Twins Face First Base Vacuum After Alex Kirilloff’s Retirement

[mluebker]

10 hours ago, stringer bell said:

Since Correa and Buxton are about the only two players who are good defenders under contract with the Twins, this is currently a non-starter IMHO. Further I don’t think Lewis is considered a shortstop option at this point, so the job would go to Castro or Lee. 

Well, Lewis came up as the Twins’ shortstop-of-the-future. But with Correa there (about half the time), they’ve tried to convert him to third or maybe second. So why not put him at short and move Correa to third, instead?
That would give Lewis an opportunity to play his natural position, while Correa would face less lateral movement, fewer high-stress plays, and a lower risk of injury. Hopefully, that could prolong his playing career by reducing injuries and time on the IL. He’s under contract for how many more years? Seems like it would be worthwhile to give up some of his defense at short in return for keeping his bat in the lineup more regularly and his glove in the field for more than half the games in a given season.

 

[RpR]

On 11/3/2024 at 8:47 PM, mluebker said:

Well, Lewis came up as the Twins’ shortstop-of-the-future. But with Correa there (about half the time), they’ve tried to convert him to third or maybe second. So why not put him at short and move Correa to third, instead?
That would give Lewis an opportunity to play his natural position, while Correa would face less lateral movement, fewer high-stress plays, and a lower risk of injury. Hopefully, that could prolong his playing career by reducing injuries and time on the IL. He’s under contract for how many more years? Seems like it would be worthwhile to give up some of his defense at short in return for keeping his bat in the lineup more regularly and his glove in the field for more than half the games in a given season.

 

Lewis is a poor fielder; putting Lewis at Short Stop would make the infield defense not much , about non-existant.

[tony&rodney]

5 minutes ago, mluebker said:

Well, Lewis came up as the Twins’ shortstop-of-the-future.

You are correct in that the Twins had Royce Lewis play shortstop in the minor leagues. However, this was a very odd move due to the fact that his high school coach moved him to third base (off of shortstop) because of his limitations and he was never seen as a potential shortstop by any scouts. You would have to ask the Twins why they used Lewis at shortstop because I never saw any reports that stated shortstop was a possibility for Royce. Since those minor league appearances Royce has really (very noticeably) bulked up. He is a big dude currently and too stiff for even third base now except to get his bat in the lineup. 

The idea of using correa at third base or first base even may be solid at some point, but the Twins would need someone to take Correa's spot. They don't have anyone right now, as we saw so clearly last season when Carlos was injured.

[mluebker]

22 minutes ago, RpR said:

Lewis is a poor fielder; putting Lewis at Short Stop would make the infield defense not much about non-existant.

So put Lewis and his bad knees at first. The Twins need reliable offense. So keeping Correa, Buxton, and Lewis in the lineup but out of the high-stress positions that keep putting them on the IL for half the games in a given season (with who-knows-who playing those positions the other half of the season) might be worth a look.

22 minutes ago, RpR said:

 

[mluebker]

7 minutes ago, tony&rodney said:

…Since those minor league appearances Royce has really (very noticeably) bulked up. He is a big dude currently and too stiff for even third base now except to get his bat in the lineup. 

The idea of using correa at third base or first base even may be solid at some point, but the Twins would need someone to take Correa's spot. They don't have anyone right now, as we saw so clearly last season when Carlos was injured.

You’re right. Move Correa to third, Lewis to first, and find an affordable and reliable shortstop. They’re going to have to do that anyway, with Correa spending so much time on the IL, anyway. Unless they love paying him all that money for only playing half a season at short every year, maybe less as he gets older.

[darin617]

On 11/1/2024 at 6:46 PM, Parfigliano said:

FO seems determined to not give Severino a chance at MLB 1B job.  Is his  D that lacking?

Pretty high K rate in the minors, so that would be an issue against MLB pitching.

[stringer bell]

On 11/1/2024 at 6:46 PM, Parfigliano said:

FO seems determined to not give Severino a chance at MLB 1B job.  Is his  D that lacking?

Outrighted off the 40-man today. Despite the big power numbers in 2023, I don’t think the front office is very high on Severino. 

[ashbury]

2 hours ago, stringer bell said:

Outrighted off the 40-man today. Despite the big power numbers in 2023, I don’t think the front office is very high on Severino. 

I thought both Severino and Winder, if exposed, would be picked up as "waiver wire fodder".  Possibly Duarte too.  Some years there are repeated rounds of musical chairs for the 41st and 42nd men on various rosters.  All have at least 1 minor league option remaining, so another team could have added them and still planned to send them to AAA next spring. 

Kudos to Falvey and the FO for picking the right time for these waivers, even if presumably every other team is paring down too.  The players themselves aren't super-important, but roster stewardship is.

If no one took them for free, via waiver, then there's not much worry about Rule 5 since the rules there are more stringent.

Yeah, the plan for first base includes someone other than Severino.

[Parfigliano]

4 hours ago, stringer bell said:

Outrighted off the 40-man today. Despite the big power numbers in 2023, I don’t think the front office is very high on Severino. 

Isn't he 25 YOA?  Someone will snatch him up.

[DJL44]

27 minutes ago, Parfigliano said:

Isn't he 25 YOA?  Someone will snatch him up.

Already passed through and staying in the Twins organization.