Twins Spring Battles: The Backup Shortstop

[DocBauer]

Can I just vent her for a moment first? This was an important need for the team. And this was the best they could come up with? Back in the 80's, they got Al Newman for next to nothing. He was never a great hitter, but he usually hit in the .220's with some speed and good defense wherever you put him. Internally, they had Reboulet and Mears...before he became a starter briefly...who could play solid defense and not completely embarras themselves at the plate. I believe they traded for Nick Punto?? I don't remember him costing much of anything. In recent history, they picked up Castro for free and got a nice surprise.

I don't recall now who it was...and won't embarras myself by trying to remember and speculate...but a fellow poster offered up a collection of AAA SS/utility players that had SOME potential, maybe were blocked or getting a little old at 25-26yo, that might be available on a small deal, that at least offered up OPPORTUNITY to be a decent SS/utility option that might be added.

And I had also stated...without naming names...early in the offseason that the FO should have some IMAGINATION and look for someone of that nature to be brought in. A mid market team...regardless of your yearly payroll...ALWAYS has to have IMAGINATION when building your team. So why in hell didn't they look for a 25-27yo SS/utility option that might be put there and cost little to acquire that had some talent who might be blocked, or a late bloomer, or someone else's #2 utility option, etc.

OK. Rant over, let's get back to the regular programing. 

While history has shown offense is the choice above defense...generally speaking...when examining close players, I really do love and appreciate good defense. But that's not exactly what we're looking at here. We're looking at the least "offensive" choice here, meaning the adjective, as in "something smells poorly".

I have NO DOUBT Kreidler is a good glove ballplayer. But he's hit around .236 for his MILB career with some speed. While a SSS, it's already been stated at the ML level he can't hit his way out of a wet paper bag. Can the Twins support a glove only player backing up SS/INF who hits at the level of a pitcher???

IDK care that Gray hits LH. We aren't looking for major offensive production from this spot. It's still a 75/25 split of RHSP vs LHSP. And as Greg pointed out, he can easily be placed in to a game against a RHSP to give Lee, Lewis, and Keaschall a day off. (So can Clemens at 2B). It doesn't stink that there is SOME pop in his bat, his defense doesn't stink, and he's played all 4 INF spots. But he's obviously nothing special.

And then there's Arcia. At 31yo his glove is not what it once was, but he's not yet to the age where funeral arrangements need to be made. Maybe for his bat? But in 2023 he was still a very productive hitter. In 2024, his entire Quad slash line dropped considerably, with an OPS of .625. BUT, he still produced 41 XBH. So was he toast at that point? Kreidler and Gray might dream about that much pop/power.

But then everything fell apart in 2025 between 2 teams and he was sent adrift in to FA as a "nobody" at this point. Deservedly so considering his numbers and a downfall in 2024.

Why so much detail offered? To re-inforce how ridiculously this position has been handled this offseason. But to also state, grudgingly, that the "been there, done that" Arcia is PROBABLY the best choice.

Again, at 31yo, you're betting on the glove being "decent". And you're betting the bat approaching "decency" based on past production. It's not crazy to think an experienced 31yo player MIGHT have a single decent season still in him.

I'm not sure either, or both, of Gray and Kreidler survive DFA if cut to make room for Arcia. But it's more than that, as some BP arms need to be added as well. So at least one is going to be DFA, maybe both. And St Paul isn't exactly full up with INF talent. It wouldn't suck to have Kreidler or Gray around to fill out the Saints roster. 

Again, I think the FO BLEW the chance to make a minor move...maybe even in rule 5 to add someone other than a rule 5 catcher to only trade away for another A level prospect...but it's over and done at this point. 

I'm HOPING that NONE of this matters come summer. Not only might K-Pepper be ready, but the forgotten Schobel might be ready to contribute as a utility option. And we might just forget Arcia, Kreidler, and Gray. And I don't mean that that in a negative, mean way. I just mean we might forget how poorly the FO planned this out. 

 

[Riverbrian]

8 hours ago, DocBauer said:

Can I just vent her for a moment first?

I am simply too old to understand the words... slang... euphemisms... used by the kids these days. 

[bean5302]

I think it's fair to note Falvey was fired for a reason. Zoll seems to have absorbed Falvey's role, but he's part of the failure. I think Zoll will be fired before the end of the year no matter what happens, TBH. He's a placeholder keeping things together. 

Way too much doom and gloom in this thread about a backup shortstop. 

Brooks Lee is not an MLB caliber shortstop. He's not and he never will be, and the Twins have a bunch of other "who knows if this guy should be playing in MLB?" positions. That's the issue. Not the depth at SS, which I think is fine. We've got sufficient emergency depth. Orlando Arcia is fine as a backup depth guy.

[Greglw3]

16 hours ago, Jacksson said:

Lewis stinks this Spring.  Find a SS who can be "the guy", move Lee to 3B, option Lewis.

I think that’s why they brought Urshela in and why he’s still here. But Im a little doubtful, he’ll make it. At the same time, if Lewis doesn’t hit or is long term injured, I think Urshela is probably the best guy to plug in there.

[Cris E]

23 hours ago, Elite Benchwarmer said:

Arcia has looked the best at the plate during the Spring.  At least during this Spring, he's showing as a dead pull hitter.  If the Twins are OK with Arcia defense at SS, I think he's the guy.

That's probably just a sign that he's started selling out a little of contact for some power, likely in recognition of his declining skills. That's fine as long as he can piece together a vaguely acceptable approximation of a utility guy level of offence.  Arcia is the guy for April simply because the others won't be claimed (again) and he's sort of hot (for him at this age) right now. As mentioned above, you're looking for Jeff Reboulet here, not Bobby Witt Jr. 

[Cris E]

44 minutes ago, Greglw3 said:

I think that’s why they brought Urshela in and why he’s still here. But Im a little doubtful, he’ll make it. At the same time, if Lewis doesn’t hit or is long term injured, I think Urshela is probably the best guy to plug in there.

St Paul has a yawning chasm at 3B too, so Gio will hopefully start there. They do need to keep him around as the 3B safety net, but he's no part of a SS discussion (short of some sort of zombie apocalypse.)

[stringer bell]

27 minutes ago, Cris E said:

St Paul has a yawning chasm at 3B too, so Gio will hopefully start there. They do need to keep him around as the 3B safety net, but he's no part of a SS discussion (short of some sort of zombie apocalypse.)

Agree that the organizational depth at third is pretty bad, and so it makes sense to keep Gio in the organization in the event of a Lewis injury (40%) or dreadful hitting (15%). Despite the rough spring, I think Lewis will be a good player this year, as long as he's healthy. Neither Lewis nor Urshela should be playing shortstop unless it's the last inning of a blowout or because of crazy substitutions in an extra inning game. 

I think the Twins keep one of Kreidler or Gray (I suspect it is Kreidler) until they make 40-man room for Culpepper, which would be when he is promoted to the majors.

I am not so down on Lee. If he hits, it can make up for his shortcomings in range and arm. Of course, in over 700 PAs, he been much worse than an average hitter (75 OPS+), so he has a lot to prove.

[bean5302]

1 hour ago, Cris E said:

St Paul has a yawning chasm at 3B too, so Gio will hopefully start there. They do need to keep him around as the 3B safety net, but he's no part of a SS discussion (short of some sort of zombie apocalypse.)

Why? Can't hit, can't field. We have plenty of AA and AAA caliber players as good or better than Urshela.

[Cris E]

You really think there's a 71 OPS+ 3B in the Twins system today?  None of the potential SS backups hit that well. 
Edit: I keep forgetting that Wagaman exists.  Has he been playing 3B much lately? just checked and as of Sunday he still only has two appearances over there.

[Greggory Masterson]

14 minutes ago, Cris E said:

I keep forgetting that Wagaman exists.  Has he been playing 3B much lately? just checked and as of Sunday he still only has two appearances over there.

I haven't checked in a couple days but my spreadsheet has him with 8 appearances at first, 5 at third, and 1 in left

[Cris E]

My last post was based on Nick Nelson's tracker from last Sunday.  I just checked the March MLB.com boxscores and they show him at 3b on March 1, 3 and 12. Whatever, if he's a real option they seem to be pretty complacent about his preparation.