The enigma of Dozier

[DaveW]

Also I would like to know these superior options that exist for SS/2B.

 

It should be noted again that Florimon is having a better year than Andrus.

[drjim]

The offense is bottom 5 in the AL, and dropping with Willingham and Arcia not on the roster. Hitting is an issue people seem to be missing somehow.

 

How is it being missed? By suggesting the average guys are not the problem? Or starting pitching is a bigger one?

[Mike Sixel]

I don't see it talked about much. People seem so fixated on the pitching, when they are actually further behind in runs scored than runs allowed (from the likely playoff teams). They can't hit, at all. Not one 1 OF, DH, 1B, 2B, SS, 3B....all are below average in the AL. EVERY position but 2 (in fairness, Plouff is exactly at the median, but he's dropping).

 

I'm not sure starting pitching is a bigger problem, the hitting is awful.

[golfboy1]

If he can give you a .700 OPS and 15-20 HR while playing a very good defense at 2B you take that any day of the week. Obviously you would prefer to have a Cano at 2B, but Dozier does have the 10th highest WAR amongst all 2B this year.... that seems to be at the very least "above average" to me, and he should continue to show improvement moving forward. (Keep in mind I was a huge Dozier hater)

 

The fact is, defense is so much more important at 2B/SS (look at how much Andrus and his no bat just got) if you have a slick fielder who can still hold his own at the plate (never will be a silver slugger, or AS) you are in pretty decent shape. Obviously I would like Rosario to become a stud and bump Dozier to SS or UTIL guy, but for now, the 10th highest WAR 2B in baseball? I can handle that.

 

Make no mistake about it on the list of Twins issues: Pitching is 1, 2, 3 and 4. After that you are probably looking at corner OF and 1B since the Twins are getting ZERO production from those spots.

 

 

This sums up the situation. Dozier & Florimon are average (at best) at this point in time but they both play solid defense & with the Twins pitching that is important.

 

In short,

#1. They are a vast improvement from last year

#2. The Twins have so many other problems that need attention that they can live with their current MI for the forseeable future.

[DaveW]

I'm not sure starting pitching is a bigger problem

 

really??

[stringer bell]

I think there are at least three players on their way to be contributors to the Twins who are in AA or above: Rosario, Sano, Pinto and Arcia (if you want to count him as in Rochester--I think he'll be up before the Royals series is over) and perhaps Parmelee. There aren't as many pitchers and only the hope from May and Meyer of being better than average.

 

Add to this package the #1 prospect in baseball is a center fielder and I'm confident that the Twins will have a better offense soon. Pitching? Not so sure.

[drjim]

I would add too that the positions that are killing the Twins offensively are the corners and those are by far the easiest to shore up on a roster.

 

It's just not nearly the concern to me that starting pitching is.

[DaveW]

The more I think about it, the more it seems to me the reason why DeDuno has been our best pitcher (and damn solid over all this year) is because we have some really nice INF defense

[stringer bell]

Deduno has been good because he's walking less and when opponents hit the ball, they don't hit it hard very often.

[AROG]

If we could have Brandon Phillips on our team right now, for the salary we are paying Dozier, most would agree that we would take that in a heart beat. Dozier has been almost as good defensively and his offensive numbers are almost identical this year. In Phillips career he is a .270 hitter and a .750 OPS. I fully believe we will get this out of Dozier over a career. The main thing I like about him, his confidence. He doesn't get down on himself he works hard and makes improvements.

 

I love what Rosario is doing, but Dozier is very viable as a major league second baseman. who knows, next year if we keep Rosario in AAA to start the year and Dozier is making more improvements offensively, up to the .270 and .750 marks, we have options with Rosario. We could move him back to outfield or trade him for pitching.

[nicksaviking]

Mike Beradino says the Royals were scouting the Twins while in Seattle but no one is sure who they were scouting. Danny Knobler says the Royals have shown interest in Gordon Beckham, Howie Kendrick, Ricky Weeks and Kevin Frandsen.

 

MLBTR caught both of these nuggets but did not draw the obvious correlation that the Royals were possibly scouting Brian Dozier.

[DaveW]

Why on earth would the Twins trade Dozier?

[DaveW]

Deduno has been good because he's walking less and when opponents hit the ball, they don't hit it hard very often.

 

He is also keeping it on the ground..

[nicksaviking]

Why on earth would the Twins trade Dozier?

 

Maybe the Twins told the Royals that. Not sure why the Royals would have a ton of interest either considering his lack of offense; just connecting the dots.

[LaBombo]

The fact is, defense is so much more important at 2B/SS (look at how much Andrus and his no bat just got) if you have a slick fielder who can still hold his own at the plate (never will be a silver slugger, or AS) you are in pretty decent shape.

Agreed with the rest of your post, you made some good points. But Andrus definitely got paid for his bat as well as his glove, since he was an above-average hitter for his position in 2011 and a top 10 bat in 2012.

 

That's easy to forget when you see the kind of year he's having, but at just 24 and having been an All Star twice already, it seems more likely that this year will be the forgotten one after a couple of more seasons.

[DaveW]

Agreed with the rest of your post, you made some good points. But Andrus definitely got paid for his bat as well as his glove, since he was an above-average hitter for his position in 2011 and a top 10 bat in 2012.

 

That's easy to forget when you see the kind of year he's having, but at just 24 and having been an All Star twice already, it seems more likely that this year will be the forgotten one after a couple of more seasons.

Meh, his career OPS is sub .700, which isn't terrible for a SS but hardly world beating. Yes, the current crop of major league SS is lacking a bit, but there are a ton of top SS prospects that will be up in the coming years which should even a lot of things out (plus Machado I imagine will move to SS?)

 

I'm not sure he can be counted on posting a .727 OPS like he did last year, when this will now be his 2nd time in 4 seasons where he hit a sub .650 OPS. I get that he is only 24...but still, the bat just doesn't do it for me.

[Mike Sixel]

If we could have Brandon Phillips on our team right now, for the salary we are paying Dozier, most would agree that we would take that in a heart beat. Dozier has been almost as good defensively and his offensive numbers are almost identical this year. In Phillips career he is a .270 hitter and a .750 OPS. I fully believe we will get this out of Dozier over a career. The main thing I like about him, his confidence. He doesn't get down on himself he works hard and makes improvements.

 

I love what Rosario is doing, but Dozier is very viable as a major league second baseman. who knows, next year if we keep Rosario in AAA to start the year and Dozier is making more improvements offensively, up to the .270 and .750 marks, we have options with Rosario. We could move him back to outfield or trade him for pitching.

 

terry Ryan deal a top prospect for a MLB player? Not likely.