Twins roster struggles and qualifying players

[KScott]

Something I noticed while going through stats: there is only one player on the Twins roster that would be a qualifying batter for AVG, OBP etc.: Carlos Correa. It is conceivable that if the Twins clinch that they could rest him potentially making it so there are 0 players on the team that would qualify.

Going through the rest of the league it looks like every other team has at least 3 players that would qualify. 

Its an interesting note, that I think is indicative of its overall struggles to find a line up that produces. 

 

[nicksaviking]

Yeah, way more platooning and pinch hitting this year. I know there are plenty of benefits to that, but I’d like much more of the lineup to be set-it-and-forget-it next year.

[stringer bell]

“Every day players”—Kirilloff has two stints on IL. Polanco has two stints on IL. Lewis has two stints on IL. Kepler has two stints on IL as does Gallo. Buxton has had (guess what) two stints on the IL. Taylor has batted #9 and missed some time with injuries and the catchers have split time. 
 

Kepler might qualify if he plays every day down the stretch, but he’s been rested against several lefties. 

[SwainZag]

10 hours ago, nicksaviking said:

Yeah, way more platooning and pinch hitting this year. I know there are plenty of benefits to that, but I’d like much more of the lineup to be set-it-and-forget-it next year.

That's just not modern baseball though.   Yes, your superstar players will get the majority of the ABs, but platooning is more than likely here to stay. 

Now.... only Correa being qualified is kinda nuts, but if Jorge, Lewis and AK had been healthy all year, you would have to imagine they would be there too.

With advanced metrics and stats, you just aren't going to see a lefty in the lineup too often if he hits 100-150 points less vs LHP than RHP, even if he is a stud. 

 

[tony&rodney]

Platooning and injuries have been around as long as the game has been played. Set lineups work wonderfully if you are rolling out an all star lineup that is always healthy. The manager has to use the players who are able to go each and every game and make adjustments. Right now, Taylor and Julien are banged up, so there are times another player slides in. Taylor was supposed to be a fourth outfielder but has played due to Buxton going down. Julien only gets a chance because Polanco went down, and so forth. The Twins are in better position than many teams. Kirilloff and Castro could be back on the roster in Cleveland. Perhaps Taylor goes on the IL for 10 days and a pitcher (Sands or Headrick) go down. Should be a fun month.

[Patzky]

7 hours ago, tony&rodney said:

Platooning and injuries have been around as long as the game has been played. Set lineups work wonderfully if you are rolling out an all star lineup that is always healthy. The manager has to use the players who are able to go each and every game and make adjustments. Right now, Taylor and Julien are banged up, so there are times another player slides in. Taylor was supposed to be a fourth outfielder but has played due to Buxton going down. Julien only gets a chance because Polanco went down, and so forth. The Twins are in better position than many teams. Kirilloff and Castro could be back on the roster in Cleveland. Perhaps Taylor goes on the IL for 10 days and a pitcher (Sands or Headrick) go down. Should be a fun month.

The bullpen is going to be toast by Monday. They do need some help. Varland, perhaps, or maybe recall Ober as a late inning solution.

[Doctor Wu]

8 hours ago, SwainZag said:

That's just not modern baseball though.   Yes, your superstar players will get the majority of the ABs, but platooning is more than likely here to stay. 

Now.... only Correa being qualified is kinda nuts, but if Jorge, Lewis and AK had been healthy all year, you would have to imagine they would be there too.

With advanced metrics and stats, you just aren't going to see a lefty in the lineup too often if he hits 100-150 points less vs LHP than RHP, even if he is a stud. 

 

Good point, platooning has obviously been a factor, but  key players such as Lewis and Kiriloff and Polanco being on the IL even more so.