Arcia to First & 2015 Opening Day

[AScheib50]

My guess is a few games at 1st and 3rd and most at dh. If his defense improves to the point he can play 3b and not hurt the team you have a good thing too many good players.

 

I really can't see Sano becoming a DH by 2015. He'd only be about 22 and he's an athlete with a great arm and he runs pretty well for being a big guy. I bet he goes to RF before he becomes a DH. Plus I don't see it becoming an issue as reports have him becoming a serviceable player at third. Unless he really balloons up and outgrows third I bet he stays there for a number of years.

[ThePuck]

We have Arcia, Hicks, Buxton, Keplar...just for starters...that we're looking at for OF spots in the next couple years...but we're also talking about Rosario going out there since Dozier is doing so well, and now Sano? How many starting OF we gonna play?

 

It's like talking about all of our #5 type starting pitchers. :-)

[Willihammer]

It would be so sweet if both worked out and therefore one could be moved at the first trade deadline in 2014.

 

That would be the ideal but I think extremely unlikely best case scenario. Rosario's 2nd half, after the promotion, wasn't all that promising. It was only 300 PAs and he's only 21, so he is not a lost cause, and that's exactly why he still has some value, I would think.

[Alex]

That would be the ideal but I think extremely unlikely best case scenario. Rosario's 2nd half, after the promotion, wasn't all that promising. It was only 300 PAs and he's only 21, so he is not a lost cause, and that's exactly why he still has some value, I would think.

 

Some value? Brian Dozier wasn't crushing AA until he was 24. In fact, at 23, he had a .703 OPS at high A.

 

I've been excited I was wrong about Dozier this season, but Rosario is on a far better developmental track. Ideally, Rosario becomes available as Dozier gets expensive and we reap good value....

[Willihammer]

Some value? Brian Dozier wasn't crushing AA until he was 24. In fact, at 23, he had a .703 OPS at high A.

 

I've been excited I was wrong about Dozier this season, but Rosario is on a far better developmental track. Ideally, Rosario becomes available as Dozier gets expensive and we reap good value....

 

Dozier's unlikely success in the MLB doesn't change the fact that Rosario will probably fail. There was a study just posted on the board that found 70% of top 100 specs bust. So either path you go, there is risk. Rosario's value could easily be at an all time high right now.

 

Gun to your head, what is the one position the Twins are currently secure in for the next 5 years? My answer, even before Catcher or closer, would be second base. Therefore I think if there's one blue chip spec you dangle, its the 21 year old (soon to be 22 year old) backing him up.

[stringer bell]

Dozier's unlikely success in the MLB doesn't change the fact that Rosario will probably fail. There was a study just posted on the board that found 70% of top 100 specs bust. So either path you go, there is risk. Rosario's value could easily be at an all time high right now.

 

Gun to your head, what is the one position the Twins are currently secure in for the next 5 years? My answer, even before Catcher or closer, would be second base. Therefore I think if there's one blue chip spec you dangle, its the 21 year old (soon to be 22 year old) backing him up.

I think Rosario is a great prospect and he could well become an All-Star. He's not in the same constellation as Sano or Buxton and he would figure to be ready about the time they are. Perhaps he would be a really good piece to trade if Dozier continues to be a better-than-average hitter with ++defense.

[Mike Sixel]

gun to my head? Middle reliever, they are flush with middle relievers in the minors and majors. Second bullet.....CF, I think Buxton is no fail, third bullet, DH, Arcia or Mauer or Sano can DH for sure, 4th bullet might be dozier assuming backup infielder or 7th starting pitchers are not options....

[Dman]

I think that if Dozier ends up at second base then I think they should move Rosario to the outfield and trade Hicks. I don't see Hicks having the potential to hit much over 250 and I think Rosario can be a 300 hitter. Rosario is also younger.

 

I don't love Arcia in the outfield but agree his greatest value on this team is if he stays there. I think he will see a fair bit of time at DH once things are settled unless he improves his defense. I hope all of our prospects turn out well. We are going to need all of them to compete.

[Alex]

Dozier's unlikely three months of success in the MLB doesn't change the fact that Rosario will probably fail. There was a study just posted on the board that found 70% of top 100 specs bust. So either path you go, there is risk. Rosario's value could easily be at an all time high right now.

 

Gun to your head, what is the one position the Twins are currently secure in for the next 5 years? My answer, even before Catcher or closer, would be second base. Therefore I think if there's one blue chip spec you dangle, its the 21 year old (soon to be 22 year old) backing him up.

 

FTFY.

 

Isn't Dozier finishing up his second year of service time, making him a FA in four years?

 

I don't think you deal either, and really, there's no reason to. There's way too much risk to deal one now (both in what's lost and what could be gained).

 

However, if you wait two-three years, you may have both at higher value (Dozier having established himself and Rosario ready to play 2B).

[beckmt]

Mauer is the first baseman going forward. You are not going to risk more concussions with him. Collebello will probably back him up, DH and pitch hit. Parmelle is not going to be here. Pinto looks like the real deal. This should put the Twins in a good position.

[Mike Sixel]

KLAW in today's chat indicated he'd move Mauer to more at 1B, less at catcher, going forward.

[TheLeviathan]

Waaay too early to rule out Arcia from the outfield. I'll agree that he hasn't been good out there but he has the skills (range & arm) to be decent .

 

Sounds a lot like what we heard about Delmon. Sorry, but I think we have seen enough to rule Arcia out as anything but a sub-par defender.

[Thrylos]

Arcia is about 5'10" (listed at 6'.) No way he is playing first.

[kab21]

Moving OF to 1B is pretty rare if that player has basically never played IF so I don't think this is a likely solution. Arcia's role is likely RF/LF/DH just like Kubel.

 

The absolute most that I expect Mauer to play at catcher is 50% of the time so it makes more sense for him to be at 1B in the other half of the games.

 

Rosario to the OF is silly unless the team really doesn't think Dozier can handle SS. Citing someone's first 80 MLB games where he struggled at pretty much everything is not a good analysis. And after a decade+ of inept MI play I will be concerned about having too many good 2Bman when Dozier is still hitting next year and Rosario is tearing up AAA. There are a few warning signs that Dozier 'could' tumble next year. I think he's here to stay but I wouldn't bet the farm on it.

[iastfan112]

FTFY.

 

Isn't Dozier finishing up his second year of service time, making him a FA in four years?

 

I don't think you deal either, and really, there's no reason to. There's way too much risk to deal one now (both in what's lost and what could be gained).

 

However, if you wait two-three years, you may have both at higher value (Dozier having established himself and Rosario ready to play 2B).

 

Because of the time he spent in the minors last year Dozier has 5 more years before he hits FA. Hence why you see a significant number big prospects spent an extra month or two in the minors(avoiding Super 2 as well) a minor amount of time can lead to nearly an extra year of control.

[AScheib50]

We have Arcia, Hicks, Buxton, Keplar...just for starters...that we're looking at for OF spots in the next couple years...but we're also talking about Rosario going out there since Dozier is doing so well, and now Sano? How many starting OF we gonna play?

 

It's like talking about all of our #5 type starting pitchers. :-)

 

I definitely wasn't advocating Sano going to the OF. Just that I bet he would play the field rather than DH at the age of 22.

[jimbo92107]

Arcia will be fine in RF, putting him at first base is a waste.

 

Agreed. No proof Arcia can field short hop throws from the infield, and we already know Mauer and Colabello are good at 1B. I figure they'll start playing Mauer in thirds at C, 1B, DH. Colabello 2/3rds at 1B, then DH. Arcia will be RF, occasional DH. Not sure how they'll handle the middle infield with Rosario coming up. Dozier has gotten so good at 2B and is batting so well, now it seems stupid to change what ain't broke, unless you give Dozier another shot at SS with Rosie at 2B. Pinto looks like a nice, fresh, unbruised noggin for catcher.

 

Meanwhile, it looks like Plouffe has petered out. He seems done with the Twins. Maybe it's because he sees Sano's name on the bathroom wall, like it's a done deal. Watch him and Parms go to Boston and start whacking homers for ten years.

[Trevor0333]

Where has been the talk of moving Arcia to first base? This seems like a very logical move for the future, given he's a terrible defender in the OF and there isn't really a true prospect coming up the pipeline (I'm not a big Vargas fan).

 

After Arcia moves to 1B, then you can look at moving Rosario back to the OF. A future OF of Hicks, Buxton and Rosario seems appealing.

 

2015 Opening Day:

C-Mauer

1B-Arcia

2B-Dozier

3B-Sano

SS-Florimon

OF-Hicks, Buxton, Rosario

DH-Plouffe (if he's still around)

 

A rotation of Meyer, May, Gibson, Worley, and a mid-season call-up of Stewart.

 

I'm loving the future!!

 

Im really high on Stewart but its highly doubtfull to see him at all in 2015. Maybe Sept 2016 and hopefully a fixture by 2017.

 

Worley will be DFA'd by the end of next year.... They still need a #1 & #2 starter for the next 2-3 years. I like Meyer and a little lesser May but they will take a couple years to establish themselves. It's quite rare for a rookie SP to come in and be good from the get go that young.

 

Also I wish the push Rosario back to the OF would stop. Your tunring a possible great hitting 2B to a solid to average corner OF? No thanks, you make Dozier prove it another year &or trade him in a package for more near MLB ready SP talent. Odds of all 3 of Meyer, May, & Gibson all panning out is fairly low.

[Shane Wahl]

The problem with Arcia in RF is that Buxton-Hicks in CF-RF is going to make too much sense by 2015 at the latest.

 

Now maybe an argument can be made for Hicks in LF, I suppose.

[kab21]

I don't think we can say for certain that Hicks will hit enough to be a corner OF'er regardless of how great his defense is. Arcia is a poor defender but I'm fairly certain that he can hit well enough to be a DH or corner OF'er.

 

I hope Arcia is a lesson to anyone that ever says 'he played CF in rk ball so he must be a good defender'.

[Mr. Brooks]

I don't think we can say for certain that Hicks will hit enough to be a corner OF'er regardless of how great his defense is. Arcia is a poor defender but I'm fairly certain that he can hit well enough to be a DH or corner OF'er.

 

I hope Arcia is a lesson to anyone that ever says 'he played CF in rk ball so he must be a good defender'.

 

Didn't you say it was silly to cite someones defensive struggles during their first 80 MLB games, when discussing Dozier, but now have already concluded that Arcia is a poor defender?

[Oldgoat_MN]

Fun thread.

So far we have the following players listed for 1B:

Colabello

Mauer

Parmelee

Arcia

Sano (did I miss anyone?)

 

While I appreciate the fact that the easiest place for Joe to move is 1B, there are too many big bats in MLB that only play 1B. How flamed am I going to get if I ask about Mauer moving to 3B?

 

Do you have an idea other than C/1B/DH?

[AScheib50]

Fun thread.

So far we have the following players listed for 1B:

Colabello

Mauer

Parmelee

Arcia

Sano (did I miss anyone?)

 

While I appreciate the fact that the easiest place for Joe to move is 1B, there are too many big bats in MLB that only play 1B. How flamed am I going to get if I ask about Mauer moving to 3B?

 

Do you have an idea other than C/1B/DH?

 

I don't have any issue with thinking of Mauer at somewhere other than first or DH. I feel like he could be a valuable asset playing RF even. I've always kinda wished they used him as a Johnny Bench type player. Now I'm just going off Bench's stats, having never seen him play, but he played kind of all over the field....that could have just been due to the fact he couldn't DH? But I feel like Joe's a fantastic athlete and could have been and could be better utilized than just winding up as a DH...just my thoughts. Like do we think Mauer could be a better RF than Arcia if given a few reps out there? If so then wouldn't it make sense to try that and DH Arcia more often on days when Mauer doesn't catch? Just throwing it out there for some conversation, not suggesting the move just yet...

[matthew0211]

How flamed am I going to get if I ask about Mauer moving to 3B?

 

I've always loved the idea of Mauer at 3B. We are hearing that Sano would be adequate there defensively, but Mauer would seem to have the range (and of course the quarterback arm) to be one of the best in MLB. I think Mauer at third and Sano at first would be stronger defensively than the other way around.

[kab21]

Didn't you say it was silly to cite someones defensive struggles during their first 80 MLB games, when discussing Dozier, but now have already concluded that Arcia is a poor defender?

 

Big difference between Dozier's stuggles and Arcia's.

 

Dozier has the tools but struggled with fundamentals at SS. Arcia is 22 and simply doesn't move well already. He can improve his routes but the raw athleticism won't.

[Alex]

Because of the time he spent in the minors last year Dozier has 5 more years before he hits FA. Hence why you see a significant number big prospects spent an extra month or two in the minors(avoiding Super 2 as well) a minor amount of time can lead to nearly an extra year of control.

 

I understand that, and I'll have to look closer but I thought Dozier played enough days to get a full year of service time.

 

EDIT: Nope. I was wrong. He needed 172 days to qualify of 183. Dozier only played 125 games so at best he was up for around 150 days.

[stringer bell]

Dozier only played 84 games last year. He was on the club from May to August and I doubt he'll even be eligible for Super 2 Arbitration one year hence.

[Alex]

Dozier only played 84 games last year. He was on the club from May to August and I doubt he'll even be eligible for Super 2 Arbitration one year hence.

Yeah, I was looking at the wrong line, but either way it was still under the threshold -- my bad!

[stringer bell]

Arcia--I think he has the necessary tools to be an okay corner outfielder. Comparing him to Dozier is apples and oranges. Dozier's positions in the majors are crucial defensively. We have Hall of Fame corner outfielders who never approached average defensively. Corner outfielders and first basemen need to hit and the last two days have been heartening in that regard for Arcia.

[stringer bell]

Mauer will be 31 next year and will have been primarily a catcher for his entire professional career. He has played 56 games at first and right field for one game. While I don't doubt he could be a good third baseman or corner outfielder, I don't see the point of trying to convert him to one of those positions, since he hasn't played there and there is a gaping hole at the position he has played. He is by far the Twins best hitter and a position where he would be very good defensively (seen that already) and yet not as physically demanding makes total sense to me. Mauer has lost a step or two already from his days behind the plate. I'm in favor of him helping the team by hitting and being an asset at a "low leverage" defensive position.