Break Glass in Case of Emergency: Could Gilberto Celestino or Royce Lewis Cover Center if Byron Buxton Gets Injured?

[Han Joelo]

You call up Celestino and sub him in for the late innings with an occasional start.  Cripes, didn't the Yankees have Judge in center at times last year?  Or something or some team like that?  Joey Gallo too?  Those guys make Kepler look like Buxton defensively.

[howieramone2]

These things have a way of working themselves out. Our depth is a great thing, and a major reason why we can win the Central in our sleep. Neither the Indians or America's Team have any depth. We have ample time to prepare for our showdown with the Yankees.

[Yossarian]

They're both really nice prospects, but with those leg-kicks they better have world-class CF defensive skills (and neither does) to tolerate early-Buxton-like 40-50% SO rates.  Much more likely in '19-20 the Twins put Cave in a corner and move Kep to CF and live with the defensive results they got last year.  If they bring someone up, they'd put Larnarch or Rooker in a corner and Kep to CF.  Different story in two years, but for this year the Twins will let Lewis and Celestino develop.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

And have Lewis or Polanco as your utility infielder, seems a waste.

In that scenario, Polanco 2b, Lewis SS, Arraez utility.

[mikelink45]

 

He's got "speed and defense" so let's take him?  Doesn't matter that he is 20 and has not played an inning past high A ball.  You have seen this guy play?   Honestly man.

 

Might be 2 or 3 more years before he is ready, by the looks.  I will take Cave as our 4th outfielder.  He is a better offensive player than Buxton even with considerable drop off in the field.  I want a lineup with no black holes in it as opposed to the mythical "speed and defense" in CF which apparently cures cancer and saves lives.

 

This old elitist BS about defense is bunk.  It is important, but it gets far too much weight around here from what I am reading.  I will take a team that is simply average on defense and outstanding on offense.  You can have the all hands HOF defense team with the average bat team and I will kick your teeth in 7 times out of ten (given we have the same kind of pitching).

Well thank you for my new title as the "old elitist" - if you think defense is just elitist thinking I am not sure where to start.  I believe players are designated for positions for a reason.  In the history of baseball there have been some world series teams that have won championships on the merits of their defense - 1959 White Sox, the Whitey Herzog years in St. Louis, and then there are the Earl Weaver Orioles who believed in pitching, defense and the three run HR. 

True defense has changed and shift have blurred some lines, but CF is still the big space where a lot can happen and I will take the glove.  Based on the Stats Buxton has put up, do you think the articles would have seen him as our potential MVP it is was bat only and not defense?

[ewen21]

 

Well thank you for my new title as the "old elitist" - if you think defense is just elitist thinking I am not sure where to start.  I believe players are designated for positions for a reason.  In the history of baseball there have been some world series teams that have won championships on the merits of their defense - 1959 White Sox, the Whitey Herzog years in St. Louis, and then there are the Earl Weaver Orioles who believed in pitching, defense and the three run HR. 

True defense has changed and shift have blurred some lines, but CF is still the big space where a lot can happen and I will take the glove.  Based on the Stats Buxton has put up, do you think the articles would have seen him as our potential MVP it is was bat only and not defense?

STOP.  You picked a guy who has not played over A ball to replace our starting CF if he goes down.  You picked him over a player with a good deal of ML experience and has an OPS around .800.  His speed and defense is that magical it supplants a guy with an .800 OPS and two years of experience at  the ML level in that role.

 

I don't need a lecture about the Go-Go Sox of 1959 and the Whitey Herzog teams (which are completely dated in today's game).  To pick Celestino over Cave only serves to illustrate how far over on the continuum you are on defense and speed.  You value that over experience and everything else.  I am not discounting the importance of defense.  It's more like you have grossly overvalued it in this case.

[mikelink45]

 

STOP.  You picked a guy who has not played over A ball to replace our starting CF if he goes down.  You picked him over a player with a good deal of ML experience and has an OPS around .800.  His speed and defense is that magical it supplants a guy with an .800 OPS and two years of experience at  the ML level in that role.

 

I don't need a lecture about the Go-Go Sox of 1959 and the Whitey Herzog teams (which are completely dated in today's game).  To pick Celestino over Cave only serves to illustrate how far over on the continuum you are on defense and speed.  You value that over experience and everything else.  I am not discounting the importance of defense.  It's more like you have grossly overvalued it in this case.

I am guilty.  I do not mind youth, but I do dislike bad defense.

[ewen21]

 

I am guilty.  I do not mind youth, but I do dislike bad defense.

You are guilty!  You kind of remind me of Gardenhire!!  Sorry man, but....since you'd be willing to 1) rush a kid up who into emergency duty (who probably isn't ready) and 2) in the process more than likely create a black hole in his spot in the lineup.  Way too early to plug this kid into that spot.

 

That doesn't compute for me.

And thankfully, I am certain our GMs probably see it my way

[beckmt]

 

In that scenario, Polanco 2b, Lewis SS, Arraez utility.

Arraez needs to play almost every day.  Can't do that as a utility. 

[LVTwinsfan]

Not “if” Buxton gets injured but “when”

[Richie the Rally Goat]

Arraez needs to play almost every day. Can't do that as a utility.

Marwin does, why can’t Arraez?

 

At this point Marwin is my 4th OF. If Buck gets injured Marwin remains my 4th OF and Cave comes up to play RF, moving Kepler to CF.

[dxpavelka]

 

Kepler is a farrrrrr better defender than Cave and should (and will) man center in place of Buxton, just as he did last season.

Jake Cave can barely man a corner spot competently, much less center.

I'd be much happier with Kepler in CF and any of Larnoch, Kiroloff or Rooker in RF.

 

[Mr. Brooks]

You call up Celestino and sub him in for the late innings with an occasional start. Cripes, didn't the Yankees have Judge in center at times last year? Or something or some team like that? Joey Gallo too? Those guys make Kepler look like Buxton defensively.

Are you thinking of Giancarlo Stanton? Because Aaron Judge is a really good defensive corner outfielder.

[Drew]

 

Not “if” Buxton gets injured but “when”

 

Not "when" someone makes this comment but "why"