Front Page: A Three-Step Plan to Drastically Improve the Twins' Infield Defense in 2020

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

I do think that there could be internal improvement from the existing players. I would dispute that either Cron or Schoop are good defenders. While the number of errors committed is one small part of overall defense, they both made a lot of errors compared to others at their position. Neither Cron nor Schoop would be described as having superior range so I can't see that they are good fielders.

Valid Points.. I assumed Schoop was good in the field, but maybe not. I do feel Schoop is much better around second base than Arraez and has a stronger arm. And the overall hitting profile weighs strongly in favor of Arraez.

 

With Cron, the front office will have to decide if the thumb injury is what affected his performance in the second half. I’d give Cron the benefit of the doubt but that’s far from a lock, and have no gut feeling either way on what they will do there.

[Linus]

I’ve always been a proponent of having Polanco play second. He would be an above average fielder and we keep the bat. Sign Iglesias for a year or two and you are now above average up the middle. Arreaz gets his at bats by playing multiple positions. He’s not great defensively so if he doesn’t hit at an above average level then he doesn’t have much value

[stringer bell]

 

I’ve always been a proponent of having Polanco play second. He would be an above average fielder and we keep the bat. Sign Iglesias for a year or two and you are now above average up the middle. Arreaz gets his at bats by playing multiple positions. He’s not great defensively so if he doesn’t hit at an above average level then he doesn’t have much value

I think that would make sense except that the Twins already have Gonzalez and Adrianza to be alternates at multiple positions. Granted Gonzalez is an option in the outfield, but adding Arraez to the alternate list would make it really tough for anyone to get sufficient at-bats. I was a proponent of Polanco to second base last year, supplanted by Iglesias. Seems even less likely this year.

[Linus]

I think that would make sense except that the Twins already have Gonzalez and Adrianza to be alternates at multiple positions. Granted Gonzalez is an option in the outfield, but adding Arraez to the alternate list would make it really tough for anyone to get sufficient at-bats. I was a proponent of Polanco to second base last year, supplanted by Iglesias. Seems even less likely this year.

Probably right. Part of this stems from the fact that I don’t want to count on Arreaz duplicating his rookie year

[Det95Twins]

Step 1: Sign Josh Donaldson to play 3B.

 

 

That's all of the steps.

 

Signing Donaldson would eat up half the available FA money and we’d have a poor defensive SS and 2B, a new 1B and 2-3 SP that could split time in Rochester. I’d sign a good defensive catcher, move Sano to 1B, move Polanco to 2B, try Gordon or Adrianza at SS and put Gonzalez at 3B. I’d try for two of Keuchel, Wheeler, Roark and Pineda and let the AAA gang take the #5 starter.