Minnesota’s Next Wave is Built on Infield Versatility

[Rod Carews Birthday]

55 minutes ago, NYCTK said:

How terrible is this team, how traumatized is this fanbase, that they have the fans deriding positional flexibility, an undeniable asset, as some sort of weakness? 

I swear you guys forget how long a season is, and how fortunate it is to be called upon to play in major league baseball. 

I promise you, there's nothing wrong with the manager of the 2026 Minnesota Twins asking Luke Keaschall to play some games at 2B and some games in LF, and maybe some innings in CF. He will survive, I can guarantee you that. 

I can also promise you the terrible crime of Rocco Baldelli asking Royce Lewis to play 8 innings at second base didn't derail his career, nor his defense at 3B. 

This is a luxury reserved for good players. If you're good enough, you get to pick your position. And if you're extra good, you can be Mookie Betts and bear that terrible awful burden of playing multiple positions to be an MVP and then help your team win back to back World Series. 

This crusade by many here against the Twins having players take reps at mutiple positions is truly baffling to me. It honestly sounds like it comes from people who have never actually watched or played the sport. Which is obviously not the case. 

I think that part of (maybe all of) the problem is that the Twins don't have players who are particularly good defensively that aren't named Buxton, AND those same players (sans Keaschall and maybe Wallner) aren't good enough offensively to really carry the day that way either.  

Positional flexibility is a fantastic thing!  See Gonzalez, Marwin. . . see Castro, Willi. . . see Tovar, Cesar.  It helps to start with players that are good at it though. 

[NYCTK]

18 minutes ago, Rod Carews Birthday said:

I think that part of (maybe all of) the problem is that the Twins don't have players who are particularly good defensively that aren't named Buxton, AND those same players (sans Keaschall and maybe Wallner) aren't good enough offensively to really carry the day that way either.  

Positional flexibility is a fantastic thing!  See Gonzalez, Marwin. . . see Castro, Willi. . . see Tovar, Cesar.  It helps to start with players that are good at it though. 

OK. Not really wrong. 

But why all encompassing rejection at a baseball player being suggested to play at a second position on the diamond? Brooks Lee is going to need to be able to play a lot of different positions in order to have any sort of a valuable career, because he's neither good enough offensively, nor seemingly defensively, to be a longterm starting SS. 

It's frankly ridiculous. 

[TJSweens]

8 hours ago, bunsen82 said:

I think the ideal future infield involves Lee at 3rd,  Culpepper at SS,  and Keashall at 2nd.    Lee needs to improve defense and OPS this year in a meaningful way.  You still have some options internally that could allow Lee to be traded or used as a utility player.  

Lee doesn't have the arm for 3B. We also don't know that hit bat plays at a corner position. His defensive profile fits 2B. Keaschall will ultimately be LF or 1B as he is brutal at 2B.

In general I think the Twins place way too much emphasis on versatility. You wind up with a scenario where nobody is truly good at any one position. 

[USAFChief]

7 hours ago, TheLeviathan said:

 

Also....now that we've had dust settle, people are recognizing that nothing they hated about Rocco was actually Rocco right?  Like, clearly those of us who were screaming at you to realize it was Falvey have to be making sense to you finally now right?

You can tell this from what, exactly?

 

[DocBauer]

In theory, the OP is correct. But the OP is also rather short sighted. The most glaring oversight is not including Lewis in the discussion, or any mention of Houston as part of the discussion as well. And I'm going to leave out other INF in the system that might still rise, or at least become valuable utility options as that's not really pertinent to this discussion.

Lewis is the 3B for now. Period. Does he have a lot to prove in 2026? You bet. Playing the most games of his career and looking much better then2nd half of 2025 and even having the legs to run provides optimism beyond simply being a talented 26yo. Could he end up at 1B at some point if that turns out to be the best alignment of talent? Sure. But so could Keaschall. 

And speaking of Keaschall, I don't have a problem with him playing some OF. He clearly has some aptitude and talent to do so. But I strongly disapprove of not giving him the time needed to improve at 2B. He's a very good athlete. He gets to balls. A healthy arm will help his throwing. But my goodness, his playing time there has been so disjointed due to arm injuries that he needs TIME to actually play the position and settle in.

Lee has the instincts and hands to become a solid 3B or 2B. For now, he's the SS and has to improve there. I believe he will. He was better there in 2025 after the Correa trade. It's jus natural, most comfortable spot. But he's not going to be the long term answer there. And he absolutely, positively has to improve his offense. But he's also damn young and came in to 2025 with ONLY about 180 ML AB. So let's cut him a little slack, OK? But there's also the potential that he becomes a 4 position super utility INF. That would not be a poor outcome, despite being a 1st round pick.

K-Pepper should take SS away from Lee, more than likely, in the 2nd half of 2026, barring major improvement from Lee.. He's just a better athlete. But he also played a lot of 3B in college, so he could be a factor there in a year or so, depending on how this turns out. And I don't think there's much doubt he could be a hell of a 2B.

While Houston was just drafted, he appears to be a really fine SS. He's also got some speed, and some pop/power. (He's not a small kid). As an experienced, college selection, there's at least a chance this time next year he's following the same path as Keaschall and Culpepper where he's ready for AAA in 2027. No pressure, I'm just saying. And with a solid, all around offensive profile, if his defense is as good as advertised, HE might be the starting SS at some point in 2027 or 2028. He wouldn't have to be a Silver Slugger candidate if his defense turns out to be legit. 

That frees up Keaschall and Lee for WHATEVER position and role is best for them, and the TEAM. 

And while I really don't want to put the cart before the horse, as things stand TODAY, the Twins MIGHT select another college SS in the next draft as the best player available. Now, that's REALLY extending the INF discussion as we have a LONG WAY to go before the 2026 draft. But in theory, Alabama SS Lebron is currently the #3 best prospect as of TODAY.

You NEVER apologize for having "too much talent" in your system. Instead, you FIND a way to make it work. And sometimes kids just never turn out despite their talent and projections. But in THEORY, over the next 2 seasons, the Twins will have to "fit" Lewis, Lee, Keaschall, K-Pepper, and Houston in to their roster and lineup. Maybe Lewis or Keaschall end up at 1B. Maybe Keaschall ends up in the OF flanked by Jenkins and Rodriguez.  Maybe Lee becomes a valuable 4.position super utility player. 

The reality is, I DON'T CARE. Develop them, get them up here, and then figure it out from there. You FIND A WAY to play your best players. And that's why some versatility is a GOOD THING.

It's also a reason to feel really good about the projection of the Twins INF going forward, even though we really haven't talked about other potential 1B options in detail.

[Parfigliano]

13 hours ago, mickster said:

This accumulation hopefully will lead to some trades for proven players at some point.   

Don't get wanting Bell

[rv78]

14 hours ago, NYCTK said:

How terrible is this team, how traumatized is this fanbase, that they have the fans deriding positional flexibility, an undeniable asset, as some sort of weakness? 

I swear you guys forget how long a season is, and how fortunate it is to be called upon to play in major league baseball. 

I promise you, there's nothing wrong with the manager of the 2026 Minnesota Twins asking Luke Keaschall to play some games at 2B and some games in LF, and maybe some innings in CF. He will survive, I can guarantee you that. 

I can also promise you the terrible crime of Rocco Baldelli asking Royce Lewis to play 8 innings at second base didn't derail his career, nor his defense at 3B. 

This is a luxury reserved for good players. If you're good enough, you get to pick your position. And if you're extra good, you can be Mookie Betts and bear that terrible awful burden of playing multiple positions to be an MVP and then help your team win back to back World Series. 

This crusade by many here against the Twins having players take reps at mutiple positions is truly baffling to me. It honestly sounds like it comes from people who have never actually watched or played the sport. Which is obviously not the case. 

Player flexibility is only an asset if:

1.The player is capable,

2.You don't have anyone else who plays that position better.

If you still use that flexibility beyond the need then it is just poor managing. The Twins have a stable full of outfielders with 3 very good prospects in the wings. Keaschall has played the majority of games in his professional career at 2B. Why is there a need to play him in the outfield other than to try to make him a utility player? If Martin, Buxton, Wallner, Larnach, Outman, Roden, Jenkins, Rodriguez, Gonzalez, 9 players, are not capable of filling 3 outfield spots, then it is poor roster building by the FO and/or poor managing.

[rv78]

14 hours ago, NYCTK said:

OK. Not really wrong. 

But why all encompassing rejection at a baseball player being suggested to play at a second position on the diamond? Brooks Lee is going to need to be able to play a lot of different positions in order to have any sort of a valuable career, because he's neither good enough offensively, nor seemingly defensively, to be a longterm starting SS. 

It's frankly ridiculous. 

This is the part that is just rediculous. If Lee isn't good enough to be playing SS then why is he there? Why did he play SS throughout his minor league career? The same can be said about Lewis. If you NEED a SS and the players you have there aren't capable then trade one of them for what you need. You don't just settle for subpar performance if you truely want to be a winner. That's a failed strategy proven over decades. If a player is good enough to be a Starter at any position, they don't need to play anywhere else. That's what you have a bench for. How many games did Hrbek, Knoblauch, Gagne, Gaetti, Puckett, Gladden, Brunansky play at a 2nd position? ZERO. That's why you have bench guys like Gene Larkin and Randy Bush. The ONLY utility guys you need should be bench players, not regulars. Good managers use their regulars only at their best position. Poor managers do the opposite.

[NYCTK]

36 minutes ago, rv78 said:

If Lee isn't good enough to be playing SS then why is he there?

Because this is a ****** team on a rebuild that's going to struggle to win 70 games. But as part of that, they're punting the season waiting for players to prove themselves, one way or another. He shouldn't be at SS, but really, what's the damage? 

39 minutes ago, rv78 said:

You don't just settle for subpar performance if you truely want to be a winner.

First, the Twins don't care about winning. Second, you can settle for subpar performance on a winning team in short bursts if roster flexibility is needed, like when Carlos Correa went down and Brooks Lee and Willi Castro filled in. Third, utility defenders are often a bit iffy at positions like SS, see Willi Castro, but their ability to rotate into the position is still valuable. 

43 minutes ago, rv78 said:

That's a failed strategy proven over decades.

The back to back World Series champions say otherwise. It's very nice to think you have a set lineup and a set defensive alignment. But the reality is the season is very long and **** happens. 

This article isn't even proposing moving players around the diamond willy nilly. It's merely saying that these players can start in one position and if things don't go well, or if other players are introduced, they can be moved off a position to a different one. That's just the reality of baseball, but we STILL have people here complaining about that very simple concept. 

 

[Major League Ready]

On 12/17/2025 at 8:16 AM, mickster said:

This accumulation hopefully will lead to some trades for proven players at some point.   

I hope not.  If you were to look at successful mid-market teams, you will find that trading for established players has a very small role in building a playoff team.  Trading for prospects produces literally 4X more WAR.  That kind of trade is a good idea when a final piece is needed.  That scenario is the antithesis of this team.

[RpR]

2 hours ago, rv78 said:

This is the part that is just rediculous. If Lee isn't good enough to be playing SS then why is he there? Why did he play SS throughout his minor league career? The same can be said about Lewis. If you NEED a SS and the players you have there aren't capable then trade one of them for what you need. 

Lee is there because ,as not good as Lewis is at 3rd, Third  is the only place they can put him.   Lee's first year he was at 3rd and did well, that, is where he should be.

[Linus]

This will sort itself out. They need to find four infielders that can hit and play good defense. Right now they have zero. They do have some possibilities but this season needs to be the year it gets figured out. I’m not worried where Lee is going to play because until he proves he can be an effective mlb hitter he won’t play anywhere. Keaschall has promise but he has to keep it up because he isn’t good to contribute much on defense. Royce is now at the point where “potential” becomes a dirty word.

They had the same situation with the outfield a couple years ago and have been waiting around for them to develop ever since let’s not make the same mistake with the infield. 

[Major League Ready]

5 hours ago, rv78 said:

This is the part that is just rediculous. If Lee isn't good enough to be playing SS then why is he there? Why did he play SS throughout his minor league career? The same can be said about Lewis. If you NEED a SS and the players you have there aren't capable then trade one of them for what you need. You don't just settle for subpar performance if you truely want to be a winner. That's a failed strategy proven over decades. If a player is good enough to be a Starter at any position, they don't need to play anywhere else. That's what you have a bench for. How many games did Hrbek, Knoblauch, Gagne, Gaetti, Puckett, Gladden, Brunansky play at a 2nd position? ZERO. That's why you have bench guys like Gene Larkin and Randy Bush. The ONLY utility guys you need should be bench players, not regulars. Good managers use their regulars only at their best position. Poor managers do the opposite.

Easier said than done.  It's really tough to trade for a really good SS and the cost is going to be extremely high. I could not think of a good SS that was acquired in trade all of last year.  Looking through all the Transactions for SS, I don't see an established SS on this list that would make a difference.

Even if you could find one, It would take Jenkins plus to get a good SS which makes no sense given all the other holes in this roster, especially if they believe Culpepper can stick at SS.  

Here are the top SS by WAR.  I only went down to #20 but 10 were drafted by their team and 10 were acquired as free agents.  The teams with money bought their SS the teams without money who have a good SS drafted them.  (Regular & International)

[chpettit19]

Little late to the party here, but I'm sorry, drafting college SS/mIF is not some crazy, methodical plan the Twins cooked up out of nowhere. "Few teams" can match the Twins flexibility? What are we basing this statement on? Other teams don't have a guy at SS currently who can't field the position but could move down the defensive spectrum to 3B or 2B if that's what's needed? Literally 100% of major league teams can fill that description. Other teams don't have athletic mIFers who could move to the outfield if needed? I'm going to go ahead and say 100% of major league teams can move bad defensive 2B to the outfield. You could make the argument that not every MLB team has a SS prospect of Culpepper's caliber, but that's the only one of these 3 guys that not 100% of the league has.

I know I harp on this a lot, but, again, the Padres were literally starting former SS prospects at 2B, 3B, SS, LF, CF, and RF at one point in time. This idea that the Twins are unique in moving guys around is so wildly off base. Every team can move an IFer to the OF. And they all do! And they all move bad fielding SS to 3B or 2B. Some of them even move good fielding SS to 3B or 2B. This is not a unique thing about the Twins. It's just that a very large part of the Twins near term success is tied to these 3 guys succeeding.

[NYCTK]

19 minutes ago, chpettit19 said:

Some of them even move good fielding SS to 3B or 2B.

The Yankees famously moved a good fielding SS to 3B in order to satisfy the egotistical bad fielding SS. And it worked out! Both continued playing like the hall of famers they are, and they won a World Series! 

[chpettit19]

40 minutes ago, NYCTK said:

The Yankees famously moved a good fielding SS to 3B in order to satisfy the egotistical bad fielding SS. And it worked out! Both continued playing like the hall of famers they are, and they won a World Series! 

I just watched a docuseries about that 3B on HBO!

[Riverbrian]

2 hours ago, Linus said:

This will sort itself out. They need to find four infielders that can hit and play good defense. Right now they have zero. They do have some possibilities but this season needs to be the year it gets figured out. I’m not worried where Lee is going to play because until he proves he can be an effective mlb hitter he won’t play anywhere. Keaschall has promise but he has to keep it up because he isn’t good to contribute much on defense. Royce is now at the point where “potential” becomes a dirty word.

They had the same situation with the outfield a couple years ago and have been waiting around for them to develop ever since let’s not make the same mistake with the infield. 

You are exactly right. It sorts it out. It becomes what it is based on what you have to work with. 

Right now Lee is the best option. We can talk about how his defense is lacking but he is our best option for SS and the Twins will have to work with it and around it. 

Yes... We all want better everywhere in every facet of the game. However. I'll point out that the Twins won the most games in history with a SS by the name of Jorge Polanco.  

Below Average defense at SS doesn't mean the end of your season. Although... the combination of players around that SS certainly could end your season.  

 

 

[rv78]

6 hours ago, NYCTK said:

The back to back World Series champions say otherwise. It's very nice to think you have a set lineup and a set defensive alignment. But the reality is the season is very long and **** happens. 

This article isn't even proposing moving players around the diamond willy nilly. It's merely saying that these players can start in one position and if things don't go well, or if other players are introduced, they can be moved off a position to a different one. That's just the reality of baseball, but we STILL have people here complaining about that very simple concept. 

Dodgers only moved 1 regular player and that was Betts. The Twins have zero players like Betts. Talent wise Buck is the only one who comes close to Betts and I would cringe at watching Buxton play SS. Trying to make the infielders into utility players because **** happens still comes at a cost. Yes, Dozier started at SS and moved to 2B, Same with Polanco. I'm not saying Lee, Lewis, Keaschall or any other player CAN'T do the same thing, but Falvey specifically stated he wanted to get Keaschall some time in the outfield. Why? Is the outfield depth that much worse than 2B? Not hardly. Which only means 1 thing. they want Keaschall to be more of a utility player. Okay. Fine. But then try him where you need him, like 1B, not where you have a surplus. 

[NYCTK]

1 minute ago, rv78 said:

Falvey specifically stated he wanted to get Keaschall some time in the outfield. Why?

Very simply because they're not convinced he can be good enough at 2B to become a full time starter there. And they want to give him the best chance to succeed while also making sure they're helping the team. You disagree, see him as a good 2B and want to criticize their player evaluation? Go right ahead. 

The Twins LF right now is Alan Roden and Austin Martin. You can't tell me with a straight face that you're comfortable with that and there's no room to improve the team. 

Everyone keeps pointing to the depth of the Twins OF farm, but I see one great prospect, and a bunch of question marks. I've never been convinced Rodriguez will make a nice transition to the big leagues with his sky high K rate (but still hope he can still adjust in time) and everyone else seems to be 4th OF fodder. 

Looking to your farm in order to predict your needs at the major league level is a great recipe for failure. 

3 minutes ago, rv78 said:

Which only means 1 thing. they want Keaschall to be more of a utility player.

Which is all just to say that this makes this definitive statement quite foolish. 

I will rephrase what I've said before. This great angst here, that the Twins want everyone to be a utility player, is unfounded. And quite simply, silly. 

 

[chpettit19]

On 12/17/2025 at 11:56 AM, rv78 said:

Who decided to move Miguel Sano to RF? 

Terry Ryan and Paul Molitor.

[chpettit19]

5 hours ago, rv78 said:

Dodgers only moved 1 regular player and that was Betts. The Twins have zero players like Betts. Talent wise Buck is the only one who comes close to Betts and I would cringe at watching Buxton play SS. Trying to make the infielders into utility players because **** happens still comes at a cost. Yes, Dozier started at SS and moved to 2B, Same with Polanco. I'm not saying Lee, Lewis, Keaschall or any other player CAN'T do the same thing, but Falvey specifically stated he wanted to get Keaschall some time in the outfield. Why? Is the outfield depth that much worse than 2B? Not hardly. Which only means 1 thing. they want Keaschall to be more of a utility player. Okay. Fine. But then try him where you need him, like 1B, not where you have a surplus. 

The Dodgers had 13 players with more than 100 PAs last year. We'll start from the bottom and work our way up to test your "only moved 1 regular player" hypothesis.

Dalton Rushing: 155 PAs, 41 games at C, 8 at 1B, 1 at DH
Hyeseong Kim: 170 PAs, 45 games at 2B, 17 in CF, 11 at SS
Kike Hernandez: 256 PAs, 28 at 1B, 27 at 3B, 23 in LF, 18 at 2B, 8 in CF, 2 at DH
Miguel Rojas: 317 PAs, 68 at 2B, 23 at 3B, 22 at SS, 1 at 1B
Tommy Edman: 377 PAs, 66 at 2B, 25 in CF, 13 at 3B, 1 at DH
Max Muncy: 388 PAs, 97 at 3B (here's the first guy that actually only played 1 spot)
Will Smith: 436 PAs, 101 at C, 1 at DH 
Michael Conforto: 486 PAs, 132 in LF 
Teoscar Hernandez: 546 PAs, 133 in RF
Andy Pages: 624 PAs, 121 in CF, 51 in RF, 27 in LF
Freddie Freeman: 627 PAs, 146 at 1B
Mookie Betts: 663 PAs, 148 at SS, 1 in RF
Shohei Ohtani: 727 PAs, obviously DH and pitcher

Mookie has famously moved positions multiple times. The players the Dodgers didn't move around were Freddie Freeman, Teoscar Hernandez, Michael Conforto, and Max Muncy. Will Smith is the catcher so I assume we aren't counting him.

Do you think the Twins have more players like that group or like Dalton Rushing, Hyeseong Kim, Kike Hernandez, Miguel Rojas, Tommy Edman, and Andy Pages? All of which moved around all season.

And if you want to talk season to season, we obviously have the Mookie moves, but they've moved Max Muncy between 1B, 2B, and 3B. and Teoscar has played both LF and RF for them as needed. So, now we're at just Conforto, Freeman, and Smith who haven't moved positions for the Dodgers. That's a guy who was in his first season with them (Conforto has played all 3 OF positions in his career, though, FYI), a 1B, and a C. 

You still want to stick with them only moving Betts? They realign where nearly their entire roster plays year to year and within the season to fit what the current makeup of the roster is. And so does every other team. This argument that the Twins are doing crazy things is absolute nonsense. Every MLB team does it. 

Bo Bichette switched to 2B in the WS while Andres Gimenez moved from 2B to SS for the playoffs. Bo is said to be open to playing 2B with whatever team he signs with. Carlos Correa moved to 3B to go back to Houston. Jose Altuve moved to left field. Fernando Tatis Jr moved to RF. Jackson Merrill moved to CF, where he'd never played in an official game in his life, so he could debut in the majors at the age of 20. Vlad Jr moved to 1B. Marcus Semien moved to 2B. Manny Machado moved to 3B so he could debut, then moved back to SS, then back to 3B.

Every. Team. Does. This. 

[NYCTK]

2 hours ago, chpettit19 said:

The Dodgers had 13 players with more than 100 PAs last year. We'll start from the bottom and work our way up to test your "only moved 1 regular player" hypothesis.

Dalton Rushing: 155 PAs, 41 games at C, 8 at 1B, 1 at DH
Hyeseong Kim: 170 PAs, 45 games at 2B, 17 in CF, 11 at SS
Kike Hernandez: 256 PAs, 28 at 1B, 27 at 3B, 23 in LF, 18 at 2B, 8 in CF, 2 at DH
Miguel Rojas: 317 PAs, 68 at 2B, 23 at 3B, 22 at SS, 1 at 1B
Tommy Edman: 377 PAs, 66 at 2B, 25 in CF, 13 at 3B, 1 at DH
Max Muncy: 388 PAs, 97 at 3B (here's the first guy that actually only played 1 spot)
Will Smith: 436 PAs, 101 at C, 1 at DH 
Michael Conforto: 486 PAs, 132 in LF 
Teoscar Hernandez: 546 PAs, 133 in RF
Andy Pages: 624 PAs, 121 in CF, 51 in RF, 27 in LF
Freddie Freeman: 627 PAs, 146 at 1B
Mookie Betts: 663 PAs, 148 at SS, 1 in RF
Shohei Ohtani: 727 PAs, obviously DH and pitcher

Mookie has famously moved positions multiple times. The players the Dodgers didn't move around were Freddie Freeman, Teoscar Hernandez, Michael Conforto, and Max Muncy. Will Smith is the catcher so I assume we aren't counting him.

Do you think the Twins have more players like that group or like Dalton Rushing, Hyeseong Kim, Kike Hernandez, Miguel Rojas, Tommy Edman, and Andy Pages? All of which moved around all season.

And if you want to talk season to season, we obviously have the Mookie moves, but they've moved Max Muncy between 1B, 2B, and 3B. and Teoscar has played both LF and RF for them as needed. So, now we're at just Conforto, Freeman, and Smith who haven't moved positions for the Dodgers. That's a guy who was in his first season with them (Conforto has played all 3 OF positions in his career, though, FYI), a 1B, and a C. 

You still want to stick with them only moving Betts? They realign where nearly their entire roster plays year to year and within the season to fit what the current makeup of the roster is. And so does every other team. This argument that the Twins are doing crazy things is absolute nonsense. Every MLB team does it. 

Bo Bichette switched to 2B in the WS while Andres Gimenez moved from 2B to SS for the playoffs. Bo is said to be open to playing 2B with whatever team he signs with. Carlos Correa moved to 3B to go back to Houston. Jose Altuve moved to left field. Fernando Tatis Jr moved to RF. Jackson Merrill moved to CF, where he'd never played in an official game in his life, so he could debut in the majors at the age of 20. Vlad Jr moved to 1B. Marcus Semien moved to 2B. Manny Machado moved to 3B so he could debut, then moved back to SS, then back to 3B.

Every. Team. Does. This. 

Thank you!

I really, truly, don't get this crusade people here have. It seems like it's old school baseball heads but...this isn't unique to modern baseball either, so I really am at a loss for why this insanity is so prevalent here.

Is it just an ignorant manifestation of frustration with the team?

[USAFChief]

2 hours ago, chpettit19 said:

The Dodgers had 13 players with more than 100 PAs last year. We'll start from the bottom and work our way up to test your "only moved 1 regular player" hypothesis.

Dalton Rushing: 155 PAs, 41 games at C, 8 at 1B, 1 at DH
Hyeseong Kim: 170 PAs, 45 games at 2B, 17 in CF, 11 at SS
Kike Hernandez: 256 PAs, 28 at 1B, 27 at 3B, 23 in LF, 18 at 2B, 8 in CF, 2 at DH
Miguel Rojas: 317 PAs, 68 at 2B, 23 at 3B, 22 at SS, 1 at 1B
Tommy Edman: 377 PAs, 66 at 2B, 25 in CF, 13 at 3B, 1 at DH
Max Muncy: 388 PAs, 97 at 3B (here's the first guy that actually only played 1 spot)
Will Smith: 436 PAs, 101 at C, 1 at DH 
Michael Conforto: 486 PAs, 132 in LF 
Teoscar Hernandez: 546 PAs, 133 in RF
Andy Pages: 624 PAs, 121 in CF, 51 in RF, 27 in LF
Freddie Freeman: 627 PAs, 146 at 1B
Mookie Betts: 663 PAs, 148 at SS, 1 in RF
Shohei Ohtani: 727 PAs, obviously DH and pitcher

Mookie has famously moved positions multiple times. The players the Dodgers didn't move around were Freddie Freeman, Teoscar Hernandez, Michael Conforto, and Max Muncy. Will Smith is the catcher so I assume we aren't counting him.

Do you think the Twins have more players like that group or like Dalton Rushing, Hyeseong Kim, Kike Hernandez, Miguel Rojas, Tommy Edman, and Andy Pages? All of which moved around all season.

And if you want to talk season to season, we obviously have the Mookie moves, but they've moved Max Muncy between 1B, 2B, and 3B. and Teoscar has played both LF and RF for them as needed. So, now we're at just Conforto, Freeman, and Smith who haven't moved positions for the Dodgers. That's a guy who was in his first season with them (Conforto has played all 3 OF positions in his career, though, FYI), a 1B, and a C. 

You still want to stick with them only moving Betts? They realign where nearly their entire roster plays year to year and within the season to fit what the current makeup of the roster is. And so does every other team. This argument that the Twins are doing crazy things is absolute nonsense. Every MLB team does it. 

Bo Bichette switched to 2B in the WS while Andres Gimenez moved from 2B to SS for the playoffs. Bo is said to be open to playing 2B with whatever team he signs with. Carlos Correa moved to 3B to go back to Houston. Jose Altuve moved to left field. Fernando Tatis Jr moved to RF. Jackson Merrill moved to CF, where he'd never played in an official game in his life, so he could debut in the majors at the age of 20. Vlad Jr moved to 1B. Marcus Semien moved to 2B. Manny Machado moved to 3B so he could debut, then moved back to SS, then back to 3B.

Every. Team. Does. This. 

So the Dodgers had a full time left fielder, right fielder, 3rd baseman, SS and 1st baseman. Their regular center fielder also played some corner OF.

They carried a couple utility players, as teams have done forever. Of those,  Rojas played only infield. Kim and Hernandez almost exclusively infield, except to cover injury.

Not one regular played multiple positions. 

Teams have been doing THIS forever. 

The Twins have operated under the philosophy of anybody can play anywhere. 

I think that's a mistake. It leads to nobody being actually able to play anywhere. 

[stringer bell]

On 12/17/2025 at 5:24 PM, Rod Carews Birthday said:

I think that part of (maybe all of) the problem is that the Twins don't have players who are particularly good defensively that aren't named Buxton, AND those same players (sans Keaschall and maybe Wallner) aren't good enough offensively to really carry the day that way either.  

Positional flexibility is a fantastic thing!  See Gonzalez, Marwin. . . see Castro, Willi. . . see Tovar, Cesar.  It helps to start with players that are good at it though. 

How about Michael Cuddyer? I think Cuddy is an example of both sides of this argument. Cuddyer was a high school shortstop moved to third base where he was substandard. He moved to right field where he was satisfactory, but no Gold Glover. When Morneau got hurt, Cuddyer filled in admirably at first (mostly because he hit well). Later on, he played some second base to get the best offense in the lineup for the Twins. Due to injuries, Cuddyer also played a few innings in center field. 
 

I would say that the best fits for him were right and first, but having the flexibility to play him elsewhere could help the team. On the other hand, playing a guy clearly  out of position probably doesn’t help and having a guy out of position plus poor defenders around him moves a defense close to fatally flawed.

Given that the Twins will have three top prospects in the outfield at AAA, I really don’t see much point in moving Keaschall there, especially given the Twins’ lack of depth in the infield.

Also, it would be my hope that a shortstop comes in who would anchor the infield rather than another moving piece. Maybe that is Culpepper, maybe someone else. 

[dxpavelka]

On 12/17/2025 at 7:27 AM, mikelink45 said:

With prospects nearly ready I still question the acquisition of Bell.  Keaschall could end up at 1B.  We have too many good OF prospects to put him there.  

Lots of things COULD happen.  All of the kids hitting well enough to keep Bell out of the lineup as the 1B or DH doesn't really feel like one of the more plausible ones.

[dxpavelka]

41 minutes ago, stringer bell said:

How about Michael Cuddyer? I think Cuddy is an example of both sides of this argument. Cuddyer was a high school shortstop moved to third base where he was substandard. He moved to right field where he was satisfactory, but no Gold Glover. When Morneau got hurt, Cuddyer filled in admirably at first (mostly because he hit well). Later on, he played some second base to get the best offense in the lineup for the Twins. Due to injuries, Cuddyer also played a few innings in center field. 
 

I would say that the best fits for him were right and first, but having the flexibility to play him elsewhere could help the team. On the other hand, playing a guy clearly  out of position probably doesn’t help and having a guy out of position plus poor defenders around him moves a defense close to fatally flawed.

Given that the Twins will have three top prospects in the outfield at AAA, I really don’t see much point in moving Keaschall there, especially given the Twins’ lack of depth in the infield.

Also, it would be my hope that a shortstop comes in who would anchor the infield rather than another moving piece. Maybe that is Culpepper, maybe someone else. 

I tend to agree about Keaschall in the OF.  However, if a hundred years and a couple decades of baseball history tells us anything it's that having three top prospects in the outfield at AAA means that the most likely scenario is that one of  them becomes all that is expected, one hopefully becomes a serviceable major league ball player and one flops.  There, we just created a spot in the outfield.

 

[dxpavelka]

9 hours ago, NYCTK said:

Very simply because they're not convinced he can be good enough at 2B to become a full time starter there. And they want to give him the best chance to succeed while also making sure they're helping the team. You disagree, see him as a good 2B and want to criticize their player evaluation? Go right ahead. 

The Twins LF right now is Alan Roden and Austin Martin. You can't tell me with a straight face that you're comfortable with that and there's no room to improve the team. 

Everyone keeps pointing to the depth of the Twins OF farm, but I see one great prospect, and a bunch of question marks. I've never been convinced Rodriguez will make a nice transition to the big leagues with his sky high K rate (but still hope he can still adjust in time) and everyone else seems to be 4th OF fodder. 

Looking to your farm in order to predict your needs at the major league level is a great recipe for failure. 

Which is all just to say that this makes this definitive statement quite foolish. 

I will rephrase what I've said before. This great angst here, that the Twins want everyone to be a utility player, is unfounded. And quite simply, silly. 

 

I'm not a huge fan but it seems foolhardy to overlook Larnach as the LF.

[dxpavelka]

4 hours ago, chpettit19 said:

The Dodgers had 13 players with more than 100 PAs last year. We'll start from the bottom and work our way up to test your "only moved 1 regular player" hypothesis.

Dalton Rushing: 155 PAs, 41 games at C, 8 at 1B, 1 at DH
Hyeseong Kim: 170 PAs, 45 games at 2B, 17 in CF, 11 at SS
Kike Hernandez: 256 PAs, 28 at 1B, 27 at 3B, 23 in LF, 18 at 2B, 8 in CF, 2 at DH
Miguel Rojas: 317 PAs, 68 at 2B, 23 at 3B, 22 at SS, 1 at 1B
Tommy Edman: 377 PAs, 66 at 2B, 25 in CF, 13 at 3B, 1 at DH
Max Muncy: 388 PAs, 97 at 3B (here's the first guy that actually only played 1 spot)
Will Smith: 436 PAs, 101 at C, 1 at DH 
Michael Conforto: 486 PAs, 132 in LF 
Teoscar Hernandez: 546 PAs, 133 in RF
Andy Pages: 624 PAs, 121 in CF, 51 in RF, 27 in LF
Freddie Freeman: 627 PAs, 146 at 1B
Mookie Betts: 663 PAs, 148 at SS, 1 in RF
Shohei Ohtani: 727 PAs, obviously DH and pitcher

Mookie has famously moved positions multiple times. The players the Dodgers didn't move around were Freddie Freeman, Teoscar Hernandez, Michael Conforto, and Max Muncy. Will Smith is the catcher so I assume we aren't counting him.

Do you think the Twins have more players like that group or like Dalton Rushing, Hyeseong Kim, Kike Hernandez, Miguel Rojas, Tommy Edman, and Andy Pages? All of which moved around all season.

And if you want to talk season to season, we obviously have the Mookie moves, but they've moved Max Muncy between 1B, 2B, and 3B. and Teoscar has played both LF and RF for them as needed. So, now we're at just Conforto, Freeman, and Smith who haven't moved positions for the Dodgers. That's a guy who was in his first season with them (Conforto has played all 3 OF positions in his career, though, FYI), a 1B, and a C. 

You still want to stick with them only moving Betts? They realign where nearly their entire roster plays year to year and within the season to fit what the current makeup of the roster is. And so does every other team. This argument that the Twins are doing crazy things is absolute nonsense. Every MLB team does it. 

Bo Bichette switched to 2B in the WS while Andres Gimenez moved from 2B to SS for the playoffs. Bo is said to be open to playing 2B with whatever team he signs with. Carlos Correa moved to 3B to go back to Houston. Jose Altuve moved to left field. Fernando Tatis Jr moved to RF. Jackson Merrill moved to CF, where he'd never played in an official game in his life, so he could debut in the majors at the age of 20. Vlad Jr moved to 1B. Marcus Semien moved to 2B. Manny Machado moved to 3B so he could debut, then moved back to SS, then back to 3B.

Every. Team. Does. This. 

I get where you are coming from but I think if the Twins had more guys like Freeman, Hernandez & Muncy they'd be less likely to move those types of guys around much.  I don't recall guys like Mauer, Morneau, Buxton being move around much.  Dozier and Kepler were pretty much penciled in at one position as well.  If guys like Lewis or Lee became .300 / 30 / 100 /100 guys they'd probably be penciled in at one defensive position and left there for the most part as well.  

[rv78]

11 hours ago, chpettit19 said:

The Dodgers had 13 players with more than 100 PAs last year. We'll start from the bottom and work our way up to test your "only moved 1 regular player" hypothesis.

Dalton Rushing: 155 PAs, 41 games at C, 8 at 1B, 1 at DH
Hyeseong Kim: 170 PAs, 45 games at 2B, 17 in CF, 11 at SS
Kike Hernandez: 256 PAs, 28 at 1B, 27 at 3B, 23 in LF, 18 at 2B, 8 in CF, 2 at DH
Miguel Rojas: 317 PAs, 68 at 2B, 23 at 3B, 22 at SS, 1 at 1B
Tommy Edman: 377 PAs, 66 at 2B, 25 in CF, 13 at 3B, 1 at DH
Max Muncy: 388 PAs, 97 at 3B (here's the first guy that actually only played 1 spot)
Will Smith: 436 PAs, 101 at C, 1 at DH 
Michael Conforto: 486 PAs, 132 in LF 
Teoscar Hernandez: 546 PAs, 133 in RF
Andy Pages: 624 PAs, 121 in CF, 51 in RF, 27 in LF
Freddie Freeman: 627 PAs, 146 at 1B
Mookie Betts: 663 PAs, 148 at SS, 1 in RF
Shohei Ohtani: 727 PAs, obviously DH and pitcher

Mookie has famously moved positions multiple times. The players the Dodgers didn't move around were Freddie Freeman, Teoscar Hernandez, Michael Conforto, and Max Muncy. Will Smith is the catcher so I assume we aren't counting him.

Do you think the Twins have more players like that group or like Dalton Rushing, Hyeseong Kim, Kike Hernandez, Miguel Rojas, Tommy Edman, and Andy Pages? All of which moved around all season.

And if you want to talk season to season, we obviously have the Mookie moves, but they've moved Max Muncy between 1B, 2B, and 3B. and Teoscar has played both LF and RF for them as needed. So, now we're at just Conforto, Freeman, and Smith who haven't moved positions for the Dodgers. That's a guy who was in his first season with them (Conforto has played all 3 OF positions in his career, though, FYI), a 1B, and a C. 

You still want to stick with them only moving Betts? They realign where nearly their entire roster plays year to year and within the season to fit what the current makeup of the roster is. And so does every other team. This argument that the Twins are doing crazy things is absolute nonsense. Every MLB team does it. 

Bo Bichette switched to 2B in the WS while Andres Gimenez moved from 2B to SS for the playoffs. Bo is said to be open to playing 2B with whatever team he signs with. Carlos Correa moved to 3B to go back to Houston. Jose Altuve moved to left field. Fernando Tatis Jr moved to RF. Jackson Merrill moved to CF, where he'd never played in an official game in his life, so he could debut in the majors at the age of 20. Vlad Jr moved to 1B. Marcus Semien moved to 2B. Manny Machado moved to 3B so he could debut, then moved back to SS, then back to 3B.

Every. Team. Does. This. 

You are taking this out of context to fit your narritive by deciding to use every player for comparison. I am only talking about regular starters. Maybe you need to re-read what I said....The 8 regulars, not the bench. Of your list who fits now? No one. Edman is the closest and if you are using a fair comparision he is actually considered a Utility player. Not a regular. Keaschall was not a bench player especially after he returned from his injury.

[stringer bell]

If the infield depth is Kreidler or Fitzgerald, I don't see much point in moving Keaschall to the outfield with Gonzalez, Jenkins and Rodriguez waiting in the wings in St. Paul. Hypothetically, if Culpepper were to force his way onto the major league team, moving Lee and Keaschall to the right would make sense, but with the chasm that is first base depth and Josh Bell's poor fielding numbers Keaschall at first base and Lee at second would be the position switches that would be in order.