Polanco/Buxton ready to lead off? Or just spring training hype?

[Foghorn Leghorn]

I actually think one of these 2 will lead off.

[drjim]

And they should

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Yep. My vote is for Buxton.

[Linus]

I think Polanco is more ready at this point.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Polanco too.

[jimbo92107]

I think the first guy should always lead off. 

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

I disagree.

[Guest]

Mauer against RHP

[Foghorn Leghorn]

I would roll with

Buxton

Polanco

Kepler

Dozier

Sano

Mauer as top in order.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

Mauer against RHP

agreed against Righties

 

Mauer

Kepler

Sano

Dozier

Vargas

Buxton

Polanco

Castro

Rosario

 

Against Lefties

 

Kepler

Grossman

Sano

Dozier

Vargas

Buxton

Polanco

JRM

Rosario

[Halsey Hall]

JRM won't be on the team, Sconnie. 

[gil4]

 

I think the first guy should always lead off. 

So we have to bat around every inning? I'm OK with that.

[Riverbrian]

Molitor seems to listen to the players and Dozier keep saying he wants to lead off. 

 

That seemed to trump any other form of logic. 

[Han Joelo]

 

Molitor seems to listen to the players and Dozier keep saying he wants to lead off. 

 

That seemed to trump any other form of logic. 

 

If thats the case, get your best OBP guys at the bottom of the order.

[jimbo92107]

 

I think the first guy should always lead off. 

Glad a couple guys got the Yogi gag.

[jimbo92107]

 

So we have to bat around every inning? I'm OK with that.

And I prefer it when my stocks go up!

[Richie the Rally Goat]

JRM won't be on the team, Sconnie.

gotta roll w/ the vet, Giminez huh?

[Brock Beauchamp]

Putting Buxton in the leadoff spot on Opening Day is insanity.

 

Polanco, I can probably get behind that idea. The guy seems to have his **** together (with the stick, anyway) and is generally underrated by Twins fans.

[Doomtints]

Moving Buxton up to leadoff should be the goal, but he has to be ready.

 

We don't know if Polanco will be up to the task either, and in any case he would be the placeholder for Buxton. For a guy in the team's long term plans, I don't know if it makes sense to monkey with putting Polanco at leadoff only to move him off of it later.

 

As the leadoff position at the start of the year is just a placeholder, go with Grossman (assuming he makes the roster) and hope he does not fail. If he does, revisit at that time.

 

In the meantime, keep grooming Buxton for the job.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

Moving Buxton up to leadoff should be the goal, but he has to be ready.

 

We don't know if Polanco will be up to the task either, and in any case he would be the placeholder for Buxton. For a guy in the team's long term plans, I don't know if it makes sense to monkey with putting Polanco at leadoff only to move him off of it later.

 

As the leadoff position at the start of the year is just a placeholder, go with Grossman (assuming he makes the roster) and hope he does not fail. If he does, revisit at that time.

 

In the meantime, keep grooming Buxton for the job.

Ultimately, I foresee Polanco taking second in the lineup if he's not leading off, so I'm not sure it matters much. The approach between first and second in the lineup shouldn't be drastically different (I'd argue a hitter's approach should never change drastically based on lineup construction but the reality is players seem to think it should).

 

If Mauer continues to be 2014-2016 Mauer, he should be no higher than sixth or seventh in the lineup but I'm fine with starting Polanco/Mauer to begin the season.