If the Twins Keep Royce Lewis, Where Should He Play?

[djvang]

5 hours ago, MeleMouth said:

Not adjusting is an attitude problem. Carrying himself like "I'm Keith Hernandez" is an attitude problem. Some of the statements he makes show an attitude problem. 

None of this makes him a "bad person." He's not, as far as we know, abusive to other people or animals or a participant in a crime scheme. However, it demonstrates someone whose excessive self-regard is actually an impediment to success.

It wouldn't surprise me if it annoys some of his teammates. We have heard that Correa got after him for his attitude. I've never been on a professional sports team, but in every job I ever had there were people whose performance was mediocre but acted like they were special; co-workers usually didn't dislike them, but often either minimized their interactions with them or hoped that management would remove them from the workplace.

Bingo! Something about him just strikes me as phony. The numerous variations of face paint and the Mr. Twins Community image he tries to portray are examples. Like when Pete Rose would sprint to 1B after a walk or dive headfirst into a bag when the ball was nowhere near, to support his image as Charlie Hustle, Lewis seems very conscious of an image he wants to create. Phil Mickelson was very popular with fans but wasn't well liked by other players who saw his public image as phony. 

But, I could overlook all this if he would just perform on the field, which he doesn't.

[djvang]

30 minutes ago, MileHighTwinsFan said:

To me the bigger risk is that he goes to the Red Sox for nothing, figures it out and helps them win a title or two.

When has that ever happened? 😁

[soyouresayingtheresachance]

No. Just no. Lewis has no place on this roster once the season ends. Hes has more than enough time to prove himself. Hes below average across the board. 

Move on and dont look back. 

[sweetmusicviola16]

My preference would be that we move on from Lewis. My hunch however is that he will be back with the Twins in 2027. I hope he does well regardless of if he's here or not but he wouldn't be my choice for 1B. His decision making has been poor at best at the position. If a change of scenery turned his career around I'd welcome that regardless of how it turns out for the Twins.

[Maybe Next Year]

For a bunch of alleged baseball geniuses I find your hypocrisy amusing. Two months ago it was Royce Lewis is the great savior who would lead us into to the playoffs. Now he is the scapegoat. I guess he has to hit a grand slam every at bat even if there is nobody on base. According to Morneau, Lewis has played an excellent first base this year. Yes, he has slumped these past 4-5 weeks but he is still hitting .245 + since being called back up on June 6. Not far off from Lee, Clemens, Bell etc… who you all think are fantastic. Lewis has also been at the bottom of the lineup where pitchers can pitch around him. The pressure on him is to hit even though he isn’t getting much to hit. Take your stats and stick em. He is playing a decent first base and he is a much better hitter than you give him credit for. Go ahead and rip me - your over analysis of Lewis is laughable. 

[RpR]

I am far from a Lewis supporter but his defense numbers are actually best at 2nd base.

If he stays, he stays, not a handicap, but an average player who had the misfortune of starry eyed TD posters from a cluster of Grand Slams, the same thing that kept Gray up so long.

[wavedog]

I think Royce should play in Los Angeles - LA Angels specifically.  Back in his home area and they have openings at both 1B and 3B .   Do him a favor and trade him to LA we don't need much back in return.    We have Lee at 3B, Clemens at 2B and plenty of other options to play 1B or learn to play 1B .  

[RpR]

8 minutes ago, wavedog said:

I think Royce should play in Los Angeles - LA Angels specifically.  Back in his home area and they have openings at both 1B and 3B .   Do him a favor and trade him to LA we don't need much back in return.    We have Lee at 3B, Clemens at 2B and plenty of other options to play 1B or learn to play 1B .  

Resign France.

[Mike Sixel]

1 hour ago, Maybe Next Year said:

For a bunch of alleged baseball geniuses I find your hypocrisy amusing. Two months ago it was Royce Lewis is the great savior who would lead us into to the playoffs. Now he is the scapegoat. I guess he has to hit a grand slam every at bat even if there is nobody on base. According to Morneau, Lewis has played an excellent first base this year. Yes, he has slumped these past 4-5 weeks but he is still hitting .245 + since being called back up on June 6. Not far off from Lee, Clemens, Bell etc… who you all think are fantastic. Lewis has also been at the bottom of the lineup where pitchers can pitch around him. The pressure on him is to hit even though he isn’t getting much to hit. Take your stats and stick em. He is playing a decent first base and he is a much better hitter than you give him credit for. Go ahead and rip me - your over analysis of Lewis is laughable. 

It is almost like there are different people here, with different opinons. ALOT of us never though he was a savior, to be clear.....and he isn't "slumping"....this is who he is for multiple years now. 

Are we only looking at BA now? Because Lee>>>>>>>Lewis and it isn't close. 

Pitchers aren't pitching around him, he's missing pitches left and right. I can't even....

[SE23]

1 hour ago, RpR said:

Resign France.

Man, it's tempting isn't it? But he's produced 4.8 WAR this season. He might command a BIG payday from somebody. And there's the natural fear of most longtime baseball fans that he represents a 'sucker's bet.'  That is, FEAR OF REGRESSION. Will he really follow up a career year with ANOTHER career year? I'm certainly willing to take the gamble -- because it's not my money... 😄

[SE23]

2 hours ago, wavedog said:

I think Royce should play in Los Angeles - LA Angels specifically.  Back in his home area and they have openings at both 1B and 3B .   Do him a favor and trade him to LA we don't need much back in return.    We have Lee at 3B, Clemens at 2B and plenty of other options to play 1B or learn to play 1B .  

Royce even up for Talon Haley, the Angels 20-year-old left-hander. Read his story. He's a DAWG.

[rv78]

4 hours ago, MileHighTwinsFan said:

he was paid $2.8M and will likely not make much more than that next year.  Not sure you are getting anything in terms of second baseman that will exceed his current production at that price. 

I hate to even say this but, Kody Clemens was more productive by means of his power, and probably plays 2B as good or better than Royce, for league minimum this season. I didn't have to look far.

[ashbury]

10 hours ago, NYCTK said:

Smdh at all these people around here waiting for him to struggle so that they can write him off officially or get him out of here. 

It has been unnecessary to wait.  Since August 2024 he has delivered consistently: an aggregate OPS in the .600s.  That's struggle on a silver platter.

[SE23]

35 minutes ago, ashbury said:

It has been unnecessary to wait.  Since August 2024 he has delivered consistently: an aggregate OPS in the .600s.  That's struggle on a silver platter.

I sincerely hope Royce gets a fresh start (preferably with an NL team) and figures it all out. He has the talent to make it happen. But he's in a terrible rut here in Minnesota. He needs to re-invent himself as a bat-to-ball, contact first, line drive hitter. 

[D.C Twins]

Recent Alumni or Left Bench... 

[RpR]

26 minutes ago, SE23 said:

I sincerely hope Royce gets a fresh start (preferably with an NL team) and figures it all out. He has the talent to make it happen. But he's in a terrible rut here in Minnesota. He needs to re-invent himself as a bat-to-ball, contact first, line drive hitter. 

Talent vs. Skill

• Talent: An inborn, natural potential or recurring pattern of reaction.

• Skill: An expertise or learned behavior acquired through practice and effort over time.                                        He does not have the first and - sadly - also lacks the second

[Fatbat]

16 hours ago, djvang said:

DH should be reserved for Keaschall who can't be trusted in the field.

He isnt that big of a defensive liability.  If Luis Arraez can become a gold glove, LK can learn to play defense.

[TopGunn#22]

I get the point of the op, but have to agree with many others that it's time to move on from Royce Lewis, just like it's time to move on from Trevor Larnach, Matt Wallner, Bailey Ober and a host of others.  

Clemens is a superior glove and bat at any position Lewis would play.  I'm starting next season with Clemens at 2B until it's time to call up Marek Houston.  Look, Houston's glove could play at SS on opening day.  All the Twins should be doing is giving him April & May to determine how his bat does at AAA.  Lewis as a 2B would be the most temporary of tryouts.  It's not worth the time or effort.  

And the bat of Lewis just can't play at 1B.  The Twins should hunt for a trade for a 1B.  In a different article, someone suggested they acquire Yandy Diaz from Tampa Bay.  But Diaz has become a full time DH.  He's barely played 1B for 2 years now.  Signing Jake Bauers as a FA would work, but I would think Milwaukee would want him back after the season he's had, and other teams could probably out-bid the Twins.

So look to trade Joe Ryan, Lewis, Larnach, Ober, Wallner and others, looking for a minor league 1B who's talented, but blocked at the MLB level as well as a catcher and some pitching. That is what my off season plan would be for the Twins.  Maybe they part with a minor league catcher for a major league catcher in a trade,  Lackey is probably on the fast track, but the major league catching position is bare for the Twins in 2027.

Lewis is just one of these players who just don't fit into the Twins current and future plans anymore.  All the guys I've suggested have seen their value diminish, but many still have "some" value.  it's time to move on.  

[twinfan]

First or third would be my choices. Some might argue that he doesn't hit with enough power for either position and that may be true but we have several middle infield possibilities besides him. And there are rumors of bringing back Arraez to play second if the Phils don't extend him. But the bottom line is that 2027 will be it for Lewis if he doesn't improve his offensive numbers.