Your Ideal Twins Lineup

[cmoss84]

As we get near the homestretch of the season, and hopefully the playoffs, what is your ideal lineup? Not thinking about RHP vs LHP. Just best overall lineup. Win or go home lineup. Fully healthy lineup.

Mine:

Willi Castro 2b

Carlos Correa ss

Royce Lewis 3b

Matt Wallner lf

Jose Miranda dh

Byron Buxton cf

Carlos Santana 1b

Jeffers c

Max Kepler rf

 

 

 

 

 

[ashbury]

7 minutes ago, cmoss84 said:

Not thinking about RHP vs LHP. Just best overall lineup. Win or go home lineup.

Don't understand this combination.  If it's win or go home, I'm absolutely paying attention to the opposing pitcher.

But with Miranda and Lewis both in the lineup, I've got Miranda on defense at 3B. He's just a little less likely to surprise me negatively by punting a makeable play; I'll give Lewis the benefit of the doubt by speculating he's not right physically at the moment.

[cmoss84]

6 minutes ago, ashbury said:

Don't understand this combination.  If it's win or go home, I'm absolutely paying attention to the opposing pitcher.

But with Miranda and Lewis both in the lineup, I've got Miranda on defense at 3B. He's just a little less likely to surprise me negatively by punting a makeable play; I'll give Lewis the benefit of the doubt by speculating he's not right physically at the moment.

I guess I would start the same lineup either way...

Good points though.

 

[yeahyabetcha]

Vásquez in for Jeffers?

[Richie the Rally Goat]

Lewis DH

Correa SS

Wallner RF

Buxton CF

Miranda 3B

Santana 1B

Larnach LF

Vazquez C

Castro 2B

I waffled on Wallner LF, Kepler RF. Kep hasn’t hit as well as Larnach and Kep’s fielding has been good but not spectacular, not enough to bump him ahead of Larnach’s hitting.

Vazquez has been one of the better hitters on the team over the last month, when I was ready to trade him for a bag of balls in early July.

 

[stringer bell]

I like Lewis at third and Miranda at first against right handed pitching. This also leaves the DH slot to Larnach/Wallner, both of whom have better numbers against right handed pitching than Santana. Miranda hasn't played much first base this year, but in the SSS, he's been fine at first base. Miranda also has excellent splits against right handers.

Certainly for the last month, both Jeffers and Vázquez have regressed to the mean, but Jeffers has been the better hitter this season by quite a bit. 

[Richie the Rally Goat]

1 hour ago, stringer bell said:

I like Lewis at third and Miranda at first against right handed pitching. This also leaves the DH slot to Larnach/Wallner, both of whom have better numbers against right handed pitching than Santana. Miranda hasn't played much first base this year, but in the SSS, he's been fine at first base. Miranda also has excellent splits against right handers.

Certainly for the last month, both Jeffers and Vázquez have regressed to the mean, but Jeffers has been the better hitter this season by quite a bit. 

Vazquez had a horrendous start to the season, but since June 1, has been the better hitter

 

 

 

 

[cmoss84]

4 hours ago, yeahyabetcha said:

Vásquez in for Jeffers?

I'd probably match them with the SP most comfortable with them.

[cmoss84]

3 hours ago, Richie the Rally Goat said:

Lewis DH

Correa SS

Wallner RF

Buxton CF

Miranda 3B

Santana 1B

Larnach LF

Vazquez C

Castro 2B

I waffled on Wallner LF, Kepler RF. Kep hasn’t hit as well as Larnach and Kep’s fielding has been good but not spectacular, not enough to bump him ahead of Larnach’s hitting.

Vazquez has been one of the better hitters on the team over the last month, when I was ready to trade him for a bag of balls in early July.

 

Interesting lineup. I'm wondering on defensive metrics for Wallner in rf and Larnach in lf...and visa versa?

[Richie the Rally Goat]

8 hours ago, cmoss84 said:

Interesting lineup. I'm wondering on defensive metrics for Wallner in rf and Larnach in lf...and visa versa?

Wallner is even between LF and RF this year by OAA (0 is average, -1 is slightly below average), but has an absolute cannon

Larnach is slightly better in LF than RF this year, but had a limp noodle arm

not very compelling stats though… it could be switched, as you say 

[Trilla]

I am making this assuming everyone is healthy

Castro 2b

Lewis 3b

Correa ss

Santana 1b

Larnach lf

Buxton cf 

Kepler rf

Jeffers c

Lee dh 

Bench would be Wallner, Vasquez, Farmer, and Margot....keeping everybody on the field is the biggest challenge 

[Richie the Rally Goat]

30 minutes ago, Trilla said:

I am making this assuming everyone is healthy

Castro 2b

Lewis 3b

Correa ss

Santana 1b

Larnach lf

Buxton cf 

Kepler rf

Jeffers c

Lee dh 

Bench would be Wallner, Vasquez, Farmer, and Margot....keeping everybody on the field is the biggest challenge 

Wallner’s .959 OPS ranks 10th of all hitters league wide, and he’s on the bench?

[ashbury]

8 minutes ago, Richie the Rally Goat said:

Wallner’s .959 OPS ranks 10th of all hitters league wide, and he’s on the bench?

And Miranda in for Lee at DH, at minimum.  If Lee's not playing defense he doesn't belong in the lineup.

[jaimedude]

Santana has been gold glove worthy at 1st base. He hits anywhere you put him in line-up and is a switch hitter. We are lucky to have him and any playoff line-up has to include him. 

[August J Gloop]

I know you aren't looking for splits, but from me you get splits.

VS RHP

RF Wallner
DH Lewis
SS Correa
LF Larnach
CF Buxton
3B Miranda
2B Castro
1B Santana
C Whoever's turn it is today

VS LHP 
CF Buxton
DH Lewis
SS Correa
3B Miranda
1B Santana
2B Castro
LF Margot
RF Kepler
C Turn

I like Wallner at the top cuz he can go bridge any time and had decided his middle name is speed. 

[Trilla]

On 8/18/2024 at 8:28 PM, Richie the Rally Goat said:

Wallner’s .959 OPS ranks 10th of all hitters league wide, and he’s on the bench?

IMHO he strikes out too much....doesn't mean he can't ph in the 4th or 5th inning. I would like to know what his ob% is compared to slg%. Hitters can have a high ops with low ob%. Just seems like he is that guy.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

5 hours ago, Trilla said:

IMHO he strikes out too much....doesn't mean he can't ph in the 4th or 5th inning. I would like to know what his ob% is compared to slg%. Hitters can have a high ops with low ob%. Just seems like he is that guy.

I’m glad you asked! Wallner sports a .385 OBP carried by his robust 11.1% walk rate.

his OBP ranks 15th league wide all hitters

you are correct, he strikes out a ton, but the On Base and Slug are excellent

[Riverbrian]

Assuming all are healthy - My playoff lineup would be. 

Vs. RH

3b - Lewis

1b - Miranda

DH - Wallner

SS - Correa

LF - Larnach

CF - Buxton

2B - Castro

C - Jeffers

RF - Kepler

Extras: Santana, Martin, Julien and Vazquez

VS LH

3B - Lewis

2B - Castro

SS - Correa

1B - Santana

CF - Buxton

LF - Wallner

C - Jeffers

DH - Miranda

RF - Kepler

Extras: Larnach, Martin, Julien and Vazquez

 

Margot and Farmer are not on the roster. This is a playoff roster... If they remain on the roster... they are an injury away from starting against Right Handers in the playoffs. They are gone. Julien and Martin will be on the roster in their place, they may be in the extra catagory but they will be given playing time through out September and allowed to compete for playoff playing time. Allowed the opportunity to get better and compete. If they fail to earn it... they can be sent down. But... I am choosing Julien and Martin over Margot and Farmer and I'm not thinking twice about it. 

Wallner will not be platooned. His OPS is currently .954.

I'm not going to accept any logic that Wallner can OPS .998 against right handers yet still has no chance against left handers like his OPS against lefties is frozen in place no matter how well he is swinging the bat against righties. Like hotness against right handed pitchers will only happen against right handers and show no improvement against lefties.

His OPS against may be lower against left handers but seeing the ball well is seeing the ball well and I'm willing to bet that Wallner can out perform Margot and Farmer against lefties if he is crushing right handers like he is.  

Kepler is barely hanging on. He gets the last spot in the starting lineup against both Right Handers and Left Handers. 

Ultimately a lineup that has Kepler hitting in the 9 hole is pretty good. 

 

 

 

[LambchoP]

I like any lineup that has Correa, Buxton, Lewis, Miranda and Wallner in it. Also, any lineup WITHOUT Farmer or Margot is a win in my book. Neither of these two should make the playoff roster, which is why I'd like to see a Keirsey call up before then, to see if he'd be a better replacement for Margot.

[TwinsCD]

I'm not a numbers guy.  Here would be my lineup...

2B Castro

DH Miranda

SS Correa

LF Wallner

3B Lewis

1B Santana

CF Buxton

RF Kepler

C Vazquez

And unless there was an extreme case, I wouldn't be pinch-hitting anybody.  This is what I feel is the best 9 hitters on the team.  While you could certainly argue Jeffers and his 20 HR  as better than Vazquez over the season, I have bias towards what has happened lately and I prefer Vazquez's defense.

[umterp23]

We could debate almost all the positions both on the field in the batting order.  Catcher is kind of intriguing as I point out the following question as I don't have a great answer - 

If you were to say for our catcher position from offensive side of things we wanted the following:

.230 avg,  .365 slg and .627 ops high teens for HR's, about 50 rbi's or so, kind of middle of pack on offense, would we not be jumping for joy?

Vazquez has had about 1 month of games to get improve his numbers to what I listed minus the Homers and RBI's

Jeffers had a tough stretch in June/July but I give him a pass for one thing only that I hope none of us would have to go through or have gone through.  We don't know what he has or is going through with the unexpected still born death of what would have been a son that if his wife had gone to full pregnancy would have been born in this month window.  I will always tip my hat to him and his family for battling a baseball and balancing life and it's curveballs.

August he has seem to be able to hit better but not the hot start he had in April/May.

Glad we have a problem of who helps us win come playoffs, either one should make us happy that we have a tandem.

 

[C-Gangster]

Good effort on the lineup I'm just not seeing it