Does Miranda move to 1st or DH when Lewis back

[jaimedude]

Miranda seems like a major league hitter now. When Lewis makes his way back to the major league roster, do we think he starts playing some first base to prepare for that, or would you see him DH'ing more. It will be nice to see tge Twins have options when Lewis is back. Congratulations to Jose Miranda for continuing to make adjustments and get hits.

[IndianaTwin]

I think Jose, Alex Kirilloff, Trevor Larnach, the IL and even Manny Margot and Carlos Santana will let us know. 

As in, Lewis hasn't even been cleared to start ramping it up. They'll undoubtedly play it cautiously. It won't be surprising to see it be another month before they have to make that decision. The answer would have looked different a month ago, and I'm guessing it will look different a month from now. 

As Mama IT* always said, "We'll cross that bridge when we get to it."

But yes, it's great to see Miranda being productive and as good as they've been playing, there's still some pieces that aren't clicking on all cylinders. That's the depth they've been looking to build.

 

*Mama IT lives in a nursing home in Iowa, so it would technically be Mama IOWA Twin. Go Hawks. 

[Shaitan]

They'll probably shop him for a frontline SP. Throw in a Duensing and it's a sure thing!

But, seriously, I agree with IT above. No such thing as too many good players.

[umterp23]

Will be a nice problem to have once Lewis comes back, but for now enjoy the ride with what he has provided. AK is a dumpster fire at the moment and doesn't appear to getting better anytime soon.  

[FlyingFinn]

If Lewis or Buxton came back today, Martin would go back to the Saints. What if everyone stays healthy (a big IF) and those two are back? Then, as of now, it would be either releasing Margot or sending Miranda to the Saints. Kirilloff could down as well but I'm just thinking he is going to have a hot streak coming up.

[Paul Walerius]

1 hour ago, FlyingFinn said:

If Lewis or Buxton came back today, Martin would go back to the Saints. What if everyone stays healthy (a big IF) and those two are back? Then, as of now, it would be either releasing Margot or sending Miranda to the Saints. Kirilloff could down as well but I'm just thinking he is going to have a hot streak coming up.

Does AK have options?

 

 

[FlyingFinn]

41 minutes ago, Paul Walerius said:

Does AK have options?

He does have 1 left.

[SwainZag]

13 hours ago, FlyingFinn said:

If Lewis or Buxton came back today, Martin would go back to the Saints. What if everyone stays healthy (a big IF) and those two are back? Then, as of now, it would be either releasing Margot or sending Miranda to the Saints. Kirilloff could down as well but I'm just thinking he is going to have a hot streak coming up.

Some everyday ABs in St. Paul might be needed for AK to work on things if they do get healthy.  He's looking pretty lost T the plate after his hot start.

[stringer bell]

Both Miranda and Larnach have grabbed their opportunities and run with them. Good for them. If Lewis and Buxton were activated tomorrow, the obvious choices for option would be Kirilloff and Martin. It's pretty hard to see where things will be in a week or so when Buck is supposed to be ready and impossible to see where things will be by the first of June, Lewis' original timeline for activation.

Santana and Margot haven't played up to the investment in them so far, but it's hard to imagine either of them being cut loose at this point.

[Doctor Gast]

Most definitely Miranda should be at 1B as the RH platoon. But is & should are 2 different things as long as Santana is there he won't. Kiriloff doesn't really affect Miranda.

[DJL44]

Absolutely

[Cory Engelhardt]

Lewis and Lee getting healthy will certainly help this lineup. IF everyone is healthy at that point, that'll be a good problem :)

[bean5302]

15 hours ago, IndianaTwin said:

I think Jose, Alex Kirilloff, Trevor Larnach, the IL and even Manny Margot and Carlos Santana will let us know. 

As in, Lewis hasn't even been cleared to start ramping it up. They'll undoubtedly play it cautiously. It won't be surprising to see it be another month before they have to make that decision. The answer would have looked different a month ago, and I'm guessing it will look different a month from now. 

As Mama IT* always said, "We'll cross that bridge when we get to it."

But yes, it's great to see Miranda being productive and as good as they've been playing, there's still some pieces that aren't clicking on all cylinders. That's the depth they've been looking to build.

 

*Mama IT lives in a nursing home in Iowa, so it would technically be Mama IOWA Twin. Go Hawks. 

I don't know what "ramping it up" means? Lewis started hitting off the tee and doing fielding work 2 weeks ago along with his running progressions including sprinting. I doubt he's too far from a rehab assignment right now.

[bean5302]

Miranda will likely move to DH in my opinion since Santana has been hitting well over the past couple weeks. Not sure how the Twins will handle the roster crunch, but Austin Martin is the most likely to be demoted IMHO.

[Hawkeye Bean Counter]

Miranda will be able to continue to help at 3rd, 1st  and DH.   At this point he is a better option than Farmer to give Lewis some off days.   You can have some platoons advantages with Santana and then is an above average bat at DH.   He will get more than enough opportunity.  Right now Kiriloff needs a break.  

Not only do you have Buxton coming back but you have Wallner figuring it out again down in AAA.   Then you have Lee getting healthy potentially around June.  Its a long season and lots of bumps and bruises but we have quality bat options.  

Larnach and Miranda have been revelations.  I have said if 2 of the 3 of Miranda, Larnach and Kiriloff could figure it out,  this team would be pretty darn good.   Add in Kepler and Jeffers playing like All Stars.  The heavy bat approach in the draft is beginning to pay off.  

[jccracraft]

Even with Kirilloff slumping and Santana supposedly heating up, Kirilloff's OPS is still higher. I agree that the Twins are unlikely to do it, but Santana and Margot (yes he had a good game yesterday, but still terrible on the whole) need to both be gone. No upside with either of them.

[RpR]

45 minutes ago, Hawkeye Bean Counter said:

Miranda will be able to continue to help at 3rd, 1st  and DH.   At this point he is a better option than Farmer to give Lewis some off days.   You can have some platoons advantages with Santana and then is an above average bat at DH.   He will get more than enough opportunity.  Right now Kiriloff needs a break.  

 

Miranda is still not a good fielder, Farmer is far better at 3rd that Miranda and better at 2nd than Julien.

Farmer should always be given the nod.

[DJL44]

1 hour ago, bean5302 said:

Miranda will likely move to DH in my opinion since Santana has been hitting well over the past couple weeks. Not sure how the Twins will handle the roster crunch, but Austin Martin is the most likely to be demoted IMHO.

The odds that everyone on the roster is healthy at the same time are vanishingly small.

[Riverbrian]

These things work themselves out. 

By the time Royce Lewis gets back... someone else will be on the injured list.  

Miranda only becomes a tough decision when everyone is healthy and that doesn't happen very often. 

If Miranda keeps hitting decently... he'll keep his roster spot. 3B, 1B and DH are all positions where he can get playing time. 

[DJL44]

5 minutes ago, RpR said:

Miranda is still not a good fielder, Farmer is far better at 3rd that Miranda and better at 2nd than Julien.

Farmer should always be given the nod.

The drop on offense from Miranda to Farmer has been substantial. There will be maybe one defensive play a game where I'd rather have Farmer but there will be 4 at-bats where I'd rather have Miranda. Jeffers is going to be the DH quite often vs. LHP. If they want Miranda's bat in the lineup he'll need to play the field.

[TwinsDr2021]

To me the correct and easy decision is cutting/trade Santana, he offers no positional flexibility (and hasn't been very good) and with the way Jeffers is hitting he needs to be in the lineup almost every day, which means DH on the days that Vaquez catchers (which should be 75% of the time). They need Farmer to back up multiple infield positions, and they could platoon AK/Miranda at first. Plus I would rather have Farmer on the team than Santana for flexibility, speed, bunting and what not.

Do I think that is what will happen, I do not.

[bean5302]

Last 15 games for Carlos Santana. .245/.322/.509 OPS .830 wRC+ 133
Last 15 games for Kyle Farmer .269/.345/.423 OPS .768 wRC+ 122
Last 15 games for Manuel Margot .161/.182/.226 OPS .408 wRC+ 13
Last 15 games for Willi Castro .383/.403/.683 OPS 1.087 wRC+ 206 <--- has options
Last 15 games for Trevor Larnach .367/.418/.592 OPS 1.010 wRC+ 186 <--- has options
Last 15 games for Jose Miranda .300/.340/.480 OPS .820 wRC+ 134 <--- has options
Last 15 games for Austin Martin .227/.292/.364 OPS .656 wRC+ 90 <--- has options
Last 15 games for Alex Kirilloff .140/.208/.233 OPS .441 wRC+ 28 <--- has options

When I look at players who could potentially be cut, I look for guys who are being used as situational players who are used as defensive replacements, pinch runners, platoon guys. Santana isn't part of that mix. Margot is clearly the most likely to get DFA/released, but I think Austin Martin and Alex Kirilloff are both more likely to be optioned.

While Wallner's numbers are looking better over the past handful of games, he's still not taking walks. After how unimpressive he was through Spring Training, and how absolutely lost he was at the plate for the first month of the regular season, he's probably going to need to rake and show plate discipline for a solid 100 PA before he might earn a recall if there aren't other developments. Larnach came into the season as injury depth for the Twins, but as a potential role player for some teams. He's surprisingly raking right now on his last option which could really boost his value if he keeps it up so Wallner has an extra logjam in front of him at this point.

[bean5302]

40 minutes ago, Bigfork Twins Guy said:

If there are no injuries when Lewis returns, then I fear that Miranda at DH would take AB's away from Jeffers.  Although JM has been hitting well, Jeffers's has been much better.  Who knows, maybe Buxton will be back and fighting for DH AB's at that time.  As others have stated, these things  have a way of working themselves out.

Just put Jeffers in Center Field. It's called "positional flexibility" and the Twins are all about it!!! Jeez. Get with the times...

[nicksaviking]

I'm typically not for selling the cheap, optionable options over vets, but we've seen this from Larnach before. I might move him while he's peaking because he tends to nosedive fast. If he can headline a trade for something valuable, I might look to move him ASAP. His profile seems to portend streakiness.

But I'm also up for simply axing Margot and Santana.

[Shaitan]

5 hours ago, RpR said:

Miranda is still not a good fielder, Farmer is far better at 3rd that Miranda and better at 2nd than Julien.

Farmer should always be given the nod.

The eternal question is: can he get better? Koskie did. Sano didn't. (But, then again, Sano is back at 3B with LAA.) As a backup, that flexibility is probably essential. To be an everyday player, he needs to hit RHP and LHP and play passable 3B. Long way to go.

EIther way, on Rocco's team, he'll get playing time and he'll play a variety of positions.

[Shaitan]

1 hour ago, nicksaviking said:

I'm typically not for selling the cheap, optionable options over vets, but we've seen this from Larnach before. I might move him while he's peaking because he tends to nosedive fast. If he can headline a trade for something valuable, I might look to move him ASAP. His profile seems to portend streakiness.

But I'm also up for simply axing Margot and Santana.

I hear what you're saying here. Zero idea how I feel. I think the Larnach/Kiriloff rotation at LF has been mildly effective over the past 3 years but it's time for one of them to "make the jump." I think both have the 1st round talent to do so. It's just a question of if it will happen. I hate to site 10+ years ago, but players like Morneau or Cuddyer or Hunter all struggled and then, like a finger snap one day, they got it. I keep hoping for that moment.

[jorgenswest]

It would really help if they would utilize Royce Lewis’ athleticism and right handed bat in the outfield. 

[bean5302]

20 hours ago, nicksaviking said:

I'm typically not for selling the cheap, optionable options over vets, but we've seen this from Larnach before. I might move him while he's peaking because he tends to nosedive fast. If he can headline a trade for something valuable, I might look to move him ASAP. His profile seems to portend streakiness.

But I'm also up for simply axing Margot and Santana.

The thing is, if you start looking at Larnach's weaknesses in terms of pitch selection and how you can attack him, Larnach is seeing fewer fastballs and more offspeed/breaking stuff than ever and he's hitting well right now. Still way too much noise in the numbers, but if you start looking at how he's fared over the years, there is a trend of him getting better.

I took the BaseballSavant pitch values, adjusted them for the expected number of pitches Larnach would see in the course of a 150 game season and applied a gradient. Last year, Larnach seemed to start clicking with holding his own against enough pitches to be viable. This year, he's made a lot more contact across the strike zone. I don't think Larnach can get any perceived boost to his value before 200-300 plate appearances this year, and I think the Twins are likely going to find a way to give Larnach the opportunity do just that unless he struggles for a while. I don't think Larnach's leash is that long, but if he keeps hitting, it's in the Twins best interest to keep giving him plate appearances.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

On 5/10/2024 at 9:15 AM, bean5302 said:

Miranda will likely move to DH in my opinion since Santana has been hitting well over the past couple weeks. Not sure how the Twins will handle the roster crunch, but Austin Martin is the most likely to be demoted IMHO.

They don’t like Margot in CF, even w/ Buxton out. I think Martin is here until Buck comes back.

i think Miranda gets demoted

[bean5302]

20 hours ago, Richie the Rally Goat said:

They don’t like Margot in CF, even w/ Buxton out. I think Martin is here until Buck comes back.

i think Miranda gets demoted

Willi Castro will move to CF since they'll want him playing regularly. Not that Buxton won't probably beat Lewis back anwyay.