Can Twins Afford to Play Trevor Larnach Regularly in the Outfield?

Cody Christie · March 31

37 minutes ago, Riverbrian said:

Exactly how did Trevor cost the team 7 runs? Tell me how the process works. I know the answer... but feel free to step up to the plate and break it down for me.

Typically, we aren't going to break down every statistic that we talk about at Twins Daily. That would make articles unreadable. We assume that people coming to the site will have a baseline knowledge of specific stats. If they don't have that knowledge, they will be able to find the answer through multiple sources.

According to Baseball Savant, the way that Larnach cost the Twins seven runs last season was through Fielding Run Value. The breakdown of the equation is below. Four of the runs came from his lack of range and three came from his throws. Baseball Savant breaks down his numbers even further.

Fielding Run Value is Statcast’s metric for capturing a player’s measurable defensive performance by converting all of Statcast’s individual defensive metrics from different scales onto the same run-based scale, which can then be read as a player being worth X runs above or Y runs below average. Currently, the conversions for those metrics are as follows. (Unless otherwise noted, all metrics are available since 2016.)

Outs Above Average (range): 1 out = .9 run (OF) // 1 out = .75 run (IF)
Fielder Throwing Runs: 1 run = 1 run
Catcher Blocking: 1 block saved= .25 run (available 2018 – present).
Catcher Framing: 1 strike saved = .125 run
Catcher Throwing: 1 SB prevented = .65 run
Double Plays: 1 DP added = .4 run
How to read it: In 2024, Andrés Giménez had a Fielding Run Value of +17 runs, which came from 14 runs on range and 3 runs via his involvement in double plays, making him the most valuable defender in baseball among non-catchers that season.

NYCTK · March 31

31 minutes ago, Riverbrian said:

People just throw this **** around.

Do I believe we have better defensive outfielders. Yes I do.. but people just throw this **** around.

Exactly how did Trevor cost the team 7 runs? Tell me how the process works. I know the answer... but feel free to step up to the plate and break it down for me.

91% expected catch and 87% actual? Please break this down for me.

441 innings in the OF... 119 Total Chances. If it was 100 total chances... That is 4 balls that he didn't catch to take him from 91 to 87%.

441 innings in the OF... 119 Total chances... that's a ball hit in his direction every 3.7 innings and he is going to get tagged with 7 runs? To drop from 91% to 87% how many games per missed opportunity?

Please people... think this through.

Anyone can step up and break it down for me. If you can't... I'd recommend stop throwing this **** around.

Well, for example, against the Rays he did this:

https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/sporty-videos?playId=a27e7ac5-6234-3f02-995e-55e174d0b7b3

https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/sporty-videos?playId=efcc6ab3-1c22-30e0-90a0-8cdaa1a868e9

Worrying about the exact numbers is just pedantry. We all know he's a bad fielder that costs runs in LF. Funderburks career ERA is still inflated by 0.41 because of one inning with Trevor Larnach. Which is also why reliever ERA is nearly useless.

Jeff K · March 31

Trevor Larnach needing to play in the outfield perfectly encapsulates the Twins poor roster construction. It's been a huge mistake adding to our dh depth (Bell) and not improving the Twins athleticism to the greatest extent possible. Saving a trade, shortsop was always going to be an athletic problem until Culpepper was ready. But the Twins should have gone with their young outfielders to support Buxton. They could have had an athletic outfield, but had to hang onto Larnach and add Bell (another dh). I can't comprehend how professionals could make such decisions.

Linus · March 31

They actually shouldn’t have him on the roster much less playing in the field. First base, DH and left field were three golden opportunities for the Twins to remake the roster and they simply didn’t do it.

Cris E · March 31

23 hours ago, Nshore said:

In the off season it was obvious the Twins needed to rip the bandaid off and get more athletic in the outfield to generate some fan interest and at least start a transition. IMO that meant starting Martin/Roden and E-Rod, and jettisoning Larnach, Wallner and Outman. Instead they kept the old guard. Outman is "out of options" - as I'm afraid are many of the fans. They will stay home.

Lots of inconsistency on the way to sweeping observations. Outman is plenty athletic in the outfield, he just hasn't hit since 2023. And he's not the old guard, he's been around exactly as long as Roden. Martin is the underperforming guy in his third season, if that's what's bothering you. Martin's ratio of two months of good baseball to 2.5 years of meh is the exact mirror of Wallner, (And don't talk about Martin's glovework. He's only OK in LF and terrible elsewhere.)

20 hours ago, JADBP said:

Again: it will take 3-4 years to work through the messes that Falvey and Rocco have baked into this team. First, bad drafting. Second, some horrible trades. Third, some even worse non-trades! Just bad roster-planning and -building all around.

Not nearly that bad. What problems are so profound that it'll take FOUR YEARS to resolve? Be specific, because some of these problems were left in place intentionally so as to not block the solutions maturing in St Paul right now. Which slow footed OF is not being replaced by Jenkins or ERod? How long a contract should have been signed to block the missing RH corner bat in Gonzalez? The 1B of the future had an OPS .884 wRC+ 149 (281 PA) on July 28, 2024 when he got hit in the head by a 95 MPH pitch and has not recovered. There's a ton of very interesting arms close to ready or debuting right now. There are two solid catching prospects in Cedar Rapids, and that's as close to four years as you can get, but Jeffers was a 2018 draftee that we'll get 600 quality catching games out of, which is excellent.

And there were plenty of productive trades that weren't emotionally wracking like last years deadline: Joe Ryan, Pablo Lopez, Duran and many pitching prospects. And the drafts brought us most of the guys on the field: Jeffers, Keaschall, Lewis, Lee, Larnach, Wallner, Buxton, Ober. Go through the league and find another team that has that many of its draftees playing.

There are problems with this team. The gamble to sign Larnach was made with a downside of being stuck with a decent LH half of a LF platoon. They have not made good plans at 1B or 3B and there were some other lesser gaps, but it doesn't take 3-4 years to fix those. The replacement SS are half a year away, you can make a 1B as soon as you decide it's a priority, and they could assemble a 3b plan simply by shifting Winokur or trading for someone.

There's a bunch here to work with, but the biggest obstacle to returning to contention is ownership.

RpR · March 31

The Twins went from 78-84 to 101-61 in one year; do not spew the juiced ball bs as every team used the same baseballs.

It can be done in short terms, if the Twins bring in players to fill the worst gaps, by what ever means and right now fielding ability is one of them. Runs wins games, but having to score enough extra runs to over come runs given away by pee poor fielding is asinine.

AAA rookies may partly fix it, but they are NOT a sure thing as all the wishful thinking foolishness here bellows out.

ashbury · March 31

7 minutes ago, RpR said:

The Twins went from 78-84 to 101-61 in one year; do not spew the juiced ball bs as every team used the same baseballs.

That 2018 squad closed their season on an 11-3 run. The dispirited 2025 edition finished 6-12. In a new season anything's possible, but I'm not seeing a lot of parallels if that's the picture you want to draw.

RpR · March 31

5 minutes ago, ashbury said:

That 2018 squad closed their season on an 11-3 run. The dispirited 2025 edition finished 6-12. In a new season anything's possible, but I'm not seeing a lot of parallels if that's the picture you want to draw.

Nothing to do with any imagined parallel, it shows it WILL NOT take 4 years to fix things, simple as that.

tony&rodney · March 31

FWIW, my take is that rosters can be turned to field a more competitive squad in a couple of years. It does depend on some (moderate) willingness to spend, develop of younger players, efficient trades, reasonable signings of fringe players, and (most importantly) a specific overall plan.

The slide (imo) started with the close of the 2023 season. The weaknesses stood out and there were a host of players who held high or solid values for trade purposes. The Twins identified slugging as a means to an end. It didn't work and the three offseasons of inaction brought us to the current team. I have faith things will begin to turn but it will take time and luck. A critical point - Do the Twins have a different plan now? That is still an open thought, one currently unanswered. We may have a better idea of an answer by some time in June and by August a clear picture should emerge of where the franchise is headed. I don't think a fourth year of sitting on the hands will work. So patience is in order for 2026.

Already there were some positives. Ryan, Bradley, and Woods Richardson looked good. That's a start.

ashbury · March 31

27 minutes ago, RpR said:

Nothing to do with any imagined parallel, it shows it WILL NOT take 4 years to fix things, simple as that.

You were responding to someone saying 3-4 years, and Total System Failure in 2016 took until 2019 to bear fruit - 3 years in line with that poster, not the one-year turnaround you suggested.

Woof Bronzer · March 31

34 minutes ago, RpR said:

Nothing to do with any imagined parallel, it shows it WILL NOT take 4 years to fix things, simple as that.

Well if you say so!

Riverbrian · March 31

5 hours ago, Cody Christie said:

Typically, we aren't going to break down every statistic that we talk about at Twins Daily. That would make articles unreadable. We assume that people coming to the site will have a baseline knowledge of specific stats. If they don't have that knowledge, they will be able to find the answer through multiple sources.

According to Baseball Savant, the way that Larnach cost the Twins seven runs last season was through Fielding Run Value. The breakdown of the equation is below. Four of the runs came from his lack of range and three came from his throws. Baseball Savant breaks down his numbers even further.

Fielding Run Value is Statcast’s metric for capturing a player’s measurable defensive performance by converting all of Statcast’s individual defensive metrics from different scales onto the same run-based scale, which can then be read as a player being worth X runs above or Y runs below average. Currently, the conversions for those metrics are as follows. (Unless otherwise noted, all metrics are available since 2016.)

Outs Above Average (range): 1 out = .9 run (OF) // 1 out = .75 run (IF)
Fielder Throwing Runs: 1 run = 1 run
Catcher Blocking: 1 block saved= .25 run (available 2018 – present).
Catcher Framing: 1 strike saved = .125 run
Catcher Throwing: 1 SB prevented = .65 run
Double Plays: 1 DP added = .4 run
How to read it: In 2024, Andrés Giménez had a Fielding Run Value of +17 runs, which came from 14 runs on range and 3 runs via his involvement in double plays, making him the most valuable defender in baseball among non-catchers that season.

I appreciate the post Cody. I really do.

I want to start my reply with this: I am not anti-defense... I recognize defensive value. I've stated before and I will state again that the extra out or stolen out is one of the most important stats in all of statdom. The extra out provides extra opportunity to string hits together to produce crooked numbers. The Stolen out makes it much harder to string hits together to produce crooked numbers and I believe crooked numbers create wins. I only state this to say that I am not anti-defense.

With that said... I really really question range statistics and the subsequent weighting of the range stats. There are many reasons why I question range stats that get folded into everything but I'll avoid going deep into it and just start with this.

In the case of an outfielder. The sample size is already too small... 119 chances in 441 innings. 2 to 3 times a game a ball is hit in the vicinity of the left or right fielder. Every 3.7 innings is two or three balls a game. That small sample is then drowned out by the majority of plays being routine. Now we are talking about one influential play every 3 or 4 games and from that one influential ball it is weighted to the point that WAR will actually support a crappy hitting Max Kepler.

individual throw cost us a run. Was the runner nailed with a perfect throw or would the runner have been nailed with an average throw. All we got to work with is... umm... 3. OK... if whoever says so... it must be so.

But let's say those 3 throws are legit bad throws. How many bad throws did Max Kepler make? Were those bad throws hidden viewing by the plus 1, million and 25 points he got in the range factor numbers. And again... sample size... how many throws a week does a LF make that are legit moving the needle moments. How many throws are simply cut?

The weighting is ridiculous and I reject it.

With that said. Yes... We have better defensive outfielders on this team and I assume we have better fielders in the minor leagues.

Is Larnach a butcher in left? The fans looking at these numbers are taking them to the extreme and calling him one. He isn't a butcher... he just isn't as good as others.

Riverbrian · March 31

5 hours ago, NYCTK said:

Well, for example, against the Rays he did this:

https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/sporty-videos?playId=a27e7ac5-6234-3f02-995e-55e174d0b7b3

https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/sporty-videos?playId=efcc6ab3-1c22-30e0-90a0-8cdaa1a868e9

Worrying about the exact numbers is just pedantry. We all know he's a bad fielder that costs runs in LF. Funderburks career ERA is still inflated by 0.41 because of one inning with Trevor Larnach. Which is also why reliever ERA is nearly useless.

https://www.mlb.com/news/twins-max-kepler-s-misplay-proves-costly-c225100252

RpR · March 31

31 minutes ago, ashbury said:

You were responding to someone saying 3-4 years, and Total System Failure in 2016 took until 2019 to bear fruit - 3 years in line with that poster, not the one-year turnaround you suggested.

They went from 78-84 to 101-61 in one year, your math is off.

RpR · March 31

26 minutes ago, Woof Bronzer said:

Well if you say so!

The math agrees with me, so I did.

NYCTK · March 31

52 minutes ago, Riverbrian said:

Is Larnach a butcher in left? The fans looking at these numbers are taking them to the extreme and calling him one. He isn't a butcher... he just isn't as good as others.

The thing is, he's not nearly a good enough hitter to be as bad a fielder as he is. You compared him to Kepler, but yes, Kepler was a far better fielder and just as good of a hitter. Wallner gets a lot of hate for his defense too, but not many called for his release because most still recognize that his bat is significantly better than Larnach.

Larnach just isn't good at any aspect of the game. He's merely adequate at a lot of things, and he's not going to be part of the next good Twins team.

Linus · March 31

1 hour ago, tony&rodney said:

FWIW, my take is that rosters can be turned to field a more competitive squad in a couple of years. It does depend on some (moderate) willingness to spend, develop of younger players, efficient trades, reasonable signings of fringe players, and (most importantly) a specific overall plan.

The slide (imo) started with the close of the 2023 season. The weaknesses stood out and there were a host of players who held high or solid values for trade purposes. The Twins identified slugging as a means to an end. It didn't work and the three offseasons of inaction brought us to the current team. I have faith things will begin to turn but it will take time and luck. A critical point - Do the Twins have a different plan now? That is still an open thought, one currently unanswered. We may have a better idea of an answer by some time in June and by August a clear picture should emerge of where the franchise is headed. I don't think a fourth year of sitting on the hands will work. So patience is in order for 2026.

Already there were some positives. Ryan, Bradley, and Woods Richardson looked good. That's a start.

This is a reasoned analysis.

Riverbrian · March 31

15 hours ago, NYCTK said:

The thing is, he's not nearly a good enough hitter to be as bad a fielder as he is. You compared him to Kepler, but yes, Kepler was a far better fielder and just as good of a hitter. Wallner gets a lot of hate for his defense too, but not many called for his release because most still recognize that his bat is significantly better than Larnach.

Larnach just isn't good at any aspect of the game. He's merely adequate at a lot of things, and he's not going to be part of the next good Twins team.

There are quite a few calling for the tossing of Wallner. Twinsdaily is in interesting place because you can can get into a discussion on basically everybody and everything and find counter opinions on everything from Chafin to the sky being blue.

Larnach being merely adequate at a lot of things adds up to adequate. This team has worse problems.

Other players are great fielding and terrible at hitting. Others are great at hitting and terrible at base running. If you find a player that is good at every aspect of baseball they are going to price themselves out of target field. Most of them... you take their pluses and their minuses and end up with a huge congregation of players in the middle and hard line decisions are made on these players in the middle.

I agree that Larnach may not be a part of the next good Twins team but that is not Larnach's fault.

That is going to come down to Tom Pohlad and this crazy competitive plan he has for 2026.

tony&rodney · April 1

2 hours ago, Riverbrian said:

There are quite a few calling for the tossing of Wallner. Twinsdaily is in interesting place because you can can get into a discussion on basically everybody and everything and find counter opinions on everything from Chafin to the sky being blue.

Larnach being merely adequate at a lot of things adds up to adequate. This team has worse problems.

Other players are great fielding and terrible at hitting. Others are great at hitting and terrible at base running. If you find a player that is good at every aspect of baseball they are going to price themselves out of target field. Most of take their pluses and their minuses and end up in a huge congregation of players in the middle and hard line decisions are made on these players in the middle.

I agree that Larnach may not be a part of the next good Twins team but that is not Larnach's fault.

That is going to come down to Tom Pohlad and this crazy competitive plan he has for 2026.

The Twins are not a balanced team as far as position players. The argument (imo) is not specific to any one player although this article and many others highlight specific players, almost certainly to spur discussions. My view is that the team is overloaded with DH guys. This isn't a Tom problem, unless he has expressly forbidden the trading of any players since last October. It seems like more of a roster construction/ front office issue. We can go right down the roster and see decent players, but many of them belong at DH. Thus, it isn't Larnach, Wallner, Lee or any other player we should take umbrage towards. They get put in the corner outfield or elsewhere and do the best that they can when penciled into the field. I don't think people should be calling to "toss" any players. Perhaps many folks are frustrated. Help is on the way .... it may take a year.

Tune in to watch the Saints and you will see several players who hold promise on both sides of the ball, but they need further development at the plate.

The Great Hambino · April 1

38 minutes ago, tony&rodney said:

We can go right down the roster and see decent players, but many of them belong at DH. Thus, it isn't Larnach, Wallner, Lee or any other player we should take umbrage towards.

The problems with roster imbalance certainly run deeper than any one player. I think a lot of the focus right now is on Larnach because they had the easiest off-ramp from him in the offseason, which makes his mere presence seem disappointing. So it's easy to see him as the cause of the logjam at DH/the corners in that sense.

Riverbrian · April 1

10 hours ago, tony&rodney said:

The Twins are not a balanced team as far as position players. The argument (imo) is not specific to any one player although this article and many others highlight specific players, almost certainly to spur discussions. My view is that the team is overloaded with DH guys. This isn't a Tom problem, unless he has expressly forbidden the trading of any players since last October. It seems like more of a roster construction/ front office issue. We can go right down the roster and see decent players, but many of them belong at DH. Thus, it isn't Larnach, Wallner, Lee or any other player we should take umbrage towards. They get put in the corner outfield or elsewhere and do the best that they can when penciled into the field. I don't think people should be calling to "toss" any players. Perhaps many folks are frustrated. Help is on the way .... it may take a year.

Tune in to watch the Saints and you will see several players who hold promise on both sides of the ball, but they need further development at the plate.

The attacks on Larnach are unyielding and ridiculous and they lack perspective.

Therefore... My defense of Larnach also has to be unyielding and being unyielding leaves the impression that I think he is the greatest player ever. Gregg Masterson thinks my defense of Larnach seems personal.

I just ask for proper perspective. PERSPECTIVE! PLEASE! You talk of balance in regards of the 2026 roster construction. I agree with you but how about some Larnach balance on Twinsdaily.

Larnach is one of us. He was one of five professional hitters returning to the team. FIVE!. I do not consider Lewis and Lee in 2025 part of that group of five. However... Lewis and Lee can play 162 games while we stick our pitch forks in Larnach.

I get it... some people really focus on defense. OK fine... go get a defensive corner outfielder if that's the key to victory but that isn't going to help solve our hitting problem.

It was sure nice of Cody Christie to explain fielding run value to me in elementary terms. I ask everyone to please understand what is being thrown around. I ask everyone to understand how many defensive plays occur to an individual defender per game and I ask everyone to understand how many of those plays are simple routine plays. Ask yourself how often a needle moving play actually occurs.

While considering the weighting... Ask Yourself how Ty France can go from -7 FRV in 2024 to +7 in 2025. Was he being fed range juice intravenously during the season? Think about that for just a bit and then ask yourself... is it possible that the majority of limited chances being routine is leaving a fairly unstable stat. That we just throw around like we understand the difference between Trevor's much maligned -7 and WIlli Castro's multi positional -7.

Cody Bellinger went from zero to 9.

Bobby Witt went from 11 to 20. Impressive Range increase from Mr. Witt. I'm sure he will be 20 every year from here on out. Bo Bichette fell from zero to -10.

PERSPECTIVE is what I'm asking for.

SteveLV · April 1

I wonder if you strapped Zolle to a lie detector and asked him if he regrets the decision to offer the Arb contract to Larnach what he would say?

tony&rodney · April 1

1 hour ago, Riverbrian said:

The attacks on Larnach are unyielding and ridiculous and they lack perspective.

Therefore... My defense of Larnach also has to be unyielding and being unyielding leaves the impression that I think he is the greatest player ever. Gregg Masterson thinks my defense of Larnach seems personal.

I just ask for proper perspective. PERSPECTIVE! PLEASE! You talk of balance in regards of the 2026 roster construction. I agree with you but how about some Larnach balance on Twinsdaily.

Larnach is one of us. He was one of five professional hitters returning to the team. FIVE!. I do not consider Lewis and Lee in 2025 part of that group of five. However... Lewis and Lee can play 162 games while we stick our pitch forks in Larnach.

I get it... some people really focus on defense. OK fine... go get a defensive corner outfielder if that's the key to victory but that isn't going to help solve our hitting problem.

It was sure nice of Cody Christie to explain fielding run value to me in elementary terms. I ask everyone to please understand what is being thrown around. I ask everyone to understand how many defensive plays occur to an individual defender per game and I ask everyone to understand how many of those plays are simple routine plays. Ask yourself how often a needle moving play actually occurs.

While considering the weighting... Ask Yourself how Ty France can go from -7 FRV in 2024 to +7 in 2025. Was he being fed range juice intravenously during the season? Think about that for just a bit and then ask yourself... is it possible that the majority of limited chances being routine is leaving a fairly unstable stat. That we just throw around like we understand the difference between Trevor's much maligned -7 and WIlli Castro's multi positional -7.

Cody Bellinger went from zero to 9.

Bobby Witt went from 11 to 20. Impressive Range increase from Mr. Witt. I'm sure he will be 20 every year from here on out. Bo Bichette fell from zero to -10.

PERSPECTIVE is what I'm asking for.

FWIW, I find nearly all defensive statistics pretty much worthless. I do trust my eyes after being involved in baseball at many levels across more than half a century. Also I rarely disparage an MLB player. They do the best that they can. Different players have different tools: at the plate, on the bases, and in the field. Skills are relative to the competition. We hear a few folks call for players to try first base, a position where footwork, handling errant throws, and being ninety feet from line drives eliminates most guys. We might as well ask players to catch or play shortstop, the two most demanding defensive positions.

What is fairly undeniable is that the Twins do not have good defenders in the field and those same players are not exactly tearing up MLB pitching at the plate or excelling on the bases. Thus some changes need to occur over the next year. I have argued that October 2023 was a ripe time to shift. The general idea is to have average to plus average fielders at most positions in the field, hopefully seven of the eight but preferably all eight and that those same players can produce league average or above offense.. In the AL Central, we see other teams doing this or moving in that direction. The Twins are behind the curve.

Larnach, Wallner, and others are not the problem. An accumulation of too many DH players on the roster is the problem. When Culpepper, Jenkins, and hopefully others push forward and prove themselves ready for regular playing time there will be some obvious improvements in the field, on the bases, and at the plate. The job of the front office to to roster the best obtainable collection of baseball players. Right now, the Twins are a little down. Things can change. Depending on how change rolls out and the performances of the players currently rostered, a few of our DH types will remain. The two who hit will find a role.

Riverbrian · April 1

2 hours ago, tony&rodney said:

FWIW, I find nearly all defensive statistics pretty much worthless. I do trust my eyes after being involved in baseball at many levels across more than half a century. Also I rarely disparage an MLB player. They do the best that they can. Different players have different tools: at the plate, on the bases, and in the field. Skills are relative to the competition. We hear a few folks call for players to try first base, a position where footwork, handling errant throws, and being ninety feet from line drives eliminates most guys. We might as well ask players to catch or play shortstop, the two most demanding defensive positions.

What is fairly undeniable is that the Twins do not have good defenders in the field and those same players are not exactly tearing up MLB pitching at the plate or excelling on the bases. Thus some changes need to occur over the next year. I have argued that October 2023 was a ripe time to shift. The general idea is to have average to plus average fielders at most positions in the field, hopefully seven of the eight but preferably all eight and that those same players can produce league average or above offense.. In the AL Central, we see other teams doing this or moving in that direction. The Twins are behind the curve.

Larnach, Wallner, and others are not the problem. An accumulation of too many DH players on the roster is the problem. When Culpepper, Jenkins, and hopefully others push forward and prove themselves ready for regular playing time there will be some obvious improvements in the field, on the bases, and at the plate. The job of the front office to to roster the best obtainable collection of baseball players. Right now, the Twins are a little down. Things can change. Depending on how change rolls out and the performances of the players currently rostered, a few of our DH types will remain. The two who hit will find a role.

I agree with every word in this post.

I do not understand the front office approach this season at all. This year should have been all about the accumulation of talent with the goal of identifying future needle movers that will produce a roster of younger, cheaper and more athletic players. What ever happens in 2026... happens. It's about moving forward instead of fighting to stay afloat with the need to stay afloat next year. The team needs to understand that they can't try to build their roster like the Phillies because they will never have Phillies money to do it.

Let the success/failure ratio at the younger level determine what needs to happen next. Instead of letting the success/failure ratio of one year contract vets leave the same hole every year regardless. If they are successful... they are gone... if they fail they are gone.

Larnach isn't the future... I understand this. But, he is not an expiring contract so he has an opportunity to take what he has learned thus far and move it up a level. Next off-season he becomes an expiring contract and then the Larnach decision will be completely dependent upon his 2026 performance.

I strongly disagree with the allocation of resources this year. Investing your limited funds to someone who as so far been the full time DH just takes the DH spot away from players like Larnach or anyone you want to feed playing time to. Spending 7 million on a backup catcher who is going to the bulk of his playing time at 1B makes no sense. Yes he lengthens out your lineup a little... that's wonderful but let's be clear. Caratini hits good for catcher. Not quite so good for 1B. Nearly no investment in the largest holes on the club... like the bullpen that they filled full of crafty 33 year olds.

Anyway... the allocation of resources this off-season is head scratching and I still hope they prove me wrong.

Right now... Larnach is not the problem. TD is treating Larnach like he stole food from starving children.

Linus · April 1

25 minutes ago, Riverbrian said:

I agree with every word in this post.

I do not understand the front office approach this season at all. This year should have been all about the accumulation of talent with the goal of identifying future needle movers that will produce a roster of younger, cheaper and more athletic players. What ever happens in 2026... happens. It's about moving forward instead of fighting to stay afloat with the need to stay afloat next year. The team needs to understand that they can't try to build their roster like the Phillies because they will never have Phillies money to do it.

Let the success/failure ratio at the younger level determine what needs to happen next. Instead of letting the success/failure ratio of one year contract vets leave the same hole every year regardless. If they are successful... they are gone... if they fail they are gone.

Larnach isn't the future... I understand this. But, he is not an expiring contract so he has an opportunity to take what he has learned thus far and move it up a level. Next off-season he becomes an expiring contract and then the Larnach decision will be completely dependent upon his 2026 performance.

I strongly disagree with the allocation of resources this year. Investing your limited funds to someone who as so far been the full time DH just takes the DH spot away from players like Larnach or anyone you want to feed playing time to. Spending 7 million on a backup catcher who is going to the bulk of his playing time at 1B makes no sense. Yes he lengthens out your lineup a little... that's wonderful but let's be clear. Caratini hits good for catcher. Not quite so good for 1B. Nearly no investment in the largest holes on the club... like the bullpen that they filled full of crafty 33 year olds.

Anyway... the allocation of resources this off-season is head scratching and I still hope they prove me wrong.

Right now... Larnach is not the problem. TD is treating Larnach like he stole food from starving children.

I understand your point. This team has plenty of problems beside Larnach. For me the frustration is the Twins had obvious opportunities to improve the roster at first base, DH and left field. They did nothing. So I think This frustration is displayed by some posters as harsh criticism of Larnach. For me I don’t want Bell or Larnach on the roster nor do I want Caratini playing first or Clemens starting- I want better players but the Twins just keep fiddling around. For some Larnach represents that fiddling around and it frustrates them.

Riverbrian · April 1

2 hours ago, Linus said:

I understand your point. This team has plenty of problems beside Larnach. For me the frustration is the Twins had obvious opportunities to improve the roster at first base, DH and left field. They did nothing. So I think This frustration is displayed by some posters as harsh criticism of Larnach. For me I don’t want Bell or Larnach on the roster nor do I want Caratini playing first or Clemens starting- I want better players but the Twins just keep fiddling around. For some Larnach represents that fiddling around and it frustrates them.

I get that. I think this overwhelming Larnach disgust that is expressed comes from different places but is expressed the same. Some see Larnach as a road block to Erod or Jenkins coming up. Some were hoping that the Twins would sign some big powerful free agent and look at Larnach as settling. Some are defense people that want a defensive stalwart that can also OPS .750 plus.

I just disagree that Larnach specifically is fiddling around. I still look as Larnach as a development story in an organization that is lacking good development stories. He has developed and there is room for more. He's gotten experience and it should pay off... maybe this year... maybe not.

I think he was strip mined for parts during his development years just like they did with Wallner, Kirilloff and Julien. Larnach still came out of it a professional hitter. Are the Twins going to strip mine Austin Martin for parts this year? Right handed hitting specialist pinch runner disposable development? If so... Just move on. He is destined to become MLB roadkill.

If I was Larnach reading this website. I'd give you all the middle finger. 😄

Mike Sixel · April 1

15 minutes ago, Riverbrian said:

I get that. I think this overwhelming Larnach disgust that is expressed comes from different places but is expressed the same. Some see Larnach as a road block to Erod or Jenkins coming up. Some were hoping that the Twins would sign some big powerful free agent and look at Larnach as settling. Some are defense people that want a defensive stalwart that can also OPS .750 plus.

I just disagree that Larnach specifically is fiddling around. I still look as Larnach as a development story in an organization that is lacking good development stories. He has developed and there is room for more. He's gotten experience and it should pay off... maybe this year... maybe not.

I think he was strip mined for parts during his development years just like they did with Wallner, Kirilloff and Julien. Larnach still came out of it a professional hitter. Are the Twins going to strip mine Austin Martin for parts this year? Right handed hitting specialist pinch runner disposable development? If so... Just move on. He is destined to become MLB roadkill.

If I was Larnach reading this website. I'd give you all the middle finger. 😄

I'd be with you if he wasn't already in arbitration and getting "real" money for a team on a super tight budget. This year is very likely a lost year, so if he's ever good, he'll be way more money than they can afford if they have Martin, Jenkins, ERod, Roden, GG available.....

Riverbrian · April 1

9 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

I'd be with you if he wasn't already in arbitration and getting "real" money for a team on a super tight budget. This year is very likely a lost year, so if he's ever good, he'll be way more money than they can afford if they have Martin, Jenkins, ERod, Roden, GG available.....

Or tradable

Mike Sixel · April 1

46 minutes ago, Riverbrian said:

Or tradable

I have real doubts they can get anything for him at this price. YMMV, of course.

Riverbrian · April 1

5 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

I have real doubts they can get anything for him at this price. YMMV, of course.

In a static world I'd agree.

In a fluid world... It can get better or it can get worse.

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