When do we begin to believe Robbie Grossman is a good hitter?

[mlhouse]

I think he is and the Twins should commit to him as their regular DH.  What they need to do is understand the batting order, however.

 

With their current lineup, the batting order should be:

 

Grossman

Mauer

Dozier

Sano

Kepler

Rosario

Polanco

Casto

Buxton

 

Your top OBP guy leads off and your power hitting OBP bats clean up, not 3rd.  The 3rd hitter should NOT be your best hitter, almost the opposite.  It should be a power hitting guy that has more of a propensity of striking out (an out that avoids DPs) but has power.  He gets better pitches to swing at because the BEST hitter is behind him.  

 

If Kepler ever gets to be a guy that can protect Sano a bit, the Twins will have a nice lineup.  

 

But, they put a high strike out, lower OBP guy at the top of the order adn their best hitter 3rd.  

[Monkeypaws]

 

It's time to get off Grossman's back. He appears to be a solid .775-.825 OPS guy who hits .270-.285 and has an over .400 OBP.  He's also improved in the OF to "mediocre" to "average corner OF".  His professional approach to at bats also helps the younger guys learn what to do and tires out starting pitchers in conjunction with Mauer and Dozier doing the same things. An ability and willingness to grind out long at bats and eat up pitching staffs has long been one of the Yankees and Red Sox competitive advantages. It's good to see the Twins doing the same. 

 

Grossman looks and sounds like a solid 130-140 games a year DH/4th OF to me.  We can win with a guy like him as a regular player. 

Was there not an article somewhere, here or STrib, that told of all the work he put in on the offseason to get his fielding up to par?

 

Grossman as an average OF is an asset to be sure.

[mlhouse]

 

I agree except:

 

(1) Switch Rosario and Polanco - I don't think it works to have two young left handed hitters that don't hit LH pitching well hitting back to back. 

(2) I would switch Dozier and Sano just so Sano would get the extra at bats. 

 

I'm with you on the big point - lead off Grossman and put Dozier in the middle of the order. 

 

Your cleanup hitter should be the power hitter with the highest OBP.  Getting your leadoff hitter on base is the most important step in scoring a run.  Who is most likely to lead off the 2nd inning?  The 4th hitter.  And if the 4th hitter does not lead off the 2nd inning, that means that he is batting in the first inning with runners on base.  EXACTLY what you want.

 

Bill James worked this out many years ago.

 

 

[Willihammer]

Grossman love at FG today:

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/the-most-patient-hitter-in-baseball/

[Linus]

Not so much the last few days.

[The Wise One]

 

Hmm, it took an all star infielder to acquire Mejia.  In other words, a guy at the very top of his game.  Nunez had a .760 OPS and 27 SB when the Twins traded him.  He still had 2 full seasons of team control and has exceptional position flexibility.  Rosario has never had an OPS above .750 despite playing a position of greater offensive expectation.  Rosario is not a regular CFer.  He has a career UZR 150 of -2.0 in CF.  He can fill in occasionally, but really not more than 20-30 games per season.

 

He's a good defensive corner OFer who hits like a good fielding CFer.

 

I find it a little curious that you value a barely replacement level corner OFer over a 23 year left handed starter that can crank it in the mid 90s.  There are a lot more of one of of those assets than there are of the other. 

Every team gets to have an all star. Dave Engel was an all star once. as was Ron Coomer. Being the best of the worst really does not mean much.