're not going to play Kepler, switch him out for Polanco who can take at-bats for the infielders/pinch run. 

 

Figure out what you have in Arcia. If they have no desire to give him at-bats, why is he here?

 

Demote Park to AAA. The concerns we had all winter about transitioning from KBO straight to the MLB are confirmed. 

 

Start grooming the next closer - whether that's May, Burdi, Chargois, or any of the other awesome RP prospects... 

[Mike Sixel]

If you won't play Arcia, why not just cut him? Why be afraid to lose a guy you refuse to play?

[071063]

I think people need to calm down.  Yeah the start sucks.  But it is beyond stupid to blow things up at this point.

 

Cutting Fien is crazy.

 

Sending Park down might be a valid move but not yet.  It could also kill his confidence.

 

I think Kepler needs to play every day if he is going to be up, he needs to play.  You could easily rotate the OFers we have along with our DH's and give everyone a day off pretty regularly until they start to hit.

 

The entire team definitely needs a different approach at the plate.  Bruno, earn your pay and make it happen.  But firing Bruno at this stage is crazy.

 

All too often, the correct move is patience.

[alarp33]

 

If you won't play Arcia, why not just cut him? Why be afraid to lose a guy you refuse to play?

 

7th inning down 2 with a right handed pitcher on the mound and Suzuki at the plate... I mean if that's not a spot for Arcia I really don't know what is.  Did Molitor get asked this postgame at all?

[alarp33]

 

 

 

Cutting Fien is crazy.

 

 

Offering Fien arbitration was crazy.  Cutting him is just cutting your losses early. 

[Yoshii]

I also like the idea of sending Park down and pushing Sano down a bit in the lineup.  Park looks over matched at the plate.  At least Sano has proven himself up here before.

[Winston Smith]

When you construct a roster with low on base-high strikeout guys what do you expect? This really shouldn't be that big of a surprise.

[twinssouth]

Start Kepler now

 

Move Sano to DH and some 3rd base

 

Dump Fein

 

Bring up JT (he mowed the side down the other night)

[gunnarthor]

I think it's probably a bit too early to much.  We probably had this exact same thread last year. 

 

I am worried about Park and imagine he'll be the first domino but I'd give him more than 5 or 6 starts.

[Thrylos]

1. Fire Brunansky

2. DFA Fien bring up Chargois

3. Move Perkins to a mop up role

 

 

[Vanimal46]

 

I think people need to calm down.  Yeah the start sucks.  But it is beyond stupid to blow things up at this point.

 

Cutting Fien is crazy.

 

Sending Park down might be a valid move but not yet.  It could also kill his confidence.

 

I think Kepler needs to play every day if he is going to be up, he needs to play.  You could easily rotate the OFers we have along with our DH's and give everyone a day off pretty regularly until they start to hit.

 

The entire team definitely needs a different approach at the plate.  Bruno, earn your pay and make it happen.  But firing Bruno at this stage is crazy.

 

All too often, the correct move is patience.

IMO there are crazier things than cutting a 32 year old 6th/7th inning reliever... He's been on the decline and if we ever want to see our awesome RP prospects, someone has to go. 

 

What's a worse confidence killer? Getting sent to AAA, or continuing to look foolish with MLB pitching? Probably a case-by-case basis and I don't know the answer to it. 

 

Agreed. Kepler should be playing every day. Why he hasn't played much yet, is mind boggling. 

I also agree that firing Bruno isn't necessary right now. These are professional baseball players; they should be able to analyze the video and make adjustments to their approach at the plate without someone like Bruno drawing it out for them. 

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

7th inning down 2 with a right handed pitcher on the mound and Suzuki at the plate... I mean if that's not a spot for Arcia I really don't know what is.  Did Molitor get asked this postgame at all?

Not only that, but then we asked Suzuki to sacrifice, giving up one of our 9 outs remaining to advance the non-tying run from first to second.

[Loosey]

1) Park needs to see AAA pitching for a month or so.  At least get his confidence back.  He showed he could handle AAA and AAAA pitchers in spring trainging.  So that is the first thing I would do.

 

2) DFA Fien.  He really isn't good.  Shouldn't have been offered Arbitration to begin with. 

 

3) Sano goes to DH 3 of 4 games. Then plays 3rd base once a week.  Let him concentrate solely on hitting to get his biggest asset back.

 

4a) Arcia needs to play.  He can't be much worse that what we have seen so far from our outfielders.  Rosario has been bad.  Swings at everything and now the last two games has made some questionable decisions in the outfield.

 

4b) Kepler needs to play.  What is the point of having one of you prospects up if you just leave him on the bench to rot away.  He had the most professional at bat a Twins player has had all year on Sunday to get a walk and then he sits on the bench on Monday.

 

5)Tell Terry Ryan this is his last season.  He can announce he is retiring if he wants to save face.  But either way he will not be making decisions in 2017.

 

6) The more I think about it this terrible start may be a blessing in disguise.  It is almost the opposite of last May which was the worst thing that could have happened to this teams rebuild.  If the awfulness continues maybe the front office will start shipping out unneeded old parts and just go with a youth movement across the board and in the bullpen.  Nothing to lose at that point.

 

 

[mazeville]

I don't know I'd do anything at this point, other than start platooning Park and Arcia. I'd also start rotating Kepler in to ensure he plays as much as the other three outfielders. 

 

But the fact is, only three players on the entire Twins team are hitting over .200. That's insane. Byron Buxton, as bad as he's been early this season, has the 5th best batting average on the team. (Or is it 6th? I'm too lazy to look but it's one of the two)

 

I would consider a bullpen move, replacing Fien with Chargois or some other fireballer. 

 

Beyond that, this team has to work through its issues as a whole. It's just a bad team at this point. 

[nicksaviking]

I know it's early, and the team has seemed to have decided to market the team around him this year for some reason, but I'd push Plouffe to the bench/super-utility role. Not so much because he's been worse than everyone else, but because this team needs someone who has a strong track record of taking pitches and getting on base, and Jorge Polanco is beyond ready for his shot, and really, I don't think there are any other options to improve this particular skill set that the team so desperately needs. He could replace Escobar, but he's obviously one of the only two competent hitters on the team right now, he could replace Dozier, but I'd give Dozier a longer leash than Plouffe.

 

I'd also give Park some AAA at bats. I don't mind him struggling up here, but I'd like the team to give more looks to Kepler and Arcia, so someone has to go to Rochester.

 

As for the pen, I was ready to start from scratch this spring, so I'm just fine blowing the whole thing up.

 

With the extremely minimal use of Arcia and Tonkin, I kind of think the manager and GM may not have been on the same page this spring. If that's the case, I think there could be some fireworks even though we as Twins fans have been conditioned to expect continuity and cohesiveness.