Article: Mike Napoli: The Missing Piece?

[jorgenswest]

If Sano is a platoon DH that means Escobar is half the platoon. Over his career he has hit left handed pitching much better than right handed pitching. Last year that wasn’t the case but it would be very unwise to use splits in a single season. The sample is just far too small against left handed pitchers.

 

If Escobar is half the platoon, he will help more batting right handed. Napoli doesn’t help at all. Any gain they might see they simply lose when Escobar is playing mostly against right handed pitching.

 

If that is the plan, Napoli is a horrible fit.

[drjim]

I wonder if these rumors mean Sano is more available than we think.

 

If they did a Sano for Archer deal framework, and backed it up with signing Napoli and (say) Todd Frazier, that might be an interesting plan. Could still sign a FA pitcher too.

[HitInAPinch]

 

He'll probably take Vargas' spot on the 25 man. I'm not a believer in Vargas so I don't really care if that's the case.

I'd very much prefer signing someone who can help next year. Napoli probably isn't that person.

Same here on Vargas.  He just hasn't shown me enough.  That, and he's now 27 yrs. old.  

I think he'd be better off trying on some other AL team.

[HitInAPinch]

Napoli:  Player / coach??   

 

Not really sure how that works......

[ahart10]

I might become a Brewers fan if Twins sign Napoli

[Doomtints]

So...

 

The new rumor is the Twins are interested in Napoli because of the possibility of trading Sano. They don't think he can play often enough at 3B and they (still) don't want him to regularly DH.

 

Let's see if any of this actually happens but it seems unlikely this could be a good idea.

 

What works on Sano's favor is the Twins continued inability trade off higher-level assets (see Dozier).

Edited December 27, 2017 by Doomtints

[nicksaviking]

So...

 

The new rumor is the Twins are interested in Napoli because of the possibility of trading Sano. They don't think he can play often enough at 3B and they (still) don't want him to regularly DH.

 

Let's see if any of this actually happens but it seems unlikely this could be a good idea.

 

What works on Sano's favor is the Twins continued inability trade off higher-level assets (see Dozier).

Where do you see that rumor? Rhett Bollinger's new article implies the opposite:

 

https://www.mlb.com/twins/news/twins-miguel-sano-progressing-after-surgery/c-263909332

 

The Twins aren't looking for a full time DH as they plan on splitting Sano's days between 3B and DH. Sounds to me interest in Napoli might have been overstated or just a product of due diligence.

[Doomtints]

 

Where do you see that rumor? 

 

Wolfson said on his radio show that the Twins have been shopping Sano to other teams.

 

Note that Wolfson added that he doesn't expect the Twins to get it done because it's no secret that Sano's time at 3B is coming to a close. Shopping a DH is harder than shopping a 3B.

 

This is utterly insane to me. If I were the Twins I would be ecstatic about having the DH position locked up for the next 5-10 years with a bat of Sano's caliber. But to each his own......

Edited December 27, 2017 by Doomtints

[Taildragger8791]

Wolfson said on his radio show that the Twins have been shopping Sano to other teams.

 

Note that Wolfson added that he doesn't expect the Twins to get it done because it's no secret that Sano's time at 3B is coming to a close. Shopping a DH is harder than shopping a 3B.

 

This is utterly insane to me. If I were the Twins I would be ecstatic about having the DH position locked up for the next 5-10 years with a bat of Sano's caliber. But to each his own......

It’s a little crazy that they wouldn’t give him a 1B glove for a while before resorting to DH. He’s way too young and athletic to clog up the DH spot already.

[Doomtints]

 

It’s a little crazy that they wouldn’t give him a 1B glove for a while before resorting to DH. He’s way too young and athletic to clog up the DH spot already.

 

It's not clogging anything if he becomes the best DH in baseball. They just would need to play him at 3B once a week or so to keep him sharp enough for interleague play. This would give him 25-30 games in the field in a year, more if Escobar (or whoever) is injured.. Nothing wrong with that, this is a good ratio for a player whose sole value is with his bat. This is the AL, there's no reason to fear the DH position or use it as a scrap heap.

Edited December 27, 2017 by Doomtints

[Richie the Rally Goat]

It's not clogging anything if he becomes the best DH in baseball. They just would need to play him at 3B once a week or so to keep him sharp enough for interleague play. This would give him 25-30 games in the field in a year, more if Escobar (or whoever) is injured.. Nothing wrong with that.

3b once a week, 1b once a week, DH 3-4 days a week. Injuries, inter league and 2019 covered Edited December 27, 2017 by Sconnie

[Taildragger8791]

It's not clogging anything if he becomes the best DH in baseball.

No, but it’s still not an optimal use of resources if he’s perfectly capable of playing another position. Why limit your roster flexibility unnecessarily? That mistake would only be compounded if he doesn’t turn into the best DH in baseball, but instead continues to be a low average / high strikeout “three true outcomes” hitter.

[Doomtints]

 

3b once a week, 1b once a week, DH 3-4 days a week. Injuries, inter league and 2019 covered

 

Not a bad plan at all. This would get him in the field 45-50 games a year (all of the road interleague games + an average of 1 game/wk at 3b and another 1 game/wk at 1b). This would keep him apt enough at fielding on the off chance the Twins went to the world series, but allows him to mash the ball against the AL primarily at DH.

Beats putting him in the outfield, I should think.

[Doomtints]

 

No, but it’s still not an optimal use of resources if he’s perfectly capable of playing another position. Why limit your roster flexibility unnecessarily? That mistake would only be compounded if he doesn’t turn into the best DH in baseball, but instead continues to be a low average / high strikeout “three true outcomes” hitter.

 

What you call unnecessary, I call inevitable. The Twins can control the situation or they can let the situation control them.  

 

What the Twins are setting themselves up for is moving him to DH after his next bizarre injury, which means they lose his bat as he recovers. His bat is his value, the Twins can dumpster dive for a defensive 3B if they decide they don't like Escobar's face anymore. 

This will play out like Mauer's permanent move to first. If the Twins use Sano as the primary DH starting now, they can get more years of him in the field. If they wait until he can no longer field, only then is the DH move "the only option." Only then are the Twins limiting themselves. This is called painting yourself into a corner.

 

Do you remember when the Red Sox won a WS with the best DH in the game, which allowed them to put a light hitting Mientkiewicz in the field? That was Mientkiewicz's worst year, to boot.

Edited December 27, 2017 by Doomtints

[Richie the Rally Goat]

 

No, but it’s still not an optimal use of resources if he’s perfectly capable of playing another position. Why limit your roster flexibility unnecessarily? That mistake would only be compounded if he doesn’t turn into the best DH in baseball, but instead continues to be a low average / high strikeout “three true outcomes” hitter.

Yes, Miguel Sano struck out at a higher rate than Aaron Judge, but in 2017 had an above average batting average. League batting average 600 PAs (Sano didn't qualify) is .254 ,where Sano hit .264, at least in he solid range. His on-base percentage of .354 is top quartile.

 

The inefficiency is in their ability to keep him healthy. 600 plate appearances worth of Miguel Sano anywhere on the diamond is worth more than 483 plate appearances at 3B.

 

I have no idea if moving the man to DH would have any impact, but it seems there's evidence as 1B and DH are the two positions aging sluggers retire at.

Edited December 27, 2017 by Sconnie

[ClubhouseDanceParty]

Chemistry. No advanced statistic can quantify this. I'm sure baseball is like any organization and morale can absolutely destroy productivity. Having mixed cultural backgrounds would add another layer to the issue. For two of the last three years, Paul Molitor has had the Twins either good or competitive. Being a prior player, Paul likely has a good grasp on team chemistry and it's importance to a winning ball club. If words like clubhouse presence is thrown around I'd venture the powers at be seem like its needed, especially if a Gimenez is not brought back.