What's wrong with Jose Miranda? How long is his leash?

[Brock Beauchamp]

10 minutes ago, William K Johnson said:

When Miranda wins a batting title, come talk to me.    Cuddyer could hit, catch and throw.    Miranda has yet to show he can do any of those three things.

Aw, come on. Cuddyer won a batting title in freakin' Colorado.

Michael Cuddyer was not a very good player in his first few seasons. Part of that was how the Twins handled him but he just wasn't good.

Michael Cuddyer is actually a pretty good and interesting comp for Jose Miranda.

[chpettit19]

32 minutes ago, William K Johnson said:

He will never be as good as Cuddyer.   I see him at best as a Trevor Plouffe caliber player.   Even at that, he has a way to go to reach that status.

Cuddyer was a career 113 OPS+, or wRC+ of 112, player. Jose Miranda had a wRC+ of 117 last year, and an OPS+ of 114. I don't think he's some superstar, but you're also overselling Cuddyer by quite a bit. Cuddyer had 5 of 15 seasons that were better than Miranda's rookie year. Miranda may go downhill from here. Wouldn't be the first player to peak as a rookie. But he was also a high draft pick, and there's a decent reason to think he'll be a solid MLB player.

And Miranda was better as a rookie than any season Plouffe had. So I'm not sure why we should consider him having a "way to go to reach" the Plouffe level when he's already eclipsed it.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

When Cuddyer was Miranda’s age, the Twins had established everyday starters at every position except maybe right field, and the Twins were on their way to the ALCS that season. Cuddyer was promoted because he was raking at AAA and right field was where he could get playing time with the Twins.

[baul0010]

I am starting to wonder if the shoulder that sidelined him during spring training isn't still an issue.  Seems like a classic MN sports team theme.  Wait until the end of the year then tell everyone you played through injury pretending to be fine.  

[PseudoSABR]

I agree that in an ideal world, you'd want Miranda to work through his hitting woes against major league pitching; but when the whole lineup is slumping the Twins can't afford Miranda to learn on the job, so I think sending him down for couple week when Miranda is ready makes a lot of sense.  

[KirbyDome89]

8 hours ago, chpettit19 said:

I'm hoping he's serviceable while getting the majority of the playing time for the rest of May, and Lewis takes the job on June 1 when his rehab assignment is done, if Miranda hasn't figured it out. Give Miranda the Padres series off and see what Farmer can do. Give Miranda the first game against the Cubs, and if he's still swinging at first pitches 6 inches inside after the pitcher hit a guy, and walked 2 guys, put him back on the bench for a week.

I'm generally against talking about player's hearts, mental status/focus, etc. because it's stuff we simply can't know, but Miranda certainly looks like he's in his own head, and really forcing things right now. There's half a dozen cuts to the dugout a game where he's on the ipad watching video it feels like. I think the kid is working, but he looks like a guy who's thinking about every ball hit to him, and trying to do too much at the plate. I think he needs a few days off to just relax, and get his approach back. It can't be fun for him right now. Let the kid come back up for air for a series. It's tough to watch him drown right before our eyes.

Yeah I'm definitely not against a small reset while staying on the active roster. I don't think going to AAA provides much personal benefit, but if he is actively hurting the team's chances of winning games (and you can easily argue that he is) I understand the move. If Miranda is viewed as a middle of the order bat down the road, ideally he works through his struggles against ML pitching and we aren't crossing our fingers on a placeholder being serviceable, but it is what it is I guess. 

[William K Johnson]

I love all of the optimism and hope that I am wrong, but I just don' t see it.

[SwainZag]

It definitely seems he needs a reset.  He is pressing so hard at the plate.  It's like he is so afraid of getting behind in the count that he is willing to swing at whatever comes 1st and 2nd trying to put the ball in the play.  It's led to a lot of weak grounders, pop ups and lazy flys.  I still believe in his bat potential, but I don't think some ABs in AAA would be harmful at all.  The only question is Farmer that much better of an option at 3rd? 

[LA Vikes Fan]

Well, we know what Farmer is he has played in the bags for a while. He is a decent, but not great fielding SS who will probably be a good fielding third baseman, who doesn’t hit much. Hits left-handed pitching pretty well, doesn’t it right handed pitching much at all. Is that better than Miranda? Short term, maybe, long-term, hopefully not even close to be in the same.
The only reason to put it in Farmer over Miranda is if Miranda’s hurt, which is my theory, or if he needs to go to AAA for a reset. We just don’t want to be a position of depending on Farmer.He can be a couple week fill in, but no more.

Having said all that, I can see making a change if the shoulder really is hurt. I would put him on the IL and then send him to AAA for a week or two. In the interim, let’s alternate Gallo and Farmer at 3B.

[lecroy24fan]

Gallo hasn't played 3B in six years. Zero chance it happens now.

[David HK]

Anyone have Miguel Sano's number handy? 🤔

[wabene]

9 hours ago, William K Johnson said:

I love all of the optimism and hope that I am wrong, but I just don' t see it.

That wasn't optimism, it was facts. 

[William K Johnson]

1 hour ago, wabene said:

That wasn't optimism, it was facts. 

The fact remains that the guy is not major league ready.

[wabene]

24 minutes ago, William K Johnson said:

The fact remains that the guy is not major league ready.

I agree he needs a reset. What I was talking about was many players struggle and the other poster illustrated this with a factual comparison between Miranda and Cuddy. 

[JHelley4]

On 5/7/2023 at 7:10 AM, davidborton said:

Ah, but where to put him to get those reps?

Brutal at 3B (career .950 IMSM). Farmer returning. Lewis right behind him. Kirilloff on 1B. Buxton tying up DH.

Lewis is not returning for awhile, Farmer is not an every day starter.

[Brock Beauchamp]

21 hours ago, Hosken Bombo Disco said:

When Cuddyer was Miranda’s age, the Twins had established everyday starters at every position except maybe right field, and the Twins were on their way to the ALCS that season. Cuddyer was promoted because he was raking at AAA and right field was where he could get playing time with the Twins.

Except he didn't really get playing time anywhere until Koskie left after the 2004 season. Cuddyer was jerked around quite a bit in his early seasons while the Twins trotted out legendary players like Jose Offerman at DH and Dustin Mohr in right field.