Matt Wallner Has Changed the Twins Plans

[RpR]

49 minutes ago, John Belinski said:

After watching Wallner play in the outfield for the past few weeks he is doing a better job than I expected since there have been several articles saying he wasn't a good outfielder. He made a very good catch a few days ago of a flyball that I didn't think he would get to.

His big fielding improvement is he is now aware of other players in the field going for a  ball shown by his sliding for a catch twice recently.

Last year three times, I saw,, he was a charging bull without regard to other players going for the ball and if they had seen him and jumped out of the way he would have rammed into them probably putting one on the IL list.

Some one took him aside and he listened.

[Jocko87]

2 hours ago, jorgenswest said:

As for the premise of the title I think Wallner has always been in the plans. They saw his strike out rate drop significantly in the second half of his AAA stint this . I am sure he was putting in work defensively. He simply passed Larnach up due to his efforts. They were and are both in the plans.

I always get a chuckle when I see one of these pieces that presumes we know what the front office has planned. 

1 hour ago, tony&rodney said:

Seems like the Twins will enter the coming offseason needing pitchers, thus no one should get too attached to any Twin position players besides the guys with no trade contracts (Correa, Buxton). If I had to bet, only Walker Jenkins would not be under consideration as a player the Twins would trade this winter.

Overall, we should not be getting too attached to any players not under long term contract.  This org is going to trade a lot more than the fan base is used to going forward, trade deadline notwithstanding.  Someone said in the game thread the other day that they hadn't been following Akil Baddoo as much as they should have been as a former Twins prospect.  That concept is foreign to me. 

I'd have a slightly larger list than just Jenkins as untouchables, Lee and Lewis are certainly on that list, but otherwise move and shake.  Fingers crossed they pick the right guys to keep but right now Larnach has shown enough that I won't miss him if he blows up somewhere else.

[PatPfund]

I think the OP is right that Wallner is ahead of Larnach now. But Gallo won't be back, and his is the dead space currently holding Larnach in St Paul. (That, and Larnach has only flashed sporadic promise, not changed the conversation the way Julien did.) The Twins aren't doing themselves any favors by continuing to give at-bats and playing time to Gallo. Larnach may have options, but the Twins will have decisions to make on the 40-man before December that won't involve Gallo, but will involve other tall OFs. And without playing time they will be making them in self-inflicted ignorance.

[Guest]

It's too soon to write off Larnach and too small a sample size to declare Wallner the winner.  Larnach could streamline his swing mechanics, adios the leg kick, give himself a chance to control the zone better, and retain plenty of power.  Wallner took the hint last summer for which he deserves credit, but it's still early to declare this race over.  Retain them both and coach them up, which costs very little.  It's a good possibility the Twins will need them both in 2024 with the big club. 

[Danchat]

1 hour ago, USAFChief said:

Nobody has "jerked around" Larnach. He's been given the advantages of a high draft pick and multiple MLB opportunities now.

He's had injuries, but he's also failed to take advantage of those opportunities. 

That's on him

 

As someone who was super high on Larnach as a prospect, I concur. He's been given several lengthy stretches of MLB playing time that have either been cut short by injuries or dismal play. He's incredibly streaky, and in all 3 stints he's gotten hot and been one of the team's best hitters for a few weeks, then cools off and becomes unplayable. He's almost 27, the clock is ticking and it's probably best for both parties if he is moved to get a chance elsewhere.

[Fatbat]

Begs the question, who is our starting OF’s next April? Wallner Buxton Kepler? Gordon and Larnach as the 4th and 5th? Perhaps one of the kids in AAA? 

[JD-TWINS]

8 hours ago, Karbo said:

Sample size is way to small on Wallner. Though he looks like the real deal, pitchers will adjust, and it seems that is what happened with Larnach. So the question becomes can Wallner adjust better than Larnach? And, can Larnach adjust enough to be a viable regular?

Good points - both strike out a lot so the adjustment ls being made by them seem to be coming up short.

I did see somewhere yesterday that Wallner, over last 6 weeks in St Paul dropped his K rate from around 37% to around 24% - that’s pretty significant.

Love Larnach’s look as a player but Wallner seems to be a similar outfielder - great arm - better & more consistent power!! The power difference is significant.

[JD-TWINS]

2 hours ago, Fatbat said:

Begs the question, who is our starting OF’s next April? Wallner Buxton Kepler? Gordon and Larnach as the 4th and 5th? Perhaps one of the kids in AAA? 

Wallner - Castro/Gordon - Kepler……..Lewis or Martin as 5th guy or as part of the IF/ OF flexibility group.

Polanco has to go - Farmer is signed. Castro brings too much to not carry him.

[USAFChief]

14 minutes ago, JD-TWINS said:

I did see somewhere yesterday that Wallner, over last 6 weeks in St Paul dropped his K rate from around 37% to around 24% - that’s pretty significant.

 

Maybe you saw it in the OP.

[JD-TWINS]

4 hours ago, Minderbinder said:

It's too soon to write off Larnach and too small a sample size to declare Wallner the winner.  Larnach could streamline his swing mechanics, adios the leg kick, give himself a chance to control the zone better, and retain plenty of power.  Wallner took the hint last summer for which he deserves credit, but it's still early to declare this race over.  Retain them both and coach them up, which costs very little.  It's a good possibility the Twins will need them both in 2024 with the big club. 

Like the attitude & the coaching aspect! Larnach needs to start putting it to practice very soon……….to soon for Wallner, agreed, but very positive over different stretches in the Show this year!

It’s about the bat, but I must say Wallner plods around in LF but he’s not noticeably subpar & he can throw to anywhere in the Stadium from wherever he’s standing - really good arm.

[old nurse]

9 hours ago, jorgenswest said:

Not sure about 2022. I don’t think he ever reached 20 day threshold in minors after option. It might not take finagling.

Looked it up, 20 or so days in the minors to count as being optioned. So he does have one more option year to toil

[old nurse]

7 hours ago, Major League Ready said:

Good catch.  He does have an option year remaining.  That opens more possibilities.  

Good catch once I got around to looking up how much time they had to be down. 

[Fatbat]

3 hours ago, JD-TWINS said:

Wallner - Castro/Gordon - Kepler……..Lewis or Martin as 5th guy or as part of the IF/ OF flexibility group.

Polanco has to go - Farmer is signed. Castro brings too much to not carry him.

True, I’m on the Castro bandwagon. Id prefer to move on from polanco and Kepler but I doubt the twins would do that. Right now, I don’t see a young guy making a jump to MLB early next year. 

[Beast]

Larnach just doesn’t seem to do anything overly impressive.  He’s had some moments, but is just kind of there.

It’s early, but Wallner seems to have more “splash” plays (to steal a football term).  Not only at the plate but in the field.

They could very well end up having similar careers.  That may be the most likely outcome.  A few years as journeyman type, slightly above replacement level, corner OFers.

It’s too early to say Wallner is a known commodity.  Guys get off to hot starts.  But, Wallner is out to an early lead.  

[dxpavelka]

Just hoping he doesn't become Gallo.

[Riverbrian]

12 hours ago, old nurse said:

Looked it up, 20 or so days in the minors to count as being optioned. So he does have one more option year to toil

Roster Resource does a great job of tracking such things. They've had Larnach with an option year remaining all along. 

https://www.fangraphs.com/roster-resource/depth-charts/twins

I do appreciate you and Jorgenswest using your elbow grease to confirm it. 

[RpR]

11 hours ago, dxpavelka said:

Just hoping he doesn't become Gallo.

Well, they both draw walks .

[DocBauer]

While I've been on the "play Wallner" for some time now, in full confession, I haven't watched as many AB of his as I'd like. But he does seem to have a pretty good eye for the zone and isn't some free swinger. He works the count. Guys who do that will have a number of K's as they aren't just free swingers putting in "bad" contact. They are looking for a BB or something to drive. So I like his general approach and I. And the power is legit! But one thing I love about his power is that it seems to come so easy to him he doesn't have to have a "sell out" approach when he swings. I don't see consistent, huge upercuts. I see a really smooth, powerful swing that is often very level. And that gives me a lot of hope he's not going to be a career .200-ish hitter like Gallo.

 

 

 

[The Mad King]

... speaking of defensive inadequacies... Walner seems to have a leg up with that cannon of an arm...

[RpR]

2 hours ago, The Mad King said:

... speaking of defensive inadequacies... Walner seems to have a leg up with that cannon of an arm...

Only if the one he is throwing to does not have to move to catch the ball; time will tell, if not this year, next spring.

[dxpavelka]

11 hours ago, RpR said:

Well, they both draw walks .

And Waller's BA isn't measured with the same gun used to measure Jordan's Addison's speed........

 

[Larry Janisewski]

On 8/10/2023 at 9:37 AM, Otaknam said:

Yes, similar profile and both are left handed bats. But Wallner has a rocket arm and I think his defense is somewhat underrated. I do believe Larnach has some upside but it does make sense for the team to look for an attractive trade that includes Larnach. 

Totally agree on Wallner's defense being underrated.