Manuel Margot Is the Right Fit for Minnesota's Needs and Budget

[Brandon]

12 hours ago, Eris said:

While Nick Punto was during a couple of seasons the worst offensive player in the MLB, it is also worth remembering that he contributed 15 fWAR over his 13 year career—almost all from defensive value. By comparison, Eddie Rosario has 13.4 fWAR at this point in his 10 seasons. Also Punto has a WS ring with the Cardinals in 2011. 
 

Nick Ahmed is a good comparison to Punto as is Greg Gagne who was slightly better offensively. Career WRC+ for all three players are 73, 77 and 83 respectively. (Data from Fangraphs)

Your appraisal of Noah’s hitting ability is a little on the extremely high side.  I don’t think he has 10-15 HR power of Gagne.  

[DocBauer]

12 hours ago, Trov said:

What this deal tells to me is that Taylor was asking for either too much money or too many years.  Taylor would have been better fit, but being it would be as a 4th OF and late inning replacement the cost should be lower.  However, I feel like Martin could have filled the roll too, unless they want to make sure he is playing everyday so will be AAA then only get call with injury. 

While I don't like to repeat myself...feels like I'm rambling when I do, lol...I believe you are correct on Taylor's demands/wants. I'm sure he wanted a 2yr deal, but that's probably out the window now. He's seen 2 other FA CF get $10M deals for 2024 and would seem to want the same. And I don't fault him for that. But I doubt he gets it.

I'm probably going to disagree that Taylor is the better fit, with all due respect to him and what he meant to the Twins in 2023. But his OPS was the 2nd best of his career, and his 21HR was a career high. I doubt he duplicates his 2023 again. And he's still a bottom of the order hitter.

While Margot is also a bottom of the order hitter, with less power, he's 4yrs younger, has a ton of playing time at all 3 OF spots, is regarded as a quality defender, and actually beats Taylor in career AVG, OB, and OPS. He's also a bit better career wise against LHP. He also walks more and has K'd at nearly half of Taylor's 30% rate. For a team that is built for power and will always K a fair amount, I think his higher BB and contact rate might actually fit the lineup better.

And hey, I have great appreciation for Taylor. I just think Margot might be the better fit for 2024.

I also think Martin has a future with the Twins, though I'm not yet sure it's as a role player or potential starter. I'm hoping for the latter, even if it's playing multiple spots. But with only 1/3 of a season played in 2023, it might do him good to sit at AAA to begin the year and play daily for now.

[AceWrigley]

On 3/3/2024 at 1:26 PM, Doctor Gast said:

. . .but any competitive team knows that gloves trump bats up the middle.

Derek Jeter called, wanted to know if you'd like to polish any of his 5 World Series rings.

[Doctor Gast]

13 hours ago, AceWrigley said:

Derek Jeter called, wanted to know if you'd like to polish any of his 5 World Series rings.

Yankees are weird. Derek Jeter was pretty good defensively early in his career where he won 4 WS in his 1st 5yrs. Later in his career he wasn't so good, when DRS came about he scored terribly, But when scored his best DRS at +3 the Yanks won their 5th WS with Jeter. IMO later in his career, Jeter became distracted & had trouble with routine plays but in clutch situations, he made the fantastic clutch defensive plays that everyone remembers. The NYY should have moved Jeter off SS & had A Rod there instead.

[Riverbrian]

8 hours ago, DocBauer said:

He also walks more and has K'd at nearly half of Taylor's 30% rate.

Both Santana and Margot K'd at nearly half of Taylor's rate. 

I'd say it's quite possible that the Twins front office are prioritizing K's... Less of them. 

[AceWrigley]

2 hours ago, Riverbrian said:

Both Santana and Margot K'd at nearly half of Taylor's rate. 

I'd say it's quite possible that the Twins front office are prioritizing K's... Less of them. 

All that whiffing at Target Field was impacting the natural wind flows in downtown . . . people complained.

[AceWrigley]

8 hours ago, Doctor Gast said:

Yankees are weird. Derek Jeter was pretty good defensively early in his career where he won 4 WS in his 1st 5yrs. Later in his career he wasn't so good, when DRS came about he scored terribly, But when scored his best DRS at +3 the Yanks won their 5th WS with Jeter. IMO later in his career, Jeter became distracted & had trouble with routine plays but in clutch situations, he made the fantastic clutch defensive plays that everyone remembers. The NYY should have moved Jeter off SS & had A Rod there instead.

I always thought A-Rod at SS and Jeter at 3B would have been a better defensive alignment, but I guess The Captain wanted to stay at short. Players like Jeter at SS, Bernie Williams CF, Jorge Posada C and a number of second basemen that patrolled the middle of the diamond for the 1995-2005 Yankees sure ran up some atrocious fielding numbers some years, but they could hit.

[singlesoverwalks]

Noah Miller, age 20, high A: .309/.340/.648

Corey Seager, age 20, high A/AA: .402/.602/1.004

There's a chance Miller can match Seager's glove, but he'll never have his bat.

[Doctor Wu]

On 3/4/2024 at 8:17 PM, DJL44 said:

Rayne Doncon Minor Leagues Statistics | Baseball-Reference.com

Thanks for that. I had assumed it was some sort of nickname, only to realize that's his real name!