Article: MIL 5, MIN 4: Jake Cave Homers in MLB Debut

[Mill1634]

 

I want through the DL list of every major league team. What the Twins are going through isn't excessive. 

 

Some teams are worse off than we are and some teams are indeed healthier than we are but it's about mid-pack. 

 

I also went through the disabled lists from years past and it turns out that nearly every team has a rash of injuries at some point so it is reasonable to expect those teams that are currently healthier than we are... won't be later on.

 

It happens often enough... like all the time... it should be a consideration when it comes to roster building. 

 

If this amount of injuries/suspensions has got us upside down. We never had a chance because having this amount should have been planned for.

 

Since it happens like... I don't know... all the time. 

Sure it happens to every team.

 

But not their best 4 hitters and last years best pitcher.

[Otto von Ballpark]

If we are going to mention our favorites we should be more complete in our assessments.

Ave/OPS

Hicks 0.240/0.757

That's worth an above-average 106 wRC+ or 102 OPS+. Plus baserunning (5 SB) and solid CF defense, by the metrics anyway. Hicks is on pace for a ~3 WAR season.

[Mr. Brooks]

Sure it happens to every team.

 

But not their best 4 hitters and last years best pitcher.

Our best 4 hitters?

[bluechipper]

 

7 RBI for Wilson seems pretty solid, considering he hits 90th and has like 50 AB. He's not a good hitter, but does this mean he's doing okay with RISP?

Not bad. .500/.429/1.500 (1.929) with RISP for Wilson.

[Riverbrian]

 

Sure it happens to every team.

 

But not their best 4 hitters and last years best pitcher.

 

You are right... the injuries are a blow but every team suffers that blow at some point. This isn't above normal in my opinion and should have been planned for. 

 

Where you and I are going to disagree is saying it's our best 4 hitters and attempting to weight the blow heavier as a result and I guess that's a matter of opinion. 

 

Using OPS in 2017 the top 5 were. 

 

Morrison .868

Sano .859

Dozier .853

Rosario .836

Mauer .801

 

To put that in perspective:

 

Trout, JD Martinez, Judge, Votto, Hoskins, Harper, Stanton, Olson, Blackmon, Were all over 1,000 in 2017.

 

Freeman, Goldschmidt, Arenado, Altuve, Jose Ramirez, Bryant, Justin Turner, Correa, Conforto, Rendon, Bellinger, Cozart, Pham, Zimmerman, Cruz, Ozuna, Beltre, Marwin Gonzalez, Abreu, Bour and Upton were over .900

 

Rizzo, Jose Martinez, Cespedes, Springer, Avisail Garcia, Smoak, Hosmer, Encarnacion, Thames Gary Sanchez, Domingo Santana, Gennett, Gallo and Austin Jackson were all higher than our best. 

 

They are not our top 4 and even if it was our top 4 you can see how it compares. 

 

 

 

 

[DocBauer]

I want through the DL list of every major league team. What the Twins are going through isn't excessive. 

 

Some teams are worse off than we are and some teams are indeed healthier than we are but it's about mid-pack. 

 

I also went through the disabled lists from years past and it turns out that nearly every team has a rash of injuries at some point so it is reasonable to expect those teams that are currently healthier than we are... won't be later on.

 

It happens often enough... like all the time... it should be a consideration when it comes to roster building. 

 

If this amount of injuries/suspensions has got us upside down. We never had a chance because having this amount should have been planned for.

 

Since it happens like... I don't know... all the time. 

First of all, I am not blasting the work and efforts of the FO. I think they've done a very nice job, overall, thus far. But where I feel they fell short was a quality OF bench bat to challenge/replace Grossman and another INF option once the Polanco suspension came down, particularly with Sano coming back from injury. I'm still a bit perplexed by the At bar signing. He actually hit well in ST but was then released. No way to absolutely predict Sano's injury, but shouldn't have there been additional insurance brought in?

[Riverbrian]

 

First of all, I am not blasting the work and efforts of the FO. I think they've done a very nice job, overall, thus far. But where I feel they fell short was a quality OF bench bat to challenge/replace Grossman and another INF option once the Polanco suspension came down, particularly with Sano coming back from injury. I'm still a bit perplexed by the At bar signing. He actually hit well in ST but was then released. No way to absolutely predict Sano's injury, but shouldn't have there been additional insurance brought in?

 

This is what exactly what I'm struggling with. 

 

I want to give the front office the benefit of the doubt and I'm trying but something isn't clicking with me. 

 

We broke camp with:

Morrison

Castro

Mauer

Dozier

Sano

Escobar

Rosario

Buxton

Kepler 

 

Garver

Adrianaza

Grossman

LaMarre

 

Somebody had to believe that at least Adrianaza and Grossman could play full time when the DL stints start. Yet one can't hit and the other can't be trusted in the field. 

 

LaMarre was hot in spring training, he was hot when he got limited opportunities and he was hot when he was sent down to AAA for a day but Molitor wouldn't play him even if Morrison was hitting .087. 

 

I'm trying to give the benefit of the doubt but... the roster seems to be contingent upon everybody staying healthy for the entire year or the mistaken belief that Adrianaza and Grossman can be full time regulars in the IF and OF. 

 

 

[DocBauer]

This is what exactly what I'm struggling with. 

 

I want to give the front office the benefit of the doubt and I'm trying but something isn't clicking with me. 

 

We broke camp with:

Morrison

Castro

Mauer

Dozier

Sano

Escobar

Rosario

Buxton

Kepler 

 

Garver

Adrianaza

Grossman

LaMarre

 

Somebody had to believe that at least Adrianaza and Grossman could play full time when the DL stints start. Yet one can't hit and the other can't be trusted in the field. 

 

LaMarre was hot in spring training, he was hot when he got limited opportunities and he was hot when he was sent down to AAA for a day but Molitor wouldn't play him even if Morrison was hitting .087. 

 

I'm trying to give the benefit of the doubt but... the roster seems to be contingent upon everybody staying healthy for the entire year or the mistaken belief that Adrianaza and Grossman can be full time regulars in the IF and OF.

 

I am willing to give some benefit of the doubt to Adrianza and Grossman because Adrianza performed well last season, and Grossman has provided some value and seemed to improve defensively in 2017. But that's an awfully thin margin to get on.

 

Not going to rewind time and play the name game as to was available and when. But with all the moves made, and the money spent, there were 4 moves I felt screamed to be addressed they were so obvious: OF with a RH bat, an INF for insurance at Rochester, (even before the Polanco suspension), the best AAAA 3B you could sign for Sano/roster insurance and a 3rd catcher.

 

The only move they made was signing Wilson. Considering experience and defense, it wasn't a horrible move, especially to have him at Rochester to work with the talented young arms there. Maybe I'm crazy, but I almost would rather see At bar at SS right now over Adrianza.

 

And I absolutely agree on LaMarre. If you liked him enough to keep him on the 25 man, and he was actually hitting, then why didn't you play him?

[USAFChief]

 

Not bad. .500/.429/1.500 (1.929) with RISP for Wilson.

Seems sustainable.

[jorgenswest]

Not bad. .500/.429/1.500 (1.929) with RISP for Wilson.

They should cash that in soon. Wilson playing once a series is OK but they should be actively looking for an upgrade.

Edited May 20, 2018 by jorgenswest

[Seth Stohs]

 

I don't get Morrison playing on defense. Put Kepler at first until Mauer is back and Cave or LaMarre in right. This way we still have quality defense. I like Grossman. I like his approach but he should not be in the outfield and Morrison should be the main DH. I think Grossman has to go. I don't feel good about it, but we have too many constraints with him and Morrison.

Molitor/Falvine need to stop compromising the lineup to fit the right vs left left vs right strategy. That's fine when your players are more balanced, but with so many players out, we need to field the best players we can. We are missing some good bats. We should be filling in with better defense.

 

When is the last time that Kepler played 1B?

[terrydactyls]

So much wrong with this team right now that we shouldn't really be surprised by the results.

 

- We have our starting catcher, 1B, SS, 3B out of the lineup, a CF that missed 2+ weeks and didn't rehab, and are missing the SP that started the WC game for us. It shouldn't really come to a surprise that our offense has been this bad. Batters 6-9 are almost a guaranteed out every time up there. You can't win with that. If it weren't for a 10 game hot stretch between the ED's we'd be much worse right now.

 

However, were also dealing with things that weren't expected.

 

- Lance Lynn will not throw the ball over the plate.

- Jose Berrios struggled for 4 or 5 continuous outings

- Logan Morrison forgot how to hit the first 20 games or so

- Robbie Grossman also forgot how to hit

- Taylor Rogers has been ineffective against lefties.

 

With that said, there are also some positives:

-Jake Odorizzi has been as good or better than advertised.

- Ryan Pressly is NSFW

-Max Kepler is mashing lefties right now

-The Ed's

-Fernando Romero

 

The good news is 12 of our next 22 games are against the Royals, White Sox, or Tigers. This is a good chance to get back on track.

I looked up NSFW on Google and found it means "Not Suitale For Work" and that didn't seem to make sense. So I Googled "Basebal NSFW" and I got a long list of websites ofering pictures and videos of people having sex at stadiums. So I don't think that is what you meant by "Ryan Pressley is NSFW" in your list of positive things. What do you mean?

 

Also, who are these guys named ED that you refer to several times?

[caninatl04]

 

So much wrong with this team right now that we shouldn't really be surprised by the results.

 

- We have our starting catcher, 1B, SS, 3B out of the lineup, a CF that missed 2+ weeks and didn't rehab, and are missing the SP that started the WC game for us. It shouldn't really come to a surprise that our offense has been this bad. Batters 6-9 are almost a guaranteed out every time up there. You can't win with that. If it weren't for a 10 game hot stretch between the ED's we'd be much worse right now.

 

However, were also dealing with things that weren't expected.

 

- Lance Lynn will not throw the ball over the plate. 

- Jose Berrios struggled for 4 or 5 continuous outings

- Logan Morrison forgot how to hit the first 20 games or so

- Robbie Grossman also forgot how to hit

- Taylor Rogers has been ineffective against lefties.

 

With that said, there are also some positives:

-Jake Odorizzi has been as good or better than advertised. 

- Ryan Pressly is NSFW

-Max Kepler is mashing lefties right now

-The Ed's

-Fernando Romero

 

The good news is 12 of our next 22 games are against the Royals, White Sox, or Tigers. This is a good chance to get back on track.

Excellent summary!  I was going to write something very similar.

Take an 85 win team. Now subtract their ace.  Now subtract an unbelievable five of eight defensive starters (as of Saturday night).  I'm surprised they could score even four runs. 

[Twins33]

I looked up NSFW on Google and found it means "Not Suitale For Work" and that didn't seem to make sense. So I Googled "Basebal NSFW" and I got a long list of websites ofering pictures and videos of people having sex at stadiums. So I don't think that is what you meant by "Ryan Pressley is NSFW" in your list of positive things. What do you mean?

Also, who are these guys named ED that you refer to several times?

NSFW means exactly what you said "not suitable/safe for work". It means he was dirty/filthy etc. in baseball terms. You want all your pitchers to be NSFW. It's a very good thing.

[youngpadawan]

When is the last time that Kepler played 1B?

2 times in 2016.

37 in AA and about 56 other times.

I'm not saying he should permanently move there but injuries cause players to move around.