What's the Twins’ Long-Term Answer at First Base?

[MapleGroveTwinsFan]

6 minutes ago, S Bart said:

Also....Royce Lewis 

Royce Lewis debuted at 23, and Rooker at 25, not sure how that compares.

Rooker has had one great season, 1 season with a WAR of 2 and one with 1.8, and the rest below replacement and will be 32 in two months.

Lewis been a league average player at best minus a month or so back in 2023.

Not sure these two guys are making the case you think you are.

Sure if Buxton puts up a 5 WAR season, Keashall, Jenkins, Lee,  Erod, Culpepper and Clemens put up WARs between 2 - 4 then trying a 27 year old rookie isn't a terrible idea, if those things don't happen and they try out a 27 year old and he fails, well it will be another year of missing the playoffs. Sabato should be depth for next year and if somebody gets hurt they should give him a shot.

[gman]

31 minutes ago, bjorks said:

never said anything about Clemens, I'm referring to specifically the fact Kriedler should get about 250 ABs a year and if Ross is on the MLB roster, we've suffered massive failure/injuries. Moving Clemens off being the primary option at 2B is, IMHO, the stupidest thing Jeremy/Shelton could do. 

Working with players we have not the ones we hope to get maybe someday. I agree with Clemens being pulled away from second and at this point would be our best hitter for first base.

[Western SD Fan]

To suggest that we have to have a big power hitter at first is laughable.  The Twins and other teams have had light-hitting first basemen before.  The Twins have had Kirilloff, Mientkiewicz, and Ron Coomer.  Even the Yankees have had Greg Bird, who was not known for his power, in the lineup.  Whether a first basemen hits the ball over the wall or into the gap still drives in the run.  I'll take a full lineup of Lewis's, if they consistently hit the ball into the gap over a lineup of Joey Gallo's, who has light tower power, provided he can find the ball with the bat short of hiring Sherlock Holmes.

As for figuring out whether Lewis is the long-term answer at first, this could have already been addressed by now had they done this last offseason, which was move Lewis off of 3B to first or second.  Because they failed to address this last offseason, we need to use up another offseason to see whether the Lewis experiment will work or not.  I could also make the argument that they could have addressed this in the 2024-2025 offseason when all the comments were flooding in about Lewis refusing to play second in September of 2024.  

I could be intrigued by Keaschall at first.  Mainly because we just have too many OF that will need playing time and are better fielders, even if they move Larnach or not offer him arbitration, and I'm not even including Wallner, who probably needs a Julien type of trade out of Minnesota at this point.  Lewis could then move to second with Clemens being the LH Swiss army knife that gives a platoon advantage.

[S Bart]

[arby58]

57 minutes ago, bjorks said:

see...Rooker...Brent

It’s like looking for a needle in a haystack. For every Rooker you’ll have 10 Fedko McCumbers. Keep in mind that Rooker had 3 seasons of negative WAR before he found hitting religion in Oakland - nobody’s gonna give Sabato that long a leash.

[S Bart]

when talking about age...important to realize that some of these players such as Lackey...Culpepper...Sabato.....Lee.actually went to college..gained experience there...as such, they enter pro baseball older....,,around 21 or 22. It is important to take that into consideration when comparing age any playing career. My belief is that Jenkins will improve with time,,,,but probably was baptized into the majors a bit early. I really am not certain if Royce is going to make an adjustment. He spent time with a batting coach all last winter. He will be 28....not sure how long of a leash the team should give him.

[PuckettPond]

If Royce Lewis does not accept coaching & continues to do it his way he may not be in a Twins uniform for long.

[Nashvilletwin]

Jeffers - as early as ‘28 and certainly in ‘29 and 30’.  Just depends on Lackey, Diaw, Tait and Tinney.

The point is that re-signing Jeffers to a four year deal makes sense because after ‘28 at the latest he can make the move to 1B and won’t be holding anyone back.

C’mon TDers - let’s think out of the box

[Jacksson]

The next 1B is not currently in the organization.  Identify that player.  Trade for him.

[S Bart]

2 hours ago, MapleGroveTwinsFan said:

Royce Lewis debuted at 23, and Rooker at 25, not sure how that compares.

Rooker has had one great season, 1 season with a WAR of 2 and one with 1.8, and the rest below replacement and will be 32 in two months.

Lewis been a league average player at best minus a month or so back in 2023.

Not sure these two guys are making the case you think you are.

Sure if Buxton puts up a 5 WAR season, Keashall, Jenkins, Lee,  Erod, Culpepper and Clemens put up WARs between 2 - 4 then trying a 27 year old rookie isn't a terrible idea, if those things don't happen and they try out a 27 year old and he fails, well it will be another year of missing the playoffs. Sabato should be depth for next year and if somebody gets hurt they should give him a shot.

ahhh Rooker played for Miss. State and was SEC player of the year. So, it is important to take into timeline debut consideration that some players actually do go to college and then enter the majors. Lewis went from high school. Players that enter MLB after college still have to go through the steps. I am not saying Rooker was great...unless Lewis can have somebody help him with his batting and pitch selection...you may see another Sano scenario...hope not 

[Andy MacPhail]

2 hours ago, TheLeviathan said:

For all the plodding, slow, large, power-hitter types we drafted over the years we didn't manage a single one we could move to 1B.

It was so frustrating when Twins, drafted those players & develop them with big holes in their swing.

[LastOnePicked]

2 hours ago, Nashvilletwin said:

If the owners stick to their salary cap demand, I’m quite pessimistic about ‘27 being much more than a stub year.

Considering that the Twins typically fall apart after 100 games, this could be a good thing.

[Hawkeye Bean Counter]

My worry is we just traded away our best power option in Amick.  

[Mike Sixel]

Next year? Keaschell. After that? Keaschell or Timney. I hope.

[Galen]

Lewis obviously has elite physical skills. If he could quit flailing at all those outside pitches, trying to clean and jerk everything to left...and drive the ball to center and right, he'd be really good.  

[Coach]

Cody Clemens should be the first choice within the Twin's organization.  He's under control through 2029, made a base salary of $800K this year, as of the end of May he led all of MLB in Runs Saved at 1B, he's a ballplayer, a good club house guy, and hit for power. 

[GNess]

In the up to the moment  futile search for "elite" performers why basically undervalue 1B as the Twins have since the days of Mauer/Morneau?

Consider the following off the top of my head, list of current !B providing impact offense for their respective teams:

Matt Olson,  Vlad Guerrero, Rafael Devers, Freddie Freeman, Pete Alonso, Bryce Harper, Yandy Diaz, Spencer Torkelson, (Others?)

Are there any promising internal or external plausible options for hitters like this to place in the middle of the Twins batting order? 

[Brandon]

I think we either sign a 1B or throw all of them in and see who sticks.  We currently have Sanato, Wallner, Keaschall, Lewis, Clemens, Mendez, Gabriel Gonzales, Larnarch (I'm sure he is gone after the season but potential option now). That's 9 options and we can add Tiat at some point as well. 

On the plus side, Cartini shouldn't be an option to play 1B ever again for the Twins. 

[Mai.K]

I was hoping Sabato would get at least a little opportunity, so it’s a bit disappointing.

First, I think we’ll probably give Lewis more chances, or this will end up being another season where we try to patch things together with internal options.

I don’t really see many free agents who seem like a particularly good fit for our team, but there are quite a few players from the NPB and KBO who are hoping to make the jump to MLB through the posting system after this season.

Most of them are pitchers, but there are a few hitters as well. And as for infielders... hmm...

There is one third baseman who could probably also play first base...??

In the NPB, there’s Teruaki Sato.
And in the KBO, there’s Roh Si-hwan.

Of course, given the current posting system, I’m not sure there are enough incentives for either player to choose our team. But in the end... I guess the most important thing is money, right?

[S Bart]

1 hour ago, LastOnePicked said:

Considering that the Twins typically fall apart after 100 games, this could be a good thing.

Agree..but...so sad...all of it...money dominates nowadays in the pros and even college...sports..especially football

[h2oface]

Sad as it is, there are currently NO long-term answers for the Twins at ANY position. 

[bean5302]

4 hours ago, DJL44 said:

“Sabato has shown some legitimately encouraging signs this season, posting an .898 OPS at Triple-A St. Paul”

Take 200 points of OPS off his numbers to translate to MLB. Expect a 700 OPS with bad defense from Sabato. There will be better options available cheaply in free agency.

I think you're being optimistic. Sabato's xwOBA at AAA is .310 vs wOBA of .385. That roughly translates to an OPS of .650 he should have. Knock 200pts off that and you get "real" Sabato.

Hits like DaShawn Keirsey, plays defense like Miguel Sano.

[h2oface]

57 minutes ago, GNess said:

In the up to the moment  futile search for "elite" performers why basically undervalue 1B as the Twins have since the days of Mauer/Morneau?

Consider the following off the top of my head, list of current !B providing impact offense for their respective teams:

Matt Olson,  Vlad Guerrero, Rafael Devers, Freddie Freeman, Pete Alonso, Bryce Harper, Yandy Diaz, Spencer Torkelson, (Others?)

Are there any promising internal or external plausible options for hitters like this to place in the middle of the Twins batting order? 

Time to take Vlad, of 520 AB with all of 9 homers and a .694 OPS. , off the list?

[Sampson5]

Don't think it's Royce unfortunately unless he rediscovered his bat this off-season. Young term it's one of the 3 top catcher prospects who eventually turn into a 1st basemen be cool if they gave sabato a chance but outside of that curious if they eventually give keashall a run at 1st otherwise probably just gonna sign a new vet to play the position every year like they been doing be cool if a prospect could take the job so they can have it solved for a while instead of the new starter every year thing they been doing 

[Cris E]

2 hours ago, Western SD Fan said:

Because they failed to address this last offseason, we need to use up another offseason to see whether the Lewis experiment will work or not. 

Um, you don't "use up a winter" to decide if a guy can play in the majors. You play him in the majors, as they are now, and then you decide if he was good enough.

You've seen most of a season with Royce at 1B, how does he look after how many hundred AB? How would thinking about it over the winter change your answer? 

[mikelink45]

4 hours ago, thelanges5 said:

The 1B FA class isn’t very deep for 2027 (or any position for that matter)

https://www.spotrac.com/mlb/free-agents/available/_/year/2027/position/1b/level/mlb

Ty France is the best of the lot and we already gave up on him.

[djvang]

5 hours ago, LastOnePicked said:

I wouldn't go with What at first. Who's a better choice.

What is better at second?

[sweetmusicviola16]

I'vE definitely been a supporter of Lewis. But at this point no. He shouldn't be the 1B. 

[Coach]

3 hours ago, Coach said:

Cody Clemens should be the first choice within the Twin's organization.  He's under control through 2029, made a base salary of $800K this year, as of the end of May he led all of MLB in Runs Saved at 1B, he's a ballplayer, a good club house guy, and hit for power. 

To Harmon, what is your solution, and why?