Dozier

[DaveW]

Let me be the first to eat crow in regards to my dozier comments, the kid has been on absolute FIRE this June, and appears he could possibly give us 10-15 HR and at least a high .600s or low .700s moving fwd while playing solid at 2B

 

Hope it continues as he could be a nice stop gap at the very least until Rosario is ready in 2015

[cmathewson]

Let me be the first to eat crow in regards to my dozier comments, the kid has been on absolute FIRE this June, and appears he could possibly give us 10-15 HR and at least a high .600s or low .700s moving fwd while playing solid at 2B

 

Hope it continues as he could be a nice stop gap at the very least until Rosario is ready in 2015

 

I could see a platoon to get Rosario used to the majors. Dozier is a beast against lefties.

[Guest USAFChief]

I could see a platoon to get Rosario used to the majors. Dozier is a beast against lefties.

True platoons almost never happen anymore, and in this specific case, a platoon involving Rosario is pretty unlikely.

[YourHouseIsMyHouse]

What I find amazing is that he's been excellent vs. high tier pitchers. He's hit off of Fister, Sanchez, Sale, Hamels (rough year), and Gio Gonzalez all in June alone. It's like he wants to keep his job or something.

[DaveW]

He also has been a **** ton better at home then on the road (.300 ops wise)

 

Perhaps he is having too good a time when at the hotel bars?

[fairweather]

Dozier has been better than I expected but needs to find balance and consistency. I hated watching him last season at SS and I enjoy watching him at 2B so I think the move has served him well thus far. Florimon as well has been better than expected and those 2 guys holding down the middle infield means SO much for the lack luster roster.

[Shane Wahl]

True platoons almost never happen anymore, and in this specific case, a platoon involving Rosario is pretty unlikely.

 

Well a modified one could be in order. If the Twins had a viable lefty CF this would have helped Hicks and the Twins. I think that young guys who have big splits need to see major league pitching, period. If this involves a modified platoon, so be it. I would, without a doubt think that Dozier is going to ultimately be better than Escobar. But we'll see.

[twinstalker]

Gardenhire has no idea about platooning, so it's a moot point.

[PseudoSABR]

Back-up middle infielder with some pop for a competitive team. Oh boy.

[greengoblinrulz]

Since May 28th....Doziers played in 21 gms (tm 13-8 in those)

20-64 .313BAve 12runs 3doubles 5HR 12rbi .594slgg 9k 9bb 2hbp .413OBP 1.007OPS

[jokin]

Since May 28th....Doziers played in 21 gms (tm 13-8 in those)

20-64 .313BAve 12runs 3doubles 5HR 12rbi .594slgg 9k 9bb 2hbp .413OBP 1.007OPS

 

Impressive numbers, unfortunately he's teased us in the past for a couple weeks or so of flurried production. I'd like to think he's put his struggles and continued horrendous slumps in the past, many were related to the pressures of playing SS, but not this year- let's see if he can sustain something close to this as the long, hot summer continues. Most importantly, although he's improved his performance against right-handers a good little bit, his .621 OPS in 2013 (.577 career OPS) makes him pretty doubtful long-term and is going to hold him way back when up against someone with the potential of Rosario and it appears SS is never going to be a viable option for him.

 

Just to put it into perspective, both his OPS and OBP rank 17th of 20 qualifying second basemen.

[ThePuck]

Impressive numbers, unfortunately he's teased us in the past for a couple weeks or so of flurried production. I'd like to think he's put his struggles and continued horrendous slumps in the past, many were related to the pressures of playing SS, but not this year- let's see if he can sustain something close to this as the long, hot summer continues. Most importantly, although he's improved his performance against right-handers a good little bit, his .621 OPS in 2013 (.577 career OPS) makes him pretty doubtful long-term and is going to hold him way back when up against someone with the potential of Rosario and it appears SS is never going to be a viable option for him.

 

Just to put it into perspective, both his OPS and OBP rank 17th of 20 qualifying second basemen.

 

I don't think he's arguing his yearly numbers. He's saying that after a bad start, he's doing much better. Defensively he's been well above average.

 

Let's not forget this is only his second year and that he has less than a years worth of games under his belt.

 

just sayin'

[Brock Beauchamp]

I wasn't too low on Dozier before this streak and I'm not going to get too high on him now.

 

If he can approach a .700 OPS, I'll be very happy with his production.

[Gernzy]

Dozier will be fine until Rosario is ready. Look back at our other 2B the last few years...whos been better?

[Brock Beauchamp]

Dozier will be fine until Rosario is ready. Look back at our other 2B the last few years...whos been better?

 

Orlando Hudson, by a country mile.

[ericchri]

Dozier showed he had a little pop in his bat last year (6 HR in 300ish AB), so his little binge recently doesn't come as much of a surprise to me. Last year he showed he couldn't struggle offensively and defensively at the same time while being a rookie. It just seemed to be a bit too much. I was worried the slow start offensively this year was going to end up washing him out, but he managed to play good defense throughout, and hopefully that has allowed him to relax enough that his offense may finally be coming around. He's probably also somewhat lucky that Carroll's offense has been terrible this year.

 

He needs more than a good month to get his place on the team solidified for the future. But things look more promising right now.

[jokin]

I don't think he's arguing his yearly numbers. He's saying that after a bad start, he's doing much better. Defensively he's been well above average.

 

Let's not forget this is only his second year and that he has less than a years worth of games under his belt.

 

just sayin'

 

Don't disagree with him or you, it's just that we all have a tendency to get too high on a guy when he's hot and too low when he's not. The problem is Dozier at the plate is cold a lot more than he's hot and tends to be major tease during those hot times. I fell for that last year, but now, with a year's worth of stats under his belt, I don't think the Twins or Dozier should think that because of his hot June, that this is now a long-term relationship.

[ThePuck]

Don't disagree with him or you, it's just that we all have a tendency to get too high on a guy when he's hot and too low when he's not. The problem is Dozier at the plate is cold a lot more than he's hot and tends to be major tease during those hot times. I fell for that last year, but now, with a year's worth of stats under his belt, I don't think the Twins or Dozier should think that because of his hot June, that this is now a long-term relationship.

 

Maybe, maybe not. Maybe he's just taking time to adjust. I hope so. I liked him before he ever hit the majors. I've never been down on him.

[ashbury]

Baseball being a game of continual adjustments, it takes several hundred PA sometimes for us to get a steady bead on what a guy will do. The book on Dozier apparently handcuffed him for a while recently, he now seems to have figured something out that is allowing this power surge, the book on him will soon get adjusted so as to avoid these homers, and the challenge for him will then be to make something with the pitches he then gets. I realize this mainly boils down to platitudes, but is why I'm still cautiously optimistic about him without being totally on the bandwagon yet.

[kab21]

This is one of those things that you work through in a rebuilding season and one of the reasons that don't just spend money on over the hill FA's for the sake of spending money. Perhaps that route would be better in the short term but giving guys like Dozier, Plouffe, Florimon, Escobar, Parmelee and others an extended look should yield a couple productive players. That wouldn't have been possible if guys like Drew and Youkilis had been brought in like some suggested.

 

I will disagree that a young player should be platooned if he has issues with some pitchers. You do this if you are a competitive team and you need to optimize your lineup but young players should be playing everyday. Otherwise leave them in AAA.

[diehardtwinsfan]

except that for whatever reason, Parmelee never seems to get the PT.

[diehardtwinsfan]

Let me be the first to eat crow in regards to my dozier comments, the kid has been on absolute FIRE this June, and appears he could possibly give us 10-15 HR and at least a high .600s or low .700s moving fwd while playing solid at 2B

 

Hope it continues as he could be a nice stop gap at the very least until Rosario is ready in 2015

 

He had a very nice season in AA two years ago, and got sent directly to MLB and predictably struggled. Sound familiar?

 

I tend to agree he's a stop gap, but if he pans out offensively, they can move him back to SS if needed. They can do the same with Plouffe too. Honestly, if both pan out, I see Dozier getting traded for something of decent value once Rosario is knocking on the door.

[Tibs]

Has anyone else noticed the big differences in numbers by Dozier in home games vs away games?

 

.271/.347/.477/.824 at home

.194/.238/.286/.524 on the road

 

What's up with the big difference?

[diehardtwinsfan]

Has anyone else noticed the big differences in numbers by Dozier in home games vs away games?

 

.271/.347/.477/.824 at home

.194/.238/.286/.524 on the road

 

What's up with the big difference?

 

As a person whose done some fair amount of traveling, I can tell you personally that some people don't adapt well to it. That's quite a drop off, and could be SSS, as I don't think it's a stadium effect. Perhaps he has a difficult time adjusting to time on the road.

[Guest USAFChief]

 

I will disagree that a young player should be platooned if he has issues with some pitchers. You do this if you are a competitive team and you need to optimize your lineup but young players should be playing everyday. Otherwise leave them in AAA.

 

Agree 100%. I would even go so far as to say you platoon with 2 30 yr olds who have proven to be one side hitters.

 

Also will point out, again, that true platoons in this day and age of 12 and 13 man pitching staffs are pretty rare.

[Thegrin]

I like Dozier's defense. He makes some difficult plays look routine. This season is not even half completed. Lets see what his batting line looks like after 162 games.

[TheLeviathan]

This binge reminds me a lot of Plouffe's last year. And it also has another very important similarity: the broadcasts have been heaping praise on Bruno for this accomplishment just as Plouffe credited him last year with his herculian stretch.

 

If nothing else, it is SO refreshing to hear young Twins hitters being encouraged to turn and drive the ball. I know the team doesn't tell players not to hit homeruns, but for the better part of two decades we only hear about "use the whole field", "hit the ball on the ground and use your speed", "go the opposite way". It's just nice to hear "get your pitch and pound it"

 

Even better to see it working, if even briefly.

[kab21]

except that for whatever reason, Parmelee never seems to get the PT.

 

Parmelee has 203 PA's this year. He should get a lot of chances but this isn't a free pass to play regardless of results.

[jokin]

I like Dozier's defense. He makes some difficult plays look routine. This season is not even half completed. Lets see what his batting line looks like after 162 games.

 

I like his defense (at second base, anyways), too. But...he also makes some routine plays look difficult...

 

I'm not holding my breath that his batting line will be any better than it is today.

[jokin]

This binge reminds me a lot of Plouffe's last year. And it also has another very important similarity: the broadcasts have been heaping praise on Bruno for this accomplishment just as Plouffe credited him last year with his herculian stretch.

 

If nothing else, it is SO refreshing to hear young Twins hitters being encouraged to turn and drive the ball. I know the team doesn't tell players not to hit homeruns, but for the better part of two decades we only hear about "use the whole field", "hit the ball on the ground and use your speed", "go the opposite way". It's just nice to hear "get your pitch and pound it"

 

Even better to see it working, if even briefly.

 

The problem with Plouffe though, is that ever since his wrist injury last year, he appears to now favor the "use the whole field" approach at the expense of "pounding it" a little more often.