Has Willi Castro Forced Himself into the Twins' Long-Term Plans?

[DocBauer]

On 7/20/2023 at 5:41 AM, weitz41 said:

I'm not ready to part ways with Gordon because of 91 total AB's this season. A bad month to month and a half. Relax... It will take some unpopular decisions to make it work but I don't see him going anywhere once healthy. I'd rather have both Castro and Gordon. Plus, the trade deadline is coming up which might change who are our bench players.

Bench players

2023 a catcher, Farmer, Castro and Solano

2024 a catcher, Farmer, Castro and Gordon. That seems pretty solid to me.

 

I've been rooting for Gordon and was generally impressed with his break in 2021 year, especially learning the OF on the fly. He was basically the same player to begin 2022 before really breaking out the second half. It's really a shame he started so poorly this year, and then got hurt just when he started to heat up. No updates I'm aware of, but when his leg does heal, he's going to need a long rehab. Personally, I don't expect to see him again this year. And that might be a good thing for him, to just re-set for 2024.

But while I root for him, and like him, especially if he can recover his 2nd half 2022 self, I'm not sure if he fits for 2024. And not just because of Castro. I think it's debatable as to defense at 2B and SS between the two as I'm not sure we've seen enough to accurately compare them there. But I'd say they are similar in LF/CF and Castro better at 3B. Despite a few opposing comments, I think Gordon has just as much speed as Castro. But after going 10-1 in SB in 2021, he slipped to 6-4 in 2022, oversliding a base more than once, and didn't have a SB this year. So I've got to give Castro the edge as a baserunner and SB threat. It does appear Gordon may have a bit more power, if we can have faith in his 2022.

I expect Farmer back next year. We still have to settle what's going to happen with Polanco next year. How do you fit all the options, not including Lee, who I'm still betting begins 2024 at AAA. So Lewis, Castro, Julien, Polanco, Farmer, various options at 1B including Kirilloff, maybe Julien, and what about Miranda? Gordon's best shot, IMO, is part of the OF mix, depending how things turn out there. Gallo is gone. Hard to believe at least one of Taylor and Kepler is gone, if not both. Buxton is the elephant in the room, but not going there. But CF has to be figured out, and with Celestino and Martin losing so much development time this year due to injury, I don't see them as factors until maybe later in the year. And we've still got the Larnach and Wallner situation to be figured out. Does Lewis move to CF?

I like Gordon and have continued to root for him. But his best chance is either fitting in to the OF somewhere...with the ability to still play limited INF...or just outperform Castro next ST. But I'm not sure there's room for him.

[stringer bell]

1 hour ago, DocBauer said:

 

Despite a few opposing comments, I think Gordon has just as much speed as Castro. But after going 10-1 in SB in 2021, he slipped to 6-4 in 2022, oversliding a base more than once, and didn't have a SB this year. So I've got to give Castro the edge as a baserunner and SB threat. 

It’s not really close. Castro ranks in the 70s of 500 players measured for sprint speed. Gordon is at 248, behind Lewis, Polanco, Kepler and Kirilloff (Buxton and Taylor, too). His home-to-first time is in the same range, which is surprising given that LH hitters momentum is moving them towards first on a full swing.