Best fix for Shortstop?

[neauMor]

I have seen many people suggest that we are in need of a shortstop, and I agree with that sentiment, however, what viable options are there? Or if a trade were able to be made, who are guys that would fit the spot best for us, especially considering the youth movement?

[Riverbrian]

I have seen many people suggest that we are in need of a shortstop, and I agree with that sentiment, however, what viable options are there? Or if a trade were able to be made, who are guys that would fit the spot best for us, especially considering the youth movement?

 

That's a tough one... A SS would be quite expensive to acquire. And time consuming to draft.

 

It would take a talented 1st round College draftee in 2014 or a strong surplus at a premium position for trade to solve quickly.

 

Until then... look for the best defense you can find.

[Thrylos]

Florimon is fine. He is better than half a dozen MLB shortstops with the bat and pretty much on the top with the glove. I don't think that you can ask much more about your SS. If your first baseman, your DH and 2/3 of the OF have OPS less than .750, the middle infield bats are the least of your worries, esp. when they play much above average defense (Florimon is now at 9 runs saved above average before today and will get higher after tonight)

[stringer bell]

Florimon was viewed as a stopgap and expectations for him were pretty low. He's probably met expectations, but that certainly doesn't even guarantee that he will last the year. The best prospect at shortstop in the upper minors is Danny Santana. He made the Eastern League All-Star team, but he has committed 22 errors and while he's hitting .291, his OPS is only .683. Santana might be a better 2B than SS, but it looks like the Twins are giving him an opportunity to show he can handle the position. Niko Goodrum, at Cedar Rapids, is also a league All-Star, but CR is a long way from the majors. The shortstops in Ft. Myers have prospect resumes, but haven't stood out IMHO. James Beresford, recently promoted to Rochester profiles as a light-hitting defense first utility guy. I would say that there are not any top SS prospects anywhere near ready in the system. If the Twins trade a veteran, they would be advised to get a prospect at shortstop.

[snepp]

Oh this one's easy. All you just need to do is find yourself one of these...

 

 

http://www2.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Jim+Hoey+JQ_6UpKYvWXm.jpg

 

 

...and one of these...

 

 

http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/slides/photos/001/100/609/brettjacobson_display_image.jpg?1310914773

 

 

...then flip them for one.

 

Easy peasy, right?

[howieramone1406390264]

Would use our 1st pick in next years draft if at possible. Only black hole I still see for position players. IMO very difficult to trade for a SS of the future, barring us offering one of our few untouchable prospects. Certainly as we get closer to the time where we can compete for the Central, it will be under consideration more and more.

[jokin]

That's a tough one... A SS would be quite expensive to acquire. And time consuming to draft.

 

It would take a talented 1st round College draftee in 2014 or a strong surplus at a premium position for trade to solve quickly.

 

Until then... look for the best defense you can find.

 

Not another Levi Michael, I hope.

 

Since we are clean out of surpluses at premium positions, I would strongly suggest looking at spending some money in the International market and finding the next Jurickson Profar... although I'd be happy to settle for Jose Iglesias or Didi Gregorius.

 

That way is going to probably take some developmental time... in the meantime, Yunel Escobar could possibly be a FA if the Rays don't exercise their option. The Rays have a surplus of SS, including Hak-Ju Lee- who appears to be ready for a call-up. Assuming the Twins have no shot in a trade for Lee, get Escobar... he has shown the requisite remorse, the Twins should be able to sign Escobar at a fair contract, baggage and all (He's currently making $5M/yr), -add some behavior and performance sweeteners and get it done.

[Mike Sixel]

No interest in Escobar.

 

I'd suggest they fix 1B, 2B, 3B, LF, SP, SP, SP, and let Floriman play SS. That seems like it would be easier, actually.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Given the Twins' track record over the past 25 years, the best long-term fix for shortstop is for the Twins to start petitioning MLB to eliminate the position of shortstop.

 

Time to start thinking outside of the box.

[Riverbrian]

Not another Levi Michael, I hope.

 

Since we are clean out of surpluses at premium positions, I would strongly suggest looking at spending some money in the International market and finding the next Jurickson Profar... although I'd be happy to settle for Jose Iglesias or Didi Gregorius.

 

That way is going to probably take some developmental time... in the meantime, Yunel Escobar could possibly be a FA if the Rays don't exercise their option. The Rays have a surplus of SS, including Hak-Ju Lee- who appears to be ready for a call-up. Assuming the Twins have no shot in a trade for Lee, get Escobar... he has shown the requisite remorse, the Twins should be able to sign Escobar at a fair contract, baggage and all (He's currently making $5M/yr), -add some behavior and performance sweeteners and get it done.

 

I can't support you on Escobar.

 

If I even suspect an attitude issue with a player... I don't want them. Especially on a young developing team.

 

International Market... Absolutely.

 

I'm actually not above... Drugging a top SS prospect in another organization so he doesn't remember his past along with Plastic Surgery and a new name, passport and what not.

 

It should be pointed out that this method doesn't always work. When you erase their memories... Sometimes they also forget how to play baseball.

[Jeremy Nygaard]

Hak-ju Lee shredded his knee up early this year, so he's not helping anyone anytime soon

[snepp]

When you erase their memories... Sometimes they also forget how to play baseball.

 

 

So not much different than most of the shortstops they tend to run out there.

 

 

Where's the downside?

[diehardtwinsfan]

Short of Ryan pulling off a blockbuster trade at the deadline and getting an AA high upside SS, I think Trevor Plouffe might be the best short term answer. His problems there a couple years back seemed more like nerves than anything. I'd give him another shot. He might be a bit below average defensively, but on the offensive side, he'd be a huge plus.

 

In 2015, we may likely have Rosario and Sano forcing playing time. I think that depends on the emergence of Parmelee, but given his approach at the plate, I think consistent PT will eventually coax out a fairly decent hitter.

 

3B - Sano

SS - Plouffe

2B - Rosario

1B - Parmelee

 

Each one of those guys can be reasonably counted on for .800 OPS production offensively.

 

Long term, sign a couple of international bonus baby SS guys this year.

[Cody Christie]

Shortstop is a weak position in the AL. JJ Hardy is probably going to be the starter for the AL in the All-Star Game and the Twins already had him on their roster.

 

I'm fine with Florimon at the position but I don't know what the future is going to hold in Minnesota. Danny Santana has the bat for SS but his defense is terrible. The Twins are going to want someone they can rely on from a defensive perspective.

[Siehbiscuit]

I posted this in the Perkins thread as well, but what about SS Alen Hanson (BA #61) and James Tallion (BA#19) for Perkins. Get a high upside arm and a middle infielder? Can you ever have too many of either?

[Shane Wahl]

Defense is going to be the priority at SS when the offense has Sano, Buxton, Rosario, Mauer, etc. An OPS around .700 would be a luxury. I think James Beresford might be the guy at some point next year. But I am not complaining, at all, about Florimon.

[Thegrin]

Move Dozier to SS NOW ! Give him every chance to be the full time SS to play next to Rosario in 2014. Otherwise, start playing Plouffe at SS. Either of these moves will make Gardy crazy, but we need to prepare for the arrival of Sano and Rosario in 2014.

[Brad Swanson]

I posted this in the Perkins thread as well, but what about SS Alen Hanson (BA #61) and James Tallion (BA#19) for Perkins. Get a high upside arm and a middle infielder? Can you ever have too many of either?

 

CPU rejects your trade offer. This is way too much to expect for Perkins. I'd be shocked if the Twins could get a top 100 prospect for him, much less two.

 

As for moving Dozier or Plouffe to short, those guys have both proved that they can't play short in the Majors. Florimon is fine as a ninth hitter playing good defense.

[Mike Sixel]

I still think Plouffe is your future 1B/DH/super utility guy......and not your future SS/RF. Dozier is your utility defensive player.....

[Shane Wahl]

What the hell am I saying? I would gladly play SS for the league minimum.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Move Dozier to SS NOW ! Give him every chance to be the full time SS to play next to Rosario in 2014. Otherwise, start playing Plouffe at SS. Either of these moves will make Gardy crazy, but we need to prepare for the arrival of Sano and Rosario in 2014.

 

They'd make me crazy, too. No one in their right mind would even consider Plouffe at short again. He was awful and it wasn't nerves. He doesn't have anything except the arm to play short (and his arm is erratic).

 

As for Dozier, well... He might play a "not horrendous" shortstop but it would still be pretty bad. He doesn't have the arm to play short but has enough range to not embarrass himself. And it's not as if his bat is going to make up for his defensive deficiencies.

 

Simply put, the Twins need to look outside the organization for an adequate shortstop.

[Brock Beauchamp]

I still think Plouffe is your future 1B/DH/super utility guy......and not your future SS/RF. Dozier is your utility defensive player.....

 

I think there's a good chance Plouffe is good enough to stick at third and the Twins end up trading him when Sano is ready.

 

But yeah, Dozier is probably a utility guy. A pretty good one, too.

[TheLeviathan]

All we needed was one more failed Iglesias call up and

he would have been perfect.

[drjim]

Short of Ryan pulling off a blockbuster trade at the deadline and getting an AA high upside SS, I think Trevor Plouffe might be the best short term answer. His problems there a couple years back seemed more like nerves than anything. I'd give him another shot. He might be a bit below average defensively, but on the offensive side, he'd be a huge plus.

 

In 2015, we may likely have Rosario and Sano forcing playing time. I think that depends on the emergence of Parmelee, but given his approach at the plate, I think consistent PT will eventually coax out a fairly decent hitter.

 

3B - Sano

SS - Plouffe

2B - Rosario

1B - Parmelee

 

Each one of those guys can be reasonably counted on for .800 OPS production offensively.

 

Long term, sign a couple of international bonus baby SS guys this year.

 

You keep pushing this, but the biggest factor for Plouffe was his limited range and poor accuracy on his throws. These are not trending in the right direction.

[gil4]

It should be pointed out that this method doesn't always work. When you erase their memories... Sometimes they also forget how to play baseball.

 

Then we just throw a ball at the mascot and chant something about getting their talent back - it worked in Thunderstruck.

[diehardtwinsfan]

You keep pushing this, but the biggest factor for Plouffe was his limited range and poor accuracy on his throws. These are not trending in the right direction.

 

Up until hitting the majors, he played at SS his entire career and the reports came back that he was average. As I said before, I suspect most of it was nerves. I don't expect his range to be great, but I do think the arm issues will take care of it self. The question at hand is this:

 

Would you take a limited range guy (assuming he isn't killing fans on the first base line) who can OPS over .800 at SS over a guy like Florimon?

 

I personally would, especially with no one really pushing him. All that could change if the Twins picked up a near ML ready SS prospect, at which point you could move Trevor to a super utility role where everyone gets 1 in 5 days off.

[chopper0080]

CPU rejects your trade offer. This is way too much to expect for Perkins. I'd be shocked if the Twins could get a top 100 prospect for him, much less two.

 

As for moving Dozier or Plouffe to short, those guys have both proved that they can't play short in the Majors. Florimon is fine as a ninth hitter playing good defense.

 

It depends who the Twins are dealing him to. In my mind, the Twins won't take anthing less than a top 50 for Perkins and they probably want more than that. He is a very valuable asset being cost controlled and very productive.

 

As much as we don't want to overvalue the return for Perkins, let's make sure we aren't underselling his value either. Arguably the 3rd or 4th best closer in the AL at a bargain of a price for more than one year.

[chopper0080]

Dee Gordon in a trade with the Dodgers? Thoughts?

[Mike Sixel]

Dee Gordon in a trade with the Dodgers? Thoughts?

 

Not a huge Dee Gordon fan....

[ScottyB]

I hear there's a kid in Japan having a pretty decent year - I think his name is Nishikoa or something like that.