In Praise of Eddie Rosario

[luckylager]

Eddie continues to come up with big hits and good defense.  He plays a bit recklessly at time, but with maturity, this should correct itself.  Love watching him play and mature.  

[Richie the Rally Goat]

He’s certainly played better recently and a big part of their improved play these last few games. I’m not sold on his fielding, but with LaMarre playing CF and Grossman on the bench, it’s less of a concern

[ttreadway]

In general I've noticed that commenters on this sight seems to be much more vocal during the "lean times" and much less willing to dole out praise when things are going well. It's really frustrating at times. Yes the last 2-3 weeks have been tough to watch and there has been a lot of poor baseball played by the twins. But ask a dodgers fan if they loved watching the dodgers play during the second half of august and first part of September last summer. That was some miserable baseball in LA. And yet they ended up playing in game seven of an epic World Series not even two months removed from that awful stretch of baseball. No, I don't think we are as good as that dodgers team, but if anything that further cements my point that even the best of teams go through funks. It's baseball...its why they play 162 games. By the end of 162 games if a team is has the talent to win 75 games, or 85 games, or 95 games, more often than not they're going to end up within a couple wins of those marks regardless of hot streaks or cold streaks weathered throughout the grind of 162 games.

 

All that to say, I love watching Rosario play when he's on these types of streaks, lets be optimistic for once and hope that he continues to rake at the plate the rest of the way. Lets hope that Lynns performance last night was indicative of a turn-around for him as well. Lets hope Morrison has turned a corner and that the Keplers and Escobars continue to play as they have been or close to it. Then you add in a healthy Buxton and Sano at some point hopefully soon, add in May and Santana hopefully in the next 45 days and Polanco in two months. Thats good reason for optimism. I realize not all of these things will turn out in the twins best interest. Someone will get hurt, someone will slump...but I believe that theres enough reason for optimism to hope that the good will outlay the bad by seasons end. Lets just try and celebrate the good times with the same gusto that we mourn the bad ones!

[Nine of twelve]

Rosario is certainly talented and he may have the best baseball instincts on the team. However, he is also prone to impulsiveness, attempting high-risk-low-reward plays. As the next few years unfold and he learns to control the impulsiveness but not suppress the instincts he'll become an outstanding, well-rounded baseball player.

[Mike Sixel]

Like I said before, he is the player that most confuses me. He can look like this, or he can make very bad plays. We all remain hopeful he looks like this more. He certainly has talent and works hard.

[ewen21]

 

In general I've noticed that commenters on this sight seems to be much more vocal during the "lean times"

The play of the team will dictate the comments.  I, for one, read and participated in the gameday threads during the losing streak and to a person I thought that thread maintained a degree levity,

 

I have not spoken a word about Rosario.  If he hits .270/25/85 then he has done his job.  There are expectations for all players and when they don't meet them people will talk about it.  There isn't a person here that doesn't root for this team so we all have that in common.  I try to look at that rather than the differences we have

[Brock Beauchamp]

I’ve always underestimated Rosario a bit and he continues to prove me wrong. I’ll take being this kind of wrong all day long.

[Mr. Brooks]

I’ve always underestimated Rosario a bit and he continues to prove me wrong. I’ll take being this kind of wrong all day long.

Same here.

Two years ago, I didn't think Rosario would ever be a better than league average bat with his approach.

I'm very happy to be proven wrong.

Now, if only he could prove me wrong with his defense and baserunning.

But, for now I'll accept those deficiencies if he's an .800+ OPS hitter.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Same here.

Two years ago, I didn't think Rosario would ever be a better than league average bat with his approach.

I'm very happy to be proven wrong.

Now, if only he could prove me wrong with his defense and baserunning.

But, for now I'll accept those deficiencies if he's an .800+ OPS hitter.

With his old approach, I thought he could be average or slightly above at the plate and well above average in the field.

 

Wrong on all counts.

[TheLeviathan]

The ball jumps off his bat.  He has surprising power to all fields.

[alarp33]

 

Rosario is certainly talented and he may have the best baseball instincts on the team. However, he is also prone to impulsiveness, attempting high-risk-low-reward plays. 

 

Rosario can hit, but man this is confusing.  Wouldn't a guy with the best baseball instincts on the team not be the player most likely to have "impulsiveness" and a tendency to "attempt high-risk-low-reward plays"?

 

There are numerous strengths that Rosario has, I don't know that baseball instincts is one of them

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

Rosario can hit, but man this is confusing.  Wouldn't a guy with the best baseball instincts on the team not be the player most likely to have "impulsiveness" and a tendency to "attempt high-risk-low-reward plays"?

 

There are numerous strengths that Rosario has, I don't know that baseball instincts is one of them

Yeah, I don't know if I'd call them "baseball instincts". He's an exciting player, one that seems to over/underplay, sometimes at really odd times. Those "overplays" lead to really good results a lot of the time. Other times, maybe not so much.

 

I consider a guy like Dozier to have really good baseball instincts. He's prone to some bad plays but I don't think we can really argue whether he's getting the most out of his ability on the basepaths. He's not particularly fast but has been an above-average baserunner most of his career, with one or two of those years being very valuable.

 

Mauer has loads of baseball smarts and instinct, obviously.

 

Maybe throw Escobar in there as well? He's another guy that seems to be getting the absolute max out of his talent level.

 

A few years from now, I think we'll include Jose Berrios on that list as well.

[alarp33]

 

Yeah, I don't know if I'd call them "baseball instincts". He's an exciting player, one that seems to over/underplay, sometimes at really odd times. Those "overplays" lead to really good results a lot of the time. Other times, maybe not so much.

 

I consider a guy like Dozier to have really good baseball instincts. He's prone to some bad plays but I don't think we can really argue whether he's getting the most out of his ability on the basepaths. He's not particularly fast but has been an above-average baserunner most of his career, with one or two of those years being very valuable.

 

Mauer has loads of baseball smarts and instinct, obviously.

 

Maybe throw Escobar in there as well? He's another guy that seems to be getting the absolute max out of his talent level.

 

A few years from now, I think we'll include Jose Berrios on that list as well.

 

The instincts Mauer showed scoring on that play yesterday were unbelievable.  

 

If I had to list the biggest negative to Rosario's game besides OBP I would say its instincts. How many times has he thrown to wrong base, missed cut off man, etc.  

[Doubles]

Rosario is probably the most polarizing Twin for me right now.   Saturday night in Chicago is a prime example.  Goes 4-for-5 at the plate, dinger, double, and abolutely looked dangerous every time he came up.

 

Then in the late innings, he slids in on a shallow fly ball.  Makes a great stab at the ball to short-hop it, and prevent it from getting by him.  Then flails around on his back, instead of getting up right away & throwing the ball to second base, allowing the batter to take second base easily.

 

Effectively, Rosario made a great stop to prevent a double and then by failing to get the ball back in to the infield in a timely manner turned it into a double.  On the same play.

 

Dude packs some serious thunder in his bat though.  I'm watching to see if he can clean up the 'weird' parts of his game, or will that just be part of the package we'll have to deal with from a supremely talented player? 

[Battle ur tail off]

He's a nice player. Really like the pop in his bat. He's also aggressive in the field. If he could take more pitches/walks, he would be a complete package at the plate. Either way, he makes things happen and is pretty much in the prime of his career. Go Eddie!!

[TheLeviathan]

The kid is literally carrying us back into relevancy this season.  If not for him we might be done in early May.

[alarp33]

 

The kid is literally carrying us back into relevancy this season.  If not for him we might be done in early May.

 

Let's not forget Eduardo Escobar 

[TheLeviathan]

 

Let's not forget Eduardo Escobar 

 

Quite true.  Kepler and Mauer and helping too, but those two guys are absolutely on fire.

[RaoulDuke]

Rosario has awesome hands at the plate, when his swing is on he can hit almost any pitch thrown at him.  That is a double edged sword however as it makes him prone to swinging at utter crap.  For every liner he smashes on a ball under his chin or at his toes there are 5 to 10 that he weakly pops up/ fouls/ dribbles.  A little more discretion and making the pitcher come to him would make him so much consistent and dangerous.

[amjgt]

 

Rosario is probably the most polarizing Twin for me right now.   Saturday night in Chicago is a prime example.  Goes 4-for-5 at the plate, dinger, double, and abolutely looked dangerous every time he came up.

 

Then in the late innings, he slids in on a shallow fly ball.  Makes a great stab at the ball to short-hop it, and prevent it from getting by him.  Then flails around on his back, instead of getting up right away & throwing the ball to second base, allowing the batter to take second base easily.

 

Effectively, Rosario made a great stop to prevent a double and then by failing to get the ball back in to the infield in a timely manner turned it into a double.  On the same play.

 

 

 

[Facts of Life tune]

You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and there you have Ro-Sar-I-O. Ro-Sar-I-O

[ken]

Love Rosario's game and effort. I wish this was a 10 page discussion instead of Sano's game and effort.