A Lowe-Cost Solution to the Twins' First Base Situation

[Vanimal46]

1 minute ago, sweetmusicviola16 said:

TTT has to spend some money. He has to swing for the fences. 3/40  ought to get it done with Goldy. 

I am assuming this is sarcasm. Goldschmidt signed for 1/$4 last year he's gonna be a vet minimum signing like Orlando Arcia last year

[Vanimal46]

But yes I absolutely can believe we'll be reading an article on here with the headline BREAKING: 7x All Star Paul Goldschmidt signs 1 year contract 

[DJL44]

1 hour ago, Riverbrian said:

Playoffs are fine. Platoon all you want. 

Check the Brewers regular season and check how many AB's left handed hitters had against left handed pitching. 

By the time the playoffs. Hit... the manager can take that information and platoon away. 

So you’re okay with trying to win in the playoffs but not during the regular season. What’s the point of a 13 player roster if you aren’t going to use those extra roster spots to complement your starter’s weaknesses?

[sweetmusicviola16]

55 minutes ago, Vanimal46 said:

But yes I absolutely can believe we'll be reading an article on here with the headline BREAKING: 7x All Star Paul Goldschmidt signs 1 year contract 

Oh boy, now that I see it in print I recant my attempt at humor. This isn't funny anymore. Zoll and TTT might see it and think it's a great idea....

[sweetmusicviola16]

Too much limbo in an article like this one. How Lowe can the Twins go

[Seth Stohs]

Make no sense to me at all to consider Lowe. He's a guy a team signs as a pinch-hitter, part-timer, a veteran bat. Not any sort of answer. His numbers are not close to be enough better to not give Royce another year. 

We've seen this scenario before. Twins draft an athlete high in the first round. He faces a variety of injuries on the way up the ladder. He debuts, shows flashes of greatness, struggles, injuries, and ultimate they become pretty strong players. I'd much, much rather lock him up long-term than lose him for pretty much nothing. 

[Vanimal46]

8 minutes ago, Seth Stohs said:

Make no sense to me at all to consider Lowe. He's a guy a team signs as a pinch-hitter, part-timer, a veteran bat. Not any sort of answer. His numbers are not close to be enough better to not give Royce another year. 

We've seen this scenario before. Twins draft an athlete high in the first round. He faces a variety of injuries on the way up the ladder. He debuts, shows flashes of greatness, struggles, injuries, and ultimate they become pretty strong players. I'd much, much rather lock him up long-term than lose him for pretty much nothing. 

You're arguing to lock Royce Lewis long term? I'm not for that at all. 

[darin617]

Not needed at all. Kody Clemens can do the same thing for less money and better than Lowe.

[Mike Sixel]

56 minutes ago, Vanimal46 said:

You're arguing to lock Royce Lewis long term? I'm not for that at all. 

No one better be doing that. He's been bad for 2.5 years. 

[Riverbrian]

On 10/23/2026 at 7:14 PM, DJL44 said:

So you’re okay with trying to win in the playoffs but not during the regular season. What’s the point of a 13 player roster if you aren’t going to use those extra roster spots to complement your starter’s weaknesses?

Umm... I don't know... I didn't realize the Brewers were not trying to win in the regular season. Is this the approach you want to take in your gotcha moment. Do we just go round in circles with this crap. 

The Brewers had 699 at bats for the pure left handed hitters against left handed pitching during the regular season. The Twins had 324. The Brewers had a team OPS of .720 against left handed pitching. The Twins had a .678. What is your point? My point is talent. What's yours?

Hamilton had 71 AB's in the regular season against left handed pitchers and he was the one they hid the most. The other 5 pure left handed hitters had opportunity to show Pat Murphy who should be platooned in the playoffs. Bauers, Turang and Mitchell are not platooning in the playoffs. Those 3 have homered 4 times off of left handed pitchers in the playoffs. The team has 10 home runs total in the playoffs. The Brewers have an .800 OPS against left handed pitching in the playoffs. They have a .698 OPS against right handed pitching in the playoffs. They have 6 of those pure left handed hitters on their roster. HOW IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE? Turang had .620 OPS against lefties in the regular season. Led the entire team in AB's against lefties with 176 of them. Still playing against them in the playoffs. How is that even possible? 

The Brewers are only using a 3 man rotation in the playoffs.  Any comments on that? I guess the Brewers don't want to win in the regular season with that 5 man rotation. Did ya trip me up with your cleverness? 

You know what I want in the playoffs. THE BEST DAMN PLAYERS!!! How do you know who your best players are? You have 162 games to find out? But you can make it really easy to identify them if you just back them up with role players. Players look better than they are when you place them next to a pile of dead fish. Players who make that .650 OPS look irreplaceable. I'm so tired of having no place to turn when someone is struggling/failing but... apparently it's a tradition you'd like to sustain for a longer period of time than the Bobby Bonilla contract. 

It's really not a hard concept but for you... maybe it is. 

It's like a virus. But... we don't know why we are sneezing. 

We got another article about bringing in half ass players. Let's bring in 26 of these half ass guys. Let's load up and go for it.

I'll tell you what. You go ahead and set your pretty platoon combinations up in the off season. You compliment away... go ahead and let's see how long those pretty little platoon combinations last. I'll bet they are blown apart by the end of April but you keep signing lesser players as your strategy for winning baseball games and let's watch Austin Martin get 300 AB's anyway. 

Go sign your Grichuk's for 5 million so Jenkins will never ever be worth 15 million at any point in his career but at least the Twins will go 394-416 over the 5 years that Jenkins will never ever ever have to face a big scary left handed pitcher and we get to trade him for a relief pitcher when we gotta do that rebuild thing. Let's sit and wonder why we can't produce a Schwarber or Freeman. Let's just ask the other teams to do it for us and then try to sign them in free agency with money we have never had in the history of this franchise. I can't see that working because they usually sign with the big boys but no worries though... there will be plenty of Grichuks to sign in the future as we half ass our way to glory. 

Do you want to platoon Lewis with Lowe? Or do we have to sign a right handed dude to pair with Lowe? How many roster spots you got? You want two half ass 1B on your roster?

Regardless... The Twins front office will hire you because you are in lock step with what they religiously do to produce a 394-416 record over 5 years. 

How's the compliment thing working for ya. You compliment all you want. Math this thing together. Bring it home. 

I WANT TALENT! Not bits and pieces of players who end up with 300 AB"s anyway. 

It's really not a hard concept but nice job knocking me down with your stunning gotcha moment. 

 

[CRF]

Nope.

[jmlease1]

Last thing we need is to be signing another LH bat that can't be on the field vs LHP. I don't mind platooning (it's been part of the game since god was a corporal) but we already have too many LH bats that need protection. He's not a good defender, can't hit LHP, why do we want to add that? 

Just say no to Lowe.

[SaintPaulRocks]

I'm all for this. Twins firstbaseman had a .671 OPS. Signing Lowe for strong side platoon is a vast improvement. He has a career. 793 OPS vs right handers. Also will allow more money to sign a couple of relief pitchers. 

[1985Fan]

If they go the trade route to fill 1B, how about Coby Mayo? The Orioles have the Polar Bear locked in for a while, so Mayo could be expendable. They need SP badly. Maybe Ryan for Mayo would work. He’s not shown superstar numbers, but he’s young and has upside.

Im ok if they stay internal for 1B. Give Lewis another two months as a last chance. If he doesn’t hit, then be done with him and go with Clemons and Sabato to see how that looks. I think they should see what Sabato can do before moving on. They need some RH power in the lineup with Jeffers on his way out. 

[bjorks]

20 hours ago, rdehring said:

Unlike many of you, I don't see the Twins going after any first basemen during the offseason.  I expect them to give Lewis a chance, likely his last chance to be an everyday starter.  And first base is the only spot in the Twins lineup that would work.  I also see them taking a hard look at Roden, who played first in college.  Although I don't know how much.  And unlike many, I believe Roden both deserves and is ready for full-time play for the Twins, or someone else.  

If Lewis fails to win a full-time spot, I see him as a backup at first, second and third which would lead to his departure in either July or next winter.  In that case Roden would be their starter.  Come July there is a strong probability that Houston will have arrived, moving Culpepper to second which enables Clemens to move to first either full-time or splitting it with someone.

I don't disagree. As much as I've come to loathe Lewis, he's cheap enough and as a former #1 probably earned another 1/2 season to see what we have. I don't necessarily get excited thinking about Christian Walker in 2027 (as opposed to 2020) let alone Lowe. Clemens is so stinkin cheap I'd rather give him 500 ABs at 1B/2B than if guys like Lowe/Walker are the "best" we can do/afford. 

Again, spend the money on Jeffers.

[Mike Sixel]

30 minutes ago, bjorks said:

I don't disagree. As much as I've come to loathe Lewis, he's cheap enough and as a former #1 probably earned another 1/2 season to see what we have. I don't necessarily get excited thinking about Christian Walker in 2027 (as opposed to 2020) let alone Lowe. Clemens is so stinkin cheap I'd rather give him 500 ABs at 1B/2B than if guys like Lowe/Walker are the "best" we can do/afford. 

Again, spend the money on Jeffers.

How many years does he get? It's 2.5 awful years now. 

[sweetmusicviola16]

37 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

How many years does he get? It's 2.5 awful years now. 

Unfortunately my hunch is that we will see another year of below average to bad play in-between injuries. A. He will come cheap. B. He is still a 1/1 draft pick. C. It is the Minnesota Twins organization that is still owned by the Pohlads.

[bjorks]

1 hour ago, Mike Sixel said:

How many years does he get? It's 2.5 awful years now. 

i should've said another half year to see if he can get it back. He's cheap enough and the alternatives aren't a whole lot better based on cost/performance. Clemens deserves 500+ABs and I don't care if they're at 1B/2B/OF/C/RP/player coach. #'s are similar to someone like Walker at 1/20th the cost

[JD-TWINS]

15 hours ago, Riverbrian said:

Umm... I don't know... I didn't realize the Brewers were not trying to win in the regular season. Is this the approach you want to take in your gotcha moment. Do we just go round in circles with this crap. 

The Brewers had 699 at bats for the pure left handed hitters against left handed pitching during the regular season. The Twins had 324. The Brewers had a team OPS of .720 against left handed pitching. The Twins had a .678. What is your point? My point is talent. What's yours?

Hamilton had 71 AB's in the regular season against left handed pitchers and he was the one they hid the most. The other 5 pure left handed hitters had opportunity to show Pat Murphy who should be platooned in the playoffs. Bauers, Turang and Mitchell are not platooning in the playoffs. Those 3 have homered 4 times off of left handed pitchers in the playoffs. The team has 10 home runs total in the playoffs. The Brewers have an .800 OPS against left handed pitching in the playoffs. They have a .698 OPS against right handed pitching in the playoffs. They have 6 of those pure left handed hitters on their roster. HOW IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE? Turang had .620 OPS against lefties in the regular season. Led the entire team in AB's against lefties with 176 of them. Still playing against them in the playoffs. How is that even possible? 

The Brewers are only using a 3 man rotation in the playoffs.  Any comments on that? I guess the Brewers don't want to win in the regular season with that 5 man rotation. Did ya trip me up with your cleverness? 

You know what I want in the playoffs. THE BEST DAMN PLAYERS!!! How do you know who your best players are? You have 162 games to find out? But you can make it really easy to identify them if you just back them up with role players. Players look better than they are when you place them next to a pile of dead fish. Players who make that .650 OPS look irreplaceable. I'm so tired of having no place to turn when someone is struggling/failing but... apparently it's a tradition you'd like to sustain for a longer period of time than the Bobby Bonilla contract. 

It's really not a hard concept but for you... maybe it is. 

It's like a virus. But... we don't know why we are sneezing. 

We got another article about bringing in half ass players. Let's bring in 26 of these half ass guys. Let's load up and go for it.

I'll tell you what. You go ahead and set your pretty platoon combinations up in the off season. You compliment away... go ahead and let's see how long those pretty little platoon combinations last. I'll bet they are blown apart by the end of April but you keep signing lesser players as your strategy for winning baseball games and let's watch Austin Martin get 300 AB's anyway. 

Go sign your Grichuk's for 5 million so Jenkins will never ever be worth 15 million at any point in his career but at least the Twins will go 394-416 over the 5 years that Jenkins will never ever ever have to face a big scary left handed pitcher and we get to trade him for a relief pitcher when we gotta do that rebuild thing. Let's sit and wonder why we can't produce a Schwarber or Freeman. Let's just ask the other teams to do it for us and then try to sign them in free agency with money we have never had in the history of this franchise. I can't see that working because they usually sign with the big boys but no worries though... there will be plenty of Grichuks to sign in the future as we half ass our way to glory. 

Do you want to platoon Lewis with Lowe? Or do we have to sign a right handed dude to pair with Lowe? How many roster spots you got? You want two half ass 1B on your roster?

Regardless... The Twins front office will hire you because you are in lock step with what they religiously do to produce a 394-416 record over 5 years. 

How's the compliment thing working for ya. You compliment all you want. Math this thing together. Bring it home. 

I WANT TALENT! Not bits and pieces of players who end up with 300 AB"s anyway. 

It's really not a hard concept but nice job knocking me down with your stunning gotcha moment. 

 

Deep breaths…….,

[SE23]

Nowe.

[ashbury]

17 hours ago, Riverbrian said:

Turang had .620 OPS against lefties in the regular season. Led the entire team in AB's against lefties with 176 of them. 

Lots of interesting points to ponder but life is short, or maybe my attention span is, so I'll respond to just this. 

Turang is indeed an interesting case to consider because the Twins in 2026 had no one like him.  He OPSed .901 against right handers.  No one with more than 50 PA against one side of the pitching platoon or the other had an OPS like that for our team.  (Alex Jackson with 48 PA against righties achieved .950 but his BABIP was an insane .500 so his contribution was a fluke.)  BTW b-r.com shows Turang with 202 PA against lefties in 2026 so maybe you are working from late-season but not-quite-final stats?  Not that it changes the conclusions you are drawing.  Anyway, it's a lot easier to put up with .619 (Turang's final OPS vs lefties unless I'm misreading b-r.com) when taking him out forgoes any chance of another RHP matchup later in the game where he could dominate.

Versus lefties, the Brewers had 3 hitters with 100+ PA carrying a .900+ OPS.  Again, the Twins had none.  Three guys in the lineup like that also can help take a bit of the sting out of one black hole in the lineup that becomes an asset if a righty comes back in to pitch and has to face Turang.

The other side of the coin is that when you platoon, you do it on the assumption, hope, and expectation that your LHB will murderize the RHP, and likewise RHB will tattoo the LHP.  Larnach led the Twins lefty hitters at .819 versus right handers, and Jeffers was the only righty above .800 (just over, at .802) against lefties, and there were few highlights below these guys.  When the best L/R split of any variety is our excellent righty Buxton against RHP (.865), the manager can only tear out his hair in frustration.

Speaking of Larnach, it's painful to remember that he was drafted ONE spot ahead of Turang.  Argh.

My point being mainly to agree with you: it's about the talent.  Get the Twins a few Turangs of their own, some way and somehow, and see if their strategery doesn't shift a little bit on them.  Get some lefty bats that can cook against those plentiful RHP, and the platooning plan suddenly doesn't seem quite as pathetic.

I forget which manager it was, maybe Stengel or Berra, who said "I managed great but they sure played lousy."

[Riverbrian]

7 hours ago, ashbury said:

My point being mainly to agree with you: it's about the talent.  Get the Twins a few Turangs of their own, some way and somehow,

Thank you for your entire post. You are a breath of fresh air because I'm stuck in the mud with Milwaukee is platooning in the playoffs and apparently that means sacrificing the regular season. It's frustrating so Thank You.  

The juncture is here... the hour is critical. It's the next wave. It's here. What do we want Jenkins and Emma to become? The decision is RIGHT NOW! 

It's not later... it's right now.

We can go down the Lowe path. It's the same path we've been travelling. Are we going to focus on little gains for today at the expense of tomorrow... AGAIN.

Are we just going to continue doing what we have absolutely 1,000 percent committed to the past 4 years. Do we want to carry on and just throw Jenkins and Emma and Roden and Sanchez and Tait into the same grinder that spit out Larnach, Kirilloff, Wallner, Julien. The hour is now.

Are we sending Jenkins down to the minors so we can roster a lesser player in Austin Martin just so we can attach Martin to Emma? Does Roden wait behind Gonzalez due to handedness? Is Gonzalez fated to become Martin because of the presence of Jenkins and Emma? The hour is now. We blew the last wave... will we blow this one? 

It's about talent... All that meaningless mundane research that I did that very few care about or understand was all about talent and all I ask is that people consider the role platooning is playing in our talent deficiency. 

If people want role players to fill out your 26 man you are not serious about talent. Injury will drag the role players into the light. If you want Jenkins strip mined for parts... you are not serious about talent. You are just using up valuable resources to survive today and hindsight is showing that we did not survive previous today's and we are into the future now... doing the same thing.   

Talent isn't just expensive realized talent that we can't afford to buy. It's also about talent that needs time to become expensive realized talent. Does the player have talent realized or unrealized. That's what we want.  

It's about commitment to talent.

Being an advocate for specialists to round out the roster... That is not a commitment to talent. You want specialists... don't bitch about the lack of talent. It's the same path that led us nowhere. It's the path that in the words of Bob Dylan... Just kinda wasted our precious time".

I've thought twice... It's not alright. 

Short Side Specialists as a plan is a BAD PLAN and we've tried that... we know the result. Looking for right handed baseball players when you already have 9 of them is a BAD PLAN and we've tried that... we know the result. Being the leader of the left handed hitter phobia club... being the 30th out of 30 teams alpha dog is a BAD PAN and we've tried that and we know the result. 

Thanks for your post and the honest discussion. The reason I only quoted the section is because it needs to stand out. 

"Get the Twins a few Turangs of their own"  

The Twins have refused to even attempt to develop a Turang.

They haven't even attempted. 

But we will pick up a Nathanial Lowe. 

The hour is now.